《The Mage Will Master Magic Efficiently In His Second Life》 CH 1 * * * The Mage Association With many mages gathered, I was bathed in the center of their applause. Magician Zeff Einstien, with praise and respect towards your powerful magic, we bestow upon you the title of the strongest red mage, the Flame of Flames. Haha, thank you. Work hard to not shame this title. Im an old man now, but yeah thats me- The mage holding the red branchs highest title, the Flame of Flames. Ever since I was a child Ive been entranced by red magic, this was the incentive I needed to get this far, to train this hard. I devoted myself day after day to magic; wine, women, gold, and other all temptations of the world meant nothing compared to my study of red magic. Theres a very deep feeling to it. Among the thunderous applause, a hand slowly fell from the pulpit, silencing the audience. The gaze of a young mage could be seen. He then slammed his fist down. Popular spice. (TN: lol I dont even) It didnt seem like an act of malice. It was praise, saying to rejoice in the fact that it is commendable,but could still grow. And disparages are, is outraged by being a fool, but also can be grown. That stand out, he very efficient growth method. (TN: These two paragraphs T^T) However, Ill partake in this, for my further growth! I will aim for further heights! As the Flame of Flames, Ill rise to be the strongest among them! Wow~~~~~! ! While wrapped in a vortex of applause and cheers I pushed up my the right hand. *Pashapasha* The sound of a miniature magic projector coming in could be heard. Word also spread through the Mage Associations distribution of the newspaper, which was released throughout the continent. This year, talk of the new magic master would be a hot topic. Cthe following year. I visited the Mage Association because of a new Magic spell called Scout Scope. This is is something that magicians can use to measure their latent ability or talent, and learn what systems of magic theyd be compatible with. Magic can basically be divided into five systems or branches. Red/Scarlet Flame magic proficient in attack spells, suppressing its power is very taxing on the body. Blue Water magic proficient in support, and interference, various effects can be learned from this branch of magic. Coincidentally the Scout Scope spell is also of the Blue branch. Green Magic affiliated with the earth and space. Its possible to control both space and the terrain if trained. There arent many variations for this branch to be used, but its very powerful. Sky Magic capable of interfering with the atmosphere, making control over wind and thunder possible. The whimsical nature of this branch makes it powerful, but very hard to control. Soul Magic of Angels and Demons. Its said, that if trained its possible to deliver a message to either God or the Devil themselves There arent many practitioners of this branch, and not much is known about it These are the five systems of magic, or at least these are the five main systems that most Magicians train in. I myself specialize in Red magic. To measure someones potential through Scout Scope, of course Id be interested . Itd be good to show every mage this. Although others couldnt use it very well, I naturally mastered it, and used it on myself. The results for the strongest Red mage the Flame of Flame were Zeph Einstein Level 99 Red/Scarlet Magic level: 62/ 62 Blue Magic level: 49/ 87 Green Magic level: 22/99 Sky Magic level: 22/89 Soul Magic level: 19/97 Eh? My eyes involuntarily popped out. The strongest red mage has red magic as his lowest talent?! No way!? Although I re-checked it multiple times the number didnt change. Levels are a concept that have existed since long ago, whereas its possible to forcefully obtain growth at a fast pace with its rise. Though eventually, levels will stop rising and the growth will stop. This is called the talent limit, the end of training. I myself, long ago, have felt the limits of my growth. With a level of 99 you begin to think about these things. However, are the hard-to-use/train Greenand Soulsystems really the ones with the highest potential? They mightve not trained as hard as me, but others may easily have greater potential for theRed/Scarletsystem. This is so wrong. I wasnt always an old man I used to be young too. This cant be I dont deserve an outcome like this! The longer you study magic, the less you should expect near the end. The fruits of all my training and research cant have all been a lie, Id rather die than let things end like this! Though I wont die! Even though I feel a bit dead inside Then, another red mage with a higher talent level took the title of Flame of Flames away from me. My limit was 62, while his was 99. The Mage Association said that since my potential level was too low I was unworthy of the title. I couldnt say anything in my defence. With me reaching my maximum potential, it was time for a newer, younger mage to shine Cand be given my title Even though he had the talent for it, with no combat experience theres no way Ill lose to some brat.. Although they didnt, I understand. But I wont give up, Ill keep walking the path of a mage until my death. I struggled, to end the suffering of training even a second sooner. On the verge of death I finally created a new spell. I spent many years waiting, to release the magic Ive engraved into this body. Time Leap My spirit left my body, traveling through space-time back to the past. The spell was still incomplete though, only knowledge was passed over, and Ill have to re-train my magic all over again. But luckily, I like training. Unstable, yes, and I dont know how far back the spell will take me, but this time Ill take advantage of my knowledge and Scout Scopeto the fullest. My consciousness rapidly disappeared, and turned white. And Zeph, youll be late for school! Get up! A white bed, my mothers voice, and the smell of miso soup. My body had been returned to that of a boys. I went back to a good time. Luck seems to be on my side. Its hard to move my body though. I honestly didnt think it would go so well. It would be nice to say that it was a great success. I pointed my index finger towards the window, and draw out the spell for the elementary level red magic Red Ball. But it didnt activate. No way I focus on my body, but the magic power lines that should flow through it arent responding well. I have to fix this as soon as possible. Forget level of potential, a mage that cant use magic isnt a mage at all! but at the moment Im hungry. Ah, Im coming mom! As I ran down the stairs, seeing my mothers face for the first time in such a while, I cried a little bit. Mother saw my tear-stained face, and laughed gently. To such a nostalgic smile, the tears wouldnt stop flowing. What is it Zeph? Did you see a scary dream? No Im just Happy is all What a funny child. I who has lived until an old man, painfully knows the importance of time. I cant even waste one second. I must train my magic efficiently this time. I wiped my tears, and when I tasted my moms food for the first time in a while, I cried again. CH 2 oodbye and take care! After eating that nostalgic breakfast, I remembered from what mother said that I had to go to school. Regrettably, now I have to go to school . Come to think of it, I wonder if there are any schools that teach magic in the capital. Incidentally, the classes here are feared by children for certain reasons. Upon exiting the house, a nostalgic scenery could be seen before me. Here, the city of Nanami is a good city dwelling inside a good country. Even after I grew up and left, I still came back here many times because I missed it. Oh man, the tears are flowing again. Anyway lets go! C To release the magic lines. Outside, I was in a place somewhere in between the hills and the school. Since, releasing the magic lines will take quite a bit of concentration and time. Magic lines spread throughout the entire body of the mage, they are literally lines that magic pass through. The magic of a talented mage is thick, so it has to be spread evenly throughout the body. However, my magic lines are now in a dormant state, its not possible to channel magic through them. For those who aspire to become mages, normally you ask another mage to release the magic lines for you, but while meditating, I can open them up myself if I try. Its the second time Ive done this after all, there shouldnt be any problems. I climbed a tree and scouted the area before hand, to make sure the coast was clear. I sat down on a tree branch and closed my eyes, concentrating on my spirit. Feeling something wash over my body, I could feel my magic lines opening one by one. This was delicate work, I could feel the sweat from my forehead dripping down my face while concentrating. I continued to open my magic lines one by one, and by the time I was done my body was all sweaty. Heaving a huge breath, all the strength left my body, and I almost slipped and fell. I forgot that I was on a tree. After catching my breath, I concentrated on the magic lines, and found magic flowing through them smoothly. Now its time to use magic. With my hand held out in front of me, I imagined a red ball. Then small magic ball of flames was born, it looked fluffy and was floating at about eye level. The fire was moving oddly. If I stopped supplying magical power, the red ball would dematerialize. The magic consumed about a tenth of my magic power. Ordinary rookie mages would at most only be able to cast red ball three times. Another way to put it would be that if the other children here became mages thats what theyd be like. It wasnt useless in the end. It wont be the same as it was before. The sun was just past its noon point. Come to think of it, Im actually really hungry now. It was time to eat the lunch packed by mom anyway. The me of the future read many scrolls on magic, I think I read almost everything published at the time. Although I can barely use magic now, Ill learn more as the growth level increases. Though it wasnt as delicious as it wouldve been fresh, the bulging belly of my child sized body was satisfied. Oh yeah, since my magic power has recovered somewhat, why dont I use scout scope? Zeph Einstein Level 1 Red Magic level: 1 Blue Magic level: 1 Green Magic level: 0 Sky Magic level: 0 Soul Magic level: 0 The consumption of scout scope feels higher than red ball. Red and Blue are level 1 because I used these two spells. I like how the talent/potential cap cant be seen, but this is probably due to my low level use of scout scope. Magic is improved the more you use it, the consumption decreases with proficiency too. To see the potential cap, I probably dont have to increase the magics level that many times. Anyways I was able to remember some spells. Im still far from my future self though, I have many challenges to face in the future to grow. When I looked down, I saw a whole bunch of children scatter towards the school. This will be another challenge. Thats just how school is. To spend my day like this, I have a bad feeling somethings gonna happen. What is this? It mightve left quick, but I felt it. As I climbed down and walked towards town, I saw a figure approaching me. With disheveled, long black hair, she ran over here while heavily breathing. She wore glasses and a sweater that made it so that each step made her large chest bounce. I was fascinated for a moment before she cried out tearfully. Zeph-kun! Okay, time to use the excuse I prepared. But as I was about to say it, my voice was muffled when she pulled me into her chest. While making a *Mogomogo* sound, my face was completely overwhelmed by her adult force. While I was enjoying this feeling, I noticed that her body was trembling. I-I was worried She said while I was pressed against her chest that was comparable to a cows it felt good, like I could cry out saying it felt good good. Oh yeah, I just remembered something. This was my primary school teacher, I think she was called Claire-sensei. She was popular with both the male and female students, and had been confessed to many times by men. To a teacher of such beauty, my face was being smushed into her chest. (Come to think of it, Ive never done anything like this before) A small smile crept up my face. School was probably in an uproar when I didnt show, so mom and Claire-sensei probably freaked out, but its a waste of time to worry too much about it so Ill just let it be. I need to get through this time as soon as possible, but itll probably take a while. At least I can still do my training while going to school. With plans in my head, I enjoyed the feeling of the chest being pushed into my face. CH 3 next day, I was forced to go to school. Mom and Claire-sensei from before were so scary I didnt want to raise my head. The hour long class was too boring, so I took the time to sleep instead of listening. As soon as the lesson was completed, I ran out to the washroom. Its not because I needed to go. Its for training my magic. Once in the washroom, I closed the door and leaned on the wall, while focusing magic power into my palm. Green Ball Suddenly, a green ball of magic was created in my hands. C Green system primary magic: Green Ball. Magic of the Green system has high power but a narrow range of effects, its not developed enough to show any strong effects yet. For strong high-level demons, I need difficult magic. The fluffy ball of magic that was floating over my hand eventually disappeared because I cut off its magic supply. With a heavy breath, I concentrated magic into my palm again. Black Ball I then created a black sphere of magic. Its bustling around dizzily. -Sky system primary magic: Black Ball. Although this system is very fast, its difficult to control and has low power. This is also, a difficult system to learn. The two spells were activated in rotation consistently until the bell for the next lesson rang. Sky and Green, these two systems were rarely used in my previous life, but are going to be my main systems in this one, considering that they had the highest talent values. Red and Blue are easy to use in their own way, but I need to make the other two systems a habit. Although they werent used much before, this time will be different. Therefore its necessary to increase the level of my magic by even a little bit now. I enter the class a minute before class starts and immediately start sleeping. I need to sleep to restore my used magic quicker. Using Claire-senseis voice as a lullaby, my consciousness quickly left me. Hey, Zeph! At the end of class, as I was about to leave for the washroom when a boy a bit on the chubby side started talking to me. With a weird grin on his face, he gave me a look, as if sizing me up. When I tried to ignore him, the other boys came out and blocked my way. What the heck? Hey Zeph, why do you always go to the washroom? Why are you asking? What, do you need to go first? Huh? In response to my answer, the boys showed an amazed face and started laughing. *Gehyagehya* Like a ripple in the water, soon all the students were laughing. Oh ~~~~ Wait, does this mean that I was teased? I wonder if theyre like this because theyre children. While scratching their heads and making weird noises, all the boys surrounding me started chanting vulgar words in unison. Wow, I think these guys need a little discipline. I pointed my hand towards the leader of the boys, and created a red ball. The fireball was shot right beside the boys head, and burnt out before reaching the wall. Hmm so it can only fly that far now, huh. Even though I say that, it was still enough to scare the crap out of the boy, making him collapse on the floor. Leaking out, the smell of urine and burnt air hung over in the classroom. To the boy, I looked down at him with a bloodthirsty gaze for an instant. I dont like these sort of things, you know? I grinned while saying so, and the boy fainted. Turning around, I took a step forward and all the boys surrounding me scrambled out of the way while yelping. I walked towards the washroom while thrusting my hands into my pocket. There were no shortage of people like this from my previous life, but maybe that was a bit much with a kid as an opponent. As I opened the washroom door, the first bell started ringing. Shit, I wasted a period I couldve used training. Cafter school. While everyone else was walking in the direction of their homes, I was heading the opposite way. My destination was the suburbs, why? Well its because I can hunt monsters that are outside the city there. I conjured a green ball in my hand while walking, and I felt the power value of the green system increase. As you can see its level went up. I can train magic like this by shooting it at some empty area if I wanted, but using the magic in actual combat is far more efficient. Blank firing magic is one way to cultivate it, but Scout Scope shows the difference of growth between Blanks and actually fighting easily. The town of Nanami is surrounded by a wall, but there are several gates in it guarded by gatekeepers, Im in the town no more. I could leave without any problems through the gates, and walked towards the wilderness. When going out, dont forget to bring a wooden stick in advance. Just by walking out a little, you can see blue jelly-like monsters appear in front of you. This guy that seemed to just sprout from the ground, is a demon belonging to the Blue element, a Bluezel. ( TN: Buruzeru = Bluezel, good enough?) The earth is full of magic, this demon is created from rainwater that soaked into it. The city was grown through magic by the patrons, demons wont generate there, but theyll attack at first sight the moment you step outside. With my wooden stick in hand, I casted green ball while smashing it. *Bo Young* The impact made the Bluezel tumble along the ground, but its still alive! It stretched its tentacles towards me! Shit! The Tentacles hit the stick while I casted green ball again. I pummeled it while casting greenball, eventually the Bluezel disappeared after about 10 shots. All of todays time will be used to train my magic. After defeating the monster, I could feel a force grow in my body. This is called the experience value, if you raise it to a certain extent youll gain a level. While feeling the force increase, I took a little break to recover my magical power. CH 4 h Einstein Level 5 RedMagic level: 2 BlueMagic level: 2 GreenMagic level: 5 SkyMagic level: 4 Soul Magic level: 0 After a week of continuous Bluezel hunting in the towns vicinity, my levels have developed accordingly. The reason why Soul is the only one still at zero is because you need a magic stone to act as a medium to practice this system. Thats why for now, this cant be used. Only Bluezels appear in the vicinity of Nanami. Bluezels are a really weak kind of demon. For now I can only beat small demons, so the Experience gain isnt very good. Its going to take a while to raise my level. When they come close, strike them with the stick, and when theyre far away, bombard them with green balls. Currently, this is how Ive been beating them. Yup, this is a steady way to grow stronger. Before I noticed, another Bluezel started forming at my feet! This Bluzel was double their regular size. It caught me. I tried to untangle myself, but it was too strong. My leg was caught by a tentacle, and I was hung upside down over it. Its top opened up, and it was going to stuff me inside it! The Bluezel was going to eat me! Dont screw with me. I positioned my hand towards the Bluezels mouth, and concentrated my magic. Red Crash! When I released the spell, from my hand an explosive flame shot out and completely eradicated the Bluezel. I fell to the ground, into the center of the Bluezels remains leftover from my attack. My clothes got dirty from the all the mud and water. Man, now moms going to get mad at me. I used up all my magic on that spell. C Red system intermediate magic: Red Crash. Its a spell that burns a narrow area with an explosive flame, it takes a lot of magic power to use but its decent power evens things out. This makes it most useful for enemies a short distance away. But because it takes a while to use the spell, I decided to only use the spell when absolutely necessary. Like right now when that huge Bluezel appeared. Soon regular Bluezels started appearing again, but I havent recovered enough magic power to start casting Green Ball again. While retreating, I focused my mind. CMeditation. Circulating all leftover magic throughout your body by your magic lines is technique used to restore magic power a few times faster than normal. Meditation is usually done while sitting, but I can do it while standing, while walking, and on top of that I can even do it in combat. Cast Green Ball, then recover. Cast Green Ball, then recover. After repeating this process several times, I was able to defeat another two Bluezels. Whoa. After defeating the Bluezels, I found a blue gem. Its a blue gem After defeating a monster, the magic contained in its body and the magic in the earth can fuse, creating an item. Although this is supposedly a trash item. I wont get much gold from it by selling it at a store. I stuffed the blue gem in my pocket, and decided to end the day after meditating. I need to go home soon. Fighting in the dark is too risky. I also need to prepare myself for something else. Moms going to be mad at me. On the way back, while I was meditating, a horse-drawn carriage hurried towards the city. It was a medium sized caravan. If it belonged to a peddler, I want to see if they had any rare magic items. I dont have any gold though. For now, lets just go home. As I lost sight of the caravan, I could hear a scream from afar. As I turned towards the direction of the girls scream, I could see fire rising from the carriage. I couldnt see very well because of the distance, but it looked like a fight or something. The demons around here couldnt do something like that. So that means Their hired adventurers betrayed them. They were probably thieves dressed as adventurers from the beginning. However, this situation, while unfortunate for the people in the caravan, was the perfect opportunity for me. If I help them now, they might give me an expensive item after as a reward. But with the magic I have now, Im still really weak. According to how adventurers grade themselves anyways. But I cant afford to not do anything! While thinking about how to act, a girl on a horse was riding towards me. Apparently, shed escaped from the fight. With a pale face, she stopped in front of me. Hey you! Run away! Ill go inform the city, so hide! After saying that, suddenly an arrow could be seen sticking out of the girls chest. The girl looked down at the arrowhead surrounded by blood, and coughed, staining the trail with more of it. Slowly, the girl fell off her horse, and as if in slow motion, she stretched her hand towards me and pointed in the opposite direction. While the light in her eyes disappeared, she mouthed two words to me. Run away. I wonder why. I walked up to the girl who to her last breath was worried about me, and gently closed her eyes. While moving my line of sight from the girl towards the caravan, two of the thieves disguised as adventurers were coming here riding a horse. One lowered the bow he was holding, smiled, and started laughing at me. Slowly, he took and arrow from his quiver, and nocked it on the bow. He purposely did the process of aiming as slowly as possible because he wanted to see my frightened appearance. And for that, I thank you thief. As the thief slowly drew the bow to its limit, I casted black shot. With power that wouldnt lose to an arrow, a magic bullet of wind pierced both of the thieves heads at once. When the two thieves fell from the horse, the other thieves noticed, and saw me. They seemed to be very upset that two of their comrades were killed by a child mage. But Im calm. A little while ago, I got a bit emotional, but Ive settled down now. In this world, people like this dont deserve to live. I cant remember how many of these scumbags Ive killed in my previous life. Smart and efficient, thats my motto. So Ill hunt you hyenas! CH 5 k clouds started forming overhead. It started to rain, the wind picked up too. I want to finish this before it becomes a storm. There was a considerable distance between the bandits and I. The spell I used a little while ago, Black Shot is the rapid-fire version of its ball form. The Sky system focuses on speed, but with that said, its rapid fire magic can still be avoided so I have be careful about that. I only got those other guys because they were careless. The thieves scattered to my left and right. They all kept their distance while aiming their bows at me. With a mage as their opponent, they could either fight me through a long distance battle, or directly assault me knowing that some of them will die. They decided on the former. At least thats what I assume theyre doing. Predicting this, I shot out Red Wave before they could spread out too far. C Red system primary ranged magic: Red Wave. Its a spell that constantly shoots out hot air, also doing a small amount of magic damage. Although its a low-power spell, depending on how you use it, itll be useful for various situations, like being a distraction or Stoping movement. Hot air spread across the ground, burning the thieves hair. Hihyi~i~in! Suddenly being exposed to hot air like that, its not suprising theyd react like that. The thieves riding horses were burnt, and stopped their movement. My magic cant reach that far yet, I wont be able to kill them from this position. If I can defeat one of them with magic, itll be tough to fight the other three, especially now since theyre vigilant against me. Oh well Lets just kill them all at once. No choice but to use Great Magic. It was already raining, but as if in response to what I said, the storm seemed to get stronger. Now would be suitable. I collected all the magic in my body into my hands, and started chanting. I beckon the spirits, shout like a storm, and roar like thunder, wipe out the foes before my eyes with the wrath of the heavens! Black Thunder! The sound of lightning could be heard from the black clouds covering the sky, when it suddenly poured down on them. A dazzling light engulfed everything I could see, then a thunder clap resounded after a slight delay. In place of where the thieves stood was nothing but a tremendous cloud of dust rising into the air, which was subsiding quickly in the wind and rain. I could feel the increase of experience, so I think I defeated all of them. After the dust settled, I went to check the place the lightning stuck. The ground was gouged out where it fell, the soil was burnt black, and the thieves had disappeared without a trace. My breathing was heavy, even though I feel like passing out, I needed to stay concious even a minute longer. When you use too much magic, you put a great burden on your body. Great Magics magic consumption is quite large. Right now, probably because I went beyond the limits of my magic, its completely exhausted. I sat down, and repeatedly took deep breaths, again and again. CMeditation. I think I feel a little better now. Sky system Great Magic: Black Thunder. Even though its magic consumption is small compared to other Great Magic, and the fact that you can only cast the spell when theres cloudy weather, this spell has alot of defects to it, but if you ask me Looking at the aftermath of the spell, it was still a really powerful attack. It was hardly used, but the remains just scream that a big spell was used here. (TN: ޤʹϤʤΤäƤħԤäȤ The last sentence anyone?) I continued to meditate while thinking about things like that. Meditation, Meditation, Meditation, After a long period of meditation my magic had recovered to some extent, I dont think Ill pass out anytime soon, but I still feel kind of sick. As I turned to the caravan, there was a rather fat man staring at me. I guess I fufilled my original purpose. I turned towards the direction of the girls body and put my hands together in prayer. After that I turned around and made my way towards the caravan. How wonderful! You helped us! To be able to use such powerful magic at your age is amazing! The middle-aged man with a bundled shaggy beard lavished praise towards me. Pehaps hes the leader of the caravan. To a boy, such as I, he probably feels really weird asking for help. Power controls the world after all, you need to treat anyone with power above yourself with respect so that you wont be found offensive. This man also seems to understand that. Im so lucky. If I were to try and fight them, I wouldve been killed. I really have to thank you! Dont thank me, my performance was disappointing, I wasnt even able to prevent that lady from before from dying. The worst-case scenario was still avoided though, and for that, Im lucky! Although I dont think his luck is that good. Okay, now its time to reap the rewards. Anyways for now, are you alright? Im a mage but because I dont have any magic Items I wont be able to treat you if youre hurt To my fastball request, the caravan leader gave me a blank look. Crap, was I too direct? Not good, negotiations were never my thing in my past life. But then his face immediately changed to a smile. Ha ha ha. Yes, that is so. Words of gratitude wouldnt be enough for what youve done. Of course Ill give you something. I guess Im lucky that I still look like a child. It wouldve been rude to protest against my decision a little, but I guess I was given a break. I was never very good at reading the subtleties of the human mind since the old days. But because Im not truly prepared to reward you while my caravan is like this, after we go to town, could you find me tomorrow? All right. After that the caravan went to town. I got to ride the carriage too, the people whos lives were just attacked treated me like I was one of the grand heroes in stories. Maybe if I didnt come there wouldve been more casualties. I wonder if any are that girls family. No, it wont be that way. Ive seen many times when couples are seperated death. Its too bad but, thats just how things are. (TN: ˷ޤ亮LBäѩ`ƥЩ`˄e줿¤ʤɎ׶ȤȤƤ롣 First line, anyone?) After we returned to town and seperated, I went home. The lights in the house were left on even though it was quite late at night. Of course Mom was probably still awake and was going to give me another hour-long sermon. While I was thinking of what kind of face mom would make after I entered, probably because I was really tired from everything, I accidentally walked into the door and hit my head. CH 6 * * * CMeditation With a concentrated mind, its an efficient technique for recovering magical power. You need to spread the magic around the body through your magic lines, you have to be careful because much of it is lost if done wrong. It takes many years of practice before one can do an efficient meditation. wake~? eph? Zeph~!! Yeah~! Sorry Mom~! Moms probably gonna give me an angry glare today too. She was probably worried about me since I came back so late at night, her sermon that day was way too long. It was almost two hours of non-stop preaching (I was meditating while she did it), a lot of magic power was restored because of it. After eating a cold meal and returning to my room, I remembered to check my growth with scout scope and sat down on the bed. Zeph Einstein Level 7 RedMagic level: 6/62 BlueMagic level: 6/87 GreenMagic level: 9/99 SkyMagic level: 8/89 Soul Magic level: 0/97 Whoa, scout scopes proficiency rose. I guess I have been using it often recently. Soul still has a magic level of 0, but that might change after I get my reward from the leader of the caravan tomorrow before training. Thats fine for now. I dropped into my bed while looking forward to after school tomorrow, and fell asleep. I ran to the inn that the Caravan group was staying in after school. After calling out to the innkeeper, a girl with black bob-cut hair came over and greeted me. I was waiting. After being guided by the girl, I was passed to the leader from before. Oh~! You came! Welcome Zeph-dono! Welcome! That mustve been a lame habit of his, saying welcome all the time. It might be a good idea in his head so he likes it, but its just a bad habit to me. I hope he changes his ways soon. Its good to see you too, so can you show me it now? Heres our selection for mages Zeph-dono, choose whatever magic item you want. These have been prepared specifically for you. The little girl who was standing by until now opened a door for me, and inside a large amount of magic items that were probably stacked inside the wagon were crammed inside. Can I take all of it? Youre joking right? Even if you could, wouldnt it be impossible for you to bring it all back? Are you laughing because you dont think I can do it, or because of the joke? Well, its true that theres nowhere to put it. Im joking, but anyways lets see what youve got. Of course. He answers while projecting his thick belly, hes hearty, but generous. Anyways, without reserve I just jumped in there. I hunted through the magic items. It was a lot of fun. It was like opening a toy box where I had no idea what was inside. I was thrilled. I ignored the scrolls used in order to learn new magic. They were too bulky. Then I saw the slightly expensive accessories with special effects. This I had to check out. I found a ring modeled after the bones of a snake among the large number of items. C Snake bone ring. Soul magic requires a gem to act as a medium when casting. The more powerful spells require an expensive medium, but the snake bone ring has the effect of being able to use elementary magic without consuming the medium required for it. First theres this, and then there was C Teleport earrings. This accessory allows the use of a special magic called Teleport, which allows the instant movement of anywhere in the users field of view. However, it requires a lot of concentration, and magic power, so its difficult to use in combat. Avoiding the opponents attack by a hairs breath by teleporting behind their back, such coordination would be impossible. In the first place, this magic is difficult to use in close quarters. Its quite the handy magic for movement though. Also, its said to be one of the Mages essential accessories. After that there wasnt anything particularly noticeable. A high conversion ratio of the accessories that I can receive and how much they cost were shown above. I quickly left with the chosen items wrapped in cloth. Although the caravans leader was a little confused about my sudden behavior, theres no reason to stop. Well, its better for me to have the items rather than the thieves right? So I wont refrain myself. Anyway thanks. Ehh~~ yes, by all means come again if you have the chance. I left the room while casting gazes at the leader, If I looked in the mirror Id probably have a tired look on my face. As I left I was guided by the same girl who led me inside towards the exit, when suddenly she turned around and lowered her head towards me. Whats the matter? Onii-chan, thank you for taking revenge for my sister. Oh No, dont worry about it. I did that for myself. We were his slaves. Even though the next day the both of us wouldve been free. The girls unexpectedly mature for her age, she had a lonely look on her face. Shed probably struggled through the years. But right now she seems really small. I grasped her hand, and passed her one of the accessories from the wrapped cloth. This is to help you grow, so that you can obtain freedom one day, I bought it myself. Although it hurts my conscious a bit, one slave is worth way more than the accessory. I wrapped her hands around it, she took it up and held it in front of her face. Okay? A white treasure? (TN: I assume the White Treasure is the Bone ring wait does this mean he unknowingly just proposed to her?! Is this a flag for a harem member in the future?! O_o) I took my leave that the inn girl postponed. I ended up with less than I wanted. Well if its me, I can earn this much again eventually. There wasnt anymore time to go anywhere else today, so I could only go back home to rest. My home was in view from the mountain, so I activated teleport. I reached home in an instant. It was the first time I used it in a long time, but its a really useful spell. It has a variety of uses. CH 7 Cafter school. Students will usually look forward to this time of the day. For students, theres a lot one can do at this time, such as studying. Its the opposite for me. After getting the teleport earrings and the snake bone ring, my range of actions have increased. Soul magic interferes with the underworld, so against undead its highly effective, especially if they have an ethereal body. (TN: Oh I guess he kept it, I wonder what the gift was then.) Monsters of this kind are hard to beat with normal attacks, but if you use Soul magic its easy to beat them, and for their level they give a large amount of experience too. Theres not that many of them so hunting is limited, but Im lucky that theres a low level hunting ground around here. Good thing I remembered the place. I immediately left for the suburbs outside the city, and teleported to a rock I could see in the distance. Wow, I covered quite a bit of ground. This sure is a useful spell. Bluezels were popping out of the ground, but I ignored them. Teleport, teleport I forced my body through the scenery. While steadily advancing, the sky suddenly became overcast and dark. I guess Im close to my destination. Soon, I could see an old building in the corner of my eyes. There. Before I teleported to the said building though, I started meditating. I used up quite a bit of magic to get here. The churchs framework was quite decayed. In the old days it was also an orphanage, there used to be a lot of children here, but now nobody remains, no one comes here even if they want to visit a church. With no one living here, the patrons boundaries that had defended the church eventually decayed, and turned this place into a dungeon. Its a place for the dead to roam now. When I was still a beginner mage, I came here with my master. I teleported over to the church because my magic had recovered. C The church was decayed. The trees only held crows and no leaves, while black clouds hung over the sky. The undead prefer dark places, so the places they gather become dark, its either that, or they gather there because the area was already dark. Its a chicken-or-the-egg question. Either is fine though. While I was thinking of stupid stuff like that, things that looked like people started crawling out of the ground. CZombies. When the magic of a dungeon gathers inside of a human corpse, it turns into a monster and starts to attack people. and there were three of them. *noro noro* Zombies wont stop moving until theyre close enough to attack, but theyre too slow. I imagined shooting white balls while using the three zombies as targets. A small white light enveloped the snake bone ring, then suddenly light bullets started shooting out of my palm, blowing away the three zombies. In one hit, thats a little disappointing. Soul magic has a great magic consumption rate. Many of its higher tier spells really strain a magicians magic power. White ball, unlike the other ball spells is capable of purifying its targets. Okay lets continue. It was hard not to laugh, the zombies became lumps in an instant from my spells. Hmm~ ? ~ ? In the eerie atmosphere of the cemetery, I walked while humming. There were a lot of zombies in the back. I think about twenty or so. While groaning, they limped lazily towards me. Here I come! I held up my hand towards the zombies, and imagined the white ball. In the next moment dozens of white lights shot towards the zombies, the ones that became tattered and full of holes slowly returned to the earth. At the same time. Suddenly, I could feel a rising force. My level went up. I defeated twenty zombies worth a lot of experience. Forget one zombie, I just defeated twenty. Of course itd go up. To deliberately gather the enemy, I implemented a tactic that would gather them all in a line called a train. Its a tactic that helps me consume less magical power. However if you do it poorly, youll end up gathering too much and end up fighting an entire horde, so its not recommended for amateurs. Considering the risks, and that their movement is slow, its easy to use this on the stupid zombies. I walked around obliterating hordes of zombies, more spawned almost right after. According to the presences, there was an uncountable number of enemies. Again, this is a really good hunting ground. I wonder how many hours have passed. Before I noticed it became fun mid-way. This is a bad habit of mine that been going on since the old days. It wouldve been better to get rid of it, but I wouldnt have gotten to where I was before without this habit. By the way, moms also familiar with this habit, so she wont get mad if Im only a little late. (TN: I think it refers to how his mom knows that he loses himself when playing and thats why hes always late coming home. She doesnt know hes fighting monsters.) I have to go home soon. As I exited the church, I obliterated the zombie hordes that come up with white ball. I teleported many times to get back from the church, and by the time I got home it was starting to get dark. I didnt get a scolding because I was back right before dinner was about to be ready. Immediately after I went straight to my room and checked my progress with scout scope. Zeph Einstein Level 10 RedMagic level: 6/62 BlueMagic level: 6/87 GreenMagic level: 10/99 SkyMagic level: 8/89 Soul Magic level: 9/97 Looks like a good balance. Im going to continue hunting at the rotting church for a while. Even outside of Soul magic, I want to be able to beat zombies with one blow. Perhaps it would work if I used intermediate spells. As my magic power grows to a higher levels, it becomes more difficult to raise. Maybe the actual requirements for growth could be shown through scout scope when its proficiency rises. Green and Sky should have already been used twice as much as the other systems, but the difference isnt that big. Even though its my first day using it, my Soul magic has already caught up to the rest. Well I did defeat a huge number of zombies that give plenty of experience, so its only natural its like that right? Ill train all the systems to a certain extent, ordinary mages usually only focus on one system intensely, but in the life I want to grow all my systems to their limits. After making more plans for training I went to bed for the night. CH 8 Black Thunder! Several streaks of lightning arced from the thundercloud, obliterating zombies left and right. The decayed church always has cloudy weather. Its chant is quite long, even if its to use a spell like Black Thunder, if the conditions arent met its impossible to use. Though if all my opponents are slow-moving zombies Thats all the Great Magic that the me of this time can use. Even though the magic consumption is better than the time I battled the thieves, it still takes about 70% of my magic pool. So I better start meditating. Even if its enough to defeat them with White Ball, I need to stay accustomed to using difficult systems like Green and Sky. If Im at a high level, but suddenly have to use one of the difficult systems, I want to avoid only being to use them at a low level. Recently, with Black Thunder as the center, Ive also been experimenting with other spells. Although White Ball is still my main spell in this area. After I finished meditating it was time to make another train, I could see a distant swarm of zombies gathering in the shadow of the building. Wait I think I can see something amidst the mobs. If I looked closely I could make out the details, wielding a bishops staff and a gilded crown, was a skeleton with a billowing red cloak. Its dark eye sockets were empty, but unexpectedly I could feel a strong will when I looked into them. The King of Death The boss of the Decaying Church. It appears after a fixed period of time, the usual monsters that spawn cant even be compared to its strength. Its outer shell is covered with powerful magic that can shrug off most attacks, subduing it wont be easy. It might be tough, but the reward would be a huge, HUGE amount of experience, as well as a high chance of dropping rare items that can be sold for a good price. Basically I cant defeat it alone, I need to fight in cooperation with a party, as I am now I cant do anything to it. Though I said that, there are stories of people defeating boss monsters solo, as long as they kept their magic consumption in check and made careful preparations, it is possible. If I remember correctly, Master also used to hunt boss monsters in his earlier days. It might come straight for me the moment I set foot in its domain. With a grin and a small chuckle, I muttered Ill be back under my breath and teleported away in the opposite direction. Watching Zeph run away was a girl standing in the shadow of a tree. He was probably a mage from the city of Nanami. Said the girl as she checked the results of Scout Scope. Zeph Einstein Level 16 RedMagic level: 12/62 BlueMagic level: 11/87 GreenMagic level: 13/99 SkyMagic level: 12/89 Soul Magic level: 15/97 Zeph huh Hes not too bad but The girl held up a hand to the mass of zombies, and casted Blue Gale. A tornado smashed into the zombies, throwing them up into the air as if dancing. Hes nothing big if he ran away from something of this level~? Suddenly, next to the laughing girl a black sphere of magic exploded. Immediately after, while raising a small scream to the burst of magic behind her, the girl looked towards the tornado and saw her assaulter advancing towards her. The King of Death. Wha-!? After using a Great Spell of the Blue System like Blue Gale, she didnt have the concentration to cast teleport immediately. The girl jumped back, but her Blue Ball spells couldnt stop the progression of the King of Death. As it drew closer, her feet froze at the sight of its expressionless skull face and was able to recite teleport at the last minute. Losing sight of the girl, the King of Death resumed wandering its domain. *Ha~tsu Ha~tsu* That was way too close (TN: Heavy breathing sounds) And leaned on the wall, girl wipe the forehead while seen in the sideways glance the king of the dead, he smiled a triumphant smile. The girl leaned on the wall, wiping the sweat off of her forehead, and while she gave the King of Death a sideways glance, a triumphant smile appeared on her face. Th-thats right! Its not like I was the only one to run away! That kid also tried to fight and he ran, I only panicked because I wasnt expecting a foe like you! So until we meet again, my sweet! In a corner of the Decaying Church, a pitiful excuse could be heard, but the beings it reached werent only the zombies. CA few days later. I usually go to sleep as soon as I reach school everyday, but I wasnt going to sleep today. The classroom was noisy as usual, but thats not why I was awake. (Found you) On the first floor of the school, near the staff room. A powerful torrent of magic power could be felt from there. For the few who have magical powers in this country, it would be easy to notice them even from a distance. A magician like this was probably quite the spell caster. They were probably here for me. When I teased my classmates previously, normally there would be a notification posted about how I could use magic, but in reality Im still not widely known by the masses. In a small country town like this, information spreads quickly. If there was a mage at the school. The Mage Association, Guild, Mercenaries etc. would all come to scout me into their organizations so I could be of some use. Although right now I have neither money, nor connections, if someone were to gauge my abilities, I would already have the strength of an average adventurer. For what one would call a young genius mage, there would be many admirers. If I joined an organization somewhere, hunting would become much more efficient. Forget making a livelihood, Id have enough support to leave this town if I wished. Id feel a little bad for mom, but its my life. Ill do what I want with it. *Kukuku* While I laughed, still lying down on the desk, the classroom door opened with a rattle, and Claire-sensei entered. Claire-senseis face changed while surveying the classroom, eventually stopping her gaze at me. Of course, that was because the guest she brought is here for me. Oh? Zeph is awake for once? Thats rare. To Claire-senseis irony, nobody laughed. Well, everyone is scared of me afterall. This happened with Claire-sensei oblivious to it all. Okaaay, everyone give a warm welcome to our new transfer student! That was a transfer student? No way, the magic power I felt a little while ago was as powerful as mine. While my mind was still unsettled, a girl entered through the door. The girl had long blonde hair, tied with red ribbons into twin tails that softly swayed left and right. She wore a fluttery white blouse, and a knee-length skirt, clothes that arent seen very often in the town of Nanami. Both the boys and the girls raised their voices. Oooooooohhhhh~~~ The girl standing next to Claire-sensei smiled gracefully, gave a small laugh, and said: My name is Milly Reyad, nice to meet you all. A polite greeting. A cheerful, bubbly personality. She who was waving while cheerfully answering others questions, suddenly made eye contact with me. CH 9 * * * Theres a vacant spot next to Zeph, would you like to sit there? Im arbitrarily determined. The girl who identified herself as Milly walked towards me while her twintails shook. We made eye contact, and with a triumphant smile, she took her seat next to mine. Now that thats finished lets start the lesson! Everyone who heard Claire-senseis voice spread out their textbooks. Milly seems to participate in the lesson seriously, while I went to asleep. Immediately after it became rest time, I tried to listen in on Millys conversations while staying still. What the hell are you plotting? My so-called classmate Milly. Shes a transfer student, but she has this rare aspect to her that draws people to her. Soon there was a crowd forming beside me. Where are you from Milly-chan? Your clothes are so cute! Whered you get them? Hey, youre from Berita right? Thats where my mom is from you know~ As if soothing the noisy children, Milly responded in a dignified voice. My father works as a mage in the nearby town, and now that we live so close I was enrolled here to this school. What a joke. The air froze. Crap, I let my real thoughts slip. What did I do to be patronized like this, Zeph-kun? Well? To Milly that said so with an innocent voice, I responded with turning my upper body away. If you want to talk to me, can you not use all these roundabout tricks? If thats what you want we can just leave now you know? Thats an interesting proposal, but seeing that class is about to start how about we do this later? Whats with this girl, to be so good at acting. Im bad at acting though, theyre only children so who cares what they think? For now, Ill just ride with this. *Ha~tsu* Fine, Ill wait for you after school. I immediately put my head down after, and started imitating a sleeping persons breathing. I could hear peoples conversations. The guy sitting next to Milly-chan is dangerous! and so on Im dangerous? If Im dangerous, then this fellow sitting beside me is just as dangerous. Shes about 12 years old or so? Even if shes slightly older than me, shes still just a brat. Though the magic emanating from beside me isnt something some random brat would have either. Although she said her fathers a mage, that probably has no real influence on her identity, shes quite the ominous brat C After school. Milly and I stand face-face behind the school. As if testing the waters, classmates who heard about us were staring from afar. Its a bit regrettable, but its good I can just brush this off as some kind of lovers quarrel. The first time I saw you, you were doing battle at the Decayed Church. Oh? you look just like any other kid, so why were you hunting there? I wasnt, I was scouting for my guild Hunters of the Blue Sky. I see Hunting grounds for beginners are, for the most part where guilds can ask solo hunters if they want to join them. A collection of adventurers who come together create a guild, because its difficult to work alone. Items, broader range of work, and mutual cooperation with guildmates can be easily obtained. Well, guilds have always been that sort of thing. Though this is only true if you ignore the guilds that just act lazily, apparently there are even guilds that treat their members like troops in a platoon instead of equal leaders. There arent just good guilds. Many different things can be born when people gather. Hunters of the Blue Sky, thats its name right? Cause Ive never heard of them, and the names meaning is weird. Huh?! Th-the names not weird! Hunters of the Blue Sky is really cool you know?! Stupid, just because the words sound nice when you put them together doesnt mean that the name is good. I can tell you made it yourself. What a jerk Milly held her tongue. Shes only a brat, it would take over a hundred years for her to win in a verbal quarrel against me. Ha~a Im not used to talking like this lets just talk normally. Okay, so what are your intentions? Oh and just call me Zeph, cause Ill be calling you Milly from now on. Kids who pretend to be grown-ups are nothing but cheeky. Trying to fool me from the start, how stupid. Invitations themselves are good, but not if they were to some random guild. For guild invitations, I have no interest in joining. really? With energetic eyes, Milly stared at me, but I was determined not to enter any guilds that could only be detrimental in the long run. Of course, thats because there are always strings attached. First of all, joining a guild will cost me my freedom. I hate being tied down. For example if there was some meeting happening Ill go depending on whether I think its too tiring or not. Okay, thats no problem. Oh? My demand got recognized. Unexpectedly this guild would let me keep my peace of mind, but at least if I join, theres a high probability of it becoming beneficial for me. I want to be able to leave at anytime, if I dont feel like staying anymore then I can quit when I want. Okay, thats no problem either. Theres no problem here either. Theres no reason to refuse it anymore. If Im going to join a guild why not this one? Zombie hunting will become less efficient over time, but if I get accustomed to fighting in a party now, it will be much more beneficial for me in the future We could leave the city of Nanami, so that we could find an even better hunting grounds to train. Then, can I be the guildmaster of the group? Thats not possible, in Hunters of the Blue Sky Im the guildmaster. So thats how it is. I feel kind of bad, somehow. Telling her that the name of the guild was stupid, when she probably put a lot of effort into making it. For the guildmaster to personally invite me, Im honoured. Youre not joking, right? Its not uncommon for people to want someone as excellent as I am. As if! At the very least its not a lie. Ill stay for at least a decade or so. Though I said that, other people have accepted your invitations right? Umm Oh well, why dont we get started? Guild, joined. Although I couldve joined any of the other big guilds, it would be a lot simpler to train in a small one like Hunters of the Blue Sky. *Gosugosu* While I was thinking things like that, Milly was rummaging through her pockets for something. Hey, whatre you doing in front of your guild member, keep your pockets organized. Well, even if I say this Im kind of a slob myself. Here we go~! Crystal circle rings~! Its a crystal that helps the bonds between comrades grow stronger. In other words, its expensive then I realized something. -Theyre only used when creating a guild. Hey! No way, are you On her name, Milly Reyad hereby establishes a new guild! Let this meeting place connect us through the blue crystal rings! Paa~a and with a bright light, the crystal rings disappeared. This is great! Ill be the guildmaster, while Zeph can be the vice-guildmaster. Ah Far from a weak guild, it was guild that wasnt even created yet?! Ive been had In response to my glare, Milly stuck her tongue out towards me. CH 10 ur Hunters of the Blue Sky main base! I was guided to Millys so-called home. It was an apartment area for travelers who needed a temporary home, and Millys room was our so-called base. a sign saying Hunters of the Blue Sky guild was in front of the door. Well~ what are your waiting for? Come in, take a seat! Even if I wanted to there was nowhere to sit. I could barely move where I was standing as it is. The room was completely filled with luggage, all them seemingly untouched. Leaving out the everyday goods such as clothes, dishes, and scrolls for reading, this was terrible even for me, and I dont like tidying up much. I guess there was no choice but to sit on the luggage. Hey! Use a chair! I would if there was one! Cant you see all this luggage lying around? Although I said that, I still got off of the luggage. While I stood up because there was nowhere else to sit, Milly came back with two cups of coffee to drink. I have to drink while standing? No. First of all we should start with self-introductions. Her elegant gesture of tilting the coffee made a strange picture. In particular, the mismatch between her and the appearance of the room. She seems to have received a good education by the looks of it. What Ive said before in school was more or less correct, the only difference would be that I dont have parents here. isnt that a bit lonely? Its no big deal, Im already used to it. *Kotri* The hand that put the cup on top of the luggage looked a little lonely. Its you! In order to make my guild the strongest I need people like you! The strongest hey. When I first tried to invite people, they all said Its not good not to act your age and didnt take me seriously, I guess people just didnt like the age gap. Well what use could people like that be to us? Were special you know? She laughed a little and smiled, playfully punching me in the shoulder. I heard rumors of you! The genius child mage that used magic on the other kids in the city of Nanami. Using a spell in the classroom, it seems I was conspicuous enough for my skill to be seen by good eyes. Fledgling guilds are always scouting, there are many accidental deaths if they arent strong enough, so called guilds are called black-guilds. If it was a major guild they could easily scout any amount of adventurers that they wanted. A new start-up guild such as the Hunters of the Blue Sky were a bit unexpected, but its not too bad because for the lack of people, we have more freedom in our actions. I was lucky with one more thing. Milly Reyad. How she thinks is a little disappointing, but her potential combat power that I could feel from her magic is no doubt high. I have high expectations for how shell contribute to the party. We have to use all the cards weve been dealt. Thanks for entering the guild, Zeph! I was about to cry if you refused. Dont cry. If it were me, with no family at this age, being able to use magic to that level, I mightve not been able to make it if my mental age matched my body. I guess thats why shes so happy talking to me like this. I feel a little sorry for her. Hehehe By the way, new members are rewarded with a special gift. Milly slowly started going through her luggage. Huh? Whered she go? Her rooms so messy I lost her. Cant she clean up sometime, this is too much. There it is! I found it! What was taken out was a scroll, guilds often give out magic scrolls to commemorate new mages joining. But Im me, I dont need any magic scrolls because I already know them all. Thats not necessary, I probably already know that spell. Are you sure? Surely theres some spells you havent seen before. Ive already read all the scrolls sold at the Mage Association. He~e~? Fu~u~? Really? Are you sure? I didnt like how she grinned while laughing at me. The reason I didnt accept was because I probably already know whatever spell she has there. Though she is awfully confident, she must be thinking that theres no way a country bumpkin like me could have read all the spells of the Association. Time to make a fool out of her. fine, do you want to make a bet? Whether I already know that spell or not. I wonder? The loser has to do any one thing that the winner says, okay? If you insist. Milly doesnt know, but I also have information from the future, I even know all the new spells that are going to be created later on. Then lets start. One, Two Three! We spread open the scroll, following the characters that were written. Wait, this spell This is so stupid Fufun ? This a new spell for you? You give up? -I know this spell. This was the spell a certain genius magician brought to the Association, overturning all magic theories that had been developed until then. Its the spell that made me jump back in time. Scout scope CH 11 * * * Scout scope! Milly puts on a surprised face in response to my mutterings. D-dont tell me, you know it? Thats no, I didnt know this spell. Its amazing, this spell could be revolutionary. Right?! Yes~s, its my win!! Ill keep it a secret for now. This is a spell that isnt known until decades from now. Perhaps its a unique spell devised by Millys family. So it would be suspicious if I already knew it. Moreover, it seems like the scroll was made a long time ago. It was my dads. As he was training to become the strongest mage, he became aware of his limits. He always regretted not noticing sooner though. I know that feeling well. Magic levels tend to rise slower the higher they get, making it harder to realize his dream. It cant be helped though, the world isnt made to be fair. This is my opportunity though. Then I was born, and seeing my dad as he was I firmly decided I wasnt going to be the same, utilizing the spell he created, Scout scope. To be able to create such a spell, he mustve been a mage with strong intentions. First you need to create the image of the spell with clear intentions on what you want it to do, then over many years that image solidifies, and after practicing it many times the spell forms. Turning it into the creators original spell, this is what you call unique magic. By the way scrolls are just teaching manuals that describe how to use the Blank Scrolls that the creator used, dropped down to a level that anyone can learn. Naturally the effect of someone who learned the spell through a scroll will be different from the person who created it himself. (TN: If youre confused, he uses Blank Scroll to show that the creators had no guidelines to follow when creating their unique spells.) It takes a month to create a scroll, but its still possible to accumulate enough wealth to forego all your money problems if you sell them to the Association. Unfortunately, because there are many oddball mages out there, most unique spells disappear when their creators die. That scroll was created for his family, so that the spell wouldnt disappear. You had a good father. No at all! He always got angry, and never played with me because he was always training, we were only together because of our house! I-I see She sounds angry but she has a happy expression on. When I noticed it, she laughed a bit embarrassingly. Though the fact is because this is a spell that hasnt been publicized, its probably a unique spell meant just for you, you know? Is it really okay for a stranger like me to learn it? What are you saying? Youre the deputy leader of Hunters of the Blue Sky, theres no way youre a stranger! Or so she said. I had completely forgotten about the guild. This is probably Millys first time in the things called guilds. Ill impart some advice to her. Milly, not all guilds have the camaraderie you think they do. Its better if their interests match up, so itll be easier to recognize your place in the group, its not uncommon for guilds to have infighting to the point of murder and robbery you know? Its fine! I can tell that youre not that kind of guy, Zeph! I know you wont do anything like that! She can laugh so freely because she doesnt know my dark side, I hope she never learns of it. Anyway, that kind of spell isnt something you just show off you know? What if youre opponents learn it? Yeah yeah, thanks for the advice oh great deputy leader-sama, I am eternally grateful. Stop talking already, STOP! She gestured by raising her hands. I cant believe a person like this existed until now Other than that, remember our bet from a little while ago? Its my win, you know? Ah, Ah I wonder what youre talking about, I dont remember anything like that. I had completely forgotten about that. Its easy for me to forget things like that now. My aging hasnt stopped Milly, with a mischievous smile plastered on her face, closed in on me. The loser will do any one thing the winner wants~ ? Thats what I remember. Damn, I guess I have no choice. -In the twilight of the small room, the pained voice of Milly echoed. Her face was flushed, her breathing was rough, and her clothes were covered with sweat. N~tsu KUU ha ha there Zeph over there! Hey dont be unreasonable, Im a bit tired here. Her voice is a little worrisome, but this is no problem for me, I let out a small laugh. Im okay thats why all at once Tsu! Okay then, Im going to start. One, and'' C Zugogogogo. With the sound of something screeching across the floor, we pushed the bed into the corner of the room. Fu~i~ Somehow we were able to clean up all the luggage. Ah, I all sweaty now. Thanks for helping me Zeph! The Milly that had asked me to help out with cleaning and organising her luggage, turned from the dusty room looking at the sunset. The wind that brushed against my cheek felt nice. Hey, Milly. Hmm? About the matter of gathering guild members, we should probably put it on hold for a while. The more people we gather, the more Millys problems as leader will increase. Besides, there are not many people our age thatll measure up to your standards to begin with. Its too early for scout scope to be released into the world. I want to monopolize this spell if possible. Nyi Ill turn my face forward and continue to advance. I wonder how strong we are. My level is low but Ill probably be more useful than you think. While youre combat power should also be pretty high. So for now lets just stick to the two of us. Okay, Milly? The answer was no. In my view there was someone making a Suu Suu sound as she slept on the bed. Geez, when people are talking to you, listen. With a sigh, to the Milly who was sleeping so comfortably I poked her cheek, checking that she was really asleep, and finally returned home. CH 12 s that I need to train arent only attack spells. First is Magic Amplifier. It a spell that doubles the power and consumption rate of the next spell I cast. Although most demons can be defeated with a spells normal power, this is a spell the I have barely used, but I still need to train it. Second is Scout scope. I noticed this when I saw the scroll at Millys house, it seems to gain more uses if you raise its proficiency. Firstly, it can show the spells level. My Red ball spell is now level 12, by how I planned this out, this will help with making my training more efficient. More importantly I looked over at Milly, and cast Scout scope. Milly Reyad Level 25 RedMagic level: 22/94 BlueMagic level: 32/98 GreenMagic level: 19/92 SkyMagic level: 12/96 Soul Magic level: 15/85 Milly focuses on the Blue system, everything else is balanced out. Especially her great magic, Blue Gale has grown to a formidable level 39. It must be her favorite. The Blue system is balanced in attack, recovery, and auxiliary spells, this is a good system to train in if youre working alone. Being able to see others current condition, the levels of the spells you know, learning their identity. This is seriously dangerous. To know what spells an enemy mage can cast, is practically putting a death sentence on them, since you can predict their train of thought. I know this spell was created by itself, because theres no way to counter it. By leveling up scout scope I can get even more information than what I already know. Theres no privacy here. Milly has a high talent value. Yet another genius The Scout scope that was brought to the Association in the future was probably a degraded form of this one. This spell could wreak havoc to the world if it was spread out. I dont want this spell to be spread around, but whether the scroll is brought to the association or not is Millys decision. Its hopeless, isnt it? I already know that in the future it spreads anyway. I also chose these two spells because theyre some of the only spells that can be trained during class, so recently Ive been training Magic Amplification and Scout scope in rotation during class. Milly turned towards me with a weird look. Of course, I ignored her. Oh, the level of scout scope increased. Cafter school. Zeph, lets go! Okay! After a short conversation, Milly and I left the classroom. Our classmates dont really care at all, and just stare while whispering. At first, everyone wanted to talk to Milly, but after the first month most of those people had already lost interest. I guess the values between a mage and a child were just too different. After going to the schools roof, I was able to teleport to a rock I could see in the distance. Its more efficient to use teleport from a high place. You can teleport farther with a better vantage. Teleport, teleport . We arrived at the Decayed Church we trained in earlier. Its become our main hunting grounds now. Okay, lets just do our usual thing! Understood. Well see ya. At the church we split into opposite directions. I went and started pulling the zombies in hordes. The zombies gathered like stupid animals, easy for training. (TN: I dont know Ⱥƥ܇x륾Ӥ⤤롣) I held my hand towards the ground, and casted Green wall. A wave of magic spread from my hands, and a wall made of magic ivy was grew in front of me. It entangled all the zombies feet, who were trying to struggle free. -Green system spell, Green Wall. With thick roots from the earth, its a spell that can be used on a wide range of enemies. While the mass of zombies had their feet tangle, they were herded together like animals, I tried to pull as many zombies together as I could before Green Wall expired. A little bit to the left of our destination was Milly. Behind her was something amazing. There was probably at least a hundred zombies there.. Making full use of Green Wall, although it was a bit difficult I gathered the zombies into one group. Another hoard could be seen in the distance. It was Millys. I somehow was able to pull the zombies towards Milly, while she pulled her hoard towards me. After a little while As we slowly were able to re-group, once we were finally together again, together with Milly we grouped our zombie hordes into one big mesh and casted our spells. White Ball! Blue Gale! Half of the hoard was covered in bright flashes of light, while the other was thrown about in a tornado. Well two hundred seem to be enough for now. Fufu~n, I got to use my spells a lot. Its good to have rival to compete with. When I looked at Millys clothes, maybe it was from a zombie attack, but they were frayed a little. Thats dangerous you know even if the undead are really slow. We need to set up camp quickly, since they get resurrected almost immediately. Yeah, yeah. As the moon started to rise, both Milly and I started meditating. Though there arent many zombies, they have a fast spawn rate. Its because of the zombies that came here, and just rotted away. Giving them the chance to be resurrected fairly early. I bombarded the zombies with White ball. After obliterating them all in one swoop, almost immediately another zombie pops out of the ground. Even if Im only using while ball there have been many times where my magic power had been significantly reduced, as I passed the snake bone ring to Milly, I started meditating. Milly also bombarded the zombies that had spawned with white ball the same way I had. Then returned the snake bone ring to me. We take down hordes of zombies in rotation. I could feel a tremendous rise in experience. Otto, I gained a level. The defeated monsters can restore their forms after a certain period of time, by absorbing the magic in the dungeon, reviving themselves. Utilizing the zombies nature, we can hunt them all at once using a technique called Hoarding. Its a very efficient way of hunting, but its not recommended for beginners because it will drive the party into a crisis if they dont have good cooperation. As long as as magic flows rich here, and demons continue to spawn, attacking humans, this place will always be regarded as a dungeon. If you take the difficult road, theres a chance youve sentence yourself to a poor fate. (TN: Help. ߤѨʤ֤FĤϤ⤢롣) After continuing this for an hour. A zombie with a red cloak had appeared amongst the mass that we slayed with white ball. This is bad! The King of Death! Run away! Hey wait for me, Zeph! She said but I still ran before her. Milly was trailing behind me. Phew that was close Yeah, hey you how could you say such things and just leave a girl to fend for herself? Anybody that picks a fight would you would die soon after, so thinking about such things is a waste of time. I said while Milly was dripping with complaints. Our party wouldnt win even if the both of us fought. If your preparations are insufficient, you can only die. It would be better for one of us to escape to lessen the damage. But thats not what youre supposed to do While Milly was still throwing complaints at me, I looked at the King of Death that was wandering around in circles, and my teeth started chattering. After she said so, a mischievous smile floated up on Millys face as she thought of something. I have a bad feeling Hey Zeph, want to try and beat him with just the two of us? CH 13 * * * Huh? Whats with that goofy reply? I mean boss hunting you know? Boss hunting. Way too reckless. So what shes saying is Sorry, I dont want to die yet. I dont want to die either! She was angry for some reason. I mightve said that, but Im still here. In the first place, the whole reason we made the guild was so we could hunt bosses! Since we cant defeat them alone, we could defeat them one day with teammates thats why we built it! We only have two people though You cant refuse my order Zeph! So thats it. Thats how its going to be. Okay! Lets start thinking of some strategies or something! Lets go already! Millys smile was full of self-confidence. Certainly there are several bosses that you can hunt with only two people. But thats a gamble, and the King of Death could kill the both of us with a light pat at this level. Bosses are challenged only by skilled adventurers, moreover only when theyre in a party. Again, this is too reckless, its better to just give up. Dont worry! Theres surely a way to win! Im a bit suspicious but Ill bombard the boss with my magic first, and before the boss notices me, youll teleport me away! We recover our magic once were out of sight, and then we repeat! I dont know if Im going to have to repeat this, but the King of Death has self-recovery abilities. Escaping after firing low-grade magic wont be sufficient, we need something more powerful. Thats true, well how about this Zeph We bind the bosss movement with Green Wall and then we both bombard him with magic from afar. The boss is immune to binding spells. Huh~ She sighed, while I continued. Youve probably never fought a boss before. Theyre not that easy, I can see us doing boss hunts someday but now is not the time. Its more efficient to just raise our levels at the moment. Efficiency this, efficiency that, thats all you ever talk about Zeph, you idiot~~!! Milly teleported away while saying so. Well, I guess I was a bit shortsighted. Wait That direction is! That idiot cant be! I immediately chased after Milly by teleport. C Taking the farthest distance possible while still being in the range of her spell, Milly aimed at the King of Death, bombarding it with Red Blaster. Heat waves emitted from Millys palm eradicated the zombies in a single blow, but the attack didnt end there. The heat wave continued towards the King of Death. -Red system intermediate magic, Red Blaster. The most efficient magic power to attack power conversion spell, its possible to attack everything in the direction its casted as long as the spell isnt canceled. The King of Death didnt even flinch, and started advancing towards Milly. She immediately started retreating after she casted Red Blaster. Teleport~tsu! She pulled back quite the distance, until she couldnt be noticed by the King of Death anymore. Fufun~ ? Im amazing, because I can fight the boss by myself! She started meditating, while adjusting her position in relevance to the King of Death. After, she casts Red Blaster at maximum range, and runs away right after Bombard the King of Death with magic. Then teleport away once he notices her. This repeated about 3 or 4 times. In just this short amount of time, Millys face was already covered with fatigue. Her breathing was rough, and she was covered in sweat. The fight to the death barely lasted a few minutes. Her spirit and tension had died out, she couldnt meditate properly or cast any more spells. While the King of death didnt seem affected at all. Continuing this, especially in this state wont do anything. She knew it, but I got this far! With an unsteady body, she measured the distance. Her vision was hazy, her feet wobbly. And She made an error with her visual estimation, and got into the King of Deaths field of view. Of course, it immediately turned towards her and began its assault. Milly noticed her mistake even with her hazy head, and tried to escape with teleport, but because she couldnt concentrate properly, it wasnt invoked successfully. The King of Death lifted up its bishops staff, where in the next moment it would surely split Millys head in two, I flew in with teleport at the last minute, pushed Milly away, and received the bishops staff with my left arm. *Hishihishi* I could feel my arm breaking. It was slammed towards the ground, and my body was sent flying towards Milly. My mind went black for a moment, but I cant afford to lose consciousness. I grasped Millys arm, and escaped with teleport. The King of Death who had missed its prey gnashed its teeth together, and started wandering again. C Millys house. You big idiot!! I said not to fight it! You wouldve died if I wasnt there to save you!! Tears rolled down Millys face as I scolded her. Milly apologized while crying the entire trip back to her room. A little while ago, I activated a magic buff to protect myself. The chant is long, so you cant use it in combat, it was magic that took 90 percent of the damage from an opponents attack once. Yet it was still enough to break my arm. At least Milly learned the true fear of fighting a boss. Now you know why I was so cautious, right? Yeah I know, Im sorry If I didnt act so selfishly, your arm it mightve turned into a trauma. In the future Milly is going to be a very important human resource. Fighting boss monsters with me is one of the reasons why shell be important, so itll be troubling if she gets traumatized. I need to dispel this as soon as possible, the longer we leave it, the longer itll take for her to recover. Damn Its just that troublesome Even though I said it wasnt efficient My left arm started aching again. Its completely broken now Its started to heal after strengthening my self-recovery ability. But the recovery of bone damage or deep wounds would still take a long time. This situation is full of things I wouldnt consider good. Damn, Im getting angry The King of Death. Milly. yeah? Somehow shes become timid. Looks like the damage was deeper than I thought. I guess theres only one thing we can do. Give me seven days. Seven days to prepare and plan, then we defeat the King of Death. With a blank look Milly just stared at me, so I grabbed her shoulder and flashed a smile. Well defeat it with only two people. CH 14 * * * - The Commercial City Berita It was one of the countrys leading trade cities, various products are shipped all over the country through its huge harbor. Its also the closest big city to Nanami. Even if I say that its close, it still takes over an hour full of breaks and the use of the teleport spell. Today, Milly and I woke up early to get here. Milly is such a kid sometimes, she wouldnt open the door to her room, even when I called out to her so I had to use a spell to unlock it. Its a unique spell taught to support the lives of magician thieves, and sure enough, it was used for something that only a thief would do. A thief was supposed to use the scroll for himself, but I tore the scroll up after I learned it. As I told Milly about what she sounds like when shes asleep, she got angry while her face turned bright red. It wasnt so bad though. Huge crowds of people walked through the roads of the city. Im having a hard time just walking. Milly also lost sight of me pretty quickly and started to go in the wrong direction. I always have to look after her. Sighing, I grabbed Millys hand and pulled. L-let go! Its too embarrassing! Dont even. You might have the time to get lost, but I dont. She got pushed again as I said so. Slowly accepting the idea, she lightly gripped my hand. We came to this city to sell the extra accessories that I received as thanks from the caravan, but also to prepare ourselves for the boss fight. Its a big city. Selling the items is going to take quite a while. Its not very efficient. Whats this? Well if it isnt Milly-chan and Zeph-kun. As we turned towards the voice, we saw that it was Claire-sensei holding a large shopping bag to her chest. There was a big loaf of bread sticking out of it. Apparently, she was food shopping. Come to think of it, I vaguely remember somebody saying that sensei lives around here during the holidays. Could this be a date? How nice~ Y-youre mistaken! Were only shopping together because he cant go by himself right now You see! Look, Zephs arm is broken! Are you sure~? Recently, havent the two of you gotten quite close? How suspicious~ This is bad, theyve been talking too long Claire-sensei has completely entered into her meddling mode. Sorry sensei, we need to hurry because were a little Did you come with just the two of you? Thats not good you know, you need an adult with you, no matter what you say I knew Claire-sensei wouldnt get lost, but soon after we started walking she grabbed my hand that wasnt held by Milly, and trailed slightly behind us. The strength of Millys grip got a bit stronger than it was a moment ago. Only holding on when were near the end Hey stop it idiot, dont think about these things. He~y, wouldnt our purpose for coming here be harder to achieve if Claire-sensei is with us? We were talking with our voices hushed. Honestly I agree, but can you stop gripping my hand like that. In the crowd, lets quietly escape. Alright, alright. So we agreed while shaking off Claire-senseis hand, disappearing into the crowd. Since sensei had a big shopping bag, it would be hard for her to chase us. Sorry sensei~? Milly stuck out her tongue while saying so. Hey hey, stop it with the provocation. Milly took my hand, and we disappeared into the crowd. Oh my, for the two of them to elope together, its good to be young. Fu~u, we finally got away from Claire-sensei, I could feel myself laughing a bit. Though I think we mightve caused some kind of misunderstanding. After we escaped from Claire-sensei, we browsed the merchants in search of rare items, and eventually ended up in Stall Square. Both merchants and adventurers tried to sell stuff to me with glistening eyes. What a formidable place to arrive in. Milly was wondering about something, and looked restlessly around while turning. Youll get lost with that kind of attitude you know? I pulled Millys hand and started walking towards our destination again, she followed with a kind of meandering feeling. This feels like Im walking a dog. Soon after we entered the crossroads, and underneath the trees. There sat the place where the future me always put up shop. Is this your first time coming here? Yeah, what for? Well, look over there. We turned towards a certain signboard and stand. There, on a sign that looked like it was just drawn up yesterday, were the name and sale prices of the items I received as a thank you gift from the caravan merchants. This is Stall Square. Anyone can make a store here, as long as they have a product and a price for it. Were going to try and sell these to people on the street now. For something so annoying Hey, read the mood. Damn, she immediately fell asleep. I tried to make things look interesting, but even if it wasnt that doesnt mean you can just fall asleep. I decided to just read a book while waiting for customers to come. . . . No sales. Customers would sometimes come to look at the wares, without buying anything and then leaving. Am I that bad at selling? There could also be a problem with our methods. Or maybe were selling them at a bad price Are you here with your dad? Little fella~ As I looked towards the voice, minus the cart with a large canopy, was a tall girl. With long blue hair that reached her back, and a white shirt that didnt completely hide her chest. Furthermore, she wore short hot pants that generously exposed her long legs, her overall skin colour was a nice tone, and her generous amount of clothes attracted the gaze of many of the people walking down the street. Her cart was painted with a floral pattern, and a large amount of rare items could be seen tidily displayed, some of them were quite expensive. The girl stopped her cart, sat in front of me, and started talking. But~ I wonder who investigated these? Their market price isnt this much. Market price?! Damn it! My prices were based off of what I knew decades later from now, theres no way these are the prices that these would sell for in this era! Theres a good variety though, would you mind telling me where you got this? I smiled, the girl with a friendly smile had a sharp gaze behind it, I didnt miss it. CH 15 * * * I have weapons, but I want to MAKE weapons. Enough to build my own weapon shop, but I dont have enough money for it you see, so Im training as a merchant by helping my dad sell his weapons for now. Oh, my names Lydia by the way. I see market price As I was in deep thought Lydia started talking again. Ugh, I dont even know the market price. How could I sell these I know them. Reasonable prices for your items that is. Really?! I showed Lydia a surprised face. This isnt the first time Ive seen these. These are the equivalent to an adventurers scraps. I knew they werent uncommon but Oh, but isnt it amazing? Having all these at your age. This woman named Lydia may be talking friendly, but shes picked me out as a target Shes probably going to buy my items for cheap since I dont know the market price. But Im out of time. This might not be too bad of an ordeal if at I can get some profit, even if only a little. Lydia, I dont like it when things are too roundabout, so I dont mind skipping the pleasantries. That said, I need a large quantity of magic recovery items, and I want them in a magic bag. In exchange I have some high-grade mediums needed for casting Soul magic, hows that sound? Magic bags are small bags that were enchanted with a spell, so they can hold a large number of items despite their size. Its one of the Mage Associations greatest inventions, the storage space inside can grow in accordance with its owners magic power. By its nature, its impossible for anyone to only own one of these. Even if the users magic lines havent been opened and they have no magic power, a certain amount of space can still be secured, so for an adventurer its a must have item. Ahhaha, youre good for a kid. You say some interesting things you know~ Im in a hurry. Hey, thats poor negotiating. Wouldnt you feel bad if I said something like that? I can say it because Im a kid. Ahhaha, its rare finding someone as honest as you. As she said so Lydia stood up and started rummaging through her cart. *Gosogoso* I have a bag with a small space, but it holds a decent amount of magic recovery items. Hmm I pondered it for a second, then I turned towards Milly who was making a funny expression as she slept. I need to get as much as possible before Im defeated. That ring and a magic bag full of recovery items, Ill give you a set for 50 mediums. That ring has a enchant that increases the wearers physical strength. Its expensive, but for the bag and recovery items, its not a bad exchange for 50 mediums a set. The mediums arent needed for someone with my magic power. That sounds good. Negotiations complete. The bags and the recovery items were removed from the cart, after taking out the mediums, I packed 50 of them into a bag and handed it back to her. Yup, theyre there. Lydia also passed the ring over to me. Thanks, you saved me. You know you were just an easy target right? I didnt mind it though. While grinning, Lydia started laughing in response to my answer. She made a face that had a poisonous feeling to it, and reached out for a handshake. Same here, that was a good negotiation. Heres my business card, because it says the location of my dads weapon shop, come over to visit sometime. Yeah, okay. I took her hand as I said so. While pulling her cart with a rattle, Lydia left. Theres no reason to pull a cart if you could just put everything in a magic bag. I often wonder why items are handled like so. Well soon, well be going out of business. Ill try to sell the rest of the accessories with the next one. When I shook Milly to wake her up, she made a grumpy face while she rubbed her eyes. Just like this morning, shes probably really bad at waking up. In order to understand the market better,we walked around for a bit, and compared to the prices of the future overall everything was pretty much cheaper. Just like the previous negotiation, there were a lot of people like Lydia who were willing to trade. Even though I suffered a little loss I didnt feel bad, in fact the people who I made deals with felt bad instead. They showed me the locations of their stores, maybe with a little intent of advertising though. Its probably a good time to leave the mall now. After I fulfilled all my goals for the day, it was already evening. I need to be home before it gets dark. Lets go home Milly. When I looked back and said so, her eyes were glued to a shop window displaying some dolls. Really, shes still a kid Sighing, I pulled Millys hand, and we walked outside the city. This time well go at our own paces, since Milly can cast teleport on her own now that shes awake -On our way back, only a little bit away from Nanami. A Bluzel was reflected in my field of view. Hmm, I want to try something When I stopped teleporting Milly also stopped. Whats wrong Zeph? I want to experiment with something, you can head back first. Im going to feel anxious if you say something like that, I want to see too! Have it your way. When I said experiment, I meant I want to experiment how much magic power would be needed with the King of Death as the opponent. For instance, if you remember my time travel spell Time Leap, I made many experiments testing how much magic power it would need from me. No, its more like time regression rather than travel. Time Leap itself, even when it wasnt complete it took all the magic power of a fully trained me to use, consuming an enormous amount. My suspicion is whether the me of now can use it or not, if I can itll dramatically increase our success rate in boss-hunting. I meditated until my magic made a full recovery, and then targeted the Bluezel. Time Square! And Red Blaster!'' I penetrated the Bluezel with a light extending from my hand, but it didnt end there The lines multiplied, all of them aiming towards the Bluezel, penetrating it, extinguishing it. The shine from the lines died off as the Bluezel disappeared, leaving a chill in front of my hand, the air became cold too. All that was remaining was a thread of smoke. That That was amazing! Zeph! What is that?! How did you do that?! To think you were hiding this kind of spell, why havent you ever used it before?! Zeph? Flump. My magic had been used to its limits, and I grandly fell. Zeph!? Milly came running to the fallen me. my consciousness gradually became distant. Time Square was a spell that I devised as an old man to use. Even then I could quite feel the magic consumption of it. Unexpectedly, I seem to have grown a bit, being able to use it now. Milly carried me the rest of the way home from there. CH 16 * * * -I was on a bed before I even noticed. You see on our way back to town, I fell in a bad way after experimenting with my Time Square spell. Milly carried me back to my house. Im very grateful. When I finally got out of bed, I was chastised by mom You cant do that you know, you caused so much trouble for Milly-chan. Im very grateful ugh As I ate the meal mom prepared, I remembered to check my progress with scout scope. Zeph Einstein Level 22 RedMagic Level: 16/62 BlueMagic Level: 14/87 GreenMagic Level: 19/99 SkyMagic Level: 14/89 Soul Magic Level: 19/97 Magic Power: 582/602 Wow, magic power. Its a new spec. As Scout Scopes level increases, Ill be able to see a lot more things. My magic power is 20 away from its max capacity. Thats probably from casting Scout Scope. With this Ill be able to measure how much magic power my spells use. Todays a school holiday, so I planned to go and train with Milly starting this morning. Ill try a bunch of experiments during that time. With my stomach full, I could hear Millys voice from outside while I was drinking water. Ze~ph~k~un~! Ill be there in a bit! I answered back with a yell, washed my dishes, and ran out of the house after changing clothes. I walked with Milly until we got out of town. Whatre we doing today? Im doing a continuation of yesterdays experiment. I wanted to try out some things. Eh~ Thats okay, but try not to pass out this time alright~? *Nihihi* Milly laughed at me, and I couldnt say anything in my defense. She carried me to my house yesterday, so Ill let her feel a bit bossy for now. As I left the Milly that happily trailed behind, I found a Bluezel. there it is. Well~ lets try it out, no? -My Unique Spell Time Square, on this guy. When activating Time Square, other than your own, its possible to stop all of time. Its not possible to move your body when time is stopped, but you can cast more spells there in between. You can use this time to activate spells that would require a long cast time instantly, its also possible to cast multiple spells at the same time during the duration that time is stopped. That said spells require more magic power than what they usually need during the time stop. Though magic triggered in duplex is far more powerful than casting the same spell twice in a row. Looking at the Bluezel, the flow of time had stopped with the cast of Time Square. I stopped time after casting Red Ball, casted Red Ball again. After triggering it two fireballs were shot at once, defeating the Bluezel in an instant. For now, Ill call this spell Red Ball-Double. Oh~ *pachipachi* Millys hand was making a crackling sound. Im checking things out while sitting on a rock. When I casted Scout Scope, my magic power had decreased about a third its maximum value. As I got off the rock to look for another target, Milly started attaching herself to me. I wonder why. After using numerous Bluezels and practice dummies for my experiments, I was able to roughly determine the magic power consumption of Time Square combined with other spells. During time stop the consumption of magic power almost doubles, but the spells power also increases. Usually it takes four Red Balls to defeat a Bluezel, but it dies with one Red Ball-Double. However, I cant use intermediate or higher ranked spells because it takes so much magic power that I can barely cast them with -Double. At least the power is suitable. Its a shame but I dont think Ill be able to use Time Square when were boss hunting. Ku~u Ku~u Milly fell asleep. How can she sleep in such a noisy place? By the way a little while ago, I was looking for Bluezels and when I turned around they were roaming around Milly. Time Square, a spell I learned by chance when I created Time Leap. As an old man I never go the chance to use it in combat. It may have a wide variety of uses, and some of them may be interesting As I thought of that, suddenly I remembered the spell Ive been practicing lately. -Magic Amplifier, its a spell that doubles the power of the next one. This spell consumes zero magic power, instead the consumption of the next spell casted is doubled. Using Time Square and a spell has the same power increase as using magic amplifier twice in a row. Of course, I feel like using it takes the same magic power as using Time Square one time. Lets try this out on a Bluezel. If my idea is correct The Fireball crashes into the Bluezel, defeating it in a single blow. O~otsu, if using Magic Amplifier doubles the spells power, then using it twice makes it four-times as strong? Red Balls magic consumption is also four-times its usual amount. Hmm, this could This could be used. -Red system Great Magic: Red Zero CH 17 * * * -The next day, at the Decayed Church Milly and I had come back. Of course, our goal was to hunt The King of Death. Millys legs were trembling a little. Milly Reyad Level 27 RedMagic level: 23/94 BlueMagic level: 32/98 GreenMagic level: 19/92 SkyMagic level: 12/96 Soul Magic level: 17/85 Magic Power: 985/985 In pure magic power shes stronger than me, but both her physical and mental states are unstable. It might not show on scout scope, but Milly is starting to show symptoms of fear and anxiety that might affect her magic consumption rate. An unsettled heart interferes with the magic lines that naturally spread throughout ones body, inhibiting ones flow of magic. Its impossible for Milly to be the attacker as she is now. Heres the plan, Ill be the front line, while youre support. U-understood! I slapped Millys back because she replied sheepishly. Hyaa!? Youre awfully pale you know, thats not how our great guildmaster should be right? For young people, its easy for their minds to fluctuate between good and bad mindsets. At such a time, its my job to support her. Lets see, I believe our guild name was The Pegasuss White Wings right? Only silence followed. Man, did I screw up? I wonder if she didnt understand my joke. Zeph, were the Hunters of the Blue Sky so Apparently she took it seriously. She looked into my eyes. Hey hey, dont get angry at me. Milly who was sitting beside me, hit my back. Lets go. She walked away while saying so, hey say that before you get up, Im a man so I have to take the lead. anks. Did you say something? ..?! Nothing! Milly flew away with teleport while saying so. I could feel myself grinning. My joke mightve not gone as I intended, but its not a bad result. Ill go too! After lightly slapping my cheeks with my hands, I started teleporting in the opposite direction from Milly. Stage one, Search Operation. Theres also the chance that the King of Death had already been defeated by someone, since were probably not the first people to ever come here. By doing so well have a fresh start. Teleport, teleport, teleport. Woah, its a hoard of zombies. The hoard disappeared after I started casting White Ball. Theres no King of Death though. Its only a matter of time. I continued to look around while teleporting. Teleport, teleport, teleport . (There it is!) Millys voice resounded in my head. Guild members that have a strong bond and are connected by the power of the circle crystal rings, are able to communicate with with each other through telepathy. (Current position is in Dungeon Area 9, in the middle of the cemetery!) (Understood, Im heading there now.) I teleported to the location told me about as soon as I could. Milly. Youre so slow! In the center of a zombie hoard, wearing a crown and a red cloak, was the King of Death, calmly walking as if he was going through a park. He was at a distance that we could barely see him from this location. Our first worry though, isnt about the distance. Milly is still traumatized. I cant do anything about that now though. Because of the magic used a little while ago and because of teleport, I started meditating. As I concentrated my mind, my magic power was honed in an instant. The torrent of magic power around me boasts the strength of a veteran. With a sharp feeling on her skin, Milly was taking deep breaths to calm herself. Kukuku, she should be proud. Its been awhile since the boss fight, but her sense of urgency isnt too bad. If our preparations are all done, lets go! U-understood. I casted Time Square first, then I used Magic Amplifier twice during the time stop, and Oh God of Red Magic, creator of the system that spreads knowledge and truth across the land, lend me your strength! Destroy my enemy with your spinning blades! Red Zero! My strongest Red system Great Magic Red Zero. By consuming all my magic power, its a great magic of the Red system thats shot at maximum power. Its power increases according to the maximum amount of magical power the user has, its consumption rate is terrible, but its the spell with the most power in one attack. To erase the disadvantage of increasing the consumption of magic that Magic Amplifier produces, the compatibility between it and Red Zero need to be the best. With the Magic Amplifier-double, the crimson blade that had been amplified fourfold (^4) was shot out of my hands. Piercing the King of Death, it burned its body, making it groan out in pain. It seems that the Great Magic of the Red system could be its weakness indeed. But- Smashing the blade of fire, the King of Death charged over to assault me. Milly! I know! Milly grabbed my hand, and teleported away from the King of death a short distance away. Disappearing from its field of view at the last second, the King of Death still pursued us as we dodged through teleport. After I pulled it, Milly would continue distance us with teleport. Meanwhile I noisily drank magic recovery potions taken from the bag, while meditating. I can feel my magic power recovering! The recovery rate of a magic recovery potion seems to be about 100, this was verified before the battle with Scout Scope. So I put the magic recovery drink into one large bottle, so that I could almost completely recover with one take. I call it Magic recovery potion(large). Soon..! Weve shaved away 15000! Milly seems to have used Scout Scope on the King of Death. We tried experimenting, where What happens if you use Scout Scope on a monster, and its magic power was shown normally. Their magic power decreases when we attack them, and they disappear when that value becomes zero. The King of Deaths Magic power is equal to 78000 so we need six more shots, Zeph! The King of Death has a self-recovery ability, but it isnt recovered when a large numeric value decreases. As long as we keep up this pressure and without letting it recover, we can do this! We have the experience from our last boss battle. So while leaving the movement to Milly, we escaped through teleport again, and if she ever got the chance, she would check the enemys condition through Scout Scope. This is called Escape Shot used when fighting opponents with high attack power, its not a tactic used by mages often. Its magic power efficiency isnt very good, but you can even beat mighty enemies with it if you dont miss. its restored. Lets take our distance and shoot again. Understood? Millys tone changed? Its good that shes back to normal. Activating Time Square, casting Magic Amplifier twice, starting chant for Red Zero. Red Zero!! This is the second time I casted Red Zero. The red blade extended from my hands and pierced the King of Death yet again. Flames blew throughout its body, its arms fell, its cloak burnt into a thousand pieces, and yet without reducing its speed at all, it still chased after us. Milly cowered looking into its red eyes, so I grabbed her shoulder, turned her towards me, and nodded. Im okay! Milly said so as if to remind herself, and brushed her cheek. CH 18 * * * Red Zero had just penetrated the King of Death for the fourth time. Just Three more shots! I cant Milly let me rest for a bit. Ha~a! Ha~a! U-understood Teleporting away from the King of Death, we took a little rest. Millys breathing was rough. Checking Millys status with scout scope, her magic power had dropped to 100. After teleporting non-stop while using scout scope, of course her magic power wouldve been depleted. Teleport uses about 20 magic power, scout scope is about the same (in my case at least). But Millys mental state is unstable. Because of that her magic consumption rate has probably increased. Drink. I passed over a magic recovery potion(large) to Milly as I said so. It was the first time she had to drink one of these so she replied yes, and took a sip. Zeph, this is really bitter Endure it and drink. She watched my reaction as we took turns drinking it. Apparently, its quite bitter for children. Each time she drank, a bit spilled from her mouth down her neck. Half of it is spilling out, what a waste Im not complaining though. The King of Deaths self-recovery ability is going to activate soon. My magic power has already made a complete recovery. After checking Millys status with scout scope, her magic power has only recovered to about half its maximum value. Do you need another drink? Im fine. After scrubbing her cheek, she started meditating. Shes still a kid. You should have started preparing before me. Activate Time Square, casting Magic Amplifier twice. Now I just need to shoot Red Zero. Okay. Or maybe I should be saying Im about 70 percent done with my preparations. I cant say is enough to shoot, but Id be troubled if the King of Death started using its self-recovery ability. Oh God of Red Magic, creator of the system that spreads knowledge and truth across the land While chanting, I moved to the maximum range that I could still use Red Zero and hit. Milly walked up behind me. Lets go, I signaled Milly with my eyes, and nodded. Red Zero! The fifth shot of Red Zero. As the blades broke through the King of Death. A light was released from its eye sockets. Its crown cracked and fell off, revealing a third eye socket on its forehead. Its red cape turned tar black, and its bishops staff cracked into two, revealing a black blade that came in an arc. Its appearance was like that of the Grim Reaper, holding the bishops staff that turned into a scythe with both hands. Its gone into berserk mode. I said this before the battle, but when we fight a boss, after we damage it to some extent, this activates. Its combat power should triple in this form. No matter what, make sure it does not hit you. Y-yeah This is bad, is she relapsing? Itll be okay, as long as it doesnt touch us. Our safety was never guaranteed, yet we still got this far. We wont die today probably. I flashed a grin towards Milly to ease her fear, she gave a very subtle response. Hey Milly, whats with that half-hearted laugh? *Katata* After the King of Death finished its makeover, it advanced towards us I was meditating during our conversation, but I still havent fully recovered yet. Its here! Faster than it was before, the King of Death kicked the earth when I rushed towards it. Milly put up her guard, and black lights were released from the King of Deaths scythe when he swung. The light bullets were just like Black Ball, but with the power of a boss, it had a strength to be reckoned with. It was even shot towards me, its a bit regretful but its probably going to hit. C Well, it did hit but With my hand held up, I summoned a White Wall. Where the White Wall was hit, the bosss Black Balls were eliminated. Spells of the Wall type have a completely different effect depending on which system it was casted from. White Walls have the effect of being able to stop all types of magic as long as its blocking a primary spell. However, the King of Death didnt care about that at all, and swung down its scythe to my left, like a Grim Reaper. At that moment, Milly took us a distance five times further than before, but it wasnt because she was scared. When the King of Death enters berserk mode, its attack range increases. This is the distance just barely inside it. Milly is perfectly calm. I noisily continued drinking the magic power potion(large), and started meditating. Its just over 21000! It looks like it was able to recover a bit. The power of a fully strengthened Red Zero does about 15000. I still need to make two more shots. While Milly took me to escape, if the King of Death shot Black Balls at us, I stopped it with White Wall. Meanwhile, my magic power recovery rate had fallen. C With my current magic power, I could say Im about at 80 percent full. The next Red Zero doesnt need to be shot at full power. The enemy is quite exhausted already. Here? Lets take the shot. I sent an eye signal to Milly, then we retreated to make some distance. Activating Time Square abbreviating the chant. Red Zero!! The sixth shot. The red blades pierced its throat, making the King of Death suffer in agony. Its at 10000! Milly muttered. Although it only fell that much, Ill make sure the next one is shot at full power. While drinking magic recovery potions, I started meditating. I passed some potions to Milly to make sure the King of Death didnt come in while we couldnt teleport, she gave me an unpleasant look. What a troublesome person Milly if you dont drink it, you might not have enough magic power once were in an emergency, I want to avoid situations like that because well definitely die. I know its hard to adjust the distance while teleporting I said so because I knew it would both provoke her and motivate her. Theres no way this is difficult! She took the bait. Wrestling the bottle from me, she started chugging it all down. *Puhaa~* She had tears in her eyes. I cant help but feel a little bad about how soft Milly is. Black Balls came flying towards us and were stopped by my White Wall. As the scythe came down Milly grabbed my hand and used teleport. The distance and positioning from the King of Death that lost sight of us was perfect. Milly turned towards me with a face that seemed to say How is it?, but Ill let her vent a little. C Nevertheless, now its my turn. Activating Time Square, casting Magic Amplifier twice during the time stop and. Oh God of Red Magic, creator of the system that spreads knowledge and truth across the land, lend me your strength! Destroy my enemy with your spinning blades! Red Zero!! A full powered Red Zero. The blades extended towards the King of Death and penetrated its body, grilling and burning everything. While looking at the King of Death that stopped moving and started turning into sand, Milly asked me: We we won? Yeah, its our win. At the same time the King of Death completely disappeared, I could feel a force growing inside my body. Apparently I leveled up. Milly probably did too. We did it! Ahahahahahahahahahah! CH 19 * * * We did it~! We did it~! We did it~! Milly jumped onto me, bouncing up and down. I could see both nervousness and joy inside her eyes. Well Ill just pat her head for now, and as I did so the light in her eyes seemed to settle down a little. I remember when I first defeated a boss as part of an expedition group, we drank the night away to celebrate. How Milly feels right now is understandable. Well then I escaped from Millys embrace and walked over the place where the King of Death just disappeared, an object was gleaming in its remains. It was a ring. A snake bone ring, huh? A boss has a decent drop rate for rare items, the effect for those items cant be compared to a normal monsters drops. The price of those items too. The snake bone ring has nearly twice the value of the ring I got from Lydia. Lucky me. Woah! A snake bone ring! Looking at the snake bone ring I picked up, Milly let out a happy voice. Whatre you going to do with it? Ill sell it. I dont need two of the same thing. I took out my magic bag and as I was about to put the ring inside, Milly grasped my hand with both of hers. I-I want it! I thought shed say that. Shes been looking at it with sparkling eyes since a little while ago. Okay, but this thing could get us a lot of money you know? Then, Ill give you this in exchange~! Milly held out a short cane topped with a blue crystal. C Its a quartz rod. A cane that can amplify the effect of the Blue system magic is bound to have a high price. Most likely three times the price of the snake bone ring. Milly, do you know how much this is worth? O-Of course I do! Milly said so with a red face, and pushed the crystal rod into my chest. Whatever, do what you want. Oh what a cute brat you are. Maybe she was a little scared or something, but her eyes were a little wet. Letting out a sigh, I reached out and grabbed her hand. She put on a puzzled face, then her eyes opened wide and her mouth went *Pa~a~tsu*. I placed the snake bone ring on her finger, and her expression turned joyful all of a sudden. She started staring at me from a whole bunch of different angles. I wonder why shes so happy. I guess putting on matching equipment does feel nice, though its performance is somewhat basic. ~ ? Shes not listening Meh, whatever. I feel like an old man giving a new toy to his grandchild. I never had children let alone grandchildren, but this doesnt feel so bad. I went ahead and patted her head, while laughing with a scruffy face. *Ehehe* -Now lets see our profit for the day. We used nine magic recovery potions(large). Each one created by using five magic recovery potions, each worth 1000 rupees, for a total of 45000 rupees Theres only one left now well I guess I did well for fighting something like that at this level. Using this wouldve meant wed be out of options. While the snake bone ring was given to Milly, so our income is 0 rupees For a total of -45000 rupees. The King of Death was a monster that showed up in the lower floors of a dungeon that I captured a long time ago. We couldve beaten him easily if we had a third person. Without the pressure of having to escape all the time, beating the boss wouldnt have even broken a sweat. (TN: Help ߤϡ亮ܥԱǤλ롣) Time Square seems to have more applications than I thought it would. The strength of Red Zero^4 is dangerous. When fired at this level, I can beat lower bosses with a level of 90 in one attack. Well, I also need to calculate attribute compatibility, magic power cost, and so forth, but whatever. Im looking forward to using this in the future. As I imagined my strength after I fully trained myself, I laughed eerily. Milly who was staring at her snake bone ring was also laughing with a smile. The creepy laugh of two children echoed throughout the cemetery. If other people looked at us right now, they wouldve been confused at the strange sight. After doing so for quite a while, we walked out of the Decayed Church. -On the way back Since we werent in the mood to teleport back, we walked side by side while talking about the battle. That was amazing! To be specific your spells amazing! If that wont make you invincible what will? If you say so Its a good spell but it causes severe magic power exhaustion so it cant be used much. *Kukuku* I laughed while Milly punched me in the shoulder. Time Square right? That spell, cant I use it too? I thought shed ask this sometime Unfortunately Time Square cant be used by anyone other than me Milly, Time Square is a unique spell that can stop time in the interval of what feels like a fraction of a second. Unique magic can be passed on through a scroll, but itll be weaker, and although youd be able to use it, itd probably be weakened to the point where nothing happens even when you practice it. I dont have enough free time to make a scroll anyway. What, so I have no choice but to develop my own Time Square? Unique spells are created in the image of the person who devised it, our different tastes are very important in making them. Time Square was a unique spell developed by me who has a strong obsession about time. Most likely your personality isnt compatible with it in the first place, so itd be impossible for you to develop. You should remember this for the future. Hopefully she understands this. Milly nodded for me to continue. To create unique spells, the compatibility with the person becomes necessary for the years you develop it. Rather than trying to imitate others, itd be better to try to create something that you really want. Its a bit too early for you to create your own unique spell. You should do so after you grow a bit more. I said so as I patted Millys head. Mu~~ How come you always treat me like a child? Just how old are you Zeph? In response to Millys question, my hand stopped moving. I talked too much in a tone I shouldnt have used. Arent I the same age as you? Were what, 13 years old? If you started developing your unique spell a few years ago what time did you start practicing magic? Anyways, I need to get back home soon or else mom will be worried I ran away from Milly while saying so. Aah~! Hey~! Wait for me! I could hear Millys loud voice from behind me as she teleported onto my back. While I fended off her hands, I activated teleport. After saying some unnecessary things, I ended up being chased until we got back to Nanami. Well, at least Milly seems to be back to her old self. She had a bright face again. Right now, our current goal is to earn some gold. I want to buy some expensive equipment if theres any. Theres also our unlimited need of recovery potions. Fortunately I still have some accessories from the caravan. I dont necessarily have to make another stall. There was that blacksmith girl Lydia? I could feel that she was an excellent merchant. Give and take. She both buys and sells. It wouldnt be bad to see her again. I wonder when I should go back to the commercial city Berita. As I was thinking about such things I arrived back at Nanami. Before Im found by Milly, I teleported back to my house. Im sure she wont chase me this far. Im home. Oh welcome back Zeph, Milly-chan. Wait, did she just say Milly-chan? I turned around to see Milly, who had a face that seemed to say I won!. Would you like to have dinner with us? Sure~! Thanks for the meal~! Hey stop that idiot! We had an early dinner for three people. Meanwhile, the me who had just been barraged with questions until late at night, just had someone storm into my room without permission and CH 20 * * * C A week after the fight with the King of Death. On a daily basis Milly and I continue to hunt at the Decayed Church. We scraped through the hunting grounds, single-mindedly shooting the White Ball spell. The boss is a powerful force, so it takes a month for it to revive itself. So for a while we can hunt without the fear of that nuisance, However. Hey Zeph~ Im tired of this already~ Milly seems to think our hunting is boring. Its probably because all we do is shoot White Ball while standing around. I dont want to raise my level here anymore, so lets go find another hunting ground okay? Certainly, another hunting ground may be more efficient than the present one, but here we can hunt zombies with no fear of the King of Death, and the lack of tension makes it very easy to fall asleep. Milly will probably fall asleep soon if I leave her alone, and thatll be boring. After I reached level 25, my level doesnt rise anymore. Sure, but where are we even going to find another hunting ground? I know right~? I wonder where a nice place would be. Millys grumbling like a spoiled child. Well, the King of Death is going to revive again anyway. It doesnt sound too bad to find another hunting ground. Lets split up for a while then. Milly, youll go find a new hunting ground while I earn some money in the meantime. Huh? Ill put up our stall and sell our products, itd be more efficient if only one person went out to sell accessories and buy equipment, while the other finds the hunting grounds right? T-thats true but umm Ill feel at ease if you hold onto the crystal rod for now. Thats No, Im fine! I understand! I leave and find a new hunting ground by myself! Without you! Milly said so while teleporting away. Whew. I have to say, without Milly here I feel a little lonely. She needs to learn how to act alone in the future, so itd be good to encourage self-reliance for now. Although I already roughly know the hunting grounds around here, finding a new hunting ground alone should be good training even for someone like Milly. C After a few days, once again I was setting foot inside the commercial city of Berita. I came here to sell my items at my stall and increase our monetary funds. After that with our increase in gold, Ill go see if theres any items that I can buy for cheap. Then Ill visit Lydias store if theres time. Theres a reason I want to go. I first set foot in First Streets Square. Im not even going to bother if they dont offer gold. Stall Square isnt open during the holidays. When I finally found some space for my stall, while I was unloading and carrying some luggage on my shoulder, as I was walking through the crossroads Awawawawa~!? A girl suddenly rushed into me from the side, and I accidentally let go of my luggage. I felt something soft, and my luggage was sent flying through the air. Somehow I was able to keep my balance, but the girl wasnt able to keep her balance and fell. Ouch~ Are you okay? As I was about to say that when I stretched my towards the girl, I noticed something. Hmm? Where have I seen A blue-haired, ponytail girl that wore a closed white shirt on top that barely covered her large breasts. Since she was on the ground, with a glance you could get a glimpse of some kind of white fabric in the gap of her hot pants. Theres also a cart covered with a floral pattern thrown onto the road. Lydia! Wait, If I remember correctly youre umm whats your name again? Come to think of it, I never introduced myself, did I? Im Zeph. Zeph Einstein, I was probably walking without paying attention to my surroundings, sorry. Ah~ right. That makes sense, because I never forget a name and face, ever. *Concon* Lydia picked up her goggles and started laughing. *Ahhaha* Then suddenly as if she just realized what position shes in, closed her legs. did you see? A little. Awawawa, dont tell me you saw?! In my hot pants? Zeph-kun, you mustve had a nice view huh. No, it looked pretty normal okay it was good. Wow~ wait, the contents of your bag is scattered everywhere! Crap, hurry! Ill help you pick them up! Lydia said so, and gleaned over my luggage that was scattered on the ground. *Hyoihyoi* She profusely and quickly picked everything up. As expected from a merchant. Speaking of which, Lydia must be quite possessive of her cart. Even so, the instant before the crash Lydia pushed her cart away to protect me. Besides my luggage thrown everywhere, I myself am safe. While she herself fell, Lydias luggage was okay. This is where you could say the professionalism of a merchant would be needed. *Phew* After we picked up all the contents of the magic bag, we decided to take a break. Hmm wow Lydia sure is tall. Whenever I speak to her I always have to look up or else she might not hear me. Well~ Thats fine, I dont mind. Sorry Lydia, you seemed to be in a hurry, you sure it was okay for you to help me? Oh, well that store over there was have a sale on stamina recovery potions, and its made by a famous stall to boot, they were probably going to be sold out immediately due to their popularity anyway. So Id miss it anyways, so dont worry about it. I see. Oh, and its not like I wasnt grateful for what you did. Thanks. She looked over here with a blank look in her eyes, and then laughed. *Ahhaha* Well~ I dont hate honest fools like Zeph-kun who are still exploring the depths of what it means to be a merchant. I dont feel like Im being praised. Lydia continued even after seeing my complex expression. Zeph-kun doesnt live in Berita right, so why have you come here today? Could it be that youve come here just to see me? Her third statement is right on target. What I say now doesnt need to be negative. Well you helped me out once before, so I was hoping you could help me again. Its a bit embarrassing, but I should answer honestly at times like this. To make money, itd be efficient to be friends with Lydia whos a merchant. Really? Im glad to have been of service, so Zeph-kun is also going to open a stall? Ah, thats right. I need to make some money right now, but back home in Nanami there is no Stall Square. Hoho, you need some money? Then why not ask Onee-san here if she can help you? Lydia? If you need financial consultations, just leave it to me. Im the best you know. She said so while crossing her arms making her already big bulges seem even bigger, while putting on a bewitching smile. Just tell Onee-san here everything~? CH 21 At Lydias house. This is my house! When I arrived in front of Lydias house, it seems that she owned a flower shop. No, when I took a good look into her shop, there was a display of axes and blunt weapons arranged on the front display with price tags on them. Is this a flower shop? Or is this a weapons shop? Which one is it? Its both, because I love both flowers and weapons Oi Oi. It this kind of shop really okay? Whilst I was thinking such things I entered the shop, and inside, it was actually quite flourishing. There were customers who were seeking weapons, yet at the same time there were also customers that wanted to shop for flowers. Weapons and Flowers, both products were of high quality, and there was a strange kind of co-existence/collaboration of the two things. It was an unusual array of goods. Welcome! Welcome! (TL: Come on in! etc.) Lydia let out a cheerful greeting to her customers as she entered her own shop, when I followed behind Lydia into the interior of the shop, there was one big person standing in the counter of the shop calling out to us. Welcome home, Lydia Im homee, Father His guts were protruding out of his stomach, and he was as big sideways as he was tall, I mean Lydia was also quite tall, but her father was on another level. As expected, like father like daughter. Hmm? Whos that kid? Ahh, His name is Zeph-kun. Even if he looks like this hes actually quite the adventurer Its nice to meet you Her father nods slightly and begins to stare at me with a measuring look with his eagle eyes. .Is it your new boyfriend? Bakaa(idiott) ! Obviously thats not the case! She stuck out her tongue?, and held out her hands towards me alluringly. She proceeded to grab my hands and pulled me towards the interior of the house. Looking at the situation, the father seems to be grinning as he watched us. We passed along a small smelting furnace and boiler, it was a workshop where steel and wooden materials were piled up. This is where we make our weapons/arms Its amazing, the equipment are all high quality Even if you say that, its all the materials father has gathered over the years Even though I may not be well acquainted in regards to these types of things, I can see with my amateur eyes that these equipment will surely be worth a huge sum of money if they are sold. Being able to forge the weapons himself and make a living, her father must be considerably skilled. By the way, I just wanted to make sure of something, Zeph-kun, you are actually a magician right? And a really strong one at that .How did you find out? I don think Ive ever mentioned such a thing well, it was just a feeling/hunch I had. Nothing more than a guess I stared at her with eyes of precaution, and she returned an innocent answer, HmmShes a really mysterious person. (I cant get a read on her) Well another thing is that you seem to be letting out a peculiar aura of a really strong magician, most likely my father has also noticed it? Both father and child are really sharp people. Although it was not actually possible to discern my Magical Power without using Scout Scope. A skilled adventurer may be able to Sense my magical power without actually possessing magical power themselves. In other words, both Lydia and her father must be excellent adventurers. And the thing I wanted to talk to you about is She interrupted my train of thought, and continued on with her story. Man she is a really talkative one. Tonight, there will be large quantities of Nippers in the cavern at the beach side. And I wanted you to come help me hunt them Nippers are demons who had big red shells on their backs and large scissors as pincers. (TL: seems like a crab to me CH 22 Im really sorry, Ive made you see an unsightly spectacle When I was leaving Lydias house, she bowed her head in apology. From the second floor of the (Arms/flowers shop) her fathers voice could be heard. Quickly come back insideC I understand already! Father should just clean up and go to sleep alreadyC! What a good relationship they have. And to think that just a little while ago they were grappling each other and having an argument. Well, I suppose we should head off. What should we do to get there? Is it better if we teleport? Nn? But you dont know where it is, right? Besides we will stand out too much if we use teleport. Lets just walk We went in accordance with Lydias proposal. The Secret PlaceLydia was talking about, seems to be on the other side of the cave at the beach. It was a place you wouldnt be able to find with a single glance, the kind where you had to creep in from between a small space enclosed by rocks. Lydia said that she used to play around here a lot when she was a child, but, now that shes all grown up will she be able to squeeze in? If her height was compared to mine, there would be a considerable difference. If we are seen walking side by side, it would look like an adult and a child walking together. Well in reality this was a fact. I wasnt able to attend the merchants examination, last year or the year before that, but well, it should be fine! ..Will it really be fine? A touch of anxiety was creeping into me as we walked to the sandy beach, and I realized that the amount of people nearby was slowly increasing in numbers. In their arms and hands were a bunch of weapons/arms. They were definitely adventurers. They were hanging around the front of the beach cavern. They were lying in wait for the large amount of nippers that were supposed to appear. Were they worried that the other parties would come to steal their prey? The guys here seemed to be a little bit tense. Zeph-kun over here Lydia whispered to me as she pulled me into a hidden grassy place, and just like that we were walking along a different path from the main road. When we went up the slope, we arrive on top of the beach cavern. The sea breeze which passed by felt really pleasant on my skin. Were they scrambling to take each others prey down there? I could definitely see the adventurers fighting/arguing with each other. How foolish Over here I looked down on those that lacked the necessary information, and I was soaking in the conceit of having an advantage when. Lydia called out to me, so I followed her. We will enter from this hole .This is quite narrow What existed here was truly a small crevice. If it was me or Mill it was likely we could enter, however, for someone like Lydia, wouldnt it be really difficult? Yeah, I guess it was a good decision to leave my wagon behind I dont think thats the issue here Well anyways, lets get going As she said such things, she was able to easily slip into the crack. Inside the darkness, I was getting left behind by Lydia. Its a little bit dark. Shall I make some light appear? Wait I was just about to let out my ability Red Ball when Lydia stopped me half way. If you make a light using fire magic, it will be too bright. We will attract unnecessary attention from the monsters She fiddled with her goggles that was on her head, and when she did, light actually appeared out of it. Although it had a limited range, it was a considerably strong light. Was it a mechanism that stored some sort of magical energy which could be converted into light, I wonder? I suppose merchants often made inventions which people cant understand well. More like since a while ago, I havent been able to contribute anything When Im with Lydia it seems that my rhythm is all out of balance. It feels as if I cant get any brilliant ideas. As expected, is it because of our difference in height? (TL: Not sure how he came to this conclusion haha) We relied on the light as we advanced. Although it was not easy to walk in the puddle of water and the rocks that were lying around, if it was just to this extent there should be no problems. Lydia was also dealing with her own problems. In this narrow passage, we were both walking at the same speed. Initially I was actually worried about the fact that Lydia may not be able to fit into these narrow spaces, but it seemed that my fears were unfounded. Whilst I was thinking such things, we finally got out of that narrow space and ended up in a much wider cavern system. Is this the place? No, not yet. Come inside here Lydia pointed her fingers ahead towards the destination, and a small hole to the extent that only a small child could barely enter, appeared. Hmm, I suppose this is going to be a bit tight..Zeph-kun do you mind going first and seeing ahead? It should be a straight path Path.. In my vocabulary this small hole is nowhere near as big as a path. I guess thats fine but, you said that I should go first, does that mean that Lydia will also follow in after? Yes of course. I already said that I would be your guide, so I intend to keep to my promise and guide you all the way She proudly declared as she stuck out her chest. No matter how I think about this, its impossible for her to fit in this tiny hole. In a chest-like meaning that is. (TL: her chests are huge after all~) I understand. I will go ahead, however, you dont need to force yourself alright? Zeph-kun you took the words right out of my mouth No, that is definitely the words Im supposed to say. Ahhaha, Lydia was laughing out loud, to be honest it was not a laughing matter. If you were to get stuck in this kind of place, you would most definitely die. Lydia Hmm? Lydia turned to face me and I chanted time square. And then Sleep Code! It was a magic that could cast an abnormal effect on others, Sleep Code It was a magic that could only be cast in a short distance, furthermore the prerequisite for activation was that you needed to be able to make eye contact with the other party, it was a very effective magic that was able to immediately place the other party into a sleep like state. The effects are brutal, however even just closing your eyes during the incantation would greatly lower its effects, and because there was a need for a chant it was an easily counter-able type of magic that would be useless if someone expected it to be casted. Its quite effective towards the various demons, however, it was difficult to cast on multiple enemies and the range wasnt that big so its a regrettable thing. However, if I combine this magic with Time Square, the practicality of the spell increases by several levels. In the time that is suspended by Time Square, using a magical ability within this time will negate the chanting period and the magic is invoked as soon as Time Square ends. If I use this, even if the spell required a chant to cast, I am able to disregard this disadvantage and it is possible to seamlessly invoke the spell as if it had no chant time. However, the down side to Time Square was that it could not be used in conjunction with spells that required an extensive/long chant. With a thud, Lydia crumbles to the floor. I carried her and laid her down on the side of a big boulder. She was letting out small breaths as she was sleeping. It would seem that Sleep Code has properly taken effect. Although I dont really see any monsters nearby, but just in case I decided to hide her. Black Coat Clothing made out of air was hiding Lydias figure, it made her body look transparent. Black Coat was a magic that hid the object with a layer of air, it assimilated the figure of the object or person into the background, and made it very hard for someone to discover something amiss without looking closely. After putting on this magic, moving in the coat is really difficult, thats because unless one moves really slowly, it easily peels off, and you need to master the skill in order to be able to move effectively. However, if you were to just lie still, it would be impossible for someone to discover you. Then, I shall go ahead first As I said this to Lydia I slipped into the tiny hole. When I thrust my head in, my back, arms and foot all hit the rock wall. Even for someone like me who had a small build, it was really hard to pass by. It might be really doubtful whether Lydia could even enter up to her shoulders. Although I may have been rash, I feel relieved to have left her behind. Well, as long as I brought back the Poseidons tears, Im sure she wont have any complaints, right? .If I find lots of it, I will be sure to pocket/pilfer some for myself though I was laughing (Kukuku) as I proceeded to slip past the narrow hole, and on the other side a large cavern space even bigger than the one we were previously in appeared. On the opposite side, I could see a little bit of the sea. I suppose the nippers were carried into this space as it was connected with the sea? In this wide space, even now there were several groups of Nippers lying about. Lets get warmed up by hunting a few of these! Nippers were monsters that were composed from the blue magical system. In terms of Magic there are certain types of affinities that are compatible and incompatible with each other, for example red is weak to blue, or green and sky has similar lineage so it wont be effective to attack a green elemental monster with sky magic. Soul magic was the only exception, it was a magic that was ineffective against all the other types of magic, However if it was used against the same soul type monster, than it would actually show increased effectiveness. This is after all, one of the indisputable logics of this world, if I kept rambling on about these things there would be no end to it, so I will leave it at this for now. Coming back to the point, using sky magic and green magic against the blue type Nipper monsters is actually the most effective, if going by the book. Well then, What should I do? Whilst scratching my head, I walked towards the Nippers. CH 23 or the time being, lets kill/defeat them one at a time. As long as I dont begin attacking them first, they wont voluntarily aggro me for no reason. If I am able to kill them in one blow, then it will be possible to defeat them without even letting them counter attack. I chanted/casted Scout Scope on the Nippers. Nipper Level 12 Magical Value: 820/820 Its magical value is higher than mine, what a cheeky/audacious thing. By the way, Zombies have around 560 Magical Value and are below me. For the time being, should we try and attack it? A Nipper approaches, I casted Black Crash on it. A black whirlwind propels out of my hand and rips the nippers body asunder, it was completely annihilated. In one blow? Black Crash is a second grade magical spell, so it uses up a lot of magical energy. If possible I would like to use a magical spell that is of a lower grade to preserve some energy. (Maybe I will try Black Shot?) -Black Shot is one of the elementary forms of Sky elemental magic. Its the improved version of Black Ball, the special characteristic of Black Shot is that it holds more power. Of course the amount of magic consumption is also increased as a result. I took my aim at the other Nippers, and fired of Black Shot. Magical energy converges and forms the shape of a bullet, I fire the spell and it sinks into the Nipper and blows it away, however, its fighting spirit is still quite strong and the Nipper comes towards me in order to counter attack. Nevertheless, the Nipper cant even get close enough to attack me, before I fire a second Black Shot and crush it. Using two Black Shots takes less magical consumption than casting a single Black Crash, However, as expected it is more efficient to defeat the Nipper in a single blow. Ahh thats right, I just have to use Magic Amplification and it will be sufficiently good. If I amplify the effects of Black Shot by twice the power, it should be able to kill the Nipper in one blow. I casted/invoked Magic Amplification, and searched for more Nippers. I walked for a little, and used Black Shot on the first Nipper I found. It satisfactorily destroys the Nipper in one shot. After the Nipper disappears, there was a bright flash of light. When I ran up towards it in a hurry, there was a blue jewel. It was Poseidons Tears. For it to appear this quickly, I guess it must be a good omen Poseidons Tears was put in the bag, and the hunting was restarted. They said that the Nippers were going to come out in large quantities, should I prepare a large area of effect magical spell? Most likely the large area of effect spell cannot be used in this location. In that case I should go with a middle area of effect spell? I invoked Magical Amplification, and searched for more Nippers to hunt. There it is. Black Storm! A small tornado tears up the NipperHowever it didnt die in one hit and it charged straight at me. I fall back slightly, whilst I casted Scout Scope. Nipper Level 12 Magical Value: 400/820 (TL: This is basically a monsters health points) So theres around half left I could invoke Time Square and cast four consecutive Black Storms to defeat them in one blow (TL: Im not sure about his maths, shouldnt this be two times? if one Black Storm took half hp lol~), However using Time square would deplete almost all of my magical reserves. Therefore I will leave this a last resort. I casted Black Shot on the Nipper that came out to chase me and defeated it. Because I used too much magical energy I decided to meditate a little. My spirit is concentrated and I could hear the various sounds of rustling as the Nippers were crawling in the sea. 󡭡(Kasa = Rustle, Rustle and Zazan= SFX for calm waves of water) (Even more Kasa Kasa and Zaza) When I looked around, suddenly there was a huge influx of Nippers roaming about. To think that moments ago I had to walk around in search for them. Now I dont have to walk anymore. 10No, theres probably more than 20 of them right here. Is this what Lydia was talking about when she referred to an outbreak? This isAmazing Woops! This wont do. I must hunt them, Hunt! I hunted them one by one by casting the amplified Black Shot. Black Shot Black Shot Ohh, Poseidons Tears Get! The Magical consumption of Black shot is really efficient, so I didnt need to stop to meditate and I could continue this fast tempo of hunting. I was deeply engrossed as I continued to hunt them down, but it would seem that instead of decreasing, the numbers were continuing to increase. As far as my eyes could reach, the view was covered with Nippers. If I could just use large scale/area of effect magic, I could round them up in one go No, its better to knock them out in one go otherwise, they may all come rushing at me. Nippers dont aggressively attack those that dont provoke them, it should be safe. Hmm should I give it a go? After using Time Square I simultaneous invoke Magic Amplification. I used a little bit of time to recover all my magic by meditating, and then I started to cast Black Storm. With Black Storm that is strengthened to four times the strength, the Nippers were totally ripped asunder and cut and crushed, whilst their carapaces were completely splintered/shattered. All the nippers in my field of view blew up, and a huge amount of the Poseidons Tears began to drop down. All of my magical energy dissipates in a dash. I predicted that after using these spells, my magical Energy has depleted to not more than two digits perhaps. Whilst meditating, I picked up the various Poi Tears and placed them in the pouch. (TL: Im just going to shorten Poseidons Tears to Poi Tears, too long to type) My steps were a little unsteady as I continued to pick up the Poi Tears. Suddenly I noticed that I stepped on something black. Is this my shadow? Immediately after that, there was a sound of a high pitched wind going off. (Oh Crap!) In that moment, I immediately reacted and dashed/ran forwards. When I turned around whilst running, a red mass could be seen falling from the sky. -And. ZuZun! A thunderous roar accompanied by a cloud of dust flew up. The earth tremors and quakes and the air shakes, the gigantic figure erects itself slowly. Big pincers that looked much like scissors and a deep crimson shell with plenty of spikes covering it. It was a gigantic figure and when it moved even a little, the shell and the scissors/pincers would reflect a gleaming/ghastly light. Its a King NipperC?! It was the Beach Cavern Boss, King Nipper. No, strictly speaking the King Nipper wasnt a boss type monster. The magic that composed this guy, was naturally considerably higher than the other demons, However if you were to compare it to a boss monster, it would actually be relatively low. Its strength was in the middle of a usual monster and a boss monster. Perhaps I should call it a middle boss? The reason behind the Large out break of Nippers that Lydia talked about, was probably due to this King Nipper laying its eggs within the cave. Most likely when I used the Black Storm casted at four times the efficiency, I must of hit the King Nipper which was lying dormant in the cave and made it become angry/aggro. Although in terms of its strength it is in no way inferior the boss monster King of Death, its movements were slow/dull and if I were to shoot at it whilst running away, the King Nipper would become a harmless like existence that was a good-for-nothing dummy target for my spells. -However, that is only the case if I was in a wide spaced area In this small space, the smallest approach from the King Nipper would suffocate me as if the space around me became even narrower. This is really bad. For the time being, lets try to gain some distance, as I continue to meditate. I cant let my escape route be blocked. I prepared myself in case of a surprise attack, and as a habit I applied Safe Protection on myself. (TL: I think this is the name of the spell that deflected the King of Deaths attack and reduced incoming damage by 90 %) If I have this, I probably wont die in a single hit, right? The King Nippers raises its pincers overhead. Its moving in a huge motion. This attack, even if you were an idiot you could avoid it. (Thats if I wasnt in such a narrow space) The large pincers came crashing down towards me, I ducked low and ran a short distance away from it. The place where I just stood moments ago was completed blown away from the impact and a large roaring after effect of the ground being crushed resounded. Uohhh!? The broken fragments of the ground splinters with a pitter-patter as it hits me. Avoiding its pincers in such a narrow space is really difficult. Naturally, fighting it head on and defeating it is impossible. I need to get away from it, and even if I need to teleport into the hole I came from to hide, that may be the best option I have right now. If I were to go that far, it will be unlikely that it will pursue me right? I slowly walk towards the opposite direction from the hole I came from. The King Nipper followed me closely and sometimes it smashed its pincers towards me. Scary, Scary. I move slowly so that The King Nipper would follow me and I repeated this process, some way or another I managed to successfully lure him away from the hole I came from. Geez youve given me so much trouble..But now I must bid you farewell I invoked Teleport and I flew to the hole I came from. I was now on the opposite side of the King Nipper. Before this slow fellow is able to turn around and catch up to me, I am sure I can crawl out to safety in time. Now I just have to make up a story that I ran away from the King Nipper after it had appeared to Lydia. Besides, Ive gotten quite a few of these Poi Tears. Before that fellow notices Im going to go through this hole. I squatted down and when I tried to shove my head into the hole quickly, Gochin! I crashed into something. Ouchhh??!? It was Lydia. When I peeked through the small hole I could see Lydias face and her squeezed/crushed breasts. Or more like, that was all I could see. With such a body figure, how the heck did she even manage to get this far? 褤áȡ(There we go, Lydia squeezing out) Lydia bent and twisted her body back and forth like a snail/snake/worm and she wriggled out of the hole. Fuu?. Ive somehow managed to pass? Pon (Pat Pat) she brushed off her knees, and as she stood up, it was apparent that Lydia was definitely bigger than me. ..Are you some kind of Mollusks or something? How rude of you! Or more like what happened to me? It seems that I fainted? Ah, AhhYou suddenly fainted on me. Thus, I laid you down on the side of a rock .Hmm, Is that so? In that case Thanks!! Doesnt she doubt me in the slightest? Unexpectedly she seems to be quite the naive girl. Zuzuunn!! The King Nipper finally turned around and faced our direction. Ugh, darn it Ohh, isnt that a King Nipper? So it came out I see, isnt it hard to fight it in such a narrow space like this? Ahahaha, Lydia was laughing even though she saw a gigantic King Nipper coming towards us. (TL: LOL Lydia is cute~ so carefree) It was almost as if she had experience fighting such a thing. .Have you ever fought one before? I have, though I have never won against it before That is to be expected. The King Nipper has a shell/carapace that has a dreadful/tremendous amount of defense attached to it, it was the one thing it could be proud of. Using normal physical attacks in order to harm it is theoretically impossible. But this time I have Zeph-kun who is a magician, so I think we can beat it..! It would seem that she was fired up. It is true that if we make use of Lydias nimble body, she should be able to handle the dull movements of a slow King Nipper, and it would be easy for her to become my vanguard.. However Lets do this! ࡭(F, finee) I was made to give in to Lydia again It would seem that I am inadvertently being influenced by Lydias pace once again CH 24 Alright, Its decided then.. After deciding what to do, Lydia takes out a huge axe out of her bag. It had a long handle and a large blade attached to its head, it was a Battle Axe. It seemed to be really heavy but, Lydia was swinging it like it was some kind of toy.! Lets do this! Lydia kicks off the ground and begins to attack the King Nipper, she easily slips through the Pincers that were launched at her and she closes the gap between them instantaneously. -So fast! However, shes getting way too close to it. When there was some distance between you and a King Nipper the only thing it could do was slam down its pincers, however, when you got close enough to it, the King Nipper boasts a variety of different attack patterns. When Lydia approaches it, bubbles start foaming from its mouth. (Sfx: buku buku, bubble bubble) Lydia! Its about to spit foam at you! As soon as I gave her a warning, the King Nipper unleashes its bubbles. The adhesiveness of this bubble is extraordinarily high, and if you get hit by it you wont be able to move properly. Lydia realizes that the bubble scatters in a wide area, so she thrust her huge axe into the ground and uses it as a pivot in order to perform a backward somersault. Lydia falls off balance as she lands and the Pincers immediately come crashing down towards her. However, Lydia uses her huge long axe to deflect the pincers, and using the spinning momentum she makes a full rotation to avoid a direct hit. She avoids it. She avoids it. She avoids it. Moreover in a very flashy way. She was toying with it perfectly. When she previously mentioned that this place was her playground, don tell me she meant playing like this right? In terms of Lydias style in wielding the axe, she placed emphasis on her technique in manipulating the axe more so than just brute strength. Utilizing the tip of the heavy axe dexterously, The King Nipper is being led around by the nose with her mysterious movements. It was similar to the kind of movement I saw in my previous life, the movement of a dancer who used a pole to support her movement. (TL: Pole dancing??) Woops! This isnt the time to be enjoying the view. My magical energy has completely recovered. Spirits of the earth, become the body of armor that provides protection! Safe Protection I provided Lydia with an earth defensive spell. It would seem from the way she was avoiding the pincers that she would be totally fine, but I did it as a precaution. Lydia turns to face me and waves a Thank kyu?. Immediately after, The King Nipper strikes its Pincers, and her ponytail shakes/sways from the wind pressure. Just now, It feels like she was able to dodge that attack without even looking, it must be just my imagination right? I invoked Scout Scope on the King Nipper. King Nipper Level 58 Magical Value: 65824/65824 Its magical value is quite high isnt it? The fact that its high is not the problem, but, the problem is that I cannot use my most powerful red magic spell Red Zero amplified by four times, as it will have little to no effect on a blue element monster. The high magical cost of the ability is also really inefficient. That would mean the remaining spells are.. Well I suppose I should try it out. I invoked Magic Amplification as I got closer. Black Crash A whirlwind shaves off a small portion of the King Nippers hardened shell, and I immediately backed off at the same time. The King Nipper who suffered some damage for the first time glared at me menacingly, Lydia instantly responded by assaulting and harassing the King Nipper in order to attract its attention. Lydia that girl, shes actually pretty good in being able to read the situation, she is seemingly accustomed to these kinds of battles. I casted Scout Scope on it once again. King Nipper Magical Value: I did about 2000 damage? By the way, casting a black crash that was amplified by two times consumes 1/3 of my magical reserves. That would mean I need to blast it 32 more timesIts impossible. In that case, should I use the ability I experimented with before I came to Beruta? During the time I consider my options, obviously I was also meditating. By the way, being able to think clearly or even converse whilst meditating is an extremely difficult thing to achieve, for someone like Milly this would not yet be possible. Well, I suppose Ive recovered enough magical energy, Should I give it a go for the time being? Invoke Time Square! At the same time as my invocation Time Stops, I then cast both Red Crash and Black Crash simultaneously. I release the time stop, and two forms of powerful magic manifests at the same time. A strong spiral of an explosive flame is mixed with a gust of whirlwind, it struck one of the foot of the King Nipper and smashed it into a pulpy mess. ZuzunThe King Nippers balance is destroyed along with its foot. Uwaaa(Wow) Amazing Lydia was doing a hand stand on the Axe, and a voice of admiration slips from her, as she easily avoids the bubbles of the King Nipper. Right now, her face was completely looking in my direction. Oi, look behind you, behind When I chant Time Square and then combine it with any sort of magical spell, it will definitely increase the power of the spell, however, if I combine Time Square with two spells from two different magical schools, the results are tremendous and a new form of magic can be created. .For the time being, allow me to name this spell Pyro Crash However, it consumes a huge amount of magic in one go. Invoking two different magic school simultaneously whilst using Time Square is truly exhausting/severe. Before I meditated I casted Scout Scope on the King Nipper again. King Nipper Magical Value: I dealt about 8000 damages, this is actually pretty good. I thought that the amount of damage would be reduced because I combined it with fire magic, but it turns out that is not the case. There plenty of cases in which the peculiar characteristics are mixed together to create various new systems, and in history there have been a lot of instances whereby these systems dont really belong to any specific element in particular. It is that perhaps the spell I just created also follows this logic? Anyways, I begin to meditate. Meanwhile I am keeping a close eye on Lydias battle but, as per usual the King Nipper doesnt seem to be able to land a single hit on her. Neee?(Heyy?) Buon! (Boom!) Zeph-kun? Dogo!! (Dong!) Do you have Magic Recovery Medicine?? Bogo! (Bang!) She even has room to worry about me?! When I nod, Lydia jumps backwards and around 20 magic recovery pellets/medicines are taken out from her bag. This, I will take it out of your tab kay? I understand As expected of a merchant, shes so stingy even in a place like this. I swallowed several numbers of recovery medicines. Alright, I have recovered all my magical energy. I got close to it as I casted Time Square. And I invoke Red Crash and Black Crash simultaneously. Pyro Crash Pyro Crash completely destroys another one of the King Nippers Leg again. What a terrifying power. No matter how I see it, it feels as if the amount of damage it deals is way above the actual number it displays. Just 47000 more to go. I swallowed some more Magical Recovery pellets. ..We repeated the same thing several times, until we defeated the King Nipper. It took us a long time. I could also feel that I had leveled up. It was a really tough monster wasnt it? Lydia seems to be really tired as expected. She was panting heavily, and her clothes were fully drenched in her sweat, her white shirt became transparent and revealed her flesh-colored skin. But as I would expect magic is really an amazing thing? Even when I hit the King Nipper with my full power, it didnt take any damage at all King nippers have very high tolerance to physical attacks, and low resistance to magical attacks. And the fact that I was able to concentrate on attacking was all thanks to Lydia being able to distract it and obtain its aggro. Your movements were truly amazing Oh, stop it you? you are making me feel embarrassed? I wasnt that amazing..If compared to my father, this kind of thing would be a cinch for him! Is she trying to be modest, or trying to boast? Or more like, her father is even more terrifying than her? Alright, well then shall we resume out hunt for Nippers again? Even though she had been at it for so long, she actually wanted to continue hunting? What frightening physical strength. I suppose this is what you would call an indomitable Commercial Spirit? CH 25 fter that, I hunted all the nippers left in the area, and then returned to Lydias house. There was a variety of King Nippers in the Beach Cavern and their revival time is really disconnected. King nippers usually disappear from the cave after laying all its eggs, and it takes about one full year to revive itself. Even so, were werent really able to get that many. Poseidons Tears Well thats because we had to defeat a King Nipper along the way In the end, we only managed to obtain around 10 Poseidons Tears. All together its worth around 10,000 rupi. Lydia seems to be unsatisfied with our haul, but its actually quite a big profit. If we halve it, both of us would get 5,000 rupi. Then shall we go cash in? Before that though, I want 12,500 rupi Whilst saying such a thing she stretches out an empty hand towards me. The total of the Poseidons Tears is 10,000 rupi for 10 of them. You used 35 of my magical recovery pellets that comes to C 35,000 rupi. In other words 35,000 C 10,000 is equal to 25,000 rupi, we then divide the cost equally to get -12,500 per person Ah, I get it. No, the thing is I dont have any cash at hand..Would it be alright if we waited for the item I entrusted to you in the shop to sell before I pay you? Of course. Although this time around its been a shame that we ended losing money, lets go hunting together again some other time, alright? Oh yeah, incidentally Milly is trying to make the strongest guild, and is currently looking for strong companions. How about I try to invite Lydia in the guild? I have no qualms with her level of proficiency as a war potential, moreover she has a shop and I could really use the selling connection. I almost forgot to do this, but I invoked Scout Scope unto Lydia. Lydia Randeia Level 11 RedMagic Value 0, Magical Limit 0 BlueMagic Value 0, Magical Limit 0 GreenMagic Value 0, Magical Limit 0 SkyMagic Value 0, Magical Limit 0 SoulMagic Value 0, Magical Limit 0 Magic Value 0 Yeah, I suppose if a human being doesnt have any magical power it would look like this. Shes level 11.. Indeed, her fighting sense, and her evasion sense have no relationship to her level, therefore, even though her level is low, it is hiding her true potential. There are a lot of strong people out there among the low-leveled. However I never expected her level to be even lower than mine. I was surprised by the fact that a girl of such a level was able to run about and fight a mid-boss level monster without any fears. By all means, I want her in the guild. Whilst thinking such things I was staring at her face and she noticed it. Is there something on my face? No, Its just that Im looking for comrades I just let it slip out. When hunting, if there was someone to fill a vanguard position like Lydia, as a backline magic caster I would feel much safer. It was already proven when we fought that King Nipper. Thanks to Lydias maneuvering and control of aggro, we were able to take down the monster in such a cramped location. Of course it is Millys guild so the one that will get the last call is her, but Im sure she wouldnt mind it if I invited Lydia. You are scouting me? Yeah Im really happy to be invited but I already have a shop to tend to..Do you think it will be alright if I think things over first? Certainly. I will probably drop by when my item sells, at that time you can give me your answer. I also need to get permission from the leader Ahhaha, You shouldve invited me after you got permission. The other party, may not even be satisfied with my capabilities Her fighting power is without any faults, she is also really good with money, plus she was able to take care of a child like me. There was no chance that Milly wouldnt be satisfied with Lydia. Well, I think it should be fine. Its basically a free guild so we have a huge amount of freedom in being able to do what we like, I think it wont be a bad deal for you to join I understand. I will look at it with a positive outlook. The next time we meet will probably be during the time your item is sold. By that time, Zeph-kun should speak to the leader-san, we can decide it then Shes quite a careful person. As expected of a merchant. This is probably the natural procedure for a normal person as well. Its because I just recklessly invited her without first asking for permission. I kind of just let whatever came to my mind slip out. Fuuaa(Exhales) Ahhaha, what a big yawn. You must be tired ne? As she spoke, she also looked really sleepy. Whilst she was laughing her eyes seemed to flutter a little. Its already midnight after all. Well then, its already so late, I will also head home Eh? You are planning on travelling all the way to Nanami Town right now? Its really dangerous at night, you shouldnt go I have the Teleport ability, it should be fine Its pitch black out here, besides you wont be able to see the monsters clearly if they attack, As I thought I cant let you go. Just come over and stay at my place No, I mean that is a little. Its fine , Its finee! Just come and stay over! Dont mind the small details! Kay just follow mee ? She pushed on my back forcefully, and I was taken inside Lydias home. Well I suppose its true that teleporting in the dark like this can be a little bit dangerous.. I couldnt really argue against her sound logic. You were sweating a lot, would you like to take a bath ? .Please allow me to do so Even if I declined, she would probably force me, right? I think I will just obediently accept her suggestion. The bath in Lydias house had a flagstone floor, and there was a tub where you needed to pour in the hot water. A bath is filling the tub with water that is heated up using magic, and then soaking ones body inside the water to wash of the dirt. It was lukewarm water but it was a good enough temperature. Lydias father must have heated it up as soon as she got home. I sink my body into the small tub. Fuahaa?..How refreshing. It feels as if all the exhaustion from my body is being washed/melted away with the hot water. This thing known as a bath was once spread when a certain person from a foreign country introduced it to this country, it was a brilliant invention. Is the water temperature good enough?? It, its fine. There is no problem I was suddenly talked to so I was a little bit surprised. If I thought about it, I suppose I was in Lydias house right now. Lydia also sweated quite a lot. She probably wanted to enter the bath soon, its better if I got out quickly. Just as I got out from the bathtub, the door of the changing room is opened. Im sorry, I ended up using the bath before you did Oh? Already getting out? Right in front of me, was Lydia standing with her upper body completely exposed. Her ponytail is let down, and her long hair sticks to her curvaceous body. It was so close before I could see her most important parts, but that was not the issue here. I was thinking of going to the bath together, but I guess you are going to escape? Ahahaha, Lydia laughed. I was completely petrified. Even though I was petrified, I couldnt take my eyes of Lydia. Well Then, Im going to enter? After saying so, she also took off her undergarments and she enters the bathroom. If I thought about it, my externals look like a kid, so the fact that she was entering into the bathroom to have a bath together, may not really be a joke after all. Tsk, what a regrettable thing. Afterwards, I borrowed the big sofa from the reception room, and then I went to sleep in it. Lydia invited me to sleep together with her, but I suppose going that far would be dangerous, so I declined with all my willpower. If I was confronted with such a figure once again, I dont have the confidence to keep my reason. However I am really tired.. It seems that since I am in a childs body I have been really sleepy whenever it gets too late at night. It was not really unusual for me to be training or hunting till late in the night. And usually after such a training session is would become easy for me to fall asleep. However, because I saw Lydias naked figure a little while ago, my brain was bedazzled and I couldnt really fall asleep. But for me to become so effected just by seeing a naked lass/girlIt seems that my spirit is being effected by the childs pubescent body. Even though I could no longer see her with my eyes, my body is still going crazy/malfunctioning. Damn you Lydia! CH 26 he night passes and the morning dawns. Thanks for taking care of me What are you saying, dont worry about it. I also feel like I have a small little bro, so its been really fun Shes treating me like a younger brother? I suppose it makes sense. Im sure that when she meets up with Milly she will definitely be happy to have a younger sister right? I invited Lydia to the guild without Millys permission and it is possible that she will get angry with me. I have a feeling that Milly will tell me that I shouldnt increase the guild members. .However, I know that deep inside Milly wants more valued guild members, so maybe there is a chance that she will be really happy? Well I will talk to her later. If she says no, than I suppose it cant be helped. I left Lydias home and went out of town. Oh yeah, didnt mother tell me that yesterday, Milly came by the house several times? Before I go back home I should give her a visit. When I arrive at Nanami town, I used a guild message to call Milly. Milly, are you there? Its me Zeph!? Geez, where have you been! Youve made me look everywhere My bad, I was at Beruta Town. However I have accomplished my objectives. Also there is a thing I need to tell you Is that so? I also have something to talk to you about. Can you come to my house immediately? I wonder if she found some nice loot or something? She seemed to be in high spirits. I used teleport until I reached Millys house. When I arrived at her house, she was already standing in her front entrance. Even though it would have been fine for her to wait inside. The moment she saw me, she ran up to me. As usual shes like a puppy. I will keep silent about the fact that her shaking twin tail looks really similar to a dogs tail Zeph! You seem well, Milly She showed me an energetic smile. You seem really glad somehow, did you manage to find a good hunting ground or something? I guess you could say that. I found a lakeside in the north where a water spirit lives in, and I also found the den of a Kobold in the southern forest The lakeside shore in the north and the Kobolds forest..They both seem like pretty good hunting grounds, but a water spirit is a really bad match for magicians, because it can use long range attacks. Kobolds always travel in packs and getting surrounded is also another weakness for us magicians When I pointed out some of the flaws, Milly had a face full of confidence, she wagged her fore finger as she let out a couple of (tsk tsk). A..annoying You should listen to someones full conversation before interrupting you know? I found those places as hunting ground, however there is something extremely good that I managed to find! What is it? Milly was trying to gauge my appearance whilst having a big grin across her face. Take a guess, this was the kind of face she had. Shes really acting all high and mighty I can roughly understand. After all I am thinking the same thing. Could it be that youve found a companion that you want to put in the guild, or something like that? Eh? How did you know? Although its a coincidence I also managed to find someone that I am scouting. I just thought that maybe Milly was the same Millys face was becoming more sullen as I continued to talk. For me the person I found is a merchant in Beruta town. Right now, I have consigned items to sell at their shop. I will go around next week to see how it goes ..Is it a girl? How.. Did you know? .I will decide after I meet her From the start thats what I planned on doing. Please be relieved Millys face turned sour in an instant. When I was holding hands with Clare Sensei, she also showed this kind of pouting face (TL: Sensei =teacher) I really think that we need to expand the guild a little more. At this rate, it will never become the strongest guild. So how about Milly? Who did you manage to find? AhC yeah, they are inside my house right now She answered me snappishly. Her bad mood doesnt seem to be recovering. It couldnt be helped so I patted Millys head. Wai..What are you doing! Zeph Were you planning on introducing me to our new companion with such a sullen face? Well I suppose I dont mind it either way. It doesnt seem like the other party is that interested anyways Milly blushes in shame whilst looking downwards, for a little while we remained in the position where I was giving her a gentle rub on her head. YAlright, okay thats enough! Lets go! A little while after she brushed off my hand, and walks towards the house in a quick pace. I followed behind her and entered the room. Millys room which was cleaned up previously, was already splendidly cluttered with things. However it seems that there is still enough place for my foot, I proceed carefully so as to make sure that I dont step on any waste/rubbish. Then, I saw a young boy sitting on the floor, with a very polite posture. He was wrapped in a light weight silver armor, placed on his sides is a sword and shield for each hand. His brilliant blonde hair shines when compared to the flat colors of the room. The age doesnt seem too different from mine, perhaps a little older? Looks like he noticed us? He stands up with a jolt as his beautiful fair hair shakes. Milly-san, welcome home! It was a loud, energetic voice. The glance he lets out is truly dazzling/radiant. He wanted to greet me by shaking my hands so of course I reciprocated. Its nice to meet you, My name is Claude Its a face and name I seem to have seen/heard from somewhere I cant really put my head around it, but I suppose if I thought about it, I have lived two separate lives. After all, I had a multitude of acquaintances in my previous life. In my previous life I joined various guilds, so he could have been one of the acquaintances I had met before. Without worrying too much about it, I also greeted him. My name is Zeph, I am a magician. I know this is sudden to ask but, may I inquire the reason as to you would be willing to join a guild as shabby as ours? There should be plenty of other great guilds around this area if I am not mistaken? Hey! Its not shabby! I ignored Millys protests and continued on. From the looks of it, you seem to be a novice, however for a beginner, it may be better to join a guild with more people in it, wouldnt you say? I am the youngest child born of a knights lineage. However, in the last few years, my family has accumulated money troubles and it has become really hard for my family to support me, thus there was no other choice but to become an adventurer. Nevertheless, I am still a Knight by blood, I dont do this just because I need to make a living out of being an adventurer, my other objective is that I am looking for a master/lord to whom I can serve as a knight What an indescribably hard life he must of lived In order to maintain that knight equipment of his, it would also cost a lot of money. In order to be able to stand in the front lines as a knight, it would take a lot of money to purchase physical strength recovery medicine. When a knight has plenty of money, thats when they will shine with brilliance. Therefore, in a knights case, their equipment is sort of like a testimony to how accomplished they are. Claude is the youngest child, rather than being given equipment, it seems more likely that he was driven out of the house. But, it looks like he did not hold any grudges for being kicked out of his house. Right now I am still inexperienced, when I was surrounded by Kobolds and had fallen into a huge dilemma, Milly-san appeared and was kind enough to save me. The appearance of Milly-san who swept in and casted her terrifying magic eliminating all the demons, was like a war angel.When I came to I decided to become Milly-sans apprentice! Oh, Oh. Did he really just say war angel?.he seems to be a young boy that likes to fantasize a little. Well, I suppose an adventurer who is just starting out would be like this. I recognize that Milly-san is a suitable master to dedicate my sword to and whilst I may become a bother and intrude upon you, please allow me to apologize in advance.! Well I suppose, if Claude joins us Milly will stop being so clingy towards me, right? He doesnt seem to be a bad fellow either, I think it is fine to let him join. Zeph-kun, Let us work hard together as Milly-sans disciple/apprentice!! Stiffen up/petrified. When I looked at Millys face, she immediately turned away. When Claude looked at me with such a pure smile, I could do nothing but let out a bitter smile in return. What? Was he referring to me when he called me an apprentice of Milly? (What is this about?? Milly?) (Welll? I kind of blurted it out on accident..) (You inadvertently boasted about yourself and made stuff up? this kind of thing?) (Well.Im sorry) Tehehehe, Milly laughed in a slovenly/sloppy way. You really dont look like you are sorry, Milly. Im sorry, Claude. It was a lie when I said he was my apprentice. He is actually my sub-leader Oh I see, is that how it is? Well at least it was accepted pretty fast, thats good. So, Zeph. What do you think? Reckon he can join us? Well I think it should be fine? He looks really hardworking, and he doesnt seem like the kind of person who would do anything strange Is that true? Awesome?! Raising both his arms, Claude was delighted. Milly claps her hands. This kind of scene, is actually pretty nice. Oh yeah! Lets do a welcoming party for Claude! Is there anything that Claude wants to do? Hmm, let me think Clause thinks for a little while, then as if he thought of something his expression changed. How about this! I want to have a friendly match with Zeph-kun! Being able to support Milly at such a young age and become the sub-leader, I am really curious about your abilities! Am I really that young compared to them? I thought the three of us were around the same age, no? I dont really mind it but, Claude you mentioned that you wanted to have a match, what is it that you propose? That is of course I want to have a combat match. Arms/weapons are taken, and both of us should have a decisive battle to determine the winner Ehhh!? Isnt that really dangerous?! Well if I use Safe Protection, there is probably nothing to worry about He probably doesnt like the fact that a small runt like me is in a higher position than him. If I win this he should acknowledge that I am number 2. Isnt he quite the energetic youth? I dont particularly dislike this kind of person. Interesting. Shall we make it so that the defeated person will owe one thing to the winner? Thank you very much. I look forward to having a fair match with you.! CH 27 COutside of town. The wind blows over the plains, the grass sways. Both Claude and I were taking a fighting stance as we faced each other. Milly was standing in between us. Guys dont fight because of me! Milly was taking that kind of position, she seemed to be anxious about us and at the same time a little bit excited. How about this? I will place Safe Protection on both of us, and the first person to land a blow will be the winner Seifuto purotekushon?(Safe protection) What is that? Both Milly and Claude looked confused. Oi ,oi, Apart from Claude, Milly should at least know about this spell. Or more like, didnt I use safe protection in the fight against the King of Death? What a frightening girl. Safe protection is a magic spell that will reduce the incoming damage by 90 % for the first blow only. I of course have no intention of using powerful magical spell in this duel, but this is more of a precaution for an emergency I also do not wish to cause any grievous wounds to Zeph-kun, so having a spell like that will be very welcome Claude was smiling broadly at me. He really said it, this fellow. (TL: Claude was talking as if without the magic, he may accidently cause a serious injury to Zeph, Claude is being a little playfully arrogant here ~) Even so I will go easy on him. I will only use elementary magical spells. If I am able to defeat him by merely using elementary magic, Claude will also learn the difference in our abilities that should teach him a lesson, right? Claude was planning on using a wooden sword and a shield. Where do you want to start this? Its fine if Zeph-kun chooses the starting location What a conceited brat. Where is all that confidence coming from? I was about to use scout scope on him, but I decided against it in the end as I was planning on using only elementary magic to defeat him. If it will be decided in a single blow, than things like level doesnt really give a reliable indication of strength anyways. Well, I suppose I will make him silent by showing my superiority. How about we put our backs against each other, and start after we take 10 steps forward? I understand We took an approximate distance from each other and turned around. The appearance of Claude who took his fighting stance with his wooden sword and shield was fairly decent. He seems pretty acquainted with using the sword. Im coming.! Come at any time As soon as the words left my mouth, Claude raised his shield and charged towards me. First of all let me test him out. I aimed my sights on Claudes legs and I invoked Blue Ball. He swiftly avoided the Blue Ball by jumping over it, and just like that he swung his wooden sword down towards me. I fall back a little to avoid his strikes, and he tried to swing his sword in pursuit..however. Uwaaaaaaa!? The ground where Claude steps on collapses and he was swallowed up by the pitfall. A little while back, I already set this up with Green Ball so that the ground would cave in. Although it was difficult to detect if you were far apart, but the hole I made with Green Ball was really full of distinct bumps/holes. Its because he was covering his own field of vision with his own shield that he didnt notice. What a shame. In order to land the finishing blow, I peered into the hole Claude dropped into. -In that Moment. A flaming ball shot out from within the hole I was peering into. Is that a Red Ball? I cant avoid it..?! (White Wall.tsu!) Just immediately before a direct hit, I was able to invoke White Wall, it was a really close call. I completely absorbed Claudes red ball spell and this time I thrust only my hands out towards the hole. It cant be.. Black Ball Claude lets out a voice of regret, and I dont give him any mercy as I chant my magic in retaliation. UwaC! ZuzunnAn impact could be heard from within the hole. There was a cloud of dust rising from within the hole, it would seem that I landed a direct hit on him. Ah, that was dangerous.. I didnt expect Claude to be able to invoke magic. And after falling from such a height, yet he was still able to counter attack me from such a position, hes actually pretty good. I let my guard down. This time around I peeked in the hole to confirm that I had landed my direct hit. .Sneakily. In the hole Claude was sprawled out in a fashion. It seems that I may have went too overboard. Dont tell me that when he fell into the hole, Safe Protection invoked, and the attack I just launched may have really been a direct hit Well I guess it will be fine with a spell like Black Ball, right? I confirmed my victory and raised my arm towards Milly. Zeph has won! Milly raised a red flag and my victory was declared. Where was she keeping such a thing I wonder? When both Milly and I used teleport to descend to the bottom of the hole, Claude was already sitting down cross legged. His armor seems to be undamaged but his clothes were a little torn. I suppose I did a bad thing. Itata (ouch)As expected of Zeph-kun. Being Milly-sans sub-leader is not just in name. For you to be this strong, honestly I am surprised. I invoked that Red Ball with the confidence that it would definitely land, but Claude is the one that deserves a mention. I was resolved to only use elementary magic to defeat you, however As I thought, you were going easy on me? So that it wouldnt happen I tried to provoke you.Please let me apologize for such impoliteness earlier. And next time, I will make sure to force you to become serious!! Claude was being both bashful and bitter about his loss as he said the words. He let out a pretty boy smile. Hes still not as handsome as me though. Claude, arent you full of scratches?! Look take off your armor! I will perform healing for you okay? No, I think that even If I keep my armor on Im not that proficient at healing so, unless I see where the wound is I cant do it properly! Hora Move it! I understand. Claude removes the armor reluctantly. Part of the clothes were ripped here and there, and fair white skin sticks out. The line of the body was slender and round, almost as if he was a girl Eh?.Ummm, that is.Claude could it be that..you are actually a girl? Ummm, that isYes Ehhhhhhh!? Shes a girl.Surely thats not.. Zowari (crack), a chill ran up through my spine. The armor and jacket of Claude was taken off, and whilst casting healing on to Claude who was only wearing her shirt, Milly had a complex look on her face. I didnt expect for Claude to be a woman.. Milly was grumbling as she saw Claudes chest by chance. The swelling of her chest is obviously larger than Milly. Whilst looking at this, Millys face became even more complex. Im sorry, it was not really my intention to keep silent about it.But for some reason it was really hard to find a good time to mention it, that is It, its fine. Its also part of my mistake that I didnt ask Milly also seems to be surprised, but it was not as shocked as I was over the revelation. Woman. Magician. Claude Those three keywords, I have definitely seen it before I was able to make a connection with her face and name. Just to make sure, I casted Scout Scope unto Claude. Claude Leonhardt Level 16 [Red] Magical Value 9 Threshold Value 45 [Blue] Magical Value 5 Threshold Value 39 [Green] Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 40 [Sky] Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 47 [Soul] Magical Value 0 Threshold Value 51 Magic Value 324/324 As expected. When she was older, her atmosphere was different than it was now, so I didnt realize it but, after confirming her full name I was convinced that I knew her in my past life. If I looked closely she really resembled that person, I dont think I am mistaken. When Milly first showed me that scroll about Scout Scope, why didnt I start to doubt it back then? The genius magician who brought the Scout Scope into the Magical Association Society. That name was not Milly Reyad. If my memories are correct, the genius magician who brought out the spell Scout Scope into my previous world was precisely Claude Leonhardt. It was the girl right in front of my eyes, it was her. CH 28 he Claude Leonhardt I know from the future, is the person who brings the magic known as Scout Scope into the Magician Society and she is a genius magician. My title as the Supreme Flame Mage was taken away within the next year of Scout Scopes discovery, furthermore she appeared like the wind and also disappeared without a trace so I dont have too much information about her. Or more like, in the future I was from, she was a magician that liked to remain anonymous so there is really no significant information about her available. The only thing I know is her name and a photograph of her, thats about it. And I have forgotten about this fact, until now. And also about the fact that she was the one to bring Scout Scope The magical spell that enable others to express their talents numerically. With this single spell, the magical world took a great leap in advancement. The level of water magic also increased in general and people were elected into high positions based on their high latent talents instead of their current talents. On the opposite side, Magicians with a low latent ability were all chased out and put out of jobs. Just like what happened to me when I got discarded like trash for my low fire latent potential. Anyways, enough about this. But what I am confused about is, why the person who hands Scout Scope to the Magician Society is not Milly but Claude? If I am not mistaken Claude was not part of any guild when she brought Scout Scope. Millys guild the Blue Sky Hunters was also not in any of the records that I was aware of, most likely it was extinguished from existence. Thinking about such things, the cold sweat running down my back does not stop. Did Milly perhaps die? And after that Claude obtained the scroll of Scout Scope as a keepsake? No, if Claude wanted to bring fame/respect to Millys name she would have mentioned it when she brought the scroll in. Considering that Claude stated her own name in the records, it is likely that Millys Scout Scope was deprived/stolen. Millys Magic scroll which was painstakingly invented by shedding blood and tears. For someone to deprive such an invention, is akin to trampling down someone whilst they are on the ground and then later boasting about it. In the Magician Society, this was a taboo, amongst the taboo acts to commit. Obviously if Milly had been alive at this time, this piece of information would have been disclosed. How did Claude steal it? That kind of thing is obvious. She Killed. Before I noticed it, I was glaring right at Claude who was receiving Millys healing. I gripped the nape of her neck, and pushed her down to the ground. WhWait Zeph! What are you doing!? Stay silent Milly! Zephkun..? I continued to strangle Claudes neck right to the very limit. Even I think I am not being calm. But I cant stop. Whilst grasping very tightly I started to raise my fist. Zeph! The fist I rose up high, slipped past Claudes face and hit the ground. Before I knew it my hand was tied behind my back. It was unnaturally twisted up by Claude. She was the one holding my hand and she continued to tighten her grip. Ackk!? Please tell me the reason Zeph-kun. I may have done something that is terrible to you or I may have disrespected you. But unless you tell me what it is I cannot understand it, nor can I apologize for it My arm was shrieking in pain. In terms of pure Physical Strength, It seems that Claude is much stronger than me. If this is the case, bring it on! On the contrary the pain in my arm allows me to concentrate my efforts. Claude also reacts to the torrent of magic that violently gushes out of me, And..! Stop it!! Kii?nn a huge ringing sound that made my ears ring resounded, Both Claude and I stopped our movements. Milly took an imposing stance as she spoke in an arbitrary voice. I almost thought that my eardrums would burst. You guys, thats enough! Especially Zeph!.Did something happen? Ah..no.errr.. Hm? What? Milly peeks at me who currently have my eyes cast downwards. Her piercing gaze seems to extract the poisonous air/feeling around me. .Im sorry, it was just my misunderstanding Arent you apologizing to the wrong person? Say it to Claude She let out a reconciling smile. I think a little while ago my vision just blurred red and blood was going into my head, but if I thought about it carefully, killing Claude could easily be me coming to my own quick conclusions. To begin with, the main reason that Claude chose to bring the scroll at such an advanced time in the future is still unclear. There is also the possibility that Claude did not even get to meet Milly. .But shit! I cant get rid of this uncomfortable feeling in my chest. However, I dont have any hard proof of Claudes actions. Moreover, from what I can see, the Claude that is presently right in front of my eyes, can be seen as nothing but a good fellow. Shes starting to build a good amount of trust in Milly, and it is likely that they will become good friends. As much as possible I try to put on a tranquil facade as I request a handshake. I am sorry. You had a bug on your face FuKuku (sfx laughter), what a disgraceful excuse. Lets just forget about it Thanks As we were shaking each others hand awkwardly, Milly also grabbed on to our hands. Alright! Since we have all made up, lets just go home and eat a cookie or something! That sounds good. Im, really good at baking cookies Just like a woman arent you? I am a woman, you know! Claude acted as if what happened a little while ago was a trivial matter as she spoke. Normally if I were to go as far as put somebody in a choke hold, the natural reaction would be to look at me with eyes of criticism/reproach, but I cannot find a tinge of sarcasm or hatred in her voice. To tell you the truth, I dont really know if something actually happened between Milly and Claude. However, as much as possible I need to be on the lookout for Millys sake, right? People can change in dreadful ways over time. (Milly) When I messaged her directly via the guild messaging system, Millys line of vision turned towards me. (Can you please not teach the magic of Scout Scope to Claude for me?) (.Has this got something to do with why you were fighting with Claude a few moments ago?) (Ahh. But I cannot really tell you all the details) (Whats with that?) (Please, Im begging you!) I seriously asked her with a solemn face, and Milly was just observing me carefully. We were like that for two. no three seconds perhaps? (..I understand. However I cannot conceal this from Claude forever you know? After all I like to talk a lot) (I know) Poka (smack) Milly hits my head. (What are you doing?!) (Hey its not nice to confirm such a thing about a lady! Cant you read the situation a bit more?) (But, isnt it the truth?!) (Ahh Ive had enough! If you are going to be like this Im going to tell Claude all about Scout Scope) (Dont be foolish! Didnt I just tell you not to say such things?!) Excuse me?..Would it be alright if you two stop talking amongst yourself in your mind? If I cant join in the conversation wont I be all alonee? Claude was gently scratching her cheek with a face that looks embarrassed/troubled. Ah, I totally forgot that Claude was actually here. Milly was also making the same face as me. At Millys House. We were currently enjoying the coffee brewed by Milly and the cookies baked by Claude. By the way, I would also like to be included in your guys discussion when you talk via your mindsWhat do I have to do to be able to achieve such a thing? It will be easy if you just join the Guild How do I do that? Obtaining the guild emblem as an accessory and presenting it to the leader of the guild, will allow the guild leader to attest to the emblem and allow entrance, this is the general procedure. Incidentally, Milly, have you made a guild emblem yet? Whilst munching on her cookies Milly showed a slightly troubled face as she answered my question hesitantly. Ahh, umm, err..The truth is I am still in the middle of thinking about it Tahahah, she let out an awkward laughter as she scratched her own head. If I am not mistaken I usually see some sort of scribble in her notebook from school, was that her thinking about the design of the guild emblem? However considering the guild has been established for several months yet she hasnt yet created an emblem is a little bit of a problem You dont have to make the emblem a perfect thing. It isnt really what represents the true power of a guild. Besides even if it is a little bit awkwardly made, it becomes a unique part of the guild You really think so.? Milly-san it might be really hard to think about it all by yourself, if you have some alternatives how about showing the potential candidates to us and we can all make a decision together? Umm.Then, would you guys like to see it..? Milly was being really bashful/shy as she took out her notebook from her school bag. Oi Oi, that school bag is not the place to keep that kind of thing. When both Claude and I looked at the opened up notebook, we both instinctively gulped down our breaths. What was displayed was some sort of earthworm like character, and a page full of scribbles. The whole notebook was pretty much covered in strange shapes and circles. Some of the patterns look like mysterious magic formations. Which one do you guys think are good? When Milly asked for our opinion whilst blushing, Both Claude and I were at a complete and total loss for words. CH 29 ve done it! What do you think about this? Milly obviously wasnt cut out to draw the guild emblem, Claude couldnt stand it any longer and she volunteered to draw up designs for the emblem. The completed product was a picture of a woman hunter placing an arrow on her bow. Claude was able to fix the picture that Milly drew, which previously looked like some sort of earthworm was wriggling across the page forming a mysterious magic formation. The huntress somehow resembled Milly a little, I feel the overflowing sense of respect coming from Milly. Waa, Claude you are really good! What a girlish thing to be good at Like I said I am a girl! Yeah? Its really cute and cool! Lets go with this! Milly seems quite taken with the picture. As for me I didnt really care what the picture was so there is no problem with me. Claude seems really happy to be praised by Milly. From the picture on the emblem I also felt that Claude drew Milly with a lot of respect. Claude, you really think quite highly of Milly, dont you? Isnt it natural? After all, she is my war angel! She faces me and beams with a dazzling smile. What a high level pretty boy smile she gave me. Shes still not as handsome as me though. For someone like Claude who seems to adore Milly so much, just what on earth could of happened? Milly took a liking to Claude, and I also feel the same way about Claude. To begin with as long as I am with Milly, perhaps I can prevent the events from ever happening. Lets just try to think about things more positively. Excuse me..Zeph-kun is there something wrong? You are staring at me.. I was just thinking about how you were a really handsome youth (Bishounen) Like I keep telling you, I am a woman! Whilst Claude was giving me a retort, I quickly grabbed the last cookie for myself. -Forest of Kobolds In conjunction with it being Claudes welcoming party and in order to help out with digesting our meal we decided to go to the hunting ground that Milly discovered. The person who invited them was me. The reason is when I used Scout Scope on Claude a little while ago, she had an inherent magical ability Screen Point and I wanted to ascertain what this skill actually does. When a magician runs into a spell that he/she does not know, it is in their nature to want to examine that ability. However, it was not like she was going to use the ability so readily. An inherent ability is something that you would usually hide from others, and when confirming that Claude actually possesses the inherent skill, it will be difficult to conceal the existence of Scout scope if I just ask her directly about it. Thats why, instead of asking about it by mentioning its name specifically , I tried a more casual approach. Without avoiding the topic, I just casually asked Claude. Claude, what types of magic can you use? Claude has a change in her expression. I might have been a little to straightforward in asking her. How foolish of you? even if you dont ask her personally, that kind of thing you can just use Scou..Muguuu!? Youre the foolish one. I closed Millys mouth, and started talking to her via the guild messaging system. (Didnt I tell you that Scout Scope is a secret between us?!) (Ah, thats right. Sorry, sorry) As I expected Milly is really loose lipped, geez. (Try looking at Claude using Scout Scope. Amongst the various magical spell she knows, there is a strange one called Screen Point isnt there? Dont you want to know what kind of magical spell it is?) (AhI see, I didnt expect to be able to use Scout Scope in such a mannerI want to see it!) Both Milly and I floated wicked smiles on our faces and Claude looked at us with a puzzled expression. The Magical Spells I can use..Is it? I can only use elementary forms of magic Here comes her excuses It would seem that she has no intention of telling me. Well, its not like I planned to reveal everything about myself to Claude either, so we are in the same boat in that respect. If you really want to make me say it in more detail, wouldnt it be fine if Zeph-kun used the favor you obtained from winning our duel? Oh thats right, the defeated person in the duel had to listen to one request from the winning no matter what it was, I had almost forgotten. .No, its fine. Im going to use that favor in a different setting sometime later How scary Claude shrugged her shoulders and looked at me with fearless eyes. .You wouldnt happen to think of using it for something perverted right? I totally ignored Millys question and began moving forwards. I walked in a rapid pace and Milly was trotting along behind us. After walking a little while longer, we ran into a gigantic tree, there was no other trees in the surroundings, it was an open space. This is the place that Claude was attacked in Pl, please dont say it, Milly-san Kobolds have a strong sense of group awareness amongst each other, if they see one of their own attacking a lone person, they will start to gang up on that person. Although Claudes physical attributes are relatively high, her Magical abilities are quite weak and her level is also low. Although it would have been easier for her to take care of 1 or 2 Kobolds, it would have taken time to defeat them and she must have gotten herself surrounded. In terms of a Kobolds personality, they are only able to see what is in front of them. Whilst I was thinking about such things a Kobold appeared in front of us. It had a blue mane and it seemed like half a person half beast, in its hand it held out a club. For now lets invoke Scout Scope. Kobold ̣֣ Magical Value 2420/2420 The demon known as Kobold is a simple brute type monster. Their attributes stats has quite a disparity between each Kobold, therefore it is not possible to just use a large scale magic to attack them with a single attribute. Although the reason is unclear, it seems that each Kobolds attributes are different according to what weapon they are holding. Perhaps, it is because their affinity with the attributes differ, but each Kobold has difference preferences for what weapon they like to use. Kobolds that carry a club are of the red attribute. Using either Red type or Blue type magic will not really have much of an effect on it. Blue Gale! Whilst I was still in the middle of thinking, Milly had already casted a Large Blue Magical spell and fired it off. Oi Oi, there is only one of them, and moreover she is completely disregarding the theory of attribute incompatibility. The Kobold was hit by a huge gust of wind, and even if I said that the effect would be lessened, Milly was using a Large Scale Magic, so it seems that there is a considerable effect on the Kobold. Green Sphere! A green ball of light floats rapidly towards the Kobold, and at the time the spell hit, the Kobold was minced and grinded to bits. After travelling the standard amount of distance the green ball of light disappeared on its own. CIt was the middle grade spell from the Green Magical system, Green Sphere. One of the special unusual characteristics of the Green System is the fact that it can actually attack from a long distance. Green Sphere is only able to float when it travels so it is quite easy to avoid the spell, but it boasts of a considerably high amount of power for a middle grade spell. In a narrow space or when you have been able to immobilize the enemy using a spell like Green Wall for instance, this would be the ideal time to use the spell. We win? Milly was innocently delighted to have defeated the Kobold, yet I was feeling a little anxious. Milly dont tell me that you dont know a thing about demonic attributes? Hm? I know a little bit about it. But I dont really remember all of it I sighed as I looked at Milly in marvel. As I expected of Milly? Or what should I say? The one thing that a Magician absolutely needs to know about is in regards to attribute compatibility. Almost every single demon out in this world, possesses their own attributes, and depending on what type of magic is used against them, a great difference in effectiveness will take place. These principles were driven into me by my Master. On top of not having that many spells in her repertoire, she is just using the fact that she has high latent abilities to make up for it, and she uses that high spec to win her fights. Millys way of fighting is really crude. If it was just same trashy opponent, then she could probably get away with it, well there was also the time when we fought the King of Death. It is important for her to know the basics of Combat Techniques. Well I suppose it cant really be helped because her father who was supposed to be her Master had died early on Milly After calling out to her, I placed my hand on top of her head and gently stroked her head. WaitWhat are you doing so suddenly! Ah..Geez.. I will be the one to firmly train you, alright? Milly looks down with an embarrassed face as she turns crimson. If she doesnt know the basics, then I only have to teach her. If I train her properly then I have belief that she will become one of the greatest mages in existence. Although she probably wont be as good as me though. (TL: HAHA this cocky bastard~) Mi, Milly-san and Zeph-kun are..In that kind of relationship? Y, youre mistaken Claude! We arent really anything specialZeph-kun why dont say something! Both Claude and Milly was going red in the face and their hands were shaking as they started to wave it around. .These two people, what are they getting so heated up about, I wonder? A Kobold (Holding a Knife) seemed to be hiding behind the shadow of the big tree, I fired out a Red Blaster right at it. It was taken aback when it saw my cold glance. I dont really know what you guys are going on about, but do it later. We are in the middle of battle right now Y, Yes. Both Milly and Claude were still red in the face when the confronted the Kobold. After we defeated the Kobold, the three of us continued our hunt for a while, but the two of them seemed to act a little bit strange, and they were quite unfocused. Did I say something weird? CH 30 By the way Claude, where do you live? Time: Evening. We returned to Nanami town, we were in a vacant lot, inside of a general shop and whilst drinking the fruit juice we bought we were having a little chat. For now I am staying at the hotel they use to accommodate adventurers. Ive found Milly-san who is worthy of being my lord, however for the time being I decided to stay here at this inn, at least until I can find another place for rent Claude has been out of her house for several months now, and it seems that she travelled alone all this time. She hunted alone, and sold the items she found by herself, furthermore she told me that she used to sleep outside, if she couldnt obtain enough money for lodging. This was not an unusual set of circumstances for most adventurers. However when Milly heard of Claudes situation, she was awfully surprised. Thats right Claude. If youd like, why dont you come stay over at my place? Eh?But isnt that a little Wait! That isnt good! Millys house has the Scout Scope scroll lying around. Moreover, if they started to live together, wouldnt various things become troublesome down the track? It will be too late if something were to happen to Milly. Staying at a hotel will provide Claude much more freedom, wouldnt this be better for her? If you must insist then by all means, I have a room vacant at my place, I will lend you that room Th, that is not allowed! Milly was desperately denying my proposition. Umm I think it will be fine for me to stay at the innI am very grateful for Millys kind intentions Milly, even Claude will feel bad if she has to keep staying at someone elses place right? Well.I understand Milly seems to be persuaded. Claude also seems relieved somehow. In the end, Claude decided that she would be staying in the inn for a little while longer, whilst we will be helping her find a new place to rent. Ohh, well well, if it isnt Claude?! Center of Town (Downtown): A man pulls up in a horse, he seems to be dressed in expensive armor and a sword with an expensive looking sheath, and he seems well off. He has short fair hair which is tied up in the back, he traces his goatee beard with his fingers. Elder Brother Kane! What are you doing here? Claude runs towards the person named Kane. Are they brother and sister? They dont look the similar at all. Why have you come here? I came around here during my expedition. I didnt think that I would be able to meet Claude..Hmm? Are they your friends? When he noticed that we were with Claude, he gave us a sharp glance. It seems like he was trying to ascertain who we were. It kind of annoyed me so I gave a stare right back at him. I invoked Scout Scope unto Kane. Kane Leonhardt Level 45 Magic Value 39 His Magic Value is 39? If its this low, he might as well make it 0. Well, I will recognize the fact that his level is high. He also had the same skill sets as Claude. As expected, he had Screen Point as well. I fear that its likely that this Inherent Skill is passed down through the Leonhardt Family. Shit this makes me worried. Wont you introduce them to me? Ah, Im sorry. That is Zeph-kun and thats Milly. I, have been allowed to join their guild I am Milly Reyad and my guild is called the Blue Sky Hunters Well well, how very polite of you young lady. My name is Kane Leonhardt. Thanks for taking care of my younger sister Milly shows her best behavior and Kane also reciprocates with etiquette. You..You guys are Magicians right? And it would seem that you guys are quite strong at that. Claude youve found a good guild havent you? ..Yes So he noticed that we were Magicians? It seems that he wasnt just a dimwit. Claude look a little depressed somehow. Was she bad at dealing with her elder brother? In any case I need to return to my hotel, you guys should also return early. Its already quite late After saying that Kane headed off, he was going towards one of those high-class hotels which existed in the town of Nanami. Seeing this, Milly had a sudden thought as she cut into the conversation. Thats right Claude, wouldnt it be fine if you just stay in the same hotel as your elder brother?! Milly talked to the two of them as if she thought of a nice idea. It is a shame but that cannot be done Kane rejected her proposal with a strong tone. The Leonhardt family is a family of Knights that have a high amount of prestige. Even though she is my younger sisterI cant stay in the same hotel as an adventurer. Isnt that right, Claude? Yes. I have heard from an adventurer in the past who was once a Knight, that there was a very rigid ranking system and order of hierarchy amongst the Knights. Not only was Claude the youngest child, but she was not even allowed to sit around the same table as her family, She said that she would be driven out of the house once she turned 16 years of age. Claude was now around 15 years of age? Moreover it would seem that she was already travelling by herself for many years now. Claude did say that the Leonhardt family was experiencing financial difficulties, rather than losing their prestige as a Knight, their main problem seems to be the severe lack of funds. However, Kane still wants to stay in such a high class hotel? What a total show off. If he doesnt have much money, why is he displaying such a pretentious facade Kane and Claudes movements both stopped, and they faced towards me. Ah, my mouth moved without permission. After a while of silence, Kane glares at Claude and grabs her collar. Kahaa.!? A painful breath is released, Claude clenches her teeth. Kanes eyes are filled with anger, it was vigorous enough to be categorized as killing intent. ClaudeHow could you talk to others about our house situation?! tsu! Im so sorry elder brother Kane Silence! You traitor! Kane made a fist and swung it towards her. The fist he threw, was aimed right towards her face with enough force to break her teeth, and fling her body towards the ground. Although, the person to receive that punch was actually me. tsu..Tee The inside of my mouth is cut, and the taste of iron fills my mouth. I feel my back teeth get cracked as well. What a crazy amount of power. No matter the case, isnt she his younger sister? Zeph! Zeph-kun!? The two girls raised anxious voices and Kane was looking towards us with a scowl on his face. A little while ago when Kane tried to hit Claude, I teleported in between the two of them. After all, the person to make Kane so angry was me. Im sorry Mr Kane. I wasnt intentionally trying to spread rumours, nor was it to make fun of your family. As long as you do not try to cause us anymore trouble Bystanders were starting to gather around us. The knight who wielded his fist against a small child. It was not possible to not attract public attention. Tsk He clicks his tongue and disappears into the hotel. The surrounding people seem to be interested in what was going on. Good grief! Although it was useful, its becoming a bother if they keep staring at us like this. UmmThank you very much, Zeph-kun Dont worry about it, It was my fault. Moreover, at that time during our duel, I ran into my own conclusions about you and caused you a lot of trouble Ive already forgotten about that, so dont worry about it anymore Ahaha Claude laughs. Seriously, you are always so reckless. Milly used healing on me. Well this kind of thing wasnt that big a deal though. I became silent and remained still as she continued her healing. Im sorry, back in the day, my elder brother was a really gentle person.However I dont know when he started to become like that. As expected being in poverty can cause such a thing Claude makes out a lonely laughter. If somehow I can raise my fame as an adventurer, do you think I can change things back to the way they were..? Money. Perhaps she stole Millys Scout Scope for the sake of obtaining money, I suppose this cannot be ruled out either. Therefore all I need to do is help Claude with her money problems, and make her able to earn a steady income. Claude, the fastest way to obtain money is to strengthen yourself. By becoming strong, and being able to hunt boss monsters, only then will you be able to obtain as much money as you want Being able to hunt bosses, such a thing seems impossible?..Even with a force as large as my elder brothers, he said that hunting with stability is very difficult. Especially for someone like me, its too much Fufu?n? But we have already defeated a boss, you know ? Milly faced towards me and gave a satisfied smile. She was blatantly trying to boast about it. Is that true!? Milly-san, how on earth did you manage such a feat!? That is?.. Claude draws closer to Milly and has an expression of disbelief on her face, Milly boasted proudly about how she was able to hunt the Boss monster. If I am not mistaken, boss hunting was not made into a thing yet in this day and age. At that time, because I was also just starting out as an adventurer, the moment I saw a boss monster my immediate reaction was to run away. Thats because when I went to register as an adventurer, the dangers of encountering a boss monster was warned to everyone so much that my ears could swell like an octopus just hearing about it. Even in the street stalls around town, there wasnt really that many rare drops from boss monsters. Furthermore there wasnt any organized parties who were trying to hunt for the King of Death.. Perhaps, hunting bosses at this point in time will be able to garner us huge amounts of profit? CH 31 Zeph Einstein Level 29 Red Magic Value 29, Magic Limit 62 Blue Magic Value 21, Magic Limit 87 Green Magic Value 20, Magic Limit 99 Sky Magic Value 21, Magic Limit 89 Soul Magic Value 20, Magic Limit 97 Magic Power 934/956 Its been a while since I used Scout Scope on myself. Ive been using red magic quite a bit so it ended up being the highest in level. Its the magic I used most in the past, so its the easiest magic for me to use and I keep unconsciously using it. If I think about keeping my skills in balance it might be about time for me to use my other magic types. Right now Im in the Kobold Forest gaining combat experience with Claude and Milly. Claude is the vanguard and Milly is the rearguard. Claude kites the kobolds, and as she does that, Milly fires a magic that is compatible with the kobolds attribute to defeat them. Though this isnt an efficient way to gain XP, it is necessary. For these two, it is necessary that I pound the basics of fighting as a party into their heads. Claude tends to advance too much when trying to defeat an enemy, and Milly follows. She charges in without thinking and shoots random spells. Milly-san! Youre coming too close! Claude, if I stand back there, its hard to shoot~ Yareyare a sigh escapes from me. Even if I tell them they wont understand. I can only let them learn with their bodies. A little distance away from the two of them a kobold enters my vision and approaches. I cast time square and while time was stopped I cast red storm and black storm. When time resumed, a blazing storm engulfed the kobold and in one blow it was burnt to a crisp. As I thought, the combination of red and sky magic are really easy to use. I think Ill call this spell Pyro Storm. Although Ive tried quite a few, there were many combination of spells that failed. For example, when I cast red ball and black crash and they combined, they immediately scattered and wouldnt activate. If the magic wasnt of the same level, it looked like it wouldnt work well. Also theres the matter of compatibility, when I cast blue ball and red ball and they combined, it caused an explosion that gave me some burns. You never know what will happen when you combine magic until you actually try it. Its not good to wait until youre in actual combat to test it. While the two of them are experiencing combat, I am experimenting with magic. Zeph-kun! I hear Claudes voice, and when I turn around, I see that Claude is having a hard fight against a group of kobolds. Milly is also being attacked by two kobolds and its taking all her efforts to evade them. Milly use red wall! Even.if youtell me.that! It seems that she cant use magic while shes dodging so desperately. Thats not all; another kobold appears and joins the group attacking Claude. I guess it cant be helped. I take two magic recovery medicines, and then fire my combination magic in Claudes direction. Pyro Storm! An inferno rages in the middle of the group of enemies, and the kobolds were annihilated. As for the kobolds remaining there seem to be five. Claude can handle that number without any problems. You could say that Claude is sufficiently skilled for this job. Milly, on the other hand Thank you very much, Zeph-kun. She gives another refreshing pretty boy smile. Not as refreshing as mine though. Help me over here too~! Milly, you reap what you sow. Fix this yourself. Its like tha~t?! The kobolds attacks are nothing special. Even if there are two at once, I want her to deal with them somehow. When Milly starts to concentrate and use her magic, the kobolds start to attack and this prevents her from casting her spells. The two kobold team has a good attack rhythm. Milly is getting short of breath, it seems like shes about to reach her limit. Haa good grief, she needs so much looking after. Black Wall A barrier of wind appears between Milly and the kobolds; the kobold that comes into contact with it is sent flying. Ooh!?Thank you~ Zeph! Now manage the rest by yourself. Now that she could take her distance from the kobolds, she hit them with Blue Gale and defeated them. ..This girlher fighting style is really crude isnt it Ah well, despite anything else as long as she beats her enemies whatever she does is fine. Fu Fu, Zeph-sensei is so soft. Mmhm. I wanted her to handle an area of this level somehow. Milly-sans ability to concentrate is unstable. As soon as she gets impatient she starts to break down. You understand the problem pretty well, dont you? Well, all shes done so far has been shooting her white ball at zombies. Honestly, this is probably the first time shes hunted on the front lines. So although I may be being soft, this time around I will protect her. Look, Milly is getting tired of waiting. Lets hurry up and get going. Fu Fu, thats right. Should we keep going like this for a while until Milly gets used to it? I meditate while I accompany those two. We continue hunting for about an hour after that. Ah, Im sorry, but its about time for me to go back. Eeeh? Isnt is still pretty early~? Milly, dont say such selfish things. Also, look at the sky its getting darker. I think its about time we call it a day. Does Claude have some business to attend to? It seems like Claude cant stay out hunting too late. Though the present situation is a little unsatisfactory, I kind of expected it when we increased the number of people. While pacifying the reluctant Milly, we went to leave the Kobold Forest, but suddenly a red kobold appeared. It was the Kobold Leader. I cast scout scope on the Kobold leader. Kobold Leader Level 42 Magic Power 24412/24412 This guy is just like the beach caves King Nipper, a mid-boss. When it noticed us, it let out a roar and summoned its kobold allies. Uwa.right in front of the exit. Its ok, itll be fine as long as we defeat it quickly. I wonder if the three of us will be able to beat it without that much difficulty Milly cast blue gale on the group of kobolds and they were quickly eliminated, the few that were left were crushed by me casting green sphere. The remaining kobold leader faced me and swung its sword. Claude stood before me and caught the blow on her shield. Spirits of the earth, become the body of armor that provides protection! Safe Protection! When I cast safe protection on Claude, she shoots me a look of gratitude. Its about time that I attack too, the kobold leader should be of the red attribute I think. I guess red zero wont see any use once again. So then maybe Pyro Crash, which I used in the fight against the King Nipper, would be good. As the kobold leader approached me I tried to cast time square, but it swung its longsword at me and disrupted me. Tsk. Pyro Crash has a short range, so it wont hit if you dont get close. It cant be helped, Ill just have to use some other magic. I cast time square, then I cast red shot and black shot. A flaming tornado in the shape of a ball is fired from the palm of my hand. It hits the kobold leader and stops its movements. Deyaaaaaaaa!! Thats where Claude started to attack, though it was a nice sword strike with all her effort put in, I dont think it had much effect. This was because the short sword that Claude was using wasnt enchanted. Though I must say, Pyro Shot uses little magic energy, but its attack power is similarly low. I cast Pyro Crash while crouching! In that moment a tornado engulfs the kobold leader. Milly had fired a blue gale. I think we have idiot on our hands. Though I say that, the level of Millys blue gale is pretty high. Even if it wasnt an attribute the monster was weak against, it worked fairly well. Milly doesnt have a great variety of magic at her disposal, in this case she doesnt know any other useful magic. So I cant really judge her too harshly for this. Ah well, well just whittle him down like this. I fired a pyro shot at the Kobold leader still inside the tornado. I meditated while we continuously alternated between firing pyro shots and blue gales at the Kobold leader, and eventually we defeated it. While we were in the middle of fighting the Kobold leader, at times other kobolds would intrudeit was quite troublesome, but when that happened Claude handled it wonderfully. It gave the feeling that we could leave it to Claude to guard our backs. However, when we finished it had already gotten completely dark out. Uwaa~ the suns already setif I dont hurry back. Thats right, Im really sorry Cla.ude? Claudes face had become ghastly pale. She was covered in a cold sweat and was shivering slightly. Claude? Whats wrong? Millys carefree voice and Claudes terribly pale face were horribly mismatched. CH 32 tood within the darkened forest. Claude had an expression as if she was terrified by something. [Are you okay?] [Lets hurry up and get back ok?] Our concerned voices seemed like they didnt even reach her ears. Now that I think about it, she seemed like she was unusually unsettled during the fight with the kobold leader. While youre fighting it takes up most of your concentration, but once the fight finishes you remember any other tasks you might have. Now shes covered in cold sweat and her eyes are darting around nervously. She looks very flustered. [Umm.yeah.lets return now..] She finally squeezes out a response, but it seems quite unreliable at the moment. We teleport back to the middle of Nanami town, but her mental condition doesnt seem to be any better. (I wonder whats wrong with Claude?) (I dont know. maybe there was some important business she had to take care of. I hope its nothing bad.) Nanami Town [Ummm. Thank you very much..] When I was thanked with such a pale face, I actually felt worried instead. [Did you have some business you needed to take care of? If you need any help just ask us.] [Claude, were comrades dont you understand?] [Umm. Thank you very much. But itll be alright.] It absolutely doesnt look like itll be alright though. Itd gotten completely dark by the time we saw Claude off. Once she had left Milly and I glanced at each other. [Claude.. I wonder if shell be alright] [I dont know. lets go check on her tomorrow, and now that I think about it hasnt it gotten really late?] [I guess thats so.] [Now then, I have to hurry home too or my moms going to yell at me. Ill see you tomorrow] [Mm.. Bye then Zeph] After I parted with Milly, I hastened my steps. My destination was of course, Claudes inn. It was clear that Claudes situation wasnt a trivial matter. I dont know whether or not this is the trigger that causes Claude to change, but theres absolutely no way I can leave it alone. I reach the center of town and draw near the travelers inn, when I suddenly realize something. Where does Claude actually live? This is bad. I came here without taking the time to think it through. Now then what should I do, as I think that I see Kane exiting a run-down inn. He seems to have come out of the cheapest and most run-down inn. Claude is probably staying there. He himself stays at the highest class in and his sister is left with the worst inn in town, good grief, it must be good to have a high social position. Hes clutching some money in his right hand and he has a smirk on his face. I understand now. The reason that Claude was in such a hurry, that is. I watch Kane as he disappears while casting glances all around, lets go to Claudes inn. The run-down inn that Kane left, didnt even have a proper reception counter for guests. I saw Claudes name on a wooden tag leaning on the counter, so I memorized it. According to the tag Claude is staying in Room 5. [Welcome, this is the travelers I.. eh wait a second! You cant just go back there! Kid!?] I heard the receptionist yelling from the entrance, but I ignored him and continued on into the inn. I walked down the crumbling hallway, the floor creaking with every step, looking at the numbers on each of the rooms. I soon found room number five and try to open the door. Theres not even a lock, what kind of an inn this is. As I enter the room Im assaulted by a stench. Inside the stinking room, Claude is cowering and sobbing. It seems like she was beaten, I can see vivid bruises on her body. That guy did his dirty business in private to keep his reputation clean it seems. [Claude!] As soon as she hears my voice, she turns her tear stained and drool covered face towards me. [. If it isnt Zeph-kun. Do you need something?] Quickly rubbing her face dry, she gives me an awkward and stiff smile thats pitiful to look at. I say nothing and rush over, I immediately begin removing her clothes to see the extent of the damage. [Wait.. Please stop now! Zeph-kun you pervert!!] [Shut up! Be silent!] Overwhelmed by my intensity, Claude shuts her mouth and remains silent. As soon as I take off her outer clothes, her shivering white skin is revealed, but so are the red marks left by the beatings. Claudes entire body is covered in horrible bruises and wounds. This is awful. I was lost for words. How many beatings did she receive to have become this battered.! I immediately cast healing to try and heal Claudes body, but my mental state is really unstable so I cant do it as well as I usually do. [Damn it!!] [..Having my bare skin seen.its really embarrassing mou~.] [That guy when Kane left the inn he was clutching some money in his hand. So it was Claudes money was it..?] [Being a knight means dressing up, its their job to keep up appearances after all..] [Keeping up appearances is their job you say?! His little sister is staying in such a run-down crappy inn! Like hell I can forgive him for having the gall to steal money from his sister too!!] [Run-down inn.. thats mean of you to say..] *Ahaha* Claude laughs. There isnt a trace of the usual pretty boy smile to be seen. With this kind of face, my face is actually better this time, shit! I dont want to have to see Claude with this kind of expression ever. I take off my coat, and cover Claude with it, her shoulders begin to tremble as she cries, and I cant find the right words to say. I turn around and leave Claudes room. *Thud* it looks like something hit me in the shoulder. It seems as though the receptionist has followed me and then bumped into me. [Oi Oi kid? You cant just come in here willy nilly you know? This is the travelers..] Suddenly the receptionist stopped talking. I had emitted some magic power. He turned pale, shut his mouth, and stepped aside. Now that the path was open, I walked forward as the floor creaked with every step. I exit the inn and turn towards the Entertainment District, I begin to walk there directly. Its not a place for children, but that doesnt stop me in the slightest. On the way a drunk yelled at me, I just fired some magic at him and he sobered up in an instant. There are lots of glowing magical lights, and I pass by many bars. I enter the biggest bar on the street. [Young master, this isnt a place for widdle kids you know~?] [Did you come here for your Papa? Tell me his name and maybe I can go call him for you?] Two men with frightening faces call out to me. This might be useful in its own way. They seem to be aware of the fact that Im a mage, but they still called out to me. [Its Kane. Kane Leonhardt. Hes wearing flashy knight armor, so please call him.] I frankly reply. Though its inefficient to go at this head on, my thinking is a little simplistic as my head is still burning with anger. [Sorry, but this is a high class establishment. People cant just go in and out as they please. Were here to make sure no undesirables get in.] [Kane-san is a rich guest here. Itd be bad for us if we let a kid like you ruin his good mood.] I guess it wont be so easy to get through here. Yareyare. (TN Da-ze) CHigh Class Bar, The Black Cats Tail A woman is serving all the Knights here, and theyre all drinking together. There are many empty and expensive sake bottles surrounding the red faced knights. In the middle of all of them was Kane. He sat there with his arm wrapped around a womans shoulder. [Everyone! Good job on todays expedition! Our visit here is a reward for all your hard work!] It looked like Kane was in a great mood as he raised his glass, drained the sake in it, and brandished the empty glass. [Todays drinks are on me! Enjoy yourselves all you want!] [OOOOOOOO~~!!!] [As expected of Kane-sama!] [Thank you very much!] BOOM!!! Suddenly everyone inside the bar heard an intense crashing boom. The bodyguards from outside were violently flung into the back wall with enough force to shake the bar, everyone turned to look in my direction. They should still be alive Probably. I walked forwards, and found Kanes group of merrymakers. At the sight of them laughing and being carefree I felt my magic power boiling and surging even further. I cant control my rage. This is pretty bad. Hes Claudes brother so itd be bad to kill him. But going easy on such a scum seems to be getting harder to accomplish by the second. CH 33 nd in front of Kanes table looking down on them as they stare up at me. His subordinates are about to stand up when theyre stopped by Kane calling out to me. You are.I think you were Claudes friend werent you? Using your little sisters money to treat everyone to drinks, looks like youre living it up The knights that seemed like underlings all started to murmur, Kane instantly sobered up. ..Thats completely untrue, Id like it if youd stop spreading lies and rumors now. Kane leisurely leans back on the couch, tilts his glass, and *fu~u* lets out a little sigh. Something inside me completely snaps when I hear his blatant lies and see his relaxed attitude. You son of a bitch Stop talking shit. I didnt come here to listen to your stupidity I raise my hand and call forth a Red Crash. A mass of flames forms in front of my right palm, it twists and swirls violently as I level it at Kane. His underlings and the women realize whats happening and immediately start screaming and running away, the glass in Kanes hand is quivering. Good, very good. I unleash all my bitter feelings just like this. Red Crash!! The inside of the bar resounds with an explosive roar, the sake bottles, the table, the sofa, all go flying. The explosive flames scatter everywhere and the flames spread across the walls and floors. Smoke is covering everything inside while it billows and drifts. -In that moment. I move my body to the side and dodge, as a sword glitters as it slices the space I just vacated. Are you telling me that he was able to counterattack after receiving my red Crash? My hot head was slightly becoming cooler, I quickly cast Scout Scope. No ones there!? Impossible The smoke wavered as he continuously swung his sword. With this much smoke he probably cant see me either. He continues to swing his sword randomly.. sharp! Tsu!? I took a straight blow and Safe Protection was undone. I retreat backwards, and fire a Black Shot into the smoke. The air pressure from the ball scatters the smoke and I see Kane, but the magic is erased before it reaches him. (So thats how it is..!) At the same time, Kane drew near me brandishing his sword. I tried to teleport away, but a sharp pain ran through my foot. Gah..! Kane was stomping down on my foot hard. He had steel boots. I, on the other hand, was wearing leather shoes. The shoes changed shape without resisting, I wonder if the bones in my foot broke or not? (Sealing teleport.This guy knows how to fight against mages!) When you teleport whatever or whoever youre touching teleports with you. (Though walls and floors and things that cant move, wont move with you so there are limits) Because you teleport whomever youre touching along with you, as long as your opponent touches you, you cant run away and the technique is effectively sealed. Kane stomped on my foot then readied his sword and just like that, he swung down. Claang!! The downward slash was stopped by a blonde haired girl. Their two swords clashed together sending sparks flying as the two stared at each other bitterly. Get out of the way..Claude I wont! Ani-sama! The one whod stopped Kanes blow, was Claude. Though she pushed with all her power, Claudes blade was being pushed back. Zeph-kun! Please run away! Magic wont work on my brother! As expected that was the case. Both Kane and Claude had the inherent magical skill Screen Point, this skill probably has the ability to nullify the effects of magic to an extent. Just a little while ago my magic was erased, and even Scout Scope didnt work properly, because of this I started to suspect this may be the case. A mage whose magic was rendered ineffective could be likened to having his hands tied and left ripe for the picking. Mage Killing Arts I already knew the fact that this kind of magics existed, but I didnt expect to see it so soon.. CLAUUDE!!! Youre even willing to say that much? Just how many times will you betray the Leonhardt family before youre satisfied?!!! Kanes face twisted and strained with anger. Claude was cornered even further. As she endured, Kane easily fended off a blow meant to make him retreat. Even though her blow was repelled, Claude sets her sword stance once more. Swords ringing each time they met, Claudes body was slowly driven back. It was clear that Kane was more proficient, both in sword technique and power. It was a completely one sided fight, it seemed like it wouldnt take long for it to be settled. Zeph-kun! Quick get away from here! I cant last for long! Idiot! Theres no way I can let him get away! He has dishonored the Leonhardt Family! He knows our secret as well! And worst of all this shitty brat embarrassed me in public!!! Kanes heavy sword blows fly towards Claude and clashes against her sword. Her sword shakes and bends, it looks like it might break at any moment. This is the END..!!! He yells and violently swings down, *SNAP!* and Claudes sword broke. The blade spins through the air and sticks itself firmly in the wall. Kane, laughing and grinning, is completely sure of his victory. Ku..! Thats enough. The fights over. Bu~ut, because youre my blood relative, I dont mind forgiving you.however, you need to kill that brat, right now. The fight was over. And in this fight, their actual abilities were on different levels, so much so that no matter how many times she tried, itd probably end up with the same result. If even an outsider like me can understand this, Claude mustve known these things all too well. Even with all this Claude hadnt relaxed her stance. Clutching her broken sword desperately in her hands, she stood there trembling and shaking. Why are you doing this Claude? That brats basically almost a total stranger to you right? Hes not a stranger to me at allhes my guild mate and precious comrade! Isnt it all the same? No its different!!! Kane looks at her with a face full of dissatisfaction, while Claude looks back at him while looking like shes about to cry. Her voice trembles and chokes, while her eyes are filled with tears that are about to spill over. I was always alone.even in the house, even after I was abandoned kicked out by the house.as a woman, even if they treated me kindly at first, I alwaysalways ended up being betrayed Kane is listening attentively. Is he perhaps feeling some guilt? Thats why at the time I thought maybe if I looked like a man it might be better. I dressed myself as a man, and when I set off travelling no one attacked or betrayed me..but I couldnt have any real connections with anyone at all. Hmm now I understand, so she was dressed like a man for that reason? To distract myself from the crushing loneliness I fought, I fought, and I fought till monsters surrounded me, and when I thought I couldnt take it anymore and I was ready to give in, Milly-san came and saved me. Milly-san beat the monsters back while smilingI will never forget that sight for the rest of my life. War Angel. I unintentionally smile. You could call this in some way, an important memory for Claude, right? Zeph and Milly-san, immediately after meeting me, treated me with such kindness and warmth.! It was the first time in my entire life that Id been called a comrade or a friend by anyone! Therefore for their sakeI will risk my life and do everything I possibly can! Claude howls. Hou~.Youve got a good look on your face Claude. Even though youd always look down in shame at home.Did you fall in love with this brat? Zeph-kun was the first person whos ever gotten angry for my sake. Kane and Claude stare at each other. Claude no longer has tears in her eyes. On her face is the resolve to face death. Thats why please run Zeph-kun. Theres absolutely no way I can abandon a girl like this. Claude Ill be alright so! This girl seems to have misunderstood. I wrap my hand around Claudes sword hand. What are you.? I cast Time Square then Red Blaster and Red Weapon at the same time. Claudes broken sword hilt has magic light extending from it to form the blade of a sword. Claude was shocked; she spoke to me in a voice filled with surprise and disbelief. This is..??? Shall I name this spell, Crimson Blade? CH 34 son.Blade.! Claude was surprised. Red Weapon is a magic that enchants a weapon with an attribute. If Time Square is used, it allows the simultaneous invocation of both Red Weapon and an offensive magic to be mixed together, inventing a sword of magic. I wasnt really proficient in the use of arms, so I didnt really have an opportunity to use such a spell. The Blade of Flame rises up from Claudes broken sword, and the flame flickers whenever it moves, tearing up any leftover smoke within the room. If its with this..! Claude swings her fiery sword at Kane. Kanes sword was decorated with silver ornaments, I dare say that the hilt of his sword was enchanted to increase its offensive power. An average sword wouldnt be able to last a second against it. However, that is only if it was an average sword. Haaaaaaaaah!! What of it! Kane received Claudes vigorous slashing attack head on. Just like butter his sword was cut in half beautifully. The blade falls and rolls toward the ground. This cant be..!? Elder Brother, your Screen Point is the strongest amongst our Leonhardt family. The moment Screen Point is deployed, Elder brother will be immune to all types of magic Kane had a doubtful look on his face, and Claude has a grin on her face. Thats why, you will certainly be fine, right? A contemptuous smile floated across her face as Claude continued to swing her magical sword. Kane didnt have a weapon any longer, and it seemed to be difficult for him to avoid the blow. With each attack, Kanes armor and clothes are ripped to shreds, however there wasnt a single mark placed on his actual body. The Crimson Blade that Claude was currently wielding, was filled with the magical power from my Red Blaster. Amongst the various spells in my arsenal Red Blaster was one of my stronger offensive spells. What a terrifying abilityScreen Point.. And above all the scariest thing was Kanes clothes were torn asunder, and his bare skin which seemed to be forged with muscles started to peek through. This is no joke Claude was carving out Kanes clothes as if she was possessed by a demon. Did she hate her brother to this extent? KuuClaude you bastarddd! Kane was stripped until all he had was a pair of underpants, he glared at Claude in frustration and hatred. I dont feel a shred of sympathy for him. Commander Kane, for us to have abandoned you and run away by ourselves, please forgive us! I will come to assist you! Commander Kane! After the smoke cleared up, Kanes subordinates seem to have returned. ComCommander Kane..? Kanes unbecoming appearance was shown in front of all his subordinates. A sword was pointed at him by his own younger sister, and he was only wearing his underpants, it was an indescribably miserable appearance. Just a little bit, I felt pity for him. Oi..You guys.Dont look! Dont look at mee!!!! H..However if we leave you, Commander Kane will.. It is 1000 years too early for you guys to worry about me! Hurry up and disappear! Looking at Kanes face who was dyed red with both anger and shame, the rage within me completely disappeared. Claude also seemed to have a completely refreshed face. It was like she was dispelling her long-held grudge, she accumulated over the years. She brought the sword up in a threatening manner, and declared to Kane. I will no longer be related to you Leonhardt people! I am Claude! Just Claude! Zan! Claude resolutely declares. Kane, his subordinates and even I was swallowed by the spirit and vigor she displayed. -And after a while of silence. Kane was gritting his teeth together, and clenching his fist, he shouted back towards his subordinates as he held on to his last strand of slipping pants. What are you all vacantly staring at! Do it! Hurry up and attack! However, that person is Kanes younger sister.. Didnt she just declare the opposite just now?! Just do it! -Is this a good time? I invoked Time Square, combined both Red Wave and Blue wave and fired it off. An explosive sound along with white smoke envelops the room. Commander! Its a smoke screen! Advance! Chase them!! That is too rash The other party was confused at what to do, I grabbed unto Claudes hands. (Zeph-kun!) (Claude, over here!) Normally when you combined a spell from the red branch with the blue branch, their incompatibility would have a high probability of causing an explosion, however when a low powered spell, with wide area of effect like Wave is combined, it is possible to create a smoke screen. Shall I name it Burst Wave? I pulled unto Claudes hand and run towards the exit of the shop. The more steps I took forward, the throbbing pain in my legs kept increasing and my feet became heavier, cold sweat was running down my back. Have I over exerted myself? Whilst I was thinking about such things, suddenly my body started to float in midair, and I feel the sensation of a soft body embracing me. Please hold on firmly! Claude carried me in a princess style carry and ran out of the shop. A man with black clothes was still unconscious on the stairs near the exit. They are over here! Get them! The black clothed man probably called for his comrades before he fainted. The reinforcements arrived pretty late but they each had weapons and was quickly approaching us. Before they got to us, I invoked teleport and flew to the top of the building. Shit, they escaped using teleport! They are magicians! Isnt there anyone here who can use teleport to chase after them?! If I did have such an ability, why the hell would I remain a mercenary?! Claude was quietly looking at the men below who was still fighting amongst themselves. It would be good if none of them saw our faces We were probably seen by your elder brother and the shop clerk It was possible that we could become wanted for causing damage to the shop. If so then the magicians from the Magical Association Society will be dispatched to find us, and we will probably be caught. They had many peculiar magical abilities that we were not aware of, and considering the amount of people working for the Magician Society, they could be described as an extremely strong group. Moreover, using investigative type magic, there are various methods in which they can use to track down other magicians. Therefore when forces from the Magician Society are dispatched. Most criminals are quickly caught. Well, we are just a bunch of kids, plus its our first offence so its probably just some sort of a monetary penalty. It would seem that my debts are getting bigger.. I think that it might be alright. I dont think elder brother, will dare to make this known to the public Indeed, he would become the shame of the family, I suspect that he will keep silent.However, the shop owner whose shop was completely trashed will probably make a complaint. Its a really bad habit of mine. The moment blood goes up to my head, I immediately lose my composure. My master had always warned me to be more careful, but this particular aspect of mine could never be changed. Lets apologize for that later? A fight in a bar is an everyday occurrence, and if we show our sincerity to the owner, it is likely that we can get off with paying some money, right? Claude was smiling sweetly, with his usual dazzling smile. It seems that she has got back to normal, what a good pretty boy smile. Although its not as good as mine. I also showed her a big grin, and she probably knew what I was thinking. Claude watches me with a tender smile. Her gaze was too pure for me, that I became a little embarrassed and looked away. Thank you very much. Zeph-kun I only got angry by myself, and I raged about without permission. Moreover, in the end I was the one getting saved by Claude. You dont have anything to be thankful about Its really an embarrassing thing. Claude continues to look at me whilst smiling. Oh Please stop it already you baka. Im not really that good of a fellow. Claude, you said that I was the first person to become angry for your sake. That is not true Yes? Claude was slightly dazed, I pointed my fingers at the direction of the shop. Over there was the figure of a lone girl who was searching for something. Milly-san.? After todays parting, we sensed that something was a little bit weird with you. Thats why I bet that she also felt really worried and searched for you She must have thought the same thing as me. This time around, it was by chance that I was the one trying to help Claude, however if things went a little differently, it could of been Milly trying to help you That.Is true. Claude looks down. Her pupils were a little moistened with tears. Also when I started to hit Claude, the person who got angry and scolded me, and the one who stopped us was Milly, right? So the first person who was angry for your sake was actually Milly Amongst all the hustle and bustle down there, Milly pushed her way through the crowd and was restlessly looking for us. Even now I could tell that her face was full of worry and anxiousness. She would bump into an adult and fall to the ground, but she would quickly get back up and begin to search for us once more. Seeing such a scene in front of her, before she knew it, her eyes began to dribble down with large drops of tears. Remember that deal we had, you told me that you would listen to a single request from me if I won that duel, right? Claude who was still crying turned to face me. Never betray Milly. No matter what happens, you will protect Milly, together with me ..That kind of promise, there is no meaning to it She wiped her tears from her face, and looks up towards me with a smile. Thats because I have been planning on doing that from the beginning! Under the Moonlit Night, Claude was smiling at me with the best pretty boy smile I have ever seen. Although it still wasnt as good as mine~ CH 35 hought it would be mean to keep Milly hanging like that as she was frantically searching for us, so I sent her a guild message. (Milly, up here. We are on the rooftop of the bar in front of you) (Zeph!? Are you okay!?) (Or more like, if you were searching for us, you could have just called out to us using the guild message. right?) (Ah, thats trueI completely forgot) Its probably because she was in a panic. Another thing is that Milly is probably not used to communicating with guild messages. When I think about it, shes never initiated a guild message with me by herself. I mean even during the time when she visited my house in search of me, if only she just used the guild messaging system, she would have been able to contact me. Claude! Zeph! Are you guys alright?! Whilst she was wondering about our wellbeing, she quickly teleported to where we were, on the rooftop of the bar. Seeing how worn-out and tattered we were, her expression immediately changed. You dont have to be so worried. Im fine, its only to the extent that my foot is broken Me too, I only have a few cuts on my arms and legs here and there Milly expression continues to keep changing. She looked as if she was about to cry at any moment. Is that so? We must look really bad right now. She spread out her arms and quickly rushed towards us, and she wrapped unto our necks. Her body temperature was transmitted through her arms and the side of my neck was sweating a little. I knew that she was trembling as she firmly grasped unto our necks. I placed my hand on Millys head and began to brush it gently, and her body starts to tremble even more than before. She gradually begins to cry, and as if Claude was influenced by Milly, she also begun to weep together. Seriously, these two peopleI suppose it couldnt be helped. For a while I just silently stared at the stars in the sky. For several days after the incident, various rumors spread about the magicians who went on a rampage, however after a while those rumors completely died down. It was probably Kane who covered up the incident to protect his own integrity. As for me I also delivered an accessory of mine to the bar owner so that I could avoid further problems. With this, excluding my consignment of items to Lydia, Ive become completely broke. Even so I have managed to avoid being wanted by the Magicians Society so all in all it wasnt too bad. Long ago, I had also used the services to request a dispatch from the Magicians Guild, and thats when I found out how terrifying they could be. If possible this time around, I would like nothing to do with them. However, considering the type of personality I have, this is probably impossible. And as expected, it is probably a good idea for the group to leave Nanami town for now. This kind of thing is surely going to occur many times in the future, especially with my kind of character. Mother is also here in this town, and if I continue down this path, I am afraid that I will one day cause some sort of big trouble for her. The item I consigned to Lydia is probably going to be sold any time soon, so I think that I can live with the amount of money right now and manage to get by. It really isnt good for a woman like Claude to live in such a worn down inn. I think that shes become a lot stronger than when I first met her, I am sure that she will be able to earn a proper living now that she cut ties with her brother. I also resigned from school. School was an optional thing, and if you had the ability to adapt to the societal standards, you could take a test to judge your abilities and if you passed the special graduation examination, it was possible to stop going to school. Although of course such an occurrence was really irregular. Unless it someone like our group who was classified as being useful to the society, it is unlikely for permission to be granted to leave the school. With that purpose in mind, both me and Milly was able to pass the test without any problems. The problem was convincing Mother. My Mother was washing the dishes in the kitchen. She seems to be in a really good mood, perhaps I shouldnt kill her mood by telling her about my decision to leave right now? I think it is better if I leave it until tomorrow Eei, Even if I hesitate like this, whats the point! Im going to tell her now! Lets do it! Theres no use in prolonging the inevitable anyways. Kaa-san(Mother), could I talk to you for a little bit? What is it?? When I called out towards my mother, she answers back whilst continuing her work. Uuu..Crap, Im getting really nervous. I am thinking of leaving school and becoming and adventurer Mother doesnt respond to me at all. I also have no clue about what I should say at this point in time. However I am determined to go. If I continue to stay here, I am afraid I will cause a lot of trouble for Kaa-san.Thats why I.that is Zeph I was getting flustered and didnt know what to say, when she gently interrupted me. You know, I realized it recently? Zeph is very..grown up, Ive even thought that perhaps youve actually become even more of an adult than me. And, even still, I think that Zeph hasnt changed one bit Mother stops washing the dishes, and she stands behind me whilst talking affectionately. Milly-chan and Claude-kun are also coming with you right?I hope you get along with them I was sitting in the chair when she suddenly embraced me firmly, that warmth suddenly rushed through me and my eyes were becoming hot. Shit, Hold it in! Im being so pathetic! Nevertheless I have two things I want to say to you. Kaa-san has never thought for even a second that you were a burden to me. You can always depend on Kaa-san no matter what, kay? The tears which were collected in the corner of my eyes began to spill along my cheeks. Shes always like this. Mother always understood everything about me, even so she would whole heartedly accept all my flaws and permit them. And one more thing This isnt good, if she keeps this up I cant guarantee that I wont break apart. I will end up crying miserably. Shit, Please stop you stupid tears! ..Make sure to call me when you get married to Milly-chan! ..Ha? When I turned around to face my mother, she had a face full of smiles. I had completely no idea what she was saying. Kaa-san, Milly and I arent in that kind of relationship.you know? Eh? You arent? Dont tell me you already laid your hands on another girl as well? Of course not!! Oh god..Just when I thought that she understood everything about me, it feels like she knows nothing about me at the same time. The tears that was rolling down my face a minute ago was completely dried up. To begin with, what was she trying to tell a 10 year old brat like me?.. That night, I wasnt allowed to return to my room and my Mother began to ask me all kinds of questions about the girls really persistently, but I managed to answer them all appropriately. The preparation several days before the departure was a seriously troublesome thing. Truly. CAnd during the morning of the departure. Alright, well Aunty, we are heading off! I finished all the preparations for the departure, and Milly comes to my house to pick me up. Both Milly and I barely carried any luggage. For the time being we wanted to head towards the City of Beruta, and after securing a place to live, we would go back and grab the bigger luggage. Milly-chan, come here for a second Yes? Mother calls for Milly, and whispers something in her ears. I bet she was whispering some silly thing as per usual. Good grief, what a meddlesome parent she is. I let out a sigh, as I waited for Milly to run towards me. Sorry for the wait What did she say to you? She didnt want Zeph to hear, and besides she told me to keep it a secret? Milly let out a giggle. Goodness me, what a troublesome parent. We started walking on the footpath towards the town exit. Will this be the end? Even Milly who was usually overly talkative to the point of being annoying, was really quiet today, as if she was thinking about something. For some reason, I kind of feel uncomfortable. Which reminds me, is Claude waiting for us at the gate? Yeah, she told me that it would be closer for her We started to walk in silence again. We pass the shopping district and head out of the park, we were about to reach the outside of town. As Milly approached the outside of town, she was becoming more restless. ..What did Mother say to her? Seriously. When we walk past this road and go across the bend, Claude would be waiting for us at the gates, suddenly Milly halts her movements. Ahhhhhhh!! Ive forgotten something! Ahh is that so? In that case I will go wait over there with Claude, Milly should go get.. Just when I was about to finish my sentence, Milly suddenly grabs my hand and started to run. Mi.Milly? Its something really heavy! Zeph should come and help me out In that case, wouldnt it of been better if we had Claude come help as well?..Just as I was about to say such things, she pulled herself in and embraced my arms, her body was firmly pressed against me. I could feel two small bulges pressing against my arm and my slender hands fit quite nicely in the small crevice of her growing bosom. She must have realized what she was doing, Millys face was flushing up a little. Is this what Mother whispered in her ears? ..I understand. Look, we should quickly get the item, otherwise we will make Claude wait for too long, alright? Th..Thats right! Lets go quickly! Saying such things, Milly stuck her body to my hands even more strongly and began to walk slowly. It ended up taking twice as much time as it would have, and by the time we arrived at the gates, Claude who was waiting for us ended up dozing off to sleep. Im sorry Claude. CH 36 own of Beruta. Waa? So this is Beruta Town?! This is the first time Ive ever come to such a big city! (Claude speaking) I have come here before, so let me be your guide. I will make sure, Claude doesnt become a lost child (Milly speaking) Could it be that she has already forgotten that the last time she came here, she was the one wandering around and getting lost like a child? Milly was already leading Claude away, and separating from me. Hey! Where do you guys plan on going? Well? I smelled something really nice from that direction so I kind of just Milly is a person who really lives via instinct. Our stomachs are empty, lets go after we eat lunch? Come to think of it, it is already daytime. Having something to eat before heading off to Lydias store is not such a bad idea. But they should have at least said something before trying to head off. Down Town. In the middle of the buzzing streets of Beruta, a fragrant smell of meat and fish being cooked stimulates our empty stomachs. Along the pathways, there were numerous restaurants, and on the opposite side, there was also food stalls with all kinds of cuisines. Milly had sparkling eyes as she looked around the vicinity. Oi oi, saliva is starting to drip out of your mouth ya know? How improper. Claude also seems to be in absorbed interest with her surroundings. Welcome! Welcome! That cute young lady over there! The Taikoyaki our store serves is the best in Beruta Town! Please come over and try some! Is that so? Well thats the thing! When people of this town talk about Taikoyaki, its always about our shop! Taikoyaki is is a mixture of meat being rolled in vegetables, furnished with a special sauce and then baked. (TL: if you search for images of ̫ğ(Taikoyaki), you will get a feel for what it is, although, I think it is traditionally meant to be sweet red bean pasting inside the muffin, and not meat) It is a local specialty dish from Beruta. Naturally, there were other food stalls around grilling some Taikoyaki, but there was no one who boasted like the person in front of us. The other food stalls were glaring at this particular shop, and it seemed that this guy didnt seem to care at all. What a scary fellow. Then.. You cant Milly-san Milly was completely enraptured by the smell of the muffins and she was about to buy them, the shop owner was also convinced that he had already won her over when a voice spoke out. It was Claude. Whilst it is true that this shop seems to sell delicious Taikoyaki, but was it really true that it was the best in Beruta? Although I cant say that Ive looked around at every shop, in comparison with other stores, both the quantity and the price for food here is much more expensive than the others ThThe meat we use here is different from the other stores! The meat seems thin, and I feel that it doesnt look very fresh, wouldnt you agree? Guu..the middle aged man gulps down his breath. As usual Claude is really detailed. She really acts like a girl. Just as I was thinking such things, Claude looks at me with a smile that said I am a girl, you know?. Can she read other peoples thoughts or something? With that being said Milly-san, my recommendation is that shop over there. It would seem that the: quality, amount and price are all of high standards. Nn in that case, lets go over there! Milly immediately charges over to the shop on the other side. The other shop stall owners all banded together with a gaze that said Serves you right! to the fellow who just got owned by Claude. The grudge between these shop owners are a terrifying thing. The shop that Claude recommend was a narrow place, but it served a large amount of food and was relatively cheap compared to the other shop, all three of us eat for a portion of five people, and both Milly and Claude had satisfied looks after finishing our meal. CLydias store. We were standing in front. The two girls seemed to be a little bit nervous. The door rattled open, and we were allowed inside the shop. Inside the store, there was several guests, and an energetic voice welcoming the customers was heard. It was Lydias voice. When I headed to the interior of the shop, Lydias back figure could be seen as she was doing her packaging work. I notified the two girls, that she was the one I was planning on meeting. Its been a long time, Lydia When I called out to her, Lydia faced towards me and noticed our presence. Ohh? Isnt it Zeph-kun! Long time no see, are you well? She stood up and brushed the dust of her hips, her breasts which were standing tall before our eyes started to bounce. (sfx ponpon (brushing dust off) Same as ever, it was huge. Hello, Ive heard so much about you from Zeph-kun. You must be Lydia, right? Claude calls out to Lydia. Oh, Are you the one that Zeph-kun talked about? The person who is the Guild Master? You are quite the pretty boy arent you? Thank you very much. However I am not the one who is the guild master. Moreover, I am a girl Ahhaha. I knew that when I saw you! Its just that even so, you really seemed like a pretty boy! isis that so? To be able to see through Claude being a woman in the first meeting. Lydia is incredible. This is the Guild Master Milly Umm..Its nice to meet Ohhh? So cute?? petite? and such a fluffy blonde hair? Mugyuu!? Lydia captures Milly who was trying to introduce herself, and starts to hold her tightly like a plush toy. Millys face was tucked just perfectly in between Lydias breasts and whilst being embraced, Millys hands and feet were struggling to get free. Please leave it at that, Milly seems to be in pain Ariya(Oh la)?Im sorry? Milly-chan was just so adorable.. Showing a smile that displayed her complete lack of reflection, she liberated Milly from her grasp. Milly was having a violent coughing fit, and Claude anxiously calls out to her. Are you alright? Milly-san? Milly-san? When I glanced at her from the side, Millys face was like she just got totally defeated in something. She was alternatively comparing her own chest to Lydias, and the more she looked she rapidly started to show the white of her eyes. Milly? .It cant be, it definitely cannot be She was slapping her own cheeks, whilst deliriously talking to herself repeating the same thing over and over. Which reminds me, has the item I left with you sold yet? Ahh, yeah. It got sold..however, is Milly-chan okay? She will return to her usual self sooner or later, right? Zeph-kun, you are unexpectedly quite heartless? Its her usual routine Oh is it really.the norm?? Lydia was smirking at me whilst we went deeper into the store. Claude had a face full of concern as she kept comforting Milly, but it would seem that her recovery will not be seen anytime soon. Because Lydia beckons me in, I decided to rely on Claude to take care of Milly. Yes! This is how much it was sold for, 320,000 Rupi. If I subtract the money lost when we went hunting, your share of the profits come to 305,000 Rupi, right?(TL: Hmm reading back to Chapter 25: Bath, I calculated his profits to be 320,000- 12,500 = 307,500, but I suppose I could be wrong And Lydia is a professional scamme CH 37 eruta Inn Lydia referred us to the White-bellied Tanuki, a three story inn that resembled a private house. I suppose its trying to infer that a tanuki with a white belly isnt evil and is instead sincere. But, it gives off the complete opposite impression and is instead kind of suspicious The landlady seems to be good natured on the outside, and the flowerbed looks to be watered. I felt some relief as it didnt seem particularly suspicious. Hello! Wed like to take up lodging here for a while, are there any rooms open? Oh, welcome..a, could you guys be the three child adventurers Lydia-chan talked about? Thats ri~ght! Were the guild Blue Sky Hunters~! If you ever have anything you need done, please come ask us! Whoosh, Milly bows her head. Shortly after Claude does so as well, and I, reluctantly, follow suit. She shrewdly takes the chance for some early advertising. Earning money from the people around here isnt really efficient or enjoyable, but it might be good hear their requests and take part in activities in the area to familiarize ourselves. If anything were to happen, itd be awkward if people focused on us, so Id like to avoid that. Ahahaha, well then if anything comes up Ill be asking for you. The rooms can be readied soon, so as soon as you sign your name I can take you in. Lydias talk helped us out, and without any particular issues, we settled down at the inn. Children staying and lodging by themselves for a long time could cause various problems after all. After wed written our names in the register, we were given the keys and led to the rooms. We rented two rooms. One for Claude and Milly, and my room/storeroom. Bags and various items are scattered about, livingware, clothes and luggage are tossed about even though weve just arrived. By the way, most of the luggage is Millys. Well have to clean it up later. But Im already worn out for the day. At times like this theres nothing better than taking a bath. I heard there was a bath on the first floor so I grab a change of clothes and decide to head on down. I opened the door and immediately ran into Milly and Claude both holding towels. Zeph youre going to take a bath too? Ayeah No peeking ok?! Bleh~ Milly sticks out her tongue at me. Whod wanna peep on you? The three of us go down to the first floor bath and separate into two different changing rooms. I take off my clothes, open the door and look at the big bath room spread before my eyes. The bath looks large enough to fit 10 adults easily and there are some rocks placed around that gives the bath a certain charm. Come to think of it the landlady said that the White-bellied Tanukis selling point was its large public bath. Certainly its rare to see such a big bath anywhere. I rinse myself, then thoroughly immerse myself in the hot water. The water surrounding me makes me spit out a sigh from my lungs. Being able to have this big bath all to myself, is a so called luxury Id say. As I think that, the door clatters open and I hear peoples voices coming closer. Has this luxury ended already? I thought in disappointment as two shadows appeared in the steam. They were a small shadow with long hair and a slender shadow with short-cut hair. Woah, what a big bath! Thats right, Ive never been in such a bath before either Its Milly and Claude. The two of them are walking with their fronts covered with a towel, talking amicably with each other. ThisThis is BAD! I dive under the water immediately and slowly move away from the exit and into the shadow of a nearby rock. (Illustration: Zeph on the Hide) Why were they here? This was mixed bathing? Keeping quiet while my mind is in chaos, I let my head break the surface of the water. Splash, I hear the sounds of people rinsing their bodies, followed by a splash as a body crashes into the water. The surface of the bathwater ripples. You cant do that Milly-san. You dont want to bother the other guests do you? Theres no one else here. Claude you should come in too. Thats no good, mou~ Claude smiles as she calmly enters the bath. The strict teachings of a high class family of knights have been thoroughly ingrained into her body I see. Claude will never change in matters like this. Fuu~It feels sooo good Mmhm! Claude is sitting still in the bath as Milly paddles around her. And Im sitting here wanting to move yet unable to. What am I supposed to do? I think as I hear the sound of water splashing again. Hyaaaa!? Fufufufu~ Claude-san seems to be quite stiff~Ill rub your shoulders for you~ Wai..stop it plea.those arent my shouln, that tickles Claude says that and twists her body, while Milly tries to hold on. I guess no one taught her to be calm and abide by rules in the bath. She wasnt able to put up much resistance. Claudes charming voice faintly echoes throughout the big public bath. ..wait, this aint funny. This is so vexing, Im caught in between a rock and a hard place. As the sounds and voices continued, I sank my head under the water and somehow managed to endure this situation. And, suddenly Milly stopped moving around and Claude was left breathing heavily. Milly-san? Whats wrong? ..Claude, your bodys covered in scarseven though youre a girl Milly already knew that Claudes body was covered in scars. However, even if she knew it, when the hot water turned her skin red and the scars were laid bare, it was enough to stop Milly completely. Even though Healing can cure most any injuries, one thing it cannot do is heal the scars left over. Even though she knew that, it seems she tried Healing over and over. How should I say, it seems like a very Milly-like thing to do. Oh, please dont worry about it Milly-san Thats impossible The large bath fell silent and then, splash, the sound of water echoed. Claude put her hand on Millys head and slowly patted her. Claude..? Zeph-kun taught me that, if I do this Milly-san will quiet down. Though I might be insufficient.. Ohh.. that Zeph Claude continued to hug Milly and patted her head. And though Milly was confused at first she had now quieted down. Though I hadnt meant to teach her something like that Ah well, its fine. Ill let her do it this one time. The two finally left, and I rose from the bath completely dizzy and red. Damn..everythings spinning.. I somehow made it to my room and flopped onto my bed when, the energetic Milly and Claude barge in. I get the impression that they asked me about some perfume and played around or something and asked me questions, but I was too light headed to remember much. Later on we heard that the large bath apparently had a time for men to bathe and a time for women to bathe. When Milly heard this she started to question me relentlessly. My bath was really short and I got out quickly, so I wasnt in there when you girls took your bath; was my answer. Despite that, even now she still suspects me. Shit, I wont be able to take my time and enjoy my beloved bath for a while now. CH 38 The girls and I went shopping at the street booth plaza. First we need to go buy Claude a sword! In the fight a few days ago, Claudes sword had broken, and now she was currently unarmed. Right now her scabbard only had the hilt of her horribly broken sword sheathed in it. No, Im fine really.. Of course youre not alright. Be that as it may, we dont have any leeway in our finances. So later Ill buy something appropriately cheap. Thats awful! Though it isnt great for Claude, right now theres something we need to buy even more. Putting that aside, could the both of you look for an armored knight card? Id like you to find two of them for about 100,000 rupi or less each 100,000? And two of them!? Dont we only have 300,000 rupi? Were just gonna suddenly spend such a large amount of money? Since we need it anyways. First we should prepare the most expensive and useful general equipment for our use. A card is a rare item that monsters drop that is extremely scarce and expensive. If you enchant equipment with them, many different effects can be achieved. The armored knight card when added onto equipped armor (or clothes), gave the effect of reducing all damage by something like 20 percent, making it a card with some of the highest all-purpose usefulness when added to armor. The armored knights hunting ground was a popular spot for high level adventurers to hunt, so a fair number were being hunted, so the price wasnt too inflated. Wed buy three but wed lose our funds for living, so well only get two this time. Well enchant Milly and Claudes armor. What about you Zeph? Because Claude is the vanguard its absolutely necessary for her, and Milly isnt yet good enough at moving around during battle. But I on the other hand, wont receive fatal damage if I conduct myself as I usually do Even though you are always getting injured..? ..How annoying, I still havent taken any fatal wounds, you know? In the first place I could use Safe Protection, even two people wouldnt be a problem. Claude seemed to sense the mood and changed the topic. Oh yeah! Milly-san, should we compete to see who can find the cards cheapest? The loser has to do one thing the winner says Alright! Ill take you on! While I was picking a fight, Claude enjoys competition more. The two of them energetically disappeared into the street booth plaza. I myself went to look for a weapon for Claude. Oh, theres a short sword for 5,000 rupi. Thats cheap. Claude will have to settle for this for a while. After all, the armored knight cards were 100,000 rupi each, but we were able to get them for 98,000 rupi each. It ended with Claude as the victor. Milly was frustrated at her bad luck, but once she understood that Claude had honestly bargained the cards prices down, she admitted her defeat. Claude is such a reliable person. When we got back to the inn, we enchanted Millys mini dress and Claudes plate with the cards. The equipment absorbed the cards and were given the 20% damage reduction effect. Is it alright to use such a worn out thing? Shouldnt we have put it on better defensive equipment than this? Good defensive equipment is much more expensive than a card. For now, any equipment is good enough, when you add the armored knight card itll become defensive equipment. If we find second-hand equipment at the stalls then its all well and good, but without knowing who wore it or what it was used for, the two girls might not want to use it. For my part Ill find some quality second-hand goods and change their minds sooner or later. Oh yes Claude, could you go out with me a little later? I have some things Id like to test. I dont really mind though? Im coming too~! Milly you clean up your luggage that you threw in my room. Its completely messed upyou need to throw out the unnecessary stuff or something but get it out of my room. Aaawww~! If youre gonna complain then put it all in your room. Milly pouts and puffs out her cheeks as she begins to clean up my room. We leave and move to a different location. Claude tried to help, but you cant spoil Milly like that. She needs to be able to clean up her own messes. Outside the Town Theres a lot of things Id like to hear about your Screen Point Claude. Could you please tell me about it? I dont mind at all At that time, Kane had used his spell invalidation magic Screen Point. If we can make use of this magic, then the number of hunting grounds we can utilize will increase. Screen Point is, as I said before, a magic that invalidates spells effects. Though I say that, the magics effect is dependent on the conditions and the person using it, my brothers Screen Point is usually able to eliminate almost all magic cast at him, but mine can only do about half. Could you let me see you use it for a bit? Sure its fine Saying that Claude closed her eyes and began to silently cast her magic. As she concentrated, I began to see some sort of thin, see-through membrane covering Claudes body. I reached out and touched Claudes body, and once I did my magical aura was shaved off in an instant. Rather than blocking magic power, it was more like a magic that devoured magical power. I cast Scout Scope on Claude. Claude Leonhardt Magic Power Level Certainly her Screen Point was weaker than Kanes. When I tried to cast Scout Scope on Kane, it didnt even activate. Now its about time for me to fire some magic at you alright? Wai-please stop! Painful things will still hurt me you know! That was a joke Are you telling the truth? Is what her face seemed to be saying. As I thought, it appears that it could only eliminate the effects of magic to a certain extent. Claude released her Screen Point and she looked a little worn out. It might be my imagination but, Claudes magical aura seems to be fairly depleted. Perhaps, I think and cast Scout Scope. Claude Leonhardt Level 26 Red Magic Value 9, Magic Limit 45 Blue Magic Value 5, Magic Limit 39 Green Magic Value 0, Magic Limit 40 Sky Magic Value 0, Magic Limit 47 Soul Magic Value 0, Magic Limit 51 Magic Power 149/456 Kanes magic power was only 39. In other words, Screen Point was a magic that was usable with that level of magical power. Nevertheless, Claudes magic power had decreased by 300. Claude Id like you to use ball Ok Could you let me see you fire five at that boulder over there? Thats fine Saying that she turned to face the rock, and cast Red Ball five times. The rock only ended up slightly burnt with a few cracks in it. Claudes magic level was low so this is all it would amount to. I cast Scout Scope and when I looked, Claudes magic power was 50. Can you use Screen Point one more time? Eeeeh~ Im already tired though. Even though she says that, Claude starts to cast Screen Point again. This girl seems like the type who cant refuse a request. As I think that, I cast Scout Scope on Claude again. As expected, thats how it was. Screen Point is a magic that increases in strength the less magic power you have. In other words, the magics called Mage Killers, are exactly what they sound like magic that kills magic. The effect is that the one who uses this magic, will in all likelihood be affected by the magics effects as well. Therefore, there are very few mages who would use the Mage Killer magics, basically the only ones who would use this would be those who dont use magic in their occupations. Claude would it be alright if I fired one spell at you? I already said you couldnt! Itll be fine, it wont hurt at all. Do you think Im lying to you? Eeeehh~? I, I said no~ Dont worry, Ill use my weakest one I say, and to lessen her nervousness I give her my best pretty boy smile and cast Blue Ball. I let the ball standby above my right hand, and for some reason Claude seems incredibly nervous and is looking at me with unease. Why? I invoke Blue Ball, and even though it hits her directly, Claude, of course, suffers no damage. How about that? I think as Claude stares at me in confusion and disbelief. And I even told her not to worry. Most likely Screen Point is a magic that when activated, is more effective the less magic power you have. Kane was born with very little magic power, so when he uses Screen Point he almost has zero magic. Thats why hes almost invincible against magic. Eeeh~How do you know something like that? Uhh. ..Ah crap, Scout Scope was supposed to be kept a secret. Ahh whatever, Claudes already a close comrade. Shes already told me all about Screen Point, so I cant really keep on hiding it. I explained Scout Scope to Claude and she seemed pretty surprised. Scout Scope..Is it. Its a pretty terrifying magic Its a secret I understand. You cant teach this kind of magic to someone unless theyre a friend or comrade. Well there was a certain dumb girl who bragged about this magic immediately after meeting me. Im just sayin. Certainly my father said something like that. That if a person was weak in magic skills Screen Point would be more powerful. The Leonhardt family was a lineage of knights, so they probably hadnt experimented too much with magic. Also one more experiment. Could you put this on? I say that and hand her my worn out old clothes. Claude takes them with a confused expression. During the fight with Kane, Crimson Blade tore up his clothes, while my Red Crash didnt hurt him at all. Id like to know the exact effects of this magic. By the way Safe Protections 90% damage reduction has been applied to the equipment. ..In other words, you want to see if my clothes will rip if Im using Screen point.right? Yep Claudes face blushes red before my eyes and she cries out in a high pitched voice. Wha..What are you thinking?! Zeph-kun you pervert! No, thats why I had you change into my old clothes ok? That makes you sound even more perverted! In the end Claudes extreme opposition ended the experiment before it started. Even though it was a necessary experiment CH 39 Lake Shore- We came to the lake shore that Milly had found previously to continue our Screen Point experiments. Here there were monsters that used magic to form a body out of water, they were called Aqua Elementals. Today, Milly also accompanied us. Milly, Aqua Elemental is a monster created from water, so the Blue Magic System wont work on it. Theyre a level 2 attribute monster right? These are a type of monster with a weak attribute and a strong attribute right? A monster born from an element (element is also the core magic and the source of the monsters image) like the Aqua Elemental was called a level 2 attribute, and magic from the same attribute would not work on it at all. However, these monsters special traits dont give them an advantage, in fact for us mages it made them into sitting ducks. While one attribute is completely defended against, on the other side they have one attribute that they are extremely weak against. Thats right. The attribute weaknesses go like this, Red>Green>Sky>Blue>Red, like that it would mean that the Aqua Elemental of the Blue trait would be weak against the Sky magic system. I got it! I got it! Well, it is the basics of the basics after all. Be that as it may, this is Milly after all, so I have to make sure. Though looks might not be everything, this indeed appears to be a level 2 attribute monster. As we were walking and chatting, the surface of the lake began bubbling and foaming, and the Aqua Elemental showed itself. It took the form of a nude woman with long flowing hair, maybe this was to invite carelessness or even tempt unprepared people. Sorry but in my eyes you only look like a target. Black Sphere! Air blades gather in the air above the Aqua Elemental, and they fall onto it ripping and tearing apart its head. (-Too shallow huh?) Sphere magic has superior power and range, but its invocation time is slow and its hard to control, making it a difficult magic to use. But if I think about the future, it might be good to train my Sphere magic from now on. For now, if a strong enemy appears Ill use Pyro Crash, though because it has a short range itll be hard to use on fast monsters, so it might not be particularly useful at times. Also because I have low talent in the Red magic system, I should really only be using it as a last resort. Im considering a substitute for Pyro Crash, Im thinking about combining Black Sphere and Green Sphere. Im not skilled in it yet so Im not ready to brave giving it a test run. As I was thinking, the Aqua Elemental that Id cut up soon returned back to its original shape. As I thought, it really is hard to control. The Level 2 Attribute monsters mostly have indeterminate forms, unless you completely crush them theyll quickly reform. They do sustain some damage, so if you continuously attack them you can beat them, though its really inefficient. Zeph you suck at this~ ? Why dont I show you how its done? .such humiliation. If youre going to say that much then why dont I have you show me then? Black Bullet! Milly stuck out her right hand and magic gathered around it. The magic power formed countless small bullets that fired out rapidly, and the Aqua Elemental was pulverized. Black Bullet was a rapid fire version of Black Ball, it was an average magic even though it had high destructive power.thats because its wasteful. It uses so much magic that most dont consider it anything but second class. As always her fighting style is sloppybut, unexpectedly this kind of sloppy fighting method, might suit the current Milly quite well. Milly was taught magic by her father, but Milly was and is childish and cant really grasp the fine details of magic usage. Because of that, for now, a battle style and tactics that relies on selecting the correct high powered magic might not be a bad way for her to fight. However, this forceful way of doing things is really only possible because its Milly who has high natural talent, if a mage with meagre talents tried this theyd quickly run out of gas and collapse, and theyd be a useless mage that needed to be carried. I have to make sure to teach her not to do these kinds of things.. As the Aqua Elemental dissipates, Milly looks back at me with a face brimming with pride. She gives me a triumphant peace sign (V sign) with her fingers. A..Annoying.. By the way Zeph-kun, didnt you say that there was something you wanted to do the other day? Now that I think of it thats right. If I ask you, will you use Screen Point after decreasing your magic power like we did yesterday Claude? Leaving the proud looking Milly aside and continuing to talk, she looked kind of lonely and immediately dashed over to us and looked at our expressions. You shouldnt have been like that in the beginning if you wanted us to keep you company. Claude Leonhardt Level 26 Red Magic Level 9, Magic Limit 45 Blue Magic Level 5, Magic Limit 39 Green Magic Level 0, Magic Limit 40 Sky Magic Level 0, Magic Limit 47 Soul Magic Level 0, Magic Limit 51 Magic Power 45/456 After using magic many times, I give the gasping and panting Claude the OK. A use of Screen Point uses about 50 magic power. I overcame Claudes opposition to the experiment (she couldnt wear my old clothes, and instead removed the plate with the card enchantment), the results were that when Screen Point was used with magic power of about 50, then my 2nd grade magic was unable to damage her clothes in the slightest. Once I, against my better judgment, took advantage of an opening and fired a more powerful magic at Claude and succeeded in barely ripping her clothes. Though right afterwards Claude gave me quite the slap. Without the equipment with the expensive card attached, I thought it would be obvious that something would break in that experiment. Its not my fault. Well that aside, Screen Point doesnt seem to protect anything other than the persons body completely. If a powerful enough magic is used then the equipment can be destroyed it seems. Crimson Blade destroyed Kanes equipment, this was probably due to it being combined with Claudes sword technique and gaining the power of a great magic spell. So what was it you wanted to do? Could you go stand by the lake for a little while? The confused Claude goes and stands by the shore, Milly and I distance ourselves from Claude slightly. What are you doing Zeph? Well, just watch Claude at first didnt understand what was going on and just stood there looking at the surface of the lake, a short while later she noticed something and took a large leap to the side. Immediately after, a water hammer slammed into the place where Claude was just standing. I looked at the origin of the water hammer and saw the Aqua Elemental approaching out of Claudes line of sight. Claude! If the Aqua Elemental cant get close to you it will only use magic attacks! All you have to do is stay still dont dodge and youll still be fine!! Even if you say that, its still scary!! Though she is right, its finally a good chance to try the magic invalidation, Im not gonna pass it up. Get used to it Claude! Hiiiee!? demon.. As we talk the Aqua Elementals appear on the lakes surface and continue to shower Claude with water hammers. Once the number of attacks exceeds 5 it becomes practically impossible to dodge, Claude readies herself with her shield. However, the shield placed directly in front of her cant protect her feet, head, or sides. The water hammers shower down on her from all sides.. Screen Point was activated so the impact to her body was almost completely negated, but the water fell on the ground and splashed, causing Claude to get soaked in the blink of an eye. Black Bullet~! Black Bullet Milly and I continue to exterminate the approaching group of Aqua Elementals After exterminating them, I go to show my appreciation for the person who did the most this time around, Claude, who is absolutely soaking wet. Her wet hair and clothes are sticking flat to her skin, and it emphasizes her slim body line. Shes shivering a little, even though its early summer if you get that wet youll be cold. Claude are you alright? Youre cruel.. Umm.sorry, Im reflecting on my actionsbut, I want you to become as accustomed to using Screen Point as possible. Its such a powerful and unique magic after all Its hard to use it often during hunting.. However, thanks to Claude, we were able to earn quite a bit of experience. How about I treat her to some juice on the way back? CH 40 Welcome back~ When we got back to the inn, Lydia greeted us at the entrance. It seems like shed been waiting for us to return. Lydia-san! You came over? These, were finished She said and took out 4 badges from her cleavage. Outrageouswhere do you think youre taking those out from The small badges she took out had the Blue Sky Hunters emblem glittering and shining on them. Ooohhh~! Milly and Claude raise their voices in admiration. I dont yell out, but a sigh of admiration leaks out. The hunter has a blue hat, blue clothes, and is nocking an arrow on a bow, it felt as if the hunter was about to fire at some prey, the brass badge was delicately and exquisitely made. Weelll~ this was the first time I made our guild emblem like this so I got really into andsomehow ended up pulling an all-nighter Ahahaha, Lydia laughed with a face a little more haggard than usual and dark circles under her eyes. It had been, after all, not even 3 days since wed made the request, so it was no wonder. ..Thank you, Lydia. This was 70,000 rupis right? Milly said and took out some money from her pouch. Its fine! Were in the same guild yeah? I want to pay even so! Milly forcefully pushed the money to Lydia. Lydia refused it, but Milly continued to push it back to her. As the two pushed the money back and forth between them, it ended with Lydia breaking down accepting the money. W~well.Thanks Milly-chan! Lydia accepted it and smiled sweetly. Milly stood there looking triumphant. This is probably not really a victory. Huh? Theres only 65,000 rupis here though. Eh? No way!? She rummaged around her bag, but no matter what she couldnt find the rest. .it looks like its not there. Sorry. Well this is more than enough. Im happy enough with the thought But if its like that, then I would feel bad. Lydias face looked as though shed thought of something, and she began to smile broadly at Milly. Then the missing 5000 rupis, Ill have you pay it off with your body~ Eh? As Lydia finished her sentence, Lydia embraced her with all her might. She pressed Millys body against her and sniffed her hair while groping her butt. She gropes and knocks down the bewildered Milly. WStop it!..di.aaahhhhnnn! A~n holding Milly-chan feels the best~ ?I want to hold her when I come back home every day and snuggle before falling asleep~ is that okay Zeph-kun?! .why are you asking me? Its obvious that its no good. After that Millys groans and moans echoed around the room for a while, while I and a slightly red faced Claude listened. Ok! I have received my payment~ thank you for the treat Milly-chan ? yo..youre very welcome A little while later, a deflated Milly who had been released stumbled unsteadily, her clothing and hair were in a horrible mess. Lydia, on the other hand, had a deredere(lovestruck) and blissful expression as she sniffed the hand shed used to grope Milly with. This girl is an absolute pervert.. CDining Area of the Inn At Lydias suggestion the four of us decided to have our evening meal. These kinds of things can deepen our comradery, that being the case there is no reason to decline. The dinner menu was bread and stew with lots of vegetables in it. The meal is simple but the amount is bountiful, it is more than enough to fill your stomach. The bread is served in the stew making the soggy and soft bread even more delicious. Milly took her bread and broke it into smaller pieces and threw them into her mouth. Claude used a knife, spoon, and fork to eat with elegance. Those are some perfect table manners. Lydia just stuffed as much food as she could as fast as possible into her mouth. It looks like shes a merchant who values time over manners. Well if I had to say, I am also the same kind of person as Lydia, so I cant really make a bad comment about her eating manners. (By the way, is this the thing called telepathic communication? Its the first time Im using it but is seems pretty useful) (But without practice, its difficult to..nicate) Lydia, with her mouth full, was unable to speak so she used telepathy to communicate. It seems that Claude cant use it very well, at certain points noise overlapped her voice. It might be strange effect from her Screen Point. A while ago, Milly put magic into the badges that Lydia made, so Claude, Lydia, and I are already using the guild message. Milly and I created the guild using crystal rings and we were the first members, so even without the badges we could use the guild message. (But with this..I can joinMilly-san.and Zeph-kunsversation) (Araa~ so its only been the two of you using it till now ne~ Im really sorry for breaking into the world just for the two of you, Milly-chan ?) Huuhhh!? Its not really like that! Milly responds to the two who are silently giggling at her with a big shout causing the landlady and the other adventurers to look at us in confusion. The three of you should play when we get back to the rooms rather than out here. Though I dont really care myself. They finally noticed the gazes of the people around them, lowered their heads in embarrassment, and focused on their meals. After we finished eating and cleaned up our dishes, we asked Lydia various things. At this moment we were pretty much broke and we didnt have any good money making ideas, so Claude asked Lydia for ideas. Thats true ~ Hunting bosses are also a good option..But if a rare item doesnt drop, wont we be making a loss? In my perspective I think it would be better to hunt for easier monsters that will still drop a decent rare item, and use that to create our weapons..Or more like please get the materials for me! I will even buy it off you guys! Ingredients. small-rares huh. Though I dont really enjoy hunting for small things. I like hunting for small-rares! I can feel my motivation going up Seems like Claude is like the common people. Small-rares are when a regular monster sometimes drops a rare item, but in comparison to boss rare items these drop more often, therefore theyre called small-rares. Its in the east, do you know about the Sunray Mountain Range? Aah, that one? I point my thumb over at a mountain with its peak covered in clouds. The Sunray Mountain Range has the highest mountains on the continent, magic power gathers around it and it is a large dungeon spot. There are a lot of monsters that drop good items for weapons, they even drop ore or crystal small-rares. I wanted to go hunting there on my next break, does everyone wanna come with? Ill buy all the materials that appear O-K~! Milly responds with cheer. I guess we dont get any choice in the matter. Claude looks at me and our eyes happen to meet. She makes a troubled face and laughs a little. CH 41 ot of the Mountains Today the four of us met up and came to the mountains. We left in the morning on a horse-drawn wagon and arrived just before noon. I couldve teleported us over but, since we have the opportunity we might as well enjoy the trip!, Lydia suggested, so we decided to get on a carriage. If I teleported this distance I mightve been on the point of collapse, they mightve been taking my needs into consideration. We werent alone in the wagon, there were other adventurers in their own parties. The foot of the Sunray Mountains is a pretty popular hunting spot, so quite a few adventurers go there. Oooh~Amazing Zeph! Look at how tall the Sunray Mountains are~! Milly is this the first time youve come to this mountain? Mmhmm, I can see such beautiful scenery! Zeph-kun youre even younger than me and yet you know quite a lot huh Wellllll, this is quite a famous mountain. First of all, lets eat our lunches before we go out to hunt! Mmmm~ Im starving~ And so, we sat down near the wagon and ate our lunch. The driver and horses were near the watering hole and ate as well. Each day they take adventurers out this way and earn their living expenses. The lunch that Lydia made was the Beruta towns specialty Taikoyaki, the two of them devoured the sweet delicious treats. The beautiful atmosphere of the mountains made Lydias cooking seem even more delicious than usual. By the way, Lydia herself was staring at Milly, who had her cheeks stuffed with taikoyaki like a chipmunk, with a love-struck deredere kind of face. I guess this was the reason Lydia gave Milly the largest one huh After we finished eating, we went up the mountain path a little, and saw the adventurers that we were travelling with in a battle with some monsters. The foot of the mountains is home to a type of monster called Stonegell, it looks like a mix of rock and jelly. It is a type of monster that is pretty tough against physical attacks, but it doesnt usually attack others and it can drop ore and minerals, so beginners are advised to hunt them. Almost immediately, a stonegell wells up by Lydias feet. Lets see whatcha got. *Walking briskly* As the three of us notice the stonegell, Lydia ignores it and keeps on walking. Milly, looking very confused, casts Blue Gale and defeats the stonegell in one hit. And luckily it drops some dull iron, Claude places it in the bag while inquiring. Lydia-san, are we not going to hunt any stonegells? Nn, yeah? Dull iron is normally sold in stalls, my aim is the Roc Bird ..Roc Bird is a monster that appears at the summit right? Are you planning on going now? I want to go halfway up the mountain and stay in a mountain hut for one night, then I was thinking of starting our hunt the next day..oh, it wouldve been better if I told you that earlier right? Sorry! I dont usually party up with other people so I kinda.if its no good we can go back, ok? The three of us are standing there glaring at Lydia, who is apologizing. Maybe it wasnt on purpose.. .well I dont really care, but next time you had better tell us beforehand. And about the materials, this time youre buying them at a higher price. Ohoho of course~ Ill give you some good service Boss? She says this and rubs her hands together while squeezing her breasts between her arms. This girl definitely did this on purpose.. As expected of a greedy merchant, how underhanded. Milly keeps glaring for a bit and then Zeph-kun is this really alright? Though the Roc Bird is a pretty strong monster, level-wise it is about the same as an Aqua Elemental. There are also relatively few of them so we should be able to handle them one way or another. We used Screen Point to nullify the magic of the Aqua Elemental and defeated them, so its hard to tell how strong we are in comparison.. Thats a pretty sharp comeback. Ah well, were already almost halfway up, lets find a few Roc Birds, and if we see that we cant fight them then well just leave. I say so to soothe Claude. Anyways lets go and take a look! If its impossible then we just need to leave! Milly and I seem to be of the same opinion. As expected of Milly-chan! You understand me~ As Lydia says that she tries to grab on to Milly, but Milly smoothly dodges. Huh? Lydias face seems to say as her hands grab onto nothing. She looks up at Milly who has a face filled with triumph. It seems like shes gotten used to the sexual harassment, so now she understands Lydias patterns and was able to read her moves and dodge beautifully. We are climbing the mountain (though I say that its honestly a pretty gentle slope) slowly and leisurely while at times teleporting. On the way, there are some times when we see some monsters, because I need to conserve magic I dont fight. The view is good, so itd be a waste to teleport the whole way. Blue Gale! Milly fires a big spell at a group of Stonegells. As always she just forces her way through. Well, its fine anyways. I thought that Millys teacher just had a fighting style that wasnt really smart or stylish, but that was probably just prejudice, now that I think about it, her teachers fighting style may not have suited her so she uses this one, and anyways this fighting style just doesnt suit me so I cant really come to any conclusions. The only thing I can say is that one needs to find a fighting style that suits them. Though I say this, your teacher can have a huge influence. I have to admit, even my Time Square, was heavily influenced by my teachers unique magic. Though Im embarrassed to say that. As I was lost in my thoughts, a cry comes from the shadow of a rock and a long neck appears. A white head, red crest, and black-haired lines. Its neck stretches, and it stands up on its thick looking legs. When it does it seems to be even bigger than Lydia. It has sharp and curved claws and an equally sharp beak that seem to be able to tear people apart easily. Thats.a Roc Bird Alright! Lets do it~! Blue Gale! The tornado hits the Roc bird head on, but it endures it and charges right over. It quickly attacks with its claws and Claude takes the attack on her shield, Lydia sticks her hand between her breasts and takes out her bag from between them. She then proceeds to take out her great axe from the bag and she swings it. but with a skillful movement of its neck, the Roc Bird dodges her big swing smoothly. Then it aims its cruel looking beak at Lydia whos unbalanced. but another example of skillful movements is shown, this time by Lydia, she dodges and then at the same time kicks off of the Roc Birds head. ..shes as monstrous as ever. Myself aside, Claude, whos nearby, seems quite surprised. At this moment, its movements have stopped. I fire my magic at the temporarily stunned Roc Bird. Pyro Shot! The magic ball I shot, drills right into the Roc Bird, and it stops moving. Blue Gale! The magic tornado that Milly shot, surrounds the Roc Bird, and sends its body flying into the sky and it disappears. CH 42 ter beating the roc bird, Lydia hit her palm with her fist as if shed just thought of something. Nn~ This feelingcould this be the feeling of leveling up? Congrats Lydia! Congratulations I secretly used Scout Scope and saw that Lydias level was still around 13, it didnt appear to have gone up by very much. That should be pretty obvious as Lydia usually acts as a salesperson, minds her shop, and draws up designs instead of hunting usually. The roc bird is worth quite a lot of experience points so this time she was able to level up quite a bit. Hehe no~ you guys are all pretty strong. Big sis was surprised. No, Lydia-san is also really..strong.. Yeah! *whistle* The enemy went BOOM and CRASH and you dodged.anyway its amazing!! Claudes confidence in being the vanguard seems to be tattered a bit, while Milly was waving her arms around to demonstrate how Lydia moved during the fight. Lydias face immediately became pervy and love-struck (deredere). Everything else aside, the roc bird was a pretty strong enemy. It not only has a pretty high level, but its tough and moves quickly, it is a well-rounded monster. If two roc birds come Id like Claude and Lydia to take them on, this should be the method of dealing with them. If three come, then Ill take Claude and Milly will take Lydia and run away using teleportation. For now lets go with this kind of plan. They all nod. So in order to familiarize ourselves with the roc birds, we aimed to walk to the mountain lodge. We continued to walk leisurely up the mountain path. There are two over there Lydia pointed at two roc birds lying around in the bushes comfortably. I cant see very well because of the bushes blocking my view, so if we werent moving this way I probably wouldnt have seen them. Blue Gale! Milly cast her magic and at the same time Claude and Lydia rushed out. According to plan, they each take one of them as their opponent. Claude should reach her opponent firstprobably. I cast Pyro Shot at the roc bird and hurt it while making it recoil. As expected combo magic with good range is much easier to use. Pyro Shot is a little lacking in power though, I should try a little more to develop some magic with both power and range. Recently weve been fighting a lot more tough enemies. Well if I spend some time then I should be able to come up with something. Blue Gale! By the time the second tornado hit the roc birds Claude and Lydia had already started fighting. In this way we continued to climb the mountain, a couple times we encountered some roc birds but we made pretty good progress. As the sun started to set and the sky turned red, Millys face was also pretty red, and she seemed to be pretty tired and sweaty. She was kind of stumbling and her eyes werent focused on anything in particular. The mountain path must be pretty hard on a child. Even more so because of the need to fight as we progressed. Even so she has her pride, Do you want Lydia to carry you?, this suggestion was offered many times but it was always rejected. I can walk fine on my own, so she says. Claude has quite a bit of travelling experience, so even though she is carrying heavy equipment she doesnt seem extremely tired. Ooh I see the Mountain Cabin Milly-chan Really!? Suddenly Milly got excited and started to run. Hey come on, its dangerous if you start to run all of a sudden. As I think that, the next second *Smack* she falls flat on her face. She immediately sits up, stops moving, and her shoulders start to shake. Ah ahdidnt I tell you Lydia runs over to Millys side, the Claude and I quickly follow. CMountain LodgeC Inside the lodge there is a plain table and stool, a fire pit in the center, and a futon folded up in the corner. Lets stay here for the night Ahhh Im tired~ Im also kind of covered in sweat. I want to wipe down my body, but. She says and shoots a glance in my direction. Get out, that seems to be the message. Though I intended to do that from the beginning. When youre done call me I say so and leave the lodge. Outside its getting dark, but the roc birds dont move around at night so it should be safe. As soon as I left, a great commotion started inside the lodge. It seems like the source of the disturbance wasMilly was about to change her clothes and Lydia wanted to help but she refused, then Lydia started chasing her. What a ridiculous game. Ah, Lydia sunk her poisonous fangs into Claude who tried to stop them If I stick around here my heart and morals will be in danger. I move away from the lodge and sit down upon an overhanging cliff. Its very close to dusk and the mountain wind blows and it feels like todays fatigue is being washed away. Well, I wasnt really that tired anyways. While we were climbing, I used body reinforcement magic. It wrapped my feet in wind and raised my physical abilities, I used the Sky attribute magic, Black Boots. Also I used recovery magic Healing at the same time, so while my abilities were boosted, my bodys burden was also reduced. When I combine two different support magics together, a new and improved effect is created. Its a magic that makes you feel like youre walking on air.I think Ill call it Wind Walk The magic usage and effect arent very suitable for battle, and it doesnt have too many uses. By the way, I didnt use it on Milly because if you have it too easy while youre young your body will end up being badly affected. Mages, even at the best of times, dont move their bodies very much, in essence this kind of magic shouldnt really be used outside of battle. Also, its not that Im wanting to take things especially easy by using this, I myself am working hard to experiment. When I think about how Claude and Lydia have joined, a magic that can boost physical abilities will definitely be useful. For this reason, I need to think of a couple different kinds of magic that I can use. For example Zeph! .and Millys voice has broken my train of thought. It looks like theyve finished cleaning themselves up. Milly has a refreshed look about her as she puts her messy hair into order. But really, it feels like all my alone time is disappearing. I feel like Ive been spending quite a lot of time with Milly, Ill be training by myself and thinking, and suddenly Milly will just appear. Come to think of it, Im thinking about Milly and the others an awful lot. Only a little while ago I was thinking about how to use my magic to help out Claude and Lydia. Hmmmrecently, my goal to practice magic efficiently to the limit seems to be getting further away.. Well, making the guild stronger and leveling up faster is in line with my goals butI feel like I might be caring and thinking about these girls a little too much Whats wrong? Milly interrupts my thoughts and stares into my face. Her face is way too close, and I freeze up. If we move our necks a little, wed touch, god theres got to be a limit to how defenseless you can be. I seem to have changed since I met Milly, and know that I think about it I think Ive continued to change ever since. And the cause of this, Milly, is standing here staring right at me looking confused. Its nothing, I was just thinking about how Id changed and gotten a little strange. Thats all. What are you saying Zeph? Youve always been kinda weird. You know a lot about difficult stuff, you use special unique magic, and you say stuff like washi (washi=which is a form of saying I used by elderly men) Milly says this and giggles. So thats how it isshe might be right, but she really said quite a bit huh. I give a wry smile and scratch my head while remembering Millys carefree smile. CH 43 CThe Next Morning I awoke feeling chilly. I moved my body and saw that the sky outside was still dark. I shook a little, covered myself with a blanket and once again tried to go to sleep. However, it doesnt seem like Ill be able to sleep any longer. .mornings on a mountain are pretty cold huh Now that I look over, the three of them are all hugging each other and sleeping in a kind of pile, it looks pretty warm and comfortable. ..wait, thats not right. When I look more closely, Lydia is crushing the both of them in her arms, Claude and Milly have a somewhat painful look on their faces. Lydias face seems really happy because she has a flower in each hand. (A beautiful girl on each arm) The three of them seem warm, so I put on my coat and go outside. Ive finally found some time to myself. Shouldnt I use it to train my magic? When I get outside, I hear the sounds of birds calling in the distance. Are the Roc Birds starting to wake up? How about I go look for them a bit? Oh yeah, this is the first time in a while that Ive gone hunting by myself. Well from the start I prefer solo-hunting. Ive had to go hunting around with the guild, so little by little Ive gotten used to it, but when there are too many people hunting you lose a certain tension, and it gets boring pretty quickly. If you get too used to slacking off or having it easy, somewhere along the way youll lose your drive. Its that kind of thing. A mage has a weak body and when theyre alone they need to both attack and defend. This makes solo hunting as a mage quite dangerous. However, magic is a deep and profound art, if you prepare for all kinds of circumstances there is always some way to withdraw safely. If you do the very best action, at the very best time and you continue to do so, then theoretically no matter the opponent you should be able to win. I cast Safe Protection, and begin to teleport. First I should start by searching nearby. In the areas right next to the cabin there are very few monsters. I teleport and meditate while I look around, and once I confirm whether there are any monsters about, I move on. After Ive moved a couple of times, I catch the shadow of a Roc Bird from the corner of my eye. Im still pretty far away from it, so it hasnt noticed me yet. This is great, lets try this out. I cast Time Square, then as time slows I cast Black Sphere and Green Sphere. ..Gu.!? The moment I activate the magic in both my hands, I find that I cant aim at the roc birds location very well, making my aim inaccurate. I try to readjust but I cant do it very well. To raise my accuracy, I do as I normally do, but the aim I had imagined was greatly shaken. I still hadnt gained proper control of the magic by the time it fired. *Voom*..and a pitch black sphere of magic appears on a boulder far from the roc bird. The magic ball hits the boulder. It is chipped, shaved, and crumbled. By the time the spell finishes quite a bit of it has been consumed. It didnt stop at the destroying the rock, it swallowed the morning mist and a large amount of dust and dirt, before finally disappearing with a small explosive sound. The aftermath was half the ground and a boulder were gouged out completely. By how cleanly it broke the rock, the sharpness and strength of the attack is easily visible. Haaaa haaaaaDamn it, its really hard to control. I lay spread eagle on the ground, panting miserably. Sphere type magic has good power and range, however, it is really hard to control. Especially using Green and Sky types that are originally difficult, this raises the degree of difficulty even higher. Its embarrassing to say, but in my past life when I learned how to use magic more proficiently, I stopped using these two magic types. It seems like this is what I get for slacking off. Inside of Time Square I can multiply power and combine magic but the cost of each spell doubles. It also looks like the difficulty of controlling the magic also doubles. If Im not wrong, even though magic ball originally has a long range, the magic range attribute should also have doubled. So I dont forget later, I cast Scout Scope on myself. Zeph Einstein Level 36 Red Magic lvl 30/62 Blue Magic lvl 25/87 Green Magic lvl 28/99 Sky Magic lvl 29/89 Soul/Spirit Magic lvl 29/97 Magic Power 300/1325 I used 1000 alreadythats absurd. However, the power and range correspond with the consumption. The problem is control. As I raise the level of Black Sphere and Green Sphere, Ill somehow reach the point where I can use them well I think. A mass of wind pressure that crushes and pulverizes, it annihilates, and anything it consumes seems to disappear like its being crushed by gravity. I think Ill call it Gravity Sphere Im not able to use it normally yet. For now, I check my surroundings and begin to meditate. Now that Ive recovered to some extent, Ill continue to accompany that roc bird from before. As I meditated, I measured the distance between us, and made sure that I didnt lose sight of it. I dont have much time till everyone else wakes up, so I cant waste my time looking for another enemy. I aim at it just as it reaches the very edge of my range. Black Sphere I aim at the roc birds body, and a whirlwind appears in the correct placebut, it had already moved from the center of the whirlwind, and it began to charge using its strong legs. Black Sphere sucks in air pressure from the surroundings and uses wind to cut things continually. Its not so easy to escape from it. It has taken some damage, but its pretty tough I see. It doesnt care about its injuries and has already shortened the distance between us by half. With this kind of fast enemy, its impossible to escape on foot. I cast Red Wall. Right before the roc bird stabs through me with its beak, a pillar of fire erupts before my eyes and repels the roc bird. The only type of wall magic with offensive capabilities, Red Wall. This pillar of fire will burn, repel, and stop any enemy that touches it. However, this effect doesnt last for long, now when I have the chance to burn it..! I was about to cast Pyro Crash, but then I thought. What would happen if I use wall type magic and Gravity Sphere at the same location? This sort of magic decreases in accuracy the greater the distance. ..Shall I try it a little? The moment that Red Wall breaks, I teleport away. The roc bird lost sight of me for a moment, but soon chased after me with great speed. I leisurely walk around while meditating and when it gets close I teleport. I continue to teleport around without letting the monster lose sight of me. As I continued to do this, nearby roc birds all started to gather and chase me, now I have five roc birds chasing me around. However, theyre pretty spread out. If I cant get them all gathered in one place itll be troublesome. I aim a short distance away and cast Red Wall, the flame wall repels the roc bird in front. But the roc birds that followed it caught up and charged the wall together and broke it in a moment. But, theyre finally all gathered together. Gravity Sphere, Lock I aim at my feet and cast Gravity Sphere. Right before my eyes, the group of 5 roc birds charge straight at me. They stick out their claws to rip me apart. I teleport, and head to the top of a cliff. Crash At that moment, as they lost sight of me, the confused roc birds gathered in a group, then a pitch black magic sphere appeared. The magic enveloped 2 roc birds immediately and annihilated them completely. The remaining roc birds immediately distanced themselves, seeing that their partners were beaten, they escaped at top speed. The area of effect is pretty small and it takes time. I guess I have to say that this magic is not very efficient huh. The scattered roc birds returned to the earth, and when I glanced around I noticed the morning sun climbing through the sky. Milly and company have probably already gotten up. I should start heading back to the lodge now huh? CH 44 n I got back to the lodge, Lydia and Claude were making breakfast. The rich scent of Miso Soup was floating through the air. Even before wed left, Lydia had stuffed various vegetables into her bag. As I suspected, she planned to stay over right from the start. As expected of a shady merchant. [Welcome back Zeph-kun] [You wake up early huh, on the other hand look at Milly-chan..] Lydia looks amazed as she points at Milly, who is still snoring and drooling. Shes as weak as always in the morning. I give a wry smile while looking at her as she turns over and continues to snore. [Is there anything I can help with?] [Its fine, itll be done soon] [Yep yep, just take it easy] The two of them kindly refuse, and since I have nothing to do I guess Ill mess around with the still sleeping Milly. I poke her cheek, and her face looks a little unhappy as she turns it away and twists her body. I dont mind it and keep on poking her, and she continues to roll and roll away. This is kinda funny. Lydia is showing great interest in the state of affairs over here, her eyes have gotten big and she is staring fixedly. In her hand she is gripping a kitchen knife and is rhythmically cutting vegetables. Look at what youre doing, Look! Then a little while later, [Zeph-kun, Milly-san, breakfast is ready] [Milly wake up its morning] [Nnnn~Im up~] She says as she raises her arms. Pull me up, is probably what she means. What a needy fella. [Aa] As I come around to Millys front, I hear Claude start to say something. Hesitantly I grab Millys hands, she grips on and completely lets her weight settle on my arms. [Uo!?] I lose my balance and end up right on top of Milly. Before I even noticed it, both her arms had wrapped around my back and she held onto me tightly. [Ehehe~ Good morning Claude~] It looks like shes mistaken me for Claude. She hugs me and snuggles her face into my chest. At this turn of events I can see Lydias jealous face. It looks like shes saying Ill do it next time [.Nn? Somehow today, isnt Claudes body kinda harder than usual?] *Pat**Pat* she goes. Milly rubs my back. [Are you still half-asleep Milly?] [Eh.huh? UmmmZeph?] Milly separated herself from me, opened her eyes, and confirmed that it was me. Then as she looked at me her face got bright red, then. *Thump!* And she head-butts me and starts to bite at me with all her strength. While Im in pain she goes, Why is Zeph here!? Idiot! Hurry up and get out! And such. It looks like she is actually still half-asleep. After we eat breakfast and go outside the weather seems to have cleared up. There are few clouds and the earth stretches out before us and we can feel the sun shining down on us. [Its so nice out huh~?] As Lydia stretches, her big breasts assert themselves as they jiggle and sway. When Milly sees this, her face seems to get a little depressed. [B.By the way, shouldnt we start climbing again?] Claude guesses whats going on and changes the topic. What an attentive fella. [Thats ri-ght, if we climb some more to a more open place, roc birds are often there, so lets get going.] Lydia lifts her right hand as if to say lets do it, and once again her breasts shake grandly. CMeadow near the top of the mountain [Waa~ This is so nice~] [Yep, the wind feels great~?] Milly closes her eyes, spreads her arms, and enjoys the wind blowing through the meadow with her whole body. Indeed, the wind feels good when it strokes my cheeks. [Its a good place right? In the past, my family used to come here pretty often] To have a picnic in a place where strong monsters show up often.it seems like her entire family is just as monstrous [Shhh!] Lydia puts her finger to her lips, and everyone quiets down at this signal. There are 2 roc birds hanging about in the grass, were pretty far away so it doesnt look like theyve noticed us. [What should we do Kuro-chan?] (Nickname for Claudeitd be Clau-chan but Japanese pronunciation makes it Kuro-chan) [I will take the one on the left and Lydia-san please take care of the one on the right] [Alwight] (she says it cutesy) [Both of you wait. Theres something I want to try] As Lydia looks at me confused, I cast Time Square. With time stopped I cast Black Boots twice and Lydias feet are covered in wind. [Ohhh!? It kinda feels like my body got lighter?] Black Boots enhances the physical abilities of the target and since its been cast twice simultaneously, the power has risen even higher. However, inversely the time it can remain active shortens by quite a bit. [This is fun!] *Hop*Hop* she hops twice, then a third time, in the next instant she kicks off the ground and appears almost instantly in front of the roc bird and it gets blown backwards. [How fast!?] Milly is surprised and looks at Lydia whos still in the air. Before we noticed it, she took out her axe and is gripping it with both hands. The remaining roc bird shoots its neck forward to stab Lydia with its beak. But, at that moment Lydia disappeared, and reappeared at the roc birds feet, she then hauls back and swings at the roc birds feet as hard as she can. Flinching, the roc bird stumbles. [Blue Gale!] The whirlwind/waterspout that Milly calls forth batters the roc bird, and taking advantage of this, Lydia once again strikes with her axe. Her movements are like a whirlwind. I cant see her moving at all..it looks like I raised her speed a little too much. [This is the enhanced version of Black Boots huh. It looks like its too difficult for me to master] [As I thought, it looks pretty harsh] This magic raises your speed but, you cant really figure out when the effects will stop. If the effects stop in the middle of an enemys attack, rather than the magic helping you dodge the strike, youd be more liable to get hit. Even so, it looks like Lydia will somehow be able to handle it, but its too difficult for me and Claude to utilize this. [Attack enhancement and Defensive enhancement would probably be better I think, huh?] [Claude why dont go give Attack enhancement a try?] I cast Time Square, and then Red Glove twice, and Claudes arm is covered in flame. [Amazing..I can feel strength overflowing.!] Claude rushes over to the roc bird and swings her sword. [Teyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!] The sword seems to cut right into the roc birds body, but *Ba kin!!* a sound echoes and it breaks. [It cant be!?] It was a cheap sword without enchantment, so it couldnt endure Claudes enhanced strike. It seems like synthesized Body enhancement magic really does choose its own user. She somehow managed to dodge the roc birds counterattack and forces it back with her shield. [Blue Gale!] Millys magic explodes, and the two roc birds are crushed. [Oh I think my level went up?] [Congrats!] [..Lydia-san, didnt it just go up yesterday?] Lydia is only level 14 still. Its very likely that it will still continue rising. CH 45 ttle while after we beat the roc birds, Lydias enhancement magic ended, and a little while after that, Claudes did as well. The enhancement time was about 2 minutes and the magic consumption was about 300. Looks like it only lasts as long as a single battle. The magic usage is pretty big and the length of the effect is short, it looks like it isnt usable very often Ehhh~ Even though it was so much fun~ My sword.it broke..again Both of them are disappointed. Though the cause of this is completely different for both of them. Looking around while meditating, I see things moving around here and there. It seems like these meadows have quite a few roc birds living here. Looks like it wouldnt be good to advance carelessly Because we have a good view point a surprise attack shouldnt be a problem, but the roc birds are really fast Itd be bad if they surround us. Theres no need to be overly cautious though. I will move to the front. I have great confidence in my eyesight Lydia thumps her chest and we leave the vanguard to her as we slowly advance. We completely ignore the stone gels at our feet. Suddenly Lydia stops in front and puts up two fingers in a peace sign. There are two roc birds, I think she means. Lets do it I murmur, and they nod. In the distance, far enough that youd strain your eyes, there are 2 roc birds relaxing under a tree. Its really well done that she managed to see them at such a distance. There arent even any roc birds in our surroundings. We carefully approach, and once we enter the right range I cast Time Square. In the time manipulation I cast Black Sphere and Green Sphere at the same time. Gravity Sphere The magic activates and I aim for the roc birds coordinates, and murmur. Lock As I let out my voice, I target them with my index finger. With this my aim improves, if you designate a target by aiming like this, the accuracy can be raised. When I was a beginner and I couldnt aim very well, my master taught me this to improve my accuracy. ..Crash I flick my finger up and the magic activates (like a finger pistol), and right before the two roc birds a pitch black magic sphere appears. The roc birds realize the situation and immediately split up to dodge, but one of them was being drawn into the magic. It braced its legs, but soon enough it was engulfed by the magic. With a billowing sound it was destroyed and crushed. Smaller and smaller the magic sphere shrunk until. Along with the disappearance of the magic, one roc bird was completely erased. Even though there was quite a distance between us, I somehow managed to hit it straightas I breathed out a sigh of relief, the remaining roc bird charged us at incredible speed. Blue Gale! It broke through the whirlwind that Milly created and attacked with its sharp claws *DING!* Claude stood in its way and received the blow on her shield. Lydia swung her axe at full power at the off-balance roc birds head. The roc bird fell dizzy at my feet with its head all confused. Its a chance. I aim my open palm at the body of the roc bird and chant my magic within a second. Green Crash The earth cracked and split where the roc bird was lying. Green Crash can only really be used when close to an enemy, but the power of the other Crash type magic cant be compared to it. If the hand to hand combat skill of the mage isnt high enough, it makes it very difficult to use on stronger monsters, chances like this are rare, so when I can use it I will. Also, when I use such powerful magic and unleash such destruction, I look pretty cool. Oops, as I was being silly the roc bird counterattacked. As soon as I got away, Milly attacked the roc bird with Blue Gale, it was ripped apart and destroyed. After the tornado subsided, there was something left glittering there. It looks like a roc birds claw, huh Lydia hoisted up the claw and tossed it to me. I couldnt catch it too well and I bobbled it around a bit before grasping it. Is it okay for me to be carrying this? Well, in all honesty, my bag is pretty full at the moment. Dont worry, Ill properly buy it from you later. At some point she had picked up enough that her bag was almost full, isnt that a bit too fast? As expected of a merchant. Roger that, I put the roc bird claw inside my own bag. Its considerably hard, if you cut down its size would it turn into a knife blade or a spear tip? Ohh~ My level went up~ Congrats~ ? At the honest praise from Milly, Lydia blushed. Then Claude moved close to me and whispered into my ear. ..Zeph-kun, you can see levels with Scout Scope right? Is it possible that Lydia-sans level is really low? There are some things its better you dont know .I suppose so Lydias level is lower than Claudes by about 20, but its better to keep that a secret I think. If youre hunting with Lydia, it might be better to forget about levels altogether, though its a little late to say this. We continue to hunt roc birds while advancing carefully and searching for enemies. When there are two of them, we just fight as we always do. If there are three of them, I use Gravity Sphere from a distance and as long as I hit at least one of them we begin to fight. If I miss, then Milly teleports us away. For now, it looks like my accuracy is at about 50% or so. As Im thinking while I walk, Lydias movements stop. I wonder whats wrong. As we become cautious behind Lydia, she looks carefully from left to right, then slowly looks up into the sky. Shit!!! Everyone! Above us! Get outta the way! I say and grab at Claudes hand, as she is the closest to me, and cast teleport. Milly-chan! At the moment we teleport, Lydia dives towards Milly. Immediately after that a shaped shadow dives down from the sky causing a cloud of dust. -*Flap* and the giant wings shake and cause a great wind to blast making the tall grass tremble and dance wildly. As the dust settles, a clear shaped red silhouette appears. This huge shape has 4 long wings growing from it, a long beak, with a red, white and yellow crest that looked beautiful. It seemed somehow divine. The Sunray Mountains top boss. It was the Sunny Raven! It spread its wings across the sky and let out a piercing cry. CH 46 *Whoosh*Whoosh* the Sunny Raven flapped its huge wings shaking its feathers and making the surrounding plants dance wildly in the wind. A little later the wind reached us, we were enveloped by the torn earth and grass making it extremely difficult to keep our eyes open. Even so I pried my eyes half open and looked towards the monster and saw Lydia covering Milly with her body while they lay on the ground. They both seem to have lost consciousness but Lydia had unhesitatingly shed blood to protect Milly. Milly-san! Lydia-san! Wait Claude! I grabbed Claudes shoulder as she was about to rush over to them and somehow managed to hold her back. Youyou do know youre unarmed right? I cast Time Square and cast Black Boots 2 times inside it. When I released it, swirling whirlwinds clad Claudes feet. Black Boots Double I cast Time Square again then cast both Blue Weapon and Blue Crash at the same time. The broken sword in Claudes hand started to grow a water blade, and the sword reformed. Aqua Blade (TN: Come on Zeph youre getting a little too cool tone it down) CIt seems like Im almost completely out of magic, but I have enough for one more! Spirits of the Earth, Become a Suit of Armor to Protect This Body Safe Protection! Thank you very much! Each moment being precious, as soon as the casting finished, Claude launched herself forward. I followed as well. Listen ok!? As soon as you receive a blow or an attack, Safe Protection will come apart so immediately return! If youre not close enough I wont be able to heal you! I understand! She says this as her eyes continue to stare straight at the fallen Milly and Lydia without wavering. *Tsk*..do you really understand? Before she goes too far I talk to Claude via telepathy. (Ill give you a signal about 10 seconds before the effects of Black Boots Double ends. Once I do, by all means you must withdraw! Got It!?) I think she heard me, but she didnt respond. Now that I think about it, Claude isnt very good at using telepathy. When I thought about trying it once more, Claude had already closed in on the Sunny Raven in an instant. Damn it, anyway Ill somehow manage! Teyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! The blue blade attacks and it looks like a moon has been drawn by the slash as the Sunny Raven defends with its wing. It bites into the wing and feathers go flying everywhere..but that is where the blade stops. CAs I thought its really hard! A boss has powerful magical defenses and is composed of immense magical power. An average attack will most likely not be able to break through these magic defenses, and will be unable to break through the monsters body. *Rustle*..Claude tries to pull the blade out of the wing, but the tough flesh and feathers that covered the wing prevented her from doing so. She kicks at where the sword is stuck and it shakes and trembles, but still refuses to come out. Daaaammmnnnn iiiiiittttt! In order to shake off the groaning Claude, the Sunny Raven, easily lifts its wing, and swings itself from side to side with all its strength. The Sunny Ravens strong legs spun around and around making its large body spin while moving its wings in an arc to scrape them along the ground. As the Sunny Raven kicked up a huge cloud of dust, it disappeared from sight. How did this happen? I have no idea what the situation is. But, I dont stop and thrust myself into the swirling cloud of dust. I immediately cast Scout Scope. Sunny Raven Level 77 Magic Power 151345/220580 I wonder if someone started fighting it immediately after, its pretty hurt but right now that doesnt matter. Inside the dust cloud, neither of us can confirm the others location, but while using Scout Scopes readout, I can confirm the Sunny Ravens movements using its silhouette. It closes up its wings and I leave the dust cloud and watch carefully. Green Sphere, Set Whispering and murmuring, a glowing green magic sphere appears on standby. Then I retreat from the dust cloud and move to the back of the Sunny Raven, I activate the Green Sphere thats been on standby. It enters the dust cloud, the Sunny Raven stabs its beak at the shadow which just appeared, but too bad that wasnt me. When Green Sphere hits that beak, it slowly turns and drags the ravens large body to the ground. With a cracking sound, the Sunny Ravens head is slammed onto the ground. Now before its too late! Behind it, the dust cloud dissipates and I run towards the fallen Lydia and Milly. I only have enough magic left to teleport. I lower my body and try to make as little sound as possible as I advance. I barely dodge the leg of the struggling Sunny Raven and reach out to the two unconscious girls. Reach! And the giant figures movement stops, suddenly the surroundings get dark. I raise my head carefully to look, and my gaze meets the Sunny Ravens golden eyes. *Kiyurururururu*it makes an unpleasant sound as it takes aim at me. Did it eliminate Green Sphere with sheer strength?! Bosss really do have powerful magic resistance. Therefore, magic that is usually very powerful cant, in many cases, showcase its full power, status effect magic might even have their effects invalidated. It bends its neck and aims at me, then strikes with all its strength. Cbut, this is within my assumptions as well. The incredibly fast downward blow, made the wind howl as it approached us. *CLANG* a metallic clank resounded, and the Sunny Ravens beak slams into the ground. Before us Claude is posed with her shield after redirecting the attack. When Claude was unable to pull out the Aqua Blade, I let the blade shrink, at which point it was easy to pull it out. Then as soon as Claude pulled out the Aqua Blade, I conveyed my movements to her via telepathy, and requested support. Daa! Claude pummels the Sunny Raven with her shield. During that gap I rush over to the two on the ground. ..Thank goodness, somehow theyre safe. Thats enough! Come here Claude! I understa.. As Claude was responding the Sunny Ravens eyes glint and shine, and flames leak from its beak. It pulls as hard as it can and pulls its beak out of the ground and opens its jaws wide. In the dark depths of its throat a small flame appears for a moment, then grows as it bursts towards Claude. Red Barrett! The flame shot engulfs Claude in an instant, and then continues to fire. The powerful torrent of flames seems to raise the temperature of the surroundings. Claude! (.kay. I amight ok.Milly-sa..and Lydia.n.) It seems like she activated Screen Point at the last second. Anyway Im relieved. Nonetheless, these flames are hard to approach. I ought to look after the collapsed Milly and Lydia. My magic power is almost completely gone. Claude is using Screen Point and Black Boots Double should still be active for a while. Which means theres one thing I should do. Leave this area to Claude, take these two and retreat. That is the most efficient way.ofdoingthings..but!!! Damn it!!!! I punch the ground and regain a little bit of my composure. (..Ill be right back. Dont die on me Claude.) (Right!) I have nothing else to say when I hear Claudes heroic response, and I use the last of my magic to cast teleport. CH 47 ..ly!..Milly! Get it together Milly! n..nya? After I called her over and over, finally Millys eyelids opened. Lydia hasnt stopped bleeding and shows no signs of waking up. ..huh? Zeph whats wrong? *Kyoton*(Astonished SFX) Milly looks at me vacantly and it seems like she doesnt understand the situation at all. Hurry and cast healing on Lydia! Huh? Ummm..!? Seeing the blood covered Lydia, Millys expression instantly changes. She rushes over to Lydia and begins to cover her in Healing magic. The boss pounced on and assaulted us. Lydia covered you when you fainted, and now Claude is facing it alone ..! I reported the desperate situation and she gasped. When I heard it coming out of my own mouth, it even made me feel like crying. ..Is Claude ok? Its tough Milly blanched and focused on speeding up her healing. However, when I said its tough I meant itd be tough for her to do it alone. If I go, then I should be able to handle it one way or another. ..but, shit My magic is still hasnt even recovered to 20% as of yet, because Im in such a rush and my calm has been disrupted, I cant meditate properly. It cant be helped, even though this goes against my nature I bend myself over the unconscious Lydias stomach, stuck my hand up through the bottom of her clothes, and felt around. Wh-wh-wh, What are you doing at a time like this Zeph?!! Sh-shut up fool! Even I didnt want to have to do this if I didnt ha..there it is! I pull out Lydias bag from between her breasts. I stick my arm into it and grab the Magic Recovery medicines from inside it, then I drank. While I was drinking I cast Time Square, then Healing twice. The healing light layered on top of Millys and brightened further, Lydias horrible complexion became a little healthier. But, it seems like she still hasnt regained consciousness. Ive already taken many magic recovery medicines and even my pocket has some stuffed inside. Im going back to give Claude back up. Milly, Ill leave Lydia in your care. Be careful of the roc birds around here. O, Okay I cast teleport to return to Claudes position. The battlefield is quieter than it was before, and I cant help but get a bad feeling about this. When I teleport back to Claude the fight seems to be nearing its end. One of the Sunny Ravens wings is cut, shredded, and dyed red with blood. Its beak is cracked and chipped in several places. The tip of the battered beak is wet with blood and Claudes body is inside it. Her body is dangling loosely from the beak. She isnt moving at all, not even a twitch. CLAUDE! The Sunny Raven turns toward me as it hears my scream and begins to growl. The moment I see the Sunny Ravens emotionless face, the entire world is dyed in blood red. ..Kill I face the Sunny Raven and prepare for battle as magic floods out of my body. The moment I cast Time Square to utilize Gravity Sphere, Claudes hand twitched in response to my voice and she moved. Thank goodness, somehow shes still alive. However, I still want to kill this bastard. I aimed at the Sunny Raven and magic gathered in my hand. Gravity SphereLock I have to quickly save Claude from that evil birds beak. At that moment the Sunny Raven opened its beak wide to swallow Claude. ..Crash! I aimed at the scruff of that things neck and invoked Gravity Sphere. The magic sphere appeared and warped the space around it, dragging the things body in while distorting it as it let out a creaking, crunching sound. Gururururururu eeeeeeeee!! It let out a cry as it tried to endure, it opened its beak wide and released Claude, who fell towards the ground. I managed to teleport fast enough to catch her. Claude dropped from a considerable height, and when I caught her my arms received quite a shock, strong enough that it felt like my arms were going to fall off. Heavy! I was supposed to catch her all cool and suave, but I let out a groan and spoke without thinking. As expected, my strength has fallen back to how it was as a child. It looks like Ill have to train myself once again. .Thats horrible of you..to say youre heavy to a girl Holding onto consciousness, Claude whispers this while smiling slightly. So she heard that just now ..the armor is heavy I played it off with all my might, but she smiled and it seemed like shed seen through it. *Tsk*, this isnt over. I smiled wryly as I held Claude in my arms and was about to teleport away, but it looks like things werent going to work out like that. The Sunny Ravens eyes shine sharply, it is forcefully pushing Gravity Sphere down and attacking me with its wing. By chance it misread the distance and when I jumped back I was barely able to dodge. I cast teleport, but I cant activate it properly. The Sunny Raven is getting close, and Im carrying Claude. It takes more concentration to use teleport, I need to calm down or I wont be able to use it. Sensing my flustered mental state, Claude whispers in a small voice. Zeph-kun, leave me.. Are you a fool? If I planned to abandon you then I wouldnt have come to save you in the first place I guess so Claude grabs onto my clothes. Hold on tight ..ok I cast Time Square while embracing Claude. Inside the time suspension I cast Black Boots twice and activate it. My feet are surrounded by wind and I run with all my might..but, the weight of two people lowered the speed more than I had thought. The reason for this is physical enhancement magic largely depends on the subjects initial physical abilities. Jump to the left please! I react to Claudes voice and jump left, and a large yellow beak passes to my side. The Sunny Raven creates gusts of wind as it stabs down. If I get hit by something like that, even if I have Safe Protection, it wont end without injury. The wind pressure breaks my balance slightly and I quickly look to the side, and see at the end of a long neck, a big birds head looking at me and smiling. No, its flame leaking from the beak, thats what that expression means. CRed Barre.Pyro Crash The spiraling flames that I blasted forth, smashes the Sunny Ravens jaws open, and it engulfs the Red Barrett as the spiral continues to grow. _____________!! The smashed beak of the Sunny Raven issues a mute cry as the flames spread to its head and neck. Now when I have the chance.! The appearance of the Sunny Ravens wrecked body, gives the feeling of a fallen king. When a boss takes a certain amount of damage it can enter into Madness/Rampage mode, in this mode fighting power increases. The shell of the Raven crumbles, and a burning red body made of flames is revealed. As it spreads its wings fully, it seems like a flaming fortress. *Tsk* damn, its entered its madness mode huh? One of the conditions to enter madness mode is to have magic power lowered to one-third of the total. Claudes valiant fight against it may have backfired in this situation. Furthermore the Sunny Raven has. -such overpowering magic. Madness mode bosses spread out overpowering magic, magic with a certain range including teleportation magic that requires good concentration are basically sealed. The range of this fallen king is remarkably vast. It seems like its no longer possible to run away. Its red eyes burning with a desire for revenge, the Sunny Raven glares at me. It flaps its wings towards me as if waving hello, and from there a huge number of fire balls are flung towards me. GehRed Ball! Moreover such an insane number! White Wa. As I cast White Wall, I stop. Shit, the magic power I have now is Magic recovery medicine.! I desperately try to search the bag, but by now the Red Ball is almost right on top of us. No good I wont make it Zeph-kun! Claude cries out, embraces the back of my head, and I suddenly feel a soft sensation pressing against my lips. Instantly my mind stops. Right in front of me, with her eyes closed, is the face of a furiously blushing Claude. Claudes tongue enters into my mouth, and at this point I finally understand what has just happened. The next moment the Red Ball rained down on us, a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke exploded into the air. The smoke cleared up and little by little a big round shadow slowly crumbled. That was the White Wall which at the very last instant blocked the rain of Red Balls. From behind the crumbling wall the figures of myself and Claude appeared. We separated our faces, and *Puwaaa* breathed. There is a slightly bitter taste left in my mouth. A while ago, Claude fed me the magic recovery medicine mouth to mouth. Though I had Claude take the magic recovery medicines before, I never thought that it would come in handy like this. Sorry. You really helped me out. As one would expect, its embarrassing. I thank Claude with a red face. Um, this should be left a secret from Milly-san This last sentence was said very quietly. Were so close that we can hear each others heartbeat. Well Claude, a secret is all well and good, but can you keep what Im about to do to yourself? Eh..what are you..Yaaah!? I slightly drop Claude making her let out a little scream. When I regain my balance properly, I once again lift Claude back up. Since the Sunny Raven has entered its madness mode, its magic has a big range. In this situation escaping is really difficult. Thats why, Im just going to kill it Thats..yeah, ok. But, why did you want it to be a secret? I gave the confused Claude a roguish smile and answered. Because Im not going to use very decent or respectable methods (TN: Shits about to go down) CH 48 After the destruction caused by the flames, we stood there unharmed. For a moment the Sunny Raven looked at us curiously, but it immediately readied itself for battle and spread its wings. Claude Leonhardt Level 31 Red Lvl 9/45 Blue Lvl 7/39 Green Lvl 0/40 Sky Lvl 0/47 Soul Lvl 0/51 Magic Power 46/596 It seems like when she held the magic recovery medicine in her mouth a little while ago, her magic slightly recovered. Theres a perfect magic for this situation. Claude, activate Screen Point please Understood A thin membrane covers Claudes body. The Sunny Raven begins its assault and flaps its wings towards the ground, at that moment. Lock I chant with my finger firmly pointed at the Sunny Ravens feet. CBlue Wall! The moment I chant my spell, a wall of ice appears at the ravens feet and traps one of its legs. Its only a moment, but it is temporarily stopped and I wont let this opportunity go. I then cast Blue Wall twice more, and the Sunny Ravens entire body is encased by ice. Blue Wall is the hardest of all the 5 wall magics, it creates walls and narrow passages that hinder the enemys movements. However, thats the only publicly known use for it. The complete sealing of the Sunny Ravens movements that I have just done, is a secret use for Blue Wall. These walls made by magic will take time to destroy, no matter what magic resistance the boss has and even if it uses its full strength. The wall type spells will appear at the exact coordinates you aim at when you invoke them. Its necessary to aim for the monsters coordinates as accurately as possible to perfectly use Blue Wall. Its difficult to invoke it on a moving enemy, but you only need to catch them once then its possible to completely seal their movements. Kurrurururururu.. *Crreeeeeaaaakkkk* the ice wall creaks and groans. But its useless, for a long time the magic society has taught wall as one of the first spells to magicians, its not possible to break it in such a short amount of time. Amazing..that giant body is completely frozen.. Claude, stand there and dont move no matter what I move behind the confused Claude and stick close to her back, and at that moment the immobile and enraged Sunny Raven began to shoot magic randomly. Hi!? She cried, and tried to run away. But I grabbed her shoulders from behind and held her in place. Flapping its wings and opening its beak, the raven rained many spells all throughout the range of its magic. CAh, the distant Roc Birds got scattered. The Blue Wall encasement can, in the end, only seal its movements. It is unable to stop the immobile monsters attacks, and within its range it will rain destruction. In the blink of an eye, a crater has expanded through the area. This is, of course, an annoying event for adventurers. When an especially powerful magic boss is reported to the magic society, secret methods will be used to deal with it. As the surroundings are being destroyed, Claude is shaking and has broken out into a cold sweat, but is somehow still standing at attention. I lean against her back and *gulp gulp* drink the magic recovery medicines I take out of Lydias pack, and calculate the time. C20 seconds left. Hieeeeeeeeeee Please endure, Ill be done as soon as possible I reach my hand under Claudes armpit and she lets out a little scream, but doesnt move her body. I tell her not to move, and she properly stays still. As expected, shes well disciplined. The Sunny Ravens Madness Mode is Red attribute level 2. Its resistant to red and weak against blue. However, the Blue system doesnt have any strong magic usable against boss monsters. Id have a chance of victory with synthesis magic, but Pyro Shot has its own weakness, and since I cant properly look at it or confirm the ravens status, Gravity Sphere probably wont hit. What should I do now?as I thought that, Millys face floated across my mind. Millys magic specialty huh? If its that then I dont particularly need to aim. I cast Magic Amp and then Blue Gale. A doubly enhanced hurricane captures and engulfs the Sunny Ravens body. The Sunny Raven struggles and flaps around seemingly in pain. The Blue Gale didnt seem too different compared to Millys even though I enhanced it. It cant be helped, since our Blue Gales levels are different. COnly 7 seconds left. While drinking the magic recovery medicine I continue to aim at the Sunny Ravens coordinates. *Pishipishi* the first Blue Wall cracks, then immediately shatters But there are still two walls sealing that things movements, so it still cant regain its freedom yet. This additional time delay is the reason I heaped the Blue Walls on top of each other. The wall smoothly imprisoned the Sunny Raven for a second time, and I cast Scout Scope. Sunny Raven Level 77 Magic Power 59828/220580 Its being cut down little by little. If its like this can I just defeat it? I still have magic recovery medicine too. I count the Blue Walls activation time and cast a double Blue Gale. Even while suffering in the hurricane, the Sunny Raven scatters magic everywhere. A number of the spells hit Claude, but she nullifies them and continues to stand there without moving. Because Im pressed against her back, I can tell how scared she is, her heart is beating violently in fear. Her hands and feet are shaking and shivering. No matter how well she can nullify magic, its still undoubtedly scary. But theres no choice but to withstand it. Do your best Claude, if its you then I believe you can do it. Once more I estimate the right time and cast Blue Wall twice again. Itd be a waste of magic so I wont use Scout Scope anymore. For the fourth timeDouble Blue Gale! The hurricane tears into the Sunny Raven, and its body made of flames dispersed into the air. At the same time, I felt that I had leveled up. I finished it. Thats amazing! Zeph-kun! You really beat it! Though the surroundings are in a terrible state Claude looked over her shoulder with a smiling face and let out a gasp. Claude looked around the area and saw that wherever the magic of the enraged Sunny Raven hit, there was a crater with smoke rising out of it. What a horrible state this place is in. Ah well, a dungeon spot with highly concentrated magic will, to some degree, repair such damage within a few days. Its to the point where the defeated monsters can be revived by magic. Theres no reason for it not to be enough to restore some land. Even so, Claude seems overcome with emotion. Her eyes seem to have gotten misty. Well its not like I dont understand how she feels, I thought while looking at her face from the side. Then she turned her face towards me and embraced me tightly. I.I thought that..if I could protect everyone then itd be fine for me to die herebut you protected everyone and even beat the boss..Zeph-kun Im so glad to be with you..! With a tearful voice Claude lets out her feelings, and when I pet her head a little, she hugs me even tighter. This is all well and good, but the plate armor is hurting me. Well, Claudes happy, so why not stay like this for a while? CH 49 Zeph-kun! Please look at that! Claude was pointing at where the Sunny Raven had just disappeared, it seems it left an item there. Its a sword. The item the Sunny Raven dropped is the treasure sword Freybrand. It is loaded with flame magic and is capable of casting Red Ball without verbal chanting. It relies on ones own magic, the quality of that magic, and several other factors which cause the power to vary greatly. The Anyone can use it Red Ball isnt that powerful because of it. Though I say that, it is an interesting weapon nonetheless. Nobles and rich people usually want this sword to show off, in other words its a luxury item. I wonder if its relatively rare at this time? In Beruta town I saw it being sold once at a stall. At that time, I think the price was. 3,000,000 rupi, and even at that price it sold immediately. Why a monster turns into things like weapons, armor, etc. is unknown. But one sort of explanation is that, the magic from the surroundings in the dungeon is concentrated inside of monsters, while in combat the monsters begin to form the items according to appearance and type. I immediately ran over to Freybrand and went to take it in my hand. -but my hand was deflected and I felt a light pain. Then from the side another hand reaches out and grabs the treasure sword Freybrand. It seems like they teleported over here, and before I could do anything, the hand had hidden the sword away inside a black coat. That.why. In contrast to Claudes cry of dismay, I clicked my tongue. As I thought. The Sunny Raven was hurt before. In all likelihood, before it fought us, it probably had already been in a battle. While it was in battle it was probably shot while we were unable to see. The monster is made up of the dungeons magical energy. The items dropped from the monsters are also made up and surrounded by the same magic and energy. This magic will reject anyone except the one who fought the monster. Until this magic disappears the only ones who can pick up the item is the main fighter and their partner. The definition of Main Fighter and partner are the ones who did the most damage to the monster. If more than one party hurt the same monster, the one who did the most damage is given priority. Therefore, those with ill intentions purposefully attacking from the side to steal the item, this is called a Kill Steal, the magic association decided that this action is prohibited. ..! Intentionally stealing the kill from the side is banned! That is pretty much only for normal monsters only. Claude, kill stealing or attacking from the side to take down a dangerous and powerful boss is a valid act. Thats the case. Sorry. Immediately above where I was squatting I hear a familiar low husky voice. -this voice, can it be!? Surprised, I raise my head and its just as I remember. Short black hair and a black coat. Underneath it is a well-proportioned and slim body. Navel exposed, with a short shirt slightly open at the chest and well-toned abs. A magic enhancing circle was drawn upside-down on black gloves. On her neck is a silver necklace with magic enhancements. Cold almond shaped eyes and a straight nose. I remember the appearance of this woman as her coat flaps as I look at her. Good work (Master!) I froze in surprise and somehow managed to keep myself from crying out. This woman, once upon a time, took me in as a disciple even though it was an unreasonable request, Seruberie Shugeru. I never interacted much with other people but, within only half a year of being with her I acknowledged her as the strongest mage Id seen. Her impression is sharper than what Im used to, but on the whole her atmosphere is just the same. Her thin, wolf-like body and her sharp predatory gaze are the same as always. My deeply emotional gaze might have seemed strange to my motionless master. Giving me a dubious look, she wordlessly teleported away. What the heck was that! Not paying attention to the pouting and angry Claude, I stare in a daze in the direction my master has just disappeared. She looks at my face and sees that Im not really paying attention, and her cheeks puff up even further in displeasure. A little bit later we return to Milly and Lydias side. Milly is on the verge of tears and is still continuing to cast healing on Lydia. We have just returned Milly-san When Milly hears Claudes call, she lifts her face, and the tears gathered in her eyes start to flow down her face. Zeph, Claude youre okay! Leaving Lydia, she leaps towards me and Claude. H..hugging my neck with all your strength is painful. You twowhy are you both always so beat up Now that you mention it whenever Claude and I fight together we seem to always end up in tatters.. Maybe we dont have very good compatibility. As I was spacing out and thinking, Lydia abruptly sat up. ..huh? whats going on guys? I mean what happened to me too? Since she hit her head it seems like her consciousness is confused. Lydia looks at us with a sleepy blank expression on her face, and we all start laughing. Since after all thats happened were tired, we are ready to go back to town. We all go to the edge of a cliff and teleport directly to the foot of the mountain. Then we waited for the carriage to come and returned to the town by evening. The loot that was in the carriage, the roc bird claw etc., was sold for 20,000 rupi, and while Milly was pleased with the money, Claude, who had seen my master take Freybrand, had a complicated expression. By the way, since last time we used money to buy Milly and Claude equipment, this time the money is to buy equipment for me. Its fine to use it freely but, well its good to take my time to choose. We split with Lydia and the three of us were on the way back to the inn. Milly kept asking about the boss fight over and over, but we said that we had run away from it. Claude and I had gotten our stories straight and our acting was pretty good so we werent found out. Claude looked at me, her gaze was threatening and a little scary demanding a proper explanation later. When we got back to the inn, Milly went by herself to take a bath and Claude visited my room. Whats the meaning of this! Why is this a secret from Milly-san? And why are you siding with that person!? When she entered the room, Claude drew closer to me. She was staring at me and looked like she was going to grab me at any moment. .Well calm down Claude. Its not that Im on mas..her side. Boss hunting just has those kinds of rules. And if we were to tell Milly shed just blow up and thered be trouble Thatscertainly you could say that I guess. I drive away the still dissatisfied Claude and recall what happened this noon. The moment before master teleported, I barely managed to cast Scout Scope. Seruberie Shugeru Level 91 Red Lvl 72/78 Blue Lvl 78/85 Green Lvl 45/70 Sky Lvl 79/94 Soul Lvl 18/65 Magic Power 1126/5715 That person has a really high magic level. Right now my master should be around 20 years old or so.. At that stage it is extremely hard to raise your level. In those days Scout Scope wasnt around so they wouldnt really know, but reaching such a level took only 20 years. Also there is the risk of Death that comes with long periods of hunting, there arent many that would hunt for such a long time, alsoin those days compared to now the leveling up might reach a brake at high levels and you may only be able to level up once per year or something like that. I dont even know what to say about this kind of speed.. However, whats truly surprising isnt just this. Before she took off, I couldnt see very well but, there were at least 10.special magics that I could see. It was the inherent magic that was specialized to my Master that Ive seen her use in the past. There was an enchantment spell on her equipment, which increased the effectiveness of said equipment however, that obvious enchantment was to hide her more special magics which she had stored away in case of emergencies. As per usual, she is still such a careful person. CH 50 Chapter 49: Kill Steal ..no matter how much you ask if its not possible its not possible. Sorry but Im busy. Try someone else. *Shaaaa* the rain was falling, my head bowed, a woman looked at me emotionlessly. Her black coat flapping in the wind, not letting a single drop of rain through. In those days I didnt know much about magic but, while other mages were using umbrellas and wearing raincoats, the woman in front of me was using magic to block the rain. I thought that other mages might not be able to do this and it needed amazing magic usage. I continue to look at her in envy and listlessly comb my hair up and let out a weary sigh. .why not me? Thats. As master is about to answer I-wake up. A dream huh? A dream of the past when I met master. Ive heard of cases where you wake up at midnight from a dreamthere are those kinds of things. My mouth is parched. In my room is a pitcher full of water, I pour it into a teacup, and drink it all in one gulp. Its still dark outside. I think its probably still the middle of the night. By the way, I wasnt woken up by the dream, but instead woke up naturally. Inside of Time Square I can endow a sleeping state by casting Sleep Code and Healing at the same time, in an instant I can enter a state of deep sleep and it can cut my necessary sleep time in about half. When Im with Milly and the others, I cant act as I please and I cant find any time to train magic on my own, but I can utilize this time between midnight and dawn to train as much as I want. Its become a habit now to cast Scout Scope when I get up. Zeph Einstein Level 37 Red Lvl 30/62 Blue Lvl 27/87 Green Lvl 28/99 Sky Lvl 29/89 Soul Lvl 20/97 Magic Power 1450/1465 Oh yeah, on the Sunray Mountains I used Black Sphere and Green Sphere quite a bit, I wonder how many levels I got. I check these two levels and then I notice something. White Sphere Lvl 1 Summon Servant Below White Sphere, there is something written in gray letters, called Summon Servant. All the other magic is written in white letters. It seems like Scout Scopes level has increased. It seems like its reached the point where I can acquire new magic. However, Summon Servant huh, I havent heard of this magic. It seems like a type of summoning magic though. There are methods to learn magic through scrolls, and there is a method to learn magic through increasing your level. (Actually learning through levels is the original method.) For example: if you raise the level of Red Ball enough, then you will eventually be able to use Red Shot. For Soul magic, anything beyond mid-class spells require a high-class medium (costing 1000 rupi each) to use, for this reason it is quite restrictive. For that reason, Soul magic is limited to extremely rich people or whimsical flights of fancy. These kinds of people who spend such Grand amounts of money on magic dont really have any reason to get involved with the magic association, therefore the Grand Soul Magics are mostly unknown to most. I thought that you could use the first Grand magics once you level up Sphere and Crash. The mid-class long range magic Sphere and the short range Crash, if I remember correctly, once you train these two, itll become possible to use Grand Magic. I wanna try it outbut, it costs too much money The first Grand Magic I remember learning was theRed Grand Magic, by using Crash and Sphere as my main, I remember it took me about two months. Itd be 500 times a day for 60 days, so thats about 30,000 times and thatd come out to about.30,000,000 rupi? Moreover this is just an assumption, its possible for a Grand Magic to require up to 3 high quality mediums. ..so thats why no one uses it Because Im a person that finds most things bothersome, carrying around jangling clanking high quality mediums for spells was something Ive not done. However, Soul is the magic I have the second greatest talent in. And looking at it, Im curious about this magic that I havent heard of before. First of all Ive got to earn money. I dont feel that its appropriate to dip into the guilds funds, Ive got to figure out a way to earn money from hunting at night. Though I say that, I cant go too far away. I have to go money hunting within Beruta ..oh yeah theres that place -Cave by the Seaside- Its the dungeon where I first went hunting with Lydia. Its not the season for mass gathering, but the Nippers drop the Sea Gods Tears and theyre worth some money. Plus, this late at night there arent really any people. This time I enter from the entrance. The inside is pretty spacious and half of it is covered by the tide. There seems to be some deep areas so I need to proceed with caution. As expected, since its so late theres no one here, so I can expect to do some pleasant hunting. I cast Black Boots, wind covers my feet, and my body feels lighter. I teleport intermittently, quickly searching and in the distance I see a shadow move. A light blue, soft and flabby, jelly shape is there. And from it a feeler extends out searching around it for prey. Seaside Gel huh A jellyfish that lives in the sea with dungeon magic, it gains the ability to roam on land. Its body is slow but the feelers and unexpectedly fast and powerful so being cautious is a good idea. When I notice it approaching me slowly, I cast Black Boots on it, the Seaside Gel is covered in wind, and it looks like someone put it on fast forward as it comes after me. The increased speed of it squirming towards me was kind of disgusting. Be that as it may, its speed was still only about half of mine, so I had it follow me around while I hunt. As I led the Seaside Gel around, I saw a Nipper and shot a Red Ball at it. When it got hit by the flames, it started chasing me but it was slow, I cast Black Boots, and the Nippers speed increased. I repeat this several times and eventually I have a few monsters following at a sped up pace, however the concentration of monsters is too thin. For training and hunting this is lacking in efficiency. Black Crash! The monster group was caught up in a dark tornado and was torn apart, then I kept walking. Shall I go in deeper? Its late at night but the inside of the cave is lit up. The moss on the walls seems to be able to glow. If you think about it, this cave should be dark even at noon, but it seems like that wont be a problem. While Im walking, if I find a Nipper I cast Black Crash and tear it apart. This is certainly 1000 rupi. Now I only need to repeat this 30,000 times. Once before Lydia got an order for tens of High quality mediums, but it was a miscalculation. She almost fainted. Its not the Nippers hunting season so there arent that many around. However, my aim isnt the Nippers. I came here when it wasnt that time because there wouldnt be any people, and the monsters would be left alone. .there it is. In the corner of the cave. A huge red body half hidden by rocks, seemingly asleep, and unmoving. 8 large legs twitching at times, and large claws moving up and down with its breath. The seaside caves mid-boss, King Nipper. Ill be your opponent for the night. CH 51 I confirmed the existence of the King Nipper sleeping by the side of a rock, and I begin to formulate the combat plan. There are no enemies in the surrounding area, moreover the area is quite spacious for battle, If my speed is enhanced and I attack it whilst kiting it backwards, it should be sufficient to kill it. A little distance is taken, I faced towards the King Nipper and began chanting green sphere. A green magic ball floats in the air as it flutters forwards.following that I casted another green sphere. The speed of the green sphere is slow, and it is difficult to hit mobile targets. However, the opposite is also true, for a target that isnt very agile, it is possible to cast multiple green spheres and hit the target. The moment the first green sphere hit, I chanted time square, and I simultaneously casted both black sphere and green sphere. Gravity Sphere!! a black magic ball is generated and the torso of the King Nipper was being shaved off. For something as huge as a King Nipper, it wasnt really necessary to aim a body part with so much precision, but perhaps it was because I was continuously using this spell in the Sunray Mountain Range, but I have become able to pretty accurately target the location I aim at. It just means that I got used to the spell I suppose. The next green sphere also lands on its target. When the second green sphere hit, the King Nipper was pressed against the rock wall, and seemingly as if it was in pain, it clattered and squirmed to escape the ball. I wanted to continue.to attack however, I didnt have limitless magic so I needed to confirm its health. As the green sphere slowly fades away I immediately casted scout scope. King Nipper Level 58 Magical Value 48825/65824 I used almost all of my magical energy to cast these spells, and it took around 17000 health. The green sphere was now completely broken, and as the King Nipper approaches me, I perform my meditation. Whilst circulating my magical energy throughout my body, I imagine my body being very still. The King Nipper raises its scissor hands in the air, and throws it straight towards me, I quickly jump backwards and evade the blow. I keep meditating whilst continuing to create a bigger distance between the King Nipper. ..About 20 percent has been recovered. Its because half of my focus is on evading the hits. The rate of recovery is slower than usual. Over and over again, the King Nipper strikes at me with its huge scissor hands and even though it was possible to avoid, the magnitude of damage still frightened me. I have safe protection on me so it wasnt like I was going to die in one hit, however whenever I barely avoid the strike, I feel a chill up my spine, and it disturbs my concentration. Using Gravity Sphere many times, to some degree I have been able to grasp the feeling when its about to hit the target, and I suppose I will only get better as I keep using it. If I used some sort of elemental wall, and stopped its movements, it would be really easy to take it down, however I was resolved to improve my close quarters combat so I discarded the idea. This is because, the King Nipper was big and slow. For a sparring partner, this fellow was the perfect practice. ..30 Percent Recovery. I kept avoiding the attacks, and whilst planning for my next set of actions, I continued to meditate. If this was a quick moving monster, I wouldnt be able to replicate this behaviour. At least, with my current strength that is. Dogun!! A sound of impact resounds as the King Nipper misses his strike again, suddenly the King Nipper stops its movements. It would seem that after striking the wall, its thick scissor hands was stuck and wouldnt come out. Chance! I approached it, holding my hand over its thick shell and recited Green Sphere. Before the impact, the King Nipper began to blow bubbles out of its mouth. The shell carapace cracks a little. Its eyes looked towards me, it seemed to be filled with anger as it glared viciously. However, I was unconcerned. Green Crash!! When I fired off my blast of magic towards it, its body began to sink even deeper into the rock wall. If hes stuck in the wall like this, cant I just take advantage and keep shooting him? Even his torso is starting to sink into the wall and the ceiling crumbles a little. Green Crash! As it was struggling to get out, I didnt let it and fired another attack. However, with that last blow, the wall completely crumbles and the King Nipper retrieved its freedom. The moment it breaks free, it lashes out at me in anger with its huge scissor hands and it manages to catch the edge of my clothing, just like that, my body was carried by the force of the swing. Shit!? Just as I was thinking this, it was too late, the ballistic impact threw me against the rock wall. Blood flowed backwards from my internal organs, and a little leaks out from my mouth. My clothes ripped half way and it was lucky that the clothes were no longer caught in its grasp. If I was crushed continuously by its scissor hands, even if I had safe protection on me, I would have not been able to get away without severe injuries. I walked forwards with an unsteady gait, as I meditated. Previously I have already hit it with green crash three times, it is likely that it still has more than half of its hp. Even if I was in my best condition it would take around 3 minutes to completely recover my magic. On top of this, with my injured state, and being exposed to the attacks of the King Nipper, I have to endure whilst meditating. The situation is quite bad, and it is in times like this that a true magician would be able to go into deep meditation. My consciousness was purely focused on two things: meditating and avoid attacks. Optimization of ideas and putting it into practice. Predict the King Nippers trajectory of attack from its starting point to the finish, and focus on meditating to the limits before evading the attack. Zudon! The downward swing of its large pincers could be predicted! The angle and position it would land in. I stared into the ground where its pincers were now buried with no feelings whatsoever, with a lot of force, the King Nipper dug up a rock from the ground and flung it towards me. I could also predict this set of movements. I hid myself behind boulder as the rock came flying over, and as the remnants of flying debris settled down, I quickly escaped from this small space into a wider place running with short steps. Perhaps this would work better if I avoid like Lydia, who avoids the blow with minimal movements, however, that kind of movement is impossible for me. Forecasting the orbit from the starting point of the attack, I could roughly deal with it. Erasing any distracting thoughts, and to a certain extent predicting its attack patterns and movements, the best I can do is optimize my unrefined movements by repeating it many times. If there is some distance between us the King Nippers movements are quite dull and monotonous. After a while it was simple to deal with. Whilst slowly meditating, I kept on evading the attack of the King Nipper. My magic was recovering fairly well, it should be about done. Gravity Sphere!! The carapace of the King Nipper began to billow and creak as a fissure opened up. When I was fighting it previously, I remember that I casted Pyro Crash to deal approximately 7000 damage to it. Gravity Sphere was similar but a little more powerful. Because my level has increased since then so I approximate it to be around 10,000 per blast. In other words, I would need to cast it around 3 or 4 more times.. I regained my breath at once and began meditating again. After applying the third round of Gravity Sphere to it, the King Nipper was swallowed by the black magical sphere and was exterminated. It was an intense fight Both the ground and the surface of the rock wall in the surroundings were filled with holes as dust floated around. The last time I killed the boss it did not drop anything special, but the King Nipper has a high chance of dropping the Poseidon Tears. The other thing it could drop quite frequently was an even bigger Poseidon Tear and its price would be ten times the amount of a normal tear. Therefore, it was unsurprising that the King Nipper was a monster that was often targeted by Adventurers. After the King Nipper disappeared, I doubted my eyes momentarily as to what I saw. What lie there was a square light brown object that was shining. On the square object, a picture of the King Nipper was drawn on it. A King Nipper Card.Youve got to be kidding me.?! CH 52 King Nipper Card. Its use is to cut all incoming damage by 30 percent, this will apply to even physical damage. If the card is enchanted into an armor, no matter who the magician is, they will want this particular card. For a mage who lacks protection and is not skilled in the arts of physical combat, the card is highly compatible with them. Moreover, because the armor blocks all incoming damage by a flat 30 percent, even if the boss is highly skilled in magic, it will still be useful. Because my luck is not that great, I have never picked up a card myself until now. In the past, I hunted a large amount of zombies that was rotting away in the church, but after killing a large number of them, a card did not drop. (Well, perhaps it was because I indiscriminately massacred them too muchso that I did not notice even if it were to drop.Well the effects of a zombie card are pretty much trash, so its not like it matters anyways) I quickly rushed over and picked up the King Nipper card. A boss card is extremely expensive and can be sold for a price that lets seven generations of a family live without working any longer, furthermore, the money can be used to purchase the most expensive high quality equipment. Im guessing for a mid-boss card like the King Nipper, it will be at least a tenth of the price of a boss card. When I think about such a thing, my heartbeat reflexively quickens and my palms get sweaty. The hand holding the card is trembling. I felt like I would accidently drop the card as I put it in my pouch, and just as I was about to do so, I felt a presence behind me, so I turned around. We meet again It was a nostalgic voice that I was used to hearing. Before I knew it, my Master approached me whilst holding on to her coat. Inadvertently, I quickly hid my hand which was holding on to the card. You dont have to worry, its not like I will do something as despicable as stealing. If Im found out by the Magician Society to be a criminal who steals, even I will be in a heap of trouble No, I wasnt implying such a thing. I said this whilst smiling bitterly. Contrary to my own expectation, I was quite the cheap person. I pulled the concealed card back out of my pocket as if appealing that my intentions were pure. Naturally, stealing another adventurers loot, was strictly prohibited. When a dungeon is officially recognized and being managed by the government, any illegal acts are all monitored by the Magician Society, if a fight breaks out and people start attacking each other, this will be monitored. As a result if the people are found to be guilty, the elite group from the Magician society will be sent out, and the criminal will be restrained and apprehended. By the way, in the slum areas of the downtown, these kinds of trouble crops up way too often, so in that area, there isnt much measures being taken. Adding on to this fact, there are a variety of other complicated rules and regulations regarding politics and rights, but Im not too acquainted with those things. In terms of teaching me various things, like the best way to train against a particular monster, or how to hunt the small fries or the stronger monsters these kinds of things were all taught to me by my master, however, Ive never seen her hurt or torture a person or threaten them. By the way, I have quite a rude request suddenly, I really want the King Nipper card and Ive been hunting it for a long period of time. Do you think that you could sell it over to me? If its about the money I will pay however much you would like Saying this, she took out a bag filled with a huge amount of money. This is everything I own As usual shes completely crazy.As I thought such things, I inadvertently laughed. Did I say something weird? Well, a woman who can suddenly fling her whole wealth away isnt necessarily the most normal thing When my Master wants something, she will throw everything away in order to obtain it. That concentration and tenacity is something worthy of deep admiration, amongst the Magician users, her nickname is called the Starving Wolf. In the past, Ive occasionally used this habit of hers to my advantage. When I move the card to the left, she follows my hand chasing it down with her eyes. When I moved it to the right, her gaze kept following my hand.As usual, Master, you havent changed one bit. In the old times, I travelled together with my master, and there was this cake called the Wagashi, which was a sweet tasting cake (from a foreign country with a rich texture, it was quite popular. However, obtaining the cake was an arduous task) Just like in my memory, she was persistently chasing after it. Shes willing to give me any price.? Hmm, the cost to increase the level of my abilities will take high level magical mediums, which will be approximately 30,000,000 Rupi. Well to start with, Ill ask her for this much. If you give me 30,000,000 Rupi, I will be happy to sell it Im sorry but, I am two million short Even so its a sum of 28 million Rupi If its just two million, even I can obtain it if I work, let alone for my Master, she should be able to obtain it very quickly I will be able to obtain it tomorrow. I really need this item, could you please wait for me a little longer? Thats not possible. If you dont pay up right now, I wont sell it .Im begging you. If its something I can do, let me know and I will do it for you Taking off her coat and letting it drop to the ground, I could see a large amount of Magical items inside her pockets. If you want to take away all these magical items in my possession, I also wont mind it. If you sell these items, they should amount to at least 5 million Rupi She wants it that badly? However after taking off her coat, her upper body was really exposed, her body right now was quite seedy When I stare at her, her expression was really desperate. Umu, did I tease her too much? For some reason I felt kind of sorry for her. There must be a really good reason, why she really needed the card. .Well, its not like I really need the money.Do you think I could speak to you about another matter? Saying this, I placed my hand towards my Master. Perhaps she was slightly perplexed at the sudden motion, but she regained her composure, and lightly shook my hand. Im Zeph. Zeph Einstein .Seruberie Shigeru Not looking at the card, this time around she was looking at me when she answered. It would seem that she has taken a slight interest in me. -Entrance to the Beach Dungeon Cave When I left the cave, a fresh sea breeze fills up my lungs. Ive consistently kept up the healing, so I should be a lot better now. Zeph..Do you mind if I call you by that? Of course its fine, I hope its alright if I call you by Seruberie When I was travelling together with Master, I used to call her by Master, but right now, it is probably more appropriate for me to call her by Seruberie. Seruberie. Seruberie. Seruberie. OK. For adventurers, things like age do not really matter, the standard is to call each other by their first names regardless of a hierarchical relationship. This is so that both parties can admit an equal existence..thats what its supposed to be, but considering how big our age gap is. it may be a little awkward. So, getting back to the point, what exactly do you want me to do? She was sitting next to me, and whilst asking this question she casually brushed her hair upwards. Umu, to begin with, I just wanted to have a conversation with her, so I didnt really have something I really wanted her to do. To put it simply, I was quite curious about Seruberies inherent skills, even at the time when she was my Master, I never got the chance to ask her personally, moreover, she probably wouldnt have told me anyway. When Seruberie saw that I was in deep thought, she became a little nervous somehow. Whats the matter, did you have something you needed to do? Well, I suppose you could say that. Id be thankful if your request could be done as soon as possible Since a long time ago, my Master did not really get along well with others. Moreover, at this current time, she was probably busy with Boss hunting. When she was travelling together with me, she told me that she already retired from boss hunting, however, when she was younger, she also said that there was countless sleepless nights where she continued to relentlessly hunt bosses in a rotation. When you mention it, Ive never seen how she hunted bossesWhen I asked her to show me how it was done, she had already retired and I didnt get to see her skills in boss hunting. If its at this point in time, perhaps, she would show me. When you said you had other business to do, can I assume that it is boss hunting? I would like you to bring me along, and let me see how its done, what do you think about this? Whilst looking at her, I suggested this to Seruberie. Perhaps she was not accustomed to me looking at her so intently? I get the feeling that shes slightly averting her eyes from me in embarrassment. And, she thought about my suggestion for a few seconds and opened her mouth to talk. You can do what you like. However, Im not going to baby sit you either I need the experience to get used to the carnage, you see When I asked her if I could come, she responded with a pretty good answer. CH 53 -In a plain field covered in perpetual darkness, Both Seruberie and I used teleport to cover a lot of ground. Our destination was a church which had fallen to ruins. Apparently, Seruberies target this time around is the boss monster King of Death. Actually before we moved into the town of Beruta, I went to find the King of Death with Milly multiple times in order to hunt it, however no matter how many times we searched, we couldnt find it, so I assumed that someone else had been hunting it and gave up, to think that it was Seruberie who was the culprit behind this Unexpectedly the world is quite a small place. It took us around 30 minutes of continuous travelling before we reached the decayed church. Because I barely had any time to rest along the way here, it was quite difficult for me to keep up. Seruberie seemed completely fine after all that travelling, but I was completely exhausted. Because the amount of magic she has is way more than me, I suppose its natural. It should be around here somewhere. Monsters have a high chance of spawning close to the place they got killed. They leave a residue of magic when they die and is likely to re spawn around the same place. On a side note, the color of soil around Seruberies feet is a little bit different. She must have used some kind of magic to burn the ground, and changed the color, perhaps? This is quite good, if I can figure out how she does it, travelling will be more efficient. Whilst I was thinking this, Seruberie took out a notebook and a pocket watch out of her coat in order to check the time. It should revive in around 10 more minutes The King of the Dead absorbs the magic of a dungeon, and the time required to revive is approximately seven days. It is likely that the moment she kills the boss, she would write the exact time in her notebook. Although there may be a little disparity between the intervals of time in which the boss monster revives, there should be some kind of pattern that she managed to grasp. Umu, I am quite curious Do you mind it if I join in to attack as well? Attacking the boss from the side, is not prohibited ..I suppose that is the case Ive already stocked up on some high grade mediums to use in case of an emergency, which I bought from Lydia a while back. For the time being, it should be alright if I aim at the boss from a long distance away using White Sphere. When I applied Safe protection on myself and looked towards Seruberie, she was already starting to chant some spells. Black Spiraling Serpent, Clad me in thy magical energy and allow me to crush my enemies throat As she chanted her spell, Seruberies hand started to glow with magical power as the image of a snakelike being entwined around her arm in a spiral. its a High Enchantment Spell The magic she used seemed to be one of her inherent abilities, an enchantment spell. This kind of spell increases the abilities of the user for a fixed period of time. Her Enchantment Spell was a high rank spell, not only was the incantation time shorter than normal, the length of the effect should be longer and also the range would increase. She seems to be quite proficient in applying this type of support spell to her body. By the way my spell Time Square is also able to amplify the effects of an enchantment spell by combining different spells together. Seruberie was concentrating whilst still taking account of her surroundings, as she pulled out a black obsidian rod and held it with her right hand. Her hand started to glow with white colored light. She was beginning to apply Magic Up to herself. When I looked at Seruberie preparing for battle, I could tell how polished she was at executing her task. When I travelled with her in the past I was just a young boy, so I didnt really understand, but now that I knew, I didnt expect her to be this good at applying enchantment spells. Even when I was on the verge of death, I was not able to perform an enchantment spell to this level of proficiency. The quality of ones magic is usually developed through battle experience, where the flow of magic can be refined and in time, the user will become more fluent. In order to achieve such a state, it would normally take many years to accomplish, however, although Seruberie was around 20 years of age, she was already reaching the level of a master in this particular area of magic. This is most likely due to the other inherent skills in her possession, which has boosted her growth. Although I am not sure of the minute details of her enchantment quite yet, by seeing her continuously cast spells, I have gradually gained a bit of experience. By nature, the speed of her incantations are unbelievably fast, so it is very difficult to grasp. Umu, I really want her to teach meBut I dont think that she will create a scroll for me, besides if I ask her about this carelessly, she may avoid me and refuse to meet with me in the future. I will endure it for now.. Whilst thinking such things, I casted Scout Scope to observe Seruberies current situation. Even the speed of recovering her magic through meditation is really fast..When I continued to stare at her, Seruberie turns towards me and raises her right hand over my head. Immediately after I sensed her thirst for blood and quickly teleported away. At the same time, Seruberie already finished chanting her spell as she launched it. Highness Black Zero A black wind blade was launched from her right hand and flew straight into the location I was just at. The target was the King of Death which just revived behind me. The spell Black Zero pierced through the body of the King of Death, however, the effects only seemed to make the movements of the monster a little duller, without giving much care to the damage it received, the boss monster headed towards Seruberie. The King of death fought against the black torrent of wind which was violently rushing towards it, as it slowly but surely took steps forward. However, Seruberie had already disappeared from that location. The King of Death stiffened up as if it was surprised, however I was even more surprised when I spotted just how far Seruberie had appeared. Seruberie was already sliding through the ground as she unleashed her vigorous wind spell Black Zero. When you looked closely enough, you could tell that the shoes she wore had wheels on them, grinding through the ground, a cloud of dust appears as she glides through. Using a spell of the Zero caliber, would surely drain almost all of her magical energy. The moment it is used, it is not possible to deal with the enemy using magic for a period of time afterwards, however using this method of escape, she was able to buy some time. The King of Death who had now been released from the torrent of wind was pursuing her, although, it was clear to see that Seruberies speed was much fasterBut travelling in that direction is bad! Seruberie! Be careful over there! There is a rock! The moment I shouted out the words, Seruberie already disappeared and she was dancing in midair. She jumped over the huge rock, after rotating around, she sunk her body deeply as if to absorb some of the impact from the landing as she continued to glide across the ground without stopping. What an absurd amount of balance But since she landed, the velocity of her speed has fallen considerably. The King of Death also jumps over the big rock, and with that momentum, it swung its staff towards her, luckily Seruberie manages to avoid the strike by a hairs breadth. Seruberie kicks off the ground in order to gain more propelling force, as the King of Death pulls his staff readying another attack. White Sphere! A big white ball of magic hits the King of Death, and attempts to purify its body. Although its a particular branch of magic that I rarely used, its range is quite huge so it was quite easy to land..using this spell requires me to use up a medium. By the way, I was using Time Square to cast two White Spheres at the same time, so the medium consumption will also double. With this 2000 Rupi just want down the drain, I think Im starting to feel a little dizzy. The King of Death who was enveloped in the white light seemed to begin crumbling as it began to scowl at me. Seruberie had just used her spell Black Zero so she couldnt really cast anymore magic for the time being. This feels just like the old times, should I try to buy her some time? The King of Death started to come towards me, I immediately chanted teleport and went in the opposite direction of Seruberie. I made the King of Death run around in circles as I flitted about the place using teleport, and on the fifth time I teleported. Another Black Wind Blade was launched as it pierced through the King of Death, The wind even came towards my direction. It was likely that she drank some recovery medicine, considering that she was already able to re cast Black Zero. The King of Death crumbled down in a pitter-patter and its form transformed into the figure of a God of Death as it held a sickle in its hands.It went into berserk mode. Just when I thought this was about to happen, the King of Death continued to collapse and completely disappeared from existence. Berserk mode would activate after the bosses Health reaches 1/3 of its health pool, however if the damage taken completely obliterates its Health in one attack then it will stop its transformation and just disappear completely. Even considering the fact that I landed my White Sphere on the Boss, to say that it only took her two spells to completely kill off the Boss monsterWhat an absurdly high magical power?! Seruberie is really scary! CH 54 Chapter 53: Enchantment Spell Mu, it didnt drop? Seruberie mutters whilst going to the place where the King of Death disappeared. Apparently, there was no items that dropped. However, it did not seem like she was particularly disappointed, she then proceeded to mark the ground with a burning spell. Its likely that she marked the ground to use it as a spotting tool for the next time she hunted. After finishing her marking which turned the ground into a burnt black color, she headed towards me. Well, this is how it usually goes. Will this be good enough? Zeph? Thank you. Its been a really good reference to learn from, Seruberie You dont need to be so polite is what Seruberie responded with, as I took out the King Nipper Card. Thanks, its been a really good trade. If there is another opportunity later, please remember me Of course. Same here I exchanged the King Nipper card with the pouch of money she held. Although I was trying to think of something clever to say, there was nothing that came out of my mouth. Seruberie looked towards me like she wanted to say something as wellbut that is probably just my one sided feeling, right? I want to say something but, nothing comes to mind. Shit, this is so awkward. Alright then Ah? Ahh She curtly exchanges parting words, and she immediately activated teleport straight afterwards. In the end I couldnt find any words to say. Good grief, Im such a poor talker that its embarrassing. By the time I came back into Beruta Town, the sun was already beginning to rise, when I return to the inn, both Claude and Milly had started to eat breakfast. The content of the breakfast was: a piece of long bread, with a salad filled to the brim with some sort of white dressing. Seeing Claude who wiped away the white dressing stuck on to the corner of Millys mouth, I thought to myself, they really look like brothers and sisters, dont they?, and instantly Claude scowled in my direction. Can she read my mind or something? Its a little scary to be honest Welcome back, Zeph-kun Your clothes are already so dirty, where did you go so early in the morning? Zeph Ive been training. I occasionally go hunting by myself Thats not fair! Are you trying to do this to catch up to me?! Shes speaking like shes way ahead of me in terms of Magical power Well I suppose in terms of levels she is indeed slightly above me. Well, if you like, I can bring you along next time? Let me just say that I always depart during the night Fufufu, Milly laughs as she sticks her tongue out. Although it is probably unlikely that Milly who is really delicate in the morning will be able to go with me at night. I also want to come alongg? I will pretend to not hear Claudes murmurs. Theyve just got out of a light bath, and they were stuffing themselves with their breakfast, it could be seen that they were talking about something or other whilst having a lot of fun. By the way, what shall we do today? I think that the mountain expedition we went to last time was really tiring? Lydia also seems to be working at her store, dont you think that we can just take a good rest today? While extending her folded arms, Milly replied. For some reason, youre able to wake up quite early today havent you? Uuu-be quiet! Teasing Milly is quite fun..just as I was thinking such things, both girls were staring in my direction. Zeph what are you going to do today? N? Hmm after shopping around I will probably go back to training High Levelled Spirit Magic: Summon Servant, in order to perform this particular branch of magic high grade materials are necessary, furthermore, it is essential to increase the magic level of the Spirit category. Fortunately, I came across the King Nipper Card the other day, and worries about money were almost gone. Nnn well then, Youve got to bring us along with you?! She jumps out from her seat with a kick as she points her index finger towards me, and Claude who nods in approval. I suppose I dont really mind it With that we headed for the shopping district in Beruta. This money belongs to you Zeph, so you can use it however you want, alright? Milly says this as she passes me the money she got from Lydia the other day, it amounted to 20,000 Rupi. If Im not mistaken, Lydia did say something about this the other day. And, is there something that you wanted to buy? Ive been thinking of purchasing high grade mediums. From here on out, I was thinking of increasing the level of my Spirit Magic Hee? Ive heard that not many people use that type of magicWell I guess its your own money! Its up to you how you use it! Well, can you guys help me look for materials to buy using that money? Okay?? As I said this, Milly looked towards Claudes direction with shining eyes. Claude, I will give you half the money, should we have a match to see who can purchase the most amount of materials? Of course, I dont mind it Claude begins to grin as she smiled, and it seemed like sparks were coming out from each of the girls. I think that Claudes habit of seeking a match with others has spread to Milly. Milly is quite easily influenced by others isnt she? I watched them off, as I gave them the, ready set go! Signal and they both ran towards the shopping stalls, I also go to search for high quality mediums myself. Because a High level medium is something that a monster from the Spirit Category drops, it is quite the rare item, therefore, it is not really possible to stock up in mass. The only thing I can do is, purchase any and all of the High quality mediums in the shops. The fact that I obtained a King Nipper Card and exchanged it for a huge sum of money, is something that I havent yet mentioned to the girls. Because the amount of money is so huge, I was afraid that it might have an adverse effect on our relationship if I told them. There has been multiple instances that Ive seen, where a single person in the guild picks up a rare item, and it causes the guild to crumble. Well, I dont think that Milly and Claude are those kinds of people, but just in case I looked through all the stores that sold high-level mediums and bought them.The number of mediums sold was even less than I had expected, moreover, the price for the mediums had a drastic range from 800 Rupi per piece to 2,000 rupi a piece. I bought around 300 pieces in total, and I thought that it would probably be impossible for me to look for these things every single day. I really want to find a way where I can regularly acquire this product at periodic intervalsCome to think of it, Lydia has a really good knowledge of the stalls in the shopping district, and its probably a good idea to ask her about this. Lets contact her immediately using the Guild Messaging system. Lydia, are you free right now? Ohh Zeph-chi? You talked to be so suddenly so I got a little surprised ? Im a little worried about her calling me Zeph-chi, but I dont dare to rebut her statement. (I want to purchase all the high-level mediums from the stores, would it be possible to buy them all up? I want to buy them at the price of 1,000 Rupi each. My budget is around 28 million Rupi) (Ohhh?? Isnt that a hugee sum of money?Nn! Zeph-chi, were you originally that rich?) (Fufu.Just this morning when I went out to hunt alone, I obtained a rare item drop. However, do you think you could keep this a secret from Milly and Claude? I think it is still too early for children like them to know. I was thinking of completely converting all of it into high-level mediums) (Ahh?So its like that..Well if its those two I dont think you have to worry so much butI understand how Zeph-chi feels so I suppose I can keep it a secret for you) (That would help me out) Ahhaha Lydia was laughing as I expressed my thanks. Lydia was a merchant and I thought that it would be alright to tell her because she would be accustomed to dealing with money. Moreover, I would not be able to process all that money by myself. (By the way? talking about collecting the mediums at a price of 1,000 Rupi a piece, if I was able to obtain it for an even lesser price, do you think I could take the difference as compensation?) (Of course. I will entrust it as hush money) (So its our little secret isnt it Zeph-chi??) Nihihi Lydia was laughing lewdly. I didnt dare to point out her evil laughter (..Alright so, please take care of it) (Okay?, leave it to me?) She accepted the fact with a merry mood but, I guess I have built a huge debt for myself. I have a feeling it will bite me in the back later. Meanwhile, the two girls had finished their shopping and came back. Claude looked the same as per usual, but Milly was looked disappointed. Shes so easy to understand..I bet that the winner is Claude again. Zeph-kun, using 10,000 Rupi, Ive managed to acquire 15 high-level mediums This is quite the amount. Did you bargain down the prices? I will leave it up to your imagination Her eyes were shut and Claude hands me the high-level mediums with a composed face. Dont get too overconfident, alright? I said this as received the mediums. By the way Milly-san Claude turned around and was looking at Milly, on the other hand Milly was avoiding Claudes gaze. I think that I will use my privilege as the victor, right about now, will that be alright? Milly was about to escape from Claude, and Claude tightly grasped on to Milly. Claude was getting carried away from her victory and Milly was easily influenced by others. These two are the type of people who would get ruined by gambling. By the way, the punishment game this time around was that the loser had to take on a cute haircut, and Millys long twin tail hair was styled by Claude to look like two round dumplings. Wh.What do you think? Zeph? Nn? I think it suits you quite well Ehehe, Thank you? CH 55 -Wanaruta City Ruins. From Beruta Town, it takes around 1 hour to teleport to this place, hundreds of years ago, this Wanaruta city ruins was once a town which prospered. According to a magician who used to live there, the citys inhabitants faced extermination and all that remained of it was a ruins. It used to be thought of as a big joke by the masses and it was not until the magician actually died that people finally started to believe in his words. The next time someone went to visit the city, the buildings were still intact but no humans could be seen in sight, furthermore as a result of negative magical energys accumulating, a dungeon was formed. Its really eerie isnt it.? Well it is that kind of place after all Its also quite spacious The three people were being vigilant of their surroundings as they made their way in. Although it was an open area, the stagnant air around the place causes the possibility of undead monsters to appear, it was one of the characteristics of this dungeon. A white misty fog drifts about the area, sometimes even a black mist can appear and you can see a semblance of a humans face fading in the background of the mist. Milly seemed to be somewhat accustomed to going to this kind of place so she didnt particularly feel anything special about it, however, Claude was without a doubt scared out of her wits. Perhaps Milly noticed this from Claude, Milly had an impish smile on her face as she stretched her hands forward towards Claude. Claude are you scared? Do you want to hold my hands? I.Im fine! Claude pouts as she turns the other way. Milly was laughing creepily with a Hihihi and although she couldnt see it, Claude was actually already pulling on the cuff of my clothes as she shook and trembled *puru puru* (Slight trembling). Its really hard to move like this ya know? Claude This Wanaruta City Ruins was composed of three separate levels. The first level, was compromised of the shopping district with the civilians once lived in. The second level is the upscale residential areas where the nobles lived. And the Third level was the research institutions where the magician would immerse himself in his study. This place has a couple of high level undead monsters who build a nest for themselves within the dungeon, therefore, it is a really good place for me to raise my soul magic. The problem with this dungeon was that there was a lot of annoying demons, and hunting in the place solo would be really hard, this is the reason why I brought Milly and Claude with me today. Milly we will be entering the area where demons should show up soon. I will be relying on you to proceed as planned Under?stood? As she said this, Milly began to chant Blue Wave. A blue wave of magic spreads out around Milly, and after entering a couple of buildings it would dissipate after advancing a certain degree. It was covering quite a large distance. It might even be twice the distance that I could cover The demons here like to hide amongst the mist and surprise you when you least expect it, therefore using a magical wave with a wide area of effect at constant intervals is a standard procedure when watching out for those demonic surprise attacks. We walked for a little while more, and Milly casted blue wave again, but this time a sort of groaning sound could be heard from a little distance behind us. When I looked behind us, a transparent ghost like monster was wet because of blue wave and its hateful voice was raised towards us. This was a demon from the first level of the Wanaruta City Ruins. -Mist race. When it is moving around, it places a sort of black coating on itself which can turn its body transparent as it approaches you slowly. Like I said there are plenty of annoying demons here, this particular demon reveals itself even if its damaged just a little bit, but if it gets the jump on you it will be a nuisance. Blue Gale! Although Milly quickly casted blue gale, the mist race didnt seem to take much damage from the tornado of wind as it broke through and begins to rush towards us. Although Claudes sword was supposed to be broken from our previous boss encounter at the Sunray Mountains this was not a problem. Before we arrived here, I already casted my combination magic of White Crash and White Weapon which gave birth to a new ability the Lighting Blade and this was the glittering weapon in Claudes hands. She avoids the incoming talons of the mist race monster, and using that sword she struck a blow. Hyaaaaaaaah!? Is not what happenedJust when I thought she was going to strike back, she had actually gone around behind me and hid Oi stop it you baka Claude Whats the point if the vanguard hides themselves behind the rear guard. The mist race doesnt care about this though, and it immediately switched its target to me as it swung its sharp fingernails. Tsk tsk, I clicked my tongue, and held my hand up towards the Mist race. White Crash! I discharged a point blank White Crash right into the Mist race as a blinding light swallowed its figure whole.However even my white crash was able to be endured and the fingernails were already before my eyes. Zeph! Although I managed to avoid the full blow by using a back step, it apparently still grazed me. Blood dribbles into my eye and I cant see ahead..However there is no problem. I already know its in front of me so I casted White crash one more time. Giii!? Blue Gale! The Mist race raised a voice of agony after being subsequently hit by Millys magic and it was completely destroyed. After receiving a barrage of attacks from both Milly and I, the Mist race dispersed from the air. Are you alright!? Zeph! Well, its only a little scratch I wiped the blood off my forehead and the cut itself was only a superficial one. It was already beginning to close itself. Claude was looking at us with guilty upturned eyes. I ahhIm so sorry You dont have to mind it okay? Everyone has things they are not good at dealing with, besides you can start improving from now ? Thats true, it will be good if you can overcome this as soon as possible Both Milly and I had the same idea as we grabbed on Claude and made sure she couldnt run away from the position of vanguard. UmmMilly-san? Zeph-kun? For the time being, all the monsters that come out from now will be defeated by Claude? This is only natural I was gripping on to Claudes hands which was holding on to the lighting blade and Milly was gripping on to her hand which was holding on to the shield. Her arms were being held and forcibly being operated by me and Milly as we tried to make her fight the monsters she was scared of in order to make her overcome her fears. Milly was casting blue wave as she talked in order to search for monsters. And it seems that something got caught in the wave as a cry from a Mist race was heard ahead of us. Oh, the enemy has showed up. Lets see what youve got Claude Go get them! Claude Shield! Hiiiiiii!? Milly operated Claudes arm which was holding the shield to block the attack from the Mist Race and I used the sword of light to pierce it. It was a beautiful combination of attack and defence in my opinion. Perhaps because we were manipulating her movements, Claude was also trying her hardest to face her fears. Even though her eyes were going around in circles she still kept her gaze on the Mist Race, however her feet was consistently backing away. In order to lift her spirits a little I decided to spank her in the butt, and she raised a little shriek Hii. Take your stance firmly! Your feet are getting wobbly Claude! Ah! Heyy Zeph! In the midst of her confusion what are you doing?! Haaah!? IIm obviously hyping her up arent I!? Then pwease take your hands of me? Claude suddenly talked in a strange voice so I stopped my movements for a second. Milly was dexterously moving around and using the shield to evade the blows of the Mist Race. Shes doing really well I also cant afford to lose to her, I must hold on to Claudes hand and use the sword to attack as well. The more I used the sword the weaker its light got, and by the time we defeated the Mist Race, the Lightning blade had already disappeared completely. As expected unless I can extend the duration of the spell, even if I created a magical sword, it will disappear soon after using it. Well considering the fact that I am steady increasing the level of my White Crash, I dont really mind recreating the sword more often. I was making sure by checking frequently with Scout Scope during combat and apparently every time she attacked using the Lightning Blade the level of White Crash seems to go up. After all I came here in order to train the level of my magic so, in actuality the fact that the sword keeps disappearing is quite convenient for me. For a little while after that, we tried to get Claude used to fighting ghost like monsters and we were controlling her movements like a marionette however, towards the end she seemed to finally get used to it and she was able to move her own body by herself. Although it might only be a desperation move on her part CH 56 We were having a short break right now. We have been training Claude and by the evening she was becoming accustomed to the extent that she could fight alone. When I launched a double white sphere at the Mist race, Claude was able to kill it in one of her sword blows. Your movements have improved, Claude Is.Is that so? Ehheheh Yeah, yeah! Youre so cool Claude! Just like a pretty boy? Milly was letting out a carefree smile, and Claude could only smile back bitterly. Its not fair, when I call her a pretty boy, she always complains back. When the Mist race disappear I see a high-level medium being dropped of its corpse. Ah, it dropped again. Zeph-kun It drops so often doesnt it? Can I also try using it? Its still too early for Milly Whilst saying this, I picked up the high-rank medium and placed it into my pouch. White sphere and White crash requires the use of high grade mediums to cast, on top of this what I used was a white sphere which was amplified to double the strength using my time square (When using time square it costs two high-ranked mediums to cast the spell however, the levelling rate of my Spirit Magic is also doubled). The magical sword I created for Claude was using a mixture of White Shot and White Weapon. These two spells are only medium ranked spells so they didnt really have that much destructive power in them. It was true that Spirit Magic is much more effective against the undead, however considering how skilled Milly was with Blue magic, her Blue Gale would probably be just as strong if not stronger than her using Spirit Magic for the first time. If she purposely uses the high costing mediums just to try things out when she can already substitute her damage with a more efficient magic, it would honestly be a waste of resources. What should we do guys? Should we head back home? We have been hunting for a long period of time now so its probably about time to head back. The sky was also beginning to darken. Thats true, we dont really have to push ourselves too hard (Milly Speaking) I am also a little tired(Claude speaking) This is because today, we made Claude stand in the vanguard position all day. On top of this both Milly and I toyed around with her quite a lot. When Claude turns her neck, a cracking sound could be heard. Milly stealthily closes behind Claude and creeps out her hand towards Claudes white shoulders and begins to give her a massage. Hyaaah!? Wha.What are you doing Milly-san! Nfufu? You are so stiff here arent you?? Claude was trying to escape from Milly by twisting and turning her body, but Milly was adamantly clinging on to her. I think she gave up on running away? But the moment she accepted the massage her face changed into one that seemed to feel good as she started to purr like a cat. Seeing this spectacle I think that Milly must be really good at giving massages.Maybe next time I will ask her to give me one as well. Whilst looking at the two girls playing around with each other, I chanted Scout Scope on myself. Zeph Einstein Level 39 RedMagical Value 30, Magical Limit 62 BlueMagical Value 27, Magical Limit 87 GreenMagical Value 28, Magical Limit 99 SkyMagical Value 29, Magical Limit 89 SpiritMagical Value 25, Magical Limit 97 Magical Value 1420/1765 Moreover I managed to raise the level of my White Sphere to level 7 and the level of my White Crash to level 9. The amount of high-level mediums I used was approximately 450 pieces. The supplies I bought from the stalls have almost been used up. I am going to have to backorder some products from Lydia in a while. I should ask her about it when I get back home. Nevertheless, I have been able to rapidly raise the levels of my spirit based magic considerably efficiently. When fighting against strong monsters and continuously shooting magic towards them, the levelling rate of spells increases quite a bit, however, when facing such strong monsters one must also be careful and prepare their defenses well, you cant just keep attacking blindly, therefore, having Claude as a vanguard this time is really convenient for the group. At the pace I am going, it doesnt seem that far before I can use the spell Summon Servant. By the time we teleported away from the Wanaruta City Ruins and reached our town of Beruta, it was already night time. I have a little something to do, so can you guys go ahead and return to the inn first? Nn, I understand. Lets go, Claude Yes I parted with the two girls, and whilst making my way towards Lydias store, I sent out a guild message towards her. (Lydia are you free right now? I wanted to talk to you about the High-grade mediums.) .I waited for a little while but there was no response. Maybe she was serving some important customers? She might be really busy right now, so I decided to just go to her store directly and see the situation. After buying around 200 high-grade mediums from the nearby stalls, I head into Lydias store. Lydia was nowhere to be seen inside the store, instead her dad was coming to greet me. Hello Oh, Zeph-kun, its just you by yourself? Did you have something you wanted from Lydia? Ahh, yeah If you are looking for Lydia, shes at the back Saying this he pointed his thumb towards the back of the store. Can I go see her? Yeah sure. By the way, has your relationship progressed with Lydia? Of coursee nott?! Hahaha, you sound so suspicious? are you telling the truth ? I suddenly remembered the fact that I thrust my hands into her clothes when we were at the Sun Ray Mountain range, and my face reddens a little. The father-san just looks at me whilst grinning. Surely, he didnt notice anything..? I was being teased as he led me into the backyard, and as I approached the place I heard a sound of dry wind *Swoosh*. A big tree grows in the backyard and many logs were wrapped in worn-out blankets as they hung around the surroundings of the big tree. What I saw there was Lydia who seemed to be dancing whilst striking and lunging at the logs. Lydia launched a kick towards the log which was suspended like a punching bag. I could hear the sounds of the log as it creaked from being kicked. The shaking log was hit twice, no three times with her fist, and after kicking it, the log dances in the air. Just as the log was about to swing back down she rotated her body and performed a revolving kick sending it flying again. Gakon! A nice sound echoes whenever she kicks the log, she kicks it with such force that the log flies to the limit of the rope which was attached to the big tree. Fuui? Lydia took a breather and wiped her sweat from her forehead, she had glistening skin and her hair was shaking buoyantly. I think she was in her training gear, because she was wearing a black shirt without a sleeve and short pants. You could see that she was training really hard as even from this distance, you could tell that both her pieces of clothing were drenched in sweat. That was splendid I was clapping my hands as I called out to Lydia whilst walking towards her.. Wha..Why is Zeph-kun in here?! For some reason or other, Lydia was acting really strangely and she was moving backwards. Well, I tried to message you using the guild message but you didnt reply, so I thought to just visit you here.Did I come at a bad time? Its not that you cant visit but.Mouu? Dad shouldnt bring you in here.Its really embarrassing to have you see me like this Whilst she was grumbling to herself and muttering her own soliloquy, the glass next to her was taken and she greedily drank from it with a *gulp, gulp*. What do you need to feel embarrassed about? Arent you always in a similar type of outfit? When I asked her in doubt, she replied in a seemingly unsatisfied tone. Its not about the clothes Im wearing..I just dont like being seen in this place! When I was a child, one of my friends saw me in here training and then they kept of making fun of me for it Is that why, she does the practice in her backyard? .I see, but I feel that you are really amazing for being able to stay disciplined and continue to train even after they made fun of you When I said this, Lydias face looked really sweet. .Thats true, father once told me that when the time comes, I would be able to protect my most precious baby with the strength, so day after day, I would continue to train even though it took a lot of blood, sweat and tears Lydia has her own natural affinity with being able to easily master physical arts, however, as expected from her she is not only talented, she also puts in the hard work that comes with it. As for me, I only train in sorcery right now, however, if I was able to learn physical arts, I would definitely be able to more efficiently use my magic in many different situations. I think that it might be a good idea if Lydia is willing to teach me. If its alright with you, do you think that you could teach me some martial arts? Eh? Zeph-kun, even though you are a magician, you want to learn martial arts? Even for magicians, if they are able to fight in hand-to-hand combat, it would be a lot more efficient dont you think? I realized this fact after battling the Sunny Raven. Even when I was battling the Mist Race earlier, if only I could move a little faster, its attacks wouldnt even be able to graze me. U?nn.I think its fine butDoesnt this mean that we will be training together? Im a little embarrassed?.. Im relying on you I understand. Lets do it! Thank you When I bowed and gave Lydia my thanks, she smiled bashfully as she laughed. CH 57 Kuu.Stop..Any further than this is and. NfufufuYou are so stiff arent cha Zeph-kun? Its alrightt, you can leave it to big sis..Here we go.Nn Bokibokibokibokiboki Nngaaahh??!? Ahhaha, what an amazing sound? Both my feet were being stretched out, and my upper body was slowly descending towards the ground, a terrible sound of cracking bones resounded. Lydia was leaning on to my back as she was trying to help me stretch my legs. At first I was pleasantly surprised at the feeling of her soft breasts pressing against my back, but now, it wasnt even about that anymore. Nevertheless, this painful torture continued every single day for two weeks, and Lydia was persistently and forcibly developing my flexibility, as of now my body was a lot more supple than it was before. Nn? There is still plenty of stiff areas around your body, isnt there? The first thing you need to have when practicing martial arts is flexibility! This is because if your body is supple and flexible, you will be able to react to the opponents movements with a greater amount of speed! Whilst saying this, she lifts one of her own legs into the air, and she is able to make it touch her own nose. As expected, she has a really flexible body doesnt she?It would seem that I still have a long way to go. Now then, since we have finished the warm-up, should we lightly? begin some Sparring ? Half of the training time I have with Lydia is actually spent of warming up the body. She takes about 1 hour in order to deliberately perform calisthenics which has the purpose of loosening up the body whilst also intensifying concentration, only after this will the actual martial arts training begin. Start off slowly at first.Okay? Lydia was in a stance where, both of her hands and legs are in an open position, the body is turned sideways towards me, and her left hand was set up for defense and in a position to counter attack. Please come and attack whenever you feel like it. I will block all the attacks, so dont worry I was trying to copy Lydias stance but compared to her it was completely obvious that my stance was that of an amateurs. -Come Because injuring the other party is not the purpose of this exercise, none of us made any fists. Along with her words, I extended my open palm in a thrusting motion, but Lydia was able to use her left hand to easily block it. Twice, three times I struck out with my palm targeting her lower right and left but everything was nullified with her left hand. You are concentrating too much on where you are attacking Along with the sound of her words, her left hand flickers with lightning speed, and similar to a whip, it stopped right before my eyes, and. Pechin! she suddenly flicked my forehead. Alright, first blow?.Come now, lets continue Laughing with a smile, Lydia rebuilds her fighting stance. I also reorganize my breath and retook my stance. Like this, we repeated this kind of exchange a few more times, and although I had become drenched in sweat, Lydia wasnt even sweating one bit. Well I guess this is a natural thing, considering the fact that Lydia didnt even have to use her right hand to nullify my attacks. HaahCHaahC Lets end it here for today, shall we? I try to compose myself, as I looked up towards Lydia. Lydia seemed to be taking a playful stance whenever she spars with me, almost like she was having a little bit of fun. I could tell that compared to when she usually fights in real combat, I was not yet an adequate enough opponent to go up against her. Even though there was a clear difference in our martial abilities, and this was a natural thing, I didnt like the fact that I was being underestimated. .Umm, that is, could I ask you for one more round? I dont really mind it, but are you sure you arent overexerting yourself? Well, Lydia seems to be taking a more easy going stance, I bet that you are going easy on me, right? Muu..Well, that is.. Lydia seemed to have a troubled expression, but I continued anyways. I want to go all out from here on out, do you mind it? As soon as I said this, Lydias expression changed a little, it kind of looked a little like when she was in actual combat. .In that case, lets see what youve got She immediately lowered her waist and her hands and feet are extended outwards. If you gave her the usual weapon she equipped which was the axe, then she would look like the Lydia in real combat. I guess this means that she is finally taking me seriously. I immediately chanted out Time Square, and black boots simultaneously. Black Boots Double My body was instantly enveloped in the power of the wind, Although I took my normal stance, in Lydias eyes, it probably looked like I was moving in fast-forward speed, her eyes were a little shocked as she stared at me in amazement. Ahaha? Thats cheating you know?? Well I am after all a magician. When a mage uses magic, whats so unfair about that? I guess youve got a point. ..Moreover, its true that if its like this, it will become much more fun!? Here I come I kicked the ground and my body flew behind Lydia, I thrust my palms out to Lydias seemingly defenseless back, however I only hit the empty air. In the next instant, her long white arm twines around my right hand like a snake, I immediately attempt to counter by grasping on to her left hand. However her arm which I was supposed to grab, suddenly bends and weaves away. I move back and take a little bit of distance in order to rebuild my stance, Lydia was loosening her shoulders whilst she laughed. Since a little while ago, Lydia has only been using her left hand. Is she planning on using just her left arm until the end of our sparring session? As soon as she rebuilt her stance, this time around I immediately charged at her from the front. My leg muscles had been reinforced with magic, so I instantaneously appeared before her, in order to push me aside, she launches her left palm, I immediately head butted her with all my strength and I received the blow directly to my face. Iih!? Guooh..!? I received the blow to my face before she completely extended her arms, so the power was halved, but even so it hurt like hell. Nevertheless Lydia was probably surprised at my unexpected counter attack, she let out a small moan, and her body was shifted out of position. She swayed backwards and her feet shot upwards. And yet, Lydias balance did not break, she appeared to float in midair doing a single revolution before landing on her feet as she tried to distance herself from me. As expected of her excellent sense of balance, however, I also predicted this much would happen. I immediately followed up with a forward dash and extended my palm towards Lydia who had just barely landed. She tried to avoid my blow, but considering the fact that I was aiming directly at the center of her body, in addition to targeting her from behind, even though it was Lydia we were talking about here, it was unlikely that she could avoid the blow from such an angle. Lydia who had just barely landed from her midair flip tried to turn around, but it was too slow! Punyonnn? And my palm felt an extremely soft sensation. My finishing blow which was supposed to win the match actually sinked into Lydias breasts. Wai Both of our movements stopped. Her composed look that she usual had completely disappeared, her face began to blush, as her body stiffened, but my hand isnt brushed away. For a few seconds, we both just stood there in a daze, the thing that broke the atmosphere was the sound of the door opening to the backyard. Mou? Zeph I noticed you were going out at the same time every day, and it turns out that you were always going to Lydias place werent you? (Milly Speaking) I also really wanted Lydia-san to teach me martial arts, but it seems that you secretly asked her to teach you, thats not fair.You know? (Claude Speaking) The moment Millys and Claudes voices were heard, I was able to regain my composure somewhat. I instantly let go of my hand from her chest and it bounced back perkily, however the two girls who saw this scene suddenly lost their voice as time stopped once again. No..You two, this is all just a misunderstanding. When people are sparring these kinds of things might happen sometimes I was flustered as I quickly thought of an explanation, and Claude replies to me with a smile. Th..Thats true. If you do sparring, that kind of thing might happen, I suppose Although Claude was smiling as she talked, I felt like her smiling face was really scary, as she began to grasp the new sword she bought the other day and brandished it with her right hand. ..However, Milly was one step ahead as she raised her hands towards me, and a light of magical energy was crackling in her hands, Claude who saw this was startled. Wait..Milly-san, I think that will be going a little too far! This is after all Lydias home!? Let go of me Claude! I definitely wont forgive himmm! Claude reacted immediately and tries to hold Milly back. I also hold her back and try to soothe her. Although it was a little late, Lydia who had previously blanked out, was also trying to stop Milly. CH 58 CAt the Wanaruta City Ruins. Lydia was taking a break from work today, so she was also able to come along with us. Ahh? its been quite a while since we all went hunting together! Elder sis is so excited?!(Lydia Speaking) Ohh? Lydia was raising her right hand in the air as she cheerfully shouted. Lydia is coming with us today, what do you guys think of going deeper into the dungeon? I think thats a good idea, I think weve gotten quite used to the first level already? This is your first time coming here, will that be fine for you Lydia-san? The demons here are really scary you know..? Claude raises her arms loosely and takes the pose of a ghost. Ahhahah, On that subject, Ive heard about it from Zeph-kun you know? He told me that Claude-chan is scared of spirit type demons. Thats so cuteee?? Wha.! Thats all in the past..Im not like that anymore, okay?! Claude gets defensive at the unexpected counter. But in the next moment she turns around to face me, and gives me this awkward smile. Ze?ph?Ku?nn Oh yeah, when I was training with Lydia, she asked me quite a lot of questions about the hunting trips I had, I have a feeling that I answered most of her questions. I think that I may have said too many unnecessary details. Claude was scowling at me as the four of us continued on our way. Milly was periodically casting Blue Wave in order to scout out any nearby enemies that were hiding. The two girls who were walking in front of us acting as vanguards had White Weapon enchanted to their weapons. Oh, is that it? It seems that Lydia spotted a Mist Race that was lurking in the shadows. The Mist Race which was discovered by Lydia, buoyantly floats into the air and tries to disappear from sight, it comes to approach us however. Perhaps it was because the spirit had already been discovered, it could not completely meld itself into the background and we could still manage to see its diluted body as it continually shifted in and out of this state, just like that it came to attack us. A demon like this whose main purpose is to disappear and attack from the shadows, has a tendency to be weak in terms of willpower, therefore, once they have been discovered, they will not use additional magic. To begin with their existence as a spirit in itself is quite unstable and there are not many monsters in this category who can use magic. Lydia and Claude stabs the monster, Milly casts Blue Gale whilst I cast a double White Sphere, using this combination attack, the Mist Race gets annihilated. This time around our objective was to hunt in the second level up the dungeon, so we advanced straight ahead and exited the shopping district, we went up a big set of stairs which led to the center of the city. The area was considerably spacious and the stairway was really long, it would seem that the buildings are tall in this district. After we climbed for about half a minute, I looked down towards the shopping district and I saw a superb view. I was so high up that I could see the whole area of the shopping district below us. The people who lived in this area certainly had a magnificent view. Suddenly I heard a sound of ragged breathing beside me, when I looked to my side, Milly seemed to be out of breath. After all the stairs were steep, and we were at quite the height right now. Milly are you alright? Im..FiC.ne.. She was gasping for air with a Haah, Haah, and she didnt look good to me at all. Lydia and Claude were both in front of us as they were scouting for any potential enemies ahead of us. Thats because if we got attacked in this cramped space, it would be really bad. Hey, hold on to me I stretched my hands out to her and at first she looked really happy as she reached out to me, but then she suddenly withdrew her hands and shook her head. .Thank you, Zeph. But I want to do this alone with my own strength When I think about it, even when we were going up the mountain she was also like this. I understand. But dont push yourself too hard okay? I know Nihihi she was letting out a strained smile whilst she answered me. Well, I suppose she isnt the type of girl who would just give up because of a little tiredness. Nevertheless, falling from this height will be a bad joke, so I stood on the behind her just in case. Zeph? Why are you going behind me? I was thinking that if you fell, I could catch you .Dont look up, okay? Up..? When I thought about what this meant and tried looking up, I saw Millys fluttering skirt. Ah, so thats what she meant by dont look up.. H..Hey! I told you not to look up didnt I?! Oii, dont move around so much! Milly! Milly was holding down her skirt whilst kicking about, I was trying to get her to calm down but she lost her balance and fell towards me. Kyaah!? I.idiot! Dont touch me in such a weird place! Im telling you.the stupid one is you! Dont jump around so much in this kind of place! Milly! She was struggling to get free of me, and I was trying to suppress her violent movements but I couldnt really do it well. Wait! D.Dont fondle my breasts! ApparentlyI seem to be touching her chest. Im not really fondling it, though? I was brushing my hands gently across Millys breasts but in order to stabilize her balance as much as possible there was no other choice but for me to grab on to it. Hyaaaan!? Milly raises a shrill voice and her body which was held in my embrace sprang up. At that moment, I also lost my balance and I was tottering my way down the big staircase as I tried to steady myself, I caught myself on the railing, and I slid my body down as I let out a sigh of relief. Ah, Im sorry Milly. I was messing around too much .Bakaa, you need to be more careful. When I apologized to her sincerely, Millys face was blushing a little bit. She was raving on a little while ago but now she was really calm, she was being quiet and meek like a docile sheep. Hearing Millys shriek, both Claude and Lydia descended the stairs however, Milly just waved at them from a distance. She told them, we are fine, we are coming up soon. Then, I think its about time you got off me? Milly Eh..?Ahh, yeah I gently let Milly down but as I did this, I heard a cracking sound *Pishiri*. Not only that, the crackling sounds rang continuously and my body shook violently as I lost my balance. Kyaaaaahhh!? Milly-chan! Zeph-kun! Lydia run down the stairway at an incredible speed and reaches her hand out to us. You cant! Lydia-san! You will fall down with them! Claude says this and pulls Lydias hands back. Thats a good judgment, if it was only Milly who fell with me I felt it was barely okay, but if I also had to protect Lydia from the fall damage, I dont have the confidence it will go so well. The staircase was crumbling down, I held on to Milly has I chanted teleport.However it didnt work. Because the ground was not stabilised I could not concentrate properly, and it was not possible for me to invoke teleport. I tightly squeezed Milly towards my chest, and embraced her firmly with both my hands so as to never let go. Zeph-kuun! Milly-chaann! Their two sorrowful yells were getting further and further away. And soon the sound of the wind drowned out the sound of their shouts. Spirits of the earth, protect this body with thine armor Safe Protection! The moment I finished my incantation, my body thoroughly hit the ground and a ballistic impact travelled through my body. I felt the sensation of blood dripping down my head. Shit, it seems that I hit my head really hard.My consciousness is starting to blur. However Im glad. Although Milly was unconscious, she didnt seem to be injured. Although I tried to prop myself up, the hand which supported my body slipped and I hit my head on to the ground again. Crap, this isnt good, my leg wont move properly and my eyes are starting to go dark. I need to rest..my body My field of vision was really dark but just before I lost consciousness, I managed to see a dark shadow of some sort coming towards us. CH 59 Pitter patter, the sound of water droplets falling on to my cheeks. TsuCrap, my head is still spinning. When I tried to forcefully open up my eyelids, the thing I saw in front of me was a skeleton which had already begun to rot. It seems like the years had already taken its toll on the skeleton as some of its parts had already begun to crumble. ..Milly? I was supposed to be carrying Milly firmly within my arms, but right now she was nowhere to be seen. There was no one who answered my murmurs, and the vicinity remains very quiet. I suddenly remembered the figure of the black shadow that appeared before me just before I lost consciousness. Although I cant be certain just from seeing its shadow, but that was most likely a Mist Race. Dont tell me she went and fought it by herself..? My blood went cold imagining the worst possible scenario and I got off my feet at once and began searching for Milly. Milly! Where are you?! Milly! I crushed the skeleton under my foot, and called out Millys name, but all I got back in return was the echo of my voice. I cant stop worrying about her Whenever I walked I would step on another skeleton and break it. However, there is no room for me to think about that. More importantly, there is a random building thats blocking my view. Everywhere I looked it was dark, and the field of vision is not good either. The building was also worn-out there was also plenty of small shacks, it would seem that this area was previously the slums of the city. Mi.. As I tried to raise my voice again, I noticed a presence was coming to approach me at the front. *knack, clack* the footsteps of a person was coming closer. The other party seems to have noticed my presence and they stopped walking as well. Is this the important thing you are looking for? What stood in front of me was actually Seruberie holding on to Milly. Milly seems to be unconscious as her arms and feet were dangling and there isnt any sign of movements. Seruberie! This girl is considerably tired. Although I have already given her some light treatment, it would be better if she could rest firmly Seruberie passes Milly along to me, and I hug her closely with all my might. Millys face was a little blue, she was sweating bullets, and even her breathing was uneven. Did she get a fever because she overworked herself? Her temperature also seems to be rising quite a bit. You shouldnt bring girls along to play in such a dangerous place, you know? Seruberie was giving me an earnest look and I could do nothing to rebut such a statement. Although she always had such an energetic face, should I have treated Milly..like a small kid that I needed to worry about? You should be thankful to this girl you know? Whilst you were unconscious, she was fighting all the evil spirits in order to protect you, for a long period of time Milly. Before I passed out, I saw the shadow of a Mist Race, it seems that Milly was the one who protected me from it. When I looked closely, I could see that Millys clothes were in tatters, there are a lot of places torn, I can perceive that she has been in an intense fight. A magician usually fights something after taking their distance, so if they had to protect something whilst fighting, they would be really disadvantaged. Well then, allow me to take my leave. From the fact that you are here, I wont treat you like some kind of kid, but do take care of yourself Please wait! Seruberie! She turned around to look behind her as I called out to her. That is.Im really thankful. If Seruberie didnt come here, then perhaps both Milly and I would have already died. I really want to convey my gratitude ..This is one of the lairs that I hunt in. If you were to die here, it would be troubling for me. So I only did it for myself, you dont have to worry about it ..Even so, thank you I bowed my head and took Seruberies hand to convey my appreciation, but when I did so, perhaps it was unexpected but, she seems to have a really surprised expression on her face. And then, she placed her hand on top of my head as she looked at me with really gentle eyes and said. Zeph, dont ever let go of the things that are important to you. By the time that youve lost them, no matter what you try to do, it will be too late by then, alright? *Scrub scrub*, Seruberie was patting my head a little violently. Oh yeah, if I think back, there was this one time that when I was really down in the past and she would try to comfort me like this. Having remembered such a nostalgic scene, my eyes started to become really hot. .I know I repressed the overflowing tears that were seemingly about to flow out as I answered Seruberie, after that she gave me a smile and flew over to teleport into the distance. Nn Milly who I was holding, let out a small groan. I feel like her face is becoming even paler than it was before. This fever is really bad When I think about it, Milly who was still a child, followed my hard lifestyle every single day. Even if she were to show signs of fatigue, it wasnt weird in the slightest.. But it seems like she was putting up a strong front to everyone. (It will be too late after you lost the thing most important to you) Recalling Seruberies words, I made an effort to embrace Milly a little more. For now, I need to warm up her body.. I broke the door of one of the buildings to collect wood, started a fire using my magic, and after taking off my coat and laying in on the ground, I tried to put Milly down, however it was useless. Millys face was still really pale, besides her clothes were also full of sweat. I took off all our clothes and placed them on top of her, I also increased the size of the fire, and checked to make sure no unwanted presence was approaching. Milly! Get a hold of yourself! Milly! .uuZeph.. When I held Milly hands, she responded by calling out my name whilst trembling. *clatter clatter* There was no color of blood in her complexion and her breathing was as thin as a bug. If it continues on like this thenDamn it! Although its a little embarrassing but, if this will save Millys life then I will do it! Steeling myself, I cling very closely to Milly who was lying on the floor, as I embraced her sharing as much bodily warmth as I could. Her body was ghastly cold almost like it was a corpse, and when I grabbed on to her hand, she could only weakly return the grasp. .Dont die, Milly..! And all night long I continued to cast healing as I held her in my arms. Before I knew it, I was running out of my magic reserves and as dawn approached I started to doze off. The next morning Nn..Uoh!? When I opened my eyes, Milly peaceful sleeping face was right in front of me so I got shocked and raised my voice. Even though she look emancipated yesterday, right now her condition has stabilized and her face had a slight tinge of red to it, she had a tranquil sleeping face. ..Thank god I calmed myself down but when I remembered the fact that I was holding on to Millys soft hands, my heart throbbed. Although I had the urge to wash my face and clean up, Milly would not let go of my hand, so I couldnt really move. When I thought about it carefully, if Milly woke up and saw this situation, wouldnt this be really bad for me? I wanted to shake off Milly hand, but if I tried to go all out and shake it with a lot of force, I was afraid that she would wake up, so I couldnt really do that either. Crap..I should at least put some clothes back on. Just when I was about to take my clothes which were on top of her, her eyelids started to flutter as they began to lightly open. She looked straight at me for a couple of seconds then she closed her eyes, and then after a while she opened them and looked at me again. Watching the series of events happen, my mind just completely froze and my body also tensed up. Switching her glances between my naked body and also at her own barely covered up body, her face began to redden and.she shouted KyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was trying to justify what was happening, and Milly started to hit my chest with her small hands, as she cried out saying gibberish words. 磣磣磦á Calm down! Im telling you I didnt do anything suspicious to you! Milly! OOi! Dont start casting magic! Stop! In the end she settled down after about 30 minutes. And although she settled down, she could not look me in the eyes as she turned her gaze away every time our eyes met. Umm, Milly. Ive said this many times, but. ..I know. Im not really..angry anymore. besides its just that I dont know how to face you right now To be honest, I was also at a loss as to how I should act in front of Milly. Scratching my head we were both speechless, and an awkward silence filled the room. Zeph ..What is it? That is.Can we keep this a secret from the others? AhOf course we arent going to tell them you baka! ..Then, I will forgive you? Whilst saying such a thing, Milly turned her face only half way towards me as she laughed with a red face. CH 60 Ah! Milly-san! Zeph-kun! Although we should have been too far to contact each other via guild messaging, they probably noticed the smoke coming out of the bonfire and drew closer to us. With that, we were finally able to come into contact with both Lydia and Claude through the guild messaging system. They probably looked for us all night long as they ran around escaping from the monsters. The two of them were coming towards us from a distance and they seemed worn out as their movements were sluggish. Even so their smiling faces did not show how tired they were. The Wanaruta City Ruins was quite the high level dungeon, so in normal circumstances, beginners like these two girls would not attempt to hunt in this place just yet. This fact was the same for Milly, and I was starting to think that perhaps I may have pushed them too hard Zeph Milly looked in my direction and even though she was speaking quietly she was talking in a strong tone. All of us came here, because we wanted to, so Dont blame yourself, okay? Milly was smiling as she said this to me. Does she know what I was thinking? That is truly surprising. .I suppose Milly is not one to be underestimated Well, after all I am the leader of the group? So its fine if you want to rely on me, okay? I suppose so. The fact that I have been able to accomplish my objectives at such a fast pace is all thanks to everyones hard work Your objective? Its the same as Millys Milly was looking at me in wonder so I started to rub her head, and then I hugged her. Wh.wait! Stop it! Zeph! Everyone is coming.. Isnt this what we normally do? You dont have to worry so much, Milly Normally.You dont go that far. Milly was looking down as she meekly protests, but the last part of her words seem to vanish. I truly have good companions. My eyes were moistened slightly, and the appearance of Claude and Lydia who was coming to approach us was distorted. -No, something is wrong. The ground was distorted and the dust in the air clouded my vision. Both of you get away! When I shouted at Claude and Lydia who was coming towards us, they both got shocked and stopped their movements. I was still holding on to Millys head as I immediately flew backwards. Blue light rises from the ground as the space is slightly distorted around the area, from the light, two shadows resembling humans comes out. Nn?Where could we be? Azelea senpai? It seems that we are in a dungeon of some sort..? You need to get your act together, Grain. In the eastern continent, there arent many well-known dungeons with so much magical density. We are obviously at the Wanaruta City Ruins The two people who appeared from the spatial interference was a woman and a man. Her black long hair flutters, and she was looking at me with a strong gaze, she was the woman called Azelea. The man who was alternating his gaze between Claude and Lydia had a menacing posture, he had ash colored hair and he was called Grain. The both of them had white coats on them, and underneath their coats they had light armor equipped. They had a symbol of the Magician Society Organization imprinted on their chest, and on that symbol there was a star which showed their ranking within the organization, Azelea had two stars, Grain had one star. These two, were people dispatched from the Magicians Society.! I had a bad feeling running along the muscles of my spine. Judging from the strength of the magical aura they were exuding, they were magicians from the reputable organization. However, why was such people being sent to a place like this? Was I their target? Did I do something to aggravate them?I dont have anything that comes to mind but, the fact that they sent out two people from the magicians society, probably.means.. You guys.Ahh, the boy with the silver hair over there. You seem like the leader. Allow me to talk to you for a moment When the woman called Azelea called out to me, my heart felt like it would stop. I couldnt stop myself from sweating, and just like my body had been paralyzed I couldnt even move a muscle. I was like a frog being stared down by a snake. This was the same for both Claude and Lydia, they too were unable to speak and their movements had halted. I was looking downwards and Azelea was staring at me in silence as she began to approach me, when she took a step. Whoosh! The magic which came from Azelea exploded outwards and envelops me. It was like being put in an extremely cold environment, the torrent of magic was so powerful that it made my body shiver. My body wouldnt stop shaking, and I embraced Milly firmly. Step..She took another step towards me. Do you have business with us!? She took another step, Milly raised her voice to question Azelea as she continued to draw near. Before I noticed it, Milly had already slipped out of my arms, she folded her own arms as she stood right in front of Azelea. Her feet were slightly trembling but she was able to remain composed even though she was being suppressed by their strength. .I am the leader. I am the guild master of the Blue Sky Hunters, Milly Reyad ..Fumu, so the leader wasnt the young boy over there? Has my eyes gone bad.? There was just a little thing I wanted to ask you about.. I already introduced myself, but you wont even voice out your name? Milly glared at Azelea head on. Seeing such a scene, the man called Grain, whistles in the background. Little lady, you seem to have quite a bit of courage dont cha?? Being able to be so bold in front of Azelea Senpai is quite the formidable thing. You will have a promising future it seems..At the very least, it seems to be much brighter than the kid pissing his pants over there, dont you think? Saying such a thing Grain gave me a thumbs down. The man called Grain briskly makes his way towards Milly, with a grin on his face he tried to place his hand on top of Millys head. Dont touch me! Milly used her small hands to brush of Grains hand, for an instant he was surprised, but his face soon distorted into his usual smile. Suu.His forefinger was brought closer to Milly breast, and in the moment that he tried to touch her Stop it Grain Azeleas voice interrupted him and Grain stopped his movements, he clicked his tongue in disappointment and straightened his back. When he straightened his back, he was actually quite tall. Excuse my impoliteness. I have been dispatched by the Magicians Society, my name is Azelea Sylphid. Have you seen a woman dressed in black around here? She has short black hair, and is a woman dressed in a black coat Instantly an image of Seruberie crossed my mind. Are these two magicians looking for Seruberie? No, I know that she can act a little excessively sometimes, but she doesnt really get involved with other people, and shes not the type of person to stir up trouble. The Magician Society doesnt usually dispatch people unless there has been a major dispute among the humans. Who knows? Since I have come here, I havent met anyone else. So I cant help you Azalea continues to stare at Milly, and after a while of silence, she spoke. Is that so? In that case, Im sorry to have disturbed you Eh? Ah.. Yeah. Azalea backed down from the situation quite easily, Milly was caught off guard by such an anticlimactic response. If you see her around here, it would be a great help to the Magicians Society if you could let us know That person, is she someone that is being chased by the Magicians Society? Not really, we just wanted to have a little chat with her At my question, Azelea laughed lightly and casually answered. Just talk.? I dont really know if shes telling me the truth of if its a lie, but, if I continued to question her any further than this, it might put me in danger. Therefore I just responded to her words with silence. Lets get going Grain Yeah, yeah, I understand Well then, Ill see ya later you shitty kids So as to make sure that Azelea did not hear his final words, he only mouthed out the words using his lips. Im going to open it, Azelea Senpai Yeah Holding his hands up in the air, Grain starts to mutter an incantation, as another blue light rises from the ground below forming a space distortion in the air, Grain uses his feet to step into it. Nevertheless shes made it really hard for us this time around hasnt she? That shitty bitch Dont talk in such a vulgar way, Grain. We are representing the Magicians Society. Stop it with those kind of remarks that could make us lose face Yeah, yeah, I know already. More importantly, you need to hurry up and enter, otherwise the portal will disappear, you know? Azalea Senpai I suppose so, shall we go? Both Grain and Azalea vanishes after stepping into the blue light, and we were the only ones left in this place. CH 61 After the agents who were dispatched from the Magicians Society vanished into the portal, all of us were just left standing there in a daze. Time passes by without anyone saying a single word, after the last string of tension in Milly dissipates, she finally crumbled to the ground and that was when time started again. I was startled back into action, and I immediately ran over to Milly and held her shoulders. Milly, Im so sorry..! FuFufun, I am the leader after all right? ? ButAhahamy waist..gave out When I looked closely, Milly legs were totally shaking and her body doesnt have any strength in it. I was supposed to be the one taking action in this kind of scene, however when the two people over powered me with their domineering auras I couldnt move at all. In the past, whenever I encountered a mage from the magicians society, they were all mostly underlings, even so, the underlings were already frightening people with great strength, I did not expect that people with a star badge on them would be on a different plane altogether. Shit, Im so pathetic. Milly, you are amazing ThThats not true! The reason I was able to try so hard isbecauseZeph is right beside me.. Milly was muttering unintelligibly as her face continued to become redder, she was trying to gloss over how deplorable and pathetic I was, and I could only embrace her even tighter. Wai..Wait Zeph!? Milly was struggling around and I continued to hold her until her power of struggling weakened. Milly-chan! Lydia came towards us with a hard tackle as both Milly and I were thrown into the ground. Woah! Im sorry! Milly-chan, Zeph-kun! Im sorry I couldnt move.Even though Im supposed to be the older sister..Im sorry! The agents of the Magician society.Ive heard about them from the rumors but it turns out they are incredible people. For you to be able to stand up to them, without flinching is Claude also runs up to us, and she looked at Milly with eyes of respect and reverence. I.Im telling you guys, Im not that great! I also lost in front of your bravery today Mou~ Even Zeph.You guys are making me blush.. I stood up. Milly was still being embraced by Lydia and she was covering her face in embarrassment. The fact is that amount of latent potential contained in Millys body far exceeds my own. Perhaps the massive amount of magical energy acted as a wall for her, and it prevented the two people from overpowering her with their overwhelming auras..? No, saying this would just be an excuse on my part. I just need to become even stronger. So much stronger that this will not ever happen again -At Night. Without speaking many words, we all returned to the town of Beruta. Usually, we would be talking excitedly about our spoils of war for the day or the tough battles we fought, however, perhaps because everyone had a lot on their minds, today, we just returned to town as soon as possible. Then have a good night Yeah Have a good night, Zeph-kun I separated from the two girls after eating dinner, and after washing the sweat off my body I quickly went to bed. -Late into the night. Short Sleeping (This is the name I came up with) after taking a small power nap, I woke up feeling refreshed and casted scout scope on to myself. Zeph Einstein Level 40 RedMagical Value 32, Magical Limit 62 BlueMagical Value 29, Magical Limit 87 GreenMagical Value 31, Magical Limit 99 SkyMagical Value 31, Magical Limit 89 SpiritMagical Value 30, Magical Limit 97 Total Magical Value 1611/1622 The good thing is, the level of my Summon Servant Spell increased to level 1. After continuously using Spirit magic for these past few days, the level of my White Crash and White Sphere has exceeded level 30, and finally I have become able to use this magic spell. For the time being, I dont want to just summon some weird living thing so suddenly in the middle of my room, so I decided to go out of town. After drinking my fill of water, I did some light stretches and I went out of the inn towards the outside of town. Recently, because of the training I had with Lydia, it has become a habit to do a little bit of calisthenics every single morning. I teleported to the outskirts of town and reached an empty area, I was a little bit excited as I started to chant the magic. Summon Servant! I held my hands outwards as it started becoming enveloped in a white light, the light continued to grow stronger. That light formed into a human-like shape, and then Poof, what was born right in front of my palm, was a palm-sized girl. Her long hair reaches all the way to her feet and she was wearing a big ribbon on her head, she was also wearing a dress that suggested she was a high-class young lady of some sort. On her back, there was small golden wings filled with magic, she really looked like a small angel girl that was supposed to be in a museum or something. Her age seemed to be around 5 or 6 years of age perhaps? The young girl was looking about her vicinity, and she looked at me with her pure and innocent gaze, her voice sounded like a clear bell. ..Grandpa? I was instinctively, taken aback. G.grand.? Dont tell me that this fellow, could see within my soul or something? Her small body flutters around the air as it danced about and demurely gets on top of my head. Her weight was quite light, it felt like I put on a hat. Oi dont pull on my hair! Didnt you know it hurts! I grabbed on to this little girl and put her in front of me. It hurts! it hurts! Grandpaa! S.Sorry. When I loosen my grip on the girl, she pouted her cheeks and had a face that seemed unhappy. What are you? Me? I am Ain! Didnt grandpa call out for me? The girl who introduces herself as Ain, places her small palm on her chest, and she gave a curt bow as she greeted me. Is that how it is? She seemed to be called out, when I casted Summon Servant, in other words this little girl was actually my familiar servant. Alright, Ain. What can you do? Can you please show me your powers? Im hungry! I want food~ Our conversation didnt connect at all. Whilst smiling Ain was demanding me to feed her some food. .Well I guess its fine..What would you like to eat? Jewels! Give me Grandpas jewels! Please! She pointed at the bag that was hanging around my waist and Ain repeatedly called out Jewels!. It would seem that she means my high level mediums. When you mean you wanted to eat, did you mean these things? Yeah thats the one! That jewel! I took out one of the high-level mediums from my bag and presented it to Ain, her face was glittering with energy as she accepted the medium with both her hands. When I gave her the high-level medium she held it in her small hands, and she began to vigorously munch on it and it soon completely disappeared. She looked like some sort of small animal that was eating nuts. More! More! Alright, alright When I gave her another piece of the high-grade medium, she was into eating it wholeheartedly. Perhaps she was so into it right now that, she wouldnt even hear what I was saying. Uu~ Im so full! In the end she eat up to five of my high-grade mediums and after she felt satisfied, she was now sitting on top of my shoulder whilst patting her own stomach. Thats good for you. Now then Ain, can you tell me what your power is.? When I asked her the question once again, she merely yawned on my shoulder. She had eyes that seemed like she was sleepy as she began to rub them, and with a blank expression, she muttered out a single word. Sleeppy. As soon as she said this, she became particles of light, and Ain disappeared. Oi, Ain! Oii, hey! heyyyyyy!!? Afterwards, I went hunting out alone, and even though I tried to summon her again various times, Ain would not come out. What the heck is wrong with this spell? (Web Novel Image: Summon Servant Ain the Angel?!) CH 62 On the way back to town and on the returning path to the inn, I happened to pass by Lydias house, despite the fact that it was still early in the morning, I heard both Lydias and Claudes voices. Right there! Your stance is still weak! Claude-chan! Yes! From the other side of the wall, the two people were sparring with each other in the backyard. If I listened closely, Kaan! I could hear the sound of two wooden swords clashing against each other intermittently. Oh yeah thats right, Lydia did have a wooden sword and a wooden axe in her back yard. I thought that it was a decorative object she used as a display, but in turns out that it was able to be used by Claude for this mock battle. Hah! Yah! Toryaa! Tsu! Ku..! Yah! Guessing from the voice, the mock battle seemed to be a one-sided slaughter heavily tilted in Lydias favor. Under normal circumstances, Lydia would be taking a defensive stance and teaching us slowly, but perhaps because we had such a shameful encounter with the agents from the Magician Society, Lydia was really fired up as she relentlessly cornered Claude. Even so, Claude doesnt get defeated easily, and she throws counter attacks of her own as well. Tahh! Hah! Hoh! Tooh! Nevertheless, Claudes attacks seem to be easily dodged. Do your best Claude, I believe that someday you will be able to go toe to toe with Lydia. I stood outside the wall just listening to the sounds of them diligently practicing, and after a while I directed my footsteps towards the hotel. I sensed something coming out of the hotel, it felt like a gentle wave of magic that surged outwards. It was coming out of Millys room. Milly was concentrating herself, and was probably in deep meditation. She was refining the magical energy within her body and covering her body with the aura. Deep meditation was one of the basic form of trainings a magician was required to be able to do, however, perfecting the art of meditation was not something that was simple to do. Right now, there is still many useless actions, and the flow of magic coming out of Milly was not necessarily smooth, nevertheless, she was able to make up for it due to her huge amount of latent magical energy. To think that she had this much magical energy within her body, the fact that she was able to move whilst being suppressed by the auras of the powerful agents made more sense now. Although she was usually quite childish and she would normally act upon her whims, when she successfully entered the state of deep meditation, the amount of magical energy she is able to draw out is simply amazing. If she was allowed to mature properly, let alone myself, she would easily be able to surpass those two agents from the Magicians Society. (I cant just sit around and do nothing now, can I) The moment I returned to the Inn, I went inside of my room, I sat cross-legged on the floor and slowed my breathing down in order to enter a state of deep meditation. I refined the magical energy residing in the depths of my body, and slowly covered my whole body with the magical aura. Did Mily notice that I was also training via deep meditation? It seems that in order to compete with me, she tried to raise the speed at which her magic was being refined. (Guu.Are you telling me she can still increase the speed..? I am not going to lose either! When I raised the amount of magic circulating throughout my body, Milly sensed it and seemed to increase it again slightly. In addition to this, I also respond in kind This continued on for a while longer, we started to lose track of time as we immersed ourselves in the meditation battle that we were currently having. Oh? Zeph, what are you doing right now? Claude had returned from her special training with Lydia, and right now I was lying on my back with my legs and arms sprawled out. And soon after that, Milly opens the door and enters my room. Did she come here whilst entrusting her body to the wall? Although she managed to open the door, her shoulder was currently resting against the wall so that it could prop her up. It would of been fine if she just went to bed, but it seems like she wanted to gloat over her victory, she was breathing out *Zeeh Zeeh* and her breathing was quite rough. Fu..Fufu, Its my victory isnt it..? Zeph. ..Although you say that, arent your legs also unsteady? I..Can already moveSee? Nihihi? Saying that she folded her arms, and she tried to make a victory stance, which looked like it was about to fall apart at any moment now. Your legs are clearly shaking, you know that right? Seeing this scene, Claude lets out a sigh. It seems that you guys have had it quite hard havent you? For today, you should both rest up. I will ask Lydia to teach me a little bit more about martial arts, so I should get going soon After declaring her part, she goes out of the room with an amazed expression. The sound of her footsteps descending the stairs got softer and softer, before long silence wrapped around our surroundings. How long are you going to be standing like that, why dont you come over and sit down, Milly? ..Yeah Milly started to unfold her arm, but the moment she stepped forward in order to sit on the chair, Milly steps on her own foot and she tripped over. Milly!? Watatatata!? Milly was flapping her wings like a bird, in an attempt to regain the loss of balance she was experiencingBut all it did was by her some time, seeing this, I immediately dashed forwards in order to catch her fall, however my body which had just released a huge amount of magical energy during my training was barely able to move. And, Dosunn! A ballistic sound resounded in the room. Even so, I was able to safely catch Millys falling body. The weight of two people crashing towards the floor, sent a sensation of pain towards my back, however when I was able to confirm that she was safely within my arms, I sighed a breath of relief. Are you alright? Milly YYeah, Thank you Millywas being carried in my embrace and she quickly regained her footing with my help, and also started to perform basic meditation in order to replenish some of her magical reserves. She was wearing her thin night clothes, moreover the temperature of her body including the softness of a girl was felt much more strongly than usual And I also noticed the fact that her small body, was trembling a little in my arms. Milly? When I called out towards her, she suddenly strengthened the grip on my clothes whilst looking up at me. Her eyes seemed really feverish right now, and it was a little surprising. Her face was really close, and when she opened her mouth to speak, her sweet breath tickles my nose. Zeph..I, dont want to lose to those two agents, I want to become a lot stronger. I want to be strong enough..so that I am able to protect everyone, with absolute certainty! Saying such determined words, Millys eyes shone with a bright light which signified her strong resolution. Although for a moment, the atmosphere was a little tense, but the moment I let out a sigh and pat her head, Millys face turned into a comfortable expression. Is it so.? But you know what Milly? I think that it is better to not have any thoughts of stirring up trouble with the agents of the Magician Society. Although the Magician Society is not one to abuse their power against the people, if you provoked them intentionally then it might lead to us being targeted by the people from the Magician Society. .Yeah, Im sorry..But they had a really coercive and overbearing magical aura that I just.. Certainly, it was beyond our imaginations just how much magic they were able to harness around them. The agents of the Magicians Society was bound by their own set of rules, and they had to follow the correct protocols, they were definitely not allowed to take revenge on people for personal reasons. And whilst the strength of these agents would far exceed your average magician, if they broke the rules of the magicians society, then they would no longer be permitted to use magic any longer. Although Milly was gallantly standing up to the dispatched agents, if she somehow offended them and were deemed to be resisting, it may even lead to the other party making an attack. (However, when I think back to the times that the Magicians Society sent out their people to me, none of them possessed that high level of magic.. I tried to analyse why this was the case and I went around in circles, with no answers to speak of. Meanwhile, my right hand was automatically playing around with Millys hair whilst thinking about the solutions. (I dont get itdid they perhaps have a special inherent ability?) I was continuing to brood over the topic. Milly who was exhausted from using her magical energy too much, was currently sleeping as she let out a gentle sleepers breathing. Oi, if you sleep in this kind of position, doesnt that mean that I cant really move out of this position? I wanted to twist out of this situation, but Milly was just really persistent, she wouldnt let me escape and she firmly clung on to me. Even so, forcibly waking her up from her stupor was not a very nice thing to do. When I was thinking about what to do, Milly was muttering something out in her sleep. E..everyone, I will be sure to protect, themalright? Zeph.. .Oh geez, I really cannot afford to lose to her like this Milly was breathing peacefully as I continued to pat her head, Whilst looking over her, I also swore to become strong enough to protect those important to me. CH 63 In the end, I didnt have any other choice but to carry Milly until she wakes up. It is probably because Im also tired from training every day? Feeling the soft touch of Milly, the drowsiness attacks me, and I ended up sleeping until morning. CCrash! And then, in the middle of my drowsiness, a strong and unexpected blow toward my chin wakes me up. Milly was in front of me, she was bright red and holding down her head.That reminds me, I fell asleep while hugging Milly. It may be that because I was in front of her when she woke up, in the confusion, she gave me a head-butt. Shit, a little blood came out of my nose ~~Geez You slept over me without permission. Milly, youre the one whos wrong here If If I was sleeping then wake me up! What are you going to do if someone sees us! Its really good that Claude didnt see us I dont care anymore! Idiot! When making fun of her, Milly who has become reddened turns away. When lifting my body, my stomach makes a guu sound. That reminds me, I didnt eat anything since I was last awake. Are you hungry? Hmm Why dont we eat outside today? Saying that, Milly pulls my hand and begins to run towards the outside of the inn. She seems like she is fully recovered just with that little sleep. When going out to the streets, I found myself with a woman who was in the middle of preparing the launch, her loud voice was like a sales pitch as if she was calling someone to get closer. Its really cheap, and when Im going to buy something good, a customer, a customer and another customerThe situation was like a battlefield. Fuwaa~ this is amazing. Well, the schedule is kinda bad. Should we change places? There isnt sufficient charm for a date here Ehh!? A da,da,da What are you talking about? Its a joke Wh Stupid! Stupid! You are a stupid Zeph! I was laughing *Kukuku*, Milly slaps my back again and again. When we entered into a side street while receiving them on my back, the moment we change our course, we stumbled against something. It almost sent Milly flying away, but I manage to catch her into my arms. Im sorry, I was looking away No, Im the one who is A````a!! When Milly raises her head and shouts with a surprised face, the person who was there was a familiar black-haired woman. A skirt with long sleeve cardigan, hooded and even though her clothes are the only thing that matches her, there is no way I will never forget that appearance. CThe dispatchment of mages that only happened the other from the magicians society. If I remember correctly, she said she was called Azalea? If Im not mistaken, you are Muguuu!? Idiot! Your voice is loud! When Milly was about to raise her voice, I block her mouth and I warn her in low voice. A dispatched mage is the closest existence who was given the ability to judge someone by the magicians society as a means to protect themselves. There are many people who has a grudge against them, and making that grudge public in front of others I cant say that it is a good choice. Forgive me, that you have to put me in consideration Saying that, Azalea dispelled the tension. Although she is grinning, to us who are aware of what happened yesterday, that bright smile is frightening. Certainly, you are, Milly-chan and Zeph-kun, right? Leaving that aside Milly, I dont remember introducing myself Ah! Now that you mention it! Milly becomes aware of the fact. Azelea who changes her attention to me, as if my remark didnt affect her at all, continues using a calm expression without indication that will change at all. Hahaha, I ended up making you take a strange caution. Even so, I didnt have that intention To us who were retreating slowly, Azelea is trying to show that she isnt hostile. In fact, Ive heard of you before. There was a teacher called Clare in the Nanami town, isnt that right? She is, my older sister Teacher Clares younger sister? Teacher Clare was from when we were attending the school in the Nanami town, a person who works as a teacher. Though I heard that she had a sister, but for it to be a dispatched mageBut now that she mentions it, somehow her presence looks a little like teacher Clare. I heard a lot from my sister. That you are very mischievous and so I was asked to take care of you if we were to ever meet I didnt think we would have such a meeting in this way. In addition, Azalea was smiling. At that time when Milly couldnt adapt too well to the school, Clare-sensei talked to me but I answered that it was very troublesome, even so it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. After revealing a familiar name, my guard loosened a bit and Azalea continued talking. It was this kind of meeting, so its natural to be on guard. Grain and I were also a little excited too. I dont behave in this way usually. Here, dont you want to eat some candies, both of you? After saying that, with a gosogoso sound from her pocket, Azelia takes out two stick candy, and Milly receives it timidly. Are you suppressing your magic today? To have that kind of control to that extent, you are really skilful Aah, yesterday there was a peculiar mage. He was extending his overwhelming power into the surroundings, it might be to seal teleportation Hm? Can it be because of our overwhelming power that everyone is awfully afraid of us? Azelia was pondering about my words, there seems to be no maliciousness at all. Or maybe I need to become aware of the fact that her reaction is obviously odd. Are you really alright, dispatched magician. Ah, Im sorry. Its because we normally act independently. We almost never formed a team In other words, Seruberie is The one we have been chasing after is just that troublesome. Though it is a shameful story, she escaped from us several times. You two if you ever meet her dont ever come close to her, shes dangerous Azalea lift her forefinger, warning us. Her face shows she is genuinely concerned about us, so Milly and I look at each other. Well, leaving that aside, you too Zeph-kun, are you not going to eat? When I was hesitating in whether or not to receive the candy, I give a look to Milly but she had already begun to lick it. Its delicious, you know? You are too accustomed to eat food off of strangers.This time it might be good idea to teach her to not receive food from strangers. But well, this probably isnt poisoned. When I open the cover of the candy, and I start to lick it, the delicious taste of the concentrated sugar starts to melt in my tongue. If both of you are okay with that, why dont we talk in another place? Ill even treat you to some juice Azalea starts walking after saying that, and Milly follows closely. And I didnt have other choice but to follow their backs after letting out a sigh. After waiting for a moment at the table after arriving, the drinks that everyone ordered were brought out. Azalea asked for a black coffee, Milly a mixed juice, and me a hot milk. Hahaha? That Zeph asked for milk, he is like a chil~d? Warm milk is healthy for the body and bones, it stimulates a healthy growth. A drink that gives an efficient nourishment Thats right, if Milly doesnt drink milk too you will not grow big~ Is Is that true? Are you going to drink? Saying that, she is given a hot milk and after receiving it, she stays a little silent. Whats wrong? Arent you going to drink it? No Um That is Isnt this an i-indirect ki She was muttering something in a low voice, and then Milly reddens. But with an expression as if she had decided on something, she drinks the milk with a gulp. Its as I had heard from my sister, you get along well. You two More or less. Even though we look like this we have been together for a while Like wanting for a look of approval from Milly, she takes the cup to her mouth and with a gulp she nods. Seeing our behaviour, after a grin, Azalea continued talking. Then, how long has been since you two started going out? Buu````u!! The milk that Milly had in her mouth was majestically spilled out towards Azalea. It rained incessantly and without mercy over the face of Azalea, being soaked, her pretty black hair was dyed in white. Kehokkeho, Im Im sorry. But it was because you said something strange Yes, its my fault for not having dodged. I still dont have enough training. While dripping drops of milk, Azalea took a handkerchief from her own pocket. CH 64 Woops, its already time, Im sorry but I was in the middle of shopping. You will have to excuse me. Bye-Bye, Azalea-san As a response to Milly who was waving her hand, Azalea laughs. In the end, we were treated with desserts and tea cakes by Azalea, and it seems that Milly was completely tamed by her. Lets go, Zeph! Aah So she is the dispatched mage Azalea. I thought, that the dispatched mages were always in the capital, but to think that someone like her is in this remote countryside. Although its probably because her older sister, Clare-sensei lives here, that type of relation? But if she had that space teleportation magic, then the distance should not be a big problem. While seeing Azalea leave, I barely remembered to use scout scope on her. Azalea Silfy Level 99 RedMagic level 41 Level limit: 41 BlueMagic level 39 Level limit: 39 GreenMagic level 54 Level limit: 54 SkyMagic level: 59 Level limit: 59 SoulMagic level: 36 Level limit: 36 Magic level: 6201/6201 Azaleas level is 99. Her unique magics are too many to be counted, and she has 100 or more in her possession. I was aware that dispatched mages have many unique skills so I wasnt surprised, but having so many to that extent Moreover, even her level is 99. Seruberie and now even Azalea, so young and yet their levels are so high. Seruberie has her unique magic called chronos, and Azalea reached to the point where she can be called a dispatched mage which holds no restraints whatsoever. To use them as an example is something else right. But well, the higher the place I can aim towards, the more competition I will have. Placing my hand on her head with a slap, I muttered. We must also become strong ? Milly who has like a question mark on her face, but as soon as I start to gently stroke her head, her expression changes to one of comfortableness. Night. As soon as I left the town, I teleport myself towards the ruined church. The purpose is to experiment with the summon servant which I couldnt in the last few days to my hearts content. I started to chant the summon servant spell, and in the same way that yesterday, the same familiar, Ain, came from inside the light. Looking through the scout scope, the summon servant with the word level 2 has turned now into a dark grey color. If I think the word was white before, then I can think that it will be not possible to use it for a little while after it has turned a dark grey color. Even the magic consumption which is 500 is a lot. The next thing I do is use the scout scope on Ain. Ainbell Ruby-Eye Level 2 Magic level 15/15 Even though her magic level for a level 2 is low, I will leave aside that for now. It seems that she doesnt have much magic either. Then I check the contents of my bag. The high-level medium inside of the bag didnt decrease, so it will be possible to use summon servant spell with only magic power. Or at least at the present stage. Grandpa, did you call me? I incline my head, Ain was flying around me. The level of Ain should be the same that summon servant spell. So that means that maybe when I level up the summon servants level, Ain too will grow. Lets continue yesterdays question. Ain, what can you do? Nn~n I dont know! A meal please! As I thought, today is not good either. I cant grab her attention at all, just like yesterday. I handed a high-level medium to Ain who had a face full of glory, then I let out a sigh when I see her eating and making a crunching sound. CImmediately after, just when I feel a presence behind me I proceed to turn around. A zombie has come. I chose this proving ground where monsters appear with the only purpose of testing the power of Ain. Judging from yesterdays response, I predicted that we wouldnt be having much of a conversation so. I have a few guesses as to what extent her strength is. Seruberies unique magic, the magic to summon a snake made of magic, something like an enchantment spell type to reinforce her magic, and even the familiar can attack by his own decision. Or the type to strengthen my own physical strength Well, its likely it will be one of those three options. And because I saw many mages summoning familiars with their unique magic, I can roughly deduce their strength. I quickly approached the zombie that was approaching and I stood in front of it. The zombie stops his movement like it was puzzled but only for an instant, and like wanting to test its strength by tearing me up, it comes to me attacking. Even though I easily evade its attacks, I didnt move at all. Though I continue evading several times, Ains behaviour didnt have any change, it was only flying around me. The only other option left is that it may improve my magic power? After having retreated with a back step, I casted the time square in my mind and white crash simultaneously, and until the effect go away I took note of the time, then I use the scout scope on the zombie. I let time run and after the zombie was wrapped around by a light, the effect of the scout scope was put into action. Zombie Level 6 Magic level: 4112/452 (TL note: Overkill this is the correct figure being displayed) I could see the remaining figure just before the zombie fell down. I thought about this method just a while back, and it is the method of using time square, right after chanting out time square if I used scout scope along with it, I am able to see exactly how much damage it has taken right before its death. There are many cases of experimenting magic against weak monsters, and at the same time there are many times when monsters are defeated in one strike, so its difficult to assert the damage to eliminate the monster, but if I use this, I will be able to guess to certain extent. The damage Ive done is about 4600. I think my damage from when I was trying to test my attack has increased a little from before I called Ain. But leaving that aside, something worthy of special mention is that even if I use the white crash, I dont consume a high-level medium. With the little money I have after having sold the king nippers card, Im very pleased to have this kind of power. Grandpa, Im hungry~ Really, even though you have already eaten.. No, since Ain itself require high-level mediums, as I thought, I need to secure a stable source of supply. I only gave one high-level medium to Ain, and then I went to search zombies with teleportation. Im sleepy Aah, good night I reply to Ain when who was disappearing while rubbing her eyes, and then the next moment I start thinking about the experiment results. Apparently, the ability of Ain is to reduce the cost of invoking and improve the power but only when its related to the soul magic. And after a fixed time it seems that she needs to consume a high-level medium. I can say the duration is about ten minutes? Even though I tried to attack many zombies using white crash, only a lowly 5% was improved, moreover, she doesnt strengthen any of the other magics. Frankly I can say that in the current state the summon servant spell doesnt have any noticeable effect, but as Ain grows and levels up, I can expect the efficiency of her power to improve. For the time being I cant use the summon servant spell anymore, so I will end my experiment for today. Well, to my next task In the middle of my thinking a person has appeared. The person who appeared from the dark was Seruberie. Because I saw burning marks on the ground I knew that Seruberie had been hunting the King of the Dead. There was another reason why I chose this place as a place for my experiments. And it was to meet Seruberie, and ask her about the relationship between her and the dispatched magicians. When Seruberie took notice of me, she made a surprised face for a moment after seeing an unexpected visitor. CH 65 Seruberie was standing in the ruined church, in a corner of the graveyard. The King of the Dead resurrects every week, and even though I dont know the exact moment in which it resurrects, I approach Seruberie. I was not quite sure whether or not I could met Seruberie today, but I was lucky this time. We meet again Preparing an ambush, I cannot say its a hobby that I admire Even though Im being criticized by my ambush, she doesnt look angry to that extent Sorry. There was something I wanted to tell you no matter what Something you want to tell me? Yesterday, after you saved us, Milly and I, we met with dispatched mages from the magician society and it seems they were looking very hard for you, Seruberie Oh its about that? As if it was something troublesome, Seruberie fiddles with her hair. Well, in this ruins there is only one layer, so she is probably aware that she is being chased? She takes out a clock from her coat, checks the time and then she turns around facing me. Im sorry but the King of the Dead will resurrect shortly. Can we talk a bit later? Aah, since I am also here, I will help you. Seruberie Just then, the King of the Dead resurrected in front of us, but we were able to repulse it with ease. After Seruberie fires her magic, her magic power is consumed, so I take care of buying enough time for her to recover. This was repeated three times until the King of the Dead was completely worn-out and had collapsed. Even though it was a low rank boss, there is a limit to killing it with one blow. As I thought, Seruberies power is terrific. After she put the drop item into her bag and the snake bone ring into her pocket, she turns around facing towards me. Im sorry, you even had to help me It doesnt matter, even if I dont help you I am sure that you can defeat it alone It was the truth, I only helped her to gain a bit of time. Then, do you mind if continue our conversation? Yeah, I suppose so Seruberie sighs like it was bothersome, it is quite evident that this is not a topic she wants to talk about. Did you do something to the magician society to make them pursue you? I didnt do anything to make them pursue me to this extent If it was not something so important, then they wouldnt send dispatched mages It seems that this is a topic she doesnt want to talk about, but I cant let it pass. Against the persistent me, she answer as if she had surrendered. I only borrowed a scroll that was in the society and thats all I cant close up my mouth. No matter how you think about it, its really serious. So, have you returned it? Not yet isnt that clearly a robbery? That reminds me, back in the days when I was travelling together with Seruberie, she always grabbed my stuff and used them as she pleased, but I didnt think it was possible for her to do the same thing against others and especially against the society. However, this unique magic that was written on a scroll by the society must be fully guarded, youve done a great job in stealing it. Seruberie is the type of person that can do something like that, but as always, she is extremely reckless. ..Why didnt you return it? When I was about to do that, they started to chase after me so I ended up running. The pursuers attacked me without asking questions or answering me, so I dont know if this is a good time to go there again and return it So you mean that you ended running all this time until today. I noticed that you had difficulties in associating with other people but for them to be to this extent. You know, the more time it passes the more difficult it will be to return it! I tried to return it secretly at night, but the security became strict so in the end I couldnt return it This person is hopeless If I dont do something quickly then She turns away her eyes from me, and standing there like it was really troublesome she seemed as if she were a child being scolded. I understood. I will be the one who returns it so can you give me the scroll to me? That will be a big help Muu, you are saying that, but arent you secretly planning to learn the scroll in this way? Good grief! This has become so troublesome because you are so perceptive at bad times. Grinning and laughing, I turn around facing Seruberie and I reply her, I leave it to your imagination. Seruberie It seems that I cant let down my guard against you, even a bit Fufufu, both of us had a wicked smile on our faces. Well, I dont have any problem with that, but Zeph, if the magicians society find out that you have been in contact with me, its possible that you will be marked down by them Ill do it in a way in which they wouldnt find out. I have already thought of a plan I know where teacher Clares house is. If she is the sister of Azalea, then, If I say I picked it up from the ground, I only have to pass it to teacher Clare and somehow I will be able to deceive her, But anyways, its better if you apologize. It will be better for your image even if is not certain they will ever forgive you When you look at Azalea, she doesnt seem like an unsociable dispatched mage with which you cant talk to. Im not sure, so if its possible can you tell them in my stead Zeph? Even if I am the one to tell them something, it will not have the full sincerity At least write an apology letter yourself If its only that Seruberie unwillingly uses the collapsed gravestone as a desk to write the letter of apology. I peek to see if she is truly writing, but then she uses her hand to block my view. Are you a child? I think the moment when we first met she was a bit more honest And even at that time she was already avoiding relationships with people Leaving aside the disappointment, this Seruberie that is like a child is kind of refreshing. For a short moment I continue to protect Seruberie while she is writing the letter, and then when she finishes writing, she sealed the letter and gives it to me together with the scroll. Fuu Good work After letting out a sigh, Seruberie puts the pen in her coat. I received the letter and the scroll that she passed to me with her hand, and then when I look to the contents, I saw on the bottom the name of the magic that Seruberie is using Chronos. That scroll is a unique magic that only by just possessing it, the growth is specially fast. When I got that for several years, my growth accelerated with great speed Lets not reply her about the fact that she stole it for several years. Because in that aspect I have a similar way of thinking as her, birds of a feather flock together. Thats right, Seruberie. Why dont you join our guild? Im sure our companions will accept you This body is being chased by the society. Its likely I will trouble you, its better to stop here Are you embarrassed? The moment I said that, Seruberie looks away, looking at the opposite direction. Uu I have made her angry? Because when Seruberie is angry, she stops talking. Um Seruberie? When I get close and I call her, she displays some action like she was playing with something with her hand. Immediately after, with a *bump* my head was hit by something. Its not possible for me to enter in your guild, but I will pass this to you. If something happens, then you may call me Then after saying that, Seruberie used teleportation and went away. Go away but do that after hearing my answer, good grief Whats more, I dont know where she went in this darkness. A red ball floats on the tip of my finger, illuminating the place. When I see the ground, something was reflected by my light. Isnt this.the fragment of a crystal ring? This is made at the time when a guild is created, and it is possible to talk telepathically but only with the other people who have parts of the fragment. Nevertheless, there is a restriction. With this even if I am holding a part of the fragment I cant communicate with you, you know? With this crystal ring, the holders of the fragments cant begin the conversation, they can only receive it. That Seruberie, she doesnt seem to have ever used it before This is why you are always alone Letting out a sigh, I swore to myself that the next time I met Seruberie I will teach her how to use this. CH 66 After separating from Seruberie and returning to town, the sun was beginning to rise and it had already passed breakfast time. After all I did do quite a bit of things today. If its already this late anyways, I dont think it would matter much if I took my time at a leisurely pace. Before returning to the inn, shall I go visit some street stalls? Who knows, I could find some really cheap high-level mediums from one of the stores. I walked into an open area with a lot of street stalls, and from the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of someone I was acquainted with. It was Claude. Isnt that you Zeph-kun? Good morning Ahh, good morning, Claude. Ive come a little late. My bad I also just returned just now. I was at sparring with Lydia and I may have expended too much energy. I was going to use the guild message system to tell Milly that I was going to be late, but there was no answer from her end. Maybe shes still asleep? If I remember correctly, she had also risen up really early yesterday and was sparring with Lydia. When I turn my focus towards our inn, I could feel Millys magical power being trained. Milly is just Milly so she must be doing something by herself. Shes probably just too concentrated to notice that youve sent her a message Lately, shes been getting up quite early every day in order to meditate. Normally, whenever I come back home, she would be so concentrated that she doesnt even hear me arrive, so I suppose it makes sense I cant believe that sleepy head is becoming an early riser. It seems that Claude is also the same, because of my influence on them, these two people have been waking up every morning in order to train themselves. Dont overwork yourself too much alright? Both Claude and Milly are still growing children, you guys are not yet established adventurers, therefore That may be true, butWhy is Zeph-kun, who is supposed to be the youngest one of us all, trying to treat us like children?! Mouu Fuh, I guess you are right on that one. Hahah Both of her hands are on her waist and she puffs out her cheeks. I unintentionally burst into laughter after agreeing with her opinion. Let me just tell you, Zeph-kun you are such a weirdo you know that! I know, I know.Kukuku If I keep laughing too much, Claude might get unhappy, so lets just change the subject. By the way, Claude since you are also here, does it mean that you are also doing some shopping? Umm..Well.. For some reason she answered in a shy manner. Because we have been hunting almost every single day, we have been able to obtain all of our basic equipment, therefore whenever we would get a rare item, we would sell it to Lydia and then split the profits equally amongst those who came for the hunt. She must have saved up enough money to some extent and wanted to have a look at new equipment. Zeph-kun, would you like to come with me and have a look around? Of course I dont mind it When I agreed to come, Claude looked really happy and was in a good mood. Then lets go! If we come back home too late then Ill feel sorry for Milly After saying that Claude grabbed on to my hand. Well to be honest looking at what occurred yesterday, I think that even if we were a little late, she probably wouldnt mind. Come to think of it, Claudes shield is already worn out isnt it? Are you planning on getting a new one? No, Ive kind of built an emotional attachment to it, so if its possible I want to maintain it and continue using it After taking out the shield which was filled with plenty of cracks, Claude starts to trace her fingers over her wounded shield. Since I left home, it has always been by my side its been with me the longest Certainly, if I looked carefully, I can see that the shield is decent in quality. There isnt any deep cracks, besides youve been maintaining it really well When I left to start travelling, I received it from my mother. She told me I hope that this will protect you Claudes family was quite a poor knight family, and because of this fact she was driven away from her house in order to decrease the amount of mouths the family had to feed, it would seem that at that time she received the shield from her mother. To think that shes kept it with her for such a long time, I dont doubt that she has some attachment to it. Then are you buying weapons? Lydia is actually going to make my weapons Then what did you want to buy? Th..That isJ-just dont worry about it and please follow me! She pulls on my hands and walked forwards. The destination we reached after walking for a while was actually a boutique shop that sold clothes, moreover the store had a stylish feel to it. Were here I see, so you wanted to buy some clothes, If thats the case, wouldnt it have been better to ask Milly to come with you? I dont really know much about this kind of stuff Its fine! Look! Were going in! She pushes me into the store and forcibly makes me enter. Hello, how can I help you today.Oh? H.Hello~ The moment we entered the store, a female clerk wearing glasses greeted us. It would seem like they already knew each other. She probably came here quite often? The companion with you today, is that the person Claude-san would like to show your clothes to? Considering that youve brought him along today, can I assume that you will finally purchase the clothes? Whawawa, What are you saying all of a sudden? Natalia-san geezM-mouu shall we have a look!? Zeph-kun! Watching Claude, Natalia was giggling fufufu. Rather than just being mere acquaintances it would seem like they knew each other on a first name basis. They probably spent a lot of time together? Claude, dont get cold feet now okay? Like I said, Ill buy it today!! Both Natalia-san and I were grinning at Claude, and her face was completely red whilst she was picking her clothes. As usual, shes so fun to tease. H.How does this one look? Oh thats the thing youve tried on many times in the past isnt it? If you like it then you should just buy it, right? She was holding a white dress across her own body, and both Natalia-san and I were still talking to her in a tongue-in-cheek manner. After hearing our words, Claudes body froze in place and was trembling *puru puru (trembles)* Did I go a little too far? .Im very sorry Claude-sama. Please pardon my rudeness, if you will forgive me, how about I offer you a 10% discount?(TL: Natalia speaking in honorifics as a form of joking apology) Im also at fault, Ive said to much, its my bad Claude. You can choose whatever you like. I will pay the money Really? Yeah If shes going to be in a good mood just from this, then this is a cheap price to pay. Her mood was becoming better after I apologized to her, and she was happily looking around for various clothes. Natalia-san was able to relate to what Claude was saying, but for me since I had no knowledge whatsoever about clothing, the best I could do was frantically nod my head in agreement. .So, in the end, you chose the first one? Yes, Thank you very much. Zeph-kun? After changing her clothes in the fitting room, Claude walks out wearing the white dress and white heels to match, whilst cheerfully walking around me. It seems that she was very pleased, at times she would twirl around to show off and the frill of her white dress would flutter. Claude was walking under the sunshine and at times, I could see the slender outline of her body through her slightly transparent dress. What do you think? I look like a girl, right? Claude was gently stroking her hair as she laughed, and looking at her like this, as one would expect, it would be really hard to think that she was a guy. ..Thats true, it suits you really well. You look really cute, Claude When I praised her with my honest opinion, perhaps she didnt expect it coming from me, but Claude was starting to blush. ..Finally, youre treating me like a girl, arent you? Hey come on, did you really think that I seriously thought you were a man or something? Just a little bit? Talking so playfully like this, she was laughing and joking around and she truly looked like a mischievous child. Ah, you werent thinking of me as a boy again did you? .Its just your imagination Shes always so perceptive to my thoughts, its troubling. In any case, to think that she would be this happy just from buying clothes, shes a really simpleminded girl isnt she? Hm? Now that you mention it, could it be..? Hey Claude, do you always drive a bargain like this? I will leave it up to your imagination? After saying that Claude was laughing. CH 67 Chapter 66: Wearing Feminine Clothes By the time I returned to the Inn, Milly was already in the process of eating her lunch. A large quantity of bread and stir-fried vegetables, meat and fish.. Milly was still behaving herself, using a knife and fork to eat, but there was already a considerable amount of plates on the table. Welcome home. Zeph, ClaudeAh, those clothes are really cute! Did you buy it just now? Thank you..Eh, thats a lot of food you are eating, Milly-san Its because I knew you two were coming back. So I ordered more? Im also really hungry Nihihi, Milly laughed. How did you know we were coming back? Recently, my perception of magic has become really sensitive. Maybe its because Ive been around you guys for long time? Its especially easy to notice Zephs presence, because his magical energy is really strong To be able to sense magic from a long distance, if I am not mistaken, it should require a considerably high amount of skill, being at such a young age, yet she already able to do such a thing? Milly is incredible. Oh? But for some reason, I cant sense Azaleas magic at all She may have suppressed her magical energy. Especially for those with a calling to being assassin type magicians, I have heard that they possess the ability to hide their existence from others Heeh~ I seeOr more like, is that dispatched magician here? in this town!? Youre talking like you know her as an acquaintance or something. Ah, Claude, I didnt tell you about it? Just yesterday, we met up with that person Come to think of it I havent mentioned this to Claude. That Azalea, is actually the younger sister of one of our acquaintances. The reason why she seemed so intimidating when we first met her, was apparently because she was using that sort of spell to amplify her aura Isthat so? Of course I am not going to just completely believe in her words, but yeah Zeph is such a worry wart~ Just from her appearance, she didnt seem like a bad person Even if you think so, its always better to be careful about these things, you fool Ihyahya! Ihya iheefefu Milly was going to talk back to me, so I pinched her cheeks and spread them apart. By the way, since we are on the topic of dispatch magicians, Ive remembered something that I wanted to show you guys. After we finish eating, do you guys mind if we all go to Lydias place? Claude and Milly were exchanging looks with each other, and whilst they did this I bit into the meat that was placed on the table. Oyo? Did you guys have something to discuss with me? I am sure I told you guys that I have to stay over and watch the store for today, so I cant go hunting, right? When we went over to Lydias store, she was wearing her apron and was still in the middle of her working shift. My bad for interrupting your work. This will only take a short moment, do you mind if we discuss this a little more privately? Hm? I dont mind butIs this some interesting thing again? Lydia seemed interested in what I had to say, and she was leading us to the interior of her shop. After going in everyone sat down on a chair. I took out the Growth Scroll from my bag and placed it in the center of the table where everyone gathered around. Whats this? It looks like some sort of scroll? Where did you get it from? Milly was persistently asking me questions and I momentarily stopped moving. Now that you mention it. I havent really thought about how I was going to explain this to everyone did I? I dont really think I want to go to the trouble of explaining about Seruberie.. This isSomething I picked up I just spouted a lame excuse. Incidentally, Zeph usually gets up really early in order to hunt alone, right? Did you pick this up during those times? Ahhyeah, thats right Nice follow! Claude. Fuu~nn a scroll.? Isnt this unrelated to me? Lydia seemed to have lost interest and had both of her hands locked behind her head, when I turned my gaze towards her, she was looking straight back at me. This is a magical scroll named Growth, I dont really have all the details, but apparently, just by having this scroll, you are able to learn a magic that is able to increase the rate at which you grow and learn. If you can grasp the theoretical concepts behind it, anyone would be able to learn this scroll I have never used magic before, even I can learn it? Even if you dont possess any magical energy, it is possible to learn this scroll. Ive already memorized it myself, so I wanted to pass this around and have everyone learn it After that I passed the growth scroll to everyone around the table and everyone was able to acquire the spellExcept for Lydia. Ahh~ Mouu I dont get this at all~! Her hair was all frizzled up and she lay her head on the table as if her brains were about to short circuit. Because the scroll itself was written with magical characters, humans without any magic might find it harder to understand..however, I dont think it should be as difficult as thisI suppose, shes really a muscle-brain type person? It cant be helped, Leave it to me! Milly sat opposite from Lydia, and started teaching her in the magical ways..However, Millys teaching methods were a little abstract and she couldnt get the point across very well. Like I said, you need to feel the magic inside of your body and let it out, and then you need to concentrate so that you can grasp it firmly within your hands! ..If you explain it like that, how would she be able to understand Thats right Milly-san. To begin with, what you are teaching her is actually the method to shoot out magic If she becomes able to use magic, dont you think it would be really easy for her to learn the scroll? If you go about it that way, then the steps are completely reversed Please leave it to me. Lydia-san, if you want to learn about magic, you only need to learn the theory. All you need is to understand it, then everything should be fine Milly seemed to be making no progress so I guess Claude volunteered herself to become Lydias teacher. First off, shall I start from the notion of what magic actually is? P.Please dont be too hard on me.. Claude was grinning but Lydia could only return a stiff smile. And so for that reasonUmm, Lydia-san are you still listening to me? UnnnIm listening but I dont understand it at all! Lydia spoke out decisively as if admitting it made her feel refreshed. I think that even though Millys explanations were a little jumbled up, I found that a little easier to understand Eh..? Youre kidding.. Claude who was just told that she was actually below Milly in terms of teaching magic received a big shock to her mentality. The thing about Claudes explanations was that she spoke in a soothing continuous tone, and it acted like a lullaby for Lydia as it became easy for her to drift off to sleep. It cant be helped; I guess Im the only one left who is able help her. Switch with me Claude. For someone like Lydia, dont you think that it will be much faster to drive it into her body rather than speak to her with words? Lydia, take off your clothes and please turn your back towards me Wawawa-waitt Zeph-kun!? What are you saying!? Zeph-chi is finally reaching the pubescent age to be able to say such a thing I.It doesnt have any kind of weird meaning naiwa! All I am going to try to do is communicate with your magical energy channels from the outside, and try to carve the growth scroll directly into you. If you dont really want to take off your clothes, you dont really have to you know? Saying that I turn behind Lydia and just thrust my hands under her clothes. Hyaah!? Wait a moment, can you please not touch any weird spots~ The clothes are obstructing me. Once I manage to locate where your magical veins are it will be fine, so just endure it until then I..I got it! Ill take it off! So just take your hands off me for a second~ Ah.Umm, it looks like Im only being a hindrance here soIm going to go outside for a bit Claude wasnt able to stay here any longer it seems? Her face was blushing like a tomato and she quickly left the room in hurried footsteps, on the other hand, Lydia began to cheerfully take off her clothes. Haa, you know? you didnt really need to thrust it in so suddenly If you just listened to me from the beginning it would have helped a lot Lydias clothes fell to the floor with a light thud and her wide back appears before my eyes. Her back was really well toned and in contrast with her white skin, she was like some kind of beautiful sculpture come to life. H..Hurry up already! Its embarrassing you know? Ahyeah, I know I was charmed for a second there Magic is concentrated on to my right hand and when I gently touched her back, she reacted with a twitch. Lydias magic was so miniscule that I couldnt even use Scout Scope to measure it. Moreover, her magical veins which were supposed to circulate the magical energy around her body was really thin, so it was really hard for me to find it. When I continued to crawl my hands across her back, Lydia began to leak out small moans from her lips. ..T-this feels kinda weirdZeph-chi it feels like.Your hands are moving inside of me.. Lydias the type that likes to learn by physically moving your body, right? Everyone in this world holds magical energy in their bodies, therefore, rather than teaching you in a lecture type manner, I think it will be easier for you to feel the magic if its directly poured inside of your body When I started to teach Lydia magic, it was in the manner of teaching a student with talent but who just couldnt activate magic for some reason. Do you think that if this goes well, that I might even be able to use some magic from now on? That would be impossible. Lydias magical channels are too thin to be able to handle the use of magic. It is just physically impossible Is that so.? Thats disappointing Whilst saying so she had a smile on her face, I guess she didnt really care too much about it. I guess she herself knows best and accepts them; the things she is good at and the things she just cant do. Before long, my manipulation of her magical veins ended and I was able to etch the contents of the growth scroll into her body. With just this, my rate of improvement will be faster? I dont really feel any difference though..? Is that so? For me I actually felt a huge difference When I used Scout Scope on Lydia, I was able to confirm that the Growth skill was in her skill sets. Youve learnt it without problems I guess its fine then. Most likely people in the past were not able to sense magical energy very well, so they cant really notice much of a difference. As for me, the moment I learnt the Growth Scroll, I felt that my magical veins multiplied by several times, even Lydias magical veins have thickened ever so slightly. Zeph-chi, can you pass me my clothes? Lydia was covering her breasts with her arm, and the other arm that was free was beckoning me to help her out, so I picked up her clothes which were on the ground, and just when I wanted to pass it over to her. Zeph? What are you doing? When I turned around to the direction of the voice, Milly who seemed to have snapped out of a daze spoke to me in an angry tone as her body was trembling. Achyaa (Tsk)~ Youve woken up in the middle of the good parts havent you Milly-chan? Although its been regrettable, nothing happened between us you know? Thats exactly right, so Id prefer if you stop with that misleading way of speaking Lydia was grinning cheekily and I had a frown on my face, Millys face was completely swollen up as she pouted like a baby and she silently smacked me on the back. At any rate, with this, everyone has been able to learn the Growth Scroll. (Web Novel Image: Lydia with no Clothes) CH 68 Chapter 67: Learning The next day, all of the members of our guild including Lydia went back to the Wanaruta Historical Ruins. As a revenge for our failure last time, this time around we plan to go straight into the second level of the dungeon. Although we can use teleport to quickly transverse the first level of the dungeon, in order to get to the next level, we needed to climb the large set of stairs. Because it isnt really possible to see clearly from the bottom of the staircase all the way to the top, we needed to carefully tread on the unstable staircase with a high amount of caution. After all, the last time we came here, the stairway collapsed on us. Haah~ Fin~ally..we reached the top~ Good work, Milly-chan? Are you alright? Im fine, Im fine! Milly returned a V-sign back to Claude, and whilst she seemed to be sweating, she didnt seem completely exhausted like the last time. Because she worked on improving her magic every single day, did that actually reinforce her physical strength to some degree? Anyhow, we were finally able to climb the stairs successfully to the next level and a sound of tinkling bells resounded in our ears. Along with the sound, a monster from the second level of the dungeon appeared, it was the Wraith Master. The monster was wearing a dark brown robe, and carrying an oak cane, it wore a mask that was shaped like an ox and it was concealing itself in the shadows so I couldnt really see it that well. The Wraith Master had two Mist Wraiths behind it working for it. This was going to be a formidable foe to fight. Aside from boss monsters, demons like this that had underlings working for them were very rare, but they did exist. I coated both Lydia and Claudes weapons, with White Weapon granting them the attribute of Soul Magic, Milly was as per usual going with the motto of the early bird gets the worm and she already fired off a Blue Gale. An extra-large tornado flew towards the demon and hindered their movements, while this was happening, I invoked Time Square to suspend the time and used Magic Amplification twice in a row, creating a White Sphere which was four times stronger. Because I already acquired the Summon Servant spell, I thought it would be wise to save up on the high-level mediums by casting less Soul type magic and just using Magic Amplification in order to deal more damage. The Mist Wraith that was surrounded by both Milly and my magical attacks disappeared and the left over Wraith Master was in a clash with both Claude and Lydia. Teeeyaaaaah! Claude was attacking the Wraith Master from the front with her sword and the monster repelled her attack with its cane, Lydia was attacking the Wraith from the back with her axe but the monster retaliated with Black Crash and blew her away. Wachichi!(Woah) Are you alright! Lydia! Im okay, I barely managed to dodge it? From my angle, it seemed like she got directly hit by the Black Crash. Well I suppose this is Lydia we are talking about. Before the fight Claude was already using her special ability Screen Point to nullify all magical attacks including the Black Crash, however she was still having trouble breaking through its defensive cane. The Wraith Master began to chant a spell. Call Slave The moment it finished chanting the spell, two Mist Wraiths appeared from thin air. Eck.It can still call out more?! Its no problem. Milly you know what to do right! Of course? Milly combined her Blue Gale with my White Sphere, which had already been amplified with Magic Amplification to strengthen it by four times its usual amount, immediately firing it off at the Mist Wraiths and killing them instantly. The Wraith Master is capable of using his spell Call Slave quite frequently, and if the Mist Wraiths are not able to be killed instantly, then the party that needs to fight three demons at the same time might be hard pressed to achieve victory. We already confirmed in the first level of the dungeon that we were able to defeat the Mist Wraiths relatively easily. Moreover, I already talked to Milly about us doing this type of combination attack whilst we were climbing the large stairway. The Wraith Master was beginning to cast the Call Slave spell again, but this time around Claude was ready to take advantage of the vulnerability it exposed when it chanted, she went behind it and pierced her sword into its back. The Wraith Master took this blow head on and began to die as it crumbled and fell. As expected this is quite hard. Right now I used up half of my Mana If more than one of these appear, its probably best for us to run away ne~ The Wraith Master is a demon that requires a considerably high levelled party to challenge. Although the second level didnt really have plenty of Wraith Masters around, in the third level of the dungeon, there was a huge amount of Wraith Masters everywhere, so unless your party was comprised of very high levelled mages, then you wouldnt be able to hunt in the upper levels. If we are able to hold our own in this second level of the dungeon, then we can already be considered as full-fledged Magicians. Even though weve been hunting here for many weeks now, I havent really seen many people around. High level Magicians.Or even Adventurers, mainly hang around the capital cities and metropolitan areas, so I suppose in this kind of remote country side dungeon, there isnt really many people that would come to this dungeon. I walked forwards while meditating. That reminds me, I havent used my Summon Servant spell today. If I can summon Ain, I can save up on some high-quality mediums. I think its also good if I introduce her to everyone else. Ahem. Everyone can I have your attention for a moment? Is there something wrong? Zeph-kun I want to introduce you guys to a new magic I learnt Introduce us to your magic? What do you mean? Well, just have a look I calmed Milly down and chanted my Summon Servant spell, and from within the white light, Ains figure appeared. .Allow me to introduce you guys. This is Ain Granpa, did you call me~? Ains was flying around me as per usual, but when she noticed there were other people around me, her large rounds eyes expanded even more. Waaah~ Whats with this girl!? Shes so cuteeee~ Fairy..? No, is she an Angel? Is this really magic? This is..so Adoorwableee~(Lydia saying adorable in broken Japanese cause Ains is too cute) All three of the girls had sparkling eyes. Especially Lydia. Who are these guys? Grandpa are they your friends? It seems that shes a little surprised? Ain tried to get away from the three girls and flew behind my head in order to hide herself. Its okayy~ You dont have to be afwaid~nee? Ain-chu~wan Lydia was completely love-struck and no matter how you saw it, she who was extending her hands towards Ain looked terrifying. I actually started to walk backwards with Ain as well, and Lydia was impatiently cornering the both of us. Scary, Scary! Ne, have you been using White Sphere all this time so that you were able to call this girl out? Ive heard before from my father that in Soul Magic there is a certain type of spell that can summon familiars, is this what this magic is? Milly suddenly shoved herself in between me and Lydia, changing the topic. Thats right. I dont really know too much about Soul Magic but it seems like Millys father knows quite a bit about it Well, my father was quite the famous researcher after all After I praised her dad, Milly was a little embarrassed. How cutee~ Ain-chan, there, there~ Milly presents her fingers towards Ain and gently pokes at her wings, when she did this, Ains wings fluttered and brushed away Millys fingers. Auu Kukuku, It seems like she doesnt like you Milly Ain gets away from the three girls once again and climbs on to my shoulder. Thats fine! If its like that all I need to do is use the Summon Servant spell, then I can just get my own familiar, right? Thats true but What I couldnt bring myself to tell her was that it required a huge quantity of high-quality mediums and it was very expensive to level up Soul Magic. Well I guess if thats what Milly wants to spend her money on, its up to her. Once she knew how expensive it was, she may stop trying, besides if she did try, considering that she now had the Growth Skill, she may actually be able to acquire the spell quite easily, who knows? For the time being, the amount of time I can keep Ain summoned is still limited. Therefore, lets continue hunting? After saying this the three girls nodded their heads, however, their gazes were still locked on to Ain. Especially, Lydias gaze CH 69 Grandpa~ Im hungry~. I want fooood~ Ain was flapping her wings in the air whilst pulling on to my hair. Oi that hurts! HHey Zeph-chi, do you think its alright if I give her food? pretty please? .I dont mind but.. I passed a high-quality medium to Lydia who had a slovenly expression on her face whilst looking at Ain. Look here Ain-chu~wan, its your foood~ Uwaah.. Even Claude seemed interested in feeding Ain Nevertheless, Ain turned her face away from Lydia and in the end I was the one who had to give her the food. Lydia looked at me with a bitter expression. Zeph, can you give me some stones as well? Alright, show me your hands I placed a large quantity of mediums on to Millys small hands. The reason that Milly wanted the mediums was not to feed Ain but was for her own use so that she could learn some Soul Magic. Well its not bad for the party if she learns to use Soul Magic, so to a certain extent, Im willing to help her out. Eheheh..Thank you? I wont forget to repay this later kay As long as you can manage by yourself after this its fine Haaaaii!(Yeeess!) Milly was wholeheartedly smiling and responding in an uplifted tone of voice, her motivation to learn Soul Magic seems to be really high. I do understand her feelings though. *jingle ling-a-ling* as soon as we heard the sound of a bell creeping from behind the building, we entered combat mode. What should I do? Should I fight as per usual? If you want to use White Sphere, you should use magic amplification before shooting it. I will do the rest after that Youre so reliable arent cha Zeph-chi The moment the Wraith Master comes out of the corner, Milly shoots out her amplified white sphere surrounding its escape and I also immediately cast time square. During the time stop I simultaneously casted White Sphere and Red Sphere and launched it towards the monster, a large White Flame flies straight to the middle of the demon and a large explosion follows. Blistering flames burn the ground and a single shadow is left standing as a heat haze shimmers the air around it. The two underling Mist Wraiths seemed to have been obliterated. Shall I name this attack Nova Sphere? I used a combination of Soul Magic which was super effective against spirit type monsters and Red Magic which had an overall high offensive power. The results were quite amazing, and it seems to have even more offensive power then activating two white spheres at the same time. Because I wanted to save up on high-quality mediums I didnt really want to use too much combination magic if it included Soul Magic, but it seems that Soul Magic and Red Magic have really good compatibility. All members of the party surrounded the left over Wraith Master, and without even giving it a chance to re-summon its servants we managed to defeat it. Oh yeah, Zeph-kun didnt you mention something about not being able to call Ain-chan for a long duration? In that case, how long can she last? Its already been an hour since she was summoned.. Come to think of it, Ain hasnt show any signs of disappearing today. Normally she would get sleepy really quick, and after eating her stomachs fill, she would just disappear, but today, shes flying around me pretty energetically. Gramps whats wrong? Well, You seem to be energetic today Yea! Ain is pumped up `! Ain says while making somersaults around, it seems that she does not plan to disappear yet. It seems like today, her condition is really good Hey~ Ain-Chan, are you in a good mood today? Mood? It means feelings that give you warmth, or feeling pumped up Claude raised her both arms doing a cheering pose, and Ain imitated it. Yea! Im feeling great! Im doing well! My name is Claude, Ain-chan.Ill be in your care from now on okay? Claude! Nice to meet you! Claude! Claude presented her index finger, and Ain responded, with a handshake. Ain remembered Claudes name first rather than mine. Shes really skillful on handling children, Milly and Lydia seems to be dumbfounded on the conversation right now. I.Im Lydia, Ain-chan! Im Milly, Nice to meet you! The hands extended by Milly and Lydia was still avoided, Ain hid inside Claudes armor. hiiiee?! AAin-chan!? Please dont go in to weird places Claude..These people. Scary Pu.Kuku I unintentionally burst out laughing. She actually said that she was scared of them haha. Thats heartless Zeph-chi.. kukukuSorry Sorry.fufufu Zeph is really stupid! While Im laughing uncontrollably, I endured Millys punches on my side while we are walking. But there arent very many monsters is there? I feel like there were more enemies when I came earlier Is that so? Or rather have youve been here already? ahYeah, when I woke up in the morning, I wonder how many times Ive been here? That was dangerous a topic. Early morning (actually it was still midnight) that I already started hunting, I didnt want to have to talk about meeting Seruberie so I thought of some excuses in order to avoid their questioning. When you go to new hunting grounds, You check the area beforehand I decided to tell them this. Is that so. Thank you for always taking care of it Claude lowered her head and bowed. To be honest its not really anything to be that grateful about, in fact I kind of feel guilty if she acts like this. !! Its the enemy! Be careful! Mist wraiths was detected from Millys blue wave, Milly fired White Crash and Lydia and Claude also sprung to action. Shortly after the battle ended Ain was fed with a high-level medium and Lydia seems to have noticed something, she turned her gaze to nowhere. Everyone, Can you hear something over there? After saying that we listened carefully, we heard battle sounds from a distance. We looked where the sounds came from but we cannot see anything because of the geographical features of the area. Apparently we are hearing it from the direction of inner part of the ruins. People other than us will come wont they? Its not something unusual right? Thats also true but a hunting ground of this caliber is not something normal people can easily enter, moreover Lets go and check it out for a moment? Zeph? Dont you think it will be a good reference..for our battle expereince? Is that what this is about? After the going through a complicated pathway, theres was a narrow path where we I could barely slip past. Wait..Why are we going around this way? Isnt there a better path, geez! There might be possibly other passages that connects to it but Originally, this place has really complicated terrain, its not impossible that it will have another passageway. But we were already close to the sounds of battle so I have no doubt that the target is here.However. Hey, Isnt the battle taking too long? I also think its dragging out for quite a long time 5 minutes has passed since we entered this narrow path. Our battle time was only around 1 minute, so thinking about it, this battle was taking a long time and it was a little strange. Well we should understand after seeing it. We passed through the wall of the broken house, after moving out of the place we saw Grain the dispatched magician. However, Grain himself was not fighting, he was merely grinning while looking at the two girls. A red colored long-haired girl holding a spear and a blue colored short-cut girl holding a sword on both hands. It seems that those two are fighting mist wraiths. At the same time wings were on their backs and their appearance reminded me of Ain. ..Those people, are the same as me? Inside Claudes armor, Ain was peeking at the two girls and muttering to herself, Grain seems to have noticed it, and turned to look towards us. CH 70 Ooh? If it isnt the kids from the other day Walking along the road we happened to cross by the Magic Associations dispatch from before, I believe his name was Grain. Grain turns his gaze towards us, his smile distorting across his face as he pushed himself up from against the wall. We took a slight step back as Grain approached us as he began to build up magic power, but theres no reason to be scared if its just him. Hahaha! You wimps dont have to be so scared, Im not going to do anything A Representative of the magic association can only attack those that are aggressive against the organization right? When saying so, Grains eyebrow twitches up in surprise. Hoo, you seem quite knowledgeable about the Association Well that is the rule. Did you summon those familiars over there? While Grain and I were speaking, it seems Grains familiars begin to fight the Mist Wraiths. Looking carefully as the large amount of Wraith Masters were enclosed in a Blue Wall, Mist wraiths began to be summoned over and over, successively being defeated each time. Its not wonder that the second level of this dungeon doesnt have many monsters left. hes basically trapping all the monsters in one spot and slaughtering them all for his own gain. Moreover, abusing the fact that these wraiths would summon servants, this isnt something a representative that is supposed to enforce the laws of the magic association should do. Ah thats right, a representative should be stricter yes, while its good to have obtained that power, the rules about fighting monsters seems troublesome. Thats why I trained using these familiars I see, its true that using a summoned servant can be considered indirect action making them convenient for a dispatched mage. Or more like, his familiars are considerably strong. Although it was two versus one, the Mist Wraiths were instantly defeated. I wonder if the day will come when Ain can fight like this as well. Looking over to Ain, she was fascinated by the magic being used by the two female familiars, her line of sight glued to them. Oh? Do you also have a Familiar? Ah wellIt doesnt even look like its strong at all oi! Everyone seems to be finding his blunt attitude unpleasant, but Grain continues provoking us without care. the familiars power is effected by the quality of magic of the summoner. Summoning such a small thing, Isnt it irresponsible to expose such a thing? .Youre going too far! (Claude Speaking) Claude who had heard enough began to lash out, but was held back by my right hand. Zeph-kun Thats true isnt it, its fine we will go, But I must say, that your hunting manners arent very responsible. Even you should know about your responsibility as a representative of the magic association. I think you should take care of your own situation before commenting on others While disregarding the twitching of Grains eyebrows I lead our party of three back to the road. Wait Hearing an audible voice from behind I turn around, down the roadI could see Grain feigning a bitter smile. It seems like theres little resistance to letting us go. However, since a representative is around enforcing the rules I may not be able to make any moves. Is there anything else you want? Not particularly? I simply thought that I should remember your face Remember it well. My name as well. Its Zeph Einstein Aa Ill remember it Zeph Grain declares so while glaring back at me with eyes full of murderous intent. With this he should be focused on coming after me instead of aiming for everybody else. This good-for-nothing fate of mine, I have to stop exposing everyone dangerous situations after all. L Lets go Zeph! .Hah. Be careful when you go hunting from now on After saying those menacing words, Grain leaned his body back against the wall he turned his gaze back to watching his familiars fight. What was that guys problem! (Milly) There was no reason for him to say such things (Claude) Hes the worst! (Lydia) All three of them seem to be quite angry with him. Those guysare kinda scary (Ain Speaking) Ain was probably referring to Grain and his two familiars. Certainly were not able to talk like Ain, they made quite the scary faces while in combatwill Ain make a similar face in battle, I wonder if there is something that would cause Ain to become like that. Certainly theres something wrong with his character! Lydia is still mad after the encounter. Ain was being bullied after all; it seems shes still considerably mad. Grain mentioned that the power of the summoned servant depended on the ability and control of the summoner didnt he. Ive learned various things in that conversation with him. I also used the scout scope on Grains familiars, both of his familiars were level 50, at that level would Ain also be able to instantly defeat the mist wraiths, Grains magic power also looks to be stronger than Azalea. Thinking of comparing Azalea and Grains magical power, to that extent how many types of magic can they use? I think a representative magician would likely seek more power anyways. Well at least I now understand you can use two familiars at once, thats some good information at least. Aah enough! How irritating! Leaving Wanaruta city ruins, we returned to the town of Beruta, although Lydias irritation with the previous situation has yet to settle down. Relax Lydia. Theres no reason to worry about it now How can I relax!? He made fun of Ain-chan! As she says this she held my head and pulled on it really hard. It hurts, it hurts! If you keep doing that my head will come off, you know?! TThat reminds me that peculiar magic you learned yesterday was amazing! Your level went up instantly Claude reads the atmosphere and changes the topic. Growth was it? Yeah that was amazing. I went up two levels as well? Even though my level went up just yesterday, I feel like I gained another level today. We used to take three or four days to obtain one level but now we are getting one in a day, isnt this nearly five times as much experience from before? What fearsome growth. Eh is that so? My level didnt go up at all Thats impossible. Lydia is the lowest leveled of our group. If everybody is leveling up Lydia would definitely have gone up as well. Using the scout scope on Lydia, the level of her Growth Skill was still at level 1. Hmm, level 1? Cant be. Using the scout scope on everyone else, Growths skill level of Milly is 92, Claude is 22 and I have level 75 etched in. Will the growth rate change depending on the level of the skill? Which reminds me when I felt for Lydias magic line, she was almost like an ordinary person. Perhaps, Growth only has an effect on people with magic power Ehh!? No waySeriously? Looking through the scout scope, the level of Growth of Lydia is extremely low compared to us. Probably this I think is influencing the speed of growth Acha~ is that so~ As opposed to the light tone from earlier, there was a big shock as she makes a bitter smile. Looking around to everyone, we exchanged quick glances unable to call out or think of something to say, in that situation there was nothing but silence. Unable to stand the situation any longer, Lydia breaks the silence. if I drag you guys down, you wont abandon me right? Obviously! Lydia trembles from hearing my proclamation, staring at me with eyes open wide. Dont even joke about that kind of thing. Thinking of yourself as a burden, theres no way we could think like that. Everyone else follows up after my words. Thats right! Or more like, Lydia-san is way stronger than me! (Claude Speaking) uh-huh, thats right! Lydia is much stronger than Claude! (Milly Speaking) Hey, Milly-san. Even though you agree that still hurts you know (Claude) eheheSorry, Claude (Milly) Lydias eyes begin to tear up as she watches the comedic duo of Milly and Claude. Enough already, everyones acting so cheekyIm supposed to be your senior you know Saying so, Lydia began to wipe away her tears. (Light Novels Illustrations: Zeph Patting Claudes Head) CH 71 Late at night, I came to the Wanaruta City ruins alone. When I summoned Ain the other day, she was actually able to maintain being summoned for over one hour, and so I thought that it might actually be possible for me to go out hunting alone. Just as a precaution though, I plan on hunting near the entrance of the dungeon. When I got up in the morning and used scout scope on myself, I confirmed that the letters on Summon Servant changed from grey to white. When I first used Summon Servant, it would normally be impossible to use it again before a full day had passed, but now that the ability increased in level, it seems that the cool down of the ability has also decreased. When I chanted the Summon Servant Spell, Ain came out from within the light. Granpa, did you call me~? Ahh, Do you think you can accompany me for a little while? Yeah! I brought Ain along a stroll in the surrounding of the city ruins, and I started to cast Blue Wave to scan and search for any nearby enemies. This spell didnt use much magical energy, and if a Mist Wraith was using the Black Curtain ability in order to hide itself, it would be discovered by the Blue Wave. Furthermore, as long as I had the Safe Protection blessing on me, I shouldnt be fatally injured even if they manage to sneak up on me. I advanced forwards while meditating. When I hunted in such a high level hunting ground all by myself, there is definitely this feeling of tension in the air. I was enjoying the electric feeling of tension in the air as I continued to increase my concentration. Granpa, Food~ With the sound of her voice, my concentration was broken and I slipped down. Ain was on top of my head lying on her stomach, while kicking her foot against my head. I understand, I got it Yayyy~ I reached inside my pocket and grabbed a single high-quality medium in order to give to Ain, whilst watching my surroundings again. Ain was nibbling on the high-level medium, and made crunching sounds. It was at this point in time that I heard a small noise. When I turned my head towards the sound, to see what was there, I saw the air shimmering and a shadow approach from the building. The Black Curtain spell that Mist Wraiths uses works by hiding itself in a refraction of the air by using clothes created by wind magic. If they didnt move, you wouldnt be able to detect them at all, but if they moved around, and you concentrated around the area, you could see this shimmering whenever they drifted. Today I want to try a combination of Spirit Magic I confirmed the figure of the approaching Mist Wraith, and then I chanted out Time Square. I simultaneously casted Black Crash and White Crash at the same time, and the moment that I deactivated the time freeze, the two black and white maelstrom of magic penetrated through the Mist Wraith. Combining the large area of effect of Spirit type Magic and the speed and velocity of Sky type magic, the Crashing of spells was without a doubt very easy to land.However even though the Mist Wraith was pierced by the whirlpool of energy, the Mist Wraith didnt seem to be taking any damage. Hmm, it would seem that the affinity of this combined spell is not good against the Mist Wraith Although I had my expectations on the matter, it would seem that other than Red type Magic, the Spirit type Magic is not really efficient if its combined with the other types. I did try it before, and it feels like Spirit Magic was really effective against the undead type monsters, but other than that, it isnt really cut out to be combined with other spells. Aside from the Red Type Magic, the other types of magic werent really that effective towards the undead to begin with, and even if I combined the spells together, it may actually end up reducing the effectiveness of Spirit Magic. The Black Curtain spell cancels out when it comes into contact with my Blue Wave and while dodging its attacks, I casted two White Crashes on top of each other and I destroyed the Mist Wraith. After my training with Lydia, I seriously increased my ability to evade attacks. If my opponent is merely at this level of skill, it is really easy for me to evade their attacks. That reminds me, when Grain was fighting against the monsters he used his two familiars to fight for him right? I remember the kind of weapons that those two familiars were holding. It was most definitely top quality goods that was sold in a high-quality weapon shop from the capital city. I heard that as part of the prestigious Dispatch Magicians, they have this rule that unless they were the ones that were first attacked, they are not allowed to start the fight. For someone like Grain, this kind of restriction becomes a huge bother I suppose, and in order to have a loophole against such a troublesome set of rules and procedures, it would be easier if their familiars could take action for them. If someone becomes as strong as one of the Dispatched Magicians, but is unable to wield their powers in freedom, I think that it is kind of pointless. Hey, Ain Im sleepy.. As soon as she said this, Ain disappeared along with a flicker of light. Yesterday she was able to last for more than an hour, why is it like this today? Incidentally, I remember that yesterday, Ain was even able to say Bye bye before she disappeared. The first time I ever summoned her, and also this time around, this is the second time shes said that she was sleepy and abruptly disappeared. Dont tell me that because it was night time, she couldnt be summoned for a long duration? I guess I will need to try this theory out when morning comes? After this, I continued to hunt the Mist Wraiths alone, but because I didnt use any Spirit Magic, and only used Green Crash to attack the Wraiths, I needed to cast it more often and it made me become really tired. If one day Ain was able to fight alongside me like Grains familiars, this would be a huge burden taken off my shoulders. Well I cant really ask too much of her right now. The morning sun was beginning to climb so I left Wanaruta City Ruins and returned back to Beruta Town. By the time I returned to town, the sun had already risen, and the people of the town had already begun their daily activities. When I confirmed the loot I obtained from todays hunt, I realized that I still had the Growth Scroll in my bag. Come to think of it, Im supposed to hand this over to Claire-sensei. If Im not mistaken, I believe that senseis house is in the residential area at the middle of town. I have been there once before together with Milly. Passing through the downtown and into the corner of the residential area, her house was a small house with a red roof. This must be Claire senseis house. I wonder if Azaleas house is also nearby? It would be troublesome if I was seen with the scroll, so I better move quickly. Thinking these thoughts, I knocked on the door, and suddenly the door opened up with a clank and Claire sensei appeared. Hyaaah!? She opened the same time as I was about to knock, and Claire sensei was clearly shocked by my visit. Its understandable. If you opened your door and someone just happened to be standing there, anyone would get shocked. Claire Sensei.!(TL: Sensei = teacher) I was so startled~ Ahh? .Isnt it Zeph-kun! Its been so long~! She focused her glasses and after looking closely at my face, Claire sensei grabbed my head and embraced me into her chest. This is agonizing! I tried to shake off Claire senseis hands and get myself out of her breasts but she doesnt seem to realize that I was trying to escape. As usual she really takes things at her own pace. Geez, whenever I am around her everything seems so out of control. Did you come to visit me after coming into the city? That reminds me, I dont think Ive ever mentioned that I also started living in this town. Well I think it would become a troublesome thing if I told her, so it may be better if I just kept quiet? No, Im only going to return something that was dropped by somebody, and after that I plan to leave straight away Oh is that so~? Youre such a good boy arent you, returning lost things to others Saying that, Claire sensei began to caress my head. While my head was getting rubbed I quickly put my hands into my bag and pulled out the Growth Scroll to give to Claire Sensei. What is this? AzeleaJust a while ago, I actually met with Claire senseis little sister, and I think that she was looking for this Growth Scroll. I want you to pass it on to her Hee~ You met with Azelia? How is she? What did you guys talk about? She was nudging me with her elbow as she urged me to speak. Shes really spurring on a crime here. Nothing much happened between us, I would like it if you didnt talk in such an insinuating way Again again~ Even though there is a basis for it~ If I wanted to start a debate with her, I dont think it would ever end. I think its time for me to escape. Claire sensei, were you about to go to school? Kyaah, youre right! Im so sorry Zeph-kun, please come over and visit me together with Milly next time, okay! Claire sensei started to run as she exchanged greetings with the people she came across. Even here, it seems that a lot of people adore her. Now then.. I was just talking to myself as I was getting ready to return to the inn, when I heard a voice inside of my head. (Ah Zeph, can you hear me? Its me) This voice is, Silverie isnt it? (Translator Note: Im going to change Seruberie into Silverie from now on) (Silverie, Whats wrong?) (Ahh, I want you to hunt a Sunny Raven for me, do you think you can do it? I have some important matter that I need to attend today) Sun Ray Mountains Boss monster, Sunny Raven. This was the same boss that Silverie snatched away from us, when Claude and I were on the verge of defeating it. Last time around we really cut it close, but if I brought four people along this time, I think it would be much easier. When I was thinking about my options, Silverie continued talking. (Then, Ill see you later. If you have some problem, please tell me) After hearing her voice, I heard a sound of the telepathic communication being broken off. Hey wait a minute, you havent even heard my answer yet! (Silverie? Oi Silverie?!) No matter what I said after that, she didnt answer me. It was already unexpected for her to take the initiative to come and talk to me telepathically, but I didnt expect that she would cut the connection before I even had the chance to answer. Geez, shes doing things at her own pace. Well I guess if we get into a pinch, we can just run away right? For the time being, shall I just invite everyone to see if they are keen? CH 72 Chapter 71: At my own pace Leaving Clare-senseis house, I found Milly and Claude enjoying a meal back at the hotel. A large pile of food lay between them. Welcome back, Zeph-kun If you dont hurry its going to be all gone you know Of course, I intend to eat my fill, but after we finishing eating, what do you guys think about going to the Sun Ray Mountains in order to hunt down a Sunny Raven? Milly and Claude both stopped eating and turned their heads towards me upon my declaration. Wiping her mouth with a tablecloth, Milly responds to my suggestion. I dont really mind it but you should really give us an earlier heads up The Sun Ray Mountains is pretty far~ If we depart now, we will probably get their by noon As a matter of fact, I also agree with their opinions na, Silverie. In the first place, how can we confirm that the boss will spawn? An acquaintance told me about it When I said these words, both Milly and Claudes ears pricked up. Is it a. Girl? It is How did they know it was a girl I wonder? When I answered their question, the two girls breathed out a sigh. Ah whatever, I guess I will go I also dont mind it Is that so? Well I already told Lydia about this before I came back to the inn. She said she was going to make us a lunch bento so shes going to be a little late, I think it will be good if we depart after around 1 hour The remaining three pieces of bread on the table were quickly stuffed inside the mouths of Milly and Claude, I decided to make my way to the bath. Sun Ray Mountain Range, the area is mainly a grassy plain. Looking out into the grassy plains for the Sun Raven, Lydia produced four sandwiches for us to eat. A mark left over from Silverie was burnt into the ground, the Sun Raven will probably revive around there. While thinking about such things I stuff my mouth with a large bite from the sandwich Lydia made. Between the two slices of bread are ample amounts of bird meat and vegetables, If I didnt eat this carefully, it would start to spill out of my mouth and drop into the ground. Anyway there is clearly more meat than bread. Delicious! (Milly Speaking) E..eating this is a bit, difficult (Claude Speaking) If you opan your mwouth wide, it font spill out (Lydia Speaking: If you open your mouth wide it wont spill out) Dont speak with your mouth full (Zeph Speaking) Anyhow immediately after we finished eating, I decided to use Summon Servant during the break. Claude Waah!? As soon as Ain had shown up she jumps into Claudes chest and buries her body into it. hehe it seems she has taking a liking to me huh? Im so jealous~ Claude~ Ain-Chan, Do you want a bite~? Did she make that portion specifically for her? Lydia holds out a small sandwich in front of Ain, but Ain shakes her head back and forth refusing it. My bad Lydia, Ain will only eat this Muu What if I place the high-quality medium in between the sandwich No, I dont think the bread is the deciding factor. While giving the high level medium for Ain to eat I check her using the Scout Scope, compared to the Summon Servant level of 7, Ains level is still only 3. Grain must have used is familiars quite a bit, a Familiars power will grow as it defeats demons. However right now I havent used Ain in any battles. Most likely she can also grow stronger from eating the high quality mediums. I can bring her up doing that to some extent, but raising her abilities in combat might be more efficient. That is the way that Grain does it. The revival time of Sun Raven is approaching while I was lost in thought. Its about time, I will go with Lydia, and Claude should pair up with Milly, if things ever get too dangerous, dont hesitate to teleport out of the area. The plan is just like we discussed on our way here Ok? Understood Yeah! Lets do it! While applying Safe Protection on Lydia I can hear it cackle slightly as she slaps her face, Ain is still sitting in Claudes chest, I try to pull her out by the wings but she moves too dexterously. Hey Ain! You need to come here! HHey! Ain-chan! Its not good if you do not return to Zeph-kun! Dont wanna! I like being with Claude! Umm shes completely attached to Claude. Well right now there is no real merit even if Ain is with me, besides something interesting could be revealed if I leave it to Claude. Well its fine. Claude, Take care of Ain Understood. Obediently listen to me okay, Ain-chan Ok~ HonestlyIm counting on you Claude Yes, Ill take full responsibility for Ain-chan! Come to think of it Claudes Screen Point skill makes her the safest spot for Ain to be in right? Ain waves her hand as she sits on Claudes chest getting her head pat, everyone begins to cast strengthening magic putting us at about half left. Milly will lead. I will go in as soon as my magic recovers Got it! Then according to plan Teleporting to the grassy plain Milly and Claudes the both of them were very vigilant of their surroundings. Theres a good atmosphere going. If it goes well, we may even be able to beat it with just those two. Zeph-chi Whats up? Lydia addresses me in a serious manner. You usually pair up with either Claude or Milly Is that so? I can tell from experience, that whenever you choose to partner with somebody. Its because they are lagging behind, and today youve chosen me Such a thing is. Turning behind me, I can see a sadness in Lydia. It was an expression that she doesnt usually show on her face. Considering that she was the only one who hasnt made any progress from her Growth Scroll Skill, does she still have complicated feelings about that, I wonder? Idiot, do you really think that I would make a selection just based on something like that? I chose you today, because we can fight the most efficiently together But thats why, you had me follow you The purpose was to beat the enemy efficiently. For that purpose, this time Lydia and I make the best pair to defeat this enemy so no more complaints but It seems Lydia is still puzzled with my conclusion Did you bring the new weapon I talked about earlier? The thing you wanted me to bring from this morning? I do but Saying that, she pulled out a giant axe with a blue jewel embedded in it from inside her bag. It is thicker than the broad-axe which she usually used, it was a rustic looking thing. It was my special order and it had splendid workmanship. You mean this one? The one that you wanted made? Its certainly strong Ah, This will do Lydia still had a question mark floating above her but I gave her a firm slap on the butt. Lets go, Its almost time for the Sun Raven to revive Alright however, where do you think your touching? mouu~ Well! You were just in the right position. There wasnt any special meaning to it. Yeah, yeah, you were totally being ecchi! Despite her words the tension in the air relaxedWell it served its purpose so its all good. I scratched my head while hearing a munch-crunch sound, Lydia notices something and raises her voice. I see it! Zeph-kun Lydia points out to where she is looking, we could see the Sun Raven reviving right near where Claude is. Claude also noticed and took Milly behind her. We should also head off, Lydia Alright! Lydia cheerfully answered back with a smile reverting back to her usual facial expression. Even though she seems fine, I can tell that she is thinking of various things. Grabbing Lydias hand, I cast teleport and departed. CH 73 It was almost at the same time that Lydia and I landed on the grassy plains that Claude was swinging her sword at the Sunny Raven. Milly was standing a little distance away from Claude and the Sunny Raven. And even further back was Lydia and I. Daaaah! Shouting out towards the Sunny Raven, Claude launched a blow towards the wing of the Raven, its red wings fluttered as a little bit of its feathers fell off. Using its large wings, it was flapping and rotating it in order to push Claude away from it, but Claude manages to jump backwards and nimbly dodges its attacks. The Raven followed up with a Red Barret chasing after Claude, but she was already prepared for its magical attacks and had activated Screen Point in order to nullify its magic. Aside from its magic, the Sunny Raven was actually quite weak, and it was apparent that Claude had the upper hand in these exchanges. She also had previous experience fighting this Boss monster so this time around the fight was much more stable. Blue Gale! Milly was also firing off her magic and supporting Claude from the backlines. Milly is also pretty stable and shes only using Blue Gale to fight. But didnt I tell her that if she used Blue Type Magic to the Sunny Raven, it would go into Berserk Mode even faster? Geez When it turns into a firebird, Blue type magic is more effective, was it? You are referring to the Berserk Mode, right? When the Sunny Raven enters its berserk mode. it will become vulnerable to Blue type Magic When that time comes, it will be my turn Ahh, Milly will be the one to give the signal Milly was using Scout Scope, while fighting the Sunny Raven, and checking its Magical Value. When it enters Berserk Mode, I will use a Blue Wall, just like the last time we fought a Sunny Raven we will use Blue Wall to restrict its movements. Normally it would be quite difficult to stop the movements of a monster with Blue Wall, but Ive had a lot of practice with the trash mobs, and right now Claude was taking its attention away from me so I think I can make do somehow. Even if I dont completely seal its movements, as long as I stop its movements it should be fine. Now then, I should start participating in the attack! When the Sunny Raven is attacked by magic from afar, it will also retaliate with magical attacks. Please be sure to protect me(Zeph Speaking) Okay~? Leave it to me!(Lydia Speaking) I chanted Time Square, and within the time suspension, I casted Black Sphere and Green Sphere. Gravity Sphere! I took aim and cast a black spherical ball right into the body of the Sunny Raven, and it began to mince and graze the body of the Raven. Even though it was taking my attack, it still glared back at me viciously and launched a red heat ray attack. Is that a Red Blaster? Lydia! Yeah, yeah..Hup! Lydia used the large ax she was holding in her hands to block the heat ray. The large ax receives a staggering impact that sent sparks off of it, but it was still able to maintain its firm shape. If this was a normal weapon, taking this powerful Heat Ray would surely cause the weapon to become damaged, however her particular ax was imbued with Blue Type Magic using the Poiseidons Tears that we farmed previously, due to the blue gem embedded in the Ax, it was actually very tolerant to Red Type Magic. When the Heat Ray finally stopped, you could see the color of the blade from the ax glow a slight tinge of red, signifying the amount of heat from the attack. Ohh~ this thing is amazing. It has magical resistance Its is enchanted with Blue Magical energy. Therefore, any Red type attacks against it will have little effect. Should we name it Flood Ax? Umm, why is Zeph-chi the one giving it a name? II also helped with the creation of the Ax didnt I?! I didnt expect that she would be so bothered by the minor details. The Sunny Raven receives an attack from Claude and once again it turns its neck towards the other side. No matter how cool the Flood Ax sounds, if it continuously receives an attack from the monster, it will without a doubt break into pieces. In order to achieve victory, it is not an exaggeration to say that Claudes participation in this battle is key. Screen point is capable of nullifying all magical attacks, and she also has her shield to ward of any physical attacks. Although she doesnt really have much time to strike with her sword, thats where both Milly and I come in to help. (Milly, we have to make sure to cast Blue Wall, before that guys Magical Value goes below 70,000!) (Yeah, yeah, I know that already!) I reminded her of our plan through the guild message system. It is also necessary for me to save up some magical power so that I can use it to support Lydia. After firing off my second Gravity Sphere, I instantly began to meditate. Ive increased the level of my Black Sphere and Green Sphere to a decent level, at this point in time, I am able to shoot out four of these before I need to start recovering my Magical Energy. Another counterattack from the Sunny Raven came as it launched a Red Barret towards me, but Lydia was able to knock it away with her Flood Ax. Umu, being able to knock that kind of attack away, as expected from Lydia. Sparks were scattering about and Lydias axe glowed red as she dropped it to the ground. Achichii (Hot hot hot), maybe its better if I roll a cloth around the handle of the Ax? She was using gloves to cover her hands, but it seems that the handle of the Axe was becoming a little too hot, she was blowing her hands as if trying to get rid of the heat. After all, it was a homemade weapon, so I suppose that its natural that it has some minor faults, right? This is the drawback of making hand made goods Claude seems to be able to fight without much trouble though. Milly also seems to be supporting her relatively well from the back. Milly fired off her Blue Gale from behind Claude, and Claude was using her body to prevent any counter attacks from reaching Milly. Its not like I dont trust Milly, but just in case, I think I will check the Sunny Raven with my Scout Scope as well. Sunny Raven Level 77 Magical Value: 172,595/220,580 As expected its really tough. Amongst the boss monsters, the Sunny Raven is at the lower mid-stage level. But as long as you could deal with its powerful magical attacks, then as long as you had the time, anyone would be able to defeat it. By the looks of things, Lydia seems to be totally free She even has time to do some stretching movements. Looking at her bouncy boobs which were swaying left and right, totally disturbed my concentration, so I decided to just close my eyes. The moment I recovered enough magical energy, I would immediately fire off a Gravity Sphere and then Lydia would have the role of defending against any counter attacks. Claude and Milly were coordinating well and our battle was proceeding quite smoothly. Or more like Claude is also really tough. As one would expect she is really busy with the defence, but she doesnt seem to be taking any damage. I was feeling admiration for the girls and the Sunny Raven was being locked up in this Ice Wall. It would seem that Milly had already begun to cast Blue Wall. Its your turn Lydia Ohh, is it finally my turn? Lydia looked bored as she raised her body, and she breathed out a sigh as she placed the Flood Ax on her shoulder. I chanted Time Square and casted two Red Gloves simultaneously, in order to reinforce her attacks. Furthermore, I also buffed her with the spell Black Boots in order to amplify her speed. Lydias body was wrapped with magical light. Ohh, This is amazing! Im overflowing with power! Thats not the end of it! Lydia was hopping up and down, and getting a feel for her strengthened body. Even now, it seemed like she would dash into battle, and she was barely able to contain herself. I chanted Time Square again, and casted double Blue Weapon, granting the Flood Ax double Blue type magical properties. When you simultaneously casted any type of magic with Time Square to double up its effects, it will actually be more powerful than just firing off the same spell twice at the same target. I came to find this out more accurately after I spent a lot of time in the Wanaruta City Ruins, especially when you attacked a monsters weakness, doubling up on the magic would make it even more effective than usual. Flood Ax was a weapon that was already enchanted with the Blue Gem, thereby granting it Blue type magical properties. In other words, isnt this basically the same as me applying Blue type Magic to the same weapon three times in a row? I dont have concrete proof that this is the case, but there is a merit in trying it out. The Flood Ax was enchanted with threefold blue type attributes, Lydia was also provided with body reinforcement spells, as she launched herself off the ground. Like a violent gust of wind that blows through the meadows, Lydia moved so fast that she tore off the grass whenever she ran through the field. She ran past Milly and jumped over Claude, she was right in front of the Sunny Raven as she used her everything to strike the crown of its head. A crackling sound was coming out of the Sunny Ravens body as it split and a lump of fire came into sight. The vermillion flame launched towards Lydia with deadly precision. Lydia! Its dangerous! Please step aside Milly-san! A magical attack is coming! Both Claude and I have fought the Sunny Raven before, so we were accustomed to the kinds of attacks that it would launch when it went into Berserk Mode. The Sunny Raven when in berserk mode would indiscriminately launch its fire attacks to any nearby target, so Milly used her shield to take cover and moved backwards. Lydia on the other hand was able to continue dodging the barrage of flame attacks while continuing to move forward. Fireballs, Flaming Wind, Explosive Fire, Heat Rays, she was able to dodge all these types of attacks with incredibly efficiency, she passes through the maelstrom of offensive attacks and wields her Flood Ax. Toooriyaaaaah! Using a single blow she bisected its flaming wings and sparks flew into the sky. Its large body was losing balance as it began to stumble, another attack from Lydia tears its body apart into pieces. The Sunny Raven is a monster with level 2 Fire attributes, it had an indefinite form, and even if you cut the flames apart, it would soon return to its former structure, however even so, it would still take a considerable amount of damage from these attacks. To be honest, this power coming from Lydia is something far beyond my expectations. The Sunny Raven was being chopped up by Lydia as she moved her lithe body. It was desperately trying to land a single blow on to Lydia, but she merely turned her face to the side to dodge it with utmost efficiency, a great explosion could be heard in the background where the fireball landed. Going at this rate, isnt Lydia going to solo kill this boss?! What terrifying battle power Y..youre right.. I ran up towards Claude and we were both watching over Lydia as she fought. Sometimes I would make sure with Scout Scope to check the amount of damage she was dealing, and it turns out that each of her strikes did around the same amount of damage as one of my Blue Gale, so if it continues at this rate, the battle will be over in no time. The Sunny Raven was already in a hopeless situation; it didnt even have time to attack us anymore. It doesnt even seem to be able to counter attack Lydia..No wait, thats not it! Lydia! Get away from it! Eh? Along with Lydias surprised voice, the Sunny Ravens body was expanding at an extremely fast rate. (Tsk..Time Square!!) I immediately chanted Time Square, and froze time in place. When the Sunny Raven gets cornered enough, it will collect a high density magic within its own body and explode it outwards! If I am not mistaken, it will cause severe damage to everyone in its surroundings and a large explosion will ensue. This is a considerably rare move, and it must be good luck that Ive never encountered it performing this move. Anyways, there is no time for me to think. I must defeat it immediately! To the side of me, Milly was taking a posture that was ready to shoot out magic. She was able to react to my words just then, and it seems shes trying her best to fire off an attack. As expected, Milly is great. And I knew which Magic Milly was shooting right now. I myself am using the same Magic and after casting it twice, I released my time stop. In that instant, a super duper large tornado swallows up the Sunny Raven, and Lydia was able to evade it by a hairbreadth. A huge tornado rises up towards the heavens scattering away all the clouds as it completely envelops the Sunny Raven, for a long while this gust of devastating wind did not die down. ..Triple Blue Gale! As I turned my back on the Sunny Raven, the last remaining sparks of its flame which were scattering in the wind, slightly roasted my cheeks. CH 74 Chapter 73: Triple When the Sunny Raven disappeared into the empty sky, Lydia came at me with an energetic tackle. Zeph-chi! She clung to me with all her might while pushing me down. Lydias chest was continually pushing into my face, making it hard to breathe. Its ppainful. When I wiggled and struggled, Lydia sat up straight as if she was riding on a horse. Once again, I got saved. Youre always taking the spotlight, mouu~ (Lydia Speaking) I mean, my attack was also mixed in, you make it sound like it was all his achievement (Milly Speaking) When Milly, whose face showed that she didnt agree, approached closer, Lydia also hugged her. Of course I am also thankful to Milly-chan! Thanks~! WaLet go! Pain..big boobs Millys face was buried in Lydias chest, and in that moment, I somehow managed to escape through Lydias legs. Did I somehow win? Milly and Triple Blue Gale have considerable amount of power. Both luck and timing need to be good, but because Milly has a set way of doing things, she probably would have had another opportunity to aim. Still, Blue Gale doesnt require a cast, but is nevertheless a large scale Magic. Even though the casting time is longer than other middle-class magic, I was able to cast it twice. Currently Time Squares level is 35, with the time stop duration increasing. Although it is an elementary magic, casting it 3 times is still impossible. From the sky that has calmed down after the tornado, something shiny fell. A red sword pierced into the ground with a splitting sound. Same as the last time we defeated a Sunny Raven, the treasured sword looked like a Frey Brand. I rushed over and picked it up, and from the edge of the sword that I drew, a bright red light shone. Reflecting off the suns light, it is as beautiful, quite like the setting sun. Which reminds me, if I remember correctly, this sword is capable of shooting out magic with a simple chant, isnt it? To test the Frey Brand, I held it over a nearby rock and caster Red Ball, the fire ball appeared and directly hit the rock, completely smashing it. Hm, this is not the full extent my Red Balls power Although it is a treasured sword, it is still only a sword, so theres no way this kind of power can come from it. Is it dependent on the users own magical power? Oh, its not Frey Brand. It will still sell reasonably high~ Lydia peered in this direction by chance. Good timing. Lydia, will you try to use this sword? Hm? I guess its fine I handed the Frey Brand to Lydia, and she held it in the overhead position and swung downwards. Oi Oi, isnt that the wrong way to use a Frey Brand? In that moment I was thinking, a fire ball came flying out from the sword tip. Wha!?(Zeph) The fire ball hit the ground, and caused a small explosion. Doesnt this mean that its not necessary to chant while using the treasured sword? No, wait? Can this be Lydia! Can you give that back for a sec? Sure I accepted the Frey Brand from Lydia, and when I shook the sword, a fire ball certainly came out from the sword tip. It seems that you really dont need to use any incantations to cast. Thats nice~ That looks like fun! Hey, Zeph~ Give to me me as well~(Milly) Later Milly placed her hands on my shoulders to coax me, but I kept swinging the Frey Brand while giving the suitable response. Alright, I was able to catch the timing. With this sword swing, I cast Time Square with the timing for when the fire ball will come out. If my thinking is correct.. At the moment the sword tip turned red, time stopped and I cast Red Ball twice. When the time stop cancelled, the fire ball released from the sword tip and my Red Ball merged together and became a blazing fire ball. A big explosion occurred in the far distance in addition to taking away everyones breath. If this kind of power can come from the elementary magic Red Ball, then I wonder what will happen if another middle-class magic were to be charged to the sword. Furthermore, if Milly were to collaborate I gulped, my breath taken away, and sweat streamed down my face. Lydia, do you know how to create a weapon charged with magic? Sorry, I dont know . I will look up the answer (Lydia) Its somewhat unfair that only Zeph gets it.. (Milly) I also want to try it(Claude) This weapon showed me a new potential. (Zeph, can you hear me?) Late at night, I was awoken by Silveries voice. It is telepathic communication that comes from using the crystal ring she gave me. Oi, its the middle of the night. Calling me in this time of the night is definitely weird. (..What time do you think it is?) (Zeph) (Were you about to sleep?) (Silverie) (No, I just woke up, but) (Then, thats fine) Do you really think it becomes fine, just because you say it is? (I think that you shouldnt really be using telepathic communication so much at night. Although I dont really mind it) (Relax. I dont have anyone else that I can talk to) What kind of complicated bluff is this? From the look of things, it looks like he doesnt have a serious talking partner besides me. Looks like I discovered a very sad fact. (Well, what is the issue?) (Did you properly defeat the Sunny Raven?) (Aah, the time and place is.) I informed Silverie the time and place, and without any special intonations she answered me back with a Is that so? (I will contact you again) (I understand) Yuuup, its hard to communicate with Silverie telepathically. Even though under normal circumstances, it is still hard to communicate to the person. What!?( Once again, I completely forgot to tell her that I couldnt get into contact with her with this ring. I just woke up after all. N. Next time I will surely.. Well, setting aside my regret, I completely woke up. What should I do today? For now, I cast Scout Scope. Zeph Einstein Level 44 [Red] Magic Level 32 Limit Level 62 [Blue] Magic Level 31 Limit Level 87 [Green] Magic Level 33 Limit Level 99 [Sky] Magic Level 32 Limit Level 89 [Soul] Magic Level 34 Limit Level 97 Magical Power Level 2016 / 2026 The increases in level because of Growth, is amazing. I get the feeling that every day one thing increases. I also earned a considerable amount of money, and I might as well try to go to the city sometime soon. If Im at the point where Im able to hunt in the third floor of the Wanaruta City Ruins without problems, then I can set my sights onto that goal. By the way, the second and third floor bosses are the highest class, and with the way we are now, its impossible to win. Or perhaps I should say that we still havent fought with any bosses of the highest class. There was one time in the past when travelled together with Silverie, but at that time, there were many adventures that were as high ranked and even then, the fights were a struggle. Which reminds me, Ains level reached 15 yesterday. Its probably about time that I train her so that she will be able to fight like Grains summons. Although if I do call her at this time of the night, it is certain that she will just say Im sleepy and disappear really quickly. I will go to Sun Ray Mountain Range today, and see if I can make her fight in the early morning with the Stone Zell that is at the foot of the mountains on the path to return back. It should be easy to fight because that thing doesnt personally go to attack. However, I wonder how she would fight it. Thinking about it, I image that Ain would fight by brandishing both fists and swinging them around, and I couldnt help but to burst out laughing. ..Fu Well, if I were to use enhancement magic, I could make it work somehow. There are other ways I that I can think of as well. While thinking about it optimistically, I cast Teleport towards the Sun Ray Mountain Range. CH 75 Green Crash! I dodged the rock-birds rush attack, While it slip pass by me I slashed it with my treasured sword Frey Brand while casting magic. After slashing it, an intense shock was felt through the rock-bird and it was sent flying. After bouncing on the ground several times, I slashed the twitching rock-bird while casting green crash once more, the shock caused the ground to break and the rock-bird was defeated. As expected, it is still impossible eh? Its impossible to overlap my magic while using the Frey Brand. because of my swordsmanship is unstable, I cant invoke my spell with the correct timing, besides If I tried to overlap my magic I wouldnt be able to combine it perfectly. Instead of swinging, I think using this on actual battles is better. Sword and magic, I wonder if can master it together and also is there any possible chance to master both? Well, I have Time Square anyways Im not that concerned about it. But rock-birds sleep at night so searching for rock-birds is difficult. Since its dark Ive been casting red wave periodically to surprise the rock-birds that are sleeping so that they will come here but how I wish I had been on the other hunting grounds instead of having troubles over here. Well I also want Ain to fight with the Stone-Zells. While I was thinking about things, the sun began to dawn. I think I should move to the bottom of the hill. Teleporting until I reached the bottom of the hill, the scenery lightened greatly. While I was walking and looking at the morning sun with a nice timing I found a Stone-Zell that was rolling and tumbling around. Summon Servant! Within the light, Ain appeared. What is it? Can you fight that demon over there? After asking Ain to fight, she looked at me with a puzzled face. I already expected this would happen but it really is difficult making her understand these concepts. Im telling you to fight that Stone-Zell Fight..? Ain approached the Stone-Zell and used her palms to hit it. Fight it. Not hit it with your palms While Im observing Ain Im having anxiety over her behavior, the Stone Zell rotated and squashed Ain. Ain was lying on the ground sprawled after being crushed. Are you ok? Ain It seems she has not taken any damage however I still called out to her with a worrisome voice, she stood up dropping mud around her. With her faced dirtied with mud, for the first time I saw her getting mad, Im slightly moved to tears. ..Grrr.. Now Im mad! She sprung onto the Stone-Zell and then she was striking the Stone-Zell with both her fists, while flying around it, this is just like I imagined she would fight, and looking at this made me on the verge of bursting out with laughter. Must not lose focus. It seems that I cant calm down with this situation. The Stone-Zells is wrapped with a hard rock skin so its tolerance against physical attacks is high. Probably, Ains attack didnt hardly do any damage at all. Ain, Can I have a moment? What? Ain answered with a mad expression. I wasnt expecting that she has an aggressive personality. Come over here Ain stopped engaging the Stone-Zell, she flew to me having a dejected face. Just like that, she hurled herself towards me with momentum. What is it!? Calm down Ain. If you keep doing it like that you wont be able to defeat it Thats not true, Humph! No I dont think Im wrong. Using the scout scope, I saw there was less than 3 damage done on the Stone-Zell. Stop being stubborn and use this After saying that, I gave her the weapon which Lydia made previously. Like a needle, its a thin sharp sword called a rapier which specializes in thrusting attacks. It was made specifically for Ains size. Use this and aim at the rocks crevice Oh this is cool~! Thanks, gramps! Dont thank me, thank Lydia Lydia? Whos that? She really didnt remember her. Poor Lydia. Shes the girl who was with us a while ago. That tall girl with a pony tail Hmm~? I dont know As I thought its hopeless. Should I give them time to let them meet each other? For the time being Ill pass Ain the rapier, it seems that she took a liking to it, shes been shaking and waving the rapier around. I got a sudden bad feeling about this. Ain, the rapier is not for swinging that should be used to attack the crevice by piercing it. She did not take my advice and used that small thin blade like a sword by slashing the stone-zell. I thought the rapier would break after Ain slashed it against the Stone-Zell but instead she flew back due to the recoil of the slash. Ohh, nice one Lydia. Did she predict that this would happen? I caught Ain from rolling and tumbling over with my hand and she was making an astonished face. That surprised me~ While Ain is laughing happily, Ill advise her. You should aim at the crevice Using Blue wall the Stone-Zell was frozen, stopping its movement. With Ain stabbing that spot, the Stone-Zell started to tremble. No matter how bad the attack was, it is taking small damage. I casted double casted red gloves of offensive power in time square to Ain, both of Ains hands was enwrapped with flames. Eiiiii! Yahh! Together with the yell, the Stone-Zell that I restrained was being stabbed repeatedly by Ain. I wonder if shes having trouble aiming, more than half of the attacks were hitting the rocks surface. It seems that the damage was not large enough, this wont be defeated easily. Since Im free I used scout scope on the Stone-Zell, I saw that the damage done was around 10 percent per attack. The Stone-Zells movements are becoming sluggish While watching impatiently, Ain attacked countless times until the Stone-Zell was defeated. It seems she has a lot of trouble defeating it. While yawning, I used scout scope on Ain and found that she raised her level by 1. Its pretty good timing that the level rose up. It has been proven that the experience value increases if a high-level medium is given. Gramps, Food~ Yes wait for a bit I gave the pleading Ain a high class medium and she ate it giving crunchy and appetizing sound. What a good eating manner as usual. Once more I used the scout scope and I saw Ains level went up. It would seem that letting her defeat the demons gives her far better experience. After defeating several more Stone-Zells, because breakfast time was nearly there I let Ain go home and I went back to the town. CH 76 Wanaruta City Ruins: Second Layer. Having come here multiple times, the scenery still looks very familiar, as there still arent many enemies around. That bastard Grain has been collecting demons for a while now. I cant help but wonder how long it took for him to raise his familiars levels. Because of that Grains excessive collection, we are stretched out when hunting here, not that I mind too much about that. Lets do it, Zeph! Yeah Milly began to chant Blue Gale, and I, using Time Square, matched her invocation and began to double cast it. In a single hit the three tornadoes surrounded and caught the Wraith Master, destroying the surrounding Mist Wraiths as well. That technique really is amazing It feels like you two could just do this by yourselves T-Thats not true at all! Contrary to what shes saying Milly actually seems quite happy. The success rate of using combination magics with Milly was still very low. Right now, success only came around 10% of the time. Attacking using a triple incantation on my own timing with my Treasured Sword was much easier than combing my attacks with Milly. Even though I was slowly adjusting to it, it was still considerably difficult. Milly still didnt possess enough experience to stabilize her timing. Other than casting Blue Gale, Triple incantations of other types of magic were impossible at this time. However, Triple incantation Blue Gales power was truly amazing, to the point where the power seemed to have more than doubled. Hmm if the power of a double cast is four times as strong, is the power of a triple cast nine times as strong? Then, if we add one more, would it be sixteen times? Then twenty-five? I grinned, thats a very scary increase. I shook my head, before I even think about doing that I need to raise my Time Squares skill level. If I do that then I can extend the amount of time I have in my time stop. Sadly, even the elementary magic Im most familiar with, Red Ball cannot be cast using a Triple Incantation at my current level. I was so engrossed in thinking about this that I accidentally ran into Lydias back. Whats wrong, Lydia? That guys here again I looked over to where Lydia was pointing to see Grain and his two familiars in the distance. However, it seemed that he had already finished hunting. Having finished, he created a pale blue portal, and disappeared before he saw us. Did he decided to return? I nodded, Seems like it. Anyways, its good, right? The stockpile of demons that Grain had caged began to scatter. I was slightly worried that our pace might fall into disorder, but I quickly shook that off. Well be fine either way. After this, it would be impossible to talk about returning, anyway. I pursed my lips, But, right now we should stick to hunting near the entrance. Millys coordination with me isnt perfect yet, and there are too many demons to hunt solo She nodded, Thats right, going too fast would be unreasonable Eh~. Even though this is a good situation? Yes, yes. Lets return, Milly-tan? Lydia approached Milly from behind, wrapped her arms around her, and began caressing and stroking her chest. Milly let out a small scream. Hyaa! she jumped, Lydia, s-stop. Fufu~ Then will you listen to what I say? I just didnt hear you! Milly pouted. Milly writhed around, her arms flaying like an octopus, as she tried to escape from Lydias devilish hands. Unfortunately, she had no chance of escape, as Lydia wouldnt let go until she was satisfied. Grandpa, Im scared Ain popped out of Claudes chest and looked around, looking dubiously at Lydia. In response to this, Lydias movements came to a complete stop. Ahh, thats right. Ain, If you get too close to her youll end up making that A~a sound. Understood! Nno way Im not that scary~? As soon as Lydia loosened her hands, Milly made a break for it and ran away. Ain slowly slipped back into Claudes chest. Its like the story of hunting two rabbits at the same time and getting neither. Holding back my laughter, we continued on to the entrance. On the way, we fought several Mist Wraiths, although there wasnt a problem as they came one at a time. However, saying that, battling two at once ceased being hard now. A considerable amount of time passed as we continued our hunt. Because of the amount of time spent battling, the level of our Growth skill increased. Having experience using it, we never found ourselves in a pinch. While walking and thinking about this, I noticed a pale blue light at the edge of my vision. Was that Grain? While I was looking, Grains upper body emerged from the portal, and his two familiars showed up behind him. He looked around restlessly for a bit, before popping his head back into the portal and disappearing. Shit! Everyone, get back! Whats wrong, Zeph? Grain didnt go back! Hes been looking for the boss This boss, being a second level boss , took around half a year to a year to revive. I never thought wed have the bad luck for it to revive while we were here, so I never checked. I cursed at my carelessness. Milly, get Teleport ready in case we come across him. If we get hit by even one of his magic attacks, we could die. Lydia, Im counting on you to help Milly if anything happens I say, while grabbing onto Claudes hand. Claude looked at me in surprise, and grasped my sweaty hand as she trembled. I could feel the tension transmitted through it. With the exception of Claude, I casted Safe Protection on everyone. Although it was only for peace of mind, it was better than nothing. Same as always: if the situation gets bad, dont worry about me. Youve all gained experience so I refuse to let you die in vain. Dont worry about me and just go All three of them went silent. I pondered for a bit. Hmm..? Did I scare them a little more than necessary? Everyone, including me, had been too relaxed lately. We needed to prepare ourselves a little more. What? I dont understand what we should do. Theres no problem as long as we run from the boss. Regarding the Teleport Seal, theres no way hed use it unless he goes into berserk mode. If we scatter, we can meet at the entrance. II know. Lydia led the way as we moved quickly. Being on the second level of Wanaruta was a strong advantage, as it was extremely complex. As we turned the corners, we could hear our hearts beating. Lydia peeked around the corner and looked, seeing nothing there she gave us an OK sign. With Lydia in front, we begin moving quickly. Somehow we had managed to make it to the last straight hallway leading to the first level. Even if we met the boss here, it was likely that we could escape and make it to the first level, before we teleported out. While we were carefully advancing down the hallway, an explosion resounded from the side. Hiyaah!? Claude clung to my arm, and Lydia scooped Milly in her arms and jumped back to the wall. Soso surprising Grain mustve started fighting with the boss I sighed with relief. If that was the case, then we were safe. I started walking faster. After leaving, everyone will be much safer. Chirin Chirin. I turned to where the sound was coming from, and saw a Wraith Master. I cursed. It seems Lady Luck had really forsaken me. Of course it appeared now. Truth be told, Im not surprised at all. Milly! I know already? Milly began to cast Blue Gale, and I started Time Square in preparation for when her palm shines. I caught my breath. was my timing a little late!? Even though I missed the timing for the simultaneous invocation, I still doubled casted Blue Gale. After all, even without the double casting the power was still mind-blowing. The Time Square was released, and the tornado was formed. I frowned. It seemed to be a failure, for some reason. My double invocations, along with Millys attack, hit the Wraith Master, however only the followers were affected. Because there was no helping it, Claude separated her hand from mine and prepared to participate in the battle. Claude, Lydia, dont go too far!. Yes! I began to run forward while invoking double White Crash. The white sphere wrapped around the Wraith Master at the same time Lydia attacked. Blue Gale! In an instant, Millys magic blew away what was left of the Wraith Master. With a roaring sound, the wall that was lying sideways was blown off. A pitter-patter sound could be heard as bits dropped against the stone pavement. An arm the width of a tree, and a small foot that didnt seem to match it, could be seen through the giant cloud of rising dust. Crimson lines stretched across several folds of the big, black body. The face of a person could be seen wriggling around on the surface. My face paled, this creature in front of me matched the description of the second level boss. The Devil, Dark Wraith! GOOOOOOH! The Dark Wraiths body began to swell, as he let out a roar to the heavens. The atmosphere trembled, and everyone was frozen in surprise. The eyes, that were all over the body of the creature, were focused on Milly, and magical light was beginning to shine. Not good! I think because Milly destroyed the Wraith Master with her Blue Gale, he established her as his target?! Milly was still frozen from the Dark Wraiths roar. It seemed that she was in no condition to concentrate and use teleport! Milly, run away! I began to cast Teleport, moving in front of Milly, in that instant, two projectiles of white light shot piercing the Dark Wraith. The lights twisted and spiralled together, scraping against the Dark Wraith. The light began to fade, and one of Grains familiars appeared. Oi, oi. Arent you the stupid brats from before? Arent you Zeph? Yeah, sounds about right Grain appeared through the smoke. After seeing me his smile spread from ear to ear. They came out from the remnants of the wall, they were probably in battle with this Dark Wraith on the other side of the wall. I could see the tremendous traces of destruction from their fight. This is bad. It seems that we were dragged right into the middle of battle between the Dark Wraith and Grain? CH 77 Kuku, Little kids like you should stay indoors ya know? From here on out it will be a battlefield! When he swung his one handed sword like a baton, the red hair and blue haired familiars returned to Grains side. It would seem that their levels are higher than before. Red, Blue. You dont have to pay attention to those guys. Just aim at the target Hearing Grains words, the two familiars nod their heads and poised their weapons. Grain silently chants some things and his familiar spirits were once again beginning to glow with light. It was a magic Ive never seen before. Is this perhaps, a special kind of magic that the dispatched magicians possess? Before its too late, I held on to Milly shoulder and teleported to the back. .? The exit is over there isnt it? Zeph? I also want to go in that direction but The gigantic figure of the Dark Wraith was blocking the narrow passage and it was difficult to pass it with the use of teleport. If it is not done properly, then we might receive some backlash and get caught up in their fight. Moreover, the road we used to come here was blocked up by the previous attack from Grain. This situation was exceedingly bad. Although it is regrettable, we can only hope that Grain wins his battle. We are going to back him up, Milly Eh~. I also dont like it, but its better than losing right? Chanting out Time Square, I began to cast White Sphere and Red Sphere. Nova Sphere! Milly also casts a white sphere and a white flame burns the Dark Wraith. Oi oi, I dont need your shabby support you know? My familiars will be enough to take care of it Saying this and turning towards us, Grain had a grin on his face. Its not like Im here because I want to help. However, it is true that Grains familiars seem pretty strong. They easily dodge the stout arm of the Dark Wraith, the familiar spirit called Blue uses both of her hands to swing down her sword towards the Dark Wraith. The Dark Wraiths arm bent unnaturally and its ugly face let out a low groan. Blue was going to intercept the other arm, but the familiar called Red uses her spear in a thrusting motion to stop the attack. They were quite a good combination. Doesnt Grain plan on helping out his familiars? all hes doing right now is carrying the one handed sword on his shoulder and spectating the fight. It seems that he is only strengthening his familiars with his magic periodically. Grain was just observing the situation but there were still the after effects of the Dark Wraiths attacks as bits of rock and stone flew towards him. Just before the moment of impact, Red goes in front of Grain and blocks the remnants of rock, perfectly cutting all the debris down. Red was bleeding a little from her forehead, but there doesnt seem to be much damage taken. Grain acts like what just occurred was the most natural thing and he pushed his chin outwards. I guess hes telling her to Get back in there already ? Receiving his orders, Red immediately springs back into combat and flies towards the Dark Wraith. Hes letting his familiar do both offence and defence. Hes living such a comfortable life isnt he? Dark Wraith Level 97 This is the first time Ive ever confronted the Dark Wraith, and as expected its magical power level is not something ordinary. Its about 60 times more than the Sunny Raven? Naturally, I havent even taken into account the disparity in their offensive ability. Even for his familiars, if any of them took a direct hit, they would probably get wiped out in a single blow. I think Grain must also realize this fact, as whenever his familiar gets grazed by an attack, he would immediately try to re-apply Safe Protection on them. It.Its amazing isnt it? I didnt know such a fighting method existed.. After seeing this, Im convinced, I also want a familiar~ Saying that, Milly launches a white sphere at the Dark Wraith. She wasnt inflicting that much damage, but the experience points she obtained from the Dark Wraith should be massive. If Grain manages to defeat the Dark Wraith, we should be able to obtain a large amount of experience points from the contribution we provided. Although I feel a little annoyed when I have to take the leftovers from Grain, If I can make use of him, I will be glad to do so. Do your best! Hyaa!? Ain-chan, please dont move around so suddenly~ Ain pops out from within Claudes breasts, and perhaps she felt some sort of a connection as they were both familiars, Ain was giving her support to Grains familiars. Oh man, shes so carefree. But this fight was really quite stable right now. I confirmed with the use of Scout Scope, and Grains familiars were actually both beyond level 90. Although, this particular monster was not something that those two could just easily take on. It just goes to show how formidable Grains reinforcement spells are. While thinking such things I continued to fire my Nova Sphere which burned the Dark Wraith with a white flame, its black skin was crackling and tearing, underneath its crust was a deep crimson body. Almost like it was baring its internal organs, its blood vessels were popping out of its body and pulsating with a *thump thump* It looked truly ominous. This must be the berserk mode of the Dark Wraith? Is it going berserk!? Ahh, the problem starts from here on out. Claude and Milly, dont under any circumstances part from the group The Dark Wraith, roars out in an overpowering voice filled with magical power. The effective range is considerably wide. With this, Grain probably cant use teleport anymore. For us we are just far enough that we can still use teleport, but if it drifts a little more in this direction, the Dark Wraith will be able to nullify our ability to teleport. Just as a precaution, I used blue wall, and I generated a wall between us and the Dark Wraith. Although its only for our peace of mind, its much better than not doing anything. Ku ku ku, Whats wrong? Are you scared? Huh Zeph-kun? I ignored Grain who was trying to provoke me, and I fired another Nova Sphere at the Dark Wraith. Grain was clicking his tongue, as he once again chanted out spells to strengthen and reinforce both Red and Blue, the Dark Wraith opened its large mouth. Crap..!? Goooooooahhhhhh!! When the Dark Wraith lets out a savage roar, the lights surrounding the familiar spirits start to dim. Even the blue wall that was in front of us was starting to dissipate. It would seem that its roar has a magic negating effect. Tsk! Grain brings his hands together in order to cast a spell, but it doesnt seem like hes going to make it. The Dark Wraith shakes its arms and swings downwards towards Grain, his familiars use their weapons and were poised to stop the blow, but they were instantly smashed up. Ah! Ain instinctively raises a loud voice. When the Dark Wraith lifts up its arms from the floor, bits of stone drop down in a *pitter patter*, and within the large crater on the ground was a squashed Red and Blue. Their weapons were crushed and their bodies were twitching and convulsing. Although they arent dead, it doesnt seem like they would be able to fight any longer. Or more like, the way things are going, even were are going to be in trouble. Grain! Geez, I guess it cant be helped Saying that, Grain started to walk towards Red. Is he still trying to make them fight? Red extends her trembling hands towards Grain, and he stabs her small back with his one handed sword. Eh? Her mouth was flapping open and closed like a fish unable to breathe, and grain once again pierces red with his sword. It is likely that she died, Reds body disappeared like sand drifting in the wind. Seeing this, Blue tries to crawl away from Grain, but Grain easily catches up to her and slits her neck and cuts it off. Grain then steps on Blues severed head as he squished it under his feet, and just like that her body also started to crumble and disappear. Doing such a thing, Grain didnt have any change in his expression. Wh.what the hell is he doing? Seeing such a shocking scene, my brain stopped working. Everyone else also did not understand the situation and was completely flabbergasted. Haa geez, Im going to have to start again from the beginning. How troublesome Breaking the silence that everyone was in from Grains words, the Dark Wraith bellows out a roar as it charged towards Grain. He dodges the attack by a hairsbreadth, and immediately casting his portal, Grains body was starting to get wrapped in a blue light, as it was transferring to a different dimension. It would seem that a portal is different from the teleportation ability and the Dark Wraiths magic suppression effect does not influence the ability to create a portal. Then with this, Im going to head off. Maybe we will meet again.Thats if you live Kukuku Grain was stifling a laughter as he disappeared, The Dark Wraith was breathing raggedly as it stared to glare at us. Shit, its next target seems to be us! CH 78 GOOOOOOOO!! Its coming!(Zeph) I raised my voice to get everyone to come back to their senses, after being surprised by Dark Wraiths roar. Because of the shock from Ain being killed by Grains summons, it seems like I still cant regain my footing. However, I didnt have the time to be concerned about that. I aimed my attack at Dark Wraiths foot, and when I cast Blue Wall, the huge figure was caught by the ice wall, but. GOOOOOOO!! Dark Wraith roared, causing the ice wall to disappear in a twinkle. A roar that negates magic. Shit, this is troublesome. Dark Wraiths magical level value is 12 million. Berserk mode increases an additional one-third to power, so thats 4 million, this is many times more than the Sunny Ravens magical power. It is impossible for the us now to defeat it. We have no choice but to escape. Milly, I leave Claude to you Eh? I let go of the bewildered Claudes hand, and made Milly grasp it. Also Lydia, hand me all the magical power restoring medicine that you have Thats.fine, but Zeph-chi, you cant be .. Ill buy you some time, so you guys go on ahead My words changed Millys facial expression. Thats wrong! Dont joke around! If thats the case, then Ill stay!(Milly) Milly cant use Safe Protection, and this kind of thing is my specialty(Zeph) But!(Milly) Relax, its not like me to die in such a place anyways As I said that, I ruffled the top of Millys head. I pushed Milly, whose eyes were wet and face looked like she will cry, away with all my strength and she was held back by Lydia. Go! I leave everyone to you. Arent you the leader? Milly!(Zeph) Yeah!(Milly) Milly said while wiping her tears, and changed to a dignified look. Escaping from the melting restraints from Blue Wall, Dark Wraith took a big step forward towards me and I cast White Shot at him. A ball of white light burst on the giant body of Dark Wraith, and it turned its intense animosity in my direction. When my eyes turned towards the dozen of eyes throughout its body, I felt a tremendous pressure. Well, well, looks like normal methods wont work. Milly! Hurry up and go! tch..! Picking the moment when Dark Wraiths attention was concentrated on me, Milly teleported as far as she could while clutching to Claudes and Lydias hands. I casted Nova Sphere towards Dark Wraith as it glanced and faced Milly. The white flame burned its whole body and once again, the Dark Wraith turned around to face me. In the meantime, Milly and the others ran around the side of Dark Wraith until they were out of its attack range. Alright, the first condition is cleared. I casted Blue Wall and an ice wall spread in between Milly and the others. I jumped and dodged Dark Wraiths incoming attack, and facing the ground, I chanted Blue Wall. With a Zon!, the ice wall spread sideways towards Dark Wraiths direction and was pushed outwards behind me. I got on top of the ice wall, which burst out sideways, and ran on the opposite side of Dark Wraith. The Blue Wall that grew in the horizontal orientation was like ice formed on top of a pond, so slippery that it makes it hard to walk. But, that means it is also the same for the Dark Wraith. Naturally, Dark Wraith also climbed on top of the side of the pushed-out wall, running and chasing behind me threateningly. As I chanted Blue Wall sideways one more time, an ice wall stretched towards Dark Wraith from my hands above my head, but. With agility, it jumped on to the wall and smiled in ridicule. Will I be able to gain more distance from it using this method? It is a surprisingly nimble thing. Dark Wraiths entire body shone red, and while my White Wall erasing the large amount of elementary magic that it fired, I faced it and ran. I slide through the length of Dark Wraiths legs to attack it while it was unguarded, and I chanted Blue Wall while facing the front, trapping both of its feet with an ice wall. Turning to face my direction, Dark Wraith once again was coming after me threateningly. In that case, how about this? I stood up and while the ice wall still trapped the legs, I cast just a few Blue Walls diagonally. Dark Wraith jumped onto the top like before, but it slowly slipped down the low angle hill of connected iceis what I expected but instead it sunk its legs into the ice wall and supported the big body from slipping and falling. Shit, its persistent. I casted Blue Wall one more time horizontally, and intended to trap Dark Wraith, but it also avoided that and jumped upon the wall. This area is full of all the ice walls I created. Blue Wall has a surprising large magical power consumption. While I gulping down the magical power restoring medicine, I exhaled freezing white breath and prepared my breathing. While charging ahead, I ascertained the timing that its right hand fist will be thrown, and I kicked the ice wall behind me and slid to the other side, I created another wall with Blue Wall in order to catch my body as it slid. Turning around, I released Blue Wall horizontal towards Dark Wraith who was chasing me, but it jumped on it, slid and dodged it, continuing its pursuit. When my magical power looked as if it will be exhausted, I supplied it with the magical power restorative medicine. The Dark Wraith continued chasing me, and the ice walls continued to accumulate. From the bottom of the ground floor, how tall has it become now? Because the tallest tower of the second level was on my right hand side, I jumped from the ice wall and held on to it. The second condition is cleared. The Dark Wraith was trying to follow me by jumping on to the tower, and so I covered the ice tower with Blue Wall. GOOOOOOOOO!! Part of the cover slowly melted with Dark Wraiths roar. (.As expected, that roar only negates magic in a rectangular area in front of it. If it could erase the ice wall in its entirety, then it would save me some trouble as well) Whether or not it comprehended my words, I finished my casting the moment Dark Wraith looked in my direction and reacted. Red Zero A huge flame sword came out from my hands, stopped right above Dark Wraith, and extended directly below. The flame sword pierced Dark Wraith, but the effect was light, and it faced me again with a weakened animosity. But, there is no problem. I wasnt aiming at you, Dark Wraith, but rather at the ice wall underneath you. The flame sword that pierced Dark Wraith melted the ice wall in an instant, as well as the one under, and the one under that, melting them one by one. The flame sword pierced in the ice spire reached the lower level and opened a large hole in the center. Dark Wraith, who was at the top of it, scratched at the sky with its huge arms trying to grab the ice wall, but the ice that has become slippery due to the flame, could by no means be grabbed. The result: it fell. After a long drifting sound of the wind, there was a huge splashing sound. I wonder if lower level of the ice wall actually had a lake? It was looking at me from far below, but you probably dont have an attack that can reach me from there right? Dark Wraith. My bad, if theres another opportunity, lets fight again ..when were in top-condition Saying that, I looked down at the waters surface that was Dark Wraith, and sat down on the ground. I probably worried Milly, so I decided to send a guild message. (Zeph!? Are you safe!?) (Ah, is this Milly? I managed to shake it off, but I ended up using up all my magical power. After I recover for a bit, lets meet up) Because I had had been running around on top of the ice, my clothes have become completely drenched. While Im at it, I suppose I can dry my clothes for a bit. CH 79 Now then..Guess I should return My magical power is almost fully restored. I faced the floor and chanted Teleport. When I got down to the place where Grain and his familiars were a while ago, the area was wet with the water from when Blue Wall melted. If you look up at the ice tower, Dark Wraith is still floating around in the center of the tower. Even if it was determined to come out of the deep recesses of the ice tower, it is not going to work. I wonder if its comfortable in there? Oh well, its fine, its not like Im going to specifically go near it in order to aggravate it. While using Teleport to dodge and weave around the monsters along the way, I headed for the entrance of Wanaruta City Ruins. Its probably going to take considerable amount of time. I called out to Milly via guild message to set up a place to meet. (Milly, Im going to return soon) () ? Thats strange. Theres no answer. (Lydia? Claude?) All three of them didnt respond to my call. Did something happen? I have a really bad feeling. I ran towards the entrance while having the maximum amount of alertness. Just in case, I put enhancement magic on myself. While walking along the intricate wall, I slipped past the crevices of the walls and in the direction of the entrance, I managed to spot a man wearing a white coat. That is.Grain!? Why is that guy here? Didnt he already leave? The figures of Milly and the others are nowhere in sight. Given that they didnt respond to my call, it may be possible that they couldnt respond. (Grain..!) Its his doing, without a doubt. The disappearance of Milly and others coinciding with the fact that Grain brutally murdered his own familiars repeated within my mind, all the blood in my body boiled in an instant. My vision became bright red, and I clenched my teeth, chipping them a little. Grain! I couldnt bear it an longer and I jumped from the wall, and stood right in front of him. Yo, looks like you survived, didnt cha? Grain ridiculed me and I was trembling with anger. I felt like a blood vessel would pop. I just barely resisted the urge to immediately fire a spell, and I began to question him. .Where is everyone Relax, I havent killed them. I only had them sleep over there When I looked at the direction Grain pointed with his thumb, there were the figures of three people face-down, collapsed. I saw previously that he was able to cast strengthening type magic on his familiars, it would seem that as a dispatched magician, he isnt limited to these types of reinforcement magics but can also use debuff type sleeping magic. Damn, what are his limits? This was probably a surprise attack. Though, a Dispatched Magician cant easily make three people fall asleep. Maybe it is an original Sleep Code or some kind of inherent magic used at the same time. Anyways, is there something you need from us? Im not such a soft-hearted person that wont say anything after youve done this kind of thing..! What? Youve got this all wrong. Originally I didnt even intend to leave you all alive. After all, you did see a lot of bad things that you shouldnt have seen. Things we shouldnt have seen? You killing a familiar? You using a boss to kill us? Or how much of a trash youve been for doing such things? While breaking out into a grin, he looked down on me and I was still throwing out all the words to express my anger towards him. In any case, waiting here for you guys was the right choice, although I really didnt expect that you would survive that ordeal did you miscalculate? Well I will give you this acknowledgment, Zeph. You are quite the brat. Thats why I let them live Grain said that, and pointed his left hand towards the direction of the three sleeping people. No way, this guy! Dont you dare move! If you are to display even the slightest bit of resistance, the lives of those three will be gone You bastard! Grain laughed at my face which was warped with anger, and looked like he was having fun looking deep into my heart. and chanted Summon Servant. The familiar, that was born, was a little girl who was black with horns that curved like a goat. It had small, black wings on its back, and served Grain with eyes that contain no feelings. Aegis Blacktail Level 1 Magical Power Level 230 When I looked with Scout Scope, I couldnt believe that her strength was at level 1. If I were to believe Grains words that the magicians own abilities influence the types of Familiars he or she will summon, this would mean that I am falling behind this guy. From now on, Im going to call you Black(Grain speaking) The familiar nodded in agreement to Grains words. It probably is indifferent concerning to the name Grain gave it. Which reminds me, I feel like the names of the previously killed Blue and Red, which I checked with Scout Scope, were also different. Black, shred that brat with this sword. ..But dont kill him right away, ok? Itll be boring, you know? Because of the restrictions of being part of the Dispatched Magicians, he cannot harm me directly, is he trying to torment me with a familiar? This guy really is rotten to the depths of his heart. Black took the sword from Grain, and made one shallow cut on me. Tch.! Two times, three times, Black kept shallowly cutting the helpless me, and while laughing, Grain looked down on me whose cuts were accumulating. He asked me if I would dare to counter-attack, but though he carelessly showed that he was having fun, he did not put down his hand that was turned towards Milly and the others, ready to attack the sleeping girls. Blood began to ooze out from the my shredded clothing. (Shit..!) The probability of me firing magic here and defeating Grain is very thin. A rotten Dispatched Magician, if I were to fight that kind of magical strength head-on, then the difference is way above me. Furthermore, he took hostages. (.!) My clothes became tattered from the familiars attacks, and a shallow pool of blood kept appearing at my feet. Taking any more damage will be bad! Sink or swim, I have no other choice..! In the moment that I concentrated on my right hand, Grains hands started releasing magic towards the girls. Wha.! When the rising white smoke cleared, I saw a huge empty hole on the side of Milly and the others. It looks like it didnt hit the three of them. Aah, of course, using magic is banned. If you become a master like me, then you can also sense magicShall I hit them next time? Oi? When Grain said that and gave some kind of order, Black nodded in agreement, and then. She thrust the sword into my right hand. Guaaaaaaaa!?(Zeph) Hyahahahaha! Excellent voice, Oi! I, always couldnt stomach you punks! You kept looking at me as if you could see through me..Although its disappointing that because of the restrictions I cant kill you, die screaming while you cry at your own uselessness! The feeling of my right hand being gouged. Shit, however. I made an opportunity, Claude. Yaaaaaaaah!!(Claude) A little rapier pierced Grains right eye. In Claudes chest was a concealed Ain. What is this fly! Shit! My.eyewhat did you doooooooooo!! Im not a fly! I am! We are! A half-crazed Grain faced Ain and fired magic randomly towards the sky, and estimating the timing, I chanted Summon Servant and withdrew Ain. Impulsively firing powerful magic into the empty sky creates a huge chance. Theres no way I could overlook it. Casting Red Clash and Black Crash at the same time, Pyro Crash buried the familiar of Grain, who was becoming befuddled. Dont think bad of me. If youre going to bear a grudge, bear it against your master(Zeph) I snatched Grains sword from the hand of the familiar that was becoming sand, and prepared to attack. You bastaarrrrrrddddddd!! While Grains screams were rising, he released magic in the direction of the three girls. A powerful burst of flames surrounded the three of thembut. Unfortunately, magic wont work against me. I pretended to be asleepuntil Zeph arrived Nice, Claude Claude, near the Milly and Lydia, watched Grain, discerning that she couldnt win by herself alone and decided to pretend to sleep. When first I talked in the guild message, I couldnt understand what was being said from too far away, but when I descended and started having a conversation with Grain, I first noticed that Claude was pretending to sleep. While I was talking to Grain, I worked out a strategic plan with Claude via guild message. And then, I created an opportunity, and this is how we have arrived at the current situation. Magic..doesnt work!?(Grain) Relax, your opponent will be me. Claude will take care of the other two .I understand!(Claude) The two were sleeping deeply. In addition, even though Grains personality is shit, it is true that he is strong. I dont have the flexibility to fight while protecting Milly and the others. And above all. Grain, If I dont defeat you by myself, I wont feel satisfied! Roaring, magical power burst out of my body covering it in a violent tempest of destructive energy. CH 80 Zephhhhhhhhhh!!!! While blood was flowing from his destroyed right eye, Grain revealed his fierce anger. But on the other hand, his head seemed to cool down enough, and even though he was screaming, he was covered in a magical light. It was the same enhancement magic he used on his familiars, just like in the fight against Dark Wraith. However, Im not the type to wait leisurely for the magic to finish developing. Casting Red Crash and Black Crash at the same time, I invoked Pyro Crash and released it towards Grain. The basis of magician vs. magician fights is The one who strikes first wins, the one who hits the other with powerful magic first will be the winner. If I was against an ordinary adventurer, it would be possible that I could defeat him with just a hit from Red Crash. As for my pride, Pyro Crash, which is close to the same power level as a Grand Magic, as long as my opponent is human, they will definitely be defeated. A spiral of swirling winds of fire engulfed Grain and it swallowed up the ground, hollowing it out, however. You would dare to raise your hand against a Dispatched Magician? With this the f*cking annoying limitation has been lifted. Now I can also freely retaliate Grain said with a voice filled with killing intent, and the strength of the wave of magic coming from him caused the magic clad around me to waver greatly. Kaah! When Grain psyched himself up, he scattered the swirling winds of fire and easily destroyed the shape of the spiral. Thats impossible! My Pyro Crash was erased!? Kukuku, you shouldnt be surprised. Dispatched magicians have a non-aggressive policy, so I cant lay a hand on you. Nevertheless, if you brats are using powerful magic, then I have a right to defend myself. Well, I will praise you for actually damaging me Grain said, broadly grinning and triumphant. Although his clothes and body are slightly burned, it doesnt seem like a lot of damage. Is it because of that enhancement magic? As expected, it doesnt look like it will be easy to defeat him with this level of magic. Grain raised his hands above his head, I noticed this and so I immediately jumped aside, just as this occurred, the place that I was just standing at was covered in a wave of flames. Red Bullet, huh? Before it was called Red Blaster and it seems like Grain has an affinity towards Red Magic. In my previous life, I mastered Red Magic and was called the Flame of Flames and I could see that he fired out a considerably strong magic. Hes at approximately the same level as me from back in those times. This will be interesting. While continually counterattacking Grains fire balls, that would hit me, with Blue Ball, I ran towards him and chanted Time Square. In the middle of the time suspension effect, I cast Black Boots and Red Glove. Magenta Coat! A speckled burning coat covered my body. It is simple, but it is a combination of speed enhancement and attack enhancement. Although power drops compared to chanting each spell twice, the cost performance is excellent. Weaving past the Red Bullets he fired, I used the sword that I grabbed from Grains familiar with both of my hands, using all my might I thrusted at him. Arent you weak! You damn shorty! Grain shouted and at the same time took out his silver shield, easily stopping my attack. Did he take it out from his bag in an instant? After all, this guy is used to actual combat. He continued to use all his strength to repel my magic with his shield, the distance between us was being shrinking. Ora! Grain shot Red Bullet again, and I countered it with Blue Bullet. If there are opposing magic like Red and Blue, Sky and Green of equal rank, then they cancel each other out, making the users level irrelevant. However, what should I do, if this continues.? My opponent right now definitely has better magical abilities and power consumption than me, and furthermore, my magic barely has an effect. But that reminds me, Grain took damage from Ains rapier and he uses a shield to deflect attacks from a sword. I wonder if I were to use physical attacks, then there would be some effect. Wait, the sword you are using is not matched well against your opponent However, I dont have any other weapons When I turned to the familiar voice, there was a blonde girl who flew besides me while I was running. Wings and hair that glowed gold, crimson eyes that looked strong. With her white dress-like clothes, she looked just like an angel. ..Who are you? Whaat!? If you looked, you should know. Its me. I-t i-s m-e! When I looked closely at the girl who was pointing at herself, I recognized the what was sprouting out on top of her head, a red ribbon. It cant be Are you Ain? Gramps, you just looked at my ribbon and said that..right? Behind Ain, who was staring at me, Grains ball of magic passed by, and caused an explosion. Uoh!?(Zeph) Were not in a situation to just be careless. old man, your hand! Hand? While guessing about her request, I stuck out my left hand, and Ain grabbed it and cast a dazzling light. The light surprised me, but I could hear Ains determination. That guy treated my comrades terribly..I absolutely wont forgive him for it! Ains voice harbored a strong wrath. I could feel the strong anger she has towards Grain, who killed his own familiars. I dont know what kind of reason he could have had, but its impossible that just saying Its because theyre my familiars is a good enough reason. I also feel the same. Lets cooperate and defeat that guy, Ain Yeah! The light that Ain released gradually settled down, and all that was left in my hands was a single sword. I believe that the golden radiance released before from the light was Ains wings. (I shall call this technique Divine Sword Ainbelle) Ain, who became a sword, talked directly in my head. Nevertheless, where have I heard that expression before.. Ah well, I probably dont need to be concerned about it. I put Grains sword into my bag, and with both hands holding the Divine Sword Ainbelle, I prepared to advance. Die, you trash! At that moment, Grain fired magic. Red Blaster, huh? (Old man, catch it!) Reacting to Ains voice, I caught Grains Red Blaster right away with Ainbelles sword form, and the spell was completely absorbed. Because Ainbelle absorbed the magic, the ruby embedded in the handle shined sharply. This is(Zeph) What!? You absorbed my magic.?(Grain) In the past, this kind of magical sword didnt exist. A sword with a jewel embedded in the handle that absorbs magic, turning it into its own power, surely the way to use this is When I swung the sword towards the surprised Grain, the previously absorbed Red Blaster was released towards him. Nuo!?(Grain) Grain panicked and jumped back, and a heat ray burned at his feet. Looks like its that kind of thing. Divine sword Ainbelle..This sword is great. Thank you Ain I brandished Ainbelle taking my stance against Grain, maybe it was Ains reply, but light starts shining from the edge of the blade, and beads of shining light danced in the air. CH 81 DONT SCREW WITH MEEEEE!! While screaming, Grain fired a Red Sphere and I absorbed it with Ainbelle, and at the same time I swung the sword, cast Time Square, and chanted Red Sphere twice. Red Sphere Triple! As a counter attack, I shot a tremendous flame sphere which engulfed Grain, burning him. However, the flickering shape of a person inside the flames still looked healthy. Gaaaa! Although the fireball was immediately erased together with his scream, the magical light surrounding Grain also disappeared and his coat was burnt black. Grain, who had an anguished expression, jumped back while firing Red Bullet. I countered with Blue Bullet and when I immediately tried to pursue him, Grain once again clad himself with magic. Damn, he did it again. To break his guard, even Triple magic wont suffice. (Ain, I want you to listen for a bit) (What?) I expressed my thinking to Ain, who looked doubtful. (I was thinking we would go with this plan) (WHAT!? Impossible! Nope, nope . Nope! Theres no way that kind of thing will work!) (But, this is the only way to defeat that guy. Lend me your power) When I said that, Ain pondered for a bit, and after that she gave a small reply. (..I understand. In exchange, you have to definitely win!) (Of course.) After the discussion, I looked over at Grain, who began chanting a spell. Oh God of Red Magic, teacher of Red Magic and Seeker of Truth of the farthest regions(Grain) Is this chant, Red Zero? As the strongest of the Red System Grand Magics, it releases all the users magical power, has a long cast time, and furthermore it is difficult to use in a person-to-person battle due to leaving the user defenseless after firing, but if the user does manage to invoke it, it is quite difficult to dodge or defend against it using ordinary methods. That is based on the theory, but if a Dispatched Magician has high defense due to inherent magic and a method to recover, then tactics are probably nothing to them. However, I wont allow him to cast that spell. When I tried to attack Grain before he finished chanting, I realized in the moment I chanted, that my own magical power had decreased by a lot. It was the magical power from my body that was being absorbed by Ainbelle in order to maintain her form. While I summoned Ain, I felt that a miniscule amount of magical power was consumed, but after she became a sword, the deduction became a lot more obvious. With this, I cant attack properly, so I drank a magical restorative medicine in one gulp. Grant me the power to reach..(Grain) After I finished drinking the magical restoration medicine, Grain almost finished his chant and I quickly cast Time Square. Will I make it?! I cast Time Square, and chant Red Crash and Black Crash. And I enchanted Pyro Crash in Ainbelles sword form. Pyro Crash was absorbed into the ruby in the handle of the sword. (Nn.!) The ruby charged with Pyro Crash at the same time Ain groaned a little. ..Together with this spinning blade of crimson, destroy my enemies!!..Red Zero!(Grain) While I was still putting my preparation in order, Grains chant ended and Red Zero was invoked. This isnt good..! A sword of blazing fire stretched out from Grains hand and approached right before my eyes. (Damn, Im not ready.!) (Zeph) The instant I was going to cast Time Square, Claude stood in front of me, with a shield ready to stand in the way of the spell. The sword of blazing fire directly hit Claude, who showed an anguished expression as she stopped the blow. Claude!? Hurry up, that guy..! ..You saved me! I said a small thanks to Claude who was enduring Red Zero, and then I dashed towards Grain. While he was irritated that the flame sword passed through as Claude appeared with the smoke, Grain clicked his tongue. Magical invalidation.Its you again!(Grain) I guess Im a good comrade(Claude) Appearing suddenly at my chest, Grain prepared with his shield to catch my sword blow. I slide away and took some distance. After that, I released the Pyro Crash that was charged in the Divine Sword Ainbelle. simultaneously I chanted (Time Square!) Time stopped and I cast Blue Crash and Green Crash. Red, Sky, Blue, Green, the four colors of magical energy were now being combined and blended together, molding into a golden color. It was at this moment that I slashed at him with the Divine Sword Ainbelle; a swirl of golden magic was fired towards Grain. Tetra Crash! From the innumerable amount of converging light spirals, one beam cut Grain and tore off the magic armor around him into shreds. Gohok!(Grain) Grain had a huge cut on his chest, he coughed blood from his mouth and a little of it got on my face. When I pulled out the sword, blood kept dripping onto the floor. Grain collapsed and fell on his knees, looking at me with vacant eyes. He seemed to have no idea what just happened. Its over(Zeph) I positioned Ainbelle and swung her downwards toward Grain. I aimed for his neck, but as I swung downwards, my sword was deflected to the side as a metallic sound resounded. Instead, blood gushed out of Grains shoulder. I cannot be careless before I take his life. Both Grain and I had an expression of confusion. What blocked my sword was the same sword that Grain was holding before. The person who did it was Azalea!?(Zeph) ..Senpai?(Grain) Im sorry, Zeph-kun, but would you mind putting away your sword?(Azalea) Why is Azalea here?..She probably came to save him, but will she just leave after its done? Likewise, Im sorry, but Grain nearly killed us so many times. I wont accept an Ah I see, is that so? as an excuse to let him get away with this(Zeph) I understand. Naturally I intend to severely punish this man. ..Furthermore, dont you have people who would be sad if you dirtied your hands?(Azalea) The faces of Claude and everyone else reflected in my view. But this guy tried to kill my comrades. Theres no way I could forgive him for that. I feel like you will say you wont be satisfied with that. First, I will bury into Grain Ravens body seven species of magical bugs. These bugs coil themselves around the magical power lines in his body, and every time he attempts to use magic, they will damage a part of his body and rampage around inside it. Naturally it comes with intense pain, and in the worst case, death. He probably wont be able to use magic any more. Moreover, his title of Dispatched Magician will be revoked and he will be exiled to the island where criminals live.(Azalea) Grain heard those words, which were like a death sentence to magicians, and had a shocked face. To a magician, there is nothing more painful than never being able to use magic ever again. Furthermore, in the island of criminals, a Dispatched Magician like Grain will probably be considerably hated. Even though this guy is a piece of trash who exposed everyone to danger, if he is to be punished to that extent, then .I understand. Thats fine, I leave the matter concerning Grain to you.(Zeph) I am grateful. Truthfully, we received several reports of Grains problematic behavior from various adventurers. However, I had unexpected difficulties obtaining evidence.(Azalea) Did Grain do similar things to other adventures as well? Hes a demon. Azalea formed a magic ring which shackled Grains body. Is that another type of their characteristic magic? While Grain was muttering something with his head hung in shame, Azalea was creating a portal. Come to think of it, I had something I needed to say to Azalea. Azalea, I did you a favor, you know(Zeph) Fufu, is that so? I wont object to the matter concerning Silverie..will this suffice I wonder? Ugh, looks like my connection to Silverie has been exposed. Regarding the Growth scroll, its because the time we used the stolen item made it seem like we were accomplices. I tried to make her indebted to me, but looks like I brought up something bad instead. Well then, Im heading off(Azalea) While laughing with a chuckle, Azalea entered the light of the portal and disappeared. CH 82 Azalea and Grain disappeared at the same time. I was left behind in this place as I tried to catch my breath when fatigue suddenly rushed over me. Damn, my whole body is worn out. Because the bleeding was severe and I used up my magical power, I was completely exhausted. While my blood was still trickling out, I was barely holding onto Ainbelle and finally let her go, and at the same time, she became a particle of light and disappeared. At the moment she disappeared, I felt like I heard her voice say You worked hard today. However, as Ain is quite big now, I wonder if shell be like that from now on. When she changes into Divine Sword Ainbelle, the magical power consumption is abnormally huge, and it looks like making her change for a long time will be difficult. And furthermore, she was cheeky. But then again, it was because of Ain that I was able to win. At any rate, Quadruple magic by using Time Square and Divine Sword Ainbelle, huh? Looking at how Triple didnt do that much damage, even Quadruple couldnt guarantee defeating him. It was a gamble, but the method of combining Red, Blue, Green, and Sky, the four colors of Magic, came out from that experience. As a result, it produced a golden light and brought forth a magic strong enough to defeat Grain. The reason why the spirits did not mix together was because the other three colors had bad compatibility, however, well, I intend to eventually get around to testing out mixing them. Anyway, right now, Im tired. My strength left my whole body, my legs buckled and I sat down on the ground. Zeph-kun! Claude came running and embraced me all her might. She brought her face close and her eyes were a little moist. When I tried to hide my embarrassment by gently stroking her head, she rubbed her face on my shoulder, wiping her tears. Thank goodness..You didnt really die(Claude) Do I look like the type to fall behind in a magician battle? By the way, what happened to Milly and the others?(Zeph) I placed Milly-san and the others in a shelter, and from there I saw the fight, but because I heard the chant for that huge magic, I gathered arrows and shields(TL note: I gathered arrows and shields is a Japanese saying that means I cannot hold back the feeling of wanting to do something) The chant for Grand Magic is long, but there are many cases where firing this magic once decides the victor in interpersonal battles. In actuality, if Clause was not there for me in order to defend against Red Zero back there, I wouldnt be able to have enough time to cast Tetra Crash, in a situation where my magical power restoration was insufficient, I dont know what I would have done. You saved me, Claude. If I were to take on that attack, it would have indeed been awful Its a given that I would do such a thing Claude said that, and maybe because of the Red Zero before, but her clothes were burned all over and her shield completely cracked. If I remember correctly, she said that it was an important shield that she received from her mother. When she looked at the broken shield, Claude noticed the crack and looked a little lonely. Ah, its fine. It is an important item, but because I was able to protect Zeph-kun, Mother would have been happy Although she smiled when she answered, her eyes were clouded slightly, and as expected, it did bother her. Of course, although she was expelled from the house, nevertheless, it was still an item she received from her mother. However, since you specifically brought out the topic, may I ask for a brand-new shield from Zeph-kun? You sure are shrewd, Claude I spoke sarcastically and she giggled. That was a completely bad way to dodge the question. Although she has the ability Screen Point, Claude is not completely resistant to magic. Therefore, her clothes get burned and torn, and she cannot defend until the next side effect. Red Zero.And also a Dispatched Magician, theres no way to take both of them on and not be injured. All things considered, the fact that Claudes shield was completely destroyed while she was still in her side effect is very terrifying. Ill lend you my shoulder. Lets go back to where Milly-san and the others are(Claude) Ill leave it up to you(Zeph) Claude helped up my injured body and while I borrowed her shoulder, we tottered to the place where Milly and the others were still sleeping comfortably. When Claude and I looked at their carefree faces, I burst out laughing. Looks like I have once again been useless at the most important moments(Milly) With a gloomy atmosphere, Milly laid face down on top of the bed. Safely leaving behind Wanaruta Ruins, we returned to the lodge and prepared to have a review meeting in Millys room. Sitting next to the Milly who was on her stomach, Lydia gently stroked Millys back to comfort her. There..there, I too was useless this time.(Lydia) Thats not comforting me, Lydia(Milly) According to Claudes story, they were waiting by the entrance and then all of a sudden, the two of them fell down, and while she crouched down to wake them up, she sensed Grains presence. Claude realized that a sleeping spell was cast on them and the moment she saw that it was his doing and sensed that she couldnt win by herself, she pretended to sleep until I came. But Clau-chan, Im surprised that you thought of such a thing in that kind of situation In the past, there were many times I gambled on that move. Especially during the times, I was dressed as a woman(Claude) When Claude said that and laughed loudly, everyone backs up a little. I dont know how I should respond to that. Claudes life was a grand solitary journey after all. In any case, we were saved by Claude. However, Ill be troubled if you forgot my achievements From behind me, a voice could be heard and with a light, Ain appeared. Oi Oi, the grown-up Ain can now appear without me casting Summon Servant now? Claude was looking at the fluttering Ain, but Lydia and Milly were surprised and stared in wonder at the new changed form. Umwho is that?(Milly) More precisely, it seems like they dont understand whats going on. Ain looked a bit offended at Millys voice. Aah! That ribbon, could you be!(Lydia) Lydia noticed the ribbon and raised her voice. Shes the same as me Ains eyes now became more and more scornful. Ain-san, the way you fly, youve grown, havent you?(Claude) Muuu.(Ain) When Claude petted Ains head, maybe Ain didnt like it, but she sulked a little. Ain had a big part in this battle. Let me correct myself, you were really helpful to us(Zeph) I said that and followed up with placing my hand on her shoulder. Ain looked embarrassed and looked to the side. .For the time being, Ill say it again, Ill be in your care She said that and together with a light, she completely disappeared. Oi Oi, she can disappear on her own as well? She wont just disappear on her own in the middle of a battle, right? Suddenly, a golden light shone and could be seen from the bag that I was holding. By chance, this light is.. I opened the bag, and when I checked the contents, the high-quality media had completely disappeared. If Im not mistaken, there were supposed to 500 of them. Did she just eat everything?(Zeph) Because she became that large, she probably needs to eat that much..(Claude) While Claude held her chin with her hand, she was deducing such. If she is going to eat that much at once, then wont I need a substantial amount of money to sustain her eating expenses? Kyururururu.. While I was troubled at this new fact, I heard the sound of a grumbling stomach from Millys direction. When everyone noticed that, Milly suppressed her stomach and blushed. H..hey, arent you guys hungry?(Milly) Yes. I am starving(Claude) Fufun, I thought you would say thatso I brought some lunches~!(Lydia) I dont know when she prepared these, but Lydia unwrapped her specially-made lunches. Originally I had planned to bring these for lunch when we went hunting, but I had completely forgotten about them Lydia stuck out her tongue. Lets dig i-n?(Milly) Let us dig in(Claude) Go ahead(Lydia) Well, then, lets eat up(Zeph) As I continued to fill my mouth with Lydias lunch, I happily munched down. Im glad I was able to protect everyone from Grain. I felt that way from the bottom of my heart. CH 83 The Dark Wraith is still roaming about Wanaruta City Ruins. We had better not go near that place anytime soon Milly nods her head side to side. The three of them understood how dangerous the Dark Wraith was, their expressions were serious. Several days after that, while healing from the battle with Grain, they searched for a new hunting ground. Though, because there werent any good hunting grounds in the area surrounding Wanaruta City Ruins, they were forced to undertake a great migration. Since we are in need of some good equipment, I think we should leave here and go back to the capital. What do you think? In the capital there are tons of different stores lined up, and what we have here cannot compare to the variety of items that are there. Whats more, the Wizards Society Headquarters is there. I have mastered roughly all of the magic currently available to the public, but the amount of magic that Milly has acquired is fairly minimal. Its also a good environment for Milly to learn magic. Also, Claudes shield was broken and Id promised to buy her a new one. The Capital? Ive never been there, you know. I lived there a long time ago! Me too, Milly affirmed, raising her hand. Come to think of it, Millys father was the awesome mage who developed Scout Scope. If hes the great mage, its also no wonder that she once lived in the capital. The two of them were relatively eager, but Lydia seemed a little torn. The Capitalhuh? Thats pretty far, isnt it I guess, since my shop and dad are over here so Wont you come with us? I really want to go, but With a troubled expression, Lydia smiled back as Milly made a sad face. YeahIm concerned about my father after all, .I mean, if a pretty shop girl such as myself left, and since that old man is doing business alone, wont he go out of business before long? It seems that your dad was managing before you were born, Lydia, and its not like you can never ever go back, right? Thats truebut still I can understand her reservations, but its surprising that she would be worried now. The always-indifferent Lydia seemed panicked. Lydia leaving at this point would totally disrupt the balance of the team, and everyone would be sad about that. Even I would be bothered by Lydia leaving. Of course, theres nothing we can do if she stays behind, but it also seems as if Lydia wants to go with us too. Theres no getting around it, I have to help figure this out. understood. Why dont we persuade your dad? When he said that Lydia stood up flustered. Youyou cant do that! My dad is extremely scary! Oh? Hes not an easy-going guy? Ummwell actually hes usually a nice dad, but. In our confusion, Lydia begins to explain the situation. According to her story, a while ago Lydia apparently became an adventurer and planned to leave home, and then her father, who was opposed, said to herIf you have become strong enough to beat me you can go. Lydia, who accepted that demand, battled her father but, as usual her strength was no match for him, and it seemed as if her arms and legs wouldnt perform. That isnt all of it, but she feels like she would be no match in battle. Wouldnt it be good if you, could fight using my enhanced magic? If you strengthen your speed and offensive abilities, I think you would be able to win Theres no way! I wont win even if I do that! Nope~ hes like a god of war Lydia and I are training together practically every day and even if I enhanced myself using the magic I dont feel like I could beat her even with the added help. I should probably consider her father to be in this kind of level when compared to her. Do you think that I will ever be able to beat my father? Zeph-chi? Hmm. youre not alone anymore, Lydia. Dont you have our guild? It depends on whether we can convince your dad but Yeah~ but I really think its not possible He wont even try to talk to me ? Maybe I could manage somehow in a way you dont expect! Mnn~If you go as far as saying that then Lydia reluctantly gave in. Shes absolutely terrified of her father. Ive heard that a parent who protects a child shows tremendous strength, but should she really be that scared? Claude, who was driven out of her home around the age of 10, and Milly who lost her parents at a young age, were perplexed. I was the only one who left home willingly. At any rate, I will try to talk to him. We go to Lydias house, and upon entering we saw the figure of her father cheerfully serving customers. Inside the store was bustling, and compared to the time when Lydia was there, the number of patrons hadnt changed. By the look of things, even if Lydia wasnt here, I dont think the shop would go bankrupt any time soon When her fathers eyes met hers, a broad smile with white teeth appeared. Hes the typical happy father. Welcome! Hello, well isnt it Zeph-kun, Milly-chan, and Claude-chan! Whats going on? Need to restore some weapons or something? Like a typical merchant that was good at selling goods, his voice could be heard from far away. Sometimes hed fought with Lydia, but even with this physique he could easily keep up with Lydias speed. Actually..Dad, I want to talk to you about something Oh, thats quite unexpected. Ah! Did you want a discount for everyone goods and negotiate a price?! No, thats not it Well then, is it about armor? As you know, this is a weapons shop. You know we dont have great armor, dont you? Aha ha (awkward laughter)..Like I said thats not Lydia stammered. She was truly afraid of her dad. Sheesh, shes really hopeless. Without hesitation, her dad came over and looked right at me. Our eyes met, and I had to look straight up, he was that tall. The truth is, I was thinking about moving our base to the capital. Would you mind if we wanted to bring Lydia along? And with my brief comment, the atmosphere changed in an instant. Lydia had a shocked expression, she was astonished, but anyhow it was something that couldnt go unsaid. However, I understood why Lydia had been afraid of her father up to that point. Claude and Milly, completely taking in the aura that Lydias father was putting off, felt totally insignificant. Zeph-kun, to be honest I have a really good impression of you but you know. Those words you just spoke, I will pretend that I have not heard them, alright? Lydias dad smiled at the last moment, but his expression was a bit stiff. Nevertheless, I had no plans to back down. Being over protective and overly doting as a parent can be unbeneficial you know? Wouldnt it be better to let her go on an adventure? The end result of letting her travel, if Lydia were to die, are you, Zeph-kun, willing to take responsibility? If that happens, then I will likely be dead as well. Until then, I will protect her with all my might. Even if you die, Lydia cant come back home. Its useless. The conversation isnt going as planned. I mean it was true that Lydia has been in danger multiple times and been exposed to many perils, but up until now she hasnt died. If you want to force the matter, then you can do is if you are able to defeat me For some reason or another, it ended up going in the direction where I had to defeat her father. Why has it come to this I wonder? No the reason that he is doing this is because as a father he truly worries for Lydia. I should be considerate of her fathers feelings I suppose? Understood. Thats fine. Zeph-chi?! WellIn that case I will keep Lydia with me. Defeat me, and you can take Lydia away. Hyahh!? When he said that, he picked Lydia up and put her over his shoulder. Zeph-chi~ Lydia miserably raised her voice. It sounded as if shed lost hope. I have no choice but to act. Its going to be okay. Without fail, Ill show you that I will win. When I said that, Lydias father glared at me with sharp eyes. Once the shop closes, lets fight anytime. In that case, I will come back after. Just you wait. Once I said that I left Lydias house. CH 84 What the heck were you thinking!? On the way back from Lydias home, Millys shout caused people walking by to turn around. Werent you just going to talk!? Why did it naturally turn into a duel!? And on top of that, why was Lydia taken away!? But isnt this like a duel to rescue a captured princess? Its fine. Right beside Milly, who was raising her voice, there was Claude, who for some reason was fascinated with this aspect. Now then Milly, wait. I wont accept a match if I dont have any chances of winning. Didnt we talk about how Ain leveled up and got stronger?(Zeph) Now that you mention it, thats true. But is Ain-chan that strong?(Milly) With Divine Sword Ainbelle, I can use quadruple magic. That is certainly powerful Aye. If I were to strengthen speed enhancement magic four-fold, then surely even if its the father, he wont be able to catch me. Uu I too want to hurry up and use Summon Servant Just a little bit more then I think I can use it Just letting you know, because in the Divine Sword form I get real~ly hungry, so I leave that part to you Ain talked in a voice that only we could hear. If Im not mistaken, at that time, she completely ate 500 high-quality media that each cost 1000 rupees. A grand total of 500,000 rupees. That amount is equal to a whole weeks worth of hunting. Its not that I wont be able to use her, but I probably wont be able to abuse the power. .Well, do you think you can use it this time? But a whole weeks worth of hunting. But for Lydias sake, it cant be helped. If her father is going that far to cut the tanker, then it would be stupid of me to think that I can hold back. Her father is definitely strong, but if its three vs. one, then itll probably work out When I said that to the other two, they turned and looked at me suspiciously. What the heck are you saying?! Zeph is going to be fighting by himself! If youre a man, then you have to take responsibility for your own actions! (Milly) Thats right! Zeph-kun will fight by himself, and if he doesnt exert himself to him, then its pointless! (Claude) While their eyes were sparkling, they complained about me. What are they getting so excited for? Oi Oi, winning would be more reliable if the three of us fought. No good! This is an issue where you must fight by yourself! (Milly) Thats right! If Zeph-kun doesnt fight 1 on 1, then its pointless! (Claude) I was overpowered by their fierce attack. Why are they getting so worked up? It cant be helped, looks like I must do it myself. (The old man is having a hard time) Ain spoke, trying to comfort me. Just saying, Ain, but arent you also someone who is stuck in the middle of this hard time. When it was the stores closing time, I went to Lydias store and by that time, there were no longer customers. Well, thats a given. With her fathers imposing stance behind the counter, the sense of intimidation was relentlessly circulating around. Its at the level where if you were just a normal person, you would immediately leave if you saw his figure. Last time when I checked Scout Scope on him, her father doesnt have any magical power. Is this ambition or fighting spirit? Either way, its something of that sort. As an adventure who specialized in dexterity, there are groups of those types that can clad themselves in that kind of aura. When I check on Scout Scope, her fathers level was 90. Its probable that when he was around 50 years old, he retired from hunting. Stopping around that level is not that rare. Still, it was at the extent that Lydia was afraid. I probably have to challenge him with all my power. Her father noticed me, and he easily jumped over the counter and landed in front of me. The floor shook from the thump, and Milly and Claude recoiled a little. You came, Zeph-kun. Well, lets do this right now. I understand. By the way, I dont really see Lydia anywhere. Aah, shes locked in her room. If Zeph-kun wins, I intend to hand her over. Oi Oi, what a dangerous thing. Arent you concerned that Lydia might escape? Anyway, I just need to focus on winning this. I was led by her father to the backyard where Lydia and I always trained. When we moved away from each other a little and took our stances, I saw and understood her fathers strength. Even though Lydias stance has no useless points, her fathers even more flawless in his stance. Usually when I trained with Lydia, I always clad myself with Magenta Coat and fight, but even then I was still at a disadvantage. (This doesnt look easy to win if I were to go without Ains help) (Food~! FOOD~!) Inside my head, I heard Ains voice that had no sense of tension, and responded. (Eat as much as you like, Ain!) (Waai!) When I thrust my hand inside the bag, the high grade media I bought disappeared, all consumed in an instant. I cast Summon Servant, and Ain appeared in her Divine Sword form. From the beginning, should I reveal this trump card? Oh, you will use a sword? I will be fighting with my bare hands, you know. Well even if you say that, I will still be using this sword I said that and brought forth fire from the palm of my hand. If my opponent was a normal human, elementary magic would be sufficient, but this is a situation where I will need to directly hit a trained adventurer with middle-class magic until I can finally overcome my battle incapability. Though hitting Lydia with magic was extremely difficult. And her father is someone who mastered even higher levels of combat. However, if I were able to use four-fold strengthening magic I used Time Square and cast speed enhancement magic Black Boots twice on Divine Sword Ainbelle. I cast Time Square at the same time I brought the sword down sideways. And with imperfect timing, I once again cast Black Boots twice. Black Boots, Square! The result of the four-fold cast was, I reasoned, a 16-fold increase. Done correctly, I can move my body to the point where even Im surprised by how lightly my body moves as intended. Mu!? Her father opened his eyes widely. He saw from my movements that my conditions have clearly changed. Looks like this will work. When I cast Summon Servant and Ainbelle disappeared, I had half of my magical power left. Her father looks like his attacks are powerful, and if I were to be hit with that, I probably wont get away lightly. Protector of the earth, clad this body and become the armor to protect me Safe Protection! With this, I probably can take a hit. Her father once again saw this change. Looks like hes giving me the first move. (For the time being, Ill try going for it!) I lightly kicked off the ground with my feet and headed towards her father. After the feeling of flying quickly, my body gave off a creaking sound. The burden on my body is not something to be taken lightly. I dont think I can move with all my power if Im in this kind of condition! (I need to finish this quickly!) I cut through the air and moved in an instant in front of her fathers face. Her father looked like he was going to grab my body with his right hand, but I smoothly escaped and went around to his back. In that moment, I cast Red Crash towards that huge back. Youre na?ve. The same time I heard her fathers voice, I felt a strong impact on my guts and I flew into the air. CH 85 My consciousness was about to be blown away. Was I caught the instant I had cast my magic? I clenched my teeth so that the shock of the impact wouldnt blow away my consciousness. Since I had cast Safe Protection beforehand, the damage wasnt that great, but if I were to receive it directly, I wouldnt have been as lucky. As soon as I touched the ground, I stepped back and once again cast Safe Protection upon myself. Her father didnt seem like he intended to attack from the other side, so I concluded that a long chant posed no problem. Whats wrong? I cant hand over Lydia if youre only at that level. He said that and beckoned me toward him from the other side. How am I supposed to deal with his speed? Nonetheless, if he shows even higher speed, than the burden on my body will be too much. While I was meditating, I was surrounded by thoughts, but it seemed like I wouldnt have any chance winning in close combat. Ill try to mix magic here. While running across, I cast Blue Bullet, and fired several tens of water balls to assault the father. Each of the water balls hits were synchronized with the movements of Lydias father, and yet he narrowly dodged them all. How does such a huge body move like that? Red Sphere, Lock I predicted where his movements would land, and laid a Red Sphere. However, at the moment of the orb of fires impact, he had brandished his arms. Haa! He knocked it back with all of the strength he possessed. His fist broke through the flame and the ball was shattered right down the middle, completely disappearing. His arm was a little burnt but there didnt seem to be much damage. Oi oi, breaking magic with the law of physics, isnt that absurd? I have seen skilled adventures who used a weapon to clear away magic, but this was the first time I saw someone do it with their bare hands! I have been found out. Im certain of it. Lydias father noticed me hiding in the shadow of the flickering ruins of the flaming Red Ball. Its too late. In this moment, he is about to kick this area. (Time Square!) In an instant, time was suspended. I thrust my arm to his kick. I was lucky I made it with the timing of the kick. While I was being impressed, I chanted Sleep Code. The time suspension canceled, and his eyes became blank. Sleep Code: a magic to forcibly bestow a sleep condition. Typically, with this magic, you wouldnt receive any effects unless at point-blank range, the person affected was looking at the casters eyes and hearing the casters chant. However, if the spell is cast against a person who doesnt have any magical power, then it is certain that the person will fall into a sleeping state. There are many weak points, but if I use Time Square, its possible to use this spell during actual combat. While I collided with the wall towards which I was kicked, her father fell on his knees almost simultaneously. When I pulled out my head, which was buried in the wall, fragments of the wall lightly fell around me. Its Zephs win~! Milly raised one hand and proclaimed my victory. Iyaa! I lost! I lost! As expected of Zeph-kun, the man I anticipated. If its you, then I can entrust Lydias safety to you with peace of mind! Her fathers good mood was apparent. He was laughing lively. *Gahaha* What?! I thought he didnt want Lydia to go at any cost, but because I won, he was easily sending her out? I dont understand this guy. Shes in the room on the second floor, so do whatever youd like. I wont mind. Well be waiting downstairs. Her father showed me a face with unknown meaning behind it. Although I had questions, I climbed up to the second floor and knocked on the door that seemed to be Lydias. Are you there, Lydia? I beat your dad. He has given you his permission to go to the capital. Eh, you beat my dad!? For real!? Aah, its just as you said. He really was strong. He was a formidable opponent. If I hadnt strengthened my speed four-fold, I probably would not have been successful. Well now, whats with standing around talking through the door? Can I come in? Lydia? Waa! No No NO! You still cant enter, no~! I could hear a noise from inside the room. What? Are you putting your room in order? Youre wrong, but Uh~ Its fine Enter. Lydias voice sounded like she had somewhat given up. Which reminds me, her father did say that he had Lydia locked up, but is this related to that? I opened the door without turning the key. Could it be that shes tied up? I opened the door and entered Lydias room. There was Lydias figure in the corner of the room, wrapped up in the futon and crouching. Well, its not exactly a particularly strange state to be in. Lydia looked at me with a troubled face, and laughed. Th thanks for coming to rescue me Of course I would. Youre our comrade after all. Zeph-chi Hey, lets go. Its its no good! Ill go afterwards, ok? When I approached Lydia after she said that, her face was bright red for some reason. She quickly rejected me. What could it possibly be? Dont worry! Ill come laterrr~ What are you so embarrassed about? Its fine, so come on. WaiKyaaaa!? When I grabbed Lydias futon and forcibly pulled it up, Lydia instantly closed her eyes in resignation. What came out after pulling off the futon was Lydia, wearing a pure white dress. The dress had a long skirt arranged with shining silver ornaments. Around her neck hung a jeweled necklace. Where did she get the appearance of a princess? I was captivated by Lydia, who usually dressed in a totally different way. Its weird, right? Thats why I didnt want to be seen like this. Dad made me wear it Lydia turned bright red as she muttered these words. No, No. Its not that strange. Rather, it looks good on you. Youre beautiful, Lydia. Really? Lydia looked like she doubted my fascination with her. She continued to stare at me. Perhaps I sounded like I was lying, because Lydia seemed suspicious. Im not lying. (Zeph) Muu (Lydia) As she wasnt used to being told such, Lydia was still doubtful. She covered her chest with her hand and turned to the side to avoid looking in front of herself. Is simply wearing clothes that you usually dont wear that embarrassing? However, she slowly became a little more accustomed to the idea and sat on the bed. My dad; He said that since Zeph-chi would come to rescue me, I needed to change my clothes and wait in my room just like a captured princess would wait for her prince I began thinking back on what her father was saying before that I hadnt understood. This is probably what her father was saying. Your father is surprisingly romantic, huh? Aahaha! Maybe thats true. He seems like he has a splendid romantic side. My mother died a long time ago, but he never chose to remarry. While that may be true, making Lydia dress this way and locking her up is extremely bothersome. Still, I was watching Zeph-chis fight from up here, but I think I understand the sentiment. Im a little moved. Its a joyful thing; a boy coming to rescue me. Dont worry about it. Rescuing a comrade is to be expected. Yeah, Zeph-chi is always like that. I was a little embarrassed by Lydias modest words. In order to hide my embarrassment, I turned my back toward her. Come on, lets hurry up and go! I said that everyones waiting. Thats true. Ah, Zeph-chi, wait! I turned around when Lydia called out, and felt a soft sensation on my lips. Right before my eyes was Lydia bending down to match my height. Thanks! Lydia smiled sweetly as she thanked me, and went down the stairs. Continuing with the story, while everyone was making fun of Lydias charming figure, her father brought me to an inner room and bowed his head. I entrust Lydia to you, Zeph-kun! She has an irresponsible side to her, but shes a good daughter. I know, Ill definitely protect Lydia, so rest assured. I thought you would say so! *Gahaha* Her father laughed heartily. Regardless of his antics, hes a good person. By the way Zeph-kun, I wouldnt mind if you called me Dad. Ill consider it. Upon my reply, his giant hand slapped my back. CH 86 Hey everyone~! Hurry it up~! Obtaining her fathers permission to travel, Lydia was waiting in front of our inn waving her hands with enthusiasm. She was wearing a dress and it was apparently quite popular in this area but she soon became embarrassed and changed into her regular clothes. It was her usual short shirt and hotpants. honestly, isnt this get-up way more embarrassing then the dress? Comparing their degree of skin exposure. Were still preparing right now! Well be done soon! Shall I give a lending hand~? Its fine! I answered Lydia and turned towards my room where Milly and Claude was preparing for departure. Lydias waiting for us. So lets try to finish up quickly Ive finished just now W..wait a minute! Theres still so many things Ive yet to pack.. Collecting her luggage Claude was finished packing, whereas on the other side Milly was still packing various articles of clothing and some objects which could not be discerned. Even if you were to sell some of those objects, they were things which wouldnt amount to a huge sum of money, they were the type of bargain items you would get from a cheap item shop. There was also some really old stuff that I gave her before tumbling out of her luggage. It would seem that Milly had one of those personalities that found it difficult to throw stuff away. Geez, how long are you going to keep stuff like this around Isnt fine if you just throw them away? By chance I helped her pick up one of her rare-junk stuff from the ground. Waaa no no! Its not good to throw stuff away okay! Saying that Milly was throwing a tantrum. These things are the memories of the adventures with you guys, so I cant throw them away Milly-san Although they may seem like rubbish items, to Milly I guess they were precious things? I suppose thats why she is unable to throw them away. However, its still not good I also agree. Because the issue is different here Saying that I took Millys bag from her hand. Ah!? This thing and this and that we dont need them My bag still has empty space in it, how about we put some in here? Well my bag also doesnt have much stuff in it. Lets just sell it at a general store later. Its probably only going to worth 1 rupi though. Then maybe we dont need to throw it away..? Not allowed Both Claude and I instantly spoke at the same time. Lydias been waiting for us for so long, lets hurry up and go? Thats true Both Claude and I opened up Millys bag and placed some of the goods in our bags to sort out the stuff. Truly her bag was filled with garbage stuff. Uuuu.. You guys are both so meannn. This is because you never clean up your things Claude was saying something like a mother would to her daughter. Well as for me, even when I was living at home, my room was pretty messy as well so I cant really speak for others. Milly was displaying a tearful expression so I took her hands and placed them against her heart. From here on out, we will be making many more memories right? If every time we make a memory you need to place the object in a storage it will never be enough. Therefore, what is truly important are the things placed within here Zeph.. Umm Lydia-san is still waiting for us outside guys Claude was packing things up alone as she interrupted our moment, so both Milly and I also returned to work. Youve taken care of us landlady Thank you for taking care of us till now Well come again okay! Landlady? After giving a hearty farewell to the landlady who was the owner of this inn all three of us left this inn that we lived in for quite a long time. Was there at least half a year that we stayed in this inn? When I started thinking about these things I became deeply emotional. By the way, how are we planning on travelling all the way to the capital? As expected will we be going on a ship? Well I think we probably will use a ship. Though it may certainly be the fastest method, ships charge a lot of money. Claude, do we have a lot of money? lets see. if we were to buy tickets for everyone, I think that almost all our money will be gone Well this is to be expected. Well we made some money by hunting for the rare items, but going on this trip will be a considerable blow to my resources. Fufufu, If you are talking about money, shouldnt you ask big sister over here? Zeph-chi Lydia was full of confidence as she puffed out her chest. The person who managed our money for common use was Claude, but each of us also had money that we made ourselves. As for Milly and I, the both of us used our money sparingly for the bare minimum equipment, but then we spent the majority of our money on the high-level mediums, Lydia on the other hand would resale old goods and also sell weapon materials to make money. What? Are you going to help us out? Ahahah, thats not the way to ask is it? Im very particular when it comes to money. Even though its Zeph-chi Im not planning on spoiling him Does this mean that.. you have some sort of plan? Well just wait and see~? After saying that we followed the proud Lydia and started walking to the harbour. Wassup~! Uncle are you doing well~? Ohhh if it isnt Lydia-chan! I heard that you were going on a trip but for you to come and see me means that its for real isnt it. Im going to be so lonely over here It seems that Lydia going on a trip had already spread around. As expected of a merchant, they have really sharp ears. Un! Therefore I decided to come to the best uncle to purchase the tickets! Im moved you would say such a thing, thank you Lydia-chan! this middle aged man was getting teary eyed as he used his thick arms to wipe away the tears. At first glance, anyone would think that he was getting emotional due to Lydia planning on leaving, however the tension in the air was a little strained somehow. Milly didnt feel anything at all, but Claude also seemed to have sensed something going on. Suddenly the look in Lydias face changed, as she leaned against the counter. However, the thing is uncle, the ticket of the ship is too high for us and we cannot afford it. Do you think that you could give us a 50 percent discount?? Oi oi, if I were to reduce it by that much, I wouldnt be able to make a living! Even though its Lydia-chan asking me, this much is too much 40 percent! What do you say? 10 percent! The man was resolute in his stance as he declares a lowered discount, but Lydia continued to press her body against the counter. Oioi, Lydias breasts which were slowing pressing on top of the counter is being ravished by this old mans eyes. What an ero old man. 20 percent, this is my limit. Although its bad of me, I also need to protect my family Muuu Even though he had this lewd look on his face as he ogled Lydia, he still did not break and give her a bigger discount. It seems his mentality is pretty strong. Or more like, for someone like me if I were to get a 20 percent discount, it would already be very amazing. Im going to go meet my family Before anyone knew it Claude was standing beside Lydia. Both Lydia and the ticket seller old man were very surprised at the new intruder. My family is very poor, because they were unable to feed everyone in the house, I was driven out when I was small. but I cannot forget about my family.. After Ive become this big, I want to go and meet them again Claudes eyes were a little moist as she gave a puppy-eyed glance towards the man. but I dont have any money Please! even if its just a little, please lend me some strength! Along with her words, Claude grabbed on to the old mans hands. Slightly giving off her tears, Claude was looking at the man with a serious and pleading gaze. Even the old mans eyes started to get teary. Even Lydia was impressed at Claudes acting skills. ..Alright I understand, just for you guys, I will be willing to take 30 percent off, how about it? I really want to pay back my family. and give them as much money as possible so that they will be able to live a better life. Alright I understand, I will do a 50 percent discount okay?! You better treasure your family okay! damn it! Thank you so much. I will forever remember this favour With teary eyes, the old man takes out four tickets, and after saying her thanks Claude pays the money. Lydia seems to use her seductive techniques to obtain things whereas Claude persuades people by using her tears. They are both indescribably reliable. By the way the leader of our group (Milly), since Lydia started bargaining she has rested her head against my back and was already fast asleep drifting off into her merry land of dreams. CH 87 All preparations were finished for departure the ship lifted its anchor from the port and embarked on its journey. The ship we boarded was a large cargo ship. As we drifted further away, looking back at the town I could see small silhouettes of people getting even smaller. Be careful on the trip! Take care! I got it already! Father dont forget to eat more rice okay! Lydia was exchanging her goodbyes with her father. Not only that. Even the inn landlady, the clerk that Claude visited when she bought her clothes, Claire-sensei and even Azelia all came to see us off. Milly and Claude was waving their hands energetically towards them. Somehow I feel a little embarrassed. We will definitely return here some other time okay! With a large shout of her voice Milly leaned her waist off the edge of the ship and sensing that she might slip into the ocean, I quickly grabbed on to her waist. The ship that set sail was rapidly leaving the shore and the town of Beruta became tiny like the size of a dot. A little cold sea breeze gently brushed against my cheeks. Haachoo! Milly was looking in the direction of the town for quite a long time. She let out a small sneeze. It gets cold out here. Shall we go inside the room? Thats true When we left the deck area and climbed down a set of stairs into a room, the only thing inside of the room were four small beds, it was a really simple room. Nn~ if its this small. then my feet will hang out of the bed Lydia had a big body she needed to bend her head down so that it didnt touch the ceiling and she was looking at the small bed. Hey! Lets take a look around the ship! I will accompany you Im feeling a little seasick so Ill pass I will also decline Then, Claude lets go? Milly grabbed on to Claudes hands, opening the door she started to run excitedly. Geez, she really acts like a child From behind Ains voice suddenly resounded and from within a sparkle of light she appeared. Arent you also just a kid? Im definitely not a child desu~! After saying that, Ain stuck out her tongue with all her strength. Thats definitely acting like a child Even just judging her from that gesture. Yeah yeah, our little Ain-chan has grown up hasnt she? Lydia was trying to pat Ains head but Ain prevented Lydia from touching her. Lydia was surprised and Ain turned a sharp gaze towards her. If I remember correctly Ain was severely groped by Lydia and she did not really know how to deal with Lydia. Now that shes grown up, I suppose she was now baring her fangs at Lydia? Lydia W.what? Without hesitation Ain was drawing closer to Lydia and Lydia stepped back a little. Oi oi, dont just start a fight. I was becoming uneasy and watched Ain closely in case she started something, suddenly she thrust out her hand towards Lydia. Inside of her small hand there was the small rapier that Lydia had made for her. This was also the rapier that stabbed Grains eye and provided me a chance to perform a counter attack. Thank you, Lydia Blushing while averting her gaze, Ain gave Lydia her thanks. Lydia turned to look at Ain with surprise. Because of this I was able to help grandpa and protect everyone. Its all thanks to Lydia.. so thank you Ain-chan Lydia rushed towards Ain who was averting her gaze and gave her a big hug. And just like that Ain was thrown into the bed. Ain-chan acting like a tsundere is also so cuteee~ Wait. Heyy let me go! baka! Comee on~ just think of this as my rewardd? Embracing Ain, Lydia pushed Ains face into her breasts. Ains was struggling as her wings flapped frantically. However soon, the flapping of her wings stopped and she became particles of light as she disappeared. Owaah!? Without any change, Lydia fell face first into her pillow and she was lying face down. Because Ain was now able to materialize and dematerialize whenever she pleased, it seems that she is now able to avoid Lydias ecchi harassment. Looking at how regretful Lydia seemed I couldnt help but let out a smile. Were back Guys, I think its time to eat soon After a little time passes, the two people who came back from their exploration of the ship came to get us to go to the dining room. There werent many passengers and there was actually more sailors on this ship. There is probably a lot of people eating in their own cabin rooms. The content of our meals mainly consisted of fresh seafood and the main dish was sea birds. There werent really much grain type foods. Most likely the food here was the things that the sailor caught. There was a lot of strange things and everyones eyes were shining. Even though this will be a relatively short trip that will take about a week. it would seem that the girls would not lose interest in having their meals. Even though it may only be a week, we cant go hunting. Therefore, we should probably do some sort of training I think I want to try practicing magic. In all honestly, I would have preferred to spar with Lydia-san, but inside such a crowded ship there is no way we can fight to our hearts content Alright, then let me teach you? Please take care of me, Milly-san Claude bows her head to Milly. In that case, I will go and teach Lydia some magic Eh? Didnt you tell me that I wouldnt be able to use magic? While you may not be able to use magic, I can still teach you the theory behind magic and perform some maintenance to your magical power line. While you may not be able to learn any magic, I think that it will be possible for you to at least increase the level of the Growth Spell we learnt Comparing the development of her Growth Skill to ours, Lydias level of growth is extremely low. The Growth Skill was a type of spell that increased the rate at which we grew, the higher the level of this ability; the faster a person would grow and get stronger. Since learning this Growth Skill, two months have elapsed, since then the difference between us is very striking. Millys level was 58. My level was 54. Claudes level was 47. However, Lydias level was still only 35. The present Lydia was covering this huge gap with her exceptional physical ability and her high offensive ability with the use of her axe. However, the more we proceeded to fight higher levelled opponents there may come a time where she would lose in power if she went against a high levelled foe. Even if she were bad at magic, if I continued to stimulate her magic power line within her body, there may come a time where she would be able to use magic. Naturally only a person with enough talent would be able to achieve something like this. Alright then, Lydia please take off your clothes immediately and lay yourself on the bed Yeah, yeah, I understand When Lydia cheerfully took off her clothing, Milly gave me this sharp look with her eyes. Claude looked down averting her gaze. Moreover, Milly started to become red and her body began to tremble. Wawawaawa what are you doing Zeph!? Lydia as well! Im going to directly stimulate the magical power line within Lydias body and make her body remember the feeling of using magic. Remember the time we needed to teach her the Growth ability, if Im not mistaken Im doing the exact same thing like last time Perhaps you were asleep the last time I did it? T.Then this time around I will be the one to do it! Trembling and shivering all over Milly tightly gripped on my shoulder like a vice, as she proceeded to sit next to Lydia who was lying face down on the bed. Her trembling fingers approached Lydias back and she seemed to uneasy. For Milly to suddenly try to manipulate someone elses magical power line, isnt it still too early? Listen, just trust this job to me M.Milly-san, you promised to teach me! Please Milly-san, I also want to be a great magician like you one day~! Nice follow up, Claude! Although she seemed very reluctant, Milly started to teach Claude in the ways of using magic. As for me, I extended my hands towards Lydias back and concentrating my magical energy on my fingertips, I spread my magical influence across her back as I tried to enlarge her magical power line bit by bit. Ahhn Lydia raised a sexy voice and caused both Milly and Claude to jump and head-butt each other. Claude was holding her head in pain. Dont let out such a strange voice, Lydia Thats cause Zeph-chi is touching me in a weird place Stimulating her magical power line seems to be somewhat ticklish for Lydia. Oh yeah, if I remember correctly, even the time when I was trying to make her learn the Growth Skill, she was twisting and turning her body because she said that it was ticklish. Milly and Claude are here with us, so at least hold down your voice Nnn well Ill try my bestNnn. Fuu.. Ouch! Milly-san, Im telling you that hurts! Whenever Lydia lets out her voice, Milly also head-butts Claude, therefore I decided that I would just stimulate her magical power line when the other girls were asleep. An obscene voice keeps leaking out of Lydia in this dark room and the bed shakes time to time along with her voice. Simultaneously I felt a presence from the bed next to us. ..It would seem that Claude was still awake. I told her that I wouldnt do anything to Lydia, but it seems that she doesnt have much confidence in me. With a bitter smile on my face, I resumed touching Lydias magical power lines as she would occasionally let out small sweet voices. CH 88 The next morning, Claude wasnt in the cabin when I woke up. Lydia and Milly were still sleeping. She was probably wandering around the ship. Im also wide awake now, so shall I go enjoy the outside sea breeze? When I went up the deck, I saw a flock of Island Seagulls in the skies above. Island Seagulls Level 29 Magical Value 2980/2980 Recently whenever I saw a monster, I would instinctively use scout scope in order to examine it. Ive rarely fought the Island Seagulls but unexpectedly they seem to be pretty strong monsters. Although they seldom attack human beings, if they were to attempt to attack they would gather in large groups and unless you had a magician that was capable of dealing with multiple foes, it is difficult to deal with them. While giving them a side glance I was walking towards the deck, and that was when I saw Claude whose hair was fluttering as the wind flew past her. Claude When I called out to her, she turned to face me. You are quite the early riser arent you, Zeph-kun? Ahh, normally it is even earlier In these past few days, so that I could properly heal my wounds that I sustained from the battle with Grain, I did not get up in the middle of the night to train. Besides there wasnt much you could do inside of this ship, its probably better to train once I reach the capital, right? Rather isnt Claude an earlier riser than me? Yesterday, I couldnt.. really get much sleep. Ah Im sorry, I even tried to keep Lydias voice in check That made it even more.. Eh, nevermind Claude lightly slaps her crimson face with a pitter-patter. Well, the stimulation was probably too strong for her. To be honest, it was for me as well. It became a little awkward so I tried to change the topic. Claude, youve been practicing magic recently? Yes, right now I was meditating in order to recover some magical energy Lets have a look, perhaps I can help teach a thing or two Are you serious? Hooray! Clapping her hands together, Claude jumps up and down joyfully. If I am not mistaken, you learned the Blue Gale spell from Milly the other day? Yes. Watching Milly-san use it. It definitely looks really cool Yesterday, Claude was reading the Blue Gale scroll that Milly had with her and learned the spell. However, because Claude had a low amount of magical energy, she couldnt really use such a large spell as of yet. Therefore, Milly opened Claudes magical lines and shared the sensation of using Blue Gale in order increase the level of the spell so that she could reduce the consumption of magical energy. While it may take some time, if she did this, it would become possible for a low levelled person to use powerful magic. Well the basic theory and concept of such is thing is very similar to how I am trying to directly increase the level of Growth Spell within Lydia. However, if the person in question had some talent with magic it was not that difficult to accomplish. I grabbed Claudes hands and pointed it towards the flock of Island Seagulls. When I connected with her magical power line, Claudes hands jolted and trembled. And just like that she was holding her hands out towards the Island Seagulls. In that manner, try to cast Blue Gale With my limited magical power, I would not be able to defeat it you know? Ill properly follow you up, so dont worry I understand Are there around ten or more of the flock of Island Seagulls? Holding her hands towards them, she chanted Blue Gale. Generating a small tornado at sea, she engulfed the Island Seagulls. When I used scout scope to check I could see that their magical value had decreased by half. Obviously angry at the sudden attack, the flock of Island Seagulls were headed towards us. Claude was taking on a fighting stance and I immediately cast my own Blue Gale, in an instant a tornado is created as it devours the Island Seagulls and completely annihilates them. Mmm, I feel kind of sorry for them Youre too naive, Claude Ehehe, Im not really.. Claude was being bashful. I wasnt giving you a praise you know? (TL: Na?ve can also mean sweet in Japanese, so Claude was assuming Zeph called her sweet-hearted) Oi, you bros over there A sailor with a huge body build was calling out to us. Being called a bro, Claude had a slightly displeased expression on her face as she looked at the sailor. However as if he didnt realize it at all, he had this big lively smile pasted across his face. Im about to go do some fishing, do you bros want to join in? If we catch a good one, we could be in for a wonderful breakfast, what do you say? When I looked at the other side of the deck, I could see a bunch of sailors who were fishing. Fishing? Now that you mentioned it Ive never gone fishing before. It seemed like all you had to do was sit down blankly staring at the ocean, so I never thought it looked that interesting. Ive never gone fishing before Im an expert at fishing, you know?(Claude Speaking) Here you go! Ive still got two rods left so give it a go I received a fishing rod from the sailor and Claude was holding on to the other one. All we have to do is throw this in? When I was about to swing the rod and sink the hook into the ocean, Claude stopped me. If you dont use any bait, it wont work you know? Umm excuse me, but could we have some bait please? For sure! its over here so just come grab as much as you need When he passed us a small wooden box, there was small fish and crustaceans inside of it. Put these on the hook and then we will be able to cash a big fish Claude seemed like she was familiar with the action as she put the fish bait on the hook of my rod and passed it to me. Im going to throw it in, so please have a look okay? Brandishing the rod, she swung in a large motion and throws it out towards the sea. The hook flies across the sea in a beautiful arc before plopping far into the distance. ..Well its pretty much like that Youre really good I often used to fish in a stream as a hobby. Besides, when I used to travel alone, there were times where I would go fishing in order to eat What an impressive thing. I tried to learn from Claude as I swung the rod towards the sea. However, it didnt reach as far as Claude and it plopped around half way from where Claudes hook landed. Muu, that didnt go so well Its not just about how far you can throw the hook Claude places her pole and leans it against the ship as she took a seat, I also sat beside her. Leaving it for a little while Claudes thread started to shake, Claude stands up and winds up the spool of thread. Perhaps the fish she caught was huge? Claude was struggling to reel it in as she used her body to bear the weight. I grabbed hold of her thin waist and used all my strength to assist her. Ku.Uuuuu! Claudes face became red as an expression of agony floated across her face. Her hands seemed to be slipping and the rod was bending, it seemed as if the thread would break at any moment. Im also trying my best to stand firm as I could tell just from Claudes body how big this fish was. Teryaaaaaaah! Along with a shout Claude hauls up the fishing rod and when she did, a huge fish flutters around in the air, whilst still holding on to Claude I collapsed onto the deck. You could hear the sound of this huge fish flapping its head. As expected its quite a big one. Claudes breathing was a little ragged, and the body I supported was moving up and down for air. While I was feeling a comfortable sense of accomplishment, Claude moved her body. Umm Zeph-kun, can you let go of me.? Claude shyly looks towards me. What? are you embarrassed? Not really butHyaaah!? When I lifted Claude up from behind, she raised a cute voice. Mouu. Zeph-kun.. This Claude shes being shy isnt she. She really makes me want to tease her. When I looked again, as expected the fish she caught was really big. Its about half my height. What a big shot. Youre really awesome, Claude Its all thanks to Zeph-kun, without your help I dont think I can catch this one myself Claude was being bashful and I pat her head. Noticing what happened the Sailors who were fishing gathered around us. Ou, thats quite the big shot youve bros got there! You bros had a nice combination effort! You bros seem pretty close with each other! Several of the crew members were praising us and Claude had a complex expression on her face before responding. CH 89 ight Time: Inside a dark room Lydias seductive moans could be heard. Similar to before, I was manipulating the magical lines in Lydias body in order to help her increase the level of her Growth Skill. The more that I tinkered my hands across Lydias magical power lines, the more her body would convulse and cause the bed to creak. The destructive power of such actions was intense and I could feel the presence of Claude who was supposed to be sleeping. It would seem that she had been unable to drift off to sleep again. Well I guess its not easy for someone to be able to ignore a sound like this. Even for me the best I can do is to restrain myself. Ive been trying to ask Lydia to keep her voice down, but on the contrary, the action of covering her mouth and the muffled moans makes it indescribably perverted. In any case, its not like I can stop helping her half way. Nnn Sinking her head into the pillow, Lydia shivers a little. Woops! My thoughts drifted and this made my hands become clumsy in their movements. (My bad, Lydia) (Its alright, you dont have to mind it. But I kind of want to change my posture, do you mind if I move a little?) (Of course I dont mind it) I was on top of Lydias back and I slid down until I reached her thigh area. Matching my movements, Lydia changed her position from having her head face down and holding down her mouth, to placing her head in a sideways position. Her squashed breasts finally had room to breathe and it rose up slightly before submerging itself back into the futon. Even though she only moved slightly, the destructive power of such actions were very high. Amitabha amitabha. To tell you truth, Ive already tried to manipulate Lydias magical power lines a couple of times in the past, however as expected it didnt garner that great a result as Lydia didnt have much magical power to begin with, neither the quality nor quantity would improve all that much. Nevertheless, when I used scout scope, I could see that now Lydias Growth Skill had advanced to level 5. This is still better than doing nothing, so per say. (I think we can leave it at this for today. If we force it too much, it wont result in anything good) After I said this, Lydia shut her eyes without responding. Her breathing became more normal and her chest rises and drops down slowly on the futon. (Did she fall asleep?) For some reason or another, it seems that she must have felt pretty good. I got off Lydias back in order to stand up and the bed made this huge creaking noise. Eh, it wouldnt be good if I made a huge noise and woke everyone up. So that I didnt make any more noises, I slowly creeped away from Lydias bed. I descended the ladder placed on the side of the bed and slowly lay on my own bed which was located directly below. (Ive been getting used to hunting every single day, so recently when Im just doing nothing like this, I feel like my body is becoming rusty) You can say that Ive recovered quite well from the wounds I sustained in Grains fight. That reminds me, I really wanted to say a couple of parting words to Silverie before I left Beruta Town. However, I cant even tell where she might be right now. I cant contact her at all from here. I groped around my pocket, took out the ring crystal fragment and played with it. This is a fragment of crystal that is usually created for guilds in order to communicate with each other, if you had this ring, you could receive telepathic communication from the person who possessed the other linked crystal. However, this particular crystal could not send out any form of communication. (Since that last time, she hasnt tried to contact me.. As usual shes a my own pace kind of person) I tucked the crystal fragment back into my pocket and placed both my hands on the back of my head. Closing my eyes, I let go of my consciousness. ( -kun, Zeph-kun Are you awake, Zeph-kun) My body was being shaken, as my consciousness was being restored. It was Claudes voice. When I opened my eyes, I could see Claude wearing pyjamas as she held her pillow close to her chest, she was sitting beside my bed. Her clothes were slipping off her skin, her hair was messy and her face was slightly flushed. Her breathing was also a little rough. (Claude.?) (Uu.. Zeph-kun, Im sorry but do you have a minute..?) (Of course, whats the matter?) Claude seemed to be troubled by something, so I lifted my body off the bed and invited her to sit next to me. So that she wouldnt make any noise, Claude tip toes and sits next to me on the bed. Making a loud noise when she sat down she had a panicked expression on her face. (So, whats wrong?) (No that is.. I cant go to sleep..) Claude was smiling awkwardly while scratching her own head. Well I kind of predicted it was something like this When I turned to look at Claude, she seemed to draw her face closer to mine as if she had determined to do something. (Um. That is! I also want to try the thing that you did to Lydia-san! Would that be alright?) Claudes serious face was really close to mine. Her beautiful blonde hair was lightly tickling my nose. I didnt know how to answer her and I ended up just staring at her in silence, it was then that Claude quickly drew back. (I.Im sorry Its just that I also want to be able to use great magic like both Zeph-kun and Milly-san.) Claude was fidgeting her fingers. Claudes talent for magic is average. No if I were to compare her to the adventurers that weve come across, I can say that her talent is on the higher end. However, Claude has her peculiar ability called Screen Point, which is specifically designed to counter mages in return for being able to nullify all magical attacks against her; her talent for magic is reduced. Therefore, Claudes magical power line is thin and weak. (I dont mind it .. I guess its better to do something about your magical power lines and improve it if possible rather than not trying at all. Although I cant say that the results will be as you desire.) (Even if that is the caseI really want Zeph-kun to do it.) Claude mutters in a small voice. She shared the same vanguard position as Lydia, so perhaps she felt it was unfair? I plopped my hand on top of Claudes head who was looking down and gave her a gentle pat. (I understand. Please take off your clothes and lie face down) (Yes!) So that I didnt block Claude I stood on the side of the bed. I was looking at her back as she undressed her pyjamas and when she noticed my gaze, she glanced back at me for a second before looking down again. Taking off her coat as well, Claude was covering her breasts before she went to lie face down on my bed. While she may seem a little young in comparison to Lydia, her body was definitely womanly and feminine. (Then, here I go) (Nn. Yes..) Placing my hands on Claudes back I connected with her magical power line. Claudes back involuntarily shudders, and she quickly buried her face in the pillow in order to mute her voice. Although I noticed it before, I can see that Claudes back is full of injuries and scars, whenever I ran my fingers across her red scar, she would slightly shake her body. She must have experienced many hardships. (.Is there something wrong?) (No, nothings wrong) I silently caress her magical power line and slowly began to spin it. In comparison to Lydia, Claude was a lot more patient, even when I am in the middle of tampering with her magical line, her voice is hardly raised. Even so, she would occasionally tremble and leak out a small voice. When I continued this process for about 1 hour, even I started to get tired. (How are you feeling Claude?) (Claude? Oi, Claude!) (.Suu.) Muu, shes totally passed out. I think that she told me she didnt get much sleep either yesterday I would feel bad if I woke her up here. Because I didnt have much of a choice, I went to Claudes bed and slid my body into the futon. Claudes fragrant smell permeates throughout the futon as this smell tickles my nostrils. Somehow it gives me a feeling of calmness and relief. The moment I shut my eyes, my consciousness fades. .. As expected for two people. makes you. really.. ti.re.d I wonder how many hours have passed? Whilst still in my nap, once again, my body is being shaken. (..-kun! Zeph-kun! Please wake up!) When I opened my eyes, Claude was shaking my body with a desperate look on her face. Her face was bright red and she was totally teary eyed. Ohh are you awake Claude? Im sorry! Im sorry! Claude was bowing repeatedly as she earnestly apologized to me in a low voice. It would seem that she was really bothered by the fact that she slept in my bed. Because this was early in the morning, Both Lydia and Milly were still asleep. After getting out of Claudes bed I took a nice long stretch. IIm going to go wash my face! Claude I stopped Claude who was about to leave by calling out to her. When I moved my eyes, Claude also follows my gaze. I was looking at the two pillows on top of my bed. The pillow, you left it at my bed you know? When she realized this her face became crimson as she trotted quickly towards my bed and grabbed the pillow before she dashed out of the room whilst still hugging the pillow. Oi oi, youre still wearing your pyjamas you know? Claude A short while later, Claude returns to the room with the same vigour she left in. Dashing at the speed of light, she jumps into her own bed, burying her face in the pillow she flaps her legs in the air like a fish. That pillow is actually my pillow you know? Well its really pitiful to attack her when shes already this down so I think Ill just stay quiet? CH 90 ter three days of travelling and being unable to do any real training in such a small cabin, I filled my time by helping Lydia and Claude with practicing magic. I could at least practice martial art forms, but as expected I was quite bored. Well I was also still recovering my bones and injuries, but for Milly she was especially bored. Hey, what do you think of playing some poker to relax? Milly takes out a bunch of cards she had in her luggage, and passed it on to everyone. The cards had four different types of suits, with a number from 1 to 13. In this game, there was one joker card that was used in order to liven up the game and make things more interesting. When playing poker first thing is to deal five cards to everyone, and then each person can choose to chuck out as many cards as they dont need. The next step is to replenish the chucked cards from the deck, then the cards are revealed and the person with the strongest hand wins the game. From children playing this game to underground casinos, this is a simple and enjoyable game that has spread around. Poker? Then, how about we make a rule that the loser of the game must listen to one thing from the winner? Claude, I think that you need to mend that bad habit of always trying to bet I think its a great idea! Besides it sounds fun? For Lydia, rather than caring about winning or losing, she seemed to be more interested in developing a deeper relationship with everyone. Then its decided! The last place will have to listen to one thing from the winner? In the end it was decided just like that. I definitely cannot afford to lose here. Five cards are distributed amongst us, and I was comparing the expressions on the three girls. Milly had a happy face. She seems to have gotten strong cards. Claude hasnt displayed any change in her expression. Shes unexpectedly quite the schemer, I cannot take her lightly. Lydia has a face of purely enjoying the game. Whether she wins or loses, as long as she enjoys herself its fine, thats the kind of vibe shes giving. If someone plays with that kind of intent, there is not much point trying to ascertain the strength of their hand. As for my hand, I have two pairs, it is neither strong or weak. I can only assume that the three of them have pretty good hands. Leaving my highest numbered pair, I changed three cards in the hopes of obtaining a better hand, but not a single card hit the mark and I was left with only one pair. I had an average hand and now its become one of the weakest hands. Umu, well that did not go as planned. I placed my cards face down on the bed and waited for the other three people to finish making their hands. Nihihi? Looks like youve got a bad hand, Zeph I will leave it up to your imagination Zeph-chi the poker face that you try to put on is actually really cute~ Hes the type that isnt really able to hide his emotions that well ne Just when I was thinking that I was the one observing them They were actually the ones who were observing my every move..? The three of them finished replacing their cards from the deck, and they would either hide the cards by placing them on top of their thighs, or hide them by placing them close to their breasts. Just to confirm, the loser will have to listen to the winner right~? Milly was looking at me with a joyful smirk. It seems that she is very confident with her hand. Milly-san, I just want to put this out there but, my hand is actually pretty good you know? Claude looks at Milly and then right after she looks at me and smiles. I dont really care whether I win or lose. but Zeph-chi your troubled face is making me really interested~ Even Lydia was looking towards me. What on earth is this? Have they already decided that my cards will be the lowest ranked? Did everyone really have that strong a hand? Having cold sweat dribble down my forehead I was analysing the three girls, thats when the three of them showed the wicked smiles on their faces. Dammit Dont tell me they are going to make me do something weird If its Claude that wins I know she wont make me do something too crazy, but if its Lydia or worst of all Milly, things might get dangerous. If it comes down to it, I think I may be forced to use magic and perform some trickery Alright! Then allow me, this incompetent Ain-chan to judge the results! I wont allow anyone who cheats kay! Ain appears without my permission and says this. Looking at my direction, she gives me a wink. Dont tell me, did she read my thoughts or something? Ah, Im sorry Ain-chan. Should we have invited you to play? Dont mind, dont mind, thanks to this, it looks like I will be able to see gramps flustered expression! Ain goes behind me and keeps a watchful eye. If even Ain is acting like this, then isnt it going to be impossible for me to cheat? Why is she cornering me even more in this predicament. Everyone, are you readyy? Im good Ready anytimee Granpa, are you prepared? Everyone was looking towards me. Eeii, whatever happens, happens. Alright then, One, two..Flip! Together with Millys cheer, everyone opened their cards. Claude had five cards with the same suit. Thats quite the strong hand. Lydia had two pairs, moreover she had lower rank cards than the one I started with before I replaced my hand. Kuu, if only I didnt change my hand I would have won.. Milly had the same suit on four cards, and their numbers were consecutively: 1, 2, 3 and 4. Moreover, her 5th card is a joker. She is able to change the joker into any card she desires and with this line-up she had one of the strongest hands. Yayy! Its my victory? Congratulations, Milly-san Nn~ I thought that I was going to be the one with the lowest rank, but that doesnt seem to be the case Milly was raising both her hands up in a declaration of victory, and both Claude and Lydia gave her a big round of applause. Lydia, if you envy the person with the lowest rank, I totally dont mind it if you want to switch with me? I really want to see what kind of unreasonable demand Milly-chan will make Zeph-chi do, because I think that will be entertaining in its own way, so never mind? As expected Lydia is just in this purely for the fun of it. Okayy~ Gramps is determined to be the loser so we shall begin out punishment gamee~! So that I am unable to run away, Ain was firmly holding my back. She looked like she was having so much fun. Is she really my familiar? this punk. Well then Milly-san. Please tell us what you want Zeph-kun to do for you Eh? Umm~ lets seee.Nn ~ what should I make him do~? Milly seemed to be having fun as she pondered. This is bad. Her face looks like a kid who is about to play a prank on somebody. As if she suddenly thought of something, she turned to face me. And approaching me closely she grinned. Alright Ive decided~ Zeph, I want you to.. Zuzunn, just as Milly was about to say her next words a big roaring sound shook the ship, and I managed to firmly hold on to Milly who had lost her footing. Falling down on to me towards the bed, the other two girls seemed to have fallen flat on their bums. Wha!? Did we hit into something? Can you stand up, Milly? Y.yeah.. While still holding on to Milly, I helped her stand, releasing my hand from her waist, she seemed to be a little wobbly as she staggered to regain her footing. Even now the ship was continuously shaking. This isnt just as simple as the ship being stranded.. It may be possible that monsters are attacking the ship No way!? Lets go outside! When we went up to the deck, the crew members of the ship were already fighting with monsters. It had a white and fat body with many tentacles as its limbs, the head looked like a triangular hood. This is a creature that lived in the sea and occasionally attacks passing ships in a group. They are also known as Squids. CH 91 Its a swarm of squids! All of you that cant fight go and ask the adventurers on board for help! I aint letting this ship go under!! You idiot! If you want to fight, dont damage the ship! One of the sailors used a harpoon to thrust into the squid as he shouted out in a loud voice, he also followed up with a kick to the body of the squid sending it flying away. Squid Level 35 Magical Power Level 1356/3940 For the time being, I used Scout Scope on the squid to confirm its stats. The squid is by no means a weak monster, but it seems that the sailors were still capable of handling it. As expected of these capable seaman. The deck of the ship was jammed packed with monsters, sailors and adventurers. It seemed that they were getting used to dealing with the swarm of squids as they began to repel the monsters with their spears and clubs. We are also going to help them out! Milly, dont use any large scale magic. If you use magic too carelessly you may sink the ship! Un! (TL: Un! = Yes!) Me and Milly will become a pair, Lydia and Claude should be another pair. Be careful of their tentacles Understood! Okay! Zeph you can trust me! Its not like I didnt trust her, but if Milly did something unexpectedly she could seriously sink the ship in one go. Claude and Lydia were going towards the squids. Blocking Lydias path was a slimy tentacle that was wriggling about. However, she dodged the feelers without any problems and using her large ax she swung downwards and cut the white squid right in two. For a while the tentacle just twitches and convulses but soon after it disappears. Claude also uses her damaged shield skilfully as she cuts the incoming squid with her sword. Claude! Dont depend on your cracked shield too much! Yes! But promise me when we get to the capital, you will buy me a new one kay?! She was taking a defensive position in this fight. Is it too excessive for Claude? But I really didnt think that we would have a battle on top of the ship. If I knew this kind of thing would happen, Id buy her a cheap shield at Beruta Town. Zeph, are you going to buy a shield for Claude? Im so envious~ Claude was protecting me when she lost her important shield. To begin with, dont you have plenty of money Milly? That may be true but.. Ah? Ive decided on what the punishment game for Zeph will be! While giggling with a Nihihi, Milly was smiling. Is she going to make me buy something for her? If thats all she wants that should be a pretty easy task. For the time being lets concentrate on the fight. Remember dont aim your spells at the ship Yeahh! Replying in a lively manner, Milly shoots out a Black Shot towards the Squid. The bullet of wind shot from Millys hand barely grazed the skin of the Squid and it was hardly being damaged. Eh?? These guys actually have a high amount of natural magical resistance. Thats why it wont be that easy to defeat them with basic elementary magic I explained to Milly as I fired out my own magic, the Black Sphere towards the Squid. The whirlpool of wind vacuum was propelled towards the head of the Squid and it gradually sucks it in and tears it to pieces. The wind gradually settles down and even the corpse of the Squid disappeared. As you can see, it seems that we can defeat the Squid with a single cast of Black Sphere I understand! Milly was smiling with her whole face as she nodded towards me, but I felt a little uneasy somehow. The spheres destructive power is quite high but it was a hard magic to control properly, moreover Milly was mostly used to using large scale magic. In this kind of ship, it is likely that a strong coating was done so that the ship would be resistant to magic to a certain extent, however if a weak spot like the hull was damaged or chipped, it is inevitable that it will influence the rest of the voyage. Black Sphere! While I was thinking about these things, Milly had already fired her magic towards the Squid. The mass of wind flies towards the centre of the demons body and slightly scrapes against the deck of the ship, but the majority of it scapes against the skin of the monster. After the wind dissipates, the Squid was totally annihilated. .What do you think? Because it was my first time I dont think I did it that well but No its good enough. Or more like that was quite well done. Milly Y.you really think so.? Ehhehe Milly was really shy as I patted her head, she seemed really happy and bashful at the same time. This girl Milly, even though shes a little rough on the edges, she really does have a great talent for magic. The Black Sphere did scrape the deck a little bit but, if it was just this much than the deck would be relatively unharmed. Other than our party, there was also another set of adventurers fighting on the deck, and soon enough the remaining Squid on the deck began to flee from the ship. When the last Squid withdraws from the ship, a quietness surrounded the area. Did we do it.? No, not yet. Dont let your guard down Considering how many monsters were coming out to attack us, Im afraid that this area of the sea has potentially turned into a dungeon. Because the other adventurers also havent shown any expression of relief, the sailors also understood that it wasnt over just yet. None of them had started to relax. It seems that it has not yet ended Everyone is still very tense. A tough one is coming While having this stern expression on their faces, they returned by my side. Within this tension filled atmosphere one of the adventurers or males on-board of this ship seemed to have spotted something coming from the depths of the sea. Oi! Its dangerous! One of the sailors had shouted out warning him, and when the man turned around, a huge water column raised up from behind him. What appeared from within the water column rising up was a white and long tentacle. It was very large and flexible, and the tip of the tentacle had a suction on it as it wrapped itself around the man and captures him. Uwaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! The man raised desperate scream for help, and whilst the Sailor was reaching out his hands towards the man, there was no way he was going to make it in time. Black Sphere! I was preparing to use Black Sphere on the large tentacle grabbing on to the man, but Milly beat me to the punch. After getting hit by Millys magic, the tentacle that was grabbing the man withdrew itself as it released him towards the ocean. As he was falling down towards the sea, the man somehow manages to grab hold the edge of the deck. Afterwards, he was profusely bowing himself towards Milly in an obsequious manner as he thanked her over and over. Enough with that hurry up and get over here! When Milly screamed at the man, he began to walk towards us with an unsteady gait. However, during the middle of this, the hull began to shake wildly and our balance was thrown off, I quickly embraced Millys waist as she was about to fall. Kyaaah! The tentacles are attacking us violently. From here on out its going to be a crucial moment! That tentacles looked similar to a Squids But it was extremely big I heard this story from a sailor that was one of my fathers acquaintances. It was the story of a humungous Squid. I think it was called the Kraken? Although I have heard it being mentioned in the past as well, I have never laid my eyes on it. I guess the rumours of its existence was true. When I used Scout Scope on the huge tentacle I was able to confirm its name. Kraken Level 80 Magical Power Level: 582,588 / 585,842 The amount of its magical power level is about two times more than the Sunny Raven boss monster. If its like this, I am probably going to be forced to fight it. However, it seems that there are other people who are also prepared to fight. Although the Sailors were perplexed at the spectacle before them, they still had their fighting spirits intact. They had the kind of face that said we will protect our own ship by ourselves! Lets do this, for the time being, we need to drive away the rampaging tentacles. Most likely, it is using the suction on its tentacles to attach itself to the hull of the ship. If we are able to tear of all the tentacles off the ship, then we should at least be able to escape in the worst case scenario. We need to destroy anything that comes our way. Dont get separated from me! Un! I understand! Everyone was standing close to me as I used my Summon Servant Spell. From within the light Ain appeared. Did you call for me? Ain, can you scout out the monsters movements from the skies above? Okay! Ain flaps her wings, and flies all the way up to the mast of the ship. Sitting there she looked down towards the sea. All the sailors who saw Ain all exclaimed Its an Angel! or Shes going to watch over us!. If they knew what she really was, they might get disappointed but, well for now its raising their morale. Lets not ruin their fantasies. That kid Ain was also getting cocky as she started to wave her hand towards the Sailors. Seeing how carefree they were, I could only sigh, at the same time four water columns raised from the sea as it surrounded the ship to attack us. DDSo its going to attack with four at once now? Fixing my gaze upon one of the tentacles that was approaching us, every one of us was on high alert. CH 92 A huge tentacle swings down from the skies. The tentacle is at least as thick as my current stature. Claude wields her shield and stands in front of everyone, Milly begins to chant her magic. And Lydia stands between the two people in response to their actions. Waiting for Milly to chant her Black Crash, I also chanted my Time Square. Time is momentarily stopped and Milly has already launched her spell. I was hoping on combining my spell with her and performing a triple-cast magic, but the timing was totally off. As expected unless Milly was casting the Blue Gale spell which I was accustomed to seeing, it is quite difficult to get the timing right. In the midst of time suspension, I combined two of my spells, the Black Sphere and Green Sphere and launched it towards the back of the tentacle. Gravity Sphere The tentacle was hit with both Millys Black Crash from the front and from directly behind a black gravity ball that continuously drew it in. The tentacle was drawn into the gravity ball getting crushed and flattened. The moment it came into contact with the tip of the tentacle, my Gravity Sphere started to erase its flesh and soon the tip of the tentacle totally disappeared. Because it had such a gigantic body, the effectiveness of my spell wasnt that high Nonetheless, I still managed to prevent its attack from succeeding and the Kraken which has just lost the tip of its tentacle brought his feelers back into the sea. Zuzun! Without a single moment to relax my mind, a ballistic impact attacks the ship. The other adventurers and the sailors were probably unable to prevent the other three tentacles from attacking the ship, the three other tentacles coiled itself around the hull of the ship. The hull of the ship was beginning to creak and groan, and although they were trying their hardest to attack, the thick tentacle didnt even budge. This is looking bad. The bosss body is composed of strong magic, and with small attacks like that it cannot be destroyed Even with my Gravity Sphere, the best I could manage was to destroy the tip of its tentacles. Although it is likely that if I used Ainbells Divine Sword form, I would easily be able to blast it away, Ain is currently up the mast of the ship scouting around for the situation below, furthermore, when shes in her Divine Sword Form, it uses a large amount of magical energy and requires a high amount of high-quality mediums. Its not like I didnt want to use it but, I dont think I have enough materials to support her form for very long. Although there is a risk involved, I may have to Hey Zeph, is it alright if I do that thing? Milly was also thinking the same thing as me. that thing that shes referring to is the spell I taught Milly previously, it was the spell Red Zero. Milly was only proficient with her favourite grand magic spell, the Blue Gale, so in order to expand her repertoire, I taught her this spell whenever I had the time. Considering that certain monsters were weak against certain attributes, its probably necessary for me to teach her other types of grand magic, but because Milly insisted on learning this one I reluctantly gave in to her demands. It is inefficient to just learn grand magic from Blue and Red schools of magic, but well in these types of matters, the most important thing is that the person herself needs to be motivated to learn. But do you think you can control it? With Millys Red Zero, it is possible that the whole hull of the ship is destroyed Im telling ya its finee? Who do you think I am? Looking at me with a boastful face, Milly was grinning. Well to me she looked like a small child that was easily carried away To Milly who was looking at me with sparkling eyes, I could not help but feel a sense of anxiety. However, in saying that, up until now when push comes to shove, shes always been a reliable leader. Im counting on you Un! Milly answers happily. Lydia, while Milly is chanting out her grand magic, she will be defenceless. Please cover her back Okay, Milly-chan come over here~. Ill give you a piggyback ride kay~ Lydia was beckoning her, and Milly was feeling suspicious. .You wouldnt do anything weird right? Ahaaha Hey! Please give me a clear answer! Milly was raising her voice and Lydia grabbed on to her waist with both her hands and gave Milly a piggyback. Although Milly was going to object to Lydias actions, she stopped herself and just tightly clinged on to Lydias neck. Lydia, can you quickly head to the edge of the ship from here? Okay! Saying that Lydia casually and agilely moves across the shaking ship. Suddenly a large quantity of Squids burst out from the water and into the air as they aimed themselves towards Lydia. Did the Kraken throw these squids with its tentacle? Although there was a large amount of tentacles coming towards Lydias: hands, feet and body. No sooner than when she started to squint her eyes, all the tentacles in the air were falling like raindrops as she cut them all in a single blow. Seeing all these tentacles falling down from the air in broken pieces like sashimi, the sailors watching this held down their hands between their crotches. Total decapitation.. I guess I didnt need to worry about her. Lydia proceeded onwards towards the side of the ship with momentum. Milly-chan, is around here good? U-un But I think something got in my eye just now. Are you okay? Milly was rubbing her eyes and Lydia was quite worried. Suddenly the tentacles started to move and the ship was rocking and swaying. Awawawawa!? Uh-oh I braced myself and caught Claude who had lost her balance. Even the seaman who were attacking the tentacles could not help but to stop attacking as the boat was shaking too much. However, Lydia was not affected in the slightest by the shaking boat, and even though she was carrying Milly on her back, she didnt even budge. What an incredible sense of balance .Im alright, its starting to feel better Hang on tight okay, Milly-chan Milly nods her head, she closes her eyes and began the incantation to the spell. God of scarlet magic, I seek the truth in the farthest land of magic, reaching out to you please grant me your strength. Along with my crimson blade destroy our enemies!! Red Zero! They were at the edge of the boat and the sharp blade of flames were aimed towards the root of the tentacle to sever it off. The seawater started to evaporate and the blade of flames was digging itself into the skin of the tentacles with a grinding sound. Even from where I was standing, I could see the water evaporating from the heat of the magic and steam was going up from the sea water. When Milly used the Red Zero with her enormous amount of magical power, it boasted an extremely high amount of power. The scarlet light thins out and disappears from Millys hand. And then *Buchiri* the tentacle was severed from its roots, it splashed around one more time before it flew past the deck of the ship and into the water. Because it fell into the surface of the sea a large column of water rose up and the two remaining tentacles seemed to writhe in pain as they shared the agony of the creature. We will also take one out over here! Claude back me up! Understood! going towards one of the other tentacles that was raging about, I spread out my palms and chanted out Time Square, I casted Green Crash twice in a row. Green Crash Double With a severe sonic boom, a ripple spread out from my hands and towards the tentacles that I had my hands on. The tentacle was getting loose as it slightly released its grip on the ship, I gave it little to no chance to retaliate and casted my Green Crash Double once again. The tentacle that received an attack in the same exact spot twice in a row, seems like it was going to be ripped to shreds as its body began to warp and bend. Nows the time, Claude! Yes! The tentacle let go of the ship and stretched itself to its limits, at this moment, Claude used her sword to cut the base of the tentacle in a single slice. Having half of its tentacles cut from its roots, the Kraken seemed to writhe in pain. Alright! Claude, behind you! From above, Ains voice of warning could be heard. When she turned around, the tentacle that was cut by her was actually attacking her from behind. Claude noticed the warning from Ain but it was already too late, the tentacle wraps itself around Claudes body. Although she was trying her hardest to shake it off, the more she struggled, the more the tentacle would strangle her body. Guu.. Haaa!? Claude!! Ain jumps off from the mast, and tries to tear off the tentacle from Claude, but, the powerless Ain was unable to do so. Gradually tightening its grasp Claudes voice of agony resounded. The plate mail covering around her body was making creaking and jarring noises Claude! Ze.ph-kun..! Looking towards me she stretches out her hands feebly. Dammit! Ive already used too much of my magical energy. I was eating magic recovery medicine as I meditated to regain my mana. Hearing Claudes pain filled voice and Ains desperate voice, I was trying to calm my flustered mind in order to meditate as fast as possible. (If I casted a weak tiered spell, I wont be able to cut the tentacle in one go) At least half of it. No even if I only recover 1/3 of my magic itll do.! Pishi Pishi, cracks around Claudes plate mail was already starting to develop. Shit, calm down! If I launch a half-assed attack here, it would only take more time to save her! Claude was also trying her hardest to resist and the sailors were also trying to obstruct the tentacle, but the tentacle only gripped itself harder and was bringing her closer towards the sea. Ive recovered my magical energy by about 20 percent, but this is going to be the limit. Ain! Ah! I understand! Ain flies towards me and when I gripped her hands, a bright light covers my hands and a sword appears in its stead. Claude! Im coming to save you right now! Hearing Ains anxious voice, Claude tries to avoid making her more worried and even though she was letting out cold sweat she tried her best to show a smile on her face. Everyone get out of the way! But.. Just hurry up and do it! I made all the sailors step back from the tentacle and prepared to strike with the Divine Sword Ainbell. I dont have the time to combine four sets of magic together. Enchanting Red Crash to Ainbell, I swung her down whilst simultaneously casting Time Square. I casted Black Crash and Green Crash at the same time I slashed downwards. Immediately following a strong impactful sound, rocks around the area melted as a raging windstorm devastated the surroundings. The base of the tentacle was erased in a single blow and some smoke goes up from the deck. .. Im glad that I aimed the majority of the slash upwards. It contained more power than I expected and if this hit the deck of the ship, it would have turned out badly. Red, Green and Sky type magic was combined at a short distance. This spell was clearly much stronger than the spell I used to fight Grain, which was the Red Sphere Triple. It seems that when there are multiple schools of magic combined together, it produces a higher effect then simply multiplying the same magic three times. For the time being Shall I name this spell the Volcanon Crash? I used every inch of magical power in my body, and being unable to maintain Ainbells form any longer she disappeared. Uohhh! That was amazing young lad!! Youre awesome! Getting excited the seaman were all cheering, and I quickly ran towards Claude. Ahaha, I messed up again Thank you so much, Zeph-kun Dont worry about it The tentacle had lost its powerful grip on her and I stretched my hands towards Claude to help her up. At this point in time, her totally destroyed plate mail crashes towards the deck and reveals her firm and swaying breasts which were being held by it previously. At the same time a big uproar occurred in the surroundings. H-hey. Bro, you were a girl?! I totally thought that your face was a little bit too feminine but.. Well, I already knew it though! Sailor-san. You were the one who saw me running in my pajamas this morning and got surprised werent you..? Claude was staring at the sailor with a glare and the Sailor could only return a bitter smile. Oh yeah, that reminds me that the sailors treated Claude like a man the other day. Claude was embarrassed at being ogled by all these sailors and she quickly covered her chest area with her hands. Squeezing her breasts and making it spill out even more out of her clothes made the sailors stare at her even more greedily. Oi oi, Claude, dont you know that doing that is having the complete opposite effect? CH 93 I stood in front of the sailors who were just gawking at Claude. Oi, its not over yet you know? Woops! Youre right! Well, we were just so surprised Sorry about before, young lady Its alright, Im often mistaken as such so Even though she said it was alright, the smile on her face was a little bleak. In any case, there is one tentacle remaining. Claude, Zeph, Are you guys alright? Lydia who was giving Milly a piggyback ran towards us. Were fine. If we can defeat at least one more tentacle we will at least be able to withdraw. Milly you should concentrate on recovering your magic for now Its really quite hard to concentrate in these types of conditions Was she embarrassed that she was given a piggyback? In any case Milly was quite restless as her legs were kicking about. While being carried around by Lydia along with how the hull of the ship was shaking so much, it was probably hard for her to concentrate on her meditation. I ran out of magic recovery medicine it seems. Lydia do you have any magic recovery pellets? Im sorry, I didnt really bring too much luggage. After all I didnt expect us to be fighting.. Please use this When I turned my head towards the voice, the man Milly helped out previous presented us with magical recovery pellets. Im a street peddler. I am indebted to the both of you so please use it if it will help. Ah, I also dont need any compensation for it After saying that he gave both of us a large amount of magical recovery pellets. The fact that Milly received a bit more than me was probably to thank her for when she saved his life. Thank you very much! Youve really helped us Showing her best formal behaviour Milly smiles to the peddler giving him her thanks, and the man became a little bit embarrassed. ..Let me just say this now, but dont start getting weird ideas Wha, what are you talking about? I pretty much hit it right on the nail. Milly doesnt seem to have noticed it but I was keeping my eye on the peddler. C-come on then! You shouldnt worry about me! Go and take care of those monsters! I took one of the magical recovery pellets that he gave to Milly and held it in my mouth. It seems that there isnt any poison in it. After swallowing it, the Peddler man was looking at me with an astonished expression. You are really cautious arent you? Shes an important companion of mine after all Umm. For now, we should concentrate on defeating it right? Milly takes one of the magical recovery pill into her mouth and showed me a gesture that asked, is it safe to drink this?, I nodded towards her. I also dont have any more supplies of high-level mediums so I cant use Ainbell either. We will attack it with all our power using Red Zero. It isnt necessary to hold back. If we have this much magical recovery pills, then it may even be possible to completely defeat it Please dont be too hard on me Turning my gaze towards the last remaining tentacle attached to the ship, I used Scout Scope on it. Kraken Level 80 Magical Power Level 352118/ 985842 I think its about one step from entering its enraged mode. Even if we had an unlimited amount of magical recovery pills, (I wasnt paying attention to the worried look that the Peddler gave me every time I took a pill) It was still extremely risky to try and fight a boss in such an unstable deck when it went into berserk mode. I think that we should take safety measures here. When the boss is about to enter its enraged mode, it will change its body shape and it will open an opportunity for us to launch an attack. In that opening we need to cut the last remaining tentacle and get as far from it as we can. I grabbed a nearby sailor and told them our plan. The moment that you see us cut that tentacle, can you do everything in your power to gain as much distance from it? That should be fine but.. Will that be alright? Ill do something about it so dont worry Well I definitely saw how capable you were just moments ago so I will inform the captain of your plan. If things work out as planned, the ship should be able to move One of the sailors ran off into the cabin, and I continued to swallow several of the magical recovery pellets. Milly was not that good at meditation so even though she seemed to hate it, she was swallowing up the medicine as often as she could. Uuu I-its so bitter as expected. Im going to go ahead. Ill depend on you to follow up on me Milly Gulp, gulp.Puhahh, I understwand! Parting from the magical recovery vial she just drank from, she wiped the white liquid contents with her sleeve before replying to me. Claude follows behind me as I ran towards the tentacle. You dont have your shield nor your plate armor. Do not overdo it, Claude I understand I held up my hand towards the tentacle and chanted out Time Square. Just like previously I casted Green Crash twice in a row, releasing the time stop I let it loose. Green Crash Double I was pursuing tentacles that was blown away from the ballistic impact, and Claude was also attacking it. And. Pishi.. The white skin on the tentacles was torn into little pieces as it started to fall into the deck with a pitter-patter. Milly! Okay~! Already anticipating what was required of her Lydia immediately went into action as she carried Milly to the edge of the ship. The Kraken was already beginning to mutate as new tentacles was beginning to sprout out of its body, Milly held her hands over the sea towards it. God of scarlet magic, I seek the truth from the farthest land of magic, reaching out to you please grant me your strength. With thy crimson blade destroy our enemies!! Red Zero! A huge blade made out of scarlet flames descended towards the surface of the sea, and a large quantity of steam and vapour started to surround the area. The root of its tentacle was torn apart and the ship suddenly shook. The Kraken had released its grasp over the ship. Nows our chance! Ohhh! The back of the ship sinks greatly and a huge water column rises from the surface of the sea. I could see a magical light from within the column of water. I heard that the sailors apparently had prepared people in the ship that was capable of using magic in case of an emergency situation, I guess this is what they were used for. The ship was forcefully sped up with the use of magic as it propelled itself further from the Kraken which was beginning to mutate slowly. When I was looking at the appearance of the Kraken from the back of the ship, Milly comes near me. She seems to have gotten down from Lydia. Is it over.? If that were true then it will be good Just in case I started to meditate again in order to restore some of my magical power. Suddenly when I was looking at where the Kraken was supposed to be, the sea level surrounding it started to rise up drastically. Has it completed its mutation and reached its enraged mode? However, if we are already this far away from it. But contrary to my expectations, the wave of water was steadily approaching this ship. It had an incredibly fast speed. The propelling force and magical light that was shooting out the back of the ship was also beginning to dim as it began to gradually lose its power. This is really bad, if this continues the Kraken will catch up to us. We are going to continue attacking it! Milly! U, Un! Milly drinks down more of the magical recovery medicine. Maybe because she was panicking a little bit spilled into her clothes as she hurriedly drank up. Buhah!? Oi oi, are you alright Milly? When I looked at her face, it was dripping with the white liquid. Somehow she has lost her balance and some of the magical recovery medicine was smeared into her face. Well the ship was shaking quite a bit after all. Uuu~.. Here you go, wipe it with this Milly was teary eyed and so I lent her my sleeve, and thereupon she used it to wipe her face. While Milly was wiping her face I was thinking of a plan in order to attack it. Although Im not absolutely certain of it, it is likely that the Kraken is a monster with Blue magic properties. Therefore, the effect of red magic and blue magic will be miniscule. I dont really have as much magical energy as Milly, and using a sphere type magic to launch at a monster travelling at that speed is difficult. In that case there is only one thing I can think of that will be effective against it. I chanted out Time Square and recited Magic Amplification twice in a row. And now God of Sky Magic, I seek the truth from the farthest land of magic, reaching out to you please grant me your strength. With thy Black Blade destroy our enemies Black Zero From my surroundings, a swirling gust of violent wind gathered and converged towards my arm. I released the Black Magical energy from my palm towards the Kraken. My spell Black Zero was being amplified to four times its usual power and it instantly pierces into the sea water, the black wind worked its way into the sea water and forming the shape of a spiralling whirlwind it bore into the body of the Kraken. Black Zero used the same amount of magical energy as Red Zero and will drain a huge portion of my mana when casting it, however in terms of its raw power Black Zero is inferior when compared to Red Zero. Instead however, the speed and velocity at which Black Zero travels is amongst the fastest out of any magic spell. Furthermore, the shockwave caused by the blast of wind is capable of restraining the movements of the opponent to a certain degree. Because of the wind pressure exerted by casting Black Zero, the ship actually begins to accelerate again. I was trying to imitate how Silverie used her Black Zero as a propelling force to move quickly but I couldnt do it that well yet. However, after only stopping for a moment, the wave of water started to chase after us again. Oi oi, just how persistent can you be? I quickly began to meditate whilst taking some more magical recovery medicine. Red Zero! Milly who was standing beside me shoots out a crimson blade made out of flame at the Kraken. The huge blade of flames goes through the surface of the sea and the Krakens cry could be heard all the way from here. From this kind of distance and with it traveling at such a fast speed, for Milly to be able to land that spell on it, that was really quite the feat. However, its still coming after us Ueee. Its really persistent Both Milly and I were drinking up more magic recovery medicine and whenever we recovered enough magical energy, we would alternate casting our grand magic and shoot it towards the Kraken. Black Zero Red Zero! Black Zero Red Zero!! We already emptied out multitudes of magical recovery medicines. As for Milly she was already getting completely burnt out and was soon to run out of steam. Red Zeroooo!! Sending out her fifth Red Zero towards the Kraken, I could feel the power gush out from her body. It seems that she has levelled up. Managing to defeat the Kraken with her blast, the sea was regaining its calmness, finally able to relax Milly who was standing next to me sunk down on to the floor. Are you alright? Un.. My stomach feels really bloated and I feel gross Youve really tried your best, well done Milly. Im proud of you Milly was sitting down with a pale face. She was feeling sick as she held down her stomach, and so I gently patted her back telling her there there, youll be alright. CH 94 Sitting down, I looked towards the sea, which had become quiet. Has the item that dropped from the Kraken sunk into the bottom of the sea? Whilst thinking that it was a shame, Milly leaned her legs against my shoulders. When I looked at her, she seemed to be green in the face, and was cupping her hands on her mouth. Are you alright, Milly? I dont think Im feeling very well Millys eyes were hollow and she was gasping for air. Did she overexert herself because of being seasick and excessively drinking the magical recovery medicine? I guess that it cant be helped. I squatted in front of Milly and turned around, so that my back was facing her. She was a little confused by this. Come on, Ill carry you on my back. Un. Normally, she would be embarrassed by this kind of thing and hesitate, but right now she doesnt have enough strength for that. She staggered towards me, and placed her full weight against my back. The heat being transmitted to my back is hot. Her breaths that brush against my ear are also rough, so I could tell that she was in a considerably bad condition. Heaveho I moved my hands so as to support Millys waist, and as I stood up, both Lydia and Claude were looking towards us with worried expressions. Are you alright? Ill give you a little motion sickness medicine later, okay? Milly did not have enough energy to answer properly, and she could only nod at the concerned words of her two friends. I decided to carry her light and small body all the way to the cabin. Perhaps it was still suffering from the after-effects of the fight, but the ship was still shaking as it drifted along. The Milly that was on my back was so quiet; a stark contrast from her usual attitude. Milly breathes out painfully. Um, this is really bad. I will lie you down on the bed soon, okay? After I said this, I think she nodded as I felt the feeling of Millys head brushing against my shoulder. Arriving in front of the room at last, Claude opens the door for us. When I was about to enter inside the room, Claude and Lydia looked at me with their eyes wide open. Whats wrong? Just when I was thinking this, I felt something hot flow down my back. When I reached out towards Millys skirt with my fingertips, the thing streaming down was hot to the touch and I instantly understood everything. Did you just vomit? I noticed that Millys small body was trembling on my back. I began to hear a small sob and her arms were closely embracing and squeezing my neck tight. Both Claude and Lydia seemed like they didnt really know what to say at this point. After breathing out a sigh, I lay Milly down on to my bed. She was covering her face with both of her hands and tears were dripping down her face like raindrops. Both her face and her clothes were gooey with vomit and she was in a terrible state. Corry Im sorry After vomiting once, did she recover enough to be able to talk? Milly was apologizing to me and she spoke with a shaky voice whilst crying. I patted her head, brushing it gently. You fool, dont be worried about such a trifling thing. Even if clothes get a little dirty, its just a simple matter of washing it you know? But Uuuu Although I was trying to comfort her, Milly didnt stop her crying. Geez, she really cares about such a trivial thing. Letting out a bitter smile, I kept patting Millys head and waited until her sobbing settled. After a short while, Milly tired herself out and drifted off to sleep, and I finally separated my hand from her head. She fell asleep, didnt she? Yeah, but if only she was this gentle on a regular basis, she would be pretty cute. Zeph-chi, youre not very honest, are you~ Lydia uses her elbow to rub against my head. Oi, can you stop that you baka? But still, my back is getting cold. I took off my clothes which were covered in Millys vomit, and I started to wipe my body, when I did this both Claude and Lydia averted their eyes from me. I dont really mind it even if they saw me though After putting my dirty clothes into a bag, I sat next to Milly and the bed creaked and swayed. Milly was sleeping with a tranquil expression on her face, and I gently lifted her up by supporting the nape of her neck and unfastened the ribbon she wore. Taking off the button on her clothes one by one, a small swelling protrusion appeared. (Web Novel Illustration: Milly Under the Weather) Removing all the buttons, in the moment I was about to take off her jacket.. Wa-wa-wait Zeph-kun?! What are you trying to do!? W-we can take over from here okay!? Zeph-chi should just go outside! Come on, go quickly! The voice of the two girls resounded throughout the room. I was still half-naked, but I was driven out of my room and made to stand outside. This is a little cold. Well, if they were just changing Millys clothes, Im sure it should be over any minute now But seriously, what are those two worried about? I know I said that Milly was cute, but I meant that she was adorable as a child. Im not the kind of fellow who would become aroused by looking at such a young child. The sailors were still running around the ship noisily. That was just how big this fight was, and it may even be possible that the ship was damaged somewhere. Whilst I was looking around, I saw a man slowly walk towards me. The battle just now was splendid. Mu The man was of medium build and looked like a gentleman; he was the merchant from a little while ago. We took a large amount of his magical recovery medicine, so perhaps he came here to complain? Back then, he didnt seem to mind it, but, seeing how his wavy hair was slicked back, he seemed to be a person that was quite shrewd and calculative. Perhaps, when he saw us, he sniffed the scent of money. In my view, he seemed to be a considerably capable merchant. Just when I was having my doubts, he turned towards me with a refreshing smile. It is I who should say thank you. The amount of magical recovery medicine you provided us with could not have been cheap. No no, its not a big deal. After all, you guys saved my life, and I got to watch something amazing. After saying that, the man took out a single sheet of paper from his jacket, and handed it over to me. When I took a look, the words Silver Coin merchant store owned by Adrei Sombre were written down. Truth be told, I actually run a shop in the capital city. If you were to travel between the east continent to the continent in the north, you will no doubt go past the capital at least once. By all means, please come and visit my store This silver coin store was something that also existed in my previous life, and during that time it was a gigantic general store located in the capital. It had all kinds of recovery medicines, convenient tools, magic scrolls and defensive equipment, it was a complete general goods store capable of rivaling some of the incompetent specialty stores, and many adventurers used to shop there. Speaking of the name Adrei, he seems to be the manager of the store. To think that I would be meeting him in a place like this. So you are the manager of this silver coin store? I did not expect for someone like you to personally come out to travel and peddle goods around. Oh, were you acquainted with my shop? It is my principle to personally handle the products that are being sold to make sure of their quality. Indeed, this is a man who was capable of setting up such a huge shop. Just from his demeanor, I was able to tell that he was not an ordinary person. May I hear your name? Zeph. My name is Zeph Einstein; the people I was with before are my companions. Hou, even though you are still a child Woops! I didnt mean to be rude. After all, you possess an amazing capability. You dont need to flatter me. I also dont like to concern myself with being overly courteous. Age has nothing to do with someones power. Zeph, dont you think so as well? I guess. We were both chuckling together and one of the sailors who saw us had a puzzled expression on his face. I seem to get along well with you. When you arrive at the capital, by all means, please come to visit my silver coin store. Yeah, Ill do that. Adrei requested a handshake and I reached out my hand in return. If I go to the capital, Im sure that the silver coin store will be utilized. Perhaps I may even be able to obtain a good service because of our relationship. By the way, Zeph-dono After returning his handshake, Adrei crouched down and brought his face closer to mine. In regards to that energetic and beautiful girl, would I be able to ask you for her fine name? Who are you referring to? The one with long blonde hair tied up on the left and right After saying that Adrei smiled and made a pose binding his own hair left and right. Cant do that. I made an immediate response. When I declared it so decisively, Adreis face turned very lonesome, he gave me a curt bow and left. Taking back my previous remarks, it would seem that there were actually quite a few fellows out there that like very-young-looking girls. Even if I did go to the capital, it would probably be for the best if I didnt bring Milly along to the silver coin store CH 95 Then the voyage was over without delay in three days, we arrived at Port Izu located in the north continent. Milly looked meek as a cat and was very docile, therefore Claude and Lydia were considerably worried about her. When I tried to talk to Milly, she avoided me completely. The ship arrives at the port; passengers goes down one by one along the pier. In normal circumstances Milly would usually be the first to run down the pier, however, she hid behind Lydia with a gloomy expression on her face. ( . is Milly-san alright?) Claude brings her face close to me and whispers in a small voice. When I look at Milly, she glances at me and then she immediately hides her face. (Well, I will do something about it) However, I hardly heard her speak on the ship. Usually Milly is boisterous but now she is like this, its starting to affect my mood as well. Hey, Zeph-chi, lets just find an inn for now? Thats true I agreed with Lydias suggestion. In either case, its probably necessary for her to settle down a little bit. Oh? its Zeph, and everybody I descended from the bridge while having a discussion, then suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from behind. It was Adrei. When I stood in front of Milly reflexively, Adreis face looked a little bit troubled. Zeph-dono, as a merchant my actions are based on risk and return. I wont do anything that would interfere with you, you know? I wonder? From my personal experience merchants are very persistent Is that really so? Adrei covered his mouth while trying to suppress his laughter. Though such a gesture tells me that he cant be trusted. Well, I think its time for me to go. By all means, when you come to the capital please visit my Silver Coin Store After he said that, Adrei turns his gaze toward Milly who was hidden behind Lydia. Ehmm . Miss, your name is Milly right? Im looking forward to the day we can meet again Milly who was hidden behind Lydia, twitches her body. This fellow, how did he discover that her name is Milly? He really is a shrewd guy. When I stood in front of Milly and blocked his path without hesitation, Adrei looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. I just wanted to greet her you know? Let me tell you, if you lay your hands on Milly, I will not forgive you. Zeph-dono is so frightening, I will not dare to lay a hand on Milly. However, please accept my apology if I have made you angry After saying that Adrei put something into my pocket and quickly stood up and departed. Riding on his carriage he waved his hands as he moved outside of town raising a cloud of dust. Whats with that guy When I was looking at where Adrei was going, my clothes were being pulled from my back. When I turned around I saw Milly grabbing on to my clothes. Milly? Thank you.. and, Im sorry Milly spoke in a small voice that seemed to fade away. That reminds me, during that time when we fought the King of the Dead a while ago and I covered her and broke my arm, she was also really depressed. Milly seems to be the kind of person that worries about her failures too much. Geez for a kid she really cares about others. I go close to Milly and firmly hugged her small shoulders. Kyah! Milly, you wanted to make me do something for my punishment game right? Ill do anything so just tell me Even if you say that I Hyaah I suddenly lifted Millys body with my arms and carried her in a princess carry, at first she was bashfully kicking her feet up and down but she soon became docile. Nn in that case, me and Clau-chan will stop by the inn so Milly-chan and Zeph-chi should go do the shopping together? Thats true, shall we do that then? I was seeing the two girls leave, and I was trying to think of a location within the capital that would make a child really happy, but I felt another pull on my neck. ..At least lower me down Millys voice was even smaller than the one from before. I placed Milly down and grabbing on to her hand I led her through the pedestrian traffic. We were going by the central area of Port Izu. There was quite a lot of people, so I was careful not to let go of Millys hands. In the end I couldnt decide on a particular location and after wandering around, we ended up to a place where there was a lot of shops. There are various shops around here, so it is probable that Milly will like one of them right? Just like my idea was a bingo, after walking for a while Milly stops in front of a shop. She was looking through the window of the shop. She was looking at a small doll with braided red hair. Muu, I feel like Ive been in this situation somewhere before. I miss those days After hearing Millys voice, I suddenly remember it. When I first met Milly and fought the boss monster King of the Dead and after I scolded her for her rash actions against the boss monster, it was the same as the time where I went to Beruta town to buy the item for monster subjugation. At that time, she was also crying and apologizing to me and was feeling really depressed. When I came back from Beruta, just like this she was staring at a doll and I remember the situation vividly. Ahh.. Come to think of it youre right. Haha Recalling our past, I inadvertently laughed. Seeing me like that, Milly pinches my arm. Dont you know that hurts At that time, I wanted to be with Zeph just a little longer. But I didnt really know what to say Even if you didnt say anything, havent we been together since that time? I really didnt understand it back then! . But now I finally understand the reason Saying that, Milly turns towards me and presses her lips against mine. Because she turned towards me so vigorously her teeth struck mine and a kachink sound echoed. Milly held her mouth because of that small pain. OwwieHehe, that didnt go so well did it? Milly..? Alright! With this Zephs punishment game is over! Now then, everyone is probably waiting for us, so lets return shall we ? ? Spinning around Milly linked both her hands behind her back. Was she feeling embarrassed? In any case she quickly walked into the crowd of people. After standing there in a daze for a while, I finally realized it. At that time, whenever I held Millys hands, isnt it because she would be lost like a child if I didnt? I ran after her to chase her but it was already too late. I couldnt find Milly anywhere, after looking for a while, I decided to contact her telepathically and thats when I heard her tearful voice. I finally managed to meet up with her but Milly was sniffling and teary eyed. I held her hands and she strongly grabbed on to mine with both of her hands. Dont cry stupid. .. And also, dont let go of my hands again, alright? Milly was having the sniffles and I gently caressed her head as she nodded back to me. I got in contact with Lydia and was on my way back to the inn. (Ahh Zeph-dono, has Millys condition improved yet?) Thats when I heard a familiar voice in my head. This was Adreis voice. That reminds me, before he left he put something into my pocket. I rustled around in my pocket and I found a crystal ring fragment. Giving me something like this, what kind of schemes does he have I wonder? (Is that you Adrei? Putting this into my pocket and talking to me, are you trying to cheer Milly up?) (Well something like that. ) Adrei was speaking nonchalantly. (Sigh Is this your attempt at first trying to gain my favor ?) (Before shooting the general you first shoot his horse, there is a foreign saying from a different country that Ive heard you see?) I dont really know his point but I may as well take it as an affirmation? After saying that I will visit his shop in the future, I cut off communication with Adrei. He truly is a very cunning guy. CH 96 Translator: Nefarian When we arrived at the inn, Claude came out to meet us. Noticing our arrival, she waved her hands energetically and ran over here. In the middle of her run she saw the change in Milly so she smiling happily. Thats great! After exclaiming this, Claude used both of her hands to wrap it around mine and Millys hands which were currently linked together. She was smiling brightly and showing her pearly white teeth, Claude definitely looks like a pretty boy when shes like this. Woopsies! she wasnt wearing her bulky armor right now, so saying that might be a little rude. Yeah, she made you worry didnt she? Claude Im sorry, Claude Its alright! As long as Milly-san has become energetic! Claude was jumping up and down in a good mood, Milly had a slightly embarrassed face as she smiled in return. N-now that you mention it, wheres Lydia? Perhaps she was becoming overly embarrassed but Milly was trying to change the topic. Lydia-san is negotiating the contract for the inn. It seems that she was accustomed to things of this nature so.. That reminds me, back when we were in Beruta Town, the one who introduced us to the inn we stayed at was Lydia. Thanks to her, we were able to stay in the inn for a long period of time without much trouble. I suppose we will have to count on her this time around as well. Just as I was thinking about this, the door to the inn opens and Lydia shows her face. Just when we were talking about her, she appears. Ohh, Zeph-chi and Milly-san. Looking at you guys, you must have made up with each other Putting her hand over her mouth, Lydia was smirking and laughing. Both of these two girls think quite alike. But well, its also a fact that they helped. Thank you After thanking the two girls, I smiled with a complex expression on my face. Suddenly, Kyururururu, I heard a rumbling sound from beside me. When I looked to the side, I could see Millys red face looking down. For the time being, since weve made proper reservations for the inn, shall we go and find some food? The food in the inn sold out really quick, so I dont think there is any left for us I-I suppose so! Lets go, Milly-san! .yea Pulling along Milly who had a red face, we returned to the main street. By the way, I heard from the people working at the inn that the carriage that goes to the capital only arrives to town every 10 days Whens the next arrival date? Nn~ In about six days I think? Thats plenty of time. Adrei had already left using a carriage to go somewhere, but well hes really rich. He probably has plenty of methods to travel. Even without a carriage we could still travel via teleportation but it is not really necessary for us to be in such a rush. Because it takes a couple of days to go to the capital by carriage, it would be necessary to camp outside if we were to travel by teleportation. If my memory serves me correctly, there should be a dungeon in the vicinity of Izu Town. It is still possible to do training here, so I think that we can just wait for the next carriage to arrive. In a port town like this that is near the capital, they should have some delicious food that we can eat right? Clau-chan eats quite a lot of food but, she doesnt seem to get any fatter does she~? I-Im in my growth period, thats why.. Lydia leans over Claude and hugs her from behind, she was massaging and fondling her chest. If I must say so myself, indeed she seems to have grown in that area. When I looked in Claudes direction, Milly gripped my hand strongly and stared towards me piercingly. By the time we reached the shopping district, it was already evening and a good smell was drifting from a nearby store. Its been a long time since Ive eaten a good meal. I dont necessarily dislike simple fish dishes, but more complex cooking was still better. Especially in Izu Port City where various ingredients are gathered from all over the world, I suspect that we will be able to eat a variety of delicious meals. Even if I wasnt Milly, even my stomach would rumble at the thought. When we were looking for places to eat, we came to this shop with a huge white wall. Looking at this shop, there was a long line of people waiting. Uwaah~ This is amazing isnt it..? Its so popular. This kind of queue is something that Ive never seen in Beruta Town It says that we need to wait approximately 2 hours. Shall we go find another restaurant then? Indeed, it might have been really delicious cooking but, waiting hours in line just to have a meal is inefficient. At the very least, it was impossible for me. When I turned around to find another shop, I ran into Claudes breasts as she was just standing still. Claude? Claudes gaze was turned towards the back alleyway. When I traced where she was looking at I arrived at this small shadow that was moving in a dark pathway. it seems to be a child, moreover that is A beast person? A beast person is one of the races that often lived in these northern continents, it was a half-human, half-beast race. They were essentially people with animal ears and or tails, and this change was not merely limited to their physical bodies but it could also affect the way their minds worked, and in comparison with normal human beings, their mind was a little more unstable and prone to agitation. If they got excited, they would often act impulsively like they were a beast. However, their fighting capabilities and their abilities to search for their enemies exceed those of humans, and there are instances where they have worked together with humans to fight against monsters and demons. The special characteristics of their eyes is that normally they are blue, but when they are in the peak of their emotions their eyes will turn red. The rumors are that the first beast person came to existence because they were transformed by the magical energies in the land. Magic is abundant and overflowing in the ground, and there are times the magical energies that are collected in the ground gushes forth. When this happens a dungeon is created, and the magic that gushes out creates water and rocks, animals and monsters in the neighboring area, since ancient times, it is believed that when a person lives in an area of land that accumulates a large amount of magical energy for an extended period of time, the result is that their children will be born into half-human, half-beast. With this kind of context, asides from the adventurers who are used to fighting, it was difficult for the people of the town to accept them for who they are. It was especially hard on the children. The children of beast people were likely forced to pick up scraps of food that were thrown away and they were holding a pot in their hands. Claude was looking at them with such sorrowful eyes. They were barely making a living for themselves, and perhaps it made her remember about her old lifestyle. Oi, Claude. T-that cant be true! Ahaha.. I havent even said anything. Claude was letting out a dry laughter. Hey, you guys. Want to try eating this? After seeing Claude, Milly entered the ring of children. Im not sure when she bought it but she was holding some cakes in her hand. Isnt that the thing that Milly often eats for her snacks? Even though nothing will change even if she did something like this. Haa, after breathing out a sigh, I could hear Lydias happy laughter from behind. Both of you are so kind~ Its only sweets. That kind of thing is only done for self-satisfaction Ahaha, but Zeph-chi you were smiling you know? Muu, I didnt realize it myself but my face was being lax? I was scratching my head and Lydia was crossing both her arms behind her head whilst showing a smile of mischief. If it was me in the past seeing that kind of action, I would of deemed it as inefficient and waste of time, but after being with the girls it would seem that I have changed a little as well. Breathing out another sigh, I took a step forwards toward the children crowding around Milly. Hey, you guys Although I was calling out to them, the children were completely absorbed and indulging themselves on the cake that they received from Milly. ..These kids. It wont be enough with just that right? I will let you eat something even more delicious than that so come over here Before I even finished my sentence, the children turned towards me and they had this beast like glint in their eyes. ..These rascals. They were indescribably calculative. Walking with droves of beast children behind me, I entered a not so popular shop. Along the way, there was plenty of curious and scornful gazes but I didnt mind them at all. The shop assistant came to take my order with a puzzled look and I started to order everything from the beginning to the end of the menu. If you serve visitors like this, thats the reason you wont get many guests. Whilst watching the children greedily devour the food around them, I was eating a roasted chicken. Mu, the taste isnt bad. When I bit into the crispy skin of the roast chicken, a boy turns his gaze towards me. His age was probably a little undermine. Even when he was following me before, it felt like he was leading everyone else. It is likely that this fellow is their leader. In spite of being a child he seems to have a strong-minded face and his eyes looked sharp. Come to think of it, these children were wearing rags but they seemed to have washed themselves properly and they didnt really smell. Staring into my eyes like he was evaluating me, he showed me his white fangs and an amiable smile. Nii-chan giving us a meal to eat, thanks alot!1 If you want to give your gratitude, you can give it to Milly. Because all of this is her treat Cough! When I said this and pointed at Milly, she was so surprised that she choked on the food she was eating. Lydia was patting Millys back as she was having a coughing fit. Are you alright? Milly-san cough, cough. Zeph. I was joking Looking at how she was choking, I let out a chuckle. Seeing the situation the young boy, poked me with his elbow. oh man~ but seriously Im so jealous of you bro~ .Let me just tell you but no matter how much you try to flatter me; this is going to be the only time Ill treat you. To begin with, dont you each have your own houses you can return to I glared at the young boy. Oh man hahaha.. Did we get found out? Your clothes are properly washed, and for a kid thats supposed to be homeless, the complexion of your skin is also quite good. This builds the evidence that youve lived a reasonable life Perhaps Milly and Lydia didnt notice this fact, but they were showing surprised expressions. As for me I was even thinking that they may be forced into doing something like this by their own guardians Isnt that being way to suspicious Claude? Even I did not conceive of such an idea. After exchanging looks with Milly, the young boy stood up and scowled at Claude. Big sis Sill isnt going to do something like that! Shouting out in an angry voice, the young boy startled everyone. The young boys eyes turned red in anger, and his white fangs were showing for an instant. Red eyes, this is the so called wild temperament of the beast people I suppose? Before he acts violently, would it be better for me to put him to sleep? When I was thinking about such things the boy covered his own face with his hand. ..ops My bad After apologizing lightly, he closes his eyes, and repeatedly takes in a deep breath. He was also reciting something out in a mumble. Was he trying to suppress and control his own feelings? After waiting for a while, the boy that was concentrating on his breathing opened his eyes slowly. The eyes which had been dyed red until a moment ago turned back to a clear shade of blue. After the boy settled down, Claude bowed her head to apologize. Im am sorry. I didnt intend to offend you; I was being insensitive Ahh its fine, our kind easily gets flared up. I almost made the mistake of attacking the benefactor who generously treated us to a meal Claude was quite worried and the boy just told her not to mind it whilst laughing. The other kids also seemed to feel relieved. It seems that this nature is more troublesome than Ive heard it to be Ah yeah I guess. Thats why big sis Sill always tells out not to trouble other people. Nn but instead of talking about this, lets eat! eat! Ahhn! That was my meatt! This is my treat to them Having a meal surrounded by a large group from time to time isnt all that bad either. In saying that these children have a terrifying appetite and there was little food left over for us to eat. Especially Milly, she kept losing to how quick the children were snacking up the food. It might be better if I started to order extra. When I was thinking about such things, the ear that was on top of the boys head pricked up and moved. This is bad its big sis Sill. Lets run away, you guys! As soon as the leader young boy said this, the children started to scatter and disperse in all directions, jumping out from the open windows. Im not really sure whats happening but it seems to be their guardian? A beast persons senses were much more astute in comparison to a human. Its likely that they heard some kind of sound approaching. In an instant the table that was rowdy moments ago turned silent, and whilst we were staring at them in surprise, the windows were wide open and most the children were already gone. Thanks a lot! Lets meet again okay! The young boy gives his salute and closes the open window with a slam. When everyone was exchanging looks with each other, this time the front door of the cheap restaurant opened. When we looked towards the door there was this girl wearing a blue priestess outfit. Her light pink hair grows down to her waist, and her long eyelashes and her tightly bound up breasts were rising up and down as she tried to catch her breath. When I raised my face upwards, her black eyes locked on to mine. CH 97 Translator: Nefarian The attention of everyone in the shop turned to the girl in the Priestess outfit as their eyes slowly opened wider. The face of the girl who saw the disastrous scene inside of the restaurant changed from red to blue. Is she perhaps Sill, the elder sister that boy was talking about? Her face was turning paler by the second and sweat was rolling down her cheeks, in the next moment, she turned herself towards the shop owner and greatly lowered her head in apology. Im so very sorryy! The store owner that suddenly saw her vigorously bow her head became speechless. Those children seemed to have caused trouble again.. so Even whilst she was apologizing she was looking at the store owner with upturned eyes. Although the shop owner was momentarily perplexed at the scene, after a while he grinned at her as if her realized something. .Shirushu-san, you need to properly look after those troublesome brats~ 1 Im sorry! Im so sorry! Perhaps he was pleased with her obsequious nature of apologizing repeatedly, but the store owner lifts the corners of his mouth even further and takes another step towards her. If things would be settled by just apologizing we wouldnt even need Dispatch Magicians, dont you think so.? Uu.. Then what do I need to do..? What I want is for Shirushu-san to show more sincerity. You know what good faith is, right? S-Sincerity? Shirushu was perplexed and the man reached out his burly hands and gripped on to her shoulders. Shirushu shows a bitter smile and her face was cramping up. You should leave it at that Along with the sound of my voice, I floated a fireball right in front of the storekeepers face. I had chanted out Red Ball. MMagician.! The children did not do anything bad. There is no need for you to apologies to the shop owner Shirushu had a puzzled face as she alternated her gaze between the embarrassed shop owner and me. Walking briskly towards the shop keeper, I paid the bill for the meal. Umm? We were the ones who invited and treated them to the meal. But they seemed to be terribly afraid. Of this person called elder sister Sill *Kuku* I smiled at Shirushu and she seemed to finally understand the circumstances, her face was dyed in the color of shame. Im sorry! Im so sorry! This time she was repeatedly bowing towards me. When a woman dressed this properly was behaving so modestly, although not to the extent of that shop owner from before, but it really makes me want to tease her a little bit. 2 When I was thinking about such things, I felt a prickling glance from the three girls behind me. Suppressing my sadistic mind, I waved my hands to let Shirushu know not to worry about it. Those children were hanging around down town and seemed to be really hungry so I treated them. I was just being a busy body. So its nothing you need to worry about I-Is that really so? In that case thank you very much Once again Shirushu bowed her head towards me. I just told her not to worry about it Lydia approaches Shirushu and taps her shoulder to comfort her. There there, Zeph-chi has already said that it is alright, so you dont have to worry about it so much That will not do! I need to show my gratitude somehow! If there is something that I can do, please tell me! .Although I dont have any money. Hou. You said youd do anything? You cant be like that, Lydia-sann. Lydias eyes were catching on this dangerous glint and Claude quickly pulls Shirushu away from Lydia. Nice follow Claude. You want to thank us. Hmm~ then how about you show us around the city, what do you say? We still have plenty of time before the carriage to the Capital arrives so, until then we will be staying over here This Port Town was the passing point for people that wanted to go to the Capital, so various kinds of people and interesting things were gathered here. Ive also come here in my past life and because I was alone at that particular time, my mode of transport was mainly using teleportation. There may be somethings here that only a local person living in the area would know about. Hearing Claudes suggestion, Shirushus face became a beaming smile. If thats the case, it would be an easy request! Saying that Shirushu pats her chest in confidence. Perhaps she hit her chest too hard? but she started to cough a little afterwards. Whats this? Because that young boy was so afraid of her I thought that she might be someone scary but, she seems to be quite the pleasant girl. Although her habit of apologizing so much might be her weakness. Milly was also giggling. Hey Zeph-chi, for now lets get out of here? Thats true. Everyones glance is a little uncomfortable Both of the girls seem to be worried about the eyes of the people in the restaurant. There werent really many customers in this shop so I didnt think it was something they needed to worry about. But well, there is no reason for us to stay here anyways. Wait a moment When we were going to go outside, the store owner called out to stop us. When I turned around, he thrust a sheet of paper towards me. Theres not enough money Apparently, it was a little insufficient. When I put out the remaining owed, Shirushu gave me another look of apology. After getting out of the shop, Milly who had not yet been satisfied by the previous meal suggested that we continue to eat at a nearby snacking shop. After finishing our food orders, Shirushu started to do her self-introduction with a slight bow. Im sorry that Im late in introducing myself. My name is, Shirushu Onslaught After she introduced herself, we also replied in kind. My name is Zeph My name is Milly Reyad! Pleased to meet you, Shirushu I am Claude You can call me Lydia Please treat me well, everyone After everyone finished introducing themselves, Shirushu bows her head again. She gives her bow to Claude and Lydia. Then panics and continues to bow to Milly. Being polite is good and all but I think shes a little too formal. I work as a sister of the church on the outskirts of this town. I am taking care of those children but.. they are really naughty Showing a troubled face and an apologetic smile Shirushus face looked like a mothers face, it reminded me of that mother in the town of Nanami. I extended my hands towards the food that the employee brought to our table; Shirushu on the other hand was only grabbing the cup in front of her and drinking water. By the way Shirushu, is it alright even if you dont chase after those children? No, more importantly, I need to show you guys my gratitude After all those children were troubling you Nn~ But its already getting dark *chew, mumble*.. Arent we just going around town? If thats the case I think it would be fine if we did it tomorrow? Lydia-san, thats bad manners. Mou.. Lydia was holding all the food in her mouth while talking so Claude warns her about it. Looking at this scene Shirushu chuckles. Is everyone here perhaps an adventurer? Yeah, we came from the eastern continent. We just arrived here today Then do you have any places to stay at. Ah, if youd like perhaps you could stay over in our church! Shirushu leans forwards and puts both of her hands against her chest with a joyous face. Weve already booked at an inn so dont worry Is that so..? After Lydias reply, Shirushu was clearly depressed. Did she really feel that indebted just because we treated the children to a meal? Shes such an honest person. Shirushu, You dont have to mind it so much you know? No, that wont do..! .. By the way, umm are you going to eat that? Shirushu twitched at the sudden interruption by Milly. Now that you mention it, shes been doing nothing but sip on water. No, I havent ordered any foods so please go ahead! Besides, Im not hungry at all! Shirushu was flapping her arms whilst offering her portion to Milly, but I could see that her eyes were locked on to the bone chops I was holding. You want some? When I presented my bony chops to Shirushu, her white throat made a gulping noise. You were taking care of all these hungry children. You cant be letting yourself get hungry as well, right? No! I havent paid any money for this, besides, I cannot allow myself to receive such a generous gift.. Muguu!?3 The moment Shirushu opened her mouth, I shoved the thick bony meat into her small mouth. The meaty juices streamed down her pink colored lips. Staring in wonder, Shirushu who hasnt seemed to have tasted meat in a long time had this melted expression on her face. Doesnt it taste good? When I asked in a teasing manner, Shirushu was nibbling and eating with an indescribable expression as she mumbled out the words. She had so much in her mouth that I couldnt really tell what she was saying but just from looking at her face, I already knew what she wanted to say. After wholeheartedly sucking on the piece of meat that I gave her Shirushu immediately started to eat it up. Her mouth was opened. Eating it very intently until all that was left was a totally cleaned out bone. Fuhaah Shirushu was sighing as if she was spellbound and this inevitably pulled everyones attention. Was she really that hungry? All the meat in the bone totally disappeared into her mouth. Showing you this unsightly face of mine, Im very sorry In the end Shirushu herself managed to finish half of the things we ordered, and she once again started to repeatedly bow her head to us in apology. Dont worry about it, its fine Im telling ya! Just make sure to make up for it tomorrow, okay?? Yes! Thats of course! I will do my utmost, so please allow me to become the best town guide! When you talk about the church being on the outskirts of town, do you mean that thing, over there? When I looked to where Lydia was pointing at, I could certainly see a isolated church on the outskirts of town. Small shadows were moving in the garden. Although it was hard to see from this distance, those shadows were likely the children. Shirushu seemed to be relieved that the children had returned safely and she breathed out deeply. Shirushu, I think that we should leave it at this for today. We will be counting on you tomorrow Yes! . In that case, please excuse me Yeah Shirushu gave us a big and curt bow, and with an amazing amount of energy she ran towards the church. I was smiling wryly as I saw her off but she stumbled on a stone-paved road across the way and fell flat on her face. Seeing that Milly burst into laughter. Shes such an interesting person isnt she, Zeph? Thats true, but having Shirushu as our town guide, I feel a little uneasy I feel uneasy in a different meaning though Ahahah! After coming this far, I think it would be much easier if you didnt worry so much, Clau-chan? Giving up Claude lets out a sigh, and Lydia goes behind her and hugs her breasts from behind. CH 98 Translator: Nefarian After seeing Shirushu off and returning inside of the inn, we walked towards our bedrooms. When we went inside the room, there was four big beds and this was a great difference between the small cabin we had to sleep in just until yesterday. Well it was fine in its own way but.. .. Why am I also in the same room? Eh? Is that a bad thing? Obviously it isnt good! Lydia pretended to be ignorant about this matter. I mean back when we were sailing in that ship and we were pressed for money, it was inevitable for us to stay in the same cramped room together, but if it was possible to obtain a decent room, obviously we needed to split the rooms. Nn~ But isnt is way more convenient this way? I mean the thing with helping me with my magical power line. back at the ship? Its it more efficient this way jyan? Mu, if you mention it like that I suppose she has a point. It is certainly more efficient this way.? I think its fine. After all I dont think Zeph is the kind of person to do anything strange. Right, Claude? I.I dont particularly. mind Averting her gaze, Claude glances towards me with a red face. The moment she met my eyes, she quickly lowers her gaze. Well if nobody else minds it then I suppose I dont really mind either. Well, I suppose I dont really have any reason to oppose this either After saying this I sat down on the bed. We arent going to be staying here for a long time anyways, so at least whilst we are in Izu it should be fine. I always go out every night to hunt, so it would be bad of me if I woke them up during this time. Whilst thinking about this, Lydia stood up and did a big stretch for her body. Now then! Shall we take a bath! Thats true, it wasnt possible to take a bath in the ship so my body is really sticky You cant peep at us! Zeph! As if Id peek, how foolish Lydia leads the way and I saw the three girls off as they hurriedly left the room, finally having time to take a breather I was resting on the bed when suddenly it dawned on me. Now that I think about it, that girl Ain hasnt come out in a while. Because I dont have any more high-quality mediums, is that why she cant come out? In the fight I had with the Kraken, I used up all of it so I tried chanting out the summon servant spell, but nothing happened. I became a little worried so I opened up Millys bag and took out a high-quality medium before trying to chant the summon servant spell one more time. Along with a flash of light, Ain appears. In the brief time that I was feeling relieved, Ain was collapsed on top of me with her eyes still closed. I raised her body in front of me to take a good look at her face, but her usually cheerful appearance could not be seen. Oi Ain? Hey! Are you alright!? When I shook her shoulder, her small mouth moved and twitched in response. Uu. Gramps.. Food.. The first thing she said from her small mouth was an urgent request for food. Although Im glad that she wasnt sick, Ive really done a bad thing to her. From now on I need to be more mindful of this matter. I instantly paid a visit to the town at night, purchasing about 100 high-quality mediums from a general store, I quickly went to the back of the alley to chant the summon servant spell again. I grabbed a handful of them to give towards Ain and she immediately munched on them. Oi, dont eat so fast, youll choke on them Wafuahfueru Wafuahfueru!1 I didnt really know what she was saying but, she seemed to be energetic so I felt relieved. Im sorry, its not like I forgot about you but Wafure fuhihafuehi! Ehhai yuruha inrafurae!2 Saying this, she pointed her finger on the tip of my nose. Im telling you, I have no idea what you are saying. Just talk about it later, for now just stay silent and eat up When I presented her with more, it goes without saying that she quickly took the high-quality mediums from my fingers and gobbled them up. Fuhaah~ My stomachs so full? After a while she seemed to be really full. She patted her own belly and she breathed out a content sigh. My bad, Ain. Ill make sure this kind of thing doesnt happen again from now on Thats right! Im still in my growth period so I wont permit it if you try to skip my meals! I know, I know. Ill make sure to feed you properly After patting Ains head, her rough breathing finally settled down. But well, its also not good to overeat so perhaps I might need to restrict your diet a little Huh? Ains face which was really determined a little while ago suddenly turned pale. If you just eat like this without any restrictions, it will be really dangerous for my wallet. Not just that, Ain, I also know that you sometimes come out when I dont call you and you sneakily eat the mediums T-thats because my stomach gets emptyy. In any case, Im going to give you 10 pieces every day. Although, I will also feed you that much whenever you turn into your Divine Sword Form: Ainbell No wayy~ Gramps come on. Turning her big wet eyes towards me, she gave me a puppy-eyed look. Holding on to my shoulders, she leaned against me coquettishly. Where did she learn such a trick, I wonder? But still, A no is a no Auuu~ After saying this, Ain looked depressed and she disappeared along with a flash of light. When I returned to the inn, Milly and the other girls had finished their bath. The three of them had already changed into their pajamas and they were combing their wet hair. In the middle of them, a red ball that Milly produced was floating in the air. They were probably trying to dry their hair with that. Welcome back, Zeph-kun Where did you head off to~ I had a little something to take care of Sitting on my own bed, I looked at the three girls. Perhaps their body was flushed after taking a hot bath but, all their faces were red. Maybe they were still hot? But their clothes were quite exposed and their hair was sticking to their cheeks. They had a really long bath it seems. However, when these three girls are lined up like this. Youre still like a child arent you, Milly? Whaa!? Raising a hysteric scream, Milly covered her small breasts with her small hands. That and the red ball floating in the air started to shake violently. Oi, thats really dangerous you know? I immediately casted a blue ball to offset it. Thats precisely what I mean by childish Muu~! Zeph you bakaa! Puffing up her cheeks, Milly glares at me, seeing the situation both Claude and Lydia laughs. Zeph-kun is such a tease isnt he? Because hes like that Milly-chan cant be honest with herself~ Saying this, Lydia holds both of Millys shoulders and pushed her down on to the bed. Wait.. Lydia!? Please stay still, Milly-san Milly was flapping her feet around, and Claude started to firmly hold her down, Lydia began taking her clothes off. In the twinkling of an eye, her outer garments were all taken off, and Millys small back was revealed. Milly was glaring at the two girls reproachfully, but she now resigned and buried her face into her pillow. There we go, all yours Zeph-chi? Even if you say that.. What do you want me to do? Come on Milly-san, you need to ask him properly I couldnt follow where this was going and both Claude and Lydia seemed to be having a lot of fun. Milly continues to be silent and doesnt move. The truth is, we spoke with Milly a little while ago, and the reason she was so sulky this morning is.. Wahh! S-Stop! Claude! Ill say it myself so! Shouting in a loud voice Milly tells Claude to not reveal anymore, and she gave a glance in my direction. It seems that she was greatly embarrassed, so her face was dyed red. Millys mouth moved slightly and although she was mumbling something out, I couldnt really hear her. What was that? I cant hear you Milly your.hand Can you please speak in a louder voice? To be honest with, I already understood the gist of what she was trying to say, but I deliberately asked her. Claude looks at me with a face that said, dont be such a teasee. Normally Milly was so cheeky and conceited, seeing her like this was rather sweet. Her shoulders were slightly trembling and Milly was tightly grasping on to the pillow. II want you to do the same thing.. that you did with the other two! While her face was still buried in the pillow, she spoke in such a big voice that the next room probably heard her. Both Claude and Lydia showed a smile of relief. Although I dont really mind it Since Milly already has quite the developed magical power line, it probably wont be that effective you know? Thats fine! Although she spoke in a smaller voice than previously, I could feel a strong resolution. Good grief, if she asked me in this manner every time, I would do it as much as she likes. I understand. Im going to start caressing your back gently, okay? . Okay Looking downwards, Milly has a slight smile on her face. Sitting across from her, I placed my hand in the center of her small back. When I paid close attention, I found that Millys magical power line was indeed thick and developed throughout her whole body. It really seems like this is just going to be me gently caressing her back Well, considering Milly has showed her courage and went this far to ask me, it wouldnt be nice if I just treated her with disdain. When I twined my magical energy with Millys magical power line, I could tell that bit by bit, Millys body was starting to tremble. Was she feeling a little cold perhaps? When I moved her magical line with my hand a little, Millys head sank further into her pillow. And, .Puh! Ahahahaha! TThats really ticklishh! S-stop I cant anymore! Hyafufuh! She suddenly started to burst into laughter. I was staring blankly as she looked behind her back towards me and twisted her body. She escapes towards her futon. Hii.hiiisorry.. Zeph. but Im at my limits.. You.. Rolling around laughing Milly was teary-eyed. Watching her like this, I let out a sigh with an amazed look on my face. CH 99 Translator: Nefarian In the end Milly laughed herself to sleep so I covered her with her futon blanket. Afterwards, both Claude and Lydias magical power lines were reinforced and strengthened. At that time, Lydia was staring at Claude because she was letting out these weird sounds of Uwaa~ or Tahaa~. Claude seemed to be embarrassed, so the moment we finished our session she immediately covered herself with her futon and went to sleep. Lydia lied down and when I came towards her she grinned at me whilst whispering in a low voice. My, my~ Clau-chan she was kind of ero tic wasnt she~? .. I think Lydia is pretty much the same though Eh~ You really think so~? For some reason Lydia was acting all shy. Its terrifying how she has no self-awareness. After that I decided to take a short nap and when I woke up it was early next morning. I felt sluggish and still quite tired, perhaps I overslept a little? (Zeph, are you free right now?) As soon as I woke up, I heard a voice in my head. This voice is. (Silverie!) (Its been quite a while hasnt it. Theres another matter that I want your help with but) (Hang on, before we go any further, Silverie, did you know that I am unable to initiate the conversation towards you?) ? Silverie becomes silent. As expected she had no idea (When you divided your crystal ring and gave me a fragment of it, it makes it possible for us to initiate a conversation, however, only the owner of the ring is capable of establishing communication) (Unh.. Is that so?) I feel like this is the first time shes heard of this fact. This is why shes such a loner. (.. Let me just make this clear, but Im not a loner. Its just that I havent used this type of thing before) (For an adventurer to have never used a crystal communication ring before. Well, Ill be thankful as long as you call out to me sometimes. I also have something I want to give you) (Mu, I dont mind going to pick it up) (The thing is that Im currently in the Northern Continent. There is a couple of things I needed here) I understand. Well in that case the next time we meet, Ill be contacting you again) (Yeah, thanks Silverie) After I said my thanks, she laughed like she was a little embarrassed and then Silverie cut communications. The next time we meet, Ill be sure to give a fragment of the crystal ring that I possess so that I will be able to converse with Silverie. Well it seems that it wont be long before we meet though. While talking with Silverie, I was changing from my sleepwear to my everyday wear. The sun was starting to rise and things were getting a little brighter. Although its kind of like a half-measure, it will still be sufficient for me to take a look at the surroundings of the town, right? When I was going to leave the inn, the boss of the inn was looking at me whilst smirking. Well well, you had plenty of fun last night, didnt you? Hm yea.? I didnt really understand what this inn owner was talking about, and I merely returned an indifferent response. What on earth was he talking about I wonder? Port Izu wasnt really a large town but, it was a town connected to the sea and the capital. Even this early in the morning the streets were bustling with traffic and people were filled with livelihood. Getting out of this alley and walking along the wall, I found a robust looking soldier guarding a gate. Noticing me, the guard gave this intense smile. Good morning. Young boy! Yyea This kind of thing happens in most towns, when I was in Beruta town, Lydia was well known so we didnt run into much trouble back then. But if I had to explain the situation by myself it would be troublesome. 1 I hid myself in the shadow of a nearby house and chanted out the black coat spell. This magic uses a refraction of light in order to conceal someones appearance. Whilst under the cover of this magic, it is only possible to move around slowly but its quite the useful spell. Slipping past the soldier, I managed to go outside. It seems that he didnt notice. Chanting teleport, I appeared in a rocky area and climbing to the top I could see a wilderness as far as my eyes could reach. Walking with light steps, I could feel a presence from behind me. When I turned around, a beast with four pairs of rocky legs groaned and looked towards me. It had a red glint in its eyes, sharp fangs and saliva slobbering down its mouth. Rock Wolf Level 22 Magical Power Level: This is one of the monsters that lived in the surrounding areas of this town and was one of the strong ones. Compared to the continent in the east where I used to live, the continent up north here has strong ties to the earth and the magical power of earth is quite high in these areas. Naturally, the monsters born in this area also have an affinity with the earth. Red Crash I killed it in a single blow. If its just this much, there should be no problems. The rock wolfs body rattles and crumbles to the ground revealing a shining crystal. So that I can feed the starving Ain, I should get to work, right? Putting the crystal away into my pouch, I started walking again, thats when two rock wolves appeared from the left and right from a nearby boulder. I immediately cast red crash to the rock wolf approaching from the left, and whilst hearing the sound of its body crumbling, I deftly side stepped the rock wolf attacking from the right. After a short pause, I cast another red crash. I was able to take care of both of these rock wolves immediately. Although they arent that difficult to take care of, there seems to be quite a lot of them. Incidentally, I did have something I wanted to try out. Currently I have levelled up Time Square to a sufficient stage that I am able to cast 3 consecutive spells in one instance. And the result of this is the spell I synthesized and combined in the ship, the three-fold spell: Volcanon Crash. Its clearly evident that when I use the same elementary type magic and combine three of them in one spell, the power dramatically rises. Therefore, I can say for sure that it will be worth to experiment with synthesizing three-fold magic. In the middle of my thoughts, and just in time for my experiment another rock wolf appears. Chanting Time Square, I cast: Red Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball, letting it loose. Volcanon Ball From my right hand a mixture of three colors swirled together; red, black and green. the mass of reddish brown colors melted together and surged out violently. Compared to the Volcanon Crash I used the other day, this was a more basic version of that spell. When the spell collided with the rock wolf, the bullet of lava easily erased the rock wolf out of existence. Umu, however But with this, its really hard to tell the extent of this spells power After all, rock wolf was defeated in a single spell. Well, I suppose being able to destroy the wolf in one blow proves that it has a suitable amount of power. Now that you mention it, I still have that thing. Rustling around my bag, I took out the Frey Brand, which is the sword I previously obtained after defeating the Sunny Raven. If I use this, perhaps I can even create a four-fold spell? When I was fighting the dispatched magician Grain, I used Tetra Crash, a four-fold spell. This spell exudes a golden colored light when cast and it one of the most powerful spells in my current repertoire. Well the Volcanon Ball was a combination of elementary magic and was not as advanced as the Volcanon Crash, but even so it should have a considerable amount of power. Another Rock Wolf appears at its own discretion. Wielding the Frey Brand, I simultaneously casted Time Square. This time, I chanted out: Blue Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball. Mixing the three magical balls, an icy rocky ball wrapped in a storm was created. Upon impact, the rock wolf was frozen momentarily before a ball of fire collided into it making it crumble to dust. It seems my timing was off. As per usual this isnt easy to get used to. For the time being, lets call this spell the Icicle Ball Once again, I am unable to determine the exact power of this spell. After that I took a rest in between each cast, and even though I tried several more times, I was unable to cast my Tetra Ball spell. It has always had a low chance of succeeding but trying to combine it with three-fold magic increases the difficulty even more. Because it requires a huge amount of concentration in casting the spell and at the same time wielding the sword, it probably requires a mastery of both magic and swordsmanship. Do I need to start training my swordsmanship? But I am supposed to be a magician Moreover, the Icicle Ball sometimes fail to destroy the Rock Wolf in one blow, so it would seem that the power is at least weaker than the Volcanon Ball. Well, it is the Blue Ball.. In comparison with other systems of magic, the blue magic system has a weak power. To make up for it, the blue magical system has other advantageous effects but it isnt really suited for attacking. The reason I dont use this branch of magic often is precisely because of this. Completing my experiments, I noticed that the area was getting really bright so I returned to town. Before returning to the inn, I visited the general store, selling the crystals I managed to obtain from the rock wolves, I bought some high-quality mediums. General stores are often stocked with a variety of useful goods, but compared to the smaller private stores, the price is considerably more expensive when trying to buy goods. There are also private stalls in this town, but I didnt have much time to look around. Going out of the shop I went undercover and chanted Summon Servant, Ain appeared and was in a really bright mood. But seeing the 10 high-quality mediums in my hand, her face changed into despair immediately. A-After all, I only get this much? This is a whole days worth. Make sure to split it up and eat it in parts, okay? Auu~. Ain disappeared whilst carrying her 10 high-quality mediums protectively. Normally she was so boisterous, but today she was quiet. Maybe she was trying to conserve her energy? Umu, maybe I should give her a little more to eat.? In either case, it is necessary to earn more money. Suddenly, when I looked to the side, I saw a face I was acquainted with. It was the half-human, half-beast boy I met yesterday. Taking the other kids along with him, was he trying to look for scraps of food? The pots they were carrying were filled with food. Oh, Nii-chan isnt that you?! Thank you for yesterday! Are you searching for leftover foods? this isnt very admirable of you Heheh But the thing is, this place has many types of foodstuff, theres even things people dont sell in the shops, they always throw this kind of stuff away Theres even some of the things that elder sis Sill wanted She wanted some of these things? Dahaha.. This is a secret from elder sister Sill though! Saying this he pulled some kind of meat from his pot and gave it to me. Are you trying to silence me with this? Something like that! I dont really know what kind of meat that is but, its really delicious! Umu Although I felt a little uneasy, it had a good smell so I tried tasting it. It had a texture like chicken but also like a fish, well in either case, it tastes good. Im not too sure what type of meat this is But I can say that it does taste delicious, thanks Make sure that this is a secret between us okay! Once Ive made a promise I always keep it. I wont tell anyone about this Behind the boy who was looking relieved, there was this rustling sound. When the boy turned around, Shirushu was standing there shaking her grasped fist. R~u~i!? Elder sis. Sill.? When the boy was just about to escape Shirushu who was shaking her fists in anger, I caught the scruff of his neck. Rui looked at me with pleading eyes, and I gave a chuckle in return. I didnt say anything Ni-Niichan you meanie. Lifting him up and handing him over to Shirushu, he was struggling to get free but to no avail, I gave him a wicked smile. CH 100 Translator: Nefarian DD The Church at the edge of town. In the chapel, Shirushu was having a prayer session with the children, I was leaning against the wall and looking at them from behind. Shirushu was praying earnestly, but, there was many amongst the children who were yawning, and it was evident that they were bored. There was also the half-beast boy Rui and he was completely passed out. He was just being scolded quite harshly a few moments ago, but now hes already sleep, how should I put this, hes quite strong, mentally at least. Today, Shirushu, is going to be guiding us around town, thats why I just decided to wait here. When I told Claude about it via telepathic communication, she said that shell depart as soon as preparations are done. I suppose within an hour they will be able to arrive here? Milly is probably still asleep so it might take a little more time. But if Milly was to be in such a quiet space, she would probably fall back asleep. Thinking about these types of useless things, Shirushu seems to have finished her prayers so she stood up and walked towards me. Im sorry to have kept you waiting. I dont really mind it, after all I have free time to spare. The children quickly ran outside going ahead of Shirushu. As expected they were having much more fun outside, it seems theyve become much more energetic. By the way, how come I dont see any adults around here? In the past we have a reverend father, due to sickness he. .I see Since I was a child, the reverend picked me up and raised me. Although, its not purely to repay his favor, I also wanted to look after the children But I cant really do it that well Saying that, she breathes a big sigh. Its true that they seem quite troublesome. Because I had free time until Milly came, I was just absentmindedly looking at the children play around and thats when this one child suddenly fell over and began to cry. Although Rui is also there he just stood right in front of the fallen child, but he didnt try to give a helping hand. Rui just stood in front of that child but he was just watching attentively. Thats not good.! Shirushu started running and immediately tried to sit in front of the crying child, but, Rui stood in front of her not allowing her to approach. Elder sis Sill, stop. This isnt that big of a deal so dont worry~ But hes so pitiful.. Even so, you cant just pamper him, otherwise it wont be good for him later you know? Hes still just a small child! Mou! Rui you just stand over there! Shirushu gets angry and Rui looks hurt as he turned his face to the side. Fine Ill go! Oi everyone, lets go over there and play So he brought the other children and went to the other side Umu, they seem to be a lot of trouble. Nn mou. Rui Shirushus cheeks were puffed up, and I saw her taking some sort of leaf from a nearby plant that grew in the vicinity. Is that a medical herb used for a salve? When I looked around, I realized that they grew here and there. Was the Church growing these plants? Shirushu holds that leaf in her mouth, and clasping her hands in front of her chest, she shut her eyes and seemingly prayed. When she did this, magic began to gather in the leaf in her mouth. Elixir..! Along with those words, she placed the shining leaf on the young boys wounds, and in an instant the wounds on his feet healed. Shirushu had a bit of sweat flowing down her forehead as she smiled gently at the child who had stopped crying. (..Is that her own inherent magical spell?) Having my own doubts, I cast Scout Scope on Shirushu. Shirushu Onslaught Level 2 [Red] Magical Value: 0 Threshold Limit: 21 [Blue] Magical Value: 3 Threshold Limit: 42 [Green] Magical Value: 2 Threshold Limit: 51 [Sky] Magical Value: 0 Threshold Limit: 12 [Soul] Magical Value: 2 Threshold Limit: 39 Magical Power Level: 6/52 And the magic she possessed, Elixir. As expected it was an inherent magical ability. Other than this, Shirushu didnt have any other magic. However, if she did train, she would probably be able to excel in Blue, Green and Soul magic. I went near Shirushu in order to ask her in more detail. What was that just now? Ummm.. From what the reverend told me, it seems that I have some sort of inherent magic. Ive been able to use it from as far as I can remember, so I dont really understand it that well either. This ability of hers was probably born due to both her living environment and her own temperament, although this kind of thing is really rare, but I suppose thats what must have happened to Shirushu. But that kind of wound, didnt really need recovery magic to be casted on it, right? Just like Rui said, arent you being a little overprotective? Even if you just put some spit on it, that would have healed you know? Well~ But, after all, I felt so sorry for the child. In my opinion, being kind and spoiling someone, is a different thing Uuu When I gave Shirushu my advice, Rui was grinning from a distance. Onii-chan, youve said something really good there! I told you so! Shirushu, you are spoiling him too much You stay out of this, just go play over there! Yeah, yeah Saying that the boy started to play with the children again. After talking for a little while longer with Shirushu, Milly and the others arrived at the church. Alright everyone, Im going to be showing Zeph-san and the others around town so please take care of the house okay? Yes~! Then shall we go everyone? Following her lead, we went out of the church, and after walking for a little while, there was a bunch of old private houses lined up. Is this perhaps the slums? the appearance of the people around here also looks quite poor. Shirushu bows to each and everyone one of them and greets them. Responding to her greeting, these people bowed politely in return. It seems that she has the trust of the people in this part of town. When we got out of the slums, we arrived at the downtown area we were eating in yesterday, she started to stand in front of the various shops and began to give a detailed explanation of each store. Basically her explanations consisted of Someone told me this and that about this store. But she didnt seem to have any personal experience with the stores herself. Before coming out of the downtown area, we got a little hungry so we decided to have a late lunch. As usual Shirushu was being reluctant and holding herself back, but when I shoved the chefs recommended dish into her mouth by force, her face instantly melted and she made short work of the food. Is this perhaps a case of even though her mouth says no, her body is honest? When our meal finished, we climbed over this big slope and there was plenty of large buildings around us. Many new and stylish houses were here. Is this perhaps where the rich people live in? There is a big park inside of their private houses, and I could see children playing inside. Many of the children were wearing beautiful clothes, there were even some beast children in the mix. Depending on the town there was usually some form of tension in regards to beast people, but it seems that in Port Izu this tension did not exist. Perhaps the town mayor was a talented person? This place seems really good. Yes. Everyone stops walking and we saw this middle aged man walk into the park. He had neat and beautiful clothes and a moustache on his face. He dressed precisely like a nobleman would. Hello, Shirushu-san Ive been in your care, Davil-san The man called Davil seemed to be Shirushus acquaintance and he was walking slowly towards us. Shirushu was bowing politely to the man who was walking towards us with a smile. He seemed to have notices us so we also gave him a slight bow. Are these perhaps your friends? Im very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the Mayor of Port Izu, my name is Davil Kilhail Davil-san is the person who aids our church by giving us money. Shirushu-dono is a very kind person who is taking care of all the beast children that have been outcast, this is the least I can do to cooperate. Davil was smiling gently and the children from behind him comes running and clings to him. Papa! There we go, hahaha Holding the child in his arms, he gave the child a piggyback ride and Shirushu was watching on with a warm smile. But as if he remembered we were still here, he showed a flustered expression. Im sorry, Davil-san. Im going to be showing these people around so. Ahh, I dont mind it. We can always talk next time Parting from Davil, we were brought along to the residential area. Im sorry I ended up talking for quite a long time. Thats alright, dont worry, besides we have plenty of free time~ That seems kind of nice. That kind of scene from before After saying this, Claude pulls on my sleeve. You think so? I thought Shirushu looked like his lover or something. Is that the kind of man you like? Claude? .. Zeph-kun you baka I was teasing Claude, and suddenly Shirushu who started to walk awkwardly and her shoulders were shaking. Crap, did she overhear what I just said? After that, we walked a little more before we reached a Weapon and Protective gear shop lined across the road. Thankfully, by this time, Shirushus mood had already recovered. This is our last stop, after this everyone will surely be fine by themselves She was floating this really scary black smile. It would seem that she was still angry at my previous comment .Fufu, its a joke1 Milly was shoving at my sides and Shirushu poked her tongue out. However, in saying that I dont think we have time to visit every place, so I have a shop I would like to recommend Shirushu went deeper into the interior of the shopping district, and we also followed behind her. In the corner of this narrow shopping street, there was this elderly person who wore glasses and was looking after this old and worn-out store. Shirushu stopped in front of this store. Its quite a small store, but there are plenty of rare and unusual things here. it kind of tries to rip you off a little though As if I rip people off! Its a reasonable and fair price jya Shirushu was talking to me in a whisper, but the elderly person beat her butt with his cane. 2 Ouch! its hurts you know! Please stop! ..Humph The elderly person stops beating Shirushu and turns towards our direction. For the time being lets take a look Y-yeah, I suppose so. When I went inside and checked out the goods, it was definitely overpriced and it wasnt just a little bit, but this was pretty much ripping people off. However, if I were to just talk about the assortment of goods, they were of superb quality. Various kinds of rare boss items were lined up. Uohh! A Snake Bone Ring costs 500,000 Rupi?! .I wonder if I can sell mine? I probably wont be using it anymore. Zeph, are you going to sell it? Even though its. you know. Milly was fiddling with her finger as she spoke. The ring on my fourth finger, was the gift that Milly gave me in the past as a present. Ah. Well umm. If you want to sell it, Ill buy it off you for 30,000 rupi jya Thats way too cheap!! Both Milly and I synchronized in retorting to this geezer, and Lydia seems to have found something that caught her eye so she was rustling around the shelf reaching for something in the interior. What she pulled out was this rusty dust covered silver disk, is that perhaps a shield? Clau-chan, what do you think of this..? Ah! Lydia was patted the dust off and handed the shield to Claude. Claude saw the shield and her eyes were staring in wonder. This was the shield that she got from her mother when she got chased out of her house; the one that was supposed to be destroyed in her fight against Grain. Or at least, it looked exactly the same. Claude looks at the shield with a deep emotion and afterwards, she looked towards me.. I know you want it Now that you mention it, I did promise her to buy a replacement for the shield that she lost. Is that the round shield? That particular shield costs 1 million Rupi jyana ..Tsk, thats so expensive I-Its fine Zeph-kun, you dont have to do this for me.. Claude was calming me down, but she also looked kind of happy. The shield she got from her mother in the past cost this much, so I bet that she felt pretty good. However, this is really expensive. If I buy this, I will be pretty much broke, however Geezer, Ill buy it Zeph-kun!? Claude was bewildered and I placed my hand on her head. I havent seen this type of shield around much before, so I think its probably a rare item. If it ever got sold, you may never be able to find one like this again.. Besides, isnt this something that has sentimental value to you? Zeph-kun I.. In that case, come on, hurry up and pay the 1 million rupi This old geezer couldnt read the atmosphere, I paid him the 1 million rupi and left the store. Being this broke, Im going to have to earn some more money in order to provide Ain a consistent meal. After leaving the store, Claude embraces the shield I bought for her and was smiling happily. Ehehe, Thank you so much Zeph-kun Ahh, Im kind of envious of you, Claude Milly-san, didnt you make him buy you something for the punishment game? What happened during that time? Uhh..! At Claudes question, Millys face instantly turns red. T-That is umm, yes, ahaha ? Milly was being incoherent as she tried to dodge the question, and Claude was looking at her in marvel. CH 101 Translator: Nefarian After that we looked around the other shops for a while and we purchased an armor to replace Claudes broken gear. Similar to the last time she went shopping, she bought a plate armor that covered her entire chest. The Knight Card I previously bought and kept in reserve was assigned to her new armor and Lydia was the one who helped attached the card to the armor. Claudes breasts were being pushed down by the armor and when I was looking at how the shape was being tightly compressed in that tight space, Milly stood behind me and pinched my back. Ouch, ouch that hurts But you know~ Clau-chan if youre wearing that kind of boorish armor again, wont you be mistaken for a boy again? Umm But if I wore equipment that made it harder for me to fight in, I would slow everyone down and I dont want that Even at the best of times, Im already the weakest out of us so Ahaha, Claude laughs to herself and Milly flares up with emotion. Thats totally not true! Claude! Everyone here always relies on you! Milly-san.. Thank you very much. Thats true, besides, Dont you guys think that Millys actually weaker than Claude? Zephh Millys eyebrows frowned and she was glaring at me. When I tried to avoid meeting her eyes, I could see that Shirushu was looking at our group with a gentle gaze. Everyone gets along so well with each other, dont they? Well, I would say its not too bad. Fufufu. Muu, she laughs as if shes seen through us. By the time we exited the shopping district and headed towards our inn, the sun had already begun to set. After escorting Shirushu back to her own church, we headed off to the inn. It wasnt possible for us to go hunting today either, so right before dinner, I found a vacant area behind the inn and had we had a sparring session with Lydia. With Lydia as our instructor: Me, Claude and Milly took turns to participate. First we started by throwing light punches towards her, and finally she would always end by avoiding the blow and approaching us from behind to hug us tightly, then she would move to the next person. Why did she need to do such a thing? Only Lydia knew the answer to that question. For Lydia, it didnt really matter who her opponent was, she easily bested us and it didnt seem like it was hard for her to do so. Repeating this many times, we started to become really sweaty, but Lydia didnt even seem tired. Hmm, even though I wasnt using any reinforcement magic, for there to be this much difference between us Alright, then Zeph-chi will be partnered up with Clau-chan, I will be Milly-chans partner, okay? Eh~?! But why am I paired with Lydia~? Mnn~ Well thats because I thought that Milly might find it hard if she was paired with the other two and besides I can go easy on you. and also do plenty of other things? Hiii 1 Lydia was grinning as she smiled and in response Milly trembled upon hearing her words. Unlike before she completely changed her stance and was taking a really serious posture. Dont tell me, Lydia was aiming for this moment.? That cant be true can it? While I was watching Lydia who had the really eerie smile on her face, Claude approaches me from behind and tugs at my sleeves. Shall we also get started? I guess so, but just wait a moment. ? Claude was waiting for me whilst a little confused, I picked up two wooden sticks from the ground and I threw one over to Claude. The truth is that I kind of want to learn how to wield a sword. Would you mind teaching me? Ohh! Yes! Of course I dont mind it! Normally she doesnt have a chance to teach anyone else, so it seems like she became really excited. Claude proudly beats the armor that we just bought for her. She comes running towards me and stands next to my side, she then holds up her wooden stick to her own eye level. Claudes posture seemed to be very poised like an expert and it seemed like shes trained for a long time so I couldnt spot any weaknesses in her stance. Teyaah! The sword was swung down at the same time she released her breath. A sharp slashing sound of the wooden sword cutting the wind resounded and it was enough to make my hair shake. I looked at her repeating this several more times, but then it seemed that she got a little tired as she took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead. `FuuuAlright then Zeph-kun, please try to do it as well. I understand. Although I tried to mimic Claudes movements repeating the slash several times, even I could tell that my movements were sloppy. The sound of the wind being cut is completely different from when she does it. As expected, this is quite difficult. Well Its a little off. Ive never trained with a sword before so Holding her hand against her own chin, Claude scrutinized my form by watching from several different angles. .Somehow this feels embarrassing. From what I can see, your grip is loose. If you hold it like that it will slip out too easily. I think thats why the strength of the swing feels awkward. Should I hold it like this? No. Separate the hands from each other a little more. No not like that. She was trying to explain it in her own words, but seeing as she wasnt getting her message across, she became impatient and so she stood behind me and grabbed the wooden stick from behind me, placing her hands on top of mine. Her thins fingers were wrapped around mine, and she was guiding me slowly. Like this. Claude lets her face lean on my shoulders and I could feel her breath against my ear. Milly who was distracted by us, showed an opening to Lydia and she was immediately embraced by Lydia from behind. Milly-chan, even if youre jealous you shouldnt lose focus you know~? Wha. I-Im not really jealous.. Eh, please dont nibble on my ears! Mnn Puha Then can you do this seriously? I will! I will, so please stop blowing into my ears! Passing our time in this manner, both Claude and I, and Milly and Lydia continued with training until it got dark. The way that Claude taught me was both thorough and logical, it was extremely easy to understand. When I asked her about it, she told me that she used to train in the sword since she was a child. I guess its something you would expect, considering she was brought up in a Knights family. Eating dinner at the inn, and at the moment I got out of the bath and entered my room, a soft feeling wraps around both my arms. When I look to the left and the right, both Claude and Lydia were clinging to my arms. Both of them carried me to the bed and pushed me head first, down on to the bed. When I looked up, both Claude and Lydia were smiling. What on earth is going on? Well~ Normally Zeph-chi is the one doing whatever he wants to us, therefore, sometimes us girls also want to be in control~ Milly-san seems to want to return the favor for yesterday. What do you mean by return the favor, uwah!? I couldnt finish my sentence as I got the feeling of something landing on top of my back. The one squirming around on my back is. probably Milly? Milly. What are you trying to do? Nihihi? Even if I look like this, Im actually really good at giving massages. Wha.Ah!? Saying that Milly takes off my garments, and she started to touch me across my back with her small hands. Her cool hands were pushing against my back and it felt like she was caressing me, so I let out this strange voice. T-That really tickles! Oi?! Perhaps she found my reaction interesting for having being tickled? But her body that was on my back was swaying enthusiastically. Millys butt was moving across my back and it became even more ticklish. Darn itt, Ill make sure to repay you tenfold for this laterr.. Feeling Milly getting off my back, I got up slowly and pushed Milly down on to the bed from behind her. Okay, thats enough for today~ Eh!? ..Wait a second Milly. Now its my turn isnt it? Noo. I dont really need. She was twisting her body and trying to run away from me, but I wasnt going to let her get away. leaning on her back slightly I held her firmly in place with my feet. Millys face seemed to be afraid as my hands got closer to her back, and then I opened up her Magical Power Line. Im telling you Im fine, Eh, bahahahaahaha Ahhyiii~!? Kuku, you dont need to hold yourself back. Hey come on, stop trying to escape, Milly. I opened her Magical Power line and tickled her, so Milly soon becomes unable to breathe and she goes into convulsions and faints. Confirming that she was passed out, I turned my gaze towards both Claude and Lydia. Now then, who wants to go next for today? N-No~ Ive got something to do.. Clau-chan you can go first? Lydia-san was the one who said we should go with this plan, wasnt she! Please take responsibility~ I dont really mind doing both of you at the same time you know? Saying that I pushed both the girls down on to the bed, and chanted out Time Square. In the time suspension, I cast Green Wall twice and after releasing the time stop I was smiling. Green Wall Double. The bed that the two girls got on were being wrapped around by a large amount of vines, entangling both of their bodies to the bed. Wait I-Its cheating if you use magicc..!? Mnn~! Uhnn~!? The two of them desperately tried to break free but the more they struggled, the tighter the ivy vines would wrap around their bodies. Soon enough the two girls were unable to even more a muscle. They tried to speak but soon the vines enter their mouths and even started to twine around their tongues, it seems they could no longer speak Their soft bodies wearing night gowns were being wrapped by the magical vines very tightly. ~Uu! Mmph~! When a wall type magic is casted twice simultaneously, it increases the durability of the magic but reduces the effective time and range of the spell. It was normally a spell that already consumed a large amount of magical energy so the spell had limited usage. However, the effect rises to quite a big extent and normally this spell was only enough to slightly hinder a monsters movements, but right now this Green Wall Double was completely restricting the movement of the girls. The effective time of this spell will be quite short, so although its bad of me to do this, allow me to get a little rough. ~~~~Uhn!? The voice of two people crying, resounds within the inn. I started to release all of their Magical Power Lines to open it up to the fullest. Normally I would slowly open their Magical lines and go easy on them, but today I went full power. The Green Wall spell exceeded its time limit very quickly, but by that time, the two girls were already so exhausted they couldnt let out their voices, the best they could do was breathe out wildly. II cant take anymore. P-Please forgive me.Zeph-chi The two girls were petitioning me with watery eyes, and instead of replying, I gave them a grin. Perhaps they understood my intentions, but the two girls let out a small scream and they both looked like small cute animals who were frightened. In the end, I continued to fiddle and strengthen their Magical Power Line until they fainted. When it all finished, they were pretty much almost completely naked as the three lay face down on the bed sleeping as if they were dead. Maybe I went a little too far? CH 102 Translator: AquaTide Editor/TLC: Nefarian Midnight, while Im awake the other 3 are still sleeping. Milly is snoring, sleeping peacefully, Claude and Lydia is sleeping like theyre dead. I put my ear close to their face to make sure they are still breathing. Just as I thought, I was too excessive yesterday. Tampering with their Magical Power Line strongly is sure to take a burden on their bodies. Although this would mean that their magical level is strongly reinforced, if I did it carelessly, they might not able to walk for three days. Well, at this rate they wont be able to get up for a day it seems. I left the Inn while reflecting on my actions. Planning to go outside of town, I head towards the gate. Despite being in the middle of the night both of the gate keeper is standing still, keeping their guard up while having a conversation. I cast Black Coat so they cant notice me, and get out from town. If Im not mistaken, theres several dungeons near Port Town of Izu Was it to the east? Despite not knowing the exact location, I teleported away to search. I keep using teleport for about 30 minutes, after which I finally arrive at this dense forest, called Goliath Forest. Goliath Forest is a forest where various medical herbs can be retrieved and I can make quite the sum of money if these herbs are sold in the store. Thinking about Ains food expenses, I need to earn money as much as possible. Inside the big forest, there are several roads which adventurers usually pass through, I choose one among those and go deeper into the forest. The sky is dark. This forest is too thick so light cant get through, therefore, its completely dark in the night. I chant Red Ball and make it float in the air to light my surroundings. Im completely visible to monsters, but I dont mind. After all, Ive come here to hunt. For the time being Ill go deeper, and head to where medicinal herbs grow en masse. When my destination is just a step away, I feel the presence of monster. I cast Red Wave. A Heat wave is spreading around me, with me at the center, burning the invisible monster nearby. I rush out to approach the monster, its a monkey with dark green fur, called Treant Ape. After confirming the appearance, I cast Scout Scope. Treant Ape Level 48 Magical Power Level: 7132/7200 Knowing that Im approaching it, the Treant Ape immediately runs to hide in the forest. But its futile, I can see it clearly from my position. The Scout Scopes confirmation letters is moving around me. Once Scout Scope is cast, confirmation characters will remain displayed for 30 seconds. Even if its hiding behind an object, the letters will follow it. This tactic, is highly effective against a monster that is hiding itself. Nevertheless, even if I can see confirmation characters, theres still an issue. Treant Apes magical power level is 7,200, if I dont use a combination of magic, it will be hard to defeat it with one shot. But gravity sphere and pyro spheres area of effect is too small and its hard to aim. Still inside of the trees, I take aim at the letters in front of my eyes and cast time square. While time is stopped I cast Red Sphere and Blue Sphere; aiming at quite the distance away, I released the spell. Burst Sphere Instantly, I see small amount of light within the darkness, followed by a thunderous roar that shakes the forest. Then many trees are blown off due to big explosion. I protect my eyes from flying branches and clouds of dust with my both arms. When red and blue magic is combined, it will cause a big explosion. The area effect of the spell is too wide, so if I cast it too closely to my own body, Ill damage myself, another thing is that the power of this spell is inferior to the other spells. Before my eyes, fallen trees are scattering around. The letters disappears umu, looks like its dead already. It might drop something but, its too troubling to look for it Therefore, I didnt feel like picking up the loot and continue walking. At any rate, I advance while relying on Red Ball and being cautious of my surroundings. After advancing for a short time while defeating monster, Ive come to where medical herb grows en masse. A large amount of medicinal herb is growing in the vicinity. It seems Ive come here before other adventurers. I was lucky. The herb that grows here are growing because of the dungeon magical power, it will completely grow back after being plucked several days later. This is probably the same reason why inside a dungeon, trees and buildings that are destroyed will revert back to its original state in few days. The main raw ingredients required to create recovery medicine are the medicinal white plants, so I stuff those in my bag. For the time being, I cram as much of the ones thats growing around here and then I returned on the same path I came from. If I sell this in a stall, its probably going to be about 10,000 rupi. When I approach the exit, the sun began to rise, and the night become dawn. I suppose its time to return I cast teleport as I return and its already morning when I arrive in front of the Inn. Its bad! Its about Claude and Lydia! When I arrive back to our room, Millys expression is pale, then she drew closer to me. Usually the two always wakes up before Milly but they havent gotten up yet, I began to worry. What should we do Even if I call their names, they wont get up perhaps theyve caught a severe illness? ahthat They will probably be fine After Milly fainted yesterday, she continued to be in a deep sleep so Milly did not know of the circumstances that occurred afterwards. But, if they are still not getting up then. Uu Behind the teary-eyed Milly, we hear a small moan. Milly quickly turns over, heading to where the voice is and rushes over to Lydia then shakes her shoulder. Are you alright!? Lydia! Ah Umm Milly-chan ? Lydia is looking somewhere vaguely, the moment she looks at me, her face become bright red. Ze,.Ze, Ze, Ze, Zeph-chi!? She panicked and she backed away as if trying to run away from me, then she falls down from the bed. Normally, even in that position, shell land safely just like a nimble cat, but just as I thought she cant even stand up properly after that thing yesterday. I walk to Lydia, and reach out my hand. Are you alright Lydia ? Ah, ahaha While giving us dry laughter, Lydia takes my hand. Feeling a little hesitation from her, I think its that thing yesterday side effect. Well~ Im also at fault But, Zeph-chi was just too intense. Lydia cheeks are blushing while she says that. Moreover, she cant stand properly yet, so I help her by holding her back she walks unsteadily and then she sits on bed. Its an appearance that I dont normally see. Lydia looking like this is really quite rare. Alternating looks between me and Lydias red face, Milly glares at me. Zeph, what did you do to her yesterday? Youll have to guess. Ahaha, Ill go take care of Clau-chan, so the both of you should go out for today. I too wont be able to move for the time being Being sent off by the weakened Lydia, I went outside of the Inn with Milly. So, what should we do now, Milly ? Eh ? Umm how about, breakfast? Yeah thats right. It will be hard for both of them to walk today, besides I need to buy something too Seriously though, what did you do? Trying to avoid answering Milly whos glaring at me, I gently stroke her head and even though her cheeks were puffing up, she became docile. By the time we arrived to the downtown and finished eating, Millys mood is slightly better, we also bought Claude and Lydia breakfast then leave. So she wont get lost again, we held hands, then suddenly Milly stops walking, it seems that she found something. I look at where Milly is facing, suddenly we see the figure of Shirushu running with her long skirt fluttering. She doesnt have her usual relaxed face, she seems really frantic. Milly who senses that, pulls my hand and runs in Shirushus direction. Something must be wrong! Lets go! Zeph! Ha!? Wait! Milly Oi oi, what are we going to do with their breakfast. Well Lydia more or less cannot walk, and its not like I can just ignore Shirushu who seems to be in distress. Its obvious that something is wrong, I suppose I might be able to help her. We chase after Shirushu while Milly keeps pulling my hand, towards the wealthy people district. Because she usually chases the children, Shirushu ran with considerable speed, while she reached a stop at one of the houses, we were still running. Davil Kilhail is written in the mansion nameplate, its the town mayors name, the one we met yesterday. Milly is panting *haa haa* while still holding my hand and then she calls out to Shirushu. Hey, Shirushu Zeph-san! Milly-san too! Ha- fu- Milly is trying her best to catch her breath, then continues talking. Whats wrong ? Ye, yes Davil-sans child, is complaining about her stomach ache so since I can use restoration magic I was called in. What about Zeph-san? Milly saw you and was really worried so we chased after you. Thats why shes in this ragged state. Weve come to help I shrugged my shoulders said teasingly, but Shirushu doesnt have any time to laugh. Immediately after ringing the mansion bell, the attendant appears. Welcome, Please come inside Shirushu-dono These people are? Shirushu bows to a man wearing black clothes, then he looks at us. Were Shirushus acquaintance Is that so. Well then, would you two like to wait inside? How should I put this, I dont mind it even if we just returned home to Lydia and Claude. Yes! I tried to refuse but the man brought Shirushu and Milly inside. Well, I guess its okay, lets just wait and see. Shirushu is guided to a room and we are drinking served tea in the parlor. Mu, this tea looks expensive. Theres two butlers standing in the parlor, they sometimes come and offer tea to us. A short time after Milly and both of them chat around, the door is open and Shirushu comes out. 1 Her face looks terrible. She walks to us with unsteady footing and lets out a big sigh. I call out to Shirushu who seems low-spirited in a whisper. (How was it ?) (I, its probably impossible for me. That is probably the Belzel disease) Shirushus face become pale at finding out that it was the Belzel disease, but I feel like Ive heard of that name before. For a long period of time, it was the disease that afflicted people on the North Continent. It causes intense abdominal pain and high fever that will lead to the patients death in about one week. Because infection rate is low, its not really well known, hence treatment isnt discovered before a long period of time passes. DDDDHowever in the future, treatment for Belzel disease is found, and I know how to treat it. (Can you please tell me more details about the child?) CH 103 Translator: AquaTide Editor/TLC: Nefarian Were lead to leave the big parlor room, then Shirushu stops in front of a gorgeous door. Its here Inside of the room, stuffed animals and dolls are scattered around the room. Theres a child sleeping in the center of the bed. The child seems to have lost consciousness due to her high fever. Beside her is Davil who is accompanying her whilst holding her hand. He seems to be quite a doting parent. Davil-san Shirushu greets him. Davil looks at us with a grim face. Although he can leave it to his butler, he chooses to take care of his daughter with dedication. He looks really tired. Shirushu-dono? Do you need something? This person is Zeph-san, he might know something about the disease and he might be able to understand something after he examines her Introduced by Shirushu, I take a step forward, then Davil jumps to me and grabs my shoulder. Ohhh! Is that true!? It hurts. AhIm sorry. I understand that youre worried. Davil separates his hand from my shoulder and then I walk to his child. I sit down sideways from the bed and place my hands on her forehead. Then I touch her neck, chest, and stomach one by one in that order. Looking at the situation from behind, Shirushu looks worried. (Her internal organs are swelling and theres strange noise as expected it is indeed Belzel disease) Fortunately, its still in the initial stages, shell get better quickly after drinking medicine. Standing up, I report what Ive found to Davil. I know the treatment to this disease. Shell recover after taking some medicine. Really?! Then the medicine is ? It should be fine, it can be made by boiling Mil herb and drinking it. I think its growing inside Goliaths Forest. Ill pick it up tomorrow. Ohhh ! Telling him how treatment is possible, Davil grabs my hand and his eyes start to moisten up. He grabs my hand tightly with great strength. Im telling you, it hurts! Thank you very much Thanks you very much! I want to complain about his iron grip but seeing Davil thank me while crying, I was taken aback. Calm down, you can thank me later after shes completely cured Also Im just saying this but Ill be expecting a reward for this. Yes! Of course! The old man will give us money ? Can I eat a lot ? Ain suddenly appears, her eyes are sparkling and then she comes closer to my face. Oi, read the atmosphere. Just get back for the moment! Ill let you eat later! Yeah! Ain cheerfully appears and gleefully disappears. I got a feeling that shes growing up in strange direction. Restricting her diet might be a mistake. Umm The one from before is? Dont mind her Y-Yes Because of Ain, the serious atmosphere is gone. Well, recently Im running out of money, its a nice time to earn some extra cash. I was sent off by Davil who thanked me many times, and left the mansion behind. The townscape is dyed in orange; Milly began to talk to me. Nevertheless you know a lot about the Beruz disease? I never heard anything about it Its Belzel disease. Well its because East Continent didnt have much illness Hmm Rather how did you know about that? Its something I learned about in the past. I think that explanation is unreasonable In response to my excuse, Milly made a scornful look with her eyes. How come the East Continent doesnt have much illness ? Beast people is the source of infection for Belzel disease. Incubation rate is not that high though and the person whos infected usually immediately dies before the ship crosses to the other continent. Thats why since there isnt many beast people in the East Continent the disease has remained undetected Like I asked before, how come you know all of this? Damn, I talk too much. Shirushu is walking side-by-side with us and hears our conversation, her face turns pale. I really made a slip of the tongue. Is that So? Well, something like that Shirushu asks while scratching her head. Yeah, Since Shirushu takes care of the young beast people Im sure she wont talk about the disease in front of them. Furthermore, Shirushu has a strong sense of responsibility towards the beast children, thats why it seems that she received a big shock hearing all of that. Well, dont worry about it. I know the treatment; Ill quickly heal them Shirushu looks worried. Shes uneasy. Dont tell me she thought about looking for the Mil herb by herself. Ill say it in advance, dont do something dangerous Yes She seems to be brooding about it. It seems that she may really go overboard. It cant be help. I slap Shirushu butt whos looking downward and make *bashin* sound. Hyahh!? Shirushu lets out a cute voice while jumping, then turns toward me. Wha, what are you doing?! Zeph-san! Its because you dont properly respond. Dont do anything reckless! When I glared at Shirushu, she seems to falter and nods a little. I understand Shirushu answers with low voice while sending us off. After that we head back to the Inn. Along the way, Milly pinches my cheek and looks at me with a disapproving gaze. Zeph, lets stop with the sexual harassment okay? It cant be helped, I think that it was necessary. DDDDBack to the Inn, Claude and Lydia is still lying in bed. It seems this morning Lydia is putting a brave face and force herself to move, afterwards she immediately crawls into her bed. When I come inside the room, both of them turn their face toward us. AhGood morning Zeph-kun, Milly-san Im very hungry you know please buy something for us Their face looks miserable. Particularly Claude, whos still gasping for breath. I wonder if shes alright. Just in case we bought you something. Its already cold though I took out a long bread from the bag, then I divide it by half and give it to both of them. Then they eat it quickly, and although they just eat, their face looks like they still want more. Zeph-kun I know, Ill quickly buy another one Yayy~I! I love you Zeph-chi~ Lydia spread her hands and beckons me to come closer, when I did she hugged me really tightly. Although she cant really move, she still wants me to come to her. Then from behind me Claude pulls the hem of my clothes. After Im released from Lydia, I decided to go to downtown along with Milly to buy meals again. Lydia is trying to come along with us, but when I see her trying to get up from bed unsteadily, I decide that its impossible and stop her. Claude could not even get up from her bed, she has been shivering for a while, after which she collapsed on bed. I leave the rest to you WellDont push yourself Claude Looking at them who cant move, I headed together with Milly toward the downtown area in the evening. DDDDAnd then the next day, the thing I worried about really occurred. Its bad! Onii-chan! Morning, on the way back to the inn after my hunting session, a young beast person stopped me. Hes the boy from Shirushu church, Rui. His expression is frantic and he grabs me with both of his hands. Shiru-ane is gone! Yesterday evening I see her going somewhere I thought that shes going to toilet but shes nowhere to be seen! Calm down, for the time being lets talk inside the Inn I invite Rui whos flustered inside my room, I served him a lot of water but he drinks it in one gulp. After the boy calms down a little, Claude asked. Is Shirushu-san missing.? Yes In the evening I see her going somewhere, then in the morning her smell is completely gone nowhere in this town Rui clasps his hands together into a fist and looks pained as he trembles. Just as I thought, its become like this. Taking preventive measures is definitely better than being unprepared. I have an idea where she might be. Really!? Looking from yesterday situation, it seems like shes looking for the Mil herb by herself. For the time being lets ask her Ask her? Yeah we can ask her directly. When everyone looks at me curiously, I show them a crystal ring. What I had is the thing that I wanted to give to Silverie. Yesterday, when I noticed that Shirushu was brooding, just as a precaution, I put a fragment of this crystal in her pocket. I never thought that it will become useful so soon. I put my hand near my ear, then I picture Shirushus face in my head, then I talk in my head. (Shirushu? Can you hear me, Shirushu) () (Oi! Shirushu!? Oi!) () An unpleasant idea crosses my mind. Dont tell me (Oi!!) (Hiyaiiii !?) Together with *kiin* noise, I hear Shirushu scream. Apparently her thought seems cloudy. I wonder if shes sleeping. (Ze Zeph-san!? Eh ? But youre not here) (Right now, theres a crystal inside your pocket. Im talking to you with telepathy using that) (Uh uh That) It seems like she just got up and shes still confused. Ill ask a simple question. (Calm down.Where are you now?) (In Goliaths Forest) After being silent for a while, Shirushu answers me quietly. I didnt expect it but it seems that she was asleep inside a dungeon where monsters spawn. Certainly, theres some location where monster didnt spawn inside dungeon. But doing so is still an absurd thing. (Shirushu, listen well. You are probably in a place where monsters dont spawn inside dungeon. Ill save you right now. Absolutely do not move away from that place) (No but I cant trouble you any longer) (Dont worry about it, after all Im planning to go there to pick Mil herb. its like killing two birds with one stone) (But! It will be troubling to look for me and also theres monsters here) (Im used to defeating monsters and looking for missing person. So its fine for Shirushu to wait there) (But, but I will be troubling you) Letting out a sigh *fuu*, I take a deep breath. Then, Thats enough! Stupid! Suddenly raising my voice, everyone in my surrounding jumps back, surprised. DDDDEveryone, including Shirushu became silent, then I speak slowly to Shirushu. Humans, as long as they live, they will cause trouble to other people once or twice, its something that cant be helped. The important thing is not to worry about being a nuisance to others but rather how much we can help each other, right? (Yes) Ill give you a signal when I enter the forest Until that time, wait there. Understand? (Yes I understand) This time Shirushu answers gently and cut the telepathy, for now we can take a breather. Truly, what a stubborn person she is. Beside me whos speaking with rough voice, Rui draw closer. Oh man Onii-chan, to be able to persuade Shiru-ane that fast Certainly, Shirushu is really stubborn Hmm. Yea, yeah! Thats how she is! Shes so troublesome isnt she? ? Yeah I entrust Shiru-ane to you! Onii-chan! Leave it to me For some reason Rui seems to be really happy as he gave me a side long glance, in any case I made preparations to leave. Milly also panics and begins to prepare. I, I too will go! Its been since the fight with the monster on the ship, be careful I too will go awawa!? Claude is trying to stand up, but she falls down while grabbing my back as her balance is crumbling, then both of us fall down. I hit my face hard against the floor. Its painful but, because something really soft is brushing against my back, my anger is shaved off. I, Im so sorry Zeph-kun Dont force yourself. Its because we overdid it, you wont be able to stand up for at least another two, or three days. Mn, Thats how it is Clau-chan. We should obediently lie down for today After saying that, Lydia helps Claude up as she was on top of my back. As expected of Lydia, compared to yesterday, where she wasnt even capable of moving she can already get up to this extent. Having said that shes still not back to her usual self. Well then, today Ill be together with Milly Un! Milly answers cheerfully and we head out towards Goliath Forest in order to rescue Shirushu. CH 104 Translator: Nefarian Milly and I were standing in front of the entrance to a dense forest as we looked up at the trees. This was the Goliath forest which was both large and deep. This looks like it will be a hard task and Milly seemed to think so as well. Putting her hand on her waist she was saying hmm and seemed to be thinking deeply. So, how do we find it? But then she delegates the task to me completely. Tsk, this girl Well naturally I have already prepared for it. Just watch and learn. I have an idea. .For the time being cover your ears. ? While looking at me curiously Milly listens to me as she covers her ears. And then I proceeded to use my telepathy to get in contact with Shirushu. (Shirushu, can you hear me?) (Y-Yes. I can hear you!) (I will send you a signal now. Please look up at the sky) (The sky? Okay.) Hearing Shirushus befuddled response, I raise my hands towards the sky. Aiming into the far distance at the maximum range of the spell I chanted out Burst Sphere. Goooooooonnnn!! DDDD The atmosphere shakes along with a thunderous sound and the trees rustle. Milly was crouching down as she strongly holds her ears. (Did you see that?) (~~ Umm.. Yes. In the south-west direction there was some kind of terrible explosion. it seems to be quite a far distance from me though) This means that I will arrive to where Shirushu is located if I walk northeast. Lets go Milly, the monsters here hides themselves and attacks while concealed. If you ever find any of them make sure to immediately cast scout scope on them. Understood! .By the way, what are you planning on doing? I was thinking of making a path. Holding my hands in front of me, I cast Green Sphere. The green magic ball that appears creates a path by shoving the trees out of the way and cuts a road open for us to travel. Its an emergency situation right now, besides its much faster to just go straight to our destination. Milly was looking at me with an amazed expression. Youre really going all out arent you.. Its a state of emergency. I will create a path for us, Milly please repel the monsters that come. Yeah! While we avoid the trees blown by the spell, I advanced forwards as I meditated. Walking straight ahead. Sometimes Treant Apes would appear but they would be defeated by Millys Blue Gale. In a single blow. Even though its a great spell, Blue Gales power is supposed to be low, however her spell has the same amount of power as when I combine my spells together. Millys rapid growth rate is truly terrifying. (Shirushu, we are heading towards your location, can you see us approaching?) (Yes. Sometimes I can see a tornado rising up. Is that you?) (Thats right, is it fine if I just keep advancing forwards in this direction?) (I think so Umm, Im really sorry about causing so many inconveniences) (I told you not to worry about it, didnt I?) (Yes) It seems that the Blue Gale was pretty good as acting as a sort of signal. When I advanced straight like this suddenly the presence of monsters thickens unexpectedly. When I strained my ears, I could hear the breathing of a beast somewhere nearby the vicinity. This is ..Weve been surrounded. Zeph acted rashly so I guess we stood out too much? Perhaps. Multiple Treant Apes surrounded us, moreover there was such bad visibility around this area so if they attacked us all at once it would be troublesome. Lets make the first move, Milly get ready. Okay! Chanting out Time Square, I cast both Red Wave and Black Wave during the time suspension and let it loose. Pyro Wave. Along with my words, an explosive flaming wind violently blew over the surroundings. The flame burns out the trees and the wind blows away the leaves. Kyaaaaaahh!? Gogaaaaahh!? Millys skirt was lifted up and fluttering because of the wind and she was trying her hardest to pin it down so as to not let me see. At the same time, the monsters around her which were hiding in the vicinity also started to scream. Soon the flames created by my magical power disappears and the only thing that remained was the aftereffects of the destruction caused. Cough, cough.. Zephh She may have inhaled some smoke, her eyes were watery and she was in a coughing fit. After the vicinity became charred and burnt, three silhouettes of Treant Apes and a huge shadow three times the size of the apes appeared. Covered by the drifting smoke it had thick arms, the ground shook as it walked across the field, this was the boss monster of Goliath Forest, it was the Giant Ape. It had sharp and fat fingernails and fangs, large bristled hair and fiery red eyes. It was staring at us with hostility. Along with the fact that this fellow was scowling at us, the atmosphere around us was starting to tremble. A severe sense of intimidation, even Milly seems to have noticed this. This was the feeling you usually get when a boss enters its enraged mode and seals the use of teleportation within the area. The boss monster in the north continent has something akin to the same effect that it can use before it actually enters its enraged mode. Is this Oppression Magic..?! I dont think its entered its enraged state yet, right? Amongst the Northern Continents this type of this happens quite often. Because it is very difficult to deal with, please be careful. ..Un! However, facing the Giant Ape in these circumstances. it looks like this will be quite the troublesome foe. Its probably better if I notify Shirushu for the time being. (Shirushu) (Whats the matter Zeph-san?) (Sorry but, Im going to be a little late) (Eh? Umm..?) Saying my part to Shirushu, I cut off communications and completely focused my attention to what was in front of me. Gently slapping Millys back who was still gasping, I tried to clear her cough. Gogaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! The Giant Ape raises a roar and the moment it attempted to disappear into the shadow of a tree I quickly cast Scout Scope on it. Giant Ape Level 71 Magical Power Level: The Giant Ape hid itself into the forest on the other hand, the three Treant Apes rushed head on towards us. Blue! Wait Milly! I caught Millys hands which was about to immediately shoot off a Blue Gale and turned it to the side. The tornado changed trajectory from the center of the three Treant Apes and moved slightly so that it only crushed two of the apes. As for the final Treant Ape charging at us, I grabbed Millys body and dashed away to avoid it. Just like that I rolled and tried to get my body back up and Milly who was underneath me struggled to lift her face. Ow~. Geez! What are you doing, Zeph?! I forgot to mention this but when you defeat all the followers of the Giant Ape it will summon another batch of monsters. Not only that it will summon even more than before. Therefore, its necessary to leave one alive. S-So thats how it is.. Yeah, therefore from here on out we need to aim at the Giant Ape. ..And so, how were you able to know such a thing? I looked away from Milly who was staring hard at me and answer her. It was something, from my past. Like I said before, that kind of excuse is unreasonable! Were in the middle of battle, come on. Uuu. Thats no fair. I helped Milly to stand up even though she was still complaining and chanted out Blue Wall to the Treant Ape who was trying to charge at us again. The wall of ice wraps around the Treant Ape and seals its movements. With this we can finally concentrate on the Giant Ape. .So, what are we supposed to do? Hmm Neither Claude or Lydia is here. The Giant Ape will be a considerably tough opponent if we are force to only use magic against it. DDDDWell, winning is still possible though. A thick branch flies from the forest but we had plenty of time to avoid it. Milly, can you see the Giant Ape? Yeah! Clearly! After about 30 seconds the effects of Scout Scope will disappear. Before that happens dont forget to recast the spell to update it. Just like I told her she listened to me and recasting Scout Scope. the Giant Ape likes to leave the direct attacks to its follower apes and it is the type of boss that will conceal itself whilst launching long distance attacks. Inside this deep forest, no matter how many Treant Apes we manage to defeat there will be an endless stream that can replace it. Using these smaller apes as a meat shield the Giant Ape would normally be a very difficult monster to face if you fought it via normal means. However, the surrounding trees have been burnt with my Pyro Wave and the field of view has been widened, this creates a more favorable environment for us. Moreover, even though the monster was hiding in the forest, because of our ability to determine its location with Scout Scope, its almost like its revealed in plain sight. If we know the source of its attacks we can more easily avoid the projectiles it launches, especially because we received Lydias special training, doing something like this was a piece of cake. Just in case though, I also chanted Safe Protection on both Milly and myself. In the next moment, a stone is launched toward Millys direction. Should I help her? Is what I was thinking but then again, Milly should be able to dodge this level of attack with ease. Although I dont want to sound like Rui, pampering a person to much will do them no good. While thinking about such things, I pulled my hand that was going to grab Milly back to my side and Milly was able to avoid the danger without problems. Phew, I let out a breath of relief and Milly looks at me with a pout on her face. .I can totally handle that level of attack okay? Did she find out about the fact that I was going to help her out for a moment back there? Wow, did she really see through me that easily? Milly has really grown up. .Thats true, Im sorry, my bad. Saying that I patted her head and Milly seemed to have somewhat recovered her mood slightly. A gigantic tree flies towards us and both Milly and I dodge to the left and right respectively, Milly starts to prepare a Blue gale and I coordinate with her and chant Time Square. Casting two Blue Gales within the time suspension effect, I released it at the same time as Millys spell. Blue Gale Triple! Both of our voices harmonize together. It seems that Milly saw through the fact that I would cast a triple combination spell. She probably wanted to assert the fact that shes already become a full-fledged magician. When I looked towards Millys direction she showed me her pearly white teeth as if to ask: How did I do? Well, well, that arrogant side of her still has much to learn to be honest. Our tornadoes mixed together to create a huge tornado and generates smaller ones as it travelled towards the monster. It managed to deal 47,000 damage, there is nothing to complain about its destructive power. Before it starts to enter the enraged mode, the Giant Ape will only perform long distance attacks. Lets continuing shooting at it while we meditate. Un! In saying this casting Blue Gale, especially using Time Square and casting double costs a huge amount of magical energy. Even if I was completely recovered I would only be able to shoot this magic twice, so I really need to conserve my energy. After all, I cant forget to maintain the Blue Wall to continue trapping the movements of the Treant Ape. Meditating and building my magical energy, both Milly and I continued to fire countless number of Blue Gales towards the Giant Ape. Avoiding the rocks thrown at her, Millys Blue Gale scatters the leaves around the area. The Giant Ape has a remaining Magical Power level of 133,245. The value is about to reach about 1/3 and it will soon enter its enraged mode. Its going to happen soon isnt it? Milly seems to understand this fact as well. The moment the Giant Ape enters its enraged mode; it will begin to challenge us with close quarters combat. We were planning on whittling it down with two more Blue Gale Triples. After that we should be able to defeat it by throwing a barrage of magical attacks. I left Milly to continue launching magical attacks at it while I was concentrating on Magical Recovery. DDDDMeditation. I still had some Magical Recovery Medicine that was given to us by Andrei but I wanted to save them in preparation for emergency situations. Zeph! Any time now! I know, Im also good with my preparations over here. Matching Millys magic casting time, we launched a Blue Gale Triple. A huge tornado is generated in the forest and the shout of the Giant Ape could be heard throughout. Pishi Pishi, a sort of cracking sound resounded. It was entering its enraged mode. Milly was gulping down her breath beside me and we both concentrated out sights on the rustling of leaves. DDDDAnd then the thing that appeared from within the thicket of bushes was the person that was supposed to be waiting deep within the forest.. Shirushu? Milly small voice reverberated in this silent forest. CH 105 Translator: Nefarian Shirushu was breathing raggedly as she came out of the forest, but once she saw our faces she looked relieved and broke into a smile. On the contrary, after seeing her, our faces became pale. An intense fight is about to happen, but its impossible for her to just leave now that shes already here. Shirushu! Run away! Tsk. Didnt I tell you to stay put?! This was the worst timing. Its about time that the Giant ape finished his mutation into his berserk mode. To think that she would just come out in this type of timing. Zeph-san, Milly-san! You idiot! Quick come over here! The moment I reached my hands out to her a gigantic figure shows up from behind her. DDThe Giant Ape, was in its berserk mode. Its grey hair was dyed black, losing a portion of its size the monster shrunk a little but gained more muscle mass, it became a slimmer version. The Giant Ape was originally an agile type monster, but once it enters its enraged state it becomes even faster and anyone who enters the striking range of the beast cannot.. get away. The Giant Ape flings its strong arms towards the side of Shirushus belly. Shirushu! A dull sound resounded and with a single blow by the Giant Ape, Shirushus body was fluttering in the air. While hearing Millys heartbroken scream, I was chanting out the Safe Protection spell but I didnt make it in time. A cloud of dust is raised as her body falls to the ground with a thud and tumbles towards the trunk of a tree where she lay motionless. The bosss physical attacks are severe. The power of its strike was enough to cause the average adventurer to faint if they eat the blow head on. Considering how low-levelled Shirushu is, receiving that blow would mean A bad feeling goes up my spine. However, I didnt have any time to be stunned. My first priority is to defeat this fellow and make a path. I immediately concentrated on the Giant Ape who was roaring out loud. Lets do this, Milly. .U-Un. Milly is considerably shaken, but it wasnt to the extent that she couldnt move. Meeting death in the face multiple times, Ive constantly come across these types of life and death situations. Even so, Milly still follows me. Milly slaps her own shaking legs with the palm of her hands and tries to regain her composure. Clenching her jaw to stop the trembling of her teeth, she opened her eyes wide and stares at the Giant Ape. DDDDIf shes like this, we can probably do it. If we can defeat this monster quickly and immediately apply healing magic on to Shirushu, its highly likely that she will survive. I smack Millys small back to motivate her spirit. And then, the fallen Shirushu moved a little. U..Ahh Although she was bleeding from her mouth, she could still raise a small groan and move her fingers. It would seem that she is still breathing. Milly also shows a slightly relieved expression. The moment we turned our attention to Shirushu, there was a sound of the monster kicking the earth beneath its feet and the Giant Ape was rushing towards us. DDDDIts fast!! I dont have time to evade. I push Milly away to the other side and receive the blow from the Giant Ape head on. A sharp pain runs through my body, but after flying in the air and rotating around once, I managed to land myself safely on the ground. Thanks to the Safe Protection spell I cast on myself, I was able to avoid major damage. Guardian of Earth, cover my body with thy protection and become my shield.. Safe Protection! While avoiding the large trees and parts of rock thrown at me, I recast my Safe Protection spell. After all, it would turn out really bad if I took even a single blow of that attack without it. With agility we managed to avoid most of the thrown projectiles without problems. Even though there was a large amount of things getting thrown at us, if we knew the general direction it was coming from, it was an easy task to avoid. GOOOOOOOOOOH!! Rushing in along with its roar, Milly gets grazed by its attack but immediately counter attacks with her own Blue Gale. Having the tornado attack tear at its body, the Giant Ape shakes it off and hides himself again in the forest. Following that, a large amount of rocks and trees were thrown at us again, so I reapplied the Safe Protection spell on to Milly while avoiding the projectiles. When I realized it, there was a large quantity of rocks and trees in the surrounding environment worsening the cloud of dust in the area. Increasing the amount of obstacles around us, was it trying to seal our movements? DDD Is that what this fellow is aiming for?! However, it is still quite the shallow tactic. After all, I merely have to burn it again to get rid of the obstacles. Casting Time Square, I chanting out Red Wave and Black Wave in the time suspension. An explosive flaming wind sweeps over the obstacles and the area around us became sufficiently spacious again. Concentrating on its figure with Scout Scope which was hidden by all the smoke, I tried to obtain information on our enemy. (.Its not moving?) I was certain that it was going to attack in the chance that it had but Thinking that this was strange, I waited until the smoke cleared up. The smoke clearing up, the gigantic figure of the monster appears once again and it was holding something in its hand. DDDDIt was Shirushu who had previously fallen. The Giant Ape was using its thick arms to carry Shirushu and it was almost as if he was using her as a shield. Perhaps she woke up after being moved, but Shirushu seems to have awoken. Uu.. Zeph-sa.Cough. The neck of Shirushu is lightly twisted and the Giant Ape prevents her from speaking any further. Looking at how much pain she was in, Milly gasps. Ah.Shirushu..? Tsk..! Indeed, even Milly could not hide the shaking of her body any more, its understandable. I heard that the Giant Ape had a high amount of intelligence and it had a habit of aiming for the weakness of its opponents. But to think that it would use this kind of strategy. Not missing the fact that we were currently frozen, the Giant Ape leaps towards Milly. Milly takes a piercing blow by the stout hands of the Ape and her small body is blown into the forest. Getting hit by a blow while she was still shaken up, the trees made crackling sounds as many of the branches snapped as she proceeded to vanish even deeper into the forest. Millyyyyy!! Using Shirushu as a sort of shield and knocking away Milly viciously, my view was dyed in the color of red. Im going to kill you.!! Snickering and laughing as it kicked the ground, the Giant ape turned towards me and unleashed its sidekick. When I squat down to avoid the blow a terrifying amount of wind from the aftereffects of the blow shook my hair. Although it had amazing speed, the technique was poor, if I compared it to Lydia, the Ape was very unskilled. Not only that but after avoiding the blow, it revealed an opening to me! (Time Square!) The Ape was now in an unguarded position and I was thinking of launching a full barrage of spells at it, but during the time suspension phase, I stopped to think. Right in front of my eyes was Shirushu in its arms. (Shit, this son of a bitch..!) Without finding an optimal place to aim DDDD Time ran out. The Time Square cancelled its effect, and I had no choice but to fall back in that moment, it launched its other foot dexterously towards me. Just barely making it, I managed to hold my arm up to defend myself, but I was still thrown into the air towards some trees. Cough! Zeph-san! Zeph-san!! Damn it, this is more troublesome than I thought it would be.. I need to think of another way.. I heard Shirushus shouting and her voice was very frantic. (Isnt there something Something I can do.?) Staggering to my feet, I slowly take my fighting stance. Seeing how beat up I was, the corner of Shirushus eyes were tearing up. Stop it! If you want someone just take me! Shirushu was sorrowfully yelling at the beast, but it didnt reach its ears. Right now this fellow was trying to get rid of the threat in front of it, which was me. (First I need to devote myself to recovery.!) Concentrating my mind, I began recovering my Mana. Perhaps it was trying to have fun torturing me to death, but the Giant Ape was approaching slowly. ..Stop it I concentrated all of my focus at the Giant Ape which was approaching me with lumbering steps and the only thing in my mind right now was to dodge its next attack. I need to hit it in a spot without Shirushu..! ..Stop it..! The feet of the Giant Ape slowly sinks into the ground in preparation to leap. DDDDIs it coming? I prepped myself in order to avoid the incoming attack at any time Stop it right now!! A loud voice explodes and shakes the forest and both the Giant Ape and I stop moving momentarily. And then Shirushus priestess hat dropped to the ground, and shortly after her feet landed on the ground. The Giant Ape was staring confused at how its restraints were unfastened and it looked towards the escaped Shirushu. Then it moves its glance towards the thing that Shirushu was gripping in her hand. Finally, the Giant Ape understands the thing in her small hands and opens its eyes widely. The thing that Shirushu held casually in her hand was as thick as a log, it was a black and furry arm. DDDDIt was the right arm of the Giant Ape that was supposed to be restraining her right now. Shirushus eyes and hair is dyed red and some type of doggy ears juts out of her head. Then, she slowly looked up at the Giant Ape with a blazing gaze. CH 106 Translator: Nefarian DDDDShirushu, When she lightly swung her hand, the arm of the Giant Ape got torn apart and flew across the sky, after a long flight it landed on the bare earth with a thud. Both the Giant Ape including myself was just watching the arm rolling across the ground with blank surprise. I was doing my utmost to just understand what was happening here. The Giant Ape was supposed to be holding on to Shirushus hand but it suddenly got shredded and torn apart.. Now it was rolling across the ground..? I turned my glance away from the arm that Shirushu had torn apart and I noticed that she was staring directly at the Giant ape with a pair of white fangs baring it at the beast. Uuuu!! From the appearance of her showing her fangs and the way she grumbled, you wouldnt be able to associate her with the previous Shirushu. Shirushus hair was originally supposed to be light pink in color, but it was now bright red. Her eyes changed from black to red as well. Her beast ears that was being concealed by her priest hat were now visible above her head and was restlessly moving around as if she was searching for prey. DDDDBeastman. I certainly thought that there was no way an ordinary human from the port town of Izu could travel all the way into the deep woods by herself, but to think that she would be a beastman. Thinking about it properly, it had always been strange that she was always able to find where the children were eating and how she was able to travel in the Goliath Forest which was filled with monsters all by herself. Moreover, she doesnt seem to be an ordinary type of beastman Nevertheless, Shirushu doesnt seem to be paying much attention to me, she turns towards the Giant Ape and places her hands down casually. Taking a stance like a four-footed beast she bends forward and kicks off the ground to propel herself. Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!! Shirushu shouts out like a beast and rushes towards the Giant ape which only had one arm remaining. The beast was at least three times her size but along with her bestial roar, she launches a vigorous punch towards the belly of the ape. Taking such a brutal impact, the body of the Giant Ape slightly floats up in the air before scraping itself across the earth to stabilize itself. The Giant Ape tries to retaliate by striking back at Shirushu who was close to its chest. However, it only hit the empty air. Shirushu dodges the blow with ease and was already behind its back throwing another punch right at it. GoGahh.!? The beast could not react to Shirushus erratic movements in the slightest. Just with that one blow, the Giant Apes huge body was staggering to a fall, but Shirushu doesnt even let it fall to the ground in peace. DDDDAaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh Shirushus fist was swung so fast that you could barely see it, she was repeatedly launching a barrage of blows. The more this continued, the sound of flesh receiving a heavy impact started to resound within the forest. The beast began to screech and Shirushu was howling at it, receiving blow after blow, the Giant Ape could not even perform any sort of counter attack. (So strong!) It is true that a half-beast, half-human race possesses a higher amount of physical strength in comparison to a regular human being, however, who would of guessed that it would be to such an extent.. Garaahhh! Shirushus kick pierces its belly and the Giant Ape collapses on its knee. Blood was dripping down from her fists like raindrops and even though she was breathing quite rapidly she still had eyes that were filled with fighting spirit as she looked down commandingly towards the Giant Ape. Finally, just as she was going to wield her hand which was covered in blood to deal the finishing blow to the kneeling Giant Ape, the Treant Ape launched an attack. It must have been liberated from the Blue ice wall after the spell expired, this was to be expected as I hadnt really paid attention to it for a while now. But even the surprise attack by the Treant Ape was not able to faze her and she immediately reacted, after swiftly evading the attack, she sneaks behind the Treant Ape and chops off its neck sending it flying. The Treant Ape has a Magic Value of 7200, yet it died in one blow? When I looked closely, Shirushus finger nails were very beast-like, they were long and very sharp. I cant really tell from such a far distance, but I can also feel some sort of magic in play. It kind of feels similar to the time when Lydias father negated my magic in our fight. At any rate, I can feel terrifying offensive attack is about to be unleashed.. This is bad. Goooooooooohhh!! When the Giant Ape howls towards the sky, I could sense that the surrounding area around the woods began to shake and rustle. This is the special ability of the Giant Ape, when all the surrounding Treant Apes are defeated, it will begin to re-summon a new batch of Treant Apes. Soon after numerous Treant Apes appears out of the forest in order to surround us, but instead Shirushu floats a warlike smile as she glances at the enemies around her. (Shes just like a crazed beast.) Slowly raising her arms, the edge of her mouth rises and it seemed like she could not suppress the destructive impulse within her any longer. For a Beastman, it is quite common for them to let their brutal beast-half of their being take over, in doing so most of them lose their sense of reason and completely submerges themselves in the midst of battle. Ive seen a couple of beastman battle in the past, but Ive never seen anything like this (At any rate, I should use this opportunity to recover) While casting healing magic on myself, I also casted Safe Protection on to Shirushu. Shes not easy to hit while in this condition but its just more of a precaution. Without even giving me a glance, Shirushu kicks off the ground and started to attack the Giant Ape again. Her kick which was as strong as a whirl wind, connected directly with the head of the Giant Ape and its huge body was rolling across the ground while raising a cloud of dust in its wake. All the Treant Apes who rushed towards Shirushu in order to protect their master, was without exception: smashed, cut in half or crushed to the ground and instantly died. While trampling the crushed remains of the Treant Apes, Shirushu calmly walks towards the Giant Ape. The Giant Ape tries to open its mouth once again in order to call for more reinforcements, however GaaahDDD! Its mouth could not make any more sound after that. Shirushu plunged her hand into its mouth grabbing its tongue that was as long as her own hand. DDDDUghhnDDDDUhhh No matter how much it tried, it just couldnt create the right sound, the Giant ape was struggling as if it had already gone mad and Shirushu returns a smile as she ripped the tongue out from its roots. The unpleasant sound of its tongue detaching resounded along with the pained howl of the Giant Ape. While looking down at it, Shirushu casually throws the tongue behind her back. The tongue that was writhing around soon stopped moving all together and the Giant Ape who was watching its tongue, was filled with anger and directed its gaze right at Shirushu. Kicking the ground, the Giant Ape shows a surprising swiftness that had not been seen before as it launched itself towards Shirushu. Shirushu slowly spreads out her arms, and DDDDDDDDUghh That was the end for the Giant Ape. The body of the Giant Ape was cut into four pieces as it falls to the ground in a pitter patter. After easily eliminating the Giant Ape, Shirushu slowly turns her gaze towards me like a beast that had just found a new prey to toy around with. CH 107 Translator: Nefarian Below Shirushus feet was the scattered remains of the Giant Ape which had been shred to pieces. Her red hair was fluttering against the wind and her burning red eyes locks on to me. Her vacant eyes suddenly opened wide and Shirushus body began to tremble and sway. And then, ( This is bad!) While backing away from her, I chanted out time square. during the time suspension effect I casted black boots twice. At the same time, I was looking at Shirushu. She had the same eyes when she was toying around with the Giant Ape, it was the sort of gaze that made you think she was here to hunt her prey, this was a ferocious look. Brandishing her sharp nails towards me, she aims it towards my face. After the time stop effect is released, the wind property is enchanted on my legs. This was the effect of my speed strengthening from casting Black Boots twice. (She is definitely fast, but if I know what shes aiming for then!) I barely avoided her claws that were aimed towards my face and her attack grazes my cheek making me spill blood. (. She seems to be aiming for my eyes. As expected, is she still unable to regain her senses?) While avoiding her attack, I somehow manage to grab on to her arm and push against her chest with my back. Then just like that I sink my hips towards the ground and swing my arms forwards to initiate a full blown throw of Shirushu! Before she was about to crash into the tree, Shirushu spun around her body and kicked the tree to propel herself. The sound of the tree cracking under the pressure could be heard and she was flying towards me with a tremendous amount of momentum. The tree that Shirushu kicked breaks right into two and falls apart. Just how much power does she have in such a slim body? A human-beast breed with both red eyes and red hair, Ive heard stories about them before, but if I am not mistaken they are a race of beastmen known as pure breed. Even amongst the beastmen, they are known to have very violent natures, originally when a beastmen becomes angry, their eyes will turn red as a result, but in the case of a pure breed, even their hair would turn red. Especially, in cases where they becomeso angry that their hair turns red, Ive heard that they lose all reason and become unable to differentiate between friend of foe. Not only that, but the power and destruction they are capable of is nothing that can be compared to the usual beastmen.. I avoided the head-butt from Shirushu who was jumping towards me, after I did this, she then uses both hands and feet to scrape against the ground stopping her forward momentum and changing her course back towards me. Her fangs were bared and the growling Shirushu was exactly like the embodiment of a beast. Calm down. But well even though Im saying this, she probably cant hear me? Vuvuu.. However, for some reason her eyes seemed sad, to me it looked like she was shedding tears. . Ill try not to hurt you. Just hold on for a little while longer. Although in the state that she is in, I doubt she can hear any of what Im saying. Even if I try to use a spell to put her to sleep, it will be meaningless if she cannot hear the sleep code. Continuing to avoid her attacks, I cast time square. While the time suspension took effect, I cast double Red Gloves. CMuscular strengthening magic, Red Glove. Avoiding her attack by a hairs thread margin, I grab her arm and this time I push her down towards the ground. Just like that I get on top of her belly as if riding a horse and press both of her hands against the ground. The power of the struggling Shirushu is dreadful, even though Ive enhanced my strength it will be impossible to hold her down for an extended period. (I need to end this quick..ly!) I chanted Time square and during the time suspension phase, I casted Green Wall twice. Green Wall.. Double! Magical energy begins to surround her from the center of her body and an ivy sprouts out from the ground constricting the entirety of her being. Even though she was raging around and struggling with her hands and feet, it was futile. The more you struggle against this ivy, the more it will tangle around your body and constrict you. Her whole body is soon restrained and Shirushu became unable to move. The Green Wall double spell has a slow and narrow range of effect, but once it manifests itself in the target, it becomes very difficult to solve the constraints. Considering that the difference between the amount of magical power between me and Shirushu is quite large, the spell becomes even more effective. Gaa, Ahh Uhh. However, the amount of time it can restrain a person is quite short. Leaving my left hand to hold the ivy in place, I release all of my magical energy in my right hand. Dont worry, this will be over soon. Sticking my hand against her struggling chest, I used all my energy to disrupt her magical power line within her body. Ahh..uhnn Shirushu lets out a final groan, as her upper body started to convulse and tremble in a big way, she twitches her body until she becomes completely exhausted and crumbles down. Because she fainted, her hair color turns from bright red to her usual pinkish color. Even Lydia could not move for the next day when I used all my power to manipulate her magical power line. Even if she recovers consciousness and becomes shocked, she should not be able to move her body for quite some time. I shouldered the fainted Shirushu on my back and walked in the direction that Milly was thrown in. DDDDThe sun began to set and it started to get dark. I was leaning against a tree and Milly was resting against my lap. It seems that she fainted because of that one blow by the Giant ape, but after applying healing magic, she has somewhat recovered. In front of me was this bon fire created for the purpose of warmth and also for the purpose of making the beasts and monsters around here avoid us. On the other side of me, Shirushu was also asleep. Mnn.. Perhaps she was awoken by the sound of crackling fire, but Shirushu slowly opened her eyes and looked in my direction. Have you woken up? Umm.? Shirushu seemed to look at me with a confused expression, but after seeing how Milly was sleeping on my lap, gradually the color of her hair was becoming dyed in red. (Shes going to go crazy again..?) Although I immediately readied myself, it would seem that she didnt lose her reason this time around or have any intention to attack me, instead. Im so very sorryyy! Bowing while pressing three fingers of each hand on the floor, Shirushu rubs her head against the ground. If I looked closely, I could tell that the color of red in her hair was much paler than before. It would seem that as long as she didnt become seriously enraged, she wouldnt go on a rampage. Nevertheless, even though Ive fully stirred up her magical power lines, it would seem that her body is capable of moving without any issues? Even Lydia was out of commission for a full day after but. Is this also because of the high physical abilities of the beastmen race? Dont worry about it.. Though I suppose you arent going to forget about it that easily huh. Yes.. Im so very very sorry.. I was watching the trembling Shirushu who was repeatedly apologizing to me. Entering the forest by herself causing us trouble, then not listening to my instructions to stay put and ending up getting caught by the Giant Ape, finally going on a rampage and even going as far as to attack me. She probably didnt even know how or what to apologize for anymore. While prostrating herself on the ground, the ears growing out of her head was shivering and trembling. It seems that beastmen were prone to acting emotionally just as they are known to act on instinct. Letting out a sigh, I came over to sit next to Shirushu who was unwilling to lift her head from the ground. I understand. You cant forgive yourself You want me to give you some sort of punishment to ease your guilt right? Yes.. I will do anything ! Still prostrating herself, she was like some sort of criminal awaiting her punishment as her body trembled. Because Shirushu had such a high sense of responsibility, it was likely that she was unable to forgive herself. When dealing with these type of people, its best to just give them what they want. Standing behind Shirushu, I turned over her clothes as she remained in kneeled on the ground when I did, it revealed a pair of black tights that wrapped around her ass. She lets out a small voice and her body was twitching in fear, but she didnt show any signs of retreating. Just as she has stated, it would seem that she planned on being properly punished. Grabbing on to her protruding butt, DDDDI struck hard with the with the palm of my hand. Hiiih!? There was a good slapping sound along with a small scream, but Shirushu still remains prostrated on the ground. The more I struck and slapped with my hands, the more Shirushus body would tremble. By the time I finished beating her butt several times, she was breathing heavily expelling a lot of air. Her buttocks were swollen and it was shaking little by little. My hands were also tingling. Its over. Raise your face Shirushu. Haa. Haa. Yess. She answered me with a tiny voice as she raised her face and I could see that both her hair, eyes and cheeks were bright red. It probably hurt a lot, her eyes had tear marks to indicate where the tears flowed. While waiting for her to settle down, I sat next to her side. Shirushu are you a beastmen purebreed? Yes, it would seem that way. its something I heard from the reverend.1 Although it looks like she has settled down quite a lot, she still hasnt looked at me for some time. Or perhaps she was really embarrassed about what happened just now. Her face is still red. Have you ever went berserk and ended up like earlier today? After listening to me, she twitched a little and answered in a very small voice of acknowledgement. When I was a child, I was picked up by the church, but back then I was a roughneck that was out of control, so the reverend-sama used his special magic to seal this dark part of me away. Indeed, if you were a priest in a church, it would not be so strange to be able to use one or two sealing type magical arts. But since the reverend passed away, time has continued to weaken the seal unravelling it. Seeing that Zeph-san and Milly-san was hurt due to my own failures, my heart felt like it was going to burst and my eyes were filled with red.. Saying this, she started to hang her head down in shame again. It seems she really minds about her own mistakes. I dont think I can stay in that church anymore.. Its probably for the best Being a person who can became a crazed beast just from anger, indiscriminately hurting anything in her sights I dont think someone like that could live in a town in an upright manner. Especially in the church she lived in, there were plenty of children in it. What do you plan on doing from now on? Hmm. So Im thinking of living as an adventurer like Zeph-san and the others. If I use that power, it seems like I will be able to fight. As for the children.. Do you think it would be alright if you told them that I died in this forest? Even without me there, they still have Rui and all the children are surprisingly tough. Even without someone like me over there.. I believe. that they can do. welluhn She was doing well to say this much, but her eyes started to drop down tears. At the same time, her hair which was gradually returning to her pinkish hue once again started to be dyed in bright red. Eh..? Uhm? Aha W-Why are. tearsuhn. Large droplets of tears were flowing down her face and I hugged Shirushus head against my chest. Dont push yourself. u..ah.. Although Shirushu was bewildered with the sudden embrace, she soon accepted it as her body trembled and she wrapped her hands around my back. My clothes were becoming more and more wet with Shirushus tears. uu..uwahhh..ss.sowwy. Didnt I already say not to mind it? While becoming sopping wet with her tears, I embraced the sobbing Shirushu and until she fell asleep, I continued caressing her red hair telling her that it would all be alright. CH 108 Translator: Nefarian I must have fallen asleep, before I knew it the surroundings were completely dark. I continued stroking Shirushus head for quite a long time, but it seems that I fell asleep midway. Because I slipped out of the blanket, Milly seems to look really cold as she wraps herself around the blanket. I stood up and looked around and I noticed that Shirushu was nowhere to be found. Shirushu? She doesnt answer and there is no sign of her either. It would seem that she was not anywhere nearby. I tried to use telepathic communication and there was no response. (Dont tell me she got done in by some monster!?) Its not something impossible. Just a little while ago, she was feeling extremely guilty as she blamed herself. If she sensed a monster approaching us, she may have thought to attack them herself in order to not draw any attention to where we were sleeping. (For the time being, I need to focus on finding her) I used Black Coat on Milly who was still asleep. A cloak of air conceals Milly and her body integrates itself with the background environment. I stood up slowly and looked around the vicinity. (But seriously, where are you?) If only I had a spell that could detect other people, that would be really useful. But well, asking for something I dont have is just asking for the impossible. Theres definitely monsters around here, so I should probably stop shouting out loud in order to look for her. Unexpectedly when I looked at the ground, I found footprints that belonged to Shirushu. As I followed her footprints, the smell of water faintly drifted into my nose. (I think theres a river?) If Im not mistaken I certainly remember there being a few rivers passing through this Goliath Forest. The footprints were becoming more fresh. The destination will be reached soon. Dividing the clump of bushes, I opened my way towards the river, in that moment DDA half-naked Shirushu came into my field of view. Realising that I was approaching she probably panicked and reached out for her clothes. Holding her clothes with both her hands, she barely managed to cover her exposed breasts by a narrow margin. Ah.Zeph-sa Shirushus face was dyed red in the colour of shame and her hair was also turning into a hue of red. Useless thoughts like Wow, I didnt know her hair could become red as well from something like this passed through my mind. Im sorry. Ah Speaking in a low voice, I immediately crouched down and turned my back as I apologised to Shirushu. I could hear the rustling of leaves as she began to change into her clothes behind the clump of bushes. In its own way these sounds are thought provoking even more wild delusions from me? Its fine now. Zeph-san. huh, ahh. When I turned around, Shirushu was wearing her usual clothes. But perhaps because she was in a rush she was slightly out of breath and her clothes were a little disordered, she looked kinda sexy. When I continued to stare at her, Shirushu diverts her gaze away from me. Emm, Zeph-san, why are you over here? Ahh well When I woke up, you werent anywhere to be found and I was worried because you didnt respond via telepathic communication, but I never would of thought that you were taking a bath. After entering that state, it isnt easy for me to revert back Besides Zeph-san was asleep so I thought I would go for a bath to calm myself down. I see. Yes. She cried her heart out a little while ago and this was probably adding to the awkwardness of the situation for her. On our way back towards Milly, we were both staying silent. The first person that was unable to bear the silence was Shirushu as she opened her mouth to speak. Now that I think about it, long ago the reverend father told me, that Shirushu, you are too overly concerned with many things. Oh? But arent you still the same even now? I was laughing slightly and Shirushus eyebrows turned to a frown. Even when I was trying to help out at the church, he told me not to worry so much about helping him and just to live out my life the way that I wanted to, but in the end I couldnt follow his advice.. He says pretty similar things to what I say doesnt he? He resembles Zeph-san a lot. .Like how he sometimes comes to peep at me at coincidental times. In my case, it really was a coincidence. Fufu, thats exactly the same excuse the reverend father made. Covering her mouth Shirushu was giggling. It seems that she calmed down, her hair that was red before had now become a light pink color. My name Shirushu Onslaught, is a name that the reverend father gave me. Apparently Onslaught stands for being ferocious and or aggressive and things of that nature, the point of it was that when I lost self-control of myself due to the anger, I would be able to use my name to remind myself to remain in control. But even until now, I havent been able to achieve such a thing. Do you have any memories of when you were younger? Yes, well since as far as I can remember, the reverend father, the children.. and also Rui, listens to me probably because they know of my other form. I dont think that is the case. As we talk while we walked, we came across the light of a bonfire in our field of view. I sat next to Milly who was sleeping and Shirushu sat across the bonfire. Although a while ago Shirushu told me that she wanted to be a solo adventurer, to be honest, I dont think she is cut out to become an adventurer. Especially if she intends to go out alone. If I left her alone like this, she would no doubt run into danger and surely perish. And just judging from her kind personality, there is no way she would be willing to continue putting her children at risk, so she wont be able to remain in town. Shirushu Onslaught. In many a variety of ways, she is a really dangerous girl. Its probably most efficient for me if I just turned a blind eye.. but. Shirushu, how about you come along with us? But I cannot abandon her. I feel bad for awakening her beast form and Ive already been involved to this extent I should look out for her, even if its only a little bit. Eh? Shirushu is too weak. .Its impossible for you to become a solo adventurer. When I looked straight at her as I said this, she looked down anxiously. She probably understood it herself. We are going to head towards the capital. At such a place, it is likely that we can find some sort of priest or reverend that will be able to seal your ferocious side like it was done in the past. B-But! What if along the way I lose control again and and I end up hurting Zeph-san and the others? When that time comes, I will be the one to suppress you. Just like Ive done before. But, but Ill be an inconvenience. Haa, I breathed out a huge sigh, Shirushu was speaking hesitantly. I grabbed her hands and squeezed them with my full strength. ..Uhn!? I already said that you shouldnt speak about yourself in that way, havent I? .B-bu.. If you speak like that again, Im going to punish you, you know.? Just like last time. .uhn I could tell that Shirushus hands were trembling. I hold her hands firmly in order to stop the trembling but on the contrary, she shakes even more. ..Uu..uhh Come, Shirushu. Thats right! Suddenly, a cold feeling over the back of my hand is felt. Before we knew it Milly was awake, she climbed on top of my back and placed her hands over ours. My guild, the Blue Sky Hunters are always on the lookout for new members! Showing her white pearly teeth, Milly bares a grin towards Shirushu. Shirushu becomes surprised and her eyes go wide in wonder. And then her eyes gradually narrowed as tears streamed down her face. Zeph-san. Milly-san. T.Thank you, so much..uhh Wai.. ehh? You dont have to cry like that. Shirushus is deeply moved. Uu Fueee..hik Along with my words, Shirushu starts bawling out in tears. Her hair was also turning red and Shirushu tries to conceal it with her hands but I wouldnt let go of the firm grasp I had on her hands. After being distressed for a while, her face falls towards the ground and her priest hat falls freely, her beast ears could be seen popping out. Red hair and dog-like ears trembling, shrinking in a ball she really seemed like some small animal. (Red Fox..) Suddenly those words crossed my mind. Milly was surprised momentarily but she soon extended her hand from behind my back and pats Shirushus hair. What beautiful hair. Uuu~~. Each time Millys small hand lightly brushed against the tip of her ears, Shirushus ears would twitch a little. Meanwhile, I was using telepathic communication to speak with both Claude and Lydia to explain full details of what occurred. (.. So thats what happened) (. As expected things would turn out like this No well, its fine though.. hahah.) (Its just as I expected jyan! hes done it again hasnt he Clau-chan! Of course, I also dont mind it?) ( Wait! Like I said, please dont hug me Lydia-san! My body is still hurting so much~) The two girls were talking happily. It would seem that they consented willingly to our new member. CH 109 By night time, Shirushus hair had completely reverted to being her original light pink color. According to what Shirushu has told me, it seems that even though her seal has been broken, as long as she can return to her human form she wont turn into her beast form again unless her emotions get riled up. On the other hand, once her eyes turn red, it will be like yesterday. Any little thing that happens will cause trouble. Right now I am in the middle of having a light breakfast with Milly and Shirushu. Now that I think about it, doesnt it feel like weve forgotten something? Mu? What are you talking about? Umm..? Other than coming to save Shirushu, I feel like there was something else. Hearing what Milly said, both Shirushu and I gave her a doubtful look. But then, Shirushu covers her mouth with both her hands. Ahhhhhhhhh!? Mill Herb! She let out a scream. What should we do!? No, you dont have to be so worked up.. All three of us are here, wont it be fine as long as we search and obtain it before we return? That is not necessary. Saying this I took out a bunch of green herbs from my bag. Last night whilst the girls were asleep, I sneaked out and went to collect some of the herbs that had grown nearby. How cunning of you~ As expected of Zeph. I will take that as a compliment. Hearing our exchange of dialog, Shirushu gave a stifled laughter. I was becoming a little worried but it would seem that she was managing better than expected. Alright then, shall we return back to Izu? Yeah! Yes. Getting out of the forest and back towards Izu, we headed straight for Davilles mansion. 1 After greeting one of the servants, they guided us to the childs room. Shirushu was sitting on the side of the bed holding the Mill Herb next to the childs mouth and concentrating her magical energy. ..Well, here I go. Because she had failed once before, both Shirushu and Daville seemed to be uneasy, but I wasnt worried in the slightest. As long as the proper treatment was provided the chances of curing someone afflicted with the Beruzel disease is very high. In the future it had almost been 20 years since the discovery of the illness and it was no longer a threat to the people living in the northern continent. Just looking at the childs condition it was clear to see that this was the initial onset of symptoms and the sickness would easily be cured even if the herbs were boiled and then made to drink. Considering that she was now using a unique magic called Elixir on top of that probably made it overkill in terms of healing prowess. Along with her chant of the spell Elixir, the childs body was wrapped in light. After the light subsided, the childs countenance which was previously blue turned a rosy red color and his breathing became calm and quiet. Shirushu had a large bead of sweat flowing down her forehead as she breathed a big sigh of relief, Daville had seemingly lost all his strength as he slumped down towards the ground. It would seem that the treatment was a success. Thank you very much everyone. Nn-no, there is no need for thanks.. Daville was lowering his head in a deep bow and Shirushu quickly waves her hand to stop him. Hearing the two of them talk peacefully, I entered the room. Then as promised could you please provide us with the reward? Eheheheh~ Please make sure to give us lots of money kay~ Ain appears and flies around Daville. How did this happen? Hahahah Of course, I havent forgotten about our promise. However, Daville was in a good mood as he guided us deeper into the room and provided us with a generous 5 million rupi reward. Ain was eagerly counting it one by one, it would seem that she thinks of the money as food. I was staring in amazement when Shirushu quietly brings her face closer to my ears. (But Zeph-san, isnt receiving 5 million rupi a little too much for the reward?) Do you think so? We saved his sons life you know? Besides if he wants to be generous with it, shouldnt we just accept his hospitality? (That.. Mnn, it may be true however.) Shirushu didnt seem to be completely convinced. Moreover, there are many people and beast people gathered in the port city of Izu. If this will save others from the infectious Beruzel disease, frankly it is a cheap price to pay. Ahh.. Indeed, having this clarified, Shirushu was nodding in understanding. By the way, I have not mentioned to Daville that the source of the infection is from the beast race. If I told him this now, it may give rise to even more discrimination and troublesome things in the city. For the time being. With this I hope that the tensions between the beast race and the humans should lessen a little. ..Yes. DDDDThe preparations for the horse-drawn carriage is finally complete and today is the day that we would depart to the Capital City of Prolea. The other night, Shirushu said her goodbyes to the children. She told the children that she would travel with us towards the capital in order to treat her own illness. It seems that Rui had already made preparations beforehand to ready the other children so the separation went smoother than anticipated. A lot of people were coming to see Shirushu off, she took their hands one by one in order to show her thanks. We were watching over her from a little further ahead. Big sis Shirushu! A voice of a child resounded. Rui appeared from within the crowd. Along with the children living in the church. Everyone.. Shirushu spreads out her hands as if to accept their arrival, the children swarm around her. Shirushus eyes were moistening up a little and the children were looking up at her anxiously. A passionate farewell Big sis Shiru, you havent forgotten anything right? Did you bring a handkerchief? Shiru-nee, dont eat anything strange and hurt your tummy okay~? Hehe.. Make sure to listen to what big bro tells you to do alright? Listening to all the childrens voices, her expression became complicated. The children were completely treating her like a child. Milly was also giggling, but hey, didnt she realize she was also a kid? Geez.. isnt that what I always told you guys? It just means that we are all abiding by what big sis Shiru has taught us. Rui laughs as he spoke and Shirushu also shows a mixed smile in return. Answering back to the children in a gentle manner, she gave them a tight hug. Releasing them after a while longer, she reluctantly parted from the circle of children and walked towards the carriage towards us. On the way, Shirushu murmured out the words, Last night, I spoke with those children as well and just like today, they are the ones worried about me. Shirushu was smiling hopelessly. It would seem that this type of exchange was not the first time it occurred. ..Since a while back, everyone was already doing the cleaning, cooking and washing all by themselves. I often found myself standing at the front, but all the children were doing things better than me and they frequently told me Youre being a botherr~ as they got angry at me.. .. They already dont need me anymore. Shirushu. Shirushu didnt respond to my calling of her and hurriedly got on the carriage. Once we all got on the carriage, the driver whips the horse to a start. Its time to depart. Everyone! Thank you so much for taking care of me thus far! The wagon begins to run slowly and Shirushu is waving her hands. It was like no matter what she never really wanted to part with them. Forever and ever . She was still waving at them. Its been a considerably long time. When I looked outside the children were running towards us. Both Shirushu and the children were calling out each others names with tears in their eyes. But gradually, the speed of the horse carriage was going up and the children continued to drift far behind. Even after the children were far away and became smaller than a grain of sand, Shirushu was still waving her hands at them. Her face was wet with tears and perhaps due to the sorrowful emotions welling within her heart, her hair was slightly tinged in red. Uu.u..u. The children still depend on you Shirushu, you know? .Yeshuuu When you are able to seal the power of your purebred species, you can just return here at anytime to visit them. Yes..Yes.hik When I placed my hand on her trembling shoulder, perhaps she was overcome with emotion but her hair flared up and instantly became red. Bathing in the sunlight, her hair mixed with the bright lights and glittered in a brilliant scarlet hue. So as to hide it from the other passengers, I embraced her closely from behind so that she could cry it all out. CH 110.1 Translator: mayora Editor: Ryunakama Its been several days since we departed for the capital city of Prolea by carriage. We traveled with such speed that most monsters were left in the dust. Our carriage is drawn by a muscular giant black horse whose size is like that of a building. Im sure the horse is a fit for the carriage, what with it being for long distances. Even with our speed, though, we still encountered monsters in cases of bad timing, or when they had fast legs, which was our time to shine. The horse whinnied, coming to a sudden stop, and I sensed the presence of monsters nearby. I smelled an ambush. The horse snorted heavily with apparent wariness, and the coachman turned to bow his head toward us. Ill be counting on you all, then. Roger that! Leave it to us Following Millys spirited reply, we jumped out of the carriage to face the monsters. We had made a trade to pay half the carriage fare in exchange for acting as guards. As we formed a protective circle around the carriage, five small beasts appeared. Land Liger Level 29 Magical Power Level 4800/4800 Land ligers are four-legged beast-type monsters with sharp claws and fangs. They possess low power due to their slender build, but their swiftness makes them troublesome opponents. Milly. I think you know, but Mhm, no using Blue Gale? She gave a thumbs up at my reminder. While a single cast of Blue Gale would kill a land liger, I forbade her from using the spell asthey happened to be ideal practice opponents for Milly, who has low physical skill. This is all part of training. Well then, dont let your guard down. We poised our weapons, a land liger in front of us each. The land liger I faced leaped into action with a growl at the very moment I readied my paragon blade, Freybrand. I avoided its sharp claws, and casted Time Square while keeping the monster at bay with my sword. Time froze, following which I silently cast multiple spells in succession: Blue Ball, Black Ball, Green Ball.Then I cast Red Ball through Freybrand, however Darn, the timing must have been off again. The land ligers legs were frozen by the initial triple-element cast of magical balls, but the Red Ball arrived late. Its a failure. Icicle Ball. Ahahah? Zeph-chi failed just now~ Be quiet. Its difficult. Lydia had been leisurely watching my failure even as she dealt with two land ligers. As the land liger I immobilized struggled to pull out its legs along with the frozen ground, I cast Time Square once again while swinging down my sword. Finally, a golden light cut through the Land Liger, vanquishing it with a single blow. Quadra fusion spell, Tetra Ball. Ahahah~ You did it this time~ Lydia laughed at me as I murmured to myself in the wake of my success. I wish shed just focus on fighting, though it doesnt seem like shell get hit at all despite looking away. Its still difficult to control the quadra fusion spell Tetraball, which consists of the elements red, blue, sky and green. I have, just barely, a fifty-fifty success rate against an opponent that cant move. Its quite fuel-efficient, however; the spell consumes little magical power yet is as powerful, perhaps more so, than Pyro Crash. I want to achieve a steady rate of success somehow. HnWoah! BlueC-crash! A swirling globe of water was released from Millys hand even as she stumbled, somehow managing to avoid a land ligers attack. The huge ball of water engulfed the land liger, making it spin around in circles before sending it flying. The land liger immediately tottered to its feet, however, and sprung into the air for another attack. Milly dodged with desperation, but she still took the occasional hit. She still has a way to go regarding close combat. Ill have to train her more. Hah! Taah! Yaah! Claude is parrying attacks with her shield while landing solid hits with her sword. Its a simple yet sound way to fight. But, how should I put it, the drawback to Claudes fighting style is that she has a weak offense. Perhaps it would be different if she were to get her hands on a good weapon. Milly has been teaching Blue Gale to Claude, but she still takes too long to cast the spell, and its power is lacking when she does. Furthermore, she runs out of mana after a single shot, which is why shes still far from using it in actual combat. All clear on my side. Mhm. The two of them still have a long way to go. Lydia and I finished our fights in a flash. While we were observing Claude and Milly struggle, Shirushu called out to us from the carriage. UmArent you going to help those two? Hnn~, Id say it should be fine. Ill lend a hand if it gets dangerous, of course, but theyve got to get strong enough to stand alone. UhhHow SpartanI wonder if Ill do okay from now on Incidentally, I havent let Shirushu fight yet. Theres no knowing when shell go on a rampage if I do. Putting aside me or Lydia, Itd be dangerous to have Milly or Claude near Shirushu when shes in berserk beast form. Besides, there are other passengers on the carriage right now. It should be fine to start getting her prepared for battle after we reach the capital. In any case, Shirushus level is currently 6. It has hardly increased despite her defeating so many monsters back in the forest. Perhaps beastfolk have difficulty raising their level due to their high physical ability. I didnt have many beastfolk friends in my previous life, so I cant tell. Well, thats something to look into from now on. After a while, Claudes fight ended, and five minutes later Milly defeated her land liger too. Milly staggered her way back to us. HaahHaahIm, tired Good work, Milly-san. You hung in there well. Ugh Milly buried her face heavily into my chest, so I gave her a good patting on the head. Milly has been demanding frequent pampering in this manner these days. As I was patting her silky blonde hair, Shirushu looked around the surroundings, seeming alerted by something. We have more companyTwo land ligers and three rock wolves. I scanned our surrounding area; one of them was on the rocky mountain in front, two in the shade of the rock behind us, and two were approaching us menacingly from the left and right. It seemed more friends had come calling due to Milly taking more time than expected in finishing her land liger. We could fight like before, but it wouldnt do to keep the carriage waiting too long. I readied myself alongside Milly. Ill take that side, so Ill leave the other to you, Milly. Lets take them down real quick. Gosh, theyre such a nuisance! I aimed at the two growling land ligers and cast Time Square. While time was frozen, I cast Red Storm and Black Storm, unleashing the double fusion spell, Pyro Storm. The crimson winds of flame engulfed the land ligers, frying them. One of them managed to charge at me without falling, but it was useless. A cast of Red Crash and it was vanquished. I looked behind me to find Milly having just finished dealing with her side. She had used a barrage of Blue Gale, as usual. She fires spells carelessly without considering the number of foesThough, its fine so long as she can win. Hnn, looks like there are no more monsters around. Shirushu sniffed the air, nose twitching. A beastfolks sense of smell, eh. Quite the convenient ability. I was right to have Shirushu join us. We climbed into the carriage and called out to the coachman. Its over. Thank you very much. The coachman thanked us and the carriage began to move forward again. Ow-ow-ow Are you okay, Claude-san? She must have been lightly injured during the fight against the land ligers. Shirushu rushed to Claudes side as she was holding her arm in pain. It was revealed that it was nothing big as her sleeve was rolled up. She just had a slight bruise. Shirushu held a medicinal herb in her mouth and casted Elixir. Claudes injury healed right away, and she thanked Shirushu for that with a fair smile. Thank you, Shirushu-san. Not at all. This is about all I can do, after all. Shirushu grew a little red in the face and averted her eyes in response. I thought it a good idea to tell the facts to her, so I quietly drew my mouth near Shirushus ear and gave a little whisper. Ill have you know, Claude is a girl. I know that though!? Zeph-kun, could you please stop having fun with that Ah, so she knew. Come to think of it, I do faintly recall that Shirushu saw Claude without her armor on back in the city of Izu. Claude is always patched up by Shirushu after a fight. I think shes intentionally creating a role for Shirushu, who only watches whenever battle occurs. Its very becoming of Claude, tactful as she is. Shirushu might have also noticed that. Claude and Shirushu seemed to get along well, seeing how the two of them had been chatting a bunch since a while ago. Im glad that youre all good people. Indeed. Our carriage rattled as it moved through the great plains. I was gazing at the passing scenery together with Shirushu and Claude when I heard Millys voice from up front. I can see it now! All the passengers leaned out of the carriage to take a look. The silhouette of a castle was visible faintly in the distance. Prolea Castle. I could see its numerous towers, and the Mages Association as well. One of those towers used to be where I lived inthe tower of divine flame, the residence of the Flame of Flame. How nostalgic. My small murmur was drowned out by the rattling of the carriage. CH 110.2 TRANSLATOR: mayora EDITOR NAME: Ryunakama Capital City: Prolea. We were dropped off at one of the several carriage stops. The carriage will probably be heading for the port city of Izu after resting the horse for a few days. Much obliged. I should be thanking you instead. You saved us trouble, taking us on as guards. I thanked the coachman and got off the carriage. Ive got to say though, what a tremendous crowd of people. I suppose it cant be helped seeing its the capital, not to mention Im at a carriage stop where people gather. What a crowd. Mhm I know right~. There are so many tall buildings tooit kinda feels all cramped~ The two of you are visiting the capital for the first time, right? Have you been here before, Shirushu? Um, I did come twice for some shopping Everyone was cheerful, looking about the surroundings with curiosity. The scenery of the capital city of Prolea, where I had spent more than half of my previous life, was almost no different from before. I saw five towers in the distance. In each of those towers lives a mage who is a member of the Five Supreme, individuals who stand at the apex of the five elements. The Blue Supreme, Aqua of Aqua. The Sky Supreme, Wind of Wind. The Green Supreme, Earth of Earth. The Soul Supreme, Soul of Soul. And the Red Supreme, Flame of Flame. The reason why I restarted my life using the spell that rewinds time, Time Leap, was to reforge my sorcery, to become the strongest of them all. Achieving that goal will no doubt involve earning the title of Supreme. Earning it a second time over, huh. Oh, Im itching to go at it now. Fixing my gaze upon one of those towersthe Crimson Tower which held deep meaning to meevoked old emotions within me, an inexpressible mesh of nostalgia and bitterness. I knew I was failing to suppress the rising fire in me. The corners of my lips rose as mana leaked from my body. But theres still much to do. The way I am right now, forget the Five Supreme, Ill have a hard time facing one of their right-hand men. Nevertheless, Ill be going to meet them soon enough. Keep that seat nice and warm for meHeheh. Whatcha doin Zeph~! Lets get going now~! As I was leering at the tower, Milly called out to me. Really now, being in such a hurry when a mans having his moment. I turned my back to the Crimson Tower and returned to the others. We should find lodging first. Ill handle that, so the rest of you should look around the city! Lydia decided to find lodging by herself again. Its her first time in the capital though. She probably doesnt know where the inns are, so she might take more time than expected. Ill tag along. I know quite a bit about the capital. Count me in as well then! Then I as well Fufu, lets all go together. And so, we ended up going with five people. I led the way to an inn for adventurers, which I used in my previous life back when I was a novice. The place was a little worn out and far from the center of the city. Thats probably why the price was cheap and guests were few. Ten years from now there would have been a beautiful girl to draw customers, but Welcome! Ohh, what a cute reception~ Good girl. Lydia slightly bent down to pet the head of the little girl who came to receive us. The beauty-to-be in the future was very young in the present. Though she seems to be doing a splendid job regardless. After checking in, I was guided to my room. This time we got separate rooms. I got a room to myself, while Claude was paired with Shirushu, and Milly with Lydia. Right now everyone is gathered in my room to discuss our plans for the future. Why am I put together with Lydia! Because you seem the least likely to agitate Shirushu, Claude. Let me know straight away if Shirushu is about to go on a rampage. Understood. S-sorry to trouble you Mu~ Milly puffed up her cheeks, seeming dissatisfied, but then she raised an index finger as if having thought of something. Thats right! Staying at an inn is good and all, but why dont we buy a guild house!? MuSaying the unreasonable again A guild house, as the name implies, is a guild-owned house. Guild members are bound to be together for a long time, so its cheaper to own a house than to stay at an inn when settling down in one location. Major guilds tend to have a large guild house in each of their respective base cities. The capital city of Prolea, in particular, is home to many guild houses, which Milly showed interest in. Getting a guild house isnt a bad suggestion. That might be a good idea since well be in the capital for a while Right~? Milly slapped my back enthusiastically in approval. She looked very happy indeed. Perhaps coming to the capital has gotten her hyped-up. Its not so easy getting a guild house, though. Lydia also seems to be considering the matter. Mmm but you know, guild houses are quite expensive, and it involves going through bothersome formalities. There were some guild houses in Bertha too, but they were quite expensive, right? I wonder how much itll cost in the capital If I remember right, its necessary to get officially certified as a guild at the guild registry. The leader has to go through a rather tedious procedure. Oof! Milly was rendered silent by it all. I havent experienced going through the process of getting a guild house before, but the leader of the guild I was a member ofin my previous lifesaid that it took several days, from morning till night. I expect the procedures will take a few days to complete. W-well, lets take things slow! Take it as the goal for the time being! Hm. Then shall we at least officially register our guild? Eh, errmisnt it a bother though? In any case, its a necessary step to buying a guild house. Besides, itll be easier to earn money once were certified as an official guild since well be getting all sorts of client orders. Money! Food-food! Ein appeared suddenly and clung to my neck. Shes become a complete money-monger lately. Im in a dilemma, whats with her trying to get me to work at every opportunity. Upon careful reflection, I might have done a bad job in raising her. Making money is important! Milly~? AwwFine I placed a hand on Millys slumped shoulder for comfort. Ill be coming with you. Mm, thanks. Will you come with us as well, Lydia? Youre good at matters like this. Hn, OK~! Ill go too. Fufu, then let us all go together. And so it was decided for all of us to go in the end. A big building can be seen in the center of the city. The Adventurer Guild, Prolea Branch. Adventurer guilds are usually found in big cities, but the scale of it is on another level when it comes to the capital. You can get huge jobs which you cant find in ordinary cities, and even large undertakings by the country. Its the top of adventurer guilds, so to say. The guild in the capital is a big hand alongside the Mages Association when it comes to handling all sorts of jobs. Woah~, so many people~ Its because non-adventurers are coming to put in orders. Well be lining up for a long while at the reception. Ill go and buy meals for everyone. We havent had lunch after all. Claude left to buy food. Were at the reception, waitingwaitingwaiting. We got our lunch from Claude who came back and ate together. Afterward, we went back to waiting. Around about the time when Milly took a nap and woke up, what we finally got to hear from the reception was Your registration didnt go through. A no. Milly lashed out in response. Why!? First of all, I find it questionable that a girl so young as you is a guild master. Moreover, the rest of your members are all children as well. Adventurers are always exposed to danger. Death is another concern. If we were to approve the official registration of your guild but your group ended up dying, wed be the ones held responsible. It wont matter if youre going to work part-time, which is what I would recommend I chuckled in the middle of her talking, causing the reception lady to stop to glare at me. What is it? No, its nothingheheh. The name of the lady is Claris. Shes the one who registered me as an adventurer in my previous life. She was a hard worker prone to putting on airs and was rather cheeky at the time, but shes the same in the present. She seems to be a rookie right now, but the way she speaks is completely unchanged. I couldnt help but laugh. Back to the point, your registration wont be approved. Please come again. Boo~ Cant you do something about it, Zeph? Even if you were to ask me Claris was famous for being inflexible, if I recall. Its not that theres nothing I can do about it, but CH 111.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Well, well, isnt it okay? A familiar voice. As I turned around, I saw the owner of Silver Coin store, Adrei Sombre. He is a capable merchant, but as a lolicon in love with Milly, he was a somewhat dangerous person. I can guarantee their abilities. Even if you say so, if something happens Looking at the persistent Claris, Adrei nodded in deep thought. Okay then, how about this? If they can successfully complete the task I entrust them with, then they shall officially be accepted as members of the guild. With a scowl, Claris looked down and brooded for a moment. I understand. If Adrei-san would go so far as to say that Claris has reluctantly yielded. As expected, it is disadvantageous to go against Adrei. Adrei grinned broadly at the outcome. Hmm, I didnt really want to meet this guy, but I didnt expect him to be of timely help to us. Im getting some mixed feelings towards him. It has been a while, Zeph-dono and the others whom I am seeing for the first time. I am called Adrei Sombre. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Shirushu bowed her head politely and took Adreis outstretched hand. I am called Shirushu Onslaught. Are you perhaps acquainted with Zeph-san? He is my lifes savior, as well as an important friend Hm, could milady be Adrei who was cheerfully speaking to Shirushu had a subtle change in his facial expression. Did he discover that Shirushu was a Beastman as expected, you cant let your guard down around this man. With eyes as perceiving as Adreis, poorly-hidden secrets would probably be easily discovered. Especially so for this guy, it wouldnt be surprising if he even realized that Shirushu was pure-bred. Pure-bred Beastmen were a rarity. If this major businessman learns of it and accidentally made it public knowledge, it could get troublesome. I spoke to Adrei in a hushed voice. Shirushu is a Beastman. Shes keeping it a secret, so please keep it to yourself. Ahh, I see. Being a lady and of that species, its common to keep it hidden pardon me. Mm. As I was feeling relieved after managing to avoid the issue, Claris spoke to Adrei. so, what is Adrei-sans request? Hmm, about thatI have a few requests, but for Zeph-dono and the rest I would like them to retrieve the tooth of a Rock Dragon. How does that sound? A Rock Dragon!? Claris raised her voice in shock, while the rest of us didnt show much of a reaction. Milly asked Claris in return. What is a Roc-ku Do-ra-gon? Claris was speechless as her glasses slid off her nose. Her reaction was natural. Rock Dragons were the North Continents highest-leveled monsters, of the Dragon species. Claris straightened her slanted glasses and began her explanation to Milly. The Rock Dragon is of the Dragon species it is a monster of the highest class. It resides in the middle section of the Cresta vast cavern, which is located further up north from the capital. Its hard scales can repel magic, and its tough teeth and claws can even tear apart rocks. Pretty much in a different class from normal monsters, it uses overpowering magic, and even casts status effects of the binding type, it is extremely strong Well do it! Milly responded, interrupting Clariss speech. My, my, deciding it on her own well, its not like we dont have a way of doing it, and theres no reason to stop us I guess. However, it seems like I should punish her later. As I was sighing, I looked in Clariss direction. Of course, other than accepting our guild membership, we will also be receiving rewards, right? Requests are commissioned through the Adventurers Guild, therefore appropriate rewards will be given After Milly and I exchanged glances, Claris seemed to have an idea of what we were thinking and she nodded. I understand. However, please make sure not to over-exert yourselves! Yup! Seeing Milly respond with such enthusiasm, Claris could not say a word and had a complex expression on her face. It was not really recommended for children to become adventurers. However, I guess Claris has an unexpected preference for children. She must be worried about Milly. Even so, Milly was not just any kid. When this request is completed, Claris would probably come to realize that. Hehe. Alright everyone, please do also come to support the Silver Coin Shop. We welcome you with open arms of course that includes Miss Milly too. Only if we feel like it. Though, Ill probably never feel like it in this lifetime. When I glared at Adrei, he showed a slight smile as he proceeded to enter an inner room. Milly, dont get too close to that guy. Eh? Umm well thats fine I guess Milly had an incredulous look on her face. Wasnt it your aim to always keep a carefree image? Together with Milly who was staring blankly, we began to make our way back. Thirty days for the subjugation of the Rock Dragon, and five million rupees for each of its tooth huh The next day, as the contract from Adrei had arrived, we took the opportunity to gather everyone for a strategy meeting in my room. Apart from the above-mentioned terms, the contract had included a few other agreements. In short, the guild would not be held liable for any deaths, and the penalty for forfeiting the request would be a tenth of the reward C equivalent to five hundred thousand rupees in this case. Incidentally, if one were to take up an official request, the Adventurers Guild also determines the rank of the request and provides the respective allowance to cover preparation costs. This time, we have an A-ranked request, so we have received five hundred thousand rupees. Yaaay! Moneyyy! Ain suddenly appeared, grabbed hold of the bag of gold and swiftly wrenched it out of my hands. Thats our preparation money. Its not for the likes of you, you know. Lydia, help me to catch her. Okay~! Ain-chan, I caught chuu~? Ugyuu!? Lydia hugged Ain tightly from behind, leaving Ain trapped as we continued with the discussion. Originally, it is not impossible to win a Rock Dragon. Ive heard that the Dragon Clan belongs to a rather strong category of monsters. Hmm but, we can win, right? Claude had a serious expression on her face. On the contrary, Milly was resting her chin on her hands with a carefree look. What an optimistic fellow, as usual. Speaking of which, Milly had already gone ahead to accept the request from Adrei. Guess Ill need to talk to her about it. Milly, earlier you had immediately accepted the request. Although you are indeed our guild leader, you shouldnt have decided before discussing it with everyone. Especially for official requests from the Adventurers Guild, there could be instances where making promises without due consideration would lead to troublesome situations. Glowering at Milly, she cowered slightly. Uu Im very sorry Its fine as long as you understand. I patted Millys lowered head. Its a good thing to be full of vigor, but Milly has a bad habit of moving ahead without thinking. Having about half of each quality would be just about right. Its probably up to us stop her when the need arises. Lets get back on topic. Rock Dragons are powerful monsters, but there are no boss-ranked monsters above it. It does not have a berserk mode, so Coercion magic would not be used as a result. It may be tough, but its also limited in long-ranged attacks. As long as we exercise caution while fighting, we should be able to defeat it with our current abilities. If thats the case, then things should work out somehow! Shirushu put her palms together before her chest, seemingly relieved. that being said, the drop rate of the Rock Dragons tooth isnt really high. We might have to battle a few of them. I-Is that so Ahem therefore, naturally that would take up some time. From here to the Cresta vast cavern where Rock Dragons reside, it would take a day of travel using Teleport. I think we could set up tents there, and temporarily use that as a base for our hunts. As it would be cold and we need winter clothes, shall we go shopping? Shopping! Milly stood on the bed, placing her hands on my head. Oi stop it you dumbass. Youre messing up my hair. Alright then everyone, lets go shopping! Yeah! Milly thrust her index finger towards the ceiling in enthusiasm, and everyone agreed with her. As we had decided, we made our way to the general goods store in the central street of the capital. The aim is to purchase a tent. The tent is a magic item invented by the Magicians Society. It functions on a similar principle as another magic item by the same society, the Pouch. While the Pouch uses the users magic to create a storage space, the Tent uses Dungeon magic to create an indoor space. As a result of using powerful dungeon magic as the source, there will be a fairly big space secured within the tent, making it possible for approximately ten people to camp overnight in it. Im fine with whatever as long as I can sleep in it, so I left the choice to Milly and the rest, while I looked around the shop on my own. As I was absentmindedly looking at products in a case, I heard a voice from within my head. (Zeph, can you hear me?) (Silverie!) It was Telepathy from Silverie. Ever since we spoke at Izu City, she contacts me sometimes. (Are you available now?) (Ahh, its a great help that recently you have been contacting me at normal timings.) (hm, dont mention it.) Silverie mostly contacted me by Telepathy either late in the night or early in the morning. After telling her to consider the timing first, she now contacts me in the mornings or evenings only. In my previous life when I was her disciple, she did not have much common sense and had to be taught several things. She would complain, but listens to what I have to say anyway. Compared to my previous life, the current Silverie seems to be more obedient. (More importantly, Zeph, where are you now?) (I am at the general goods store in the capital. Did something happen?) (Really? Actually, I am also) Halfway through, Silveries telepathy got cut off. At the same time, a figure in a black coat appeared before my eyes. Her short, black hair gently swayed, and her narrow eyes were rounded with surprise C it was Silverie. CH 111.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Zeph! What a coincidence. Being extremely surprised, both Silverie and I stood rooted to the spot. Startled, Silverie hurriedly adjusted her collar, thrust her hands into her coat, and cleared her throat. T-T-to meet you here, wha what a coincidence right, Zeph? Your voice is all shaky, Silverie. Its obvious that shes losing her composure. Realizing that I was shocked, Silverie started to explain herself before I even said anything. Dont be mistaken. Its really a coincidence that we met here. I do have some things to do around here. Ah I see. Its quite an amazing coincidence though. Y-yeah I think so too! What is unsettling her? Its just a meeting after a long while. It feels like shes overreacting, but anyway its good to see that she is healthy. even so, Im glad to see you, Silverie. ! G-good that you understand but I also feel a little yknow, that too. While speaking, Silverie pulled her hands out from her coat and crossed her arms. Putting her hands in and out of her coat, what a busy person. Silverie calmed down a little. more importantly, didnt you mention that you wanted to pass me something? Oh, thats right! Silverie was supposed to hand me a fragment of the crystal ring so that I can initiate contact with her by telepathy. The ring which was stuffed into Shirushus pocket previously has already been returned to me. Since Shirushu is already a guild member, we no longer need the fragment for telepathy. Thrusting my hand into the pouch, I was about to return my crystal fragment to Silverie. Heyy, I was thinking of using this though Millys voice was heard from behind me. Mm still~, isnt that fine too? Since its big. This ones cheaper, and cute too. Which one does Shirushu-san prefer? Next were Lydias and even Claudes voices. Im fine with anything, Zeph-san can decide. Ah, Zeph-san. Last to speak was Shirushu. The four people approached me in succession. Seeing a frozen Silverie, they looked towards her with curious eyes. Oh? Is this someone Zeph-chi knows? Nice to meet you. Zeph, who is this? ! You are! Each person spoke, but only Claude seemed to be on guard against Silverie, having met her before while together with me. Hmm how should I go about explaining this? Ah that, how do I say this? About this girl At that moment, Silverie abruptly turned around and walked briskly away. Oi, Silverie?! Where are you going?! Without paying any heed to my voice, Silverie teleported somewhere far away as soon as she left the shop. Everyone was in a daze at the situation. Just what had happened? so, who was that? Milly was lightly tugging at my sleeve. Umm, what is a good way to explain this Shes a fellow magician I got to know before. Her name is Silverie. Hmm~ but, why did she run away upon seeing us? She gets shy easily. Hehh~ a shy person, I see~ Claude glared at me with a reproachful look. Previously, when we defeated a boss, the drop item was taken away by Silverie. Although it was considered acceptable conduct, Claude was infuriated at that. It appears that she is the type to bear deep grudges. well, Ill introduce her again when the time comes. In any case, Silverie did not manage to hand me the crystal fragment again this time. Guess Ill have to wait for her to contact me again. In the end, we bought the tent which Milly chose, and other clothes, food and daily necessities to end our shopping trip. We also took a look at the guild house, but it was expensive as expected. The cheapest room was said to cost at least fifty million rupees. By the way,we currently have about five million rupees. Most of it is from the reward we received from Daville. Well I cant really afford it. As we were looking around the guild house, Ain was being especially talkative, complaining about how expensive the place was and that it was more important to feed her well. Perhaps I have raised her in a weird way. Well, even if I stop taking Ain into account, I still cant go without earning money. After having a meal with everyone, it was already night time when we returned to our inn. Whats the matter, Zeph-san? To enhance her magic lines, Claude and I proceeded to Shirushus room. There, she greeted us with a messy appearance, probably because she had just come out from the shower. As expected, she wouldnt wear her priestly clothes to sleep. A gown was draped over her fair, bare skin. Speaking of which, in the afternoon, Claude had picked out some clothes for Shirushu. I wonder if this was it? Her pale pink hair clung onto her flushed body, and her white gown further accentuated her beautiful hair. Hmm, nice choice, Claude. Ah, after this Im intending to manipulate Claudes magic lines for her training. Its a daily routine. Is that so? Is it okay if I tag along as well? Nope! Its probably better if Shirushu-san doesnt watch, I think Claude who was sitting on the bed interrupted in a panic. Certainly, it could be as Claude said. The stimulus is strong, and if poorly done, it could go out of control. youre right. Sorry Shirushu, can you wait in my room? Eh~ but Im curious Go on, move along! After chasing out the discontented-looking Shirushu, Claude laid down on the bed. As expected, it was not possible to do such things in a coach, so it has been quite a long time since the last session. Mm then, please go ahead, Zeph-kun. Mm. I took off Claudes coat, and inched my hand towards her fair back. I gathered magic in my hand, and traced my finger along Claudes back, from the nape of her neck to around her shoulder blade. Hn! Claudes shoulders twitched and trembled, and she let out a tiny sound. As I was moving my hand, the room resounded with Claudes muffled sounds. Perhaps because it has been awhile and Claude couldnt endure it, her voice gradually grew louder. As I was about to move my hand lower, the room door was thrown open with a bang. Wha-wha-wha-what are the two of you doing!? Eh? Shirushu-san? Her hair, eyes, face and the rest of her body was red and she was clutching on to the door as she trembled in anger. The door was creaking as if complaining under the stress. Cdamn! I jumped away from above Claudes back, quickly grasped onto Shirushus shoulders and chanted Sleep Code. Haa Letting out a small sound, Shirushu lost consciousness and fell down. Before coming to the capital, we did a few tests, and it seems that apart from being angry, whenever Shirushus hair turns red, she becomes unable to control her strength well. Even though she does not lose her reasoning and start to rampage, it would still get troublesome when she loses her composure like what happened a moment ago, therefore I immediately put her to sleep. Phew, that was dangerous. There are cracks on the door now though we have to fix it I suppose. Ill go over to Lydias place to borrow the toolbox. Haha, Ill help too. Claude put her clothes back on, and we repaired the door which Shirushu had destroyed. It was late in the night when we were done with the repairs. As I stretched out on the bed in my room, I recalled about Silverie who parted from us at the general goods store. In the end, Silverie never contacted again huh? Nevertheless, I cant believe that Silverie ran away from that situation. I knew that she hated people in general, but even so, that was over exaggerated. Even when she was talking to me, she was somewhat unsettled. It would seem that the current Silverie had a bigger communication difficulty as compared to the Silverie in my past life. The next time we meet would probably be when she forcefully intrudes again I suppose. I kept the crystal fragment I was fiddling with, and fell asleep. Alright, from today onwards, Im thinking of officially starting the countermeasure to deal with Shirushus beast transformation. The next day, from early in the morning, I made my way to outside of the city, with everyone in tow. Milly was still sleepy, and yawned with her mouth wide open. Before coming to the capital, I had investigated if Shirushus everyday life was ever put in dangerous situations, and it turns out that whatever happened, she had never transformed into a beast out of fury. However, probably because of a disposition which makes it difficult for her to defy her beastly instincts, there were instances where Shirushu turned all red and pinned me down when I touched her body too much during the investigation process. I had immediately put her to sleep, but if I had a choice, I would prefer a less thrilling method of investigation. Shirushu. Y-Yes. When I called, Shirushu stepped forward nervously. I wouldve let the church in the capital take a look at Shirushu, but it seemed like the people who could use curse-sealing magic were not around. It appears that curse-sealing magic was not converted into scroll form, and can probably only be used by high priests who have spent years in training and amassing experience. Until then, Shirushus beast transformation ought to be controlled to some degree. I was acquainted with one Beastman in my past life, who I had accompanied to go through intensive training to improve his control. Now, I will be trying the same methods. Lydia, help me. Saying that, I took a rope out from the Pouch, and handed it to Lydia. Okay~ Together with Lydia, the two of us bound Shirushu with the rope, tightly restraining her. The rope was eating into Shirushus body, and perhaps due to fear or pain, sometimes her body trembled. Mm it hurts Endure it. Hehe~, Im good at things like this right~ Lydia was binding Shirushus body with rope, but she was using strange binding methods, as if forming a tortoises shell pattern. The bound Shirushu appeared lewd somehow. Its done~ L-Lydia-san. That binding method was circulated to a foreign country Oh? You know about it, Clau-chan? I-I dont know! For some reason, Claude was blushing furiously as she looked down. CH 112.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Shirushu stayed seated with her legs tucked under her as she waited for me to speak. After this, we will make Shirushu undergo Beast transformation. You will first need to get used to being in that state. Uu will it be alright though? That is a rope that has been reinforced by magic. Even if Shirushu rampages, it wont get cut, and suppose that it does get cut, Lydia and I will suppress you. understood. I will trust Zeph-san! Having made up her mind, Shirushu looked into my eyes and nodded in agreement. Lydia went behind Shirushu and used the extra rope as a gag for Shirushu to bite on, so that she wouldnt bite on her tongue. Meanwhile, Milly and Claude stood a little further away, watching over Shirushus situation. When I approached Shirushu and buried my hand into her chest, she trembled in surprise. hn Shirushus face was turning scarlet, and her hair was also gradually turning red. Okay, here we go. hn! Shirushu nodded. To stir up her magic lines, I twisted the hand that was pushed against her chest. When we were traveling by horse carriage, we had slipped out to try fighting monsters a couple of times, and it would seem that when Shirushu receives attacks from the monsters, she would sometimes undergo Beast transformation. It is likely that the negative magic, which monsters are composed of, has an effect on Shirushus consciousness. With skillful manipulation of the magic lines, I intend to drive impacts similar to that of monster attacks into Shirushus body. CC!? Upon impact, Shirushus body sprung up in an arch and her mouth fell wide open, letting out a silent scream. Oh damn, that might have been too strong. There shouldnt be any damage to the body, but its somewhat difficult to moderate it. Shirushus hair turned completely red at once, and any signs of rationality were erased from her red eyes. Beast transformation complete. CC! CC! Twisting her bound body, Shirushu writhed around trying to undo her restraint. That violence cannot be compared with other normal Beast men. As expected, purebreds have a harder time suppressing their beastly nature. The way Shirushu was violently struggling made everyone bewildered. If she rampaged, basically either Lydia or I would immediately make her faint. The violent Shirushu who lost her rationality is, well, scary after all. Shirushu. Shirushu scowled at me silently while I reached my hand close to her cheek, and began stroking it slowly. Initially, she was shocked and was about to escape, but under my gentle and continuous stroking, she calmed down bit by bit. Gradually, she closed her eyes and, seemingly in a comfortable mood, she let out a rumbling sound from her throat. Claude, come over here. Y-Yes! I waved Claude over, and she hurriedly came to sit beside me. Shirushu seemed to have noticed Claudes presence, but she did not particularly show signs of violence and was docile instead. Try stroking her. I mean, are we treating her like an animal? A Beastman Im acquainted with wrote a book which noted that it was a way to get used to the nature of a Beast. Its actually based on proper theory. Something from your past, is it? well, yeah. Even though Claude learned about it, she didnt probe further into the matter, which was a great help. When I urged Claude to go on, she timidly reached out to touch Shirushus throat, then slowly stroked her white chin. All of a sudden, Shirushu began to sniff Claudes scent. Claude seemed so surprised that she leaned back, and Shirushu pushed her down with her body. Wai Shirushu-san!? kun Shirushu snorted as she buried her face into Claudes clothes. Hyaa!? Shes trying to remember Claudes scent. Let her do as she pleases for a moment. Letting her do as she likes Wait, ah, please stophnn When purebreds undergo breast transformation, instead of rationally differentiating between friend and foe, they rely on their instinct. Previously when Shirushu attacked me, it was because she had instinctively considered me as an enemy. By remembering our scents and learning to instinctively identify us as companions, she should not attack us again. Letting Shirushu remember the scents of the three ladies, and making sure that she does not attack us even under Beast transformation, is the minimum requirement for battles here on out. Shortly after she finished remembering her scent, Shirushu snuggled up to the cheek of Claude, who fell backward with her limbs outstretched. Ahahahaha Perhaps having resigned to her fate, Claude let out a defeated laugh as she stroked Shirushus hair. Claudes hair and clothes were in a mess and sticky with drool. Nevertheless, Shirushus has instinctively recognized Claude as one of her companions. I stood up, faced Milly, and waved her over. Next is Milly. Come over here. I-Im doing that too? I As Milly was approaching nervously, I pulled on her hand and brought it over to stroke Shirushus throat. Initially, Milly was also gingerly touching Shirushu, but she gradually got used to it and began stroking her boldly. Shirushu also immediately began to sniff Millys scent. Kya Jeez, Shirushu its tickling you know~? Milly was playing with Shirushu. Looking at the two girls, Lydia seemed to be deeply envious. She looked as if she couldnt help but want to join in. Hey, Zeph-chi. Can I go next? Ah~ yeah, after Milly is done. Ive heard that if introductions were done at the same time, the scents would get mixed up. I let Lydia wait for a while more, and only when Shirushu remembered Millys scent, did Lydia gradually come closer. Shiru-cha~n Lydia approached with a coaxing voice. Thats suspicious, no matter how you see it. As Lydia was about to touch Shirushu, her ears pricked up and her eyes opened wide. Grrrrr~! Shirushu started to growl, threatening Lydia. Lydia was surprised and she pulled her hand back, which is the right thing to do. If she continued to provoke Shirushu in her state of a rampage, it could get very troublesome. Zeph-chi~ Dont sound so miserable Try using this. While saying that, I handed Shirushus favorite food over to her C meat on the bone. Oh oh! I see~? Wha-, isnt that completely treating her like an animal! Claude retorted, but it just cant be helped. When I removed Shirushus gag from behind, she began to lick my face. Oi, thats the wrong place, you know. I turned Shirushus face in Lydias direction and, perhaps interested in the meat which Lydia presented, Shirushus face inched closer to the meat. Then, she began chewing on the meat on the bone, while Lydia was holding onto it. Ohh~! Shes eating! Dont pat her yet though. You have to wait for her to finish eating, or she will misunderstand that youre going after her feed, and try to bite you instead. While watching Shirushu stuff her cheeks with meat, Lydia was itching to touch her. The meal ended just when Lydia was about to lose her patience from waiting, and she hugged Shirushu around her neck. Shirushu seemed to see her as a slight disturbance, but it would appear that she has accepted Lydia who gave her food. Using a piece of meat on the bone, Lydia had somehow managed to get permission to hug Shirushu. She then continued to play with Shirushu as she liked. With this, the instances of Shirushu attacking us in the Beast state would be close to none. At least, only for us though. That being said, its still unstable, and if Shirushu were in a state of extreme stimulation, the chances of her attacking us is not zero. If it becomes possible to completely control her, she should turn out to be a source of strength during battles, so we ought to continue her special training. Around an hour later when Shirushu regained her senses, she did not seem to have any memories of the earlier events, and she interacted with Milly and the rest normally. However, she was creeped out by Lydias bizarre acts of affection. While I was looking at the situation, Milly whispered to me. Hey Zeph, is it fine if you dont do what we did earlier? Zeph had already gone through it you know, when the two of them were alone. Oh I see. While saying that, Milly pinched me hard on the buttocks. Oi you, that hurts you know? Even if Shirushus taming or rather, her special training to suppress her beastly nature were continued from here on, there will still be chances of her attacking other adventurers or completely unrelated, ordinary people. Perhaps it is better to let her curse be sealed as soon as possible. Well, the high priests who can use curse-sealing magic are absent at the moment, so we cant do anything about it I guess. When we get back, Ill ask for help to contact them. The priests of the church each have received rings with crystal fragments, surely they can be contacted by telepathy. Anyway, with this, it is finally possible to get some decent hunting done. Now, its finally time to subjugate the Rock Dragon! Milly stood before us, pointing in the wrong direction. Thats the direction of Izu Port City you know. Milly, follow us without getting lost alright? I-I know! I led Claude, while Milly brought along Lydia and Shirushu, and we teleported towards the Cresta vast cavern. Any monsters met along the way were basically ignored. Even by teleportation, the distance takes the whole day to cover, so we needed to take several breaks as expected. Usually, my magic is first to run out, instead of Millys. When that happens, we would take a quick break under the shade of some rocks. During one of the breaks, Shirushus nose twitched. Monsters are here. Two Rock Wolves and one Land Liger. Shirushu said as she stood up, and everyone followed. In any case, Shirushus ears and nose sure are convenient huh. Lydia also has good eyesight and instinct, but Shirushus ability to seek monsters is far better. Shirushu usually has on her priest hat, but when she takes off her hat and gets into seeker mode, she can sense monsters by sound and smell, from a distance away. Far from being caught off guard, on the contrary, it is more likely that we can ambush the enemy. As Zeph was also about to stand up, Lydia stopped him. Zeph-chi and Milly-chan should take a break. You have to let your magic recover right~ Lydia-san and I would be sufficient for this, alright. Me, me too, tentatively Shirushu had read a few of the scrolls which Milly owns. Shirushus magic potential was not low, while she was likely to go into a rampage if close combat was done poorly, therefore when choosing her attack method, we arrived at the conclusion that using long-distance magic was a good option. Being able to use only elementary magic for now, Shirushu did not contribute significantly to our fighting power yet, but having her is still better than nothing. Got it! But if it gets dangerous, well join in too okay. Yeah! but in the end, we did not get our turn. The two Rock Wolves were instantly killed by Lydia, then together with Claude who had put up a good fight, the Land Liger was surrounded and defeated by the three ladies. Incidentally, Shirushu also fired off barely-sufficient Blue Shots and other magic, but well, the extent of its power is as one could guess. Everyone, thank you for your hard work~? Thanks to you girls were mostly recovered now. Having recovered our magic, we continued on our teleportation journey. CH 112.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama After some time, we began to see huge, snow-capped mountains. The foot of those mountains would be our destination C the Cresta vast caverns. Nearby, snowflakes danced gently as they descended. Achoo! Milly sneezed and her whole body shook. This area was on the North side of the continent and is pretty cold. Time to change into the thick clothes we bought. Wow~ its cold, isnt it~ Youre saying that, but youre dressed quite lightly huh, Lydia-san. A white trail of breath left Claudes lips as she spoke to Lydia, whose neckline was exposed. According to Lydia, its easier to retrieve items from her pouch when her neckline is exposed, but it makes me feel cold just by looking at her. Sure its cold, but itll be harder to move around when wearing thick clothes, I feel~ Im not referring to Clau-chan, but I dont want to be a burden too. Uu what a snide remark, Lydia-san Ahaha ? Sorry sorry. To appease her, Lydia hugged Claude from behind was what I initially thought, but instead, she thrust her hand under Claudes clothes. Hii!? Wai- Its freezing you know! Lydia-san! Ahaha~ its fine its fine ? Haa~ so warm~ Also where are you touch ing! With a red face, Claude twisted her body and tried to escape, but Lydia stopped her plans by putting both hands under her clothes. Come to think of it, my hands are freezing too. As I was pondering and looked around, I met Millys gaze. Immediately, Milly hid her chest and was on guard towards me. She probably thought that I would do the same thing as Lydia huh. Its regrettable that she thinks that way. In the first place, Milly doesnt look that warm. But anyway, my hands are cold. When I moved my gaze again, what entered my view was Shirushu who was wagging her tail, seemingly in high spirits from watching the snow. Usually, she would hide her tail under her clothes, but away from the city where there are fewer people, there is no need to do that. Shirushu previously had her tail cramped within her clothes, but now she was wagging her tail to her hearts content. That looks really warm. Perhaps having realized that I was eyeing her tail, Shirushu looked at me with fearful eyes. Wha-whats the matter, Zeph-san? Shirushu, Ill be borrowing your tail for a moment. Eh? Kya!? I caught Shirushus tail which was covered in long fur, and buried my hands in it. It was warm inside the hair of her tail, and deeper within, it was considered hot. When I grabbed hold of the core of her tail, Shirushu let a small voice leak out, and helplessly sat down. Ahuu Hm? Are you okay, Shirushu? No if you grab my tail I lose all my strength Oh, is that so? Thats not it, please stop doing that! Milly retorted with a loud voice, while I was getting all warm and cozy. But, this is really warm you know? While saying that, I pulled on Millys hand, and together with mine, buried it into Shirushus tail. Wow, its true. So warm I know, right? B-both of you please stop Shirushu stayed seated for the time being, while we were getting warmed up using her tail. Nonetheless, we cant possibly do this all the time. Milly, its about time to set up the tent. Ah, youre right. Milly removed her hands from Shirushus tail, and rummaged through the pouch, taking out a long zip. This was the tent. Milly set up the tent against the caverns wall. A small-scale protection barrier forms around the tent, so that monsters cannot enter, ensuring a safe space within. By pulling down the zipper and entering the tent, a wide space spreads out before you. The Cresta vast cavern was one of the largest dungeons, even in the Northern Continent. When using its massive amounts of magic to create a tent space, a space wide enough to easily allow ten people to sleep in is created, which is more than sufficient for the five of us. I mean, oh man~ Im hungry already~ Please wait for a little while. I will make something. Seeing Lydia who was holding on to her tummy, Shirushu promptly began to take out the cooking tools from the pouch. After taking out the pot, water, ingredients, as well as a kitchen knife and a cutting board, Shirushu put on a white apron and tied its strings behind her back. I will help too. Here! Me too me too~! Hmm then, me too Everyone put on identical aprons and began to cook. I was also about to give assistance, but Milly warned me to stay seated and wait obediently. Well, it would be inefficient to cook with this many people, I guess. But still, Im a little bored. Im going out for a while. Ill be back before mealtime. Okay, see you. Claude replied in a hurry. It seems that everyone is absorbed in cooking. As I unzipped the entrance and stepped outside, the sun was almost setting and it was getting dark. Guess Ill briefly take a look inside the cavern? I exited the tent, zipped it back up and hid it with some grass, then made my way into the Cresta vast cavern. The Cresta vast cavern was quite deep, and the Rock Dragon appears around the fifth level, if Im not mistaken. Since I dont have much time anyway, guess Ill just go around the first level. Due to the dimness in the cavern, it was difficult to use Teleport. As I was slowly walking about, I sensed a monsters presence. Straining my eyes, I saw a huge rock moving slowly, at a distance away. It was a giant made of rock, of around three times my height C a Rock Golem. Upon finding it, I immediately cast Scout Scope. Rock Golem Level 48 Magical Power Level 12538 / 12538 After I identified the Rock Golem, the large eye in the center of its face started to glow as it glared at me, and its colossal form shook as it approached me. I took out the sword Freybrand from my pouch and assumed a fighting stance. The Rock Golem may be tough, but its movements are sluggish. It seems like the perfect enemy for target practice using quadra fusion magic. When the Rock Golem swung its fist at me, I dodged it while slipping close to its body, and I steadied my breathing. CCalm down. Panicking will only lead to failure. Its actions are slow, and besides, I have Safe Protection already. Something like that shouldnt be a threat to me. Phew- alright, lets go. After sufficiently calming down my nerves, I brandished the sword Freybrand. A Red Ball was produced as I swung my sword, and I cast Time Square simultaneously. During the stop in time, I cast Blue Ball, Black Ball, and Green Ball. CQuadra fusion magic, Tetra Ball. Alright, this feels like the correct sensation. Looks like itll succeed. As the sword swung downwards, it drew a gold-colored trail, and the Rock Golems surface was cleaved. With one leg sent flying, the Rock Golem lost its balance and half of its body touched the ground, but it was not destroyed yet. On one knee, the Rock Golem used both arms to counter, while I dodged with Back Step. To initiate another attack, again I stepped closer to the motionless Rock Golem. I calmed my mind and focused. Be it the sword or with magic, the crucial factor is the same. If ones mind were in disarray, he will not be able to invoke magic nor wield a sword well. If I swing my sword with the same state of mind as when I use magic! Together with my slash, the gold-colored light erased the Rock Golem was what I had thought, but the earlier sensation wasnt felt. What is going on? I thought it was strange as I lowered my sword, and from behind the disappearing Rock Golem, I saw a familiar silhouette. That is Silverie? The person also seemed to have noticed me, as her eyes were wide with surprise. Silveries hands had traces of magic left behind. The person who gave the Rock Golem the finishing blow earlier was probably Silverie. Although by accident, I got my kill stolen, but if its just this much then I dont really mind. Silverie! What a coincidence. What are you doing? Of course Im hunting. Cant you tell? When I ran up to her, Silverie instantly showed a displeased expression. Her sharp gaze was terribly intimidating. Hmm, Silverie has been acting weird ever since we met at the general goods store. Perhaps because Milly and the girls were around, so she didnt like it? Nah, even Silverie wouldnt be that petty. As I was still speculating, the rock behind Silverie moved slightly. Is that a Rock Golem!? Sil! The moment I shouted, the sound of an explosion drowned out my voice. The Rock Golem fell apart and crumbled into pieces. In one hit, Silverie had slaughtered the monster. She turned back to look down at me with cold eyes. Thats kinda scary, Silverie. Are you angry about something? Im not angry. While saying that, Silverie teleported away. Isnt she angry, no matter how you see it? CH 113.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama In the end, I again missed out on handing over the crystal fragment to Silverie, and had to return to my tent. The next time I meet her, I ought to just force her to take it before she escapes. Well, Ive thought of doing that a couple of times though. Somehow things never went smoothly. I entered the tent just as the meal was ready, so we began to eat together. Frankly speaking, Shirushus cooking was not great, and the fact that the children had to scrounge for food in the shopping district was, well, understandable. Its likely that until now, she probably hasnt eaten any delicious food, since she certainly hasnt developed a discerning palate. Perhaps she was able to tell that something was off by tasting it herself, Shirushus expression was clouded. S-sorry, I couldnt make it taste good Now now, Shirushu-san, well teach you another time. Yup yup ? With practice youll get better, right? After finishing up our meal, Milly and Shirushu fell asleep, while I went for another session of manipulating Claudes and Lydias magic lines. Speaking of which, Shirushu has yet to learn the growth rate enhancement magic, Growth. The Growth Scroll had been returned to its owner and is currently not on hand, but it should still be possible to directly engrave it into her body by meddling with her magical lines. Although it would take a considerable amount of time, it would also help to suppress Shirushus rampages, therefore its something we should do. Thanks to the magic lines manipulation session every night, the two ladies Growth levels have been steadily increasing too, while it would be undesirable to have too much difference in levels within a guild. As I was pondering, my fatigue eventually caught up to me. Late into the night, I was awoken by the feeling of something dripping onto my cheek. In the darkness where everyone was supposed to be asleep, I could hear the sound of heavy panting. Something leaned onto my body, completely restricting my movements. This presence is As my eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, I saw the thing which fell onto me. It was Shirushu. Her hair was dyed red and her eyes were vacant. Although it seems like she did not undergo beast transformation, her consciousness was not present. Sleepwalking or something huh? Shirushu? Fuwaa Shirushu, oi get a hold of yourself. Heh!? Ah! Zeph-sa..? I called out Shirushus name several times, while lightly patting her cheek, and Shirushu woke up with a start. However, she did not move away from where she was on top of me. I mean, I am desperately trying to move my body, but things arent working out the way I hoped it would. Im sorr I-Ill move away immediately! Are you alright, Shirushu? I propped myself up with my elbows and touched Shirushu, intending to move her away, when she hugged me with all her might. Shirushu? Im sorry My body moved on its own Seeing that I was bewildered by the sudden hug, Shirushu apologized while still in the embrace. As if in heat, Shirushu rubbed her body against mine. Her rough breath was felt on my shoulders. I see, Shirushus beast nature must have overpowered her sense of reasoning when she heard the moans from Claude and Lydia during their magic lines manipulation session. This situation is somewhat similar to what happened the other day in the inn, when I was manipulating Claudes magic lines. Come to think of it, it would seem that whenever she loses her mind, Shirushus hair turns a deeper pink. Please tie me up. At this rate, its too tough! I cant hold on! Got it. My bad, I should have predicted that such a thing would happen. Hurry Shirushus whole body had already turned red and it feels like she would soon be at her limit. I forcefully peeled Shirushu off me, and sat her down. From my pouch, I took out the rope which we used to restrain Shirushu the other day, and used it to tie up Shirushus hands, feet and body. Using the method taught by Lydia, as I bound Shirushus body up tightly, she let a sweet sigh leak from her lips. Fuaa Its almost done, so endure it for awhile more. Yes By the time I finished binding Shirushu up, she was completely dazed. Even when I called out to her, she only gave half-hearted replies, as she was squirming about and twisting her body. Her rationality may have already been flung out of the window. Sleep Code wouldnt have worked on her in this state, and in the first place, she probably wasnt even conscious Well, whatever. Goodnight, Shirushu. After tucking Shirushu, who looked as if she was delirious from a high fever in, I also fell asleep. The next morning. AhGood morning, Zeph-san MorningEh, you alright? Shirushu, your eyes are red. Ahaha I havent been sleeping When I woke up, I found Shirushu under my blanket. Her hair was back to her normal color, but her eyes were bloodshot and red. Fua Good morning, Zeph-kun Cl-Claude!? Eh What are you doing!? Seeing the bound Shirushu who was under my blanket, Claudes eyes were round with surprise. Claude looked as if she had seen something which she shouldnt have, and immediately averted her eyes. Ah~ this is uh Shirushu crawled under my blanket I-I understand. Shirushu-san sometimes slips into my futon too but even so, tying her up for that Shirushu told me to tie her up. Ahh~~ Claude and I were frantic, while Shirushu simply looked vacantly at us. I guess her mind isnt functioning due to a lack of sleep. With an absent-minded look, Shirushu was glancing between Claude and I. Then, when she finally understood the situation, her face and hair dyed red and she let out a wordless shriek. ~~~~~!? Then, she jumped up to her feet and was about to run away from us, when she fell grandly on the floor. She probably forgot that she was tied up with rope. A-are you okay, Shirushu-san? UuUu After I helped Shirushu up and undid the rope, she wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up in a corner of the tent. She did not respond despite being called multiple times, and stayed huddled even after everyone had woken up. Shirushu, whats wrong? Various things happened, please leave me alone. Various things were done, isnt it, Zeph-chi~ Lydia was grinning as she examined me. I averted my eyes from her. The tough part is not being able to deny it completely. Millys gaze was also burning into me. Claude I guess thats just your usual behavior? As Claude was speaking, she turned towards me with a pleasant smile on her face. Ugh, what a refreshing smile. Claude didnt back me up this time either. Damn. As expected, Shirushus nature as a beastfolk is somewhat troublesome. It would seem that we cannot afford not to conduct the sealing again as early as possible. As I was bathed in the cold stares from the three ladies, I began my morning preparations. In the end, Shirushu, who had stayed up all night, fell asleep while sitting in the corner. It would feel bad if we woke her up, so only the rest of us would go into the Cresta vast cavern today. As for Shirushu, I guess shell have to work hard starting from tomorrow. After finishing up a light meal, we got ready to leave the tent. Alright then, well be back, Shirushu. Milly waved at Shirushu who was in the tent. The tent was different from the pouch, in that when there was something in it, it was not possible to carry it around. It creates a space by using magic from the place where it was set up, so I guess that is pretty obvious. People apart from your comrades were not allowed to enter, and we also left a note behind. Telepathy could still be used too, and even if monsters come, Shirushu has her Beast transformation to rely on in the worst case. There shouldnt be a problem. The Cresta vast cavern is separated into ten floors in total, while the Rock Dragon resides in the center C the fifth floor. Until then, there are no monsters which we ought to take special caution of, but lets be careful anyway. Understood. For now, lets start descending ? Following Millys carefree declaration, we entered the cavern. The strategy for defeating the Rock Dragon was discussed the day before, but its probably better to mention it again right before we fight. Im afraid that Milly, for instance, couldve forgotten what we had discussed, so its just to be sure. Wahh~ Its spacious inside~ There arent any particularly strong monsters around here, but dont let your guard down alright? Milly-san may stand behind me. Hehe, thank you Claude ? Wasnt that such a gentlemanly thing to say? When I said that to poke fun at Claude, she glared at me somewhat sullenly. To avert her gaze, I let my eyes drift elsewhere, and just then a Rock Golem appeared. A monster. Zeph-kun, dont think Ive forgotten what you said, you know Ahaha, Clau-chan is easy to bully I guess~ Lydia patted Claudes head, while each of us moved into our battle positions. It would be the usual formation, where Claude and Lydia will attract the monsters attention, while Milly and I will use magic to attack it. The Rock Golems attack was parried by Claudes sword and shield, and Lydia aimed for the gaps between its rocks, dealing consecutive hits in the meantime. When Milly estimated that the duo was sufficiently distanced from the Golem, she held her hands up, ready to cast magic. To match her attack, I also cast Blue Gale. Blue Gale, double! With Millys shout, a gigantic water dragon wound up around the Rock Golem, causing it to break into pieces. Using Blue Gale double, its a one-hit kill huh. It seems like the probability of combining attacks has increased considerably huh. If thats the case, we could probably incorporate it into our future battle tactics. We did it~? Raising both hands in the air, I high-fived with Milly, and walked towards Claude and Lydia. But Milly, its better to shout out the attack name only after confirming the success of the combination magic, you know? Why? It would be embarrassing if we failed, I guess? Its fine as long as we dont fail, right~? Saying that, Milly hooked her arm around mine. It still fails frequently though where does your confidence even come from Zeph-kun, Milly-san, thank you for your hard work. Ahaha~, the two of you make the perfect team, dont you~ While being teased by the two ladies, we proceeded further into the cavern. CH 113.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama (Zeph) From the shade of a rock, Silverie was watching the four people who were hunting happily. She had come to hunt the Rock Dragon and was about to move deeper into the cavern, when they just so happened to enter her field of view. Without thinking, she had hidden herself. The reason why Silverie had moved to the Northern Continent, was because she had accomplished her goals in the Eastern Continent. Due to her purchase of the King Nipper card from Zeph, she was already close to completing her objectives then. When she departed from the Southern Continent, Silverie had thought that she wouldnt be meeting Zeph anymore, so when she heard by chance that he was also in the Northern Continent, her mood improved. However, in this current situation, her mood turned sour. As she looked at Zeph getting along well with his comrades, dark and sinister feelings smoldered in her heart. (Darn, how annoying.) To vent her frustrations, Silverie punched the rock wall beside her. She could feel that her magic was in big disarray. If this goes on, it could become a hindrance during battle, whereas if she met up with Zeph and the others, she could end up acting weirdly again. Even for Silverie, the Rock Dragon takes an unexpectedly long time to defeat. For today, it might be better to not proceed further into the cavern. Deciding on that, Silverie turned on her heels. Just then, a Rock Golem appeared before her. Glaring at the rock without any idea of what it was thinking, she disregarded it and continued to walk forward. What a hindrance. With a wave of her hand, a magic light pierced through the Rock Golem, and the upper half of its body was scattered away. As too much magic was released at once, it was not well controlled. That was probably because her heart was in disarray. (Perhaps for today, I should climb the mountain instead?) The Cresta vast cavern was an enormous dungeon spot, so the mountain above it had turned into a dungeon as well C the Cresta Snowy Peaks. Compared to the cavern, the mountain had stronger monsters, but at a lower density, making it an easier dungeon to fight in. However, Silveries intent was different, and that was the perfect place to distract her from her emotions. While trampling and smashing the destroyed Rock Golem to vent her anger, Silverie set foot on the path towards the mountains. Without knowing about the things happening with Silverie, Zeph and the others smoothly advanced deeper into the Cresta vast cavern. Uwaa whats that? Dont get too close, okay? The rocks formed a set of natural stairs which led downwards, to reach the fifth level which the Rock Dragon lords over. At one level above it, we decided to have a strategy meeting while taking a break. I cast Scout Scope on the Rock Dragon which was at the foot of the stairs. Rock Dragon Level 62 Magical Power Level 224532 / 224532 The Rock Dragon has tough skin and nails, and boasts of high attack and defense. Its magical power level is typical of a boss-class monster, but it has sluggish movements and only a few types of attacks. If its just one dragon, defeating it shouldnt be a problem. However, a considerable number of Rock Dragons can be spotted even from afar. The fifth level is infested with innumerable Rock Dragons which rule over the place. That being said, there will be a need to fight with more caution than usual. Prior to this, I had already told everyone what to expect, but unsurprisingly, seeing this incredible sight of numerous huge monsters lumbering around seems to have frightened them. Ive said this many times before, but Rock Dragons are quite strong. We can estimate its battle prowess to be equal to that of Sunny Ravens. It will be impossible for us to take on two or more of them at once, so we will have to defeat them one at a time. Zeph-chi will attract a large number of Rock Dragons, while I will draw one dragon out at a time, and everyone will defeat it together, correct? Basically, I will be the vanguard, while Milly-san will be our firepower I guess I feel uneasy in various ways. Claude seemed to be worried while she rotated her arm about her shoulder, and let out a wry laugh. Claude will be the key player here, do your best okay? Yeah yeah ? Were relying on you! Yes but, Im still uneasy. Claude stood up, took out a bright red mantle from her pouch, and draped it over herself. It was the Mantle of Flame Road. In exchange for reducing damage from Red system magic, this armor amplifies damage from Blue system magic. The plan is to defend against the Rock Dragons flame breath and magic using that mantle and Claudes unique magic, Screen Point. Meanwhile, physical attacks will have to be evaded by her own skill. Since other people are not able to use the nullification magic, Screen Point, this role can only be taken by Claude. Lydia had mentioned that she didnt need the mantle since it would impede her movements. Well, itll probably be fine since its Lydia. The magic consumption and power of Millys Blue Gale is superior, so in the case of long-drawn out battles, her average damage per hour would far exceed mine. Even with just Milly and Claude, it should be possible to take down the Rock Dragon, even if it takes some time. Well then shall we get going? During the battle, well mainly use telepathy. Yup! I understand. Right! Lets go~ Lydia hugged us and patted our shoulders to encourage us. Towards the fifth level which was crawling with numerous Rock Dragons, I was the first to enter, followed by Lydia. Milly and Claude would remain on standby first, and only make their move after their safety can be ensured. Slowly, I made my way along the rocks with stealthy steps. In such situations, it wouldve been better to have Shirushu, who has a good sense of smell, with us. First of all, we have to move to a small room which we will use as the battlefield. The Cresta vast cavern has a complex layout, and small rooms are available here and there. By entering one of these rooms without being seen by other enemies, it would be relatively safer to hunt. Ill take a quick look inside. Wait here for a moment. Got it ? Lydia gave a thumbs up. Leaving her on standby, I used Black Coat and proceeded to scout out the small room. Once I cast Black Coat, I would be completely camouflaged in the surroundings. To ensure that the invisibility magic does not come off, I made my way slowly. Although the Rock Dragons nearby did not notice me yet, if I made a wrong move, Black Coat could come off. As that thought crossed my mind, I just couldnt feel at ease. While dripping with cold sweat, I arrived in the small room. It would seem that there were no monsters inside. Having arrived safely, I initiated telepathy with the three ladies. Its safe inside. I will attract the surrounding monsters, so everyone can begin to enter the small room, with Lydia in the lead. I will leave any necessary decision-making to Lydia. Okay~ Understood. Good job, Zeph! Be careful, okay? Mm. Alright then, before Milly and the rest arrive, I ought to lure all the Rock Dragons away from the path leading to the room. I left the small room and walked to roughly the center of the floor, and canceled Black Coat. At that instant, the Rock Dragons nearby simultaneously turned to face me. Probably about seven or eight Rock Dragons stomped on the ground and kicked up clouds of dust as they commenced the attack. C Alright then, shall we begin? I cast Summon Servant, and with a flash of light, Ain appeared. Gramps, you called~ Eh, whats this!? On seeing the thunder of Rock Dragons before her, Ains eyes were wide with shock. Sorry but Id like you to lure these dragons. Will it be a problem? Its fine, but~ Ain leaned forward and spoke with a sweet voice while taking quick glances at me from below. Jeez, this girl she probably wants food. Yeah, yeah if you work hard, I will reward you generously with food. Yayy! Ill do it Ill do it! While flapping her arms about, Ain flew towards a Rock Dragon. Three Rock Dragons noticed Ain and charged towards her. If things get dangerous for Ain, I could just make her vanish, so well, I guess it should be fine. Alright then, Ill have to take on the remainder of the dragons. When I looked towards the dust clouds nearby, I saw four Rock Dragons ferociously heading towards me. I slowly approached them, for the sake of distancing them from Milly and the rest. A few seconds before coming into contact, I cast Time Square, and the monsters movements were stopped just in time. While time was frozen, I checked the actions of the monsters. On the left, a dragon is about to gore me with its horns, while in the front, another is about to trample me underfoot. From slightly further away, a dragon is about to release its breath, and on the right, another is preparing to strike from overhead with its claws. After confirming the next moves of the four Rock Dragons, I cast Black Boots twice. The moment when time was unfrozen, wind wrapped around my feet and I dashed off. I jumped over the horn, dodged the foot, and the breath landed at a place I had already run past. As the claws swung down, I weaved through the gaps between the claws and emerged from behind the dragons. I cast Black Wave at the Rock Dragons who were flustered from having lost sight of me. The dragons noticed the sudden gust of wind and turned around. Watching them, I sneered. Where are you looking at, you dumb dragons? Even without understanding my words, they probably understood that I was provoking them. With eyes dyed red in fury, they commenced the attack. Its nice and easy to have simple-minded opponents. Alright, looks like were also moving according to plan over there. While I was luring the thunder of dragons that were chasing me, from the corner of my eyes, I spotted Milly and the rest entering the small room. All thats left is to lead these guys away, get rid of them, and then return. As I was bringing the dragons around while making sure they do not disperse, the sounds of the girls battle could be heard. To ensure that everyone would be informed of the current situation, all members were told to communicate via telepathy. Milly-san! A-attack quickly! Hold on, Claude, my magic will recover soon. Uwa, a new Rock Dragon is here! I will lure it and give it the slip over there before coming back okay~ As far as I can know from their telepathy, it would seem that theyre having a pretty tough fight. I would like to rush over immediately, but I cant take my hands off my situation either. To make sure that I do not lose the Rock Dragons, Ive been maintaining a reasonable speed while running from them. Behind me, the number of dragons had increased a few times from the initial few, and they were kicking up dust clouds while chasing after me. I have already lost count of the number of Rock Dragons behind me. What I do know, is probably that the moment I stop running, I would likely be run over and killed. Its about time to escape I guess. CH 114.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama While continuing to avoid the Rock Dragons coming at me I started moving towards the right, however I ended up encountering Ain who was running away from another Dragon. Grandpa I managed to run away! Wh- arent there even more now? Thats right. Theres quite a bit more. What are we going to do about this! Do not fret. I have a plan Ain turn into a sword. Thats fine and all but Here I go. Accompanied by light, Ain turned into her Divine Sword form and landed in my hand. DDDivine Sword Ainbelle. It was a sword that could absorb ones magic power and by swinging it the absorbed magic power would be released. I had numerous ways of using it so it was one of my trump cards. On the other hand the cost for using it was quite high. Compared to her normal gluttonous state, when using this Ain ended up eating a tremendous amount of gems so I didnt normally want to use it. Ain addressed it as a Divine Sword but to me it was just a Magic Sword. Still this time I have no choice but to use it Hya! While cursing I activated Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Boots twice. Afterwards I looked at the Divine Sword Ainbelle and aimed the double cast Black Boots at it. Divine Sword Ainbelle began to be covered in wind and it promptly sucked the magic power into its blade. Then I once more cast Time Square. I cast Black Boots twice more and activated it while simultaneously swinging Divine Sword Ainbelle, activating the other two Black Boots charges within it. DDFourfold Spell Synthesis Black Boots Square. The rising wind enveloped my body and I could suddenly feel myself become lighter. I waited for the numerous Rock Dragons to get as close as possible. To me, the charging Rock Dragons currently looked as if they had stopped. I waited right until the Rock Dragons were about to attack. Then, in a single breath, I passed right through the middle of the crowd. RAWRRR? The Rock Dragons raised a howl of confusion as they lost their target. I entered the small shed in the back and released Divine Sword Ainbelle. I had escaped for now; however, I couldnt relax just yet. I cast Black Coat and my figure became identical to the scenery. ..!! Fourfold increase really does take its toll though. All of my joints are creaking. Increasing the bodys physical capabilities with magic really puts a huge burden on the body. Combine it with increasing it fourfold and running at full throttle and its no wonder its like this. I dont have time to leisurely rest I must get to Milly and the others as soon as possible. While being grateful to my still creaking body I slowly headed to where Milly and the others were. I could see the Rock Dragons scattering in the distance after they had lost sight of me. If it was a Boss made up of an enormous amount of Magic Power, or a Mage that had Magic Power above a certain number they would have probably been able to see through Black Coat, however no matter how strong they may be, monsters that were normally spawned in a Dungeon would have no way to see through it. It was really efficient when trying to shake off monsters. I would even say that it was a spell that was essential when exploring through this Dungeon crawling with Rock Dragons. When I went back to Milly and the others they were still fighting against the Rock Dragons. It seemed like Lydia had also joined them after luring away and scattering some Rock Dragons. I cast Scout Scope at a Rock Dragon that was firing its fire breath at Claude. Rock Dragon Lv 62 Magic Power 123,276 / 224,532 Whoa, it seems like theyre putting up a good fight. I cast Blue Wall on the entrance of the small room that I had just entered. A wall of ice then appeared and blocked off the entrance. The monsters from the outside shouldnt be able to find us now. Oh youre back! Good work Zeph-chi ZEPH YOURE LATE! Dont do this next time In contrast to Lydia who was carefree, Milly was casting Blue Gale with a desperate expression showing on her face. Well the Rock Dragons movement was way too slow for Lydia and Milly must have probably drained her Magic Power by casting spells numerous times. And Claude who was fighting with a Rock Dragon, head on, was in such a frantic situation that she couldnt even allow herself to raise her voice at me. Good, if its like this then Try to take care of it by yourselves saying that I leaned against a rock wall and took a resting position. Wh-what are you saying! Zeph, you help as well! Its not an opponent you cannot win against Or is it that you feel uneasy when Im not there? I said with a smile. In response Millys face got bright red and she raised her eyebrows. WH-!?THATS NOT TRUE! Claude, Lydia were doing this! Ahaha? Lydia responded. What an easy to control fellow. And as before Claude had no chance to respond. After that the intense fight continued for a while after which with a loud sound the Rock Dragons huge body fell to the ground. The Rock Dragons body then disappeared after being defeated by the three exhausted girls with Milly being the most drained.. Haaa. Ha.W-we did it! Phew that one sure was tough. Kuro-chan are you okay? [1. TL Note: Claudes nickname which Lydia calls her] I-Im afraid Im n-not doing that great. saying that Claude began falling to the ground. Seeing that I immediately rushed and embraced her right before she was about to fall. Looking at Claudes face I saw that she was pale and looked extremely exhausted. . Claude, you did great. Th-thank y-you she said. I proceeded to cast Healing on her which seemed to lift her a bit. The other two also had a look of accomplishment showing on their faces. Unfortunately, we werent able to produce the Rock Dragon Fangs that we had set out to get but being able to defeat such a monster without me should have raised Milly and the others confidence. Everyone, good job. You did great. I looked towards Milly with a smile Hmph O-of course we did! she replied while turning her blushing face. She really is easy to control. Still thats one of her good qualities. What are you grinning about!? Nothing. I said while putting my hand on Millys head and stroking it so as to try and dodge the question. Afterwards, I suddenly got a call from someone while I was joining the girls in fighting three Rock Dragons. Zeph-san? Where are you? I clearly heard Shirushus voice. It seems like she had finally woken up. Oh Shirushu. Youve woken up I see. Y-yesS-so, where is everyone? Were hunting. I think well be back soon, so itd be great if you could prepare something for us to eat later. I understand; Ill get to it right away! After I finished my telepathy with Shirushu I turned towards everyone. So thats how it is. We should go back soon. Youve got a point. Im hungry as well? Im also tired. said Claude You did well today Kuro-chan Lydia said to her. And with that todays hunt was over. Unfortunately, not a single Rock Dragon Fang dropped, however everyones level went up and it also became precious battle experience so it wasnt in vain. Everyone, great job! When we got back to the tent Shirushu was there to welcome us, wearing an apron. Dinners ready It seemed like she had prepared dinner for us, just as we discussed beforehand. Milly let out a faint smile because she probably still couldnt forget the strange taste from the other day. Even so she couldnt refuse Shirushus kindness so in the end she lifted up the pots lid. The inside was filled with vegetables and noodles and a pleasant aroma drifted from the pot. Well it does look tasty. As if having thought the same thing everyone swallowed their saliva. We received bowls full of food from Shirushu and when our gazes met we fearfully put the food in our mouths. It was then that Milly suddenly jumped up and yelled at Shirushu. SHIRUSHU! THIS IS DELICIOUS! I agree. Its completely different from yesterdays meal. said Claude, agreeing with Milly. Shirushus meal was way better than yesterdays Rather it was actually tasty. Everyones eyes went round due to the change. Fufu. Thank you everyone. I tried to make it according to the recipe I got from Lydia-san. It looks like it went well Shiru-chan. Wh-, hihihi Lydia got close and stroked Shirushus head with one hand, while her other hand was fondling Shirushus breasts. Shirushu apparently felt bad about running away after she had gotten Lydias help so she just stood there with a red face, while letting Lydia do whatever she pleased. Lydia, leave it at that wont you? I said while grabbing Lydias hand and pulling it away from Shirushus body. Youre so meaan. Dont you do the same thing all the time Zeph-chi. Thats true Zeph, youre not one to judge. The reason I do it is to help Shirushu train to control her animal nature. I said while bringing down a hand-chop over Millys head. Afterwards I moved my chopsticks towards the food Shirushu had prepared. While eating we reviewed todays hunt as well as made plans for tomorrow. Isnt it possible to have Shirushu stay close to the rooms entrance and have her notify us whenever monsters draw close? proposed Claude If we do that, then shell just end up staying there by herself. Isnt it way too pitiful Milly disagreed with her I-Im okay with it. Claude seemed to be on the logical side, while Milly took the emotional. Shirushu also didnt look like she was that intent on fighting. Rather, why dont we have Shiru-chan go out of control and bring the monsters to her? Lydia proposed Its not a bad idea, however apart from spells, normal attacks dont work on the Rock Dragons. Even in her beastfolk form it would still take a lot of time for Shirushu to take care of them. And theres no guarantee that she wont go after us. That really is scary.. Milly and the others were looking at me and Lydia with cold gazes, because of our discussion just now. Guess they cant take a joke. I looked at Lydia and shrugged my shoulders. Well I guess its fine if we have her take on the lookout and healing role. The Rock Dragons are certainly strong so having Shirushu with her good hearing will allow her to figure out where the monsters are coming from. I said, to which everyone nodded. I-Ill do my best! Shirushu said while clenching both her fists. Well then it seems like weve come to a conclusion. We have to get up early so its best if we go to sleep. It would be troublesome if Shirushu ended up turning like she had yesterday so I decided not to perform the Magical Power Line strengthening today. After saying that I wouldnt do it until we managed to acquire the Rock Dragon Fangs Claude looked at me with a sad expression. Could she actually be enjoying it quite a bit? She somehow does seem to like it when I do it. CH 114.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama 10 The following day. After preparing ourselves and going out we saw that it was actually snowing. The whole area had been turned pure white. It appears to have snowed all night. Unlike yesterday, todays road was covered with a layer of snow that reached up to our ankles. It will probably amass even more by the time we go back While I was thinking that Milly jumped out of the tent. Whoaaa! Its snow? Milly began running around with a joyous attitude, her breath becoming mist because of the cold. It appeared like she was having a lot of fun. Her joyous attitude combined with her twin tails moving up and down made her seem just like a puppy. Zeph! I heard Millys energetic voice behind me. Shes in such high spirits She really is a kid. Thinking that I turned towards her just to feel something cold hit my face. It was snowing. Milly had thrown a snowball at me. Milly Hahaha? I glared at the Milly who was running away while laughing at me Haha, Ill take you on then. I kicked the ground with all my strength and fiercely dashed at the running Milly, catching up to her I grabbed her and threw her on the snow. Z-Zeph! Thats not fair! I hit you with a snowball so you should throw one at me as well!? Ill take you up on your offer then. saying that grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it down the back of the struggling Milly. Kyaaaa!? Fufufu, this is what you get for making me mad. Even though she was letting out pitiful screams Milly somehow seemed like she was still having fun. While continuing to sit on top of her I shoved even more snow down her back. Haha? this is so fun said Lydia. You two seem to really get along. continued Shirushu .That looks nice. said Claude. While being watched by everyone I continued to tease Milly for a little bit more. While Zeph and the others were playing in the snow, Silverie was at the halfway point of the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. She had spent the night within a cave dug out with magic. Silverie didnt own a tent. To Silverie who primarily travelled alone a high grade disposable item such as a tent was inefficient. A disposable barrier that would ward against monsters was enough for her. Or thats how it was in the East Continent which was blessed with pleasant weather. This time that efficient characteristic of hers proved to be her enemy. Its still snowing If one were to look out of the snow cave one would only see a frightening snow storm. How many times was it now that she had to use her already numb hands in order to clean up the entrance from the piling up snow so that it wouldnt be closed completely. After cleaning the snow Silverie went to the back of the cave and created a floating Red Ball with which she warmed her hands. I got too carried away. I ended up doing something stupid. She hadnt expected that there would be a snow storm. Due to having lived in the East Continent where it didnt usually snow and because of not having encountered a snow mountain in a long time, Silverie ended up underestimating it. She tucked her warmed up hands into her coat and sat in the back of the cave. Luckily she had food in her pouch so she wouldnt die from hunger. Silverie rummaged through her coat only to take out a pack of Portable Food. The Portable Meal was something that the Magician Association had come up with. It was food that could be stored for long periods of time and as long as you had hot water with you, you could easily make a meal. You could really call it a magical food. She put hot water into the cup sized container and the dried noodles inside became soft and edible. Even so there was no way it could be tasty but it still had the advantages of being light and easy to carry, on top of that it was cheap so it was really popular with adventurers. On the other hand, the nutritional balance was bad and if your diet consisted of just this, it wouldnt be great for your health, however for Silverie who hated troublesome things she eats this quite often. Time to eat. She put her hands together and started slurping the noodles that passed from her two chopsticks and entered her stomach. She originally didnt like the taste, however today it tasted even worse than usual. But in order to not let her strength fall she had to eat. I wonder if Zeph is eating something tasty right about now He was surrounded by women after all. There should have been at least one or two of them that were good at cooking. I guess that doesnt concern me Silverie was strong. To Silverie who could solo hunt bosses, there was almost no need to share her loot or have to bother with teaming up with an annoying party. Even if she did defeat a boss with the help of a party, if in the case that a single boss card dropped, it was entirely possible that the party would argue over who would get the property over the card, or how they would split the money after it had been sold. Thinking of those risks, to Silverie who mostly aimed for important bosses, the disadvantages were way more. On top of that she was bad at speaking with other people. That is why she hardly even teamed up, even if only for a little bit, and didnt have any companions. Enchant Spell When Silverie cast her spell a black snake was brought forth and it wrapped itself around Silveries arm. The black snake that was summoned with Silveries unique spell Enchant Spell had various abilities and Silverie sometimes even used it to console herself. I dont need any companions Isnt that right Kuro when Silverie said that to the black snake, it stretched its head near Silveries cheek and licked off the excess food that had been stuck to it. Triple Blue Gale! An enormous water tornado enveloped the Rock Dragon and sliced it up. While staggering the Rock Dragon fired off a Fire Breath. However, Claude blocked the fire with her shield and Lydia easily dodged it. Due to Fire Breath being a wide range attack, me and Milly, who were tasked with firing off spells from the back, were situated in a far off place in order to avoid it. Still, Lydia is amazing for being able to continuously dodge that wide range attack. From her movements it seemed like she was able to read the attack. When the Rock Dragon finished firing its breath it aimed at the coughing Claude and slashed with its fangs However, at the same moment Lydias axe landed on the Rock Dragons body. It was an attack that was aimed right between the gap of the Dragons hard scales. Even the Rock Dragon couldnt help flinching from that attack and stopped his attack for a moment. Without missing that chance Lydia made another powerful blow, which averted the Dragons fang attack from Claude. Lydia flew back from the recoil and did a backflip in the air after which she landed on the ground. She still had that composed smile on her face. It was precisely when fighting with strong monsters that Lydia could display her strength. As always, she had her inhuman movements. Everyone, theres a Rock Dragon coming towards us. Shirushu who was standing guard at the rooms entrance informed us. Even from here I could see Shirushus small ears twitching on top of her head. Shes probably searching for them through sound. Ill go meet it. I said Be careful, and dont worry about bringing back a souvenir. said Lydia while waving her hand. Focus on the fight for christ sake. My role was ranged support and controlling the monsters. Its dangerous to fight two Rock Dragons at once so there is a need to prevent any monster from unnecessarily entering. I walked up to Shirushu side and peeking through the entrance I really could see a Rock Dragon getting close. It doesnt seem to have noticed us just yet, however thats just a matter of time. Shirushu said excitedly while resting her hands on my shoulders. It seemed like shes pumped up due to being able to help for the first time today. Theres no point in dragging it even further away considering its still that far off. I said while casting Blue Wall at the entrance. The continuously appearing ice wall blocked the entrance and closed the way to the small room that we were currently in. If faced with the Rock Dragons Fire Breath this Blue Wall probably wouldnt be able to hold. However, if I were to set it up before it noticed it, the wall would blend into the Cresta Great Snow Mountains ice, creating a perfect cover to fool the Rock Dragon. Ill continue maintaining the Blue Wall like this. Tell me when the Rock Dragon goes away. Okay! I turned my head back to look at Milly and the others fighting the other Rock Dragon. I can finally be calm now that they have fought them a number of times. With the way theyre doing now, even without my help theyll still do fine. My Magic Power has drained quite a bit as well. I guess Ill just rest for a bit and watch them. While closing one eye I leaned against the rock wall. Zeph! What are you doing slacking off over there! Considering theres a Rock Dragon nearby I cant let the Blue Wall fall for even an instant. Do something about that one over there without me. Hmph! Milly didnt stop glaring in my direction, however in the end she turned towards the Rock Dragon and continued fighting. After that a bit of time passed and from within the place where the Rock Dragons body disappeared Milly joyous voice could be heard. Whoa! Zeph, everyone! Come here, come here! Being pulled in by her voice we all gathered. At the place where the Rock Dragon had disappeared there was definitely a huge fang. It was a Rock Dragon Fang. Whoa its so big! It really is. PhewIt finally dropped It finally dropped after 13 battles. Everyone looked at each other with faces of relief. Everyone we did it? said Milly energetically while spreading her hands on top of mine and Claudes shoulders. She wasnt able to reach Lydia and Shirushu as well, however Lydia covered for her and Shirushu imitated them as well. We formed something like a circle and Milly showed a smile of satisfaction. CH 115.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Around the same time, Silverie was going down the mountain in the middle of a snow storm. She didnt have a lot of food left and there wasnt anyone that would be able to help her since Silverie had no friends. She had decided it would be better to get down as much as possible before her physical strength gave up on her. Her field of view was limited, but it was still better when compared to walking during the night. Surrounded by the warming coat made with magic she was feeling warm, however the melting snow touching her skin wasnt a pleasant experience. The endlessly stretching and monotonous pure white scenery, accompanied by the fatigue from the long journey had stolen Silveries ability to think. Why did something like this happen She tried to work her already fatigued mind however everything inside it just felt like it was in a haze. Zeph Its his fault. I started going crazy around the time I met him. Ever since then I havent been myself. Damn it. What is this feeling.! Silverie frowned and ground her teeth. The control over her spell was disturbed and the heat inside the coat rose up to a point that made her feel hot. GRRRR.! Suddenly she felt like the snow mountain in front of her had just moved. And it wasnt just her imagination. The snow began letting off squeaking noises as the snow mountain grew bigger. What appeared from within the tumbling snow was Cresta Great Snow Mountains boss, Hati Bear. Its height was comparable to that of a standing Rock Dragon and its fur boasted a high defense. Hati Bear curved its mouth and eyes while fixing its look on Silverie. It was the expression of a hunter having found its prey. However, Silverie had the same expression. She was looking at the Hati Bear while showing a faint smile. If this isnt just the perfect opponent to take my frustration out on. Is what she thought. ROARRRRRRR!! Silverie flicked her coat and began to refine her Magic power while glaring at the Hati Bear who was letting out a roar while raising a curtain of smoke with its charge at her. Zeph! While unconsciously saying that name Silverie got into a fighting pose. Zeph whats wrong? Nothing Is it just my imagination? I just left like someone called my name After obtaining the Rock Dragon Fang we returned to the tent and were currently eating the food Shirushu had made for us. On the outside a snow storm was raging. Even Milly wasnt able to enjoy herself like she did in the morning during this snowstorm, so she had also entered the tent alongside us. The amount of snow is amazing? It really does make your heart beat, doesnt it? It doesnt snow that often in the East Continent so this really is a new experience! Everyone seems so excited for some reason I cant seem to understand it The first time I came to the North Continent and saw a huge amount of snow I was in high spirits as well so I could understand their excitement. Still was I really imagining that thing just then? For some reason it sounded like Silveries voice We finished with our meal and after everyone went to bed I began to fiddle the crystal ring fragment that I had gotten from Silverie. Silverie I said in a quiet voice so the others wouldnt hear, but as I had expected there was no response. Around the time when everyone fell asleep before I could even notice it I let go of my consciousness as well. The blood was flowing along Silveries arm and was dripping on the while snow, painting it red. She had been able to inflict a serious wound on the Hati Bear, however she had also been wounded in the process. After entering its Berserk Mode, the Hati Bear had driven her up a cliff where she slipped and fell down to the bottom of the gorge. It was then that she suffered the wound. While hearing the distant roar Silverie created a cave inside the snow so that she could rest. After supporting the insides of the cave so that it wouldnt collapse she slowly dragged her body and sat in a corner. I underestimated it The hardship of fighting during a snowstorm, a first in a long time encounter with a boss from the North Continent, the danger of the mountain. She was currently in such a state due to underestimating all of those things. She cast Red Ball and produced a ball of flames on top of her hand, however the flames were really unstable and looked like they would disappear at any moment. Normally controlling her spells wouldnt be a problem. However, she currently couldnt do it. That was how weakened Silverie was. Both physically and mentally. Its cold She cast Healing on her hand, however the wouldnt didnt close up. She could feel her body temperature dropping. After she cast the Enchant Spell Kuro wrapped itself around her arm. Was it due to not being able to control her magic properly, but even Kuros form was a bit distorted as well. Kuro She called out the black snakes name, however it didnt respond. She felt even sadder and cut off the Enchant Spell. When she hugged her knees and buried her head between them a sudden drowsiness enveloped her. Zeph While taking in the sound of the raging snow storm and saying Zephs name out loud Silverie fell asleep. 11 In the end, after that we continued hunting for a couple of more days. After obtaining a total of three Rock Dragon fangs we returned to the capital of Prolea. The girl at the reception of the Adventurer Guild, Claris, was completely surprised to see us having completed the task in half the time that was given to us. Looking at Claris surprised expression Milly laughed boastfully. Hihi? What do you say? Amazing, arent we? you really are. It appears my eyes have gone bad. I apologize for addressing you as kids. Its fine as long as you understand. said Milly while throwing out her chest at the apologizing Claris. Claris may be stubborn but she had impartial eyes. Millys getting way too carried away I brought down a hand-chop to the back of her head. Ouch! What was that for Zeph! Thats because youre acting like an idiot So, are we going to be recognized as an official Guild now? Yes. As long as a person is capable we are gladly going to welcome them Should I presume that you are the Guild Master? No, its this short one over here. Whos the short one! Im Milly Reyad the Guild Master of the Hunters of the Blue Sky! Understood. Well then Ms. Milly Reyad would you please sign these? saying that Claris took out a large amount of papers from under the desk and left them in front of Milly. Milly shrunk back at the pile of documents that was as tall as a mountain. Start by signing here. And after that you will have to attend the 5th period class, when that is over with your Guild will be recognized. Do I really have to do all of t-that!? Yes. If theres anything you dont understand feel free to ask me. Is that okay Miss Guild Master? After being handed the documents by Claris, Milly was left lost for words. Due to being uneasy about leaving all of the documentation to Milly alone, Lydia decided to stay and help her. After all Lydia was good with those kinds of things. Milly was saying things along the lines of I can do it by myself!, however no matter how one looked at it, it was impossible. After telling her off she reluctantly agreed. And for me, I was currently on my way back to the inn with Claude and Shirushu. Zeph-san you look like youd be good with those kinds of things. Why didnt you stay and help Milly-san as well? Shirushu asked me. Zeph-kun hates troublesome things you see. said Claude while looking at me and laughing. I felt like Claude was gradually starting to figure out my character. I had already been with Claude for a long time now and compared to Milly shes pretty clever so I guess it was normal. Well then theres something that the three of us have to take care of as well. I said while patting their backs in order to deceive them. The thing that we had to do That was Shirushus training for controlling her beastfolk transformation. I guess its fine if I have her fight some weak monsters in order to have her get used to it. After all, if she became able to freely control her transformation shell turn into quite the valuable asset. And Lydia and Milly will probably take a lot of time before theyre done with those papers. Without them our fighting power drops significantly and we wont even be able to hunt properly. In which case having Shirushu get used to her animal nature is the most efficient. Ugh Im scared but nonetheless Ill give it my best Its going to be fine. And once you get used to seeing it, you actually look really cute like that Shirushu-san. Claude said to her I-is that true? I have mixed feelings about that After leaving our bags at the inn the three of us headed outside of town. CH 115.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Over here Shirushu was currently leading us towards where a monster was. To be honest Shirushus searching ability was really useful. Yesterday as well, due to her we were able to progress to the 5th floor where the Rock Dragons were, while avoiding other monsters and were able to reduce fighting to a bare minimum. From another point of view, it was also really helpful when searching for monsters. Following behind Shirushu we were soon able to see the monster. It was a Rock Wolf. While letting out a howl the Rock Wolf looked towards us. Claude, draw its attention for a bit. Ill have Shirushu switch to her beastfolk form after which Ill let her fight it. Be careful. Okay. I called Shirushu close to me and strongly pressed my hand up against her chest. U-um Isnt it possible to control the Magic Power Lines through the back, why must it be the chest? The thickest part of the Magic Power Lines is located close to the chest after all. If you strip, I dont mind controlling those on your back H-Here is fine! I let out magic power while twisting Shirushus chest which made her face redden along with her hair. This time I decided to give her a really weakened stimulus. If she was able to keep a bit of her reason like this then it would be successful. I toned it down as much as possible, so please try and maintain your reason. I-Ill d-do my b-best! It was happening gradually however her hair still turned bright red due to her restrained anger. Her body shook and her nails and fangs also lengthened. Ugh Shirushu! Tsch! ROARRR!! At first she looked like she still had a bit of reasoning left, however that was instantly swallowed up by her bestial side and she ended up completely transforming. A failure huh. It didnt go well after all. Shirushu who was now dyed in bright red turned around and fixed her gaze on the Rock Wolf that Claude was fighting against. Claude had noticed Shirushus roar from just now, so she was fast to jump back in retreat. Urgh. GRRRR While letting out bestial noises Shirushu and the Rock Wolf were staring at each other. Was it because it perceived Shirushu to be his enemy I dont know but the Rock Wolf opened its huge mouth and jumped at her. However, Shirushu was overwhelmingly faster than it! Shirushu suddenly disappeared and then a flash of red light ran through the Rock Wolfs body and its body dropped on the ground divided in three. Without even realizing that it had been trisected the Rock Wolf bit down after which it turned into beads of light and disappeared. Its been a while since I last saw the transformed Shirushu fight, but this really is amazing. S-she really is amazing. That Shirushu-san Be careful Claude, she still hasnt reverted back you know. I made Claude go behind me and I slowly drew closer to Shirushu. Now, now, everything is okay Shirushu. Grrr Shirushu was still bright red, and the light of reasoning was completely missing from her eyes. In order not to provoke her I slowly got closer to her, however Shirushu dropped her body on the ground and took on a forward-bent posture. And in the next instant I blinked. Shirushu used that slight chance in order to conceal herself. Oh no!? I immediately traced her presence, however as if having disappeared into thin air her figure had already gone outside my field of vision. Could she have gone to hunt another monster? Its not impossible. If a monster appeared and faced its animosity towards Shirushu then its possible that she went after it. And even Im not able to notice a killing intent aimed at someone other than me. While thinking that I turned back to look at Claude. Behind Claude I saw Shirushus hunter-like hands spread wide around her body. Claude! Claude heard my voice and was about to turn around but Shirushus hands were faster than her and were already in the process of trapping her. DDTime Square! While time was frozen I tried to alter Shirushus movement with a spell, however without being able to do anything in the end I let time flow again. That was because when I had looked closer I had noticed that Shirushus eyes looked like those of a puppy that was trying to play with its owner. After resuming the flow of time Shirushu grabbed Claude tightly with her arms, holding her without letting her escape. ? And like that she took Claude down on the ground while still holding on to her. W-what Stop this! Shirushu!!? ?? Shirushu blocked Claudes mouth as she was trying to talk and then while waving her tail she proceeded to lick her face. This situation Its the same thing that happened to me. When Shirushu becomes like that its hard to stop her. Zeph! fdsklhg! H-help m-me It seems like Shirushu wanted her reward for defeating the enemy. While looking at Shirushu coiling around Claude I let out a sigh. If that happens every time after a fight my stamina wont last. I need to think of a way to fix it. ZEPH! Claude yelled, asking for help. I guess I should go and do something about it. In order to make Shirushu lose consciousness I cast Green Wall Double and bound her, after which I once again forced magic power into her body. The continuously raging snow storm was tramping down on Silveries heart and ears. How many days had she been in this cave? She was somehow able to close up the wound she got when fighting the Hati Bear but in return for that she got sick. Spells were affected by a users health as well as mental state. Healing her wound was quite difficult and on top of that she also used Red Ball to warm herself up. She had drained her magic power due to using spells simultaneously, and now due to not feeling well her magic power regeneration was slowed down as well. In the end it seemed like it would take her quite the considerable amount of time before she would be able to restore herself. Im h-hungry whispered Silverie. Without showing any signs of stopping the snow storm only grew worse. The Portable Food that she had had with her had also run out two days ago. Zeph The cold and the hunger were draining Silveries strength and willpower. While her consciousness was growing dim Silverie was calling out Zephs name. Next time Ill give him a proper crystal rin. Silverie? While looking at Shirushu, who had returned to her senses, apologizing to Claude I noticed Silveries quiet voice that was buzzing in my head. It was Telepathy. And judging by the state of it, it wasnt normal. Silverie? Hey! Silverie! . I immediately called out to her, however there was no response. Am I imagining things? No, this just now was definitely Silverie. As if having noticed that something was up with me Claude approached me. Zeph-kun, did something happen? Yeah Im sorry but could you wait for a bit. Without paying attention to Claude who was nodding her head I continued to try and talk to Silverie. Silverie? Silverie! However it was to no avail. There was no response. Perhaps Telepathy, itself, just now was due to some desperate situation She might have also done it unintentionally. When I think about it I met her once when we were at Crestas Great Cave the other day. Could she still be there? No, if I think about it, the voice that I heard through Telepathy just now somehow felt like it was trembling due to the cold. Could she be at the Cresta Grand Snow Mountain? It was possible. Silverie had the habit of venting by hunting down monsters that were nearby when she got angry. When I met her at the cave she already seemed angry, and besides there was no way that shed freeze inside the cave. Which meant, it best to think that she was at the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. There were times in my past life where I had travelled with Silverie. Thinking back to them she wouldnt bring a tent and rather slept in the open air. It was entirely possible for an accident to have happened in that snow mountain. If that really is the case, then isnt this really bad? A vicious snow storm was currently raging at the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. If a disaster happened there, then At that thought shivers ran down my spine. Considering Silverie there was no way shed ask me for help. There was no doubt that Telepathy just now had been in a desperate no, rather close to an unconscious level. Silverie was currently in a situation that had pushed her to that degree. I was currently in the capital. It would take me a day by Teleport to get to the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. and if I were to begin my search then it would probably take a couple more days. There was no time to hesitate. Shirushu. Yes? I grabbed Shirushu hands and she looked me with a look of surprise. A person thats really dear to me may be in danger. Could I ask you to lend me your strength Shirushu? I couldnt think of a good way to explain the situation to the both of them. That is why I expressed my honest feelings. Both of them were confused at first, however they appeared to have understood that it was a situation that couldnt be delayed so after exchanging looks they both nodded. I-if I can be of help then gladly answered Shirushu I-I would also like to help Claude said as well thank you I showed my gratitude towards the two of them and then took their hands and began teleporting towards the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. While drinking magic power restoring medicine I continued to teleport at full speed towards the Cresta Great Snow Mountain and by the time we got there it was already night time. The surroundings were devastated by the snow. Its worse than the other day We dont have time to leisurely look around. I cast Red Ball and while the ball of flames that appeared began raising the temperature of the surroundings, we headed towards the mountain. Normally it would be reckless to try and climb this snow mountain considering the raging snow storm, however since I could use magic it wouldnt be that hard. However, I still had no clue as to where Silverie was. That was where it was Shirushus turn to shine. Shirushu, do you remember the woman with the black coat in that general store? Could you try to remember her smell? The one that needs help is her. Hmph Im sorry but I cant quite remember it If you have something hers then I might be able to remember butShirushu said while crossing her hands in front of her and groaned. Now that I think about it theres that. I rummaged through my backpack and took out the crystal ring fragment that I got from Silverie before. Will this work? Hm Zeph-sans smell is pretty strong, however that persons smell is certainly mixed into it as well! I can slightly smell the same smell coming from that direction! Shirushu said while pointing her finger at the end of a mountain road just above the Cresta Great Cave. If she had used the road after meeting us at the cave, then it was entirely possible. Thank you Shirushu! Can I ask you to lead us by following that smell? O-of course! But a lot of time has already passed so I might not be able to meet your expectations Youre our only hope at the moment. I understand. Her tail stood up and Shirushu got on all fours. She then began moving her face closer and then further from the ground. It appeared that she was having a hard time finding the smell. Shirushu was doing her best in searching the area. After all 10 days had already passed since that time. I couldnt blame her. CH 116 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Shirushu continued moving forward while still on all fours. Im going to her. Please follow after me. Im concentrating on following the smell so Id like to ask you not to get ahead of me. If I also participate in a battle I may end up losing the smell so Ill be leaving that up to you. No problem. Well take care of the monsters. Thank you. Following Shirushu we continued climbing up the mountain. Me and Claude took care of any monsters that ended up appearing on the way. It was a bit hard to fight with the snow surrounding our feet, however it wasnt that much of a problem because we could just push through it with magic. Was it because of the snow? I dont know, however there werent that many monsters and so we were able to progress without any major problems. Hm The smell cuts off here And I can feel the smell of a monster that I havent encountered before Shirushu moved her nose close to the ground and began sniffing around. A smell of a monster she hasnt encountered huh. It might be a boss. Now that I think about it Cresta Great Snow Mountains boss was the Hati Bear. Its highly possible that she ended up fighting it and suffered a wound which left her immobile. Damn it, I have a bad feeling about this Claude spoke to me as she saw my face getting distorted. Zeph-kun, so you really did know that person? is she someone important to you? Kind of. Her name is Silverie Shugeru, shes my former master. However, that was something that wouldnt happen for a couple of more years but Claude didnt need to know that. I see. I now understand why youre so strong at your age and also why you take Silverie-sans side. I hope youll forgive me. I felt like it would be troublesome if I were to talk about it and Silverie doesnt really get along well with people that much, shes someone thats easily misunderstood. When you put it like that, it does make sense. said Claude while making a bitter smile and chuckling. Silverie youre getting made fun of by a kid! If shes your master Zeph-kun then that makes her an important person to us as well. Lets do everything we can to help her. Thank you Claude. Still where were we supposed to look? After completely losing the smell Shirushu was currently sniffing around. Silverie! Silverie! Me and Claude shouted out Silveries name, however our voices were promptly swallowed by the snow storm. I hadnt received any calls from Silverie since our departure. Please be safe! As if praying I put my feelings into my voice and shouted out. SILVERIE! My voice, filled with all of my strength, echoed in the surroundings, however in the end the only response to it was silence. I was already beginning to lose track of how many times I had shouted. Shirushu then came back to us while sneezing. Im zorry Zeph-san, my n-nose is a bit Youre right. Im sorry Shirushu, you should take a break. Ill continue searching for a bit more. No Ill continue. I know how it feels to lose a precious person to you. Now that I think about it I did scold her when she went to gather herbs at the forest alone. Guess I didnt have the right to do that. Claude you should rest a bit as well. Claude? So-somethings coming! Hearing Claudes words I immediately put up my guard. Its a monster! The one that disappeared alongside Silverie-san! Zeph-kun! Shirushu-san! Careful!! Right after Claudes voice reached us two red, shaking lights appeared in the darkness before us. With a thudding sound a curtain of snow was raised and the ground shook. Claude brandished her sword and shield and I as well brandished the Treasured Sword Freybrand while being crushed by the overwhelming pressure. A wide range oppression spell Its entered its Berserk Mode! With a thudding sound the monster took a step towards us and we could finally see what it was. Its big frame had crystals protruding starting from its back and continuing up to its shoulders. It was covered in white fur and drool was dripping from its mouth that was wide open. Its breathing was also rough. I immediately cast Scout Scope on it. Hati Bear Lv 82 Magic Power 325,698 / 1,325,354 As I had expected, it was pretty shaved off. There was no doubt that it had fought against Silverie. It seemed like my prediction had hit the nail on the head. GRRRRRRR!! The Hati Bear raised a roar which could even shake the atmosphere and charged at us. Claude! I dashed towards Claude who had raised her shield, while keeping her gaze on the Hati Bears stout arms. Safe Protection! Just after I cast a protective spell on Claude the Hati Bear lowered both its hands bringing them down on her. Claude was somehow able to parry the attack and then proceeded to slice the stout arm with her sword. Its shallow. However, she didnt stop there and without missing the chance the Hati Bear had given her, Claude ran around behind it. Now its trapped between us. Looking at Claude she was giving me a look that was saying *Thats right.* Brandishing Freybrand I held my ground. Zeph-kun, Ill take care of averting its attention so you focus on attack spells! Thank you! She had been overshadowed by Lydia, however even so Claude had been our vanguard for a long time. There was no reason to doubt her abilities. Even so, it will be a bit difficult with that thing as her opponent. GRRRRRRR!! The Hati Bear turned around and once again swung its stout arms, however Claude was somehow able to evade them. The Hati Bear continued smashing its arms like a spoiled child and each time it did so the snow on ground scattered. It would be pretty severe if we were to get hit by one of those. I guess Ill offer some support now. While avoiding the snow that was flying around the Hati Bear I cast Time Square. I cast Black Boots and Red Glove while time was stopped. Double Spell Synthesis Magenta Coat! A coat made from a mixture of black and red enveloped Claude. Speed and power increase. The synthesised spell would drastically raise the capabilities of her body. Hyaaa!! Claudes repeated sword strikes were sharp and landed almost instantly on the Hati Bear. They caused almost no damage but they managed to succeed in drawing the Hati Bears attention. It was then that I also shifted to attack. Shirushu! Ill concentrate on attack. Ill leave magic power restoration to you! O-okay! saying that Shirushu took out a white herb that she had gotten in the Goliath Forest before, a White Sage. It had the property of restoring ones magic power. And Shirushus unique spell Elixir was able to drastically raise the medicinal properties of herbs and other things. During a fight, when trying to restore ones magic power its effect was superior and the elixirs made from White Sage were able to restore at once an amount of magic power, equal to taking a number of magic power restoration medicines. A drawback was that Shirushu couldnt use the elixirs she made herself, however they were pretty useful for allowing her teammates to fire off high rank spells a number of times. In short it meant that a series of powerful techniques were about to follow. I cast Summon Servant and Ain appeared. Oi Gramps!? d you call for me? Yea. Ill use your Divine Sword form. Were going all out! WHOA! What a huge enemy By the way I know. I have a lot of food so fight without any worries. I took out a gemstone from my bag and gave it to Ain who had landed on my arm and was letting out a coaxing voice. It looked to me like Ains eyes had taken on the form of hearts. What a greedy fellow. Eat as much as you want. OKAY! Lets do this! WOOOO! Ains tension had risen through the roof. It was enough to shock me Well its great that shes fired up. Light rose alongside Ains voice and she turned into a sword that settled in my hand. I clenched the shining Divine Sword with one hand and brandished the Treasured Sword Freybrand in the other. Dual Wield Divine Sword Ainbelle + Treasured Sword Freybrand! There were a number of things that I had wanted to test since a while back, however because of Divine Sword Ainbelle costing a great amount of gemstones to use I couldnt test them out. I had no choice but to try them out in a real fight. I threw Divine Sword Ainbelle high up into the air and held the Freybrand with a reverse grip. Ain Im going, do your best to catch it.! EH? What are you Divine Sword Ainbelle spun in circles while dropping from mid-air. I aimed at the falling Divine Sword Ainbelles blade and swung Freybrand at it while casting Time Square. I cast Blue Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball while time was stopped. At the same time, I also combined the Red Ball that appeared from the Freybrand with them. Fourfold Spell Synthesis Tetra Ball! AHHH!? The Tetra Ball drew a golden colored ark and when it collided with Divine Sword Ainbelle it was sucked in by it. I grabbed Ainbelle, which was shining with golden light, just before it fell to the ground. There was a limit to how much magic Ainbelle could absorb so it couldnt absorb powerful spells, however it seemed like Tetra Ball was within its limit. THAT HURT! I wont forgive you next time! Its fine. Youll get used to it. Demon Gramps Ain was yelling; however, it wasnt a problem. Shirushu, medicine. Okay! Shirushu brought the White Sage to my mouth and when she cast Elixir magic began gathering in front of my mouth. I received the shining White Sage and ate it. My magic power was instantly restored and the amount that I had used up by using Summon Servant and using Synthesis Magic twice was almost completely recovered. However, Shirushus face on the other hand looked completely exhausted. After all, Shirushu couldnt properly meditate in order to restore her magic power. Currently the elixirs time of effect was relatively short and if one didnt eat the improved medicinal herb right after it was created, the magic within it would quickly scatter. One of these days I should teach her how to control magic power. In regards to Shirushu there was also the problem with her beastfolk transformation so there was a lot of work to do. However, for now we had to first take care of that guy. I brandished my two swords and rushed to Claude who was in the middle of fighting the Hati Bear. Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Claude, Ill perform an attack so try to stop its movements! I said G-got it! Claude curled up her body, almost like that of a turtle, and took on the Hati Bears attack with her shield. A loud sound echoed and an enormous curtain of snow smoke rose. ZEPH-KUN! NOW! So she used the snow as a cushion to soften the impact of the attack. Good going Claude. As long as the enemy doesnt move then! I aimed at the Hati Bears leg while it was desperately trying to crush Claude and with Divine Sword Ainbelle in my left hand and the Treasured Sword Freybrand in my right I slashed as if drawing a cross. I cast Time Square and performed another Fourfold Spell Synthesis, creating another Tetra Ball with my right hand. While at the same time firing off the Tetra Ball that had been absorbed by Ainbelle! Double Tetra Ball! The two golden lights drew an ark and with a dazzling light which formed into a shining cross of light. The Hati Bear tried to endure but failed and while staggering it fell down due to the tremendous power of the attack. At the place where Claude had been just now a huge hole appeared. Claude! A-are you okay? I-Im fine! I heard Claudes voice from within the hole. Looking closely at the Hati Bears palm there was a mark that showed that it had been pierced by a sword. So she even managed to counter-attack. That Claude, shes always so thorough. I took Claudes hand and pulled her out of the hole. Which then escalated into something like a hug and I found my face hitting Claudes breastplate. Thank you Zeph-kun And Im also sorry. Urgh Dont worry about it. While holding my face due to the pain I stood up and cast Safe Protection on Claude. And while at it I also cast Scout Scope on the Hati Bear. Hati Bear Lv 82 Magic Power 274,356 / 1,325,354 Double Tetra Ball had caused 50,000 damage. It was the highest amount of damage that I alone could produce. On top of having to put in an extra effort it could also only be used on enemies that couldnt move, however, I couldnt do anything about it. While staring fixedly at the groaning Hati Bear I put my arm on Claudes shoulder. Six more, can you do it Claude? Haha I dont have a choice do I? Im relying on you. Ill do my best. Claude said to me with a smile after which she brandished her shield and took on a fighting pose. I also retreated to the back and once again threw Divine Sword Ainbelle to the air. I-I told you not to do it! I CANT HOLD OUT!?GRAMPS! please forgi. Time Square! HYAAAAA!? After once again shooting Ainbelle with a Tetra Ball her screams continued to echo inside my head. DOUBLE TETRA BALL! GRRRRRRRRRR!? After the fourth Tetra Ball hit the Hati Bear it let out a painful roar that pierced the snowstorm and echoed in the surroundings. The Hati Bear started towards me while I was retreating, however, Claude promptly slashed at its back drawing its attention. Y-your opponent is m-me! GRRR While Claude took on the Hati Bear I proceeded to meditate. Both Claude and Shirushu were breathing through their mouths, their white breath showing in the air. Their expressions were showing just how tired they were. However, we were superior. We will win somehow. I thought of making Shirushu transform as a last means, however now that we were fighting a boss, and not a small fry, it would be disastrous if she were to turn against us. Shirushu! Keep a look on the surroundings to inform us if any monsters get close! O-okay! Achoo! It was probably because she hadnt stopped sniffing while in the midst of this snowstorm but Shirushus nose had turned bright red. She ended up sneezing while giving her response and her nose even began dripping. Ahh!? I-Im sorry! here, use this to wipe your nose. I handed over a handkerchief to Shirushu and turned around, just as I did so I could hear her blowing her nose. While chewing on a piece of strengthened White Sage I continued watching Claude fighting. Afterwards Claude ended up taking a number of the Hati Bears attacks however she managed to parry most of them with either her sword or shield. There were times when she ended up taking the full blow of an attack, however, that was only when she had Safe Protection cast on her. And even so, she would still fly back from the impact or land on top of the snow to soften the impact even more. Claude had said this before. *Im weak. That is why Ill do anything so as to not become a burden.* Without going back on her words shes holding on and doing everything she can I felt that my magic power had returned so I once again turned my sight to the front. But before that, I clenched Divine Sword Ainbelle and spoke to Ain. Three more times. Lets go Ain. Ugh I dont care any moooooore!? I fired off a Tetra Ball at Divine Sword Ainbelle and rushed towards Claude. Claude! Are you okay? HuhhaY-yes Claudes clothes were a mess and there were even some bloodstains on them. It doesnt look like shell be able to hold on much more. Magenta Coats effect will soon run out as well, I should let her fall back for now. Claude, fall back for a bit. Ill somehow take care of the rest. But You did great Claude so its fine, fall back. I understand. While nodding her head perhaps the thread of tension had finally snapped but Claude exhaled and made a relaxed expression. Shirushu! Im leaving Claude to you! Okay! While flattening the snow beneath her feet Shirushu ran towards us. In order to draw the Hati Bears attention towards me, I waved Divine Sword Ainbelle that was shining with golden light. It was the same golden light that had already struck its body a number of times. The Hati Bear responded to the light and stared at me with caution. Thats right Come here. I waved Ainbelle to provoke the Hati Bear while at the same time getting further away from Claude. While being guided by the light the Hati Bear began to cautiously get close to me. Trying not to be noticed I looked towards Claude out of the corner of my eye. She had already joined Shirushu. Afterward she would somehow get well with the help of the elixirs. I returned my gaze to the Hati Bear and because I probably wouldnt be able to use Freybrand in a one versus one fight I put it back in my bag. That was the sign that signaled the start of our battle. GRRRRRRRRRR!! While raising its voice the Hati Bear charged at me with an intimidating air that even sent shivers down my spine. It will be hard to dodge its stout arms when my body is covered by fear like this. I wont be able to dodge these wide-area attacks with just a simple hop backward. To think Claude was receiving these kinds of attacks Its impossible for me. I cast Time Square and just right after that with a roaring sound a curtain of snow dust rose to the air. ZEPH-SAN?! I heard Shirushu shouting from afar. Naturally, that attack just now had been a miss. In order to counter-attack, I once again cast Time Square. Due to the curtain of snow, I wasnt able to see that well, but I was aiming at that giant body after all. I would probably hit even if I shot randomly. I cast Black Sphere and Green Sphere while time was stopped. Double Spell Synthesis Gravity Sphere. I aimed at the place where the Hati Bear was supposed to be and the gravitational sphere made from magic flew, sucking in the snow dust, clearing up my line of sight in an instant. At the same time, the Hati Bears roar echoed through the area. ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!? The scenery cleared up and the Hati Bear stood before me, covered in snow. GRR? Your full-force attacks dont work on me. Just when the Hati Bear had attacked I had launched a Burst Sphere at the ground beneath its feet, blasting off the snow there. Now its whole lower body was sunk in the hole that was created during that impact and the Hati Bear couldnt move. I stood right next to it while brandishing Divine Sword Ainbelle. GRRRR This is the end. I coldly looked down on the groaning Hati Bear and slashed down with Divine Sword Ainbelle and then I suddenly stopped. Now that I think about it I still havent tried that out. I had still to try and mix the Spirit Magic type While Ball into the Tetra Ball. I hadnt tested out the Fivefold Spell Synthesis. well without further adieu. Lets begin the experiment. While swinging down Divine Sword Ainbelle I simultaneously cast White Ball. At the moment of impact, a final color mixed itself into the Tetra Ball and a fivefold synthesised spell landed on the Hati Bears neck. Right after the golden-white light collided and illuminated the whole area a sound akin to that of ice cracking echoed out. The light subdued and before my eyes, the Hati Bears head was cut off cleanly right where I had struck. And the place that had been a snowfield until just now had a diagonal cut across it that made it look like a cliff. Did I just cut the snow field with that spell.! Powerful magical attacks can sometimes damage and change the terrain of Dungeons. Unique spells like a Boss attacks and my spell synthesis are some of them. But even so, the only ones who can leave behind traces of destruction are only bosses of the highest class like the Satan Wraith which I fought way back at the City Ruins of Wanarta. Fivefold Spell Synthesis This spell is way too dangerous. And if I can create something like this by synthesising five Ball spells, what will happen if I synthesise five Crash spells? I ended up creating something terrifying. For now Ill call it Platinum B or rather I guess Slash is more appropriate. Platinum Slash, it has tremendous power but I should refrain from using it. CH 117 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I dispersed Divine Sword Ainbelle and reached for my bag to check the amount of gemstones. The large amount that I had prepared previously had shrunk by quite a bit. I ended up using Spell Synthesis a number of times after all. From my previous test I felt that if I were to imbue a strong spell within Divine Sword Ainbelle, Ains appetite would increase accordingly That gluttonous girl I took a deep breath as I watched the Hati Bear disappear slowly. When it disappeared I saw that there was something shining within the hole where it had just been. They were gauntlets. When I got close and tried to grab the gauntlets my hand was repelled. Now that I think about it Silverie should have the rights to the item since she did the most damage to it. And because she still has the authority over the item means that shes still alive. While feeling relieved I waited a bit for the authority over the item to disappear and when it did I picked up the item. [TL/N: Typically, in games whenever an item belongs to another player you can pick up that item after waiting for a bit, despite the other player still having ownership over it.] The gauntlets were woven with thin magical silver and had a plain symbol of a moon engraved into them. So its the Moonlight Gauntlets. The Moonlight Gauntlets that dropped from the Hati Bear were a magic item that had the ability to use the Steal spell. Steal was a spell that allowed one to directly take out the items from a monsters body without having to defeat it. Using this one can easily obtain Rare Items, but it does take some time to do so. Well be able to make money a bit more easily now. I put the Moonlight Gauntlets into my bag and crawled out of the hole that the Hati Bear had been in just to see Claude and Shirushu running towards me. After waving my hand at them they showed a relieved expression. Heave ho! Just as I put my leg on the edge of the hole, and was about to go out the ground shook, and I found myself at the bottom of the hole once more. The shaking continued and I couldnt exit the hole. Looking beneath my feet I saw that the ground was beginning to split. This is bad Zeph-kun! Zeph-san! Dont get close! Im fine! But Its fine so just stay there! The earthquake didnt show any signs of stopping so while telling both of them to stop I took a defensive pose. The snow mountain must have lost its balance with the Platinum Slash just now and is about to crumble. And if they both end up falling inside of here as well itll get really troublesome. I curled up my body and waited for the impact. In the middle of the booming noises I couldnt differentiate between top and bottom any more. It was then that the hole opened up and I fell even further down. 12 After being hit against the surrounding snow numerous times the impact finally subsided and I found myself covered in snow, almost unable to move at all. Ugrh While trying to move my aching body I looked around, however as I should have expected, the only thing that entered my vision was snow. For now, I should first get out of here. But before that I meditated to restore the magic power that I had lost in the fight just now. After finishing my restoration, I put my hands forward and cast Red Crash. With a boom a wide hole opened up before my eyes. Ahead there was a cloudy sky covered with dancing snow. After somehow crawling out, right above me I saw the cliff that I had created just now. From here you could clearly see the sharp cut left by Platinum Slash. It really is a fearsome spell. Now that I think about it Claude and Shirushu must be quite worried. Claude, Shirushu, can you hear me? YES! Im glad that youre fine Zeph-kun. After sending a message to them via Telepathy they responded with relieved voices. Of course Im fine. Who do you think I am! Haha, youre right. Ill wait for you both to get down here. Shirushu, you should be able to follow my smell with your nose. Still, its already dark so first rest a bit until the sun rises. Okay. Claude-san lets dig a hole! A hole! Shirushus tension skyrocketed for some reason. Now that I think about it, the dog that I had in the past also dug holes in the snow and hid inside. It seemed to like it quite a bit. Well then I should find somewhere to spend the night as well It should be fine as long as I return here in the morning. Itll be bad if the hole is surrounded by soft snow though, there is a chance it might collapse after all. I continued walking, searching for a place with dense snow when suddenly a cave like hole caught the edge of my eye. What a fine place. I guess Ill go there. Getting close I noticed that it was a snow cave that had signs that it was made by a person. It seems like someone was here before me. Excuse me. I said, after which I entered inside. And as expected a persons shadow could really be seen in the back. The person was sitting at a corner inside the hole, hugging his legs. He was wearing a black coat that complimented his short black hair. It cant be Silverie? I was sure. That was definitely Silverie. I immediately got close to her and shook her shoulders. Silverie! Silverie! However, there was no response. Silveries body was as cold as that of a dead man. Her face was pale and devoid of blood. It cant be I didnt make it in time!? I brushed off the worst case scenario from my thoughts and took off my coat to give it to Silverie. I cast Red Ball and controlled its heat output so that it wouldnt melt the snow caves walls. Damn it. Shes soaked to her bones I took off Silveries coat that had probably gotten wet due to the surrounding snow. And underneath it I saw the white, thin shirt that Silverie usually wore. I was lost for words at her carelessness. She underestimated the snow mountain Even though a magician could use spells as a form of heating she had still been too reckless. Hey Silverie, youre alive right I drew my ear close to her lips, however I couldnt hear her breathing. While calming down my worried heart I opened up the buttons of Silveries shirt around her chest area and directly placed my ear there. It was faint, however I could hear her beating heart. Phew, shes alive somehow I calmed myself down. I looked at Silverie. Her skin was as white as that of a dead person and her body was so thin that even her ribs were showing. She also had faint scars on her sides that looked like they had been carved out with claws. Theyre still new These scars, she mustve gotten them when fighting against the Hati Bear. I presume that in order to heal the wounds that she got from fighting the Hati Bear, she hid herself here, however her food eventually ran out and while losing her physical and mental strength she eventually passed out. Looking around I could see containers of Portable Food scattered around. For gods sake Ive told her numerous times to stop eating Portable Food because its not good for her Wait, I actually said that in my past life. Either way, I would be sure to tell it to her once again when she woke up. First of all I must warm her up Silveries body was still alive, however it was terrifyingly cold. With spells you couldnt warm up the body to its core. What should I do Thats right! I thought of a good idea and left Silverie lying down while I went outside. I faced the ground and cast Black Shot. The wind bullet flew a bit and then disappeared. Great, the snow here is dense. This will work. This time I cast Red Sphere and slowly drew it closer to the snow field. The fire ball melted the snow and steam rose up. A large amount of hot water appeared within the hole that was opened up in the snow field. It was an improvised hot spring. I stepped on the ground to harden it and create a stairway after which I dipped my hand in the hot water. Its a bit too hot I had heard that it was dangerous to suddenly submerge a cold body in really hot water. Well since there isnt a heat source it will gradually cool down due to the surrounding snow. I returned to the snow cave and after taking off my clothes I put my hands on Silverie. Silverie, Im taking it off. Silverie didnt respond and I proceeded to try and take off her clothes without looking. After that I embraced her deathly cold body and brought it to the improvised hot spring. Still, shes light Shes originally quite slim and now that she hasnt eaten its only even more so Damn it. While holding on to Silveries body with all my might I felt her let out a slight breath. I dipped my feet in the hot water. Its quite a bit cooler than just now. Its perfect. It should be fine like this. I submerged myself in the water and following that I slowly started submerging Silveries body, starting with her feet. After submerging her whole body, I cast Red Ball inside the water in order to warm up the now lukewarm water. If I just keep warming up her body like this Silverie let out a long breath as I held her. Ugh. She had yet to regain consciousness, however her body was slowly starting to regain its color. Nonetheless, her body was still cold so the situation was still uncertain. Tsch, you pushed yourself way too much I gently clutched onto Silveries slender body, as if handling a fragile object. Our skin touched while submerged in the hot water and I felt her slightly hard, trained muscles on my body. Still Im worried about where I should look. I was holding onto Silveries naked body and our skin was touching as well. Due to looking up to Silverie as a master I felt a kind of longing for her, so I couldnt but think about those things. And now that it had already entered my mind it only continued to grow, and I noticed that I was responding to the feeling of Silveries body in my arms. In order to hide my embarrassment, I completely submerged myself in the water. I exhaled within the water while still holding on to Silveries body. AD Chapter 117 Part 1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama How long has it been? Around me I could hear the sound of the snow melting. It was getting hard to maintain the hot spring. I rose from the hot spring, and while holding on to Silveries body I ran back to the snow cave at a jog. Within the back of the snow cave I let Silverie lay on top of my coat and proceeded to wipe her wet body with my clothes. When wiping close to her chest I felt the slight bulge. Almost the same size as Millys I guess I ended up showing a bitter smile. Come to think of it is Milly still dealing with those documents I wonder. While thinking that I wiped off every corner of Silveries body. However, due to that my clothes were drenched. And Silveries clothes were also wet. In order to dry them I took out Freybrand and hung them on it. Freybrand was slightly hot to the touch due to probably having Fire Magic Power embedded into it. ACHOO. While still laying down Silverie suddenly sneezed. She was holding her shoulders with her arms and her body was trembling. Her face was slightly pale as well. I had already cast Red Ball; however, I as well would be cold if I was naked. Guess it cant be helped. Silverie, Ill move you a bit. I ran my hand around Silveries neck and raised her body in a sitting position, after which I hugged her white back as if trying to cover it. Shes cold Due to our skin touching I could feel her body temperature. This is bad I cant let her cool off even Thats right, if I cover myself with Silveries coat while not letting it touch her, it should create a sort of an isolation Thinking that, just as I was about to let go off Silverie and go grab her coat, that was hanging from Freybrand, her hand grabbed me. My heart suddenly skipped a beat. I timidly look at Silveries face, however her eyes were still closed. Dont Silverie? Zeph Dont go Silverie said while at the same time shedding a single tear. She was apparently unconsciously calling out my name. It seems like shes quite fond of me Damn it, she suddenly looks really cute. While still being held by Silveries hand I stretched out my arm to try and grab the coat. Just a bit more When I distanced my body from Silveries even the tiniest bit I felt my hand being pulled back. I was desperately stretching out my hand, however I couldnt get any closer to the coat. My arm was also beginning to tremble. And when finally, our bodies separated a bit, due to Silverie pulling on my hand I fell and lost my balance. WHOA!? We fell laying on the side, and yet Silverie was still holding onto my arm. I could feel Silveries heart beating due to my arm being squished between her small chest. I could now finally reach the coat from the position we had fallen in, so while continuing to hold on to Silverie I put on her coat. As if finally having calmed down Silveries breathing became peaceful, on the other hand my heart was about to explode. While touching the naked Silverie, who had just now shown signs of coming to, my arm was further pressed against her chest. I began to think in order to remove these wicked thoughts. Hmph, I wonder if Silverie will run away again once she wakes up. I must take measures. If I end up binding her, since its Silverie were talking about, shell still find some way to escape. And its hard for me to stay awake and continue looking over her like this. Due to fighting the Hati Bear my fatigue is at its limit so if Im to lose focus for even a moment Ill fall asleep. Even if I try to put her to sleep with Sleep Code, due to Silveries spell level being higher than mine it wont work. Something There must be something Thinking about this helped me relax a bit. If Silveries chest had been bigger I would have probably already lost my mind. For now, I guess Ill try some things to prevent her from running away Kukuku. Due to having calmed down, various ideas flooded my mind. I was grinning while looking at Silverie sleeping peacefully. After taking a couple of measures I let myself nod off. And like that I ended up holding on to Silveries body and warming it for the whole night. A-a-achoo! In the morning I woke myself up with my own sneeze. The Silverie who was supposed to be in front of me had disappeared without me noticing. Last night I had bound her hands and feet with a rope and had even hid her belongings, but even that hadnt worked. She had run away just as I had imagined she would. What was left of her was a piece of paper and a large sum of money. I crumbled up the piece of paper which had *Thank you for taking care of me.* written bluntly on it. She really is a troublesome person. I muttered and stood up with a smile. Still you didnt realize my real aim, did you Silverie? !!? Her shocked voice could be heard through the Telepathy. Ze-Zeph!?How in the world? I gave you a crystal ring fragment. Now I can call you as well. Ridiculous There wasnt anything like either in my bag or clothes!!? It seems like you noticed. I said with a laugh after which I heard Silveries trembling voice. I knew I felt something strange around my stomach, but There wouldnt have been any meaning in hiding it in a place where you could have easily taken it out. Zeph! Y-yo-you bastard! Silveries blushing face and trembling voice appeared inside my imagination. After all, in this as well as in the previous world Ive had Silverie run away from me numerous times. I did think it was a bit cruel, however if I hadnt done this she would have escaped. The experience from my past life finally bore its fruit. Well then, Im free until my friends get here. Would you be so kind as to chat with me until they do? D-do what you want!! Ill take you up on that offer then. Kukuku. I said while laughing. Using the memories of the time I had been her student I recalled topics that Silverie liked. Stories of foreign countries, efficient hunting methods, linking of spells and so on Sometimes Silverie responded coldly, however judging from her voice, she wasnt displeased. By the way Silverie, its best if you dont eat too much of those Portable Foods. Its not good for your health. What I do is my problem. Im worried about you. You idiot, I didnt ask for it. We continued our conversation until evening. Then, while I was waiting at the entrance of the cave, I saw Shirushu running at me while waving her hand, signalling that she had found me. I was a little reluctant to part with Silverie, however I could now talk with her whenever. Well then, until next time Silverie. Yeah. Until next time. Silverie was cold until the end, however she still ended up saying *Until next time* Tsch, she should be more honest with herself. I raised my face with a bitter smile and waved my hand back at Claude and Shirushu. Well then, I guess its time to go back to the capital and meet up with Milly and Lydia. I began walking towards Claude and Shirushu feeling cheerful. CH 118.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I, Zeph Einstein, am a magician who Time Leaped to a time when I was a boy in order to master magic. At the Port City of Izu we made a new companion under the name of Shirushu Onslaught, after which we headed to the capital of Prolea. The first thing we did when we got to Prolea was to have the Guild Hunters of the Blue Sky, launched by our companion Milly, be officially recognized. In order to do that we had to complete the task of taking down the high levelled monsters, the Rock Dragons, which live in the Cresta Great Snow Mountains caves, and bringing back their fangs. Before that we had already tried applying for the guild recognition once; however, due to most of the members of the guild being girls we were refused. That is where the shrewd merchant Andrei came to our help, and made a deal with the receptionist which stated that as long as we completed his request of subjugating the Rock Dragons, we would get our guild recognized. We were able to safely complete the quest, but in the middle of that my master from my past life, Silverie, found herself in a predicament within the Cresta Great Snow Mountain. Around the same time, I had already returned to the capital with my guild mates, it was then that I was made aware of Silveries situation via Telepathy and immediately rushed back to the mountains. With the help of Shirushus excellent nose we managed to find, and safely rescue her.And while at I also forcibly gave Silverie a piece of crystal ring fragment. With that I would now also be able to call her with Telepathy. Currently I was still at the Cresta Great Snow Mountain with my guild mates Shirushu and Claude. At one time I really was worried. said Shirushu Its great that everything went well. Hearing my words Shirushu nodded with a smile. You really did great Shirushu. Thank you? While stroking Shirushus head I could see her tail waving sideways in excitement. Now that Silveries rescue had been taken care of there was no other reason for us to stay here. I didnt want to worry Milly and Lydia by staying here any longer so I used Teleport to return to the capital with Shirushu and Claude. After separating from us Silverie apparently headed towards a farm village called Garnek Park, that was situated close to the capital. So thats one of her hideouts. Guess Ill go visit her when Im free. Still to think that she left without even saying a word of thanks to you Zeph-kun She really has no manners. said angrily Claude just as we were about to depart. It seems like she had been pretty pissed off at Silveries impoliteness. It was unbearable for Claude who was brought up as a Knight since she was young. Dont worry about it that much. Thats just how she is. While I tried to cover for Silverie, Claude looked at me with a menacing look. Zeph-kun you seem to take her side quite often. I-Is that so? Thats right! said Claude while vigorously drawing closer as if she were about to grab me. Now that she mentions it S-Stop! Fighting is not good!! said Shirushu while forcing herself between me and Claude. Were not fighting. Isnt that right Claude? Right. Im sorry for making you worry Shirushu-san. Its okay! Looking at Claude reluctantly backing down, Shirushu let out a sigh of relief. Phew, Im saved somehow. Well then everyone lets go back to the capital! said Shirushu with a loud voice while trying to shake off this heavy atmosphere. While finishing up our return preparations Claude whispered out to me. Zeph-kun I guess it goes for Lydia-san as well, but do you want someone stronger? Hmph, well I guess that nothing beats being strong. Ill do my best. whispered out Claude after a long pause. Within her eyes I could see a strong fire of determination burning. Zeph-san, Claude-san, be careful! I can smell a monster! yelled out suddenly Shirushu. Understood! Shirushu-san, Zeph-kun, please get back! saying that Claude rushed in alone. Hyaaaaaaaaaaaa! W-what wrong with Claude-san Shes really pumped up Hmph Without seeming like she needed our help, Claude began slashing at the monster that had just appeared. There was no room for us to help due to that devilish momentum of hers. Shirushu was completely overwhelmed by that pressure. Could it be that Claude is trying to compete with Silverie. Well, its good that shes pumped up. Ill just leave her until shes satisfied. Afterwards, Claude took care of all of the monsters that appeared on our way back. It was fine for her to be pumped up, but I was still somewhat worried about her overdoing it Claude wasnt the type of person to take care of herself so I needed to make sure that she didnt go overboard. And like that, we came back in the morning on the third day since our original departure. Milly and Lydia were waiting for the three of us outside the inn. Lydia was a merchant as well as our guildmate. For gods sake, where were the three of you! You just left the troublesome things to me and Lydia and left! It seemed like the registration process had gone smoothly during the time we were gone. However, probably because of the procedures being way too troublesome, Milly looked quite dissatisfied. In order to show my appreciation, I stroked her head which cleared up a bit of her dissatisfaction. Sorry. We had a lot going as well. Ahaha. Zeph-chi, having a lot going on is nothing unusual for you after all. Thats right Its always like that with Zeph. said Milly with a sigh, agreeing with Lydias remark, while at the same time striking a pose which seemed to say *dear me!*. Having Lydia act like that didnt bother me, but Millys attitude triggered me for some reason. I used the hand that was just stroking her head and performed a chop. Auch!! What are you doing?! So then Lydia. Were there any problems with the guild being approved? They told us that it was fine since were strong, so there werent any problems. Hey! Dont ignore me!! Who ignored you, so disgraceful. Thats what you get for being cocky Milly. Still with that out of the way, now that our guild was officially recognized it meant that we could finally purchase a Guild House. But of course, we wouldnt be able to buy it if we didnt have the money. How much did the Rock Dragon Fangs sell for? Give me a sec Around this much. said Lydia, taking out 17,000,000 rupi. Originally the agreement was that each fang would cost 5 million, however there was 2 million extra. I negotiated and sold them for a bit higher? Great job. Lydia was really essential in these kinds of situations. Nothing less from a merchant. If a proper party was to hunt a monster such as the Rock Dragon, they wouldnt go through so much difficulty. And due to fangs also not having that many uses, originally they would sell for around a 1 million rupi. However, apparently due to this being an urgent request, Andrei had ended up buying them for quite the high price. Or rather, he may have just given us more because of Milly. I feel bad for having received a favor from that lolicon bastard. Still, we should now be fine with this money. Im planning on increasing this money tenfold. Starting today Im thinking of focusing our efforts on obtaining money Were buying a Guild House! Do you have some sort of plan? Of course. I said with a smile to Claude, who was looking at me with eyes filled with expectation. Did you know that theres a lottery starting today. Yes. An Item Lottery right? Actually, I ended up drawing one just right after we came to the capital last month. Claude You sure have a thing for items dont you said in shock Milly, to which Claude just laughed bitterly. The Lottery is an event thats jointly hosted by the Adventurer Guild and the Magician Association. The tickets are quite expensive, with ten of them costing 10,000 rupi. However, the prizes differ a lot, starting from boss cards with various effects, to super rare equipment and so on. And it is not generally known, but the Magician Association used this even to get rid of their failed magic items. It was a dumpster that used rear items as bait. So Kuro-chan did you win something good? No, nothing Thats not good Claude-san. You cant expect to just gamble your way out of hardships. Yes I know answered Claude to Shirushus scolding. Even though 90% of the lotterys tickets are misses, there are still some people that bet everything on turning it around with a single win. And like that they fall into the sandpit. When they run out of money they resort to selling their items so that they can buy more tickets. Its a nasty event that stirs up ones passion for gambling. There were also a number of my acquaintances that ended up getting hooked and going bankrupt because of it. But even so, this was still a chance to make money. If we managed to use it well, becoming rich fast, wouldnt be just a dream. Were going to the stalls at the plaza. Ah! He came up with something bad again Damn Milly, even though I tell her not to be so disrespectful. CH 118.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Like that, I brought everyone towards the stalls situated at the plaza. The Stall Plaza. I was walking through the crowd while dragging everyone behind me. I held Millys hand so that she wouldnt get lost, but despite that she ran here and there, being drawn in by the various stalls. What a dangerous fellow. This is why I still treat you like a kid. It seems like there are more stalls than usual today. Its usually like this during lottery days. So theyre selling items just so that they can draw the lottery again huh Ahh why are people so dumb said Shirushu with a cold gaze Claude didnt respond and just made an expression that showed that Shirushus words had just struck home. Judging from her appearance it seems like shes bought quite a bit of tickets Claudes addiction seems to be a problem. Within the crowded plaza numerous stalls had unusual items put up on display. Those unusual items were limited lottery items. Their price range was ridiculous and some ranged from a 100 rupi to upwards of 300,000 rupi. After walking around the plaza, overflowing with unusual items I finally started to get a general grasp. Gargant Ring DD An accessory that increases the owners physical ability in return for slowly draining his stamina. Its effect is good, however for one to use it he would constantly have to be healed. It was also possible for one to die from overusing it. It seems like there arent a lot of good items in these stalls. And the prices are high as well. Cloak of Aqua Road DD A cloak that reduces damage taken from Blue type magic. On the other hand it increases the damage taken from Red type magic. Still, if you didnt misuse it, it was a powerful item. The Cloak of Flame Road that I used during our battles against the Rock Dragons comes from the same series of cloaks. I was able to buy it at a decent price due to it being drawn up in last months lottery. There were a lot of items around the same price range and with just a glance I managed to spot over a hundred in the nearby stalls. Flower Bomb DD A disposable magic bomb that explodes several seconds after being thrown. It was apparently created as a means of attack, but due to its firepower being too low it didnt have much use. It was treated like thrash and was usually sold as one, for only 100 rupi per piece. These were the three new items that were introduced to the market during the last lottery. Lydia put her hand on her jaw and her eyes sparkled. It seems she had figured out my intentions. I see. Youre planning to resell items using the money. Thats right. Due to the items being newly introduced to the market, their price was yet to be fixed. Their market price will be decided based on the buying and selling of the items in the next couple of days. My plan was to buy a large amount of cheaply sold items and resell them for a higher price later when a shortage of stock forms. It would take a bit of time, but it was possible to earn money with little to no risks. In other words, it was a scam. And Lydia was already used to going around and looking at stalls due to being a merchant in Beruta. She was definitely good at this. Lydia, can I entrust this to you? Of course! Leave it to your Big Sis? Do it however you see fit. Im leaving the money with you, so do your best to increase them. Fufufu. Since youre entrusting this to me I guess I have no choice but to go all out! said Lydia with a smile. Shes way too reliable! Lydia put the money I gave her into her bag. Well then Ill be borrowing Milly-chan! saying that Lydia grabbed Milly and began walking. W-WHY ME?! Wh- Zeph, HELP ME?! Because the bags capacity was decided by the owners magic power, Lydia, who had low magic power, wouldnt be able to store a lot of items inside. That is why the most optimal decision was to have Milly be the bag carrier. So thats why she took her. Ahaha There they go. Youre right. While seeing off Lydia and Milly, I saw a kid playing with a Flower Bomb, that it had probably gotten from an adventurer. It seemed like the plaza really was more lively than usual. Come to think of it, isnt it the time for that? I thought of steadily making money through reselling, but I might just be able to earn a lot at once. I might especially be able to use those Flower Bombs So, what should we do? asked Claude. Dont worry I have something for us as well. Come with me. Along with Shirushu and Claude I began walking towards the outer area of the Stall Plaza. The place where people gathered to purchase their desired items. The Trading Plaza. There I put up a signboard and wrote something on it. When I put it up Shirushu read it out loud for me. *Buying large quantities of Flower Bombs! 100 rupi each* Huh? Well begin by buying as many Flower Bombs as possible. Both of you, Im leaving it to you. No problem. I-Ill do my best! I used to take care of the fundraising stall for the church before! Shirushu and Claude began preparing in high spirits. Especially Shirushu. Come to think of it, sometimes the church used to put up cheap bazaars. I remember that instead of donating I would buy holy water that would repel monsters. But still Hmm. The armor wearing knight-like Claude and Shirushu who wore priestess clothing. Setting aside Shirushu, Claudes clothing was a problem. Claude, could you turn around for a sec. Hm? Thats fine but YIII?! ZEPH-KUN?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! You wont be able to gather people dressed like that. Who do you think will come to a stall run by a handsome boy and a handsome girl? At least remove your armor. WHOS THE HANDSOME BOY?! yelled out Claude while I was removing her armor. As the upper part of the armor was removed, Claudes big chest that was hiding underneath shook. Claude held on to her chest and sat down, as her face got redder and redder. However, she wasnt able to completely hide them, and the male adventurers gazes instantly became fixed on the part of her breasts that was showing through the gaps in her arms. Seems like it worked spectacularly. Her clothes are a bit plain, but since it looks similar to Shirushus priestess clothing its just perfect. Well then Ill leave the stall to you. Ugh Okay Zeph-san, are you going somewhere? Didnt I tell you? Who do you think will come to a stall run by a handsome boy and handsome girls? Ill just be a hindrance. Hahaha, guess youre right. When I took my leave from behind me I could slightly hear Claudes dry laugh. At the same time, I also heard Shirushus quiet voice. Is Zeph-san perhaps a really confident person? Thats a good as well as a bad quality of his Hey! At least make it so that I cant hear you when you talk behind my back. I turned back to glare at them, but as I did that both of them had already averted their gazes. Afterwards everyone continued their individual tasks until evening. We all returned to the inn, and after washing off our fatigue in the bath we gathered in my room to present the results. Milly and Lydia had used half of the money in their possession to buy 5 Cloaks of Aqua Road and a Gargant Ring. After that they apparently bought a number of items, at a price that was way lower than the market price. Claude and Shirushu also did well by buying several thousand Flower Bombs. See? It went well, didnt it Claude? T-thats true but Whats this about? Me and Claude being handsome boys. ? Milly was left completely dumbfounded. I was laughing while Claude, on the other hand, had a sullen expression. By the way, it wasnt like I was just forcing things on others and not doing anything by myself. I had my own things to do as well. The more ways we had to make money the better after all. Of course our plan stays the same. We focus on hunting and money gathering. Well earn starting tomorrow! Yeah! said Milly, after which the remaining three nodded as well. Afterwards, in order to perform the Magic Power Line strengthening on Claude, I went over to Claude and Shirushus room. Magic Power Lines were lines which were spread throughout the body and were used to carry magic power. By stimulating the lines, it was possible to raise the power of ones magic. Claude invited me to the bed with a serious expression on her face. Can you do it harder starting today? J-just like you did that time It seems like she was talking about the time, before we came to the capital, where I did the Super Magic Power Line Strengthening back at Port Town Izu. Even Lydia had been out cold for a whole day after that, and Claude couldnt even walk properly for a couple of days. But that takes a huge toll on your body Its fine. Im already used to it hurting. said Claude with honest eyes, however I still couldnt make up my mind to do it. I knew she wanted to become strong, but if we were to go overboard it would only cause unnecessary burden on her body, which would then require her to rest a couple of days to, and in the end the efficiency would drop. I was still hesitating when Claude did another push. I want to become stronger! Strong enough for you to be able to rely on me Zeph-kun! Claude Come to think of it, the other day, she did say she wanted to become stronger. If shes that serious then I cant just turn a blind eye to her request. In that case Ill go as hard as possible starting today. Okay. Lay down Claude. Thank you! Hearing my words Claude responded with a smile. Afterwards she turned around, took off her clothes and laid on the bed. Please take care of me. Of course. A-and what about me? asked Shirushu, while pulling my sleeve somewhat timidly just as I was about to sit next to Claude. Come to think of it I did forget about her. However, it was still too early too early to perform Magic Power Line Strengthening on Shirushu. If Shirushus bestial instincts were to be stimulated by anger or pleasure she would end up going out of control and losing her reason. And Im completely vulnerable whenever Im operating Magic Power Lines so if she were to suddenly go out of control I wouldnt be able to react immediately. She became bright red and almost when out of control when she watched me and Claude do it last time after all. At least I can get her used to it for now. Okay. Then Shirushu you take this T-this is! Within my hand I held a rope, which I then began to wrap around the bewildered Shirushu. CH 119.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Ugh Ah! Kii Claudes voice could be heard within the room. I was currently tampering with Claudes Magic Lines at three times the usual power output. Claude, who usually managed to hold back her voice, had turned bright red and was sweating. She was putting up with it with tears in her eyes. She held her pillow with both her hands and tried to hold back her voice by vigorously biting the sheets. But even so her body still ended up moving from time to time which shook the bed. Claude. Dont push yourself too much. O-ok-okay Claude said as a bead sweat appeared on her face and she tried to hide her anguish with a faint smile. Shes struggling quite a bit after all. And Shirushu on the other hand was just watching all of this with a bright red face. I had tied her up with a rope so that she wouldnt go wild like before. After all, I first had to get her used to just watching. If we continued doing this she would probably get used to it eventually. Ahhh!! Claude raised her voice while her face was still buried within the pillow. Each time I moved my hands her body would shake. The stimulus is probably too intense for her. This is precisely why I didnt want to do this. Claude, I think we should stop I-Im f-fine!! Continue un-until the end! Claude said but Shirushu on the other hand was reaching her limit. Looking at her, her face had turned bright red and she was probably already having fever dreams. Steam was even coming off her face. Is the stimulus too much for her? Guess Ill have to hold back on handling Shirushus Magic Lines for the time being. Still, I want to fulfil Claudes wish and Shirushu should also build up her resistance to this. Ill do this properly until the end today. Under the watchful eyes of the bound up Shirushu, Claude continued letting out noises throughout the whole night. Morning finally came. I went to get breakfast with Milly and Lydia, however it seemed like Claude and Shirushu were still asleep. Milly looked at me with scornful eyes. You probably did something again Zeph Yesterday the voices reached all the way up to my room. Thats because Claude wouldnt take no for an answer Hmm, she wouldnt take no for an answer huh Milly said while looking at me with doubtful eyes and slurping her soup. For christ sake, I really did tell her that it would be too much. Ahaha, well its fine. After we finish breakfast lets go do some shopping while we wait for them. Youre right. I said while nodding at Lydias suggestion. In the end both of them didnt wake up in time for breakfast. Noon came and as me and Lydia were looking around the stalls I finally got a call via Telepathy. Zeph-kun Good morning. Im sorry I overslept Morning Claude. How are you feeling? T-Thats a bit Im still answered Claude in a voice that was on the verge of vanishing. She was probably remembering scenes from yesterday. Is Shirushu still sleeping? Yes. After we finished I tried to carry her to the bed but she ended up assaulting me Ah! Why are you laughing?! It was really troublesome!! Kuku Im sorry, Im sorry. Without being able to hold myself back I burst out into laughter. Come to think of it, when Shirushus urges manifested before she assaulted Claude and it was quite troublesome to peel her off. So, are you feeling okay? Hmm It still hurts a bit, but I think Im okay. Judging from her voice she seemed to be doing okay. I had still held back a bit but it seemed like Claudes resistance would only improve from here on out. Its already past noon, so lets skip out on hunting for today. Take the day off to get a good rest. Okay. Claude and Shirushu huh. Its great that they get along with one another, but I should try and be more careful next time when I manipulate their Magic Lines. Still I would feel bad if I had to separate the both of them Thats right I can just use Sleep Code on Shirushu as soon as she reaches her limit. Guess Ill test out some things tonight. Claude and Shirushu will rest for today. Ahaha, last time she couldnt walk for a couple of days after all Well then Zeph-chi and Milly-chan, I guess Ill have you both accompany me on my shopping today. But my bags already full to the brim Well that also means that now you cant put any unnecessary things inside, isnt that right Milly? Hmph! Ahaha? Lydia patted the head of the sulking Milly and then gave a piece of paper over to us. The names of items and their respective prices were written on the paper. If you find something for any cheaper than on that list make sure to buy it okay? Ill give you the money later. Okay! Ill go with Milly. After all she might end up getting lost in the crowd. I-I wont!! Okay, got it. Well then lets split up. I grabbed Millys hand as she was still complaining and waved my hand at Lydia as we proceeded to split up. The lottery item prices had somewhat dropped compared to yesterday so I was able to buy way more than I had originally thought for a bit cheaper. Its great that Lydia left half her money with us. I guess the experience of re-selling in the past is finally showing. In the end, we ended up using 30% of the money we got in order to buy items to resell later. 2 Around late-noon we went to grab a bite to eat and talk. The market prices should probably stabilize now. Are you saying that from experience? Its nothing that fancy. Luck plays a huge part in it as well I apologize in advance if it doesnt go according to plan. If we fail then that means well just have to gather the money all over again. Ive entrusted this to you Lydia so I wont complain no matter what. I said while looking at Lydia and smiling, to which she turned a bit red. Zeph-chi you really are scary. I wonder what youll make me do if we fail Zeph you mustnt make her do anything strange! I still havent said anything though I let out a sight due to the unreasonable treatment and we all headed back to the inn. Now we just need to wait for the price to rise. Guess well have to make money through hunting for now. Were hunting tomorrow. Lets make it rain! Yeah! It feels like forever since weve gone hunting! We did stay behind last time. said Milly and Lydia while stretching their bodies. It seemed like they were both raring to go. Claude, Shirushu, are you both okay? I asked as I opened the door to their room. S-somehow Same here, hahaha Claude and Shirushu answered with bright red faces. At any rate they seemed to have recovered themselves. And I had the perfect idea for where to hunt. As long as we use that itll turn out to be a really profitable place Kukuku. The Moonlight Gauntlets that I got from the Hati Bear the other day. Theres a perfect hunting ground for the gloves Steal spell. South of Prolea at a place where one can reach in an hour with Teleport there was a town or to be more precise there used to be a town. Long ago that town conducted research on arts different from magic. That town was named Tyros. There, those who couldnt wield magic could go in order to find, learn or even develop various ways of opposing it. One of those ways are automatons. Automatons were dolls made out of metal that could move if they had their own consciousness. The automaton research had first appeared with the premise of creating toys for children, but then the influential people within the city liked the idea and due to that the research for it improved drastically. At the start the automatons were mostly used to either carry tea or for weaving purposes. However, as time went on they began to be equipped with heavy weapons and turned into soldiers that patrolled the citys wild areas. The automatons continued improving, reaching a point of high fighting prowess. The influential people in Tyros then tried to mass produce the automatons in order to fortify the city, however the Magician Association got wind of that and destroyed all of the factories and research facilities. They then captured the researchers and swept the project under the rug. The citys only industry, the arts research was forced to shut down and the people left Tyros. As time went on the city eventually turned into a Dungeon. The ruins of the abandoned city, which was now covered in snow, was the destination for our next adventure. This place feels lonely somehow Its originally a place where people used to live. The sight of it now that its lost all of its residents really is kind of creepy. Ahaha, well Zeph-chi told us that there probably wouldnt be any ghosts. Isnt that right Kuro-chan? Lydia said as she grabbed on to trembling Claude from behind. She then moved her head close to Claudes ear and whispered a few words to scare her. But Zeph-chi could have just lied to us There might really be ghosts here, dont you think so? Hyaa?! Claude was left in complete shock after Lydias scare. Id like it if she didnt do that Claude youre way too scared as well. Thats why Lydia keeps teasing you. I slightly poked the laughing Lydia. Our hunting ground this time is the abandoned factory situated in the depth of Tyros. All of the monsters that appear here are spawned in that factory and are just subpar versions of the original automatons. There are no spirit type monsters. So you can calm down Claude. Hearing my words Claude let out a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, even though the monsters here werent of the spirit type they were still hard to deal with in their own way. It was still too early for us to relax. We walked towards the quiet town of Tyros and headed for the abandoned factory that was situated in the central part. CH 119.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama The factory was the part of the town where the monsters were most numerous but there were still some that inhabited other parts of the city as well. We had to be on our toes. Shirushu, monsters might appear from our blind spots. Im counting on you to keep watch. O-okay It seems like Shirushus a bit scared as well. Is it because of Lydias prank just now? Shirushu went ahead of us to scout for enemies, but her pace was very slow. I glared back at Lydia, but she just turned her head away as she whistled. This is troublesome The monsters that appear in the town use a unique type of long-ranged attacks. They come in the form of bullets. They cannot shoot them rapidly, but each one of them is pretty powerful Shirushu had suddenly stopped and I ended up bumping into her back. Shirushu had lowered her body slightly and her ears were twitching as they were searching the area. A monster. I think theres only one. Hearing Shirushus words, Lydia and Claude quickly took the vanguard I then heard a gunshot from far away that had aimed precisely for that momentary gap. Lydia stood right next to Shirushu as her hand instantly flew through the air. Lydias hand left behind a white afterimage and stopped right in front of Shirushus eyes. Lydia opened her hand and inside it she was holding a small lump of metal. It was probably due to the friction created just now, but a single line of smoke was coming out from Lydias glove. I had barely been able to follow the chain of events with my eyes, but it seemed like it wasnt the same for the others, as they had no idea what had just happened. Over there. Time began to move alongside Lydias carefree shout. Lydia then began to fiddle with the small lump of metal in her palm. To think she caught that barehanded Her physical capabilities are as shocking as always. So this is the bullet that Zeph-chi spoke about. It really is kind of troublesome. And apparently theres someone here who can catch that troublesome thing with their bare hands. Ahaha Id appreciate it if you didnt treat people like monsters. said Lydia with a hollow laugh as she threw away the bullet and unsheathed her large axe. Beyond Lydias line of sight there was a doll that looked akin to a young girl wearing a bunny ears headband. Her clothes were also that of a soldier. Shes the one that shot at us. Alongside my realization I cast Scout Scope. Lucky Rabbit Level 68 Magic Power Level 21,658 / 21,658 It was one of Tyros monsters, the Lucky Rabbit. When the Magic Power from the Dungeon seeps within the body of the discarded automaton it turns into a monster. Even though the gun that it held in its arms couldnt rapid-fire, it was still pretty powerful and had a large range. Her bunny-ears headband and her soldier clothes were there so that her opponents would be deceived by her appearance and would lower their guards, but that strategy wouldnt work on me. However, she was far! She wasnt within my firing range. The presence that Shirushu felt was that of a single Lucky Rabbit. But even so, if Milly and the others werent careful when getting close they could get shot. And the damage from the bullet was nothing to sneeze at. If it was only a single shot then theyd be fine with using Safe Protection, but it was dangerous to take on a couple of them. Everyone stay where you are. Ill take care of it. I cast Black Boots while running and my body was covered with wind. My body instantly grew lighter and I rushed forward. It seemed like the Lucky Rabbit still needed time before it could fire again. And I already had Safe Protection cast on myself. I might end up taking its next attack but by that time Ill be in firing-range. Lets finish this!! I dodged the Lucky Rabbits attack and just as I prepared to counter attack I noticed that Lydia was in front of me. The next instant, accompanied by a sound of hitting metal the Lucky Rabbit fell to the ground. She closed the distance in an instant?! She really is frightening. The Lucky Rabbit immediately stood up after taking Lydias attack and prepared to fight using the sword that was attached to its gun. However, it was impossible for something like that to hit Lydia. She dodged all of the attacks, fired off a counter to each one. A series of loud noises were heard. However, physical attacks didnt work all that well on the metal Lucky Rabbit. Apart from magic nothing else works that well on these automatons. I took out Freybrand and quickly caught up with Lydia. Get back Lydia. Okaaay!! After hearing my order Lydia jumped back and at the exact same time I slashed at the Lucky Rabbit while casting Time Square. I proceeded to cast Blue Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball while time was stopped. And in addition to that I also fired off the Red Ball that was produced from Freybrand. Fourfold Spell Synthesis: Tetra Ball. The sword shining with golden light pierced through the Lucky Rabbits chest. And just like that it sewed it to the ground. The Lucky Rabbit still had some Magic Power left. Its colorless eyes were looking at me and it was awkwardly moving its hand in an attempt to find its gun. I stepped on the Lucky Rabbits hand just as it was about to grab its gun, and sealed its movements. Hmph. Like Ill let you resist. Zeph-chi Youre acting just like a villain. Lydia drew back a bit when she saw me holding down the Lucky Rabbit. This was a battle. Sympathy wasnt needed here. And I still had to use that. I took out the Moonlight Gauntlets from my bag and equipped them. What are you planning on doing now? Just watch. While wearing the Moonlight Gauntlets I put my hands on top of the Lucky Rabbits chest and cast Steal. Following which my hands went inside the Lucky Rabbits body. The Steal spell of the Moonlight Gauntlets allowed me to rob items from the inside of the monsters bodies. Upon casting it, it allowed me to pass through the monsters body, which was made out of mana, and directly steal the items that it was bound to drop. The monsters core, that eventually turns into an item upon the monsters death, instantly deteriorates when the monster is killed, making it hard to obtain rare items. That is why there is a higher chance to obtain a rare item if we were to just steal it. The Lucky Rabbits drop the expensive Bunny Necklace. I could easily obtain it with Steal. However, it would take me a long time if I were to try and use it during battle. Thats why it was hard to use it unless the enemy was pinned down like this. Hmmm It seems kind of sad muttered Lydia as she watched the Lucky Rabbit twitch every time I fiddled with it. Found it. I pulled my hand out of the Lucky Rabbits chest and within my hand there was an ordinary screw. A miss. After having its item taken out the Lucky Rabbit exhaustedly lay on the ground as it disappeared. Items are said to be things that appear when the part of the monster with a high concentration of mana, precisely its core, experiences a change. I didnt know the complete philosophy behind it but I knew that it was possible to instantly kill a monster with Steal. However, if there was a huge gap in power then it wouldnt be possible. After I put the screw that dropped from the Lucky Rabbit into my bag Milly and the others came running. Zeph, did everything go okay? Yea, its all thanks to Lydia. Haha, youre flattering me It wasnt much. said Lydia with a red face as she crossed her arms. Were those bullets that you told us about? They seemed pretty powerful. Are there really a lot of these powerful monsters inside the abandoned factory? The only one whod shoot at us from afar is probably only this fellow, but even so all of the other monsters are also pretty powerful and have a high defense. They are formidable enemies without a doubt. W-will we really be okay? asked Claude as she and Shirushu seemed to be a bit uneasy, but with the way we were now there was no doubt that wed be fine. After all we had levelled up quite a bit when compared to before. If it turns south we can always teleport out? Thats correct. I said, agreeing with Milly. I had already given Teleport Earrings so even it got bad theyd be able to run away. Claude and Shirushu had the necessary Magic Power, and when it came to Lydia Well Ive been strengthening her Magic Lines for quite some time now so she should be able to at least use it once. If the worst comes to pass, I can just carry her with me. While passing through the town we stumbled upon a place that looked similar to a kids playground. And beyond that a huge gate could be seen. The abandoned factory. The door that had its rusted steel begin to peel off in several places gave off a feeling of sadness. From the inside I can make out the smell of metal and a lot of monsters. The Tyros Abandoned Factory has the most monsters out of any Dungeon in the North Continent. If you see that youre getting surrounded immediately teleport out. The further in we go the higher the density of magic power is going to be and the number of monsters will increase. On the other hand, the monsters on the inside wont go out of the factory. If you end up separated immediately teleport out for the time being and wait in front of the gate. Understood. As we carefully set foot inside the factory we immediately saw a four-legged automaton. In total there were five of them. Judging just by their looks, they looked akin to steel spiders. Guardian Level 62 Magic Power Level 12,109 / 12,109 As soon as I cast Scout Scope the Guardians metallic eyes opened. Their round metallic bodies seemed quite tough. When they moved cracking sounds could be heard. There was something about them that excited me quite a bit. Its probably their design. It seems quite artistic. I would have probably gotten along pretty well with the researchers here. Blue Gale!! While I was lost in my thoughts, without even the slightest sign, Milly cast Blue Gale and blasted off three of the Guardians. What are you doing Zeph! Why didnt you time with me for a Double Blue Gale!! Yea, yea Im sorry. What a tasteless fellow. Still, Millys right, I need to focus on the battle. After all, Im the one that said that the monsters here are no pushovers. I let out a sigh and prepared for battle. CH 120.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Lets go Zeph! Double Blue Gale!! I matched Millys timing and cast Blue Gale alongside her. Double Spell Synthesis: Double Blue Gale. The tornado of water rose up and threw off the remaining Guardians. We did it! T-theres more!! A lot of them! With cracking noises more and more Guardians began to gather. Because there was almost nothing to obstruct ones view inside the Tiros Abandoned Factory, and because the monsters view range was quite broad, if we were to ignore them they would only continue to gather. Head for the passage. Well be surrounded if we stay here. Zeph-chi, everyone! Come after me! With Lydia at the front we advanced while sticking close to the wall. Thankfully there was a narrow passage between the buildings, otherwise we would have probably been surrounded. Tsch These fellows are incredibly hard!! Lydia got into a fight with a Guardian that appeared before her. However, she seems to be having a pretty tough fight because of the Guardians metal carapace. Guardians are made out of Magic Metal so it was hard to wound them with anything else besides magic. I crashed a Green Sphere into the Guardian that Lydia blew away. The Guardian was squashed by the enormous ball of magic power, and without giving it a second glance we continued forward. On top of being hard these guys are also pretty tough. If we take care of every single one of them we encounter, well get surrounded in no time. Were almost there. Run to the passage. Okay!! We desperately ran through the inside of the factory until we finally jumped into the narrow passage. Inside the passage there were two Guardians which we quickly took care of and finally felt relieved in our hearts. Everyone then sat on the ground and took heavy breaths. Ha Ha Im tired said Milly The monsters here really are really hard. Lydia agreed with her. Our attacks dont even make them budge said Claude as she looked at her sword to see if it had been chipped anywhere, after which she put it back into its scabbard. Well just have to overcome it with effort. Thats right!! Me and Zeph will take care of it!! said Milly as she wrapped her hand around my shoulders and made a peace sign. Its all fine but your hand is so short it cant even cover both of my shoulders However, with that out of the way we can now focus on hunting. This passage is surrounded by walls on both sides so we dont have to worry about surprise attacks. So, what are we doing? asked Lydia You and Claude will invite monsters here while I and Milly will take care of them by using Double Blue Gale. Shirushu will take care of restoring our Magic Power, as well as our recovery in case someone gets injured. In the worst case scenario, well have her transform and go wild. O-okay. Ill try and do my best! Shirushu said as she held both hands in front of her chest. Claude and Lydia nodded as well. It seemed like they were both ready with their preparations. Milly looked at everyones faces and made a wide smile. Well then, lets begin! Claude, Lydia, Ill make sure to keep up Black Boots on both of you. Ill make sure that it doesnt run out, but just in case you should watch out for it as well. Okaay. Understood. After I cast Black Boots Claude and Lydias bodies were surrounded by wind and their hair softly swayed. Its perfect. With their increased speed they wont be caught easily. Make sure not to go overboard, okay? Yea, yea, we know already? Well then, were off. Lydia said while raising her thumb and then dashing off. It took just a bit before we couldnt see her anymore. Im worried shell do something crazy. Im going as well. said Claude as she went in the opposite direction of Lydia. Both of them went around and began pulling the Guardians. I guess I should call out Ain before both of them come back. Ain, come on out. After casting Summon Servant, Ain appeared from the light. She dramatically spread her folded wings and slowly opened her eyes. Stop with those poses, just stop. Hmph Its not bad but I should think of a cooler way to appear next time Gramps did ya call me? More or less. I might end up needing your help. Whats up with that! Im quite busy as well you know! She says after she appears out of nowhere whenever she pleases. What a wilful fellow. A fight with multiple monsters was efficient, however it was also dangerous. We could get wiped out if we couldnt dispose of the monsters fast enough. That is why I had decided to keep Ain on standby and prepare to use Divine Sword Ainbelle if push came to shove. Additionally, there was one more use for Ain. The monsters here drop gemstones. Its your job to pick those up. WHOA!! What a fantastic job!! Roger!! she replied as she stretched herself and saluted almost like a soldier would. Ain was throwing a tantrum just a minute ago, but upon using the gemstones as bait she easily got hooked. That change of attitude is way too fast. As always its still a mystery to me where she learns all of this stuff Theyre coming. said Shirushu to which me and Milly got ready for battle. It seemed like either Lydia or Claude was back. After we turned our gazes to the place that Shirushu pointed out we heard the ground ringing. Zeph-kun, Im heading over there. Im bringing GuardiansA total of six of them! Claude huh. Seems like shes in a tough spot. Milly and Shirushu prepared themselves so that they could fight back. And Ain on the other hand had a face akin to that of a dog waiting for its food. Milly, aim carefully! Right! In the next moment Claude, and the couple of Guardians that were chasing behind her appeared. The Guardians position was quite split up. I concentrated on Millys movements. I matched her breath and the way she was beginning to gather magic power in her hand, and cast Blue Gale as well. Double Blue Gale!! The doubly strengthened water tornado hit the pack of Guardians and as if drilling through them it raised them into the air. However, it appeared to have missed one of them. With a clunking sound the Guardians fell down and within the midst of the pack of disappearing Guardians, a single Guardian appeared and charged at us. Claude noticed that and turned around in order to face it. However, her worries were unnecessary. Claude, do not worry. Just continued pulling him the way you were doing. WHAT?!!We wont kill it? Itll be more efficient to take him out alongside the next pack, dont you think? I see Now that you said it Seeing Claude agree with me I re-cast Black Boots on her and she went off to gather more monsters. This was how the Train tactic worked with more people. The Train was a type of tactic where you used yourself as bait to gather a large number of monsters and then wiped them out in a clean sweep. This time, due to having more than one train the rotation of monster packs was higher. And since we were within the Tiros Abandoned Factory, which was surging forth with monsters, our hunt would turn out to be quite the efficient one. Claude its fine if you dont tell us the number of monsters next time. At any rate if we fail to kill some of them well just add them to the pack afterwards. One more thing, its be great if you could try and gather them in one place as that will make it easier to aim our spells. Understood. This type of tactic depends heavily on the skill of the person who takes up the train role. Ill have Claude work to the utmost of her ability. And then the second wave came. Claude had gathered an even larger number of Guardians in one place and was pulling them towards us while blocking their attacks with her shield. Oh, so she can do it if she tries. Claude! Do your best!! Ha Ha Okay!! Still, she does seem really exhausted. Claude was breathing heavily as Milly continued to cheer her on. As a result of Claudes effort, this time we were able to wipe out the whole of the pack with a single Double Blue Gale. Ain then began to gather the dropped gemstones. YEY! Food, food? Good job Claude. Hihihi Thank you. All right, lets go again. Understood!! I re-cast Black Boots on Claude and sent her off. As Shirushu saw that she whispered something out. I somehow feel like doing that as well Her tail was wagging back and forth like she was really eager to give it a shot. This reminds of that time. Before when I had a dog it would excitedly catch and bring back everything I threw Go get them! Woof?! Shirushu let out a faint sound when she heard Millys words. Milly, even if youre thinking it you shouldnt say something like that out loud. Um Zeph-san, you were thinking the same thing, werent you? asked Shirushu with a disheartened tone. While I was trying to cheer both her and Milly up I saw Claude coming back. We wiped out the pack brought by Claude and then sent her off once more. And then Ain continued to gather and eat the dropped gemstones. For christ sake, where are your manners?! After the fourth time that we went through this process I noted that Lydia hadnt come back even once. Lydia-san sure is late Thats right I think shes probably fine Its her were talking about after all. It seemed like Shirushu and Milly were both worried as well. Still, Claude already came back a number of times. I dont think she died, but its possible that she got surrounded and isnt able to escape. Ill call her to check just in case. Lydia is everything okay on your end? Im afraid that Black Boots might run out if you take too much time. Oh!! Im sorry Zeph-chi, I got immersed in gathering the monsters that I forgot. Ill be there soon! said Lydia with a laugh. It seems like shes fine Wait Shes been gathering them all this time? Just how much did she manage to pull? At that thought shivers ran down my spine. It was then that Shirushus ears twitched. Lydia-san is coming back I p-pick up a huge number of monsters behind her! Shirushu said as she pointed in a direction. CH 120.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama At the place where she pointed a huge curtain of dust could be seen. Alongside the rumbling of the earth, sounds of metal hitting each other could also be heard. Wait, wait Just how many tens of them are there? This is bad. It was a number that was way too dangerous. Even by using Double Blue Gale we wouldnt be able to take down all of them. And if we were to let a lot of them leak out it would turn into a catastrophe. Milly, back off for a bit and leave this to me. O-okay Milly said as she moved back. I then grabbed Ains hand. Milly if I mess up Im counting on you to follow up. Youll grab Shirushu and me and teleport out. G-got it! Ain, turn into a sword. Okaaay. With a dazzling light, Ain turned into Divine Sword Ainbelle. I grabbed the sword and took a step forward. The full extent of the pack that Lydia was pulling became visible. Lydia was nimbly dodging the enemy attacks as she came closer to us. T-this is Theres close to 50 of them. Furthermore, due to Lydias prowess all of the monsters were gathered within Blue Gales attack range. I had been the one to tell them to pull the monsters and aim to gather them in one spot. And Lydia did exactly as I had asked. However, the scale of it all was just too massive. Heyy! Im baack. Furthermore, she cheerfully waved her hand at us. Come to think of it she did say she got immersed in pulling them. Ill have her hold back from now on. In any case I should try to take care of this safely Oh right, I can try and use that. Lydia, a huge hole will open up before you so be sure to jump over it. Huh? Hmph Okay, got it. I readied Divine Sword Ainbelle and cast Time Square. I then stored Red Ball and Black Ball into the sword. I then cast Time Square once more. While time was stopped I cast Green Ball, Blue Ball and White Ball. Fivefold Spell Synthesis, Platinum Slash. While light wrapped the area along with a crackling sound. The swords trajectory went forward starting from underfoot and an enormous crevice opened up before me. The crevices width was two times that of Lydias height. The bottom couldnt be seen. Its a bit wider than what I wanted but its Lydia were talking about; she should be able to jump over it. Phew? Zeph-chi, youre amazing! Lydia praised as she raised her speed and easily jumped over the crevice. However, she couldnt kill her momentum and ended up bumping into me. And just like that I was pinned down. Auch Ah! Im sorry. I got too carried away Its fine. Ahaha, well then I wonder what happened. Lydia stood up and looked back. The sight of the Guardians falling into the crevice entered her eyes. Okay, everything went according to plan. All thats left it to cast spells at the Guardians that fell into the crevice. Were taking them down Milly. O-okay Double Spell Synthesis Double Blue Gale. Without being able to escape from the crevice the Guardians were swallowed by the water tornado. From the dead Guardians we managed to get gemstones, scrap iron and screws. After casting Double Blue Gale, a couple of times all of the Guardians were wiped out. It was a perfect victory. I guess we changed the method a bit. Oh! I levelled up? Same here. Mine went up a whopping three levels!! It seemed like everyone had levelled up. Ah, the sweet exp from killing a huge pack. While chucking to myself I decided to use Scout Scope on myself. Zeph Einstein Level 65 Magic Level Red: 41 / 62 Blue: 44 / 87 Green: 46 / 99 Sky: 47 / 89 Soul: 49 / 97 Magic Power: 2955 / 2963 Ive grown quite nicely. It was the right choice to come to the North Continent after all. The enemies here are strong, but the EXP we get from them is so high that it cant even be compared to that of the monsters from the East Continent. There arent a lot of my adventurers my age that are at this level Just as I thought that I remembered that there was one standing right next to me. And for the record, Millys status looked like this. Milly Reyad Level 65 Magic Level Red: 28 / 94 Blue: 58 / 98 Green: 29 / 92 Sky: 23 / 96 Soul: 25 / 85 Magic Power: 3253 / 3253 As always she only uses Blue Gale so only her Blue magic is high. Still, her Magic Power is higher than mine. I guess thats what they call a natural born genius. But to think that the holder of that genius is Milly Whilst thinking that I unconsciously let out a sigh. W-what is it! Why did you sigh just now? Its nothing. I stroked Millys head in order to dodge the question. Anyhow, our job was done so I returned Ain back to her human form. As soon as she turned back she began running around and gathering the gemstones. YEY! Food? Lydia, thank you!! Ahaha. No need for thanks. Ain, who had both of her hands full of gemstones, was rubbing herself against Lydia. It seems like Ains impression of Lydia grew better. What a greedy fellow. Lydia, there was a bit too much this time. Im afraid that we might run into trouble if were not able to kill all of them, so could you try and pull less next time? Ahaha, Im sorry Zeph-chi. WHAT!! BUT I WANT MORE!! said Ain while throwing a tantrum. And it looked like Lydia wasnt that satisfied as well. It cant be that shes planning on pulling the same amount again, right? Lydia I want to say that I knooow! Hold back next time, right? Thats fine then. It seemed like Lydia had taken my warning to heart so each time she showed up after that, she only brought close to ten enemies. Ain was sulking at first, but after picking up the gemstones that dropped after each pull, her mood lightened up. Lydia and Claude continued their job as the train and constantly brought in packs of monsters, which were then wiped out with the Double Blue Gale from me and Milly. Lets wrap this up. Okay. It was already starting to grow dark. Due to hunting down Guardians the whole day each of our bags were filled to the brim with items. And even though their effect was useless, we had also obtained two Guardian Cards. If we were to sell all of this, well probably earn about 300,000 rupi. On top of that everyones levels went up. It was a good hunt. My level went up? I think I also levelled up around six times. It seemed like Shirushu, who had the lowest level among us, had also levelled up quite a bit. And similarly to Milly I had managed to level up as well. CH 121.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama While I was looking at everyones cheerful expressions, I suddenly heard a voice inside my head. Hey, is this Zeph-kun? It was a familiar female voice. It cant be?! An image of someone immediately popped into my mind. Azalea, is that you? Correct. Its been a while hasnt it. Have you been well? My guess was correct; the voice was that of the Dispatch Magician Azalea. The Dispatch Magicians are an entity that falls under the Magician Association. Theyre like errand boys that arrest criminals, investigate various cases and take care of violent monsters that cause harm to the people. Because they are under the influence of the Magician Association, they have heavy restrictions when it comes to fighting. But even so, their strength is guaranteed. I havent heard from her since we left the East Continent, but for her to suddenly call me out of nowhere I have a bad feeling. I swallowed my saliva and waited for Azalea to speak. Was the spell that you just used a Unique Spell? You could say that. My heart began to pound. She knows that I used Platinum Slash. Where in the world did she see me Dispatch Magicians sure do use some strange spells. Damn it. Thats a violation of privacy you know! That spell greatly shaves off a large amount of a Dungeons Magic Power so Id like to ask you not to use it. You sure love to spy on people. A man cant even take a leak peacefully with you around. Look here, its not like I saw it because I wanted to. The other day at the snow mountain, traces of tremendous Magic Power were found and it stirred up quite the fuss at the association. I got a nostalgic feeling when looking through the Magic Power traces so I decided to investigate And just as I had thought, I stumbled upon you. I messed up Its completely normal for the Magician Association to have their eyes on such a powerful spell. Once was fine, but using it twice was a huge mistake on my part. Either way, I wont report to the higher ups. So just make sure not to use it again, okay? I dont want there to be bad blood between us after all. Got it. Thank you for the warning. What a good kid. And just like that Azalea cut off the Telepathy. Hmph, but to think that Id get found by Azalea. I guess its best I dont use Platinum Slash anymore. But Azalea sure is naive In other words, as long as I dont shave off a Dungeons Magic Power and I dont get found out by people from the association then its fine. I wont use it openly, but Ill still use it as a trump card if push comes to shove. She said that she wouldnt inform her superiors about me, and that warning was way too naive for a Dispatch Magician. Maybe shes just trying to repay the favor from last time. Dispatch Magician Azalea I really cant deal with that woman. 3 The following day. Because Lydia went out to check the stall plaza by herself, we had decided to hold off on hunting for today. But even so, there were still things we had to do. Excluding Lydia, we all once again went to the city of Tiros. We wont head for the abandoned factory today. Well focus on hunting Lucky Rabbits in this area. Really? But wont that be inefficient since there arent a lot of them? Kuku, this time that will actually play to our advantage. ? Milly was baffled. However, I couldnt blame her. After all, today hunting was a bit special. Shirushu, can I have you look for monsters? Okay. Shirushus ears twitched as she searched the surroundings. The point of todays hunt was to farm for the Bunny Necklace that dropped from the Lucky Rabbits. The Bunny Necklace was a popular item, and due to it being a rare item as well, its price was also high. Usually it wouldnt drop quite often but today I was going to use a secret method to obtain them. Claude, put this on. saying that I handed over the Moonlight Gauntlets to Claude, who received them with a blank expression. Me? The higher the users Magic Power the easier it is to use Steal. On the other hand, the higher the Magic Power the harder it is to obtain Rare Items. Whoa Is that really the case? Yes. Using Steal is just like goldfish scooping. You only have one net to try and catch the goldfish. And those with higher Magic Power have wider nets. Conversely, the lower the users Magic Power the smaller the net. But in that case, dont the people with higher Magic Power have the advantage? If its only about obtaining the items yes. However, with a bigger net you also end up scooping fish that you dont want. If Steal succeeds the monster disappears, thats why when farming for Rare Items its better to have a person with lower Magic Power, steadily use steal a number of times. I see I feel like Ive got it, but also that I havent at the same time. Youll get it once you try it out. This was something that was better to experience it first hand, rather than learn it. And by the way, Milly wasnt paying any attention to our discussion at all. Seems like she doesnt feel like listening to complex explanations. While we talked about this and that, Shirushus ears twitched and turned towards the east. A monster. I think its a Lucky Rabbit. Lets go. I had already cast Safe Protection on everyone, but if we were to get surrounded by Lucky Rabbits it would still probably turn out to be quite dangerous. While progressing carefully we discovered a Lucky Rabbit that was walking while keeping its guard up. It seems like it still hasnt found us out. Well have Claude charge in first and well follow after. Do not be late. Okay! Understood. Im going!! Claude kicked the earth and charged at the Lucky Rabbit while keeping her shield up. After noticing us the Lucky Rabbit fired its gun. However, Claude already had her shield up. The bullet was repelled off the shield. Claude then rushed in while the Lucky Rabbit was still reloading. HYAAAAAAAAAA!! !! Using her momentum Claude pushed the Lucky Rabbit up to a wall with her shield. Due to impact snow fell from the rooftop of the building. All thats left is to stop its movements! Good job Claude! Now move back! Okay! Claude moved out and behind her I stood with Freybrand in hand ready to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I proceeded to cast Blue Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball. Accompanied by a golden light the slash took the Lucky Rabbits arm. Fourfold Spell Synthesis: Tetra Ball The Lucky Rabbits arm flew in the air and then fell to the ground while still holding the gun. The Lucky Rabbit had its attention completely focused on its disappearing arm. I then grabbed its remaining arm and threw it on the ground. I proceeded to bind its arm, completely sealing its movements. The attacks from the Lucky Rabbits gun are certainly powerful, however the Lucky Rabbits themselves werent that physically strong and were almost completely powerless without their guns. Thats why there are also a number of inhuman adventurers who even use them as toys. Its not like I could judge other people, but it really was pathetic. Even though the Lucky Rabbit was completely bound it still tried to resist. It was like its inhuman eyes were trying to scream out Kill me! Shirushu was gasping at that scene. I kind of feel sorry for it Even though it looks like a person, in the end its a monster that was brought to life by the Dungeon. If you let those kinds of emotions control you, youll lose your life. I said while glaring at Shirushu, trying to warn her. Go-got it Shirushus still green as an adventurer. I must have her resolve herself. If we end up losing to the monsters, well find ourselves in the same position as this Lucky Rabbit. I could also feel that both Milly and Claude were also compassionate towards it, yet they werent saying anything. That was because both of them knew what it was to wage battle. The law of the jungle was one of the relevant rules in this world. Claude, youll be using Steal on this one. G-got it So, how do I do it? While the Lucky Rabbit had its face facing the floor and was desperately flapping its feet in order to resist, I was sitting on top of it. Claude looked at it, wondering where she should insert her hand from. Having said that, if I wasnt careful there was a change I could lose my balance and the Lucky Rabbit could escape. Get on top of the Lucky Rabbits legs and insert your hand through here. Do it while casting Steal at the same time. I said while hitting the Lucky Rabbits rear which baffled Claude even more. I-is it really fine? Dont worry about it. You can steal it from anywhere. Its resisting Im sorry Lucky Rabbit. Claude sat on top of the Lucky Rabbit, pinning down its legs. After that she nervously read out her hand and drove it on the Lucky Rabbits arse. Her hand was covered with the Moonlight Gauntlets so it easily penetrated through the Lucky Rabbits body. At the same time the Lucky Rabbits body began to shake vigorously. Tsch, we didnt cause it enough damage. !! Dont struggle You! Hyaaa Whoa Claude was nervously moving her hand through the Lucky Rabbits body. Milly and Shirushus faces became red at the sight. And that was especially the case for Shirushu. She looked like she was about to go out of control at any moment. It might be bad to have her look at this. Both of you, turn around. Shirushu, dont forget to watch out for the surroundings. S-Sure said Milly Okay responded Shirushu while waving her bright red hair and turning around, following behind Milly. Shirushus ears and tail were moving restlessly. It seemed like she was quite interested. One way or another she appears to be somewhat of a nymphomaniac. Um I cant seem to take it out The lower your Magic Power the longer it takes. And its also because youre holding back. Do it harder. ?!! !! !! I grabbed Claudes arm and shoved it further up the Lucky Rabbits body. Each time I did that the Lucky Rabbits body shook. Hyaaa!! I-Im sorry!! said Claude apologizing to the Lucky Rabbit, due to being tormented by her conscience. Ugh, I suddenly got the feeling that Im doing something really bad. Ive changed. To think that a day would come when I would show compassion for a monster. Afterwards, Claude continued trying to use Steal, while putting in some break in between as well. Steal drained magic power upon being used, and due to Claude also having a small amount of magic power it took quite a bit of time. But still, in the end, Steal finally succeeded. CH 121.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I-I did it! I did it! I can feel something in my hand!! The Lucky Rabbit that was moving vigorously up until now suddenly stopped. That was because Claude had gotten a hold of its core. Good job Claude. Now just pull it out. Okay! Claude pulled out her hand from the Lucky Rabbits rear. And in her hand she was holding a Bunny Necklace. It was lucky for us to be able to obtain it on our first monster. Now that it had lost its core, the Lucky Rabbit dispersed into thin air. Seeing that Claude weakly fell to the ground. Good job Claude. It was nothing said Claude with a face that showed her exhaustion. Besides the consumption of magic power, that was also a powerful mental blow as well. Claudes face looked kind of hollow. Should we stop here? No, Im fine. Please let me do it. But I said I wanted to become strong, didnt I? This is nothing. said Claude with a cheerful smile while making a guts pose. Well since shes already said it I wont ask anymore. Okay, okay. But dont go overboard, okay? Okay!! replied Claude with courage as I stroked her head. Still what is this strange feeling that Im getting. Were fighting against monsters. Well be forgiven no matter what we do, and rather we are encouraged to do anything we can to them. All in order to earn money Me from the past did everything for that purpose and I also made all my companions do the same thing. Ive done way worse things than this. And yet this is my first time feeling like this. Ive grown soft While I was submerged in my emotions, Shirushus ears twitched once more. A Lucky Rabbit. I shouldnt think like this. Our opponent is a monster. I cannot let our lives be taken because of compassion. We captured the newly found Lucky Rabbit and similar to last time we used Steal on it. In the end, during todays hunt we managed to obtain two Bunny Necklaces for a total of around three million rupi. Kuku we earned a huge sum today. Good job everyone!! Especially you Claude. You really did great. T-thank you Milly showed appreciation for Claudes efforts, while at the same time glaring at me with disgusted eyes. We didnt have a choice after all. The only one qualified to use Steal was Claude. But even so, todays hunt took quite a toll on Claudes mentality. I guess Ill have to patch things up later. DDWhen night came I went to Claudes room. After knocking on the door I heard a weak response from the inside and the door opened. Claude was in the process of fastening the buttons of her pajamas. It appeared that she was quite tired. Claude, are you okay? Kind of Did you see through my act? said Claude as she laughed. It seems like I really did force her quite a bit. I thought that Id give you something nice. For me? Who else is there! I said as I took out a Bunny Necklace from my bag and put it around Claudes neck. Claude made a strange expression as the bunny shaped jewel settled itself on top of her chest. This is It looks great on you. I-Is that so But I dont deserve something so cute Even though she said that, Claude was clutching onto the bunny shaped gem. Tears could even be seen in her eyes. For christ sake, youre way too happy. I put my hand on top of Claudes head. At the same moment Claude buried her head in my chest. Im only giving it to you because of the work you did today. Even so, thank you. Claudes shoulders were shaking and she looked down. I then pushed her on top of the bed, facing down, and began moving my hands on top of her back. It was time for todays Magic Power Line strengthening. I held back compared to usual and before I noticed it Claude had already fallen asleep. It seems like she was really tired. From now on, in order to prevent her from going overboard, like she did today, I should put brakes on her. After that several days passed. Each day we would go to the Tiros Abandoned Factory and earn money and EXP. After two days of hunting Lydia would take a break in order to go around the stall marker and sell the items that we had obtained as well as buy other things. By the way Lydia, how is that plan going? Hmph. The Flower Bomb one? Its doing fine. Adrei hasnt done anything weird right? He is a splendid gentleman. I dont think theres a need for you to worry about him Zeph-chi. said Lydia with a laugh. It seems like Adrei has no interest in anyone else besides Milly. Knowing that, I feel like I need to be even more cautious But even so, its good to hear that hes getting along great with Lydia. After all, Adreis help is essential for this plan to work. Even so, thats a huge stack of money you have there said Milly with surprise. I couldnt blame her. Lydia had over ten stacks of rupi. Its nothing much, today I only made 500,000. Lydia-san, youre amazing as always. praised Shirushu. Its nothing much, I just had good luck. said Lydia while trying to be modest but her face still showed a bit of boastfulness. After all, she couldnt have made that much with only luck. It was precisely because of her skill that she was able to earn that much. By the way, how much was the profit? Hmph Including all of the resales I think its close to around 10 million. Hearing that everyone raised their voices in praise, however to me it seemed a bit strange. It was less that I had originally expected. It seems like the market price of the items we bought out before hasnt risen that much. Well its normal considering everyones reselling. Should I sell out our remaining items? Ill leave the decision up to you. Resale stocks were uncertain. Because the price of resale goods fluctuates greatly depending on the demand and supply, a resale merchant needs to always be glued to the stall market. It seems like Lydias been doing a lot of work in trying to earn money, by trying to make connections with the merchants in the stall market, as well as making her own weapons. But if we leave Lydia behind, it will get hard to hunt. said Milly. Its a bit hard for me to take care of the monsters inside the Abandoned Factory alone, and the Lucky Rabbits on the outside are a bit continued Claude. Youre both right Hmph As I was thinking on what to do I put my hand inside my pocket and took out a small rock. It was a Crystal Ring. Come to think of it I did give a piece to Silverie. I should be able to call her whenever I want Should I call her in as a helper I wonder? The farm village Garnek Park. It was close to the capital, but because of that the youngsters would go away in order to earn money, leaving behind only the elderly and the children. It was a small village of several tens of people And in a place a bit further away from the village, within a small hut, was one of Silveries hiding spots. Silverie was resting here while healing her wounded body. As she was reading a book on top of her worn-out bed, suddenly her attention was drawn from a voice coming from the outside, so she looked outside through the window. A young boy and girl were playing tag. Kids huh. She hadnt known when it had started, but seeing kids now reminded her of Zeph. Close to ten days ago Zeph had saved her while she was on the verge of death at the snow mountain. Thinking logically about it, there was no way Zeph could have known about the disaster Silverie had found herself into. The only explanation she could think of was that she had called out to him for help while she had been unconscious. It was vague but she had memories of calling Zephs name at that time. However, she had said it in such a low tone that there was no way for him to have heard her. But still, Zeph had been able to find about her peril with just that and even went to the snow mountain amidst the snowstorm in order to try and save her. Whenever she thought of that Silveries chest tightened. She just stayed as she watched the crystal ring she held in her hand. Because of me Zeph Almost unconsciously she whispered out Zephs name. Along with that, she startled herself. That was because she thought that she could have unconsciously contacted him via Telepathy. However, the crystal ring in Silveries hand just continued to let out its dim light, without showing any response. Silverie showed relief on her face, but before she knew it her face had turned bright red. For christ sake Zeph is the one at fault Why did he give me such a thing she said while playing with her crystal ring and the crystal ring fragment that Zeph had forcefully given her. Even though they were both pieces of a crystal, due to both pieces being from different kinds, there was no way for them to fit together with one another. But even so, while she was trying to match both of the pieces, she ended up seeing her face, reflected in one of the crystals and then returned to her calm self. Silveries current calm expression was one that she hadnt even seen herself. For christ sake What in the world am I doing Her face became red from the embarrassment and she threw the crystals at the bedside. CH 122.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After that incident she felt like she was always thinking about Zeph. She had lost her consciousness due to the cold, and when she came to, she had found herself naked in Zephs embrace, and had spent the whole night like that. When she had realized what had happened she ran away without giving it a second thought. Even now, whenever she thought back to that night her face would turn deep red, almost like fire was about to burst out from it at any moment. She regretted leaving quickly, without even saying a word of gratitude to him. But still, even though Zeph gave me that fragment he hasnt even called me once since then Silverie looked at the crystal ring with eyes full of dissatisfaction. However, Zeph probably has other things to do as well. And he must have felt awkward after doing that. No wait, but the talk we had afterwards seemed pretty normal. Because Silverie was unfamiliar with relationships between people, she had no clue as to what Zeph was thinking. I dont know Damn it Up until now the cases where she had to think about the way others felt were almost non-existent. Due to that, she didnt know what was the right thing to do, and could only stare at the crystal. While thinking about Zeph that is. If one were to look from the outside they would probably find the sight of Silverie going over various facial expressions while looking at a crystal pretty strange. I want to talk with Zeph She held the crystal ring in her hand and Zephs face popped into her mind. However, just before using Telepathy she felt kind of embarrassed so she gave up in the end. She kept repeating the same thing over and over again. And then suddenly a voice appeared in Silveries head. Silverie, can we talk? ?!! Silverie jumped up with surprise and sat on the bed. Did I unconsciously call him again? No, it cant be. The Telepathy came from him. What a coincidence! With a face full of embarrassment Silverie replied to Zeph. So its you Z-Zeph Its been a while. Is there something you need? Not in particular, I just thought Id check up on how you were doing Is it me or are you excited for some reason? Ahem! You dont need to worry. said Silverie as she cleared her throat and adjusted her tone. Her heart was pounding because she had finally received that long awaited call. So youre worried about me huh Thats surprising You really are a kind fellow. With a smile on her face Silverie ended up saying some words that were unexpected even for her. Im fine And also, thank you. She naturally managed to express her gratitude. How long had it been since she had last thanked anyone? The thick wall that Silverie had built up around her heart had thinned out quite a bit after her encounter with Zeph. The thing is, Id like to ask you if you would like to join us on a hunt, what do you say? ?!! At the sudden invitation Silveries pulse rose. She was lost for words due to being overwhelmed with feelings of happiness and bewilderment. Everything is always so sudden with you Zeph. Well, recently I did feel like moving my body a bit, so it seems like a good opportunity, right? said Silverie muttering as she was wondering to herself. Silverie had never hunted while cooperating with others. That was because she was strong enough to not need the help of others. Under normal circumstances she would probably immediately turn down the offer, but this time she ended up agreeing. Okay. Ill join in. Really? Thank you. Hearing those words made Silverie happy. In a quiet tone she muttered *Im the one that should be thanking you.* in a way so that Zeph wouldnt hear it, and then continued to talk to him again. So, where should I go? Oh yea. The place They set the meeting point at the Tiros Abandoned Factory. After cutting off the Telepathy with Zeph Silverie stood up from her bed. Up until a few days ago she had been a total mess, however now she was full of energy. Its only because of the money. While thinking with a bitter laugh Silverie took off the loose-fitted shirt that she was wearing on her naked body, and threw it on the bed. She proceeded to put on her usual thin shirt, her black low-rise pants, and finally she put on her coat. Sniffing at her sleeve a slight tang of mold entered her nose. Hmph It smells a bit When she thought about it she couldnt remember when it had been the last time she bought clothes. The time for their meeting was at noon. If she were to use Teleport shed get there in no time so she had a lot of time before the appointed hour. I guess its good to buy some new clothes once in a while. I think Ill wear something nice today. While thinking that Silverie headed to the capital with Teleport. DDTiros Abandoned Factory. We watched the falling snow as we waited for Silverie. Our appointment was for noon, but despite that we came a little bit already. Even so, just as we got there I heard a voice via Telepathy. Zeph, its me. Oh, Silverie. We just got here. It was probably just my imagination, but Silveries tone seemed somewhat excited. The same thing had happened the last time we talked as well. It seemed like her attitude towards me was beginning to change. Is it because of the thing that happened in the snow mountain I wonder? But even so, I had decided not to talk about it. That was because it was embarrassing for me as well. Where should I go? At the factorys entrance. Okay. said Silverie with a short response and cut off the Telepathy. Well then, Silverie will probably get flustered if she meets everyone at once so I guess Ill go greet her first. I asked everyone to wait for me as I used Teleport to go to the citys northern entrance. As I got there I immediately found the person I was looking for. Oh, Silverie. Oh, youre here Zeph. Looking at Silverie she seemed somewhat restless. I felt kind of strange when looking at the nervous Silverie. Her clothes are strangely different than usual. Silverie, your clothes seem different than usual. !! You can tell? Well yea. Ive always been looking at you after all. Even during my previous life, her clothes had always been the same. Usually they were mostly all black with a focus on functionality. However, today it was a bit different. But even so, the difference wasnt that obvious. It was mostly some stitched ornaments or lines, that one wouldnt see if they didnt look closely. I wouldnt have been able to find out either if I hadnt seen the price label that was still attached to the coat. I guess Ill remove it later without her noticing me. I whispered out softly. At the same time Silverie seemed really uneasy. Does it look strange? No, it suits you. Its lovely Silverie. You idiot, dont say such embarrassing things said Silverie and turned around. Hmph, could she have dressed up for today. She unexpectedly has a cute side to her as well. Perhaps she was offended that I was staring at her, but Silverie turned away. Lets just not talk about that and go. Silverie, wait a bit Good grief, no can do I guess I followed after Silverie as she Teleported towards the Abandoned Factory. After we arrived at the factorys entrance Silverie suddenly froze. Ah!! Zeph is finally back. Is that girl a friend of yours Zeph? asked Milly. That must be Silverie-san right? Its nice to meet you. Im Shirushu. Hello. said Claude. The ones waiting for us at the factorys entrance were Milly, Shirushu and Claude. Silverie froze due to having someone suddenly speak to her. I thought that Silverie had gotten a bit better at human interactions, but it seems like I had been mistaken. Um Is something wrong? asked Milly as she got close to Silverie. ?!! Silverie averted her eyes and tried to run away. Like Ill let you. I grabbed onto Silveries waist as she tried to run away without a word. Silverie looked at me with a hateful expression. Zeph you deceived me Thats rude. I did no such thing! Theres nothing bad about this. Everyone here is nice. That might be true but Silverie was unwilling to give up and was still trying to run away. However, if she really wanted to run away she could have already used Teleport to do so. As long as everyone else follows up nicely well be able to get her to give up and join us on the hunt. I looked at the other three, but Shirushu seemed perplexed, while Claude was making a complex expression. Usually Claude would be the one to follow up, however she didnt have a good impression of Silverie. Um, Silverie-san. Milly looked like she had caught on to something as she called out to Silverie. Good job Milly. Milly was the type to do stuff when it was necessary, and she also had a friendly character. Even with Silverie as her target she might still be able to do something. Milly drew towards us in small steps and stood in front of Silverie while smiling. It felt like Millys bright smile managed to shake Silveries poker face for an instant. Without breaking her smile, Milly stretched out her hand to the stiffened Silverie and grabbed the edge of her coat. The price tag is still attached. Ill throw it out for you. said Milly as she peeled off the price tag on Silveries coat and threw it. Just as she did that Silveries face turned bright red and her body began to tremble. This is bad. Just as I thought that it happened. Akin to a snake shedding its skin, Silverie slipped out of her coat and disappeared with Teleport. Milly just stood there and watched as Silverie ran away. What happened? Um Silverie was way too shy. She was just like a wild animal that refused to get close to people. Thats a serious problem. Its probably because I forcefully tried to get her to become familiar with everyone Damn it. It seems like the day where well hunt together with Silverie is still quite far off. Zeph what did you say? No, its nothing. Well then, should we go? Iyahyahya!! What are you doing!! Milly said with a broken language as I was pinching her cheeks as punishment for now. After that we used Teleport to head towards the Tiros Abandoned Factory. CH 122.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama 4 Late at night I snuck out of the inn and went to Tiros alone. I was on my toes as I walked next to the walls. Unexpectedly I heard a sudden gunshot from far away. And in the next instant I felt an impact run through my right hand. ?!! I had already cast Safe Protection so I didnt sustain a lot of damage. I focused on the place where the gunshot had come from and inside a building I saw a hiding Lucky Rabbit. Oh guardian of the earth. Envelop me and let thou become an armor to protect me DD Safe Protection I closed the gap between me and the Lucky Rabbit as I cast the chant. There are no attacks from my surroundings. Since theres only one then everythings fine. It happened just as the Lucky Rabbit had already loaded the next bullet and pointed the muzzle at me. I pointed my hand towards my feet and cast Black Rush. A curtain of snow rose up, which concealed my body. There were no signs of a gunshot. Due to the snow the Lucky Rabbit wasnt able to get a good aim at me. This was an effective method to deal with long-ranged enemies. I used this opportunity to close the gap between us. After I exited the snow curtain I saw the bewildered Lucky Rabbit. The point where it had missed its shot due to not being able to get a good aim on its opponent was the time where it had already lost. Its over. I put my hand on the Lucky Rabbits body and cast Time Square. During the period of Time Square I cast Green Rush twice. DD Double Spell Synthesis Double Green Rush The sound of metal being crushed rang out and the Lucky Rabbits body warped in a strange shape. It turned into a lump of metal and disappeared just like that. Hunting a long-ranged opponent like the Lucky Rabbit was fun because it had just the right amount of tension attached to it. Still, without Shirushu its hard to find enemies It was tiresome to have to spend a long amount of time searching for enemies. And since Claude wasnt here to assist me it was hard to use Steal as well. Either way, its not bad to do something like this from time to time I said while whispering. It was then that it happened. I saw Silverie appearing from one of the street corners. We both jumped up with surprise. Whoa?!!If it isnt you S-Silverie?! Zeph! I didnt think Id meet her in this place and at this time. W-What a coincidence Zeph! To think that wed meet like this Silverie somehow seemed kind of strange. Her tone sounded really unnatural. Could she have come here intentionally? Are you hunting as well Zeph? Yea. I sometimes go out and hunt alone during the night like this. I knew it Ah, its nothing ? She really does seem strange. Oh well. Im lucky that I got to meet her. So Silverie, how about hunting together? Might as well. Silverie responded enthusiastically as I followed her and we continued our hunt. Kuro. Come out. whispered out Silverie and a black snake coiled itself around her arm. Silveries familiar Kuro had a top-notch searching ability which allowed it to sense any enemy movements in an area. Lets go. Sure. After exchanging a few words, me and Silverie progressed through the snow. But still, being able to walk side to side with her like this reminds me of the past. At that time, I was still a novice magician, but now Ive probably grown to a point that Im able to stand side by side with Silverie. While I was thinking that I looked up at Silveries face and noticed that her eyes had narrowed. A monster. Kuro faced East and opened its mouth in intimidation. Before it a Lucky Rabbit could be seen. It seems like it still hasnt noticed us. So it has an even wider detection range than the Lucky Rabbits that already have quite the big range to begin with While admiring the level of Kuros detection ability I dashed off. The Lucky Rabbit noticed me and pointed the gun towards me, after which it pulled the trigger. A bursting noise rang out and the bullet grazed my cheek. Miss. I whispered as I cast Black Sphere. Blades of wind formed and slashed at the empty space. The Lucky Rabbit had already disappeared and in its place only a single screw could be seen laying on the ground. In the distance I saw the light of a spell disappear in thin air. Silverie had cast a spell. Her spell had been able to take down the Lucky Rabbit before mine. She then put the hand that had cast the spell back into her coat. However, I could see fresh blood dripping at her feet. Upon seeing that I unconsciously rushed back to her. Silverie, are you okay?! Why didnt you use Safe Protection! Because its not necessary. Dont make such a fuss. Just let me see it! Silverie seemed uninterested as I took out her hand and folded back her coat. Just as I was about to cast healing my hand stopped. That was because I saw that Silveries familiar Kuro was licking her wound. And in just an instant the wound closed up. See, I told you. Something like this will heal just by licking it. I rarely suffer any wounds so its fine. B-But Safe Protections magic power consumption is great. In this kind of hunting place, its more efficient to use that magic power on attacking. Well then, lets go. said Silverie without letting me answer. In a sense what she was saying was correct. Still what was she planning on doing if something bad ended up happening. She really is careless. Good grief, dont make me worry that much I said quietly. Silverie was walking before me when she suddenly stopped. You were worried about me? Of course. About me I see she started mumbling something. She then suddenly turned towards me. I got it. Ill use Safe Protection from now on. T-Thats great Its fine as long as she understands but Silveries not the type of person to listen to my words so easily. I feel like she changed after that accident at the snow mountain. Did she perhaps eat something bad? Either way, it will be bad if I ruin her mood, so Ill just change the topic. By the way, was that thing that you used just now Black Zero? Yes. When she defeated the Lucky Rabbit I felt a violent wind blow next to me, so I had thought that she had probably used that spell, and it seems like I was correct. However, there was one thing that I couldnt put my finger on. Wasnt the activation way too fast? Black Zero usually needs quite the long chant in order to use it Im decked out with cards that reduce chant time. After all, if I am to hunt in this place, where there are strong monsters, as well as annoying monsters that can attack from long-range, its more efficient to cut the chant time and take them out in a single sweep with a single Great Spell. Black Zeros chant usually consists of four bars which each take close to four seconds to chant. However, with the chant reducing cards I can lower that to one bar allowing me to chant it in only eight seconds. And if my magic power runs dry I can always drink a recovery potion and fill it back up. I see, thats indeed so I always specialize my equipment for the hunting spot that Im going to. It does cost money, but that way its more efficient, wouldnt you say so? Silverie unusually became very talkative when she tried to answer my question. She was the type that became very talkative when it came to battle or magic. I just kept nodding and listening to her talk excitedly. In the previous world when Silveries mood had been bad, or when she had grown tired of a certain topic I could always come back to either of those topics to cheer her up. Until when will you be free today. I asked her. I dont have anything else to do. Is that so, well then what do you say about staying with me for the whole day? Okay. whispered Silverie. I see. I finally feel like I got it. In the past Silverie seemed like the type of person that hated people, however now she seems like shes actively trying to get closer to them. Did she change this much because she met me I wonder? Now it might be okay even if I call Milly and the others. The sun is beginning to show so Milly and the others should wake up soon. I should try and call them via Telepathy. Hey, is someone up? Zeph-kun! Are you hunting alone again today? Yea, Im in the usual spot. I want you all to come after youve woken up. Understood. It seemed like Claude was the only one that was up. Well its still early so I guess its normal. Still, I guess that the others will wake up soon as well. While I was talking to Claude using Telepathy Silverie took the time to use Black Zero and take down another Lucky Rabbit. I used the chance to use Scout Scope just as the Lucky Rabbit died and noticed that it had sustained damage that was just a bit over its total Magic Power. Silverie was probably controlling her spell in order not to cause too much excess damage. While following behind her I was thinking that despite her being quite meticulous about those things, her lifestyle was still quite sloppy. CH 123.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Around noon, as I was accompanying Silverie who was killing Lucky Rabbits, a telepathic message arrived from Milly. Zeph, Ive brought everyone over. Where are you now? Ah, Im close to the entrance now. Ill be heading there in a moment, so wait for me near the city gates. Okay, got it! Alright then, Ill be waiting. They delayed quite a bit after waking up huh. I guess the preparation took some effort?. When I broke off telepathic communications with Milly, Silverie was taking big gulps of magic recovery potions and finishing them up. A small amount of white liquid leaked out from her lips, which she used her finger to wipe off, before sticking out her tongue to lick the potion off her finger. Her face was brimming with motivation. I stealthily held Silveries hand. At that moment, Silverie seemed so surprised that her hand trembled, then she nervously returned the grip. Zeph! Having spotted me, Milly waved vigorously from the citys gates. Claude, Shirushu and Lydia were together with her. Wha!? He he, sorry but you cant escape this time. Silverie was about to teleport again, but because we were holding hands this time, she was not able to escape. Zeph, you! Chill, chill, its fine, isnt it? Just once in awhile. Regardless of the possibility of being disliked by Silverie, I forcibly pulled her to where Milly was. However, Silverie did not put in serious effort into resisting me. As I had predicted, she doesnt really hate being involved with people. The girls called out to Silverie. Hello, Silverie-san. Weve heard about you from Zeph-kun. Thanks for taking care of us the other day. Heh~ to be acquainted with such a beauty, even Zeph is not to be underestimated. H-hello Ah. Silverie gave a short response, looking as if she had resigned to her fate. There, there, you were able to greet properly. Good girl. Okay then, shall we get going? my, my. Silverie muttered with a bewildered look on her face, but she also seemed pleased with something. The moment we opened the door of the abandoned factory, a Guardian commenced its attack on us. Milly, Silverie, and I will fire our magic. Claude and Lydia will deal with those that slipped away from our attacks. Shirushu will heal us. Okay ? Understood! Milly and Shirushu responded to my command, while the others nodded and took their battle positions. Three Guardians were approaching us at once. Silverie took one step out in front of us. Leave it to me. C, What a high-speed incantation. It was so fast that I wouldnt be able to hear it even if I focused. The incantation was over instantaneously, and wind wrapped itself around Silveries arms. Black Zero. When Silverie uttered the spell, a lance made of black wind was fired off towards the three Guardians. With all three monsters within firing range, the Guardians were annihilated in a single shot. Wow Everyone seemed to be astonished by Silveries performance. He he, this lady is my master you know? As expected, when it comes to combat, shes top-notch. As her former disciple, I feel proud. Lets hurry ahead. Y-Yeah! Silverie walked briskly ahead, while the rest of us followed behind. After that, almost all the other monsters who tried to attack us were instantly killed by Silverie. Its understood that shes strong, but in this way, theres nothing left for us to do. Everyone seemed to be getting bored. Having said that, it would be difficult to get Silverie to hold back on her attacks too. Should we try our hand at another hunting ground that is one rank above this one? With this many people around, we could probably proceed to the inner part of the abandoned factory. Oh, sounds good~ I agree! The monsters here are a little too weak. Oi, its not like youre the strong one here, you know? Everyone seemed interested in my suggestion. They must have been pretty bored. Stronger monsters lurk within the inner parts of the Tiros abandoned factory. They tend to drop rare equipment made from magic metal. These items are suitable for vanguards, so we can use them to enhance Claudes and Lydias equipment. Id appreciate that. After fighting all these solid Guardians, my sword has gotten slightly worn out. Claude was concerned about the condition of her sword while fighting. If I remember correctly, one of the drops from the monsters in the inner parts was a good sword. Is that okay with you, Silverie? Do as you please. Silverie turned to the side in a huff, but she still obediently came along with us. Although we were not holding hands anymore, she didnt seem to have the desire to escape. Silverie should have been the type of person who refuses to budge whenever theres something she hates Taking that into consideration, shes unexpectedly motivated this time. Okay then, lets go. Oh! Raising her hand spiritedly, Milly placed it on the abandoned factorys door. Then, when she forcefully tried to open itit would not open. Nnguu gigigi She continued to put in her strength until her face turned red, but it still didnt open. Move alrea dy!? I changed places with Milly, but the door sure is heavy. Guess theres no helping it I placed my hand on the door, and cast Green Crash. With a low hum, the door vibrated and creaked. This time, when the door was pushed, it finally opened. To use magic for this, how cunning. What I used was my brain. Muu Milly glared at me with dissatisfaction, and I gave a light knock on her head. Anyway, it sure is unusual for the door here to be rusty. The inner parts of the Tiros abandoned factory has strong monsters, and is not a popular hunting ground, but sometimes there would be a bunch of people who aim to defeat the boss in the lower levels. Well, the structure of this place is complex and even has several entrances. Perhaps, it has been a long time since anyone has used this entrance. Its not as if Im completely familiar with the structures of all dungeons either. When we entered through the door, the surroundings were still as death. There were no branches in the road, so we proceeded in the only passageway available. Monsters arent appearing. Mm. Despite being in the inner parts of the dungeon, the fact that monsters have not appeared up till this point is indeed strange. Wondering about the possibility, I asked Silverie a question. Silverie, have you been here before? Ah, Ive stepped foot into the factory several times. However, this is my first time on this path. A path which even Silverie didnt know about By some chance, this could be the discovery of a new passageway. In the Tiros abandoned factory, monsters are strong and plentiful. Being unable to thoroughly explore the place, the likelihood of the association having overlooked a passageway is pretty high. This seems like a chance to make a quick buck. What a coincidence, Silverie. I happen to be thinking the same thing. When my eyes met Silveries, we chuckled wickedly. Hey Zeph, what are you talking about? In dungeons, if you chance upon a new passageway which has not been recorded on any map, the association will pay you a monetary reward. For a place this deep within the dungeon, we wont receive below ten million rupis even in the worst case. Ohh! Yay! However, being on untrodden land would mean that we cannot afford to be negligent. In contrast with the happy-go-lucky Milly, Claude was being prudent. It is as Claude said. If up until now there are no monsters, it must be because the area here is correspondingly low in mana. When there are places in a dungeon that has little mana, then there is something absorbing the mana. It could be a special monster, treasure box, or a trap. I-Ill be careful! Well be relying on you, Shirushu. You too, Silverie. Using the two ladies abilities in searching for the enemy, we should pick up on most threats. With heightened vigilance, we continued straight ahead. Both Shirushus nose and Silveries familiar did not react to anything. Ah, weve arrived at a door. In the direction where Milly was pointing, a small door was in sight. When we entered through the door, we found strange tools scattered all around the room. That wasnt all. There was also a Guardian without limbs, and various types of humanoid robots all around. Apparently, these were unfinished products. This was probably the maintenance room. Wow amazing. Mm. Amazing skills. If the citys influential people did not think of strange things, and if the Magic Association did not keep an eye on this place, we might have a different future by now. A street where giant humanoid robots roamed freely Hmm, what a dream. I was absorbed in my emotions as I swept my hand over a desk that was covered in dust. At that moment, something happened. Beep! Beep! Nearby, alarm bells sounded, and red lights shone in the room. W-what. I wasnt touching anything. Sorry. Milly apologized with a pale face. She had apparently touched a switch somewhere. Together with the alarm, the sound of mechanisms characteristic of humanoid robots was heard. Tch! Everyone, be careful! Yes! We got into a circular formation and were wary of our surroundings. However, even after waiting for a while, there was no sign of anything happening. The alarm stopped, and the area was once again engulfed in silence. Phew, that mustve been linked to some device, but it couldve broken down over time. Geez, dont scare me now Ouch! Thats my line, you dumb-ass. You startled all of us, didnt you? As Milly heaved a sigh of relief, I gave a light knock on her head. Ahaha Anyway, its good that nothing happened. Hmm but, it doesnt seem to be that way. Lydia replied to Claude as she looked ahead, and as we followed her gaze, we saw an enormous metal box and white fumes were seeping out from it. CH 123.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama What in the world? We steeled ourselves as the box opened up before us. From within the smoke came the sounds of mechanisms, followed by the sound of something stepping onto the ground, and the grating of metal against metal. The smoke cleared up before us, as we stayed on guard What revealed itself from within the smoke, was a girl with black hair. A person or not I guess? Claude stepped forward, ready to shield us. The girls appearance was that of a human. Her long, black hair flowed smoothly, and she wore an apron dress. At first glance, she looked like a young maid who was a waitress at a cafe or something. However, she cant possibly be a human. Whenever she moved, there were creaking sounds from her body and, even though insignificant, it looked like the girls body was pieced together. Furthermore, if she were human, she couldnt have possibly stayed in such a place for all this time. The girl moved her own limbs, as we observed the situation. Monster..? Nah, I dont get that impression from her either. Monsters that are composed of mana have a unique presence. However, I dont feel such a presence from the girl before me. Rather, I feel magic itself. I faced the girl and cast Scout Scope on her, but there was absolutely no response. While we were perplexed, the girls eyes locked onto ours. CWh, wh, wh who, are you? With a whirring sound, the girl tilted her head to one side. The girls manner of speech was somewhat unnatural. It was as if she simply strung together a few words like how a baby talks. I am Milly, Milly Reyad! Those behind me are members of my guild, Hunters of the Blue Sky! In response to the girls question, Milly announced with her chest puffed out. Well, there was one guest with us though. As the rest of us took turns to introduce ourselves, the girl continued to look at us blankly. My, name is, Soara. The girl introduced herself as she bowed her head politely. It seems like she isnt hostile towards us I think? Who are you? Soaras wrists and ankles were dark gray in color, which was made from metal no matter how you see it. Her patched-together skin also bothered me. After a moment of silence, Soaras wrists rotated once. While we were stirred up, Soara continued to speak. I am a humanoid robot made by Tiros Factory. My official model number is M-9996. Prototype droid number 6. I am named as Soara, S-O-A-R-A. That was surprising. I had thought that most of the humanoid robots were destroyed by the Magic Association, while the remainder were turned into monsters. Unexpectedly, there was an original humanoid robot left. Furthermore, this design seems like one of the later developments. I have previously browsed through information about the research done at Tiros. Humanoid robots were developed with the aim for them to look more and more like humans. That being said, the research has actually progressed this far. At first glance, it looks exactly like a human, doesnt it Hmm, what splendid skill. As I was admiring the robot, Milly and Lydia brushed me aside and approached it. Hey hey Soara, are you really a humanoid robot? What can you do? Are you strong? Ho ho, Soara-chan, I see. You really look exactly like a human~ Can I touch you for a bit? Both of them appeared to have a keen interest in the robot. Oi oi, I understand that youre excited, but please calm down. If you speak at the same time, she wont be able to catch what youre saying right? However, despite my worries, Soara was completely unfazed as she replied to the two ladies. Q1: Yes. Q2: I can do household chores, fighting, basic conversation, and various types of support required by a human. Q3: Combat power is 169000. Q4: The material of the exterior is mainly made from chromium steel. Q5: Contact for the purpose of an investigation is not allowed. One by one, Soara conscientiously answered all the questions. Her replies were sometimes ambiguous though. Specifically the combat power of 169000 C how strong is that exactly? Awesome! Awesome awesome! Regardless of that, Milly was thrilled. With sparkling eyes, she took Soaras hand and was shaking it vigorously. Milly didnt seem like the type to be interested in humanoid robots though Its like a doll. Cute, isnt it! That reminds me, in the past, she once saw a doll in a show window and stuck her face to the glass. Soara certainly does look like a doll. Is that why you like her? Shes not the type of doll you could dress up you know, geez. By the way, where is the professor? The research lab also looks weird? Soara looked around her. Apparently, Soara did not know what had happened to Tiros. She was likely sleeping until now. I guess Soara is a humanoid robot left behind by the times? Itll be a long story though. I began to recount to Soara the entire course of events regarding the city of Tiros. Even as Soara sometimes nodded, she listened on with a blank look on her face. And that was what happened. Tiros City has perished. I see Soara muttered word by word. Its unclear whether humanoid robots have emotions, but her side profile looked somewhat sorrowful. Just as I thought that Milly was quietly watching Soara, she suddenly raised her voice. Oh right! Lets have Soara join our guild! Huh!? She said something incomprehensible. Milly clung to my arm and pleaded with a sweet voice. Hey, its fine, isnt it! Please! I will take care of her. No no, but still Its not as if were simply picking up stray cats or dogs, you know? When I was about to admonish Milly, Silverie muttered. Youd better not. That humanoid robot could be affected by mana, you know? At Silveries words, Millys face stiffened. Indeed, Soara has always been in the dungeon. Living things that have been affected by strong mana could turn savage after being brought out from the dungeon. These creatures which have turned savage will boast of battle prowess on the same level as typical monsters and are therefore extremely dangerous. That is also known as Demon transformation. There was even a case where an adventurer found a puppy in a dungeon and brought it out, then the puppy went through Demon transformation in their tent, and all his party members ended up being eaten by it. B-but thats, only limited to living things, isnt it! However, with that much intellect, we cannot assume that only Soara is not affected by mana. Although not much is known regarding Demon transformation, there is a theory that creatures with high intelligence tend to be more easily affected by mana. Of course, that also applies to humans, therefore it is dangerous to stay in a dungeon for a long time. Well, Soaras case is especially unique, so it would seem that the chances of Demon transformation are lower for her. That being said, Silveries opinion is also not unreasonable. Hmm, were not making any progress like this. Seeing the two quarrel, Claude clapped her hands together. Oh right, isnt it okay if we let Zeph-kun decide? At Claudes suggestion, everyone looked towards me at once. That makes sense~. That way, both of you wont have any complaints, right? Thats right! Anyway, quarreling is not nice, you know! Lydia and Shirushu got on board with her idea. Silverie and Milly also exchanged looks and appeared to be considering Claudes suggestion. right. Zeph is probably the leader. Im good if Zeph decides. Im the leader though well, whatever. Zeph, please decide. Got it. I went along with their suggestion but hmm, what should I do? The safer choice is Silveries opinion, but its also a waste to destroy and dispose of such an interesting humanoid robot. As Milly mentioned, we could do all sorts of research if we brought it home. While I was pondering, Soara turned back to face me. By the way, is anyone hungry? Mu Now that she mentioned it, it was already long past lunchtime. Everyone had looks of sudden realization on their faces. Millys stomach rumbled. Ahaha, since theres no monster around here, shall we make a simple meal? Lydia-sama, I would be blessed if you could assign me with that duty. At Soaras request, Lydias eyes widened in surprise. Soara-chan? Thats fine by me though. You have my gratitude. Soara walked around nearby to look for something, and whirring sounds were heard as she moved. Then, having found something, she opened a cupboard in the corner of the room. thats good. There are still ingredients left behind. Soara took out a cylinder made of metal. It was larger in diameter than in thickness, making it look more like a giant coin. That is something I recall seeing in literature books. One would put food in the metal cylinder, and its tight seal will prevent the food from degradation. Did anyone say canned food? Using something like a knife which popped out from her finger, Soara cut the top side of the can and removed it. What a convenient hand. Should I be saying that its a characteristic feature of humanoid robots? After removing the top of the can, some sort of meat was obtained from it. This is canned tuna. It contains fish meat which has been further processed. The fish meat which Soara took out from the can was immersed in what looked like water, making the meat look tender. Soara then opened other canned goods in succession and took out their contents. There was a great variety of goods, including shellfish, meat, beans, and other vegetables. This is amazing. I think we can eat them as is? Milly could be heard swallowing her saliva. CH 124 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Originally, this is not a proper kitchen so I hope youll excuse me. Soara put the contents of the can into the pot and proceeded to stir and season it. I was fascinated by the flow of her work. She finished it all off by serving the food on plates. After which she bowed once before the food. I made it quickly so I dont know if it will fit your taste. Whoa! It looks delicious!! The finished food looked way better than one you would see even at restaurants. But even so, Silverie seemed sceptical as she looked at the food. It might be poisoned. But its good. said Milly while having her mouth stuffed with food. You should at least be a little cautious. I dont think theres anything that seems to be particularly harmful. said Shirushu as she licked a bit of the food which she had scooped with her pinkie. Shirushus tongue was sensitive. She was able to differentiate whether a food was old or not by just smelling it. After Shirushu gave the food a thumbs up everyone, as if being guided by their hungry stomachs, reached their hands for the plates. It really is delicious! Hmm, only a professional can use the things they have on hand to turn them into something delicious Good job Soara-chan. Claude and Lydia both praised her. I tried the food as well and it really was delicious. I never thought that Id get to eat such good food deep within a Dungeon. A rumbling sound was heard It was probably because she was watching everyone, but Silveries stomach signalled that it was empty as well. Soara immediately served up a small portion and presented it to Silverie. Please. .Tsch! Silverie took the food with a face that said *It cant be helped* However, when she put the food in her mouth her eyes opened up. And then without a single word, she began to mow down the food. She usually has a fairly unbalanced diet, but she seems to like it a lot. After Silverie finished eating her portion Soara handed her a napkin. How was it? It was delicious. Really delicious. It seems like she acknowledged Soara. Silverie was usually pretty cold towards strangers, however she became really easy-going around people she had acknowledged. Well then, how about we do this. Well look after Soara until we escape from the Dungeon. Well decide what to do with her afterwards. I proposed. Yea, yea, lets do that! said Milly while she was tapping her hand on Silveries shoulder. With a tired look Silverie whispered out. Do as you please. YEY!! Thank you Silverie-san. Soara, we did it!! But I still dont trust her completely. If she does something shady Ill immediately eliminate her. Thats a given. After all my reason to exist is to be helpful to people. said Soara with a blank look. Under Soaras intensity Silverie couldnt say anything else. So her reason to exist is to help people huh The automaton Soara We seem to have gotten another strange companion. With Soara following us we went even further ahead. Monsters really dont come out here. There really are no monsters here. I said softly After all there is a barrier placed within the laboratory that is set to deploy in case of an emergency. replied Soara to my remark. I see, that has a point. The most important facilities within cities are also built around places with thin mana. That just goes to show how important this place is. After continuing down the straight passage we encountered a door. When we opened it a small room, with numerous buttons stuck to the wall, revealed itself. Whats this? Its something similar to an elevator. If you press the button it will go down to the lower floor. Whoa, so I should just press this then? Please wait. said Soara stopping Milly as she had stretched out her hand, about to press the button. The lower floor is used to manufacture combat automatons. Im afraid that they have turned into powerful monsters due to this place turning into a Dungeon. I believe its better if we dont proceed any further. We broke through the front of this Dungeon turned city. You dont need to worry. Thats right? If it gets dangerous Ill protect you. So lets go together Soara!! said Milly Understood. If thats the case I cannot deny. Soara didnt resist at all when Milly grabbed her hand. As the elevator moved a feeling of drifting came over me. Wh! Whats this?!! It probably works with some kind of pulley mechanism which allows it to move between the upper and lower rooms. A similar mechanism was currently being used in a number of places inside the capital. However, most, if not all of the mechanisms were powered by brute force and none of them crossed such a distance. This really is a spectacular piece of engineering. A thudding sound rang out and the door opened. In the back of the passage before us, the slight presence of monsters could be felt. Shirushu was also frowning. I can smell a lot of monsters further up. Dont push yourselves too much. I said I know? replied Milly energetically, even though she was the one I was most worried about. As soon as we stepped onto the floor of the room something happened. Cracking sounds were heard and a dazzling light shined down from directly above us. Whoa?!!Thats bright!! Whenever a person sets foot inside here the power automatically turns on. said Soara We were blinded by the light for only a moment and our eyes soon got used to it. The area was covered in the unpleasant smell of oil and scrap iron. There were also some incomplete automatons that were placed all over the place. Was it for safety I wonder, however the inside of the floor was divided with iron rails, making it seem narrower than it really was. Production lines no doubt. There were also a large number of parts placed all over the place. Soara then stepped in front of us. It seems like there really are automatons that turned into monsters A moving sound could be heard from the direction that Soara was facing. Something suddenly jumped out at high speed from the passages corner. There small, round shaped automatons appeared. Their bodies blinked and then blades appeared out of their disk like bodies. They charged at us while the blades spun rapidly around them. J-450 cleaning automatons. So theyre planning to clean us out huh. This is not the time for jokes, Zeph-kun. Blue Gale!! Milly immediately fired off a Blue Gale. However, the so-called J-450 used a zig-zag manoeuvre in order to evade it. To think theyd be able to avoid the wide-ranged Blue Gale Theyre small, but they have quite the mobility. Lydia! Claude! Im counting on you! Got it!! said Lydia as she dashed off, wielding her axe. These guys movements were certainly fast they were probably quite light due to their small size. .Fu!! exhaled Lydia softly, following which she swung her axe with all of her might. The axe sent one of the J-450 crashing into the wall. The J-450s blades struck the wall and buried themselves in it, unable to move. The J-450 tried to move the blades, but they wouldnt budge. Kuro-chan! One went over there! Im on it! Milly-san please step back. O-Okay!! Another J-450 was moving towards Milly from a different direction. Claude stood in front of that J-450 and raised her shield. She received the enemy attack. I waited for the moment when Claude flicked off the J-450 and cast Time Square. While time was frozen I cast Blue Sphere twice. DDDouble Spell Synthesis Double Blue Sphere. The J-450 collided with the lump of water. As it collided with the water it began to spin wildly within it. After a bit it stopped spinning and fell to the ground, never to move again. Automatons were powered by electricity so they were weak towards water. They couldnt escape from that characteristic even when they turned into monsters. The J-450 disappeared alongside a white smoke. Ill help as well!! said Milly as she set her sight on the last J-450 and cast Blue Gale. Milly made sure that her attack would certainly hit However, it didnt. The J-450 let out a sound that sounded like it was mocking Milly. It then blew out white smoke and charged at high speed. No way!!! Milly! Just as I jumped out in order to protect her, Soara appeared before Milly. Soaras metal right arm let out a metallic sound as it moved with tremendous speed. Ill dispose of it. whispered out softly Soara and then her rapidly rotating hand landed on the J-450. A ringing sound was heard and the J-450 stopped its movements. Soaras hand had pierced through the J-450. T-Thank you I only did what was natural. Soaras hand then rotated back to normal. It seemed like Soaras right hand had the function of a drill. And just as a drill it had drilled through the J-450s body. She pierced through the hard automatons body with just one strike What tremendous destructive power. Including me, everyone else was shocked as well. Phew! You really are strong Soara-chan. Youre all really strong as well. Though it might have not been much Im glad I was able to help. said Soara as she bowed once and then stepped back. She wants to show us that she doesnt intend to butt in huh Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama 5 After that Soara ended up helping us at the crucial moments during combat. She was holding back to the utmost, but she still lent us a hand at the place where we really needed it. None of us could complain. She truly is someone that Id want on our team. She might turn out to be more useful than a certain someone. Soara youre amazing! said Milly . She really is. And by the way that certain someone ended up being saved by Soara the most. And even though she bragged about how shed protect her if anything dangerous happened. Well its not like I didnt know that Id turn out this way though After progressing even further on, the floors appearance changed. It turned from a messy production facility into a pure white, tremendously wide room. It was an enormous room in which one could probably even fit in a whole castle or two. This is the experiments room. The automatons battle power is measured here. It really was the ideal place from combat. It also looked like they could even test out some pretty bid automatons in here. I looked up and saw a room that was protected with a glass screen. That was probably the place where the researchers used in order to look at the fighting automatons. Behind the glass screen I could see a number of machines that I had seen before. It was similar to the laboratory that we saw before. Hm? I suddenly felt something move inside that room. Am I imagining things? No, Im sure it saw a figure of a person As I was lost in thought a high pitched sound rang out!! It was the sound of a loud alarm. There was a huge door in front of us that began opening while at the same time, the door that we had just entered through began to close. Everyone, please get back! said Shirushu as her tail stood up. A powerful monster was coming. Even if Shirushu hadnt warned us we could figure it out. The sound coming from within the door became louder and louder and then it appeared. It was a roundish silver giant. This should be the boss at the lowest level of the Tiros Abandoned Factory. Apocrypha Level 95 Magic Power Level 9,753,432 / 9,753,432 Its Magic Power was close to 10,000,000. Apocrypha was one of the top ranked bosses. It was of the same rank as the Satan Wraith that we had encountered back in the East Continents Wanarta City Ruins. The Mana that a Dungeon lets out becomes stronger with time, and stronger monsters begin to appear. That is how most of the bosses appear. However, if an enormous creature, the corpse of a person with a strong will, or even a building end up becoming monsters, then there is a possibility that a particularly powerful boss will be born. Those are the so called top ranked bosses. Their Magic Power Level is close to 10 times higher than that of normal bosses, and their fighting prowess isnt normal. It was able to wipe out all of us with just a single swing. The moment Apocrypha began moving, the door from which it came out closed. It seems like were trapped. Milly was completely lost for words before Apocryphas intimidating air. Everyone else looked to be the same. The pressure they were receiving due to the level difference was huge. Even I, who was relatively accustomed to confronting top ranked bosses, was shaking. As all of us shook in fear, only Silverie stepped forward. Apocrypha huh. She calmly began chanting a cast a strengthening spell on herself. Thats right. This is different from the time where we had to fight the Satan Wraith. Silveries level is over 90 and everyone else has grown as well. We have the power to fight against Apocrypha. DD, DD, Black Zero. As people often say, victory goes to the one that makes the first move. Silverie took that saying literally as she cast a high-speed chant Black Zero. The spear of black wind struck at Apocryphas right leg, forcing it to lean. But even so Apocrypha didnt stop charging at us without any fear. It was then that I remembered a certain strategy. Apocryphas movements were dull and it was a boss that had no ranged attacks. It was possible with Silverie here. Everyone, come here. Eh? EH? W-Wait?! I grabbed Millys hand and ran in the opposite direction of Silverie. Within the spacious room, I and Silverie were situated on both sides of Apocrypha, placing it in the middle of us. Silverie, lets go with Mirrored Attack. Hmph. I was planning on that since the beginning. saying that Silverie took her position just as I had expected. It was a collaborative technique, so I thought that the Silverie wouldnt know about it, due to being a loner, but she seemed to have some knowledge about it. Hey, whats Mirrored Attack? asked Milly. Just watch. GRRRRRRRR!! Apocrypha let out a huge roar and charged at Silverie. However, that was completely fine. It was according to plan. I faced my palm towards Apocryphas back and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Blast twice. DDDouble Spell Synthesis Double Red Blast The scorching hot line drew an ark and landed on Apocryphas back. The radiating light aimed at a single spot and as it hit it burst forth with flames, covering the giants body. Apocryphas metal body turned deep red and white smoke began to rise. ARGHHHH?! It let out a roar of pain and turned towards me. It glared at me with its eyes that had turned deep red from anger. It ignored Silverie and charged at me. OH NO!! Its coming at us!! Dont worry. Apocrypha was just a few steps away from squashing us when suddenly its movements stopped. That was because this time Silveries Black Zero had landed on its back. Apocrypha then, once again, turned towards Silverie. Why did it go there? Monsters have the habit of prioritizing the person that has attacked them. And Mirrored Attack uses that habit of theirs. After sandwiching the monster both parties would attack from both sides. Just like mirrors facing each other That was Mirrored Attack. But sandwiching the enemy and attacking it from both sides it was possible to seal its attacks. Milly, slow its movement with Green Wall. O-Okay! After Milly cast Green Wall, ivy made out of magic power burst forth and wrapped itself around Apocryphas legs. They were only able to slow it down a bit, however that by itself helped a lot. Apocrypha was moving while constantly trying to root out the ivy. Its speed was considerably slower compared to just now. And then my Double Red Blast landed once again on its back. It then came to me, then to Silverie again, and then to me again Apocrypha was sandwiched between our attacks as it continued moving left and right. Amazing!! This way we can defeat it without it doing anything to us!! If only it were that simple If one sides timing was too fast the other side wouldnt have the time to cast, and if it was too slow then the other side would get attacked. And there was no guarantee on how the monster would move as well, so even a single miss would turn to be fatal. Furthermore, this strategy took too much time. Low ranked bosses were fine, however when it came to top ranked bosses such as Apocrypha, then it would take several tens of hours to defeat it. And of course, it wasnt possible to continue fighting for that long. Milly, how much Magic Power does it have left? 9,675,655 Oh, it went down to 9,625,365. Even though she cast Enchant Spell Quick, which has a bit weaker effect, Silveries spell still cant deal more than 50,000 damage And my damage is even lower than that. If it continues like this Ill have to think of something else Magicians! A shadow was overlooking Zephs fight on the lower floor from the laboratory where Soara had been in. The owner of that shadow was a frail, elderly person. There were many, abnormally swollen bumps on his head. The persons name was Gepard. He was the lead researcher of this laboratory. Rather, its more appropriate to say that he was the lead researcher. His body had already turned to that of a monster. During his lifetime he had created various automatons here. However, one day, due to an order from his superiors he was forced to develop combat automatons. At first he wasnt interested in the idea. The automaton that Gepard wanted to create were ones that helped peoples lives, not harmed them. However, at that time, it was a necessary procedure in order to be able to resist the threat of the Magician Association and the Adventurer Guild that had their eyes on them. Tiros factories were moved underground and began to produce combat automatons. The first automatons were far from ready to wage combat. The image of how they had the automatons fight against the low level adventurers that they had captured within the town, and how the automatons had been instantly destroyed without being able to do anything, was still strong in Gepards mind. He had used that frustration as a stepping stone, to make huge leaps in his research, greatly increasing the strength of his combat automatons. After several years, his automaton had been the first to defeat an adventurer. However, even though the automatons were now able to fight against normal attacks, it proved extremely difficult to find a way for them to deal with spells. It was without a doubt that the spells that could twist the worlds logic were the strongest power within this world. In his later years Gepard strived to create a powerful automaton that wouldnt lose to the magicians. He spent each day thinking about how to kill magicians CH 125.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama However, he couldnt fulfil his wish. The city of Tiros was destroyed by the Magician Association, with him alongside it. And like that Gepard died with a strong grudge against the magicians. But one day he awakened. He had been reborn as a monster. He then continued developing automatons with the sole purpose of killing magicians. All alone, in solitude, he completely devoted himself to that purpose Ku Ku Ku laughter escaped from Gepards mouth. From what he was seeing the magicians before him were quite skilled. If they continued like that they would probably take down Apocrypha. However, that was convenient for him. Earlier, he had unintentionally opened up the door and released Apocrypha in order to get rid of the invaders, but that was originally planned to be a mock battle to serve as a diversion. To serve as a diversion for the weapon he had spent over a hundred years creating. They dont know what awaits them said Gepard with a laugh as he swayed towards the back of the laboratory. Even though Gepard had turned into a monster, his fighting prowess was low. The power that was supposed to come with the monsterfication had instead gone to his intellect. That was also the reason he was able to remember so much of his past life. In the room at the end of the dark passage, Gepard was greeted by an enormous silhouette that surpassed Apocrypha. Ku Ku Your time has finally come. Oh, Battleship of Slaughter Volganon. This was the power that Gepard was planning to use in order to get revenge against the Magician Association that had killed him. Gepard boarded Volganon and began to spin the wheel that was situated at its enormous hull. This was the departure of the Battleship of Slaughter Volganon. Zeph-san!! Heres an Elixir!! Thanks. I bit down on the medicinal herb that had been strengthened by Shirushus Elixir and felt my magic power being restored. Silverie on the other hand drank from the Magic Power restoration medicines that she had. We would probably last like this for a bit, but the number of restoration medicines we had wasnt infinite. Well probably run out of gas before were able to take him down This really is troublesome. Neither I, nor Silverie have any means to shave off that ridiculously high amount of Magic Power of his. Zeph-sama. raised her voice Soara, as I was lost in thought. Whats wrong? Are you thinking of a means to defeat Apocrypha? Thats right. Do you have something in mind? I do. said Soara, which shocked everyone. W-What is it?!! Theres a pit in the middle of the floor, where broken automatons are disposed of. If you can hold it there Ill make sure it falls down. I see Looking closely at the centre of the floor it really seemed like a hinged door. So if we open that it will turn into a pit. I see, this might be a good idea. Got it, well give it a shot. Im counting on you Soara. Understood. said Soara as she ran next to a pillar by the wall, and began to poke at something that looked like a panel. It was probably the mechanism that would open the pit. Well then, guess Ill trust Soara on this one. Silverie! Its just as you heard. Well drag it right in the middle of the pit! Lets do it. I slightly moved and cast a spell at an angle towards Apocryphas back. Silverie did the same thing. We repeated that process several times and slowly moved Apocrypha while using Mirrored Attack. After numerous back and forths we finally managed to bring Apocrypha close to the pit. Still, what should we do now I wonder? We had successfully managed to bring it on top of the pits centre, however we were supposed to keep it there as well. This is gonna be tricky. Cant we trap it using Blue Wall? asked Milly. Her proposal would work on a normal monster, however against Apocrypha it would prove to be a bit difficult. Still, I guess its worth a try. Hmm, might as well give it a shot. ? Got it. With a question mark over her head, Milly cast Blue Wall at Apocrypha. The wall of ice appeared in the perfect coordinates, right beneath Apocryphas feet and trapped it below its waist. I did it? celebrated Milly, however that lasted only for a brief moment. Suddenly cracks began appearing on top of the ice. And then it shattered. It all happened in an instant. We werent able to hold it back for even a second after all. No way?!!Even though Blue Wall landed perfectly I thought itd turn out like this. The ice wall created by Blue Wall was certainly tough. Theres also a strategy called the Blue Wall Trap that uses the ice walls to trap enemies. However, the strategy doesnt work on monsters created from a highly dense mana such as the top ranked bosses. So what should we do? Theres one thing that Id like to try Milly, play with it for a bit. Zeph!! Good grief I handed over the mirror role to Milly. Even though she was complaining, she still cast Blue Gale at Apocrypha. The water tornado landed on Apocrypha with spectacular timing and dragged its attention towards us. Seems like by just watching me and Silverie, Milly managed to pick up the Mirrored Attack as well. Well her talent as a magician was outstanding from the start. It is only natural for her to be able to pick up something like this. Well then, I should get to work as well. After leaving the mirror role to Milly I aimed at Apocrypha and cast Time Square. Time stopped and I cast Green Sphere and Blue Sphere. DDDouble Spell Synthesis Emerald Sphere. The ball made out of magic power shone like a jewel as it flew out from my hands and shook the earth. Emerald Sphere, which is a synthetic magic from the Green and Blue type, was a type of magic that produces a ball with a large mass of magic power, just like the Green magics Green Sphere. Its use was almost the same as well. Its main purpose was to hit the enemy and hinder their movements. The difference with Green Sphere was that it was slower and harder to land. It was a spell that could only hit big and dull monsters, or ones that already have a predetermined pathing. Moreover, its effect wont activate even if it grazes the opponent. That is why its uses are limited. DDBut even so, if anything else, the Emerald Sphere was tough. If encountered with a boss the Green Sphere would disappear in seconds, while the Emerald Sphere was different. There were 777 magical barriers that surrounded it. The reason for its hardness was precisely the jewel-like glow of those barriers. GRRRRRR?! Apocrypha directly took on the magic ball. It tried to destroy the magic ball by punching it numerous times, but even so the green ball continued to shine brightly. Furthermore, the Emerald Sphere was heavy. Being pushed by the Emerald Sphere, Apocryphas legs began sinking into the ground. DDAnd then Apocryphas movements were completely sealed. He was right over the middle of the floor, right on top of the pit. Soara! Zeph-sama, thats perfect. praised Soara and at the exact same time a mechanical sound could be heard coming from the floor. Dust rose around Apocryphas feet and the ground rattled. DDHowever, there was no sign of the pit opening. I-Its not moving?! Tsch Whats going on Soara?! It appears that the door is broken! Soara pressed the button numerous times but the pit on the floor only shook. It must have not been used at all. The door has probably rusted. Tsch. You mean to tell me it wont work after we did all of that? Thats it. It might work if we give it a shock! I turned towards the door and began running. At that same moment an explosive sound rang. One of the magical barriers that made up the Emerald Sphere broke. After that a number of other barriers began to snap as well. It looked like Apocrypha was about to escape at any moment. W-W-W-What should we do?!! Its fine. said Soara as she clenched her fist and threw it at Apocrypha. What is she planning on doing? It happened just as I thought that. Missile Arm. With an explosive sound Soaras right arm flew out like a bullet. Her right arm flew at an arc, landing at Apocryphas feet and exploding. Apocrypha was wrapped in the explosion as it began to sink into the ground. The pit beneath it had activated with the attack just now. GRRRRRRRRRRRR Following the continuous rusting of the wind, the sound of rattling metal was heard. At the same time, as if having fulfilled its purpose, the door of the pit closed. Good grief, so you work when we dont need it huh. Well either way, at least Apocrypha wont be able to climb back up now. Its our win. CH 125.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Amazing!! Soara, what was that?!! Both of my arms are replaceable parts that have various functions. Are you gonna be fine now that you lost it? Theres a spare one in the laboratory so as long as I attach that one there wont be any problems. said Soara. I looked at her as she was gazing at the laboratory up stairs and remembered the suspicious silhouette that I saw before. I dont feel anything now though Did he go somewhere I wonder? Or could I have really just been mistaken? Hey, Zeph-chi. Isnt it time we go back? After the fight just now, were almost all out of regeneration medicine. said Lydia. Youre right Silverie how many do you have left? Five or six. I guess its about time I replenish as well. said Silverie as she showed me the inside of her cloak. Usually it would have a large number of regeneration medicines, but currently it was almost completely empty. I guess she ended up drinking most of it in the last fight. It was a pretty tough battle after all. Lets go back to the inn! Silverie-san and Soara, you come as well!! M-Me? Is that really fine? Yea, wed love to have both of you!! said Milly as she held both of their hands and laughed. Silverie looked perplexed, however it somehow felt like she was glad. On the other hand, Soara had no reaction. I appreciate your feelings but Eh! You wont come? As Silverie-sama said before, there is no guarantee that I wont turn into a monster when I go out into the city. Theres the possibility that I might cause harm to all of you. Even though she was supposed to have no emotions, Soara looked somewhat sad. After seeing that Milly kept looking at me as if she wanted to say something. Good grief, guess I have no choice. While scratching my head I looked at Soara from the front. Soara, we dont mind so just come with us. But. If you begin to turn into a monster well immediately destroy you. Shirushu and Silverie are sensitive to the smell of monsters you see. So if any change occurs theyll immediately find out. saying that I signalled Shirushu with my eyes, to which she promptly nodded. I-Ill do my best!! said Shirushu Tsch. Silverie looked somewhat annoyed, however it didnt seem like she planned on stopping Soara from coming with us anymore. Soara looked at everyone and said in a soft voice. W-Will I really be of use? Of course. I replied. Zeph-sama! I put my hand on top of Soaras head. At that moment a rumbling noise was heard. The door from which Apocrypha had come out earlier shattered. I-It cant be, is it the same one as before? No, it seems to be something different. As the shattered door fell to the ground a curtain of dust rose up. With a rattling noise, akin to that of scraping the ground, a single enormous ship appeared from the back of the door. A ship? A huge wheel was attached at the ships hull. That must be a land ship. It was a type of weapon that was used in the olden days during siege battles, however it was abolished when magic became mainstream. Still, this is a monster that I havent seen before. Although, considering this is uncharted territory its not strange to see a new monster. Zeph-san That ship isnt a monster! What did you say? I was shocked by what Shirushu said just now. It doesnt smell like a monster! It gives off the smell of metal and oil, just like Soara-san It must be an automaton! Wait, from inside of it I can feel the slight presence of a monster. said Silverie as Kuro, who was wrapped around her arm, stared at the ship with menace. Which one is it?! The answer to that question was revealed just after that. The ship stopped and on top of it a silhouette appeared. Kukuku!! Magicians, you did well to come here! I welcome you. The person that came out was a pale old man with an abnormally large head. Shirushu pointed at the old man as her tail waved back and forth. I-Its him!! That person smells like a monster!! Black Zero. Without any warning Silverie fired off a Black Zero. And at almost the exact same time I cast Time Square. I proceeded to cast Red Sphere and Blue Sphere while time was stopped. DDDouble Spell Synthesis Burst Sphere Immediately after the blades of black wind brushed against the old mans head, Burst Sphere created a huge explosion. Tsch, I missed. Me too. Hes way too hard so its hard to air. And I even used the wide-ranged Burst Sphere. Yet, I still felt no response. With scornful eyes, Milly looked at me and Silverie that had just now promptly cast our spells. Y-You demons The first one to strike wins. Shes right Milly. We didnt have enough strength left due to our battle against Apocrypha just now. We had to defeat the new enemy in the most efficient way possible. How despicable! You bastards, do you know no shame!! Good grief, you magicians are all the same The old mans voice could be heard coming from the top of the ship. However, his silhouette couldnt be seen. Damn, and here I thought Id let him have it next time I saw him If we attack that ship, even if we do end up hitting it, it will just be a waste of magic power. Still, that monster sure has a foul mouth. Judging by his looks, hes just like a human. It wasnt that unusual to find monsters that could speak human language. However, this was the first time I had seen a monster that looked so identical to a human. While I was lost in thought, Soara stood behind me in shock. Professor! Is he an acquaintance of your Soara? He looks a bit different, but Im sure thats the professor that made me. It seemed like the old man was the one who had created Soara. When a human dies within a Dungeon they either return to the earth or turn into a monster due to swelling Mana. The Zombies and the Squids were such cases. Squids are typically intelligent as they are, and can even speak the human language, although it sounds a bit broken. The professor that made Soara must be quite smart I presume. Thats why he still has his memories of before turning into a monster I think Ive seen something similar before. You bastards! I wont forgive you for making a fool out of me! Ill capture all of you and use you as material for my experiments! That unyielding character Its definitely him. said Soara with a shocked expression. It seems like theres no mistaking it. Ill let you taste the full power of the Battleship of Slaughter Volganon Kukuku!! Dr. Gepards voice faded out as entered the ship, leaving behind only his parting threats. So that things called the Battleship of Slaughter Volganon huh. His naming is akin to that of a child. And considering his unyielding nature as well, he really is just like a child. However, many of the so-called geniuses fall into that type. Although their character might be that of a child, they are still able to cross the world with their capabilities alone. We must not let our guards down. I-It moved?!! Volganons wheel spun and it headed towards us. At the sight of that towering castle-like automaton everyone backed off involuntarily. Die you pieces of trash! As soon as Gepards voice was heard, something was fired off of Volganon. A number of white smoke streaks flew at us. They were the same as the thing that Soara had fired off a bit ago. The scale of the explosion that had destroyed the door on the ground just now flashed back in my mind. This is bad. Ill block it with my shield. Get behind me!! Claude raised her shield and everyone got behind her. There was no way for her to block it. However, it was a good idea for her to gather us in the same spot. I embraced everyone and cast teleport, teleporting everyone next to the wall. As the white smoke landed a big explosion occurred and the area quickly became a sea of fire. What tremendous power. We wont get out unscathed if we get hit by that. So you wanna go huh!! Blue Gale!! In return Milly turned towards Volganon and cast Blue Gale. However, even the water tornado couldnt break through Volganons armor. Without batting an eye the enemy continued coming towards us. DD, DD, Black Zero. With a quick chant, Silverie cast Black Zero. The spear made out of black wind landed directly on Volganon, but even that was easily repelled. Blue Gale aside, even Black Zero, which had high penetrating power, couldnt leave a single scratch What toughness. Kuku!! Ive researched all about you, you damn magicians! Your measly spells wont work on this Battleship of Slaughter!! DD In that case how about this? I didnt want to use it, but this is an emergency. I cast Summon Servant and called forth Divine Sword Ainbelle. A dazzling light appeared and the golden sword appeared in my hand. Gramps what is it? Were facing a tough opponent. So Ill be using Spell Synthesis. Whoaaa, it really is huge. This is no time to be impressed Ain. Since Black Zero doesnt work I cannot expect even the Fourfold Spell Synthesis to have an effect. Its not like I have much choice here either, so Ill have to use the big guns! I cast Time Square and charged Divine Sword Ainbelle with Red Ball and Blue Ball. I held Divine Sword Ainbelle, which was now covered in red and blue, and ran. Im getting close, support me! Zeph-sama!! yelled out Soara in an attempt to stop me, however I had no choice but to go. When using this, the farther the opponent is, the weaker its impact. I have no choice but to get close if I want to defeat him. CH 126.1 anslator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama You imbecile! If you wish to run to your death then so be it! The guns, flamboyantly attached to the deck of the ship, turned towards me. However, immediately afterwards, a whirlwind broke out at the deck and the guns ended up pointing in random directions. None of the gunshots even grazed me. . Black Sphere Highness. Thank you Silverie! I then cast teleport and appeared right beneath Volganon. Gepard was shocked to see me disappear out of nowhere, and stopped Volganon from moving. The reason I had run towards him just now, was to focus his attention on me. After having done that I would then teleport out of sight. After losing sight of me, Gepard would then show an opening. HUH?!! Where did you go?! Im right here. I swung down Divine Sword Ainbelle and at the exact same time cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Ball, Green Ball and White Ball. DDFivefold Spell Synthesis Platinum Slash. The sword flashed by with an intense light and the whole area was covered in pure white. AHHH?!! S-So bright! Platinum Slash can even destroy Dungeons that are created from highly dense mana. He cant block this. D-did you do it?! I heard Milly asking from behind me. The light gradually faded. However, what appeared afterwards was the unscathed Volganon. Ridiculous Its unscathed even after taking Platinum Slash? Fukuakuakua! That scared me a bit! Didnt I tell you that magic doesnt work! laughed Gepard as if he was victorious. I backed off. I hadnt expected that it wouldnt take any damage. You should have run out of trump cards. Just surrender pea In the middle of Gepards sentence, Volganon began to sink slowly. You seem to have misunderstood. My attack isnt over yet. The Platinum Slash just now wasnt aimed at Volganon. It was aimed beneath it. Right at the pit that is. The floor split and Volganons hull tilted. Gepard tried to spin the wheel and straighten it up, however it just continued to sink further within the hole. You wont be able to straighten it with that huge frame of its. Next time why not make it lighter? ARGHHHHHHHH!! With a slamming sound, Volganon and Gepard fell into the hole. I hope Azalea didnt see me this time. Thankfully this place was yet to be found out by the Magician Association. The probability of a Dispatch Magician watching over it was low. . Still, this is strange. I didnt hear it crashing into the ground. No matter how I look at it, it should have crashed by now. In order to wash away my doubt, I went ahead and peeked at the hole. It was then that I saw it. Volganon was coming out of the pit. Kukuku! Gepards victorious laugh echoed in the area. Volganon had sprouted wings and was flying by releasing fire from its bottom. I can see through all of your tricks, you bastard mages! The Battleship of Slaughter Volganon is made to cope with everything, be it land, sea, or air! Thats ridiculous. Drop dead! Volganons countless weapons aimed at us. This is bad. I immediately cast Blue Wall and used the wall of ice as a shield. However, the bullets that came at us like raindrops shattered the wall into pieces. Blue Gale!! Milly cast forth a Blue Gale, however it didnt even reach its target. Weve been had. The enemy is in the air and on top of that magic doesnt work on it. Manoeuvrability that doesnt suit its huge body as well as scales that dont let magic pass through Its just like a Dragon. Wait a Dragon. A Dragon huh. In my previous life I had participated in a number of dragon hunts. Even amongst the bosses they were viewed as formidable enemies, and one had to first bring them to the ground. Otherwise, you couldnt fight them. That is precisely why a method to bring them down from the sky was created. I have no choice but to use that method. Kuku!! You cant do anything! . lets see, how should I trample down on you! Volganon turned around in mid-air and its guns once again aimed at us. At the same time, I passed through the ice wall, exposing myself to the enemy. Zeph?!! Everyone, wait there. Ill bring it down. Kuku!! Thats a big mouth you have there, you brat! This method was certainly dangerous. However, the current me had Time Square. I can do it! I picked the right timing and cast Time Square. The spell I cast while time was stopped was Teleport. I was able to get a slight glimpse of Volganons deck. Under normal circumstances it would be hard to do it, however when time was stopped it was an easy task. And just as I had planned I landed on top of Volganons deck. Teleporting on top of a Dragons back and taking it down. That was the so-called Dragon Topple method. It was a method in which a single misstep could cause your death, however with Time Square I could easily land on top. Even so, that was still terrifying. After landing on the deck, in front of me I saw Gepard trapped within a small glass room. Y-You You managed to fly up to here! This is nothing compared to a Dragon. Its not impossible to do Well then. I slowly but surely made my way towards Gepard while casting Scout Scope. Gepard = Drone Level 5 Magic Power Level 156 / 156 His Magic Power was so low that I couldnt believe that he was a monster. All of the power that we should have gotten with the monsterfication must have gone towards his intellect. Nonetheless, that doesnt mean Ill go easy on him. This is as far as you go. Kuku Did you really think a genius researched such as I, wouldnt have predicted such a development? Just after the words left Gepards mouth numerous holes opened on the deck. And then metal worm-like wires appeared from them. They aimed at me while swelling and turning. But even so, for a magician to be able to come up to the deck they must be quite skilled. And you see, my research requires a skilled magician so Ill be capturing you. Furthermore, you seem to be different from regular magicians. Youll turn into a good specimen. Hmph, youre a hundred years too early to be able to capture me. Kuku, look at the brat flapping his mouth. Ill question you after I capture you!! The wires assaulted me from all directions. I immediately cast Red Crash, but the wires passed through the flames and continued to charge towards me. Theyre magic resistant! Still, I expected as much. If I can defeat Gepard before getting caught by the wires, its gonna be my win. While dodging the wires I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Boots twice. DDDouble Spell Synthesis Double Black Boots. The wind surrounded me and my body instantly became light and I ran. While running from the wires I thought. The glass wall of the small room where Gepard is magic probably wont work on it as well. I can tell without even trying it. If it wasnt then he wouldnt have even shown himself. I was prepared that magic wouldnt work. Thats why this thing that I picked up before coming here will prove to be useful. T-Thats?!! Surprised? The thing I took out from my pocked a clump of metal that Volganon had scattered earlier. It was one of the bombs that would explode upon touching the ground. I had managed to snatch one of those unexploded bombs. Standing on top of the ship I threw the bomb at Gepard. Immediately after that I cast Red Sphere. As long as I jump off afterwards itll be my win. The flames enveloped the bomb and caused a great explosion Or thats what was supposed to happen. The bomb however, just fell and rolled on the deck. Wh!! I-Impossible!! That thing is not so simple that a cave man like you can just steal and use it Youre mine. I faile The wires wrapped themselves around my legs. They took advantage of my carelessness. The more I struggled the stronger their grip around my legs became. The wires were powerful and magic didnt work on them. They easily tied me up. Gepard watched as I was brought up in the air by the wires and laughed. Kuku!! What a splendid sight! D-Damn it!! Each of the wires had terrifying strength! They were squishing my body so hard that I could even hear my bones creaking. I cant stay like this. A..in! I mustered all of the magic power that I could and cast Summon Servant. Be as quiet as possible. I said as I summoned Ain at Gepards blind spot. With Gepards Magic Power maybe even Ain will be able to defeat him. Ain turned towards me, raised her index finger in front of her mouth and then flew off. However, at that moment Gepards eyes shone. Hmph, I can see through you. Kyaaa?!! Ain was easily caught by the wires. Tsch What a useless fellow. Well its not like I didnt get caught myself as well. I guess it was a bit too hard for Ain. Good grief, I cant let my guard down for even a second when Im with you. I suppose I should hurt you a bit more A little bit that is. Huh! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!! Just after Gepards words left his mouth, electricity ran through my whole body. I couldnt put up with the numbing pain and screamed as hard as I could. Zeph! Zeph!! I could hear Millys voice from a distance. I.. must do something CH 126.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama The severe pain made me lose the ability to think. My consciousness began fading. It was then that it happened. The strength of the wires that had a hold over me suddenly weakened. The wires fell to the ground as they were sliced brilliantly. Cough!! Cough!! W-What happened? Zeph-sama, are you okay? asked Soara as she stood before me. Metal wings had sprouted from her back. Within her hand she held the small knife that she had used to cook for us. You mean she cut up the wires with that?! Y-You are Dr. Gepard, it has been a while. said Soara politely as she bowed. Milly must have realised that I was in a pinch and probably sent Soara here. Good job Milly. I removed the remaining wires and recovered my posture. Even though were two against one, he is a powerful enemy. Magic doesnt work, so if you have some other method Id love to hear it. I do. said Soara and reached for my chest. She pushed me lightly and my body was thrown overboard. Wh Zeph-sama I apologize. I continued to fall and Soaras voice only grew more distant. Zeph-chi! Are you okay? Y-Yea Lydia caught me just before I fell to the ground. However, I still couldnt calm down. I looked up at Volganon. Ridiculous. What in the world is she thinking? No matter how you look at it, hes not an opponent that Soara can defeat alone She cant be! An unpleasant thought crossed my mind. I shouted while looking up at Volganon. SOARAAAAAAAAA! My voice echoed within the laboratory. 6 After pushing off Zeph from Volganons deck Soara glared at Gepard. After a long silence, Gepard finally opened his mouth. I remember now. Youre M-9996. Prototype Droid No.6 Soara was it? A long time ago you were entrusted with taking care of my everyday necessities. Yes, at that time I did help you. Then why are you baring your fangs at me? I perceived you to be a good doll, faithful to its orders. said Gepard as he glared at Soara. However, Soara still had that blank look on her face. The order that I received from you was to be helpful to humans. I am still faithfully fulfilling that order. I see. Because I turned into a monster and am now attacking that human mage you saw it as your duty to protect him, is that it? Thats correct. At Soaras response Gepard nodded as he stroked his beard. Originally, automatons wouldnt disobey their masters. Even if they were to turn into monsters that still shouldnt happen. Thats just how they were programmed. The only explanation that I can think of is that shes stayed in the Dungeon for too long Things that have stayed in a Dungeon for an extended period of time suffer significant changes in their properties. In his previous life Gepard studied that phenomenon. However, what he found out in the end was that a really, really long period of time was needed for something to suffer changes to its properties. The changed automaton, in the form of Soara, greatly attracted Gepards interest. Kuku!! Fabulous, this is just fabulous. laughed Gepard happily. After laughing for a moment, he then once again stared at Soara. Well then, lets test out how faithfully you can keep my orders. Using Gepards words as a signal, arms with tools such as saws, knives, pliers and hammers extended from Volganons deck. All of them were attachments which Gepard could use to dissect captured mages, without actually touching them. Im coming. said Soara as she headed towards Gepard without fearing the attachments. She dodged each and every single one of the rotating saws and sharp blades. Wha?!! She shouldnt be able to dodge those!! It was just as Gepard said, those werent attacks that Soara should have originally been able to dodge. However, albeit for a short time, she had still seen Zeph and the others fight, and had learned from them. Just now she had used Lydias dodging as a reference. And she had used her drill-like arm in order to block the attacks which she couldnt dodge. She had used Claudes shield handling as a reference for that one. She wasnt as good as the originals, however by combining them she was able to display high evasive ability. With each step she took she got closer to Gepard. However, in the end, her evasion turned out to be just an imitation. Just as she was one step away from reaching Gepard, her leg got caught by one of the attachments. Starting with that, the screwdrivers and knives pierced Soaras body. !! Kuku! It was a good try! But now I have my tools buried in your vital spots! You shouldnt be able to move anymore! Soara tried moving her body, but it wouldnt budge. The attack just now had been aimed at the deadliest part of an automatons joints that only Gepard knew of. Soara wouldnt be able to move her body anymore. However, Soara didnt care at all about that. That was because she had already finished what she set out to do. Kuku!! As expected of myself! Truly the work of a god! Well then, Ill have fun disassembling you Hmph? It was then that Gepard noticed. He noticed that the left hand that Soara was still supposed to have wasnt there. He hadnt noticed that, that left arm had now been stuck into his flank. He then remembered something else. He remembered that both of Soaras arms had powerful bombs planted into them I think it would be for the best if you quickly defuse it. Wh?!! Gepard hurriedly began defusing the bomb. He tore Soaras arm in half. He tore the metal part and without any hesitation he cut the wires. This one, then this one now this Okay!! It was something he had created himself. He knew the structure well. Even though he was impatient and it had been a bit difficult, Gepard still managed to defuse the bomb. Phew, you sure surprised me there. However, it seems your plot failed Soara. No, it succeeded. Just as the words left Soaras mouth, a sound was heard. Gepards body was thrown by the impact and he struck against the glass wall of the small room. And then Volganons frame also began tilting. When Gepard got up and looked, Volganons hull was already stuck inside the factorys wall. You would need to concentrate in order to defuse the bomb. Especially when rushed. Which meant that you would pull away your attention from other matters Such as controlling Volganon. N-No way With a loud explosive sound Volganons hull was dyed red. Gepards screams were drowned by the explosion and Volganon slowly fell. All of us looked with shock as the smoke rose and Volganon fell. It seems like Soara did it. Im worried about her, but the way we are now its dangerous for us as well. Everyone, run away! Well get squashed! . O-Okay!! Claude and the others somehow managed to return to their senses and began running. Milly however, just stood there. Tsch, so annoying. No way! You too Milly! FAST! I grabbed a hold of Milly and ran. An explosion occurred behind us and I was sent flying by the shock waves. Zeph-chi! Phew. Lydia used her body to stop us and the Blue Wall that Silverie cast blocked all of the flying debris. Over the ice wall we could see Volganon collapsing. It was ironic that the ship that he created with the purpose of taking down mages, ended up getting destroyed by his own automaton. We just stood and watched for an unknown amount of time. Suddenly Milly grabbed my hand and ran towards Volganon. Milly?! I saw Soara! Everyone, hurry! As Millys words left her mouth all of us looked towards the wreckage left behind, Volganon, and surely Soara could be seen there. However, she seemed exhausted and couldnt move. If she stays like that shell get swallowed by the explosions. Lets go. I said Tsch Silverie followed behind us, seeming somewhat reluctant. But even so, she seemed to be somewhat relieved as well. Good grief. She should be more honest with herself. CH 127.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Soara!! I raised my voice towards Soara who was half-buried under the rubble of the now destroyed Volganon. Soaras lower part was buried under the wreckage. Well remove the rubble. O-Okay!! We carefully began removing each piece of the piled up rubbish. After a bit Soaras figure finally began to appear. Her maid outfit was in tatters and her body was covered in wounds from head to toe. She had lost both of her hands and her left leg was missing as well. Tubes and something that looked just like entrails were protruding from the huge hole in her chest. Even though automatons didnt shed blood, the sight was still painful to look at. Zeph sama You came to? Soara slowly began opening her eyes. However, her pupils were blank and no sight of light could be seen within them. A-Are you all o-okay? Yea. Thanks to you that is! W-Was I u-useful? Of course! You saved us. I wrapped my arm around Soaras body and stroked her head. She still had that blank expression on her face, so me thinking that she felt good must have been just my imagination. And just like that Soara quietly closed her eyes. I-Im glad And then Soara stopped moving. Soara? Hey, Soara! Dont go!! Wake up!! Answer me!! Soara!! yelled out Milly as tears were running down her face and she clung on to Soara as she tried to shake her awake. Soara-san!! Soara! Everyone called out to her, but she didnt respond. Damn it. Thats why I told you not to bring her with us. said Silverie with a frustrated expression. No matter what we did, Soara didnt move at all. Its futile. Soara wont move anymore. We turned towards the mysterious voice and what we saw was Gepard crawling his way out from underneath the rubble. Soaras motor functions were completely destroyed in her fight against me. Even though it pains me as a researcher to have to use this word, her opening her eyes just now can be considered a miracle Volganons had enormous power. To a degree that I hadnt been able to do anything against it. Nonetheless, Soara fought against it But the damage she suffered was severe Damn it!! Y-You said Milly as she stood up, in a tone completely different from her usual one. Its your fault!! Milly wiped her tears and glared at Gepard. Her eyes burned. From within that small frame of hers an enormous amount of magic power began rising up. Did her magic power rise due to her anger? Things like this can sometimes occur in magicians who have a weak mentality. But even so, what a tremendous increase in magic power I, as well as Silverie, were completely shocked. But Gepard didnt seem to be flustered at all. That was because his body was already in the process of disappearing. Kuku How unfortunate, isnt it, little one? It doesnt seem like youll be able to avenge Soara. Blue Stop it Milly. I stopped Milly as she was about to cast her spell. But Zeph!! H-He killed Soara!! Hes already at deaths door. We dont have the time to waste on a guy like him. The ceiling is already beginning to collapse. Due to Volganons impact against the wall a huge crack had appeared on the ceiling. And from within the crack, pieces of rubble were falling down. This floor was about to collapse at any moment. B-But this way too cruel Milly. ?!! I hugged Milly as she had yet to give up on her rampage. Milly tried to push me off, but my grip on her just became stronger. In the end she gave up. And instead, she began to quiver and I could feel my chest area getting wet. Waa WAAH Were getting out. Soara probably wouldnt wish for us to get buried alive here. Milly nodded weakly. Phew, it seems like she calmed down. Her magic power that was raging just now seems to have returned to normal as well. She really did scare me for a second there. If she had gone wild just now we would have probably gotten caught in the aftermath as well. Zeph-kun!! Over there theres a hole that leads outside! said Claude as she pointed towards a place behind the collapsed wall, in which place a passage could be seen. That special geometric pattern on the ground Thats a passage from the lower part of Tiros. We might be able to escape from there. Everyone! Run! I picked up Milly and ran towards the hole in the wall alongside everyone. From behind me I could hear Gepards voice. Kuku How unfortunate To think that Id get stopped by my own automaton, when I was just a step away from fulfilling my dream It seemed like he was talking to himself. And of course, even though I did hear him I had no plans on stopping. But still Soaras growth was certainly splendid! I wonder what happened In any case Ill just restore her and continue my research Gepards monologue was getting harder to hear as it was drowned out by the sound of the falling rubble. Hes thinking about research even at deaths door. What tenacity he has. I have no choice but to admire that. Maybe the reason I stopped Milly was because I unconsciously saw Gepard as someone similar to myself. No. This isnt the time to be thinking about such things. I cast a speed enhancement spell and dashed past the falling rubble. Haa Haa.. Phew We somehow made it out alive. Good grief I was scared to death you know said Silverie. If I hadnt stayed behind everyone, then I couldnt have helped if someone happened to trip, now could I? I replied in a joking way. Thats just like you Zeph-kun. However, everyone didnt seem to like it that much. I guess we wont be able to continue hunting with this atmosphere. Milly as well just stood quietly while clinging to my back. How about we go back? I asked. We probably should. Ill stay here for. said Silverie as she headed in the opposite direction to us. Her face looked grim. I need to let off some steam. she continued I see Well then, take care. I said as I looked at Silveries back disappearing in the distance. After a while, loud sounds of battle could be heard. Those sounds were ones that I wouldnt normally expect to hear from a person who used a smart fighting method such as Silverie It appears that shes quite angry. I might just have a bit of sympathy for the monsters this time. Zeph. On the way back Milly murmured while still lying on my back. What is it? I was the one who asked Soara to go and help you Is that so? Well she really did help me. No, thats not what I want to say. I should have been the one to come and help you. . If I had done that then Soara might have Milly. I stopped her just as she was about to cry. Milly ran her hands around my neck and tensed herself as she desperately tried to hold back her tears. Dont fool yourself into believing that you can do everything by yourself. B-But!! It was something that regularly occurred amongst adventurers. Especially in the case of Milly, since she was still young. It was probably hard for her to bear the fact that a companion died because of something she said. Something similar happened to me in the past as well. It was a situation in which I could only help one of my two companions. In the end I ended up leaving one of them behind, and saving the other. At the time I felt really down because of it. I guess Ill borrow the words of the person I saved back then. Milly, it is true that Soara might have died because of what you said. Y-yes nodded Milly weakly. However, because of that I was saved. Milly tried to say something but I interrupted her. I was saved because of you. If you hadnt done anything then I would have died. You have my gratitude for that. B- I dont want to hear you say but anymore. You havent done anything wrong. You should puff out your chest with pride for what you did If theres anything to puff out that is. Kuku. Wh!! Y-You! You idiot! Idiot Zeph!! Kukuku. Millys face turned bright red as she hit my back. Good grief, it seems like she cheered up a bit. With a sigh I continued behind everyone else. Milly was lost in thought while swaying on top of Zephs back. Its just like Zeph said. Theres not much that I can do alone. I can wrap my head around that. However, I dont want to ever experience this feeling of loss again. Those were Millys thoughts right after she had lost her first companion in the form of Soara. I never want to see any of my companions get hurt ever again! She had wholeheartedly wanted to save Zeph, that is why she sent Soara. There was no doubt that she was the right person for the job. But even so, she still thought that she should have been the one to go instead. This time I alone! Milly resolutely determined herself and she gripped Zephs clothes tightly. CH 127.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After that we went to the Tiros Abandoned Factory numerous times but the passage that we had originally found was buried. A place with a high density of mana usually goes back to what it was in just a few days Still the mana over there was pretty thin so I guess itll take a while before it goes back to normal. Well go there again eventually. After all, we have to leave at least a flower or two for Soara. Zeph!! It is precisely in times like this that we must train!! Okay, okay Even since that day Milly became extremely eager. Losing Soara must have come as a huge shock to her. She might just be using this to try and get her mind off of things Either way, it is a good direction for her. Lets do our best again todayyy!! said Milly as she energetically raised both of her hands and dragged us off to hunt. On a side note, Lydia hadnt been with us these past couple of days. She stayed back in town in order to take care of tasks such as finding ways of raising money and searching for work dispatched by the Adventurer Guild. And theres also my request. Only she could be entrusted with things such as this, so I was really grateful to have her with us. With daily hunting and fulfilment of requests, as well as Lydias money raising strategies, the money we had continued accumulating and eventually we gathered a sum of 25 million rupi. It was an amount that would allow us to buy a cheap Guild House. However, the thing with money was that if one were to spend all of it, then it would be hard to make more later on. Thats why we had to leave behind some savings. We would buy the Guild House after we amassed a bit more fortune. Luckily the person who was hung up on the Guild House the most, precisely Milly, currently only had training in her head. Recently not a single mention of the Guild House could be heard coming from Millys mouth. Speaking of which, todays job was to subjugate the Wired Bears that had come down from the mountain. They were beasts that were covered in fur made out of steel, but were weak to magic. With Shirushu finding them, and Claude taking up the task of diverting their attention, I and Milly were able to easily take them down with magic. Good job. Everyone, good job!! We finished early today so lets do a bit of hunting in the area around here. said Milly energetically. S-Sure It was great that she was motivated, but due to that we had been hunting nonstop for these past few days. We had almost no free time. Well burn out if we continue on like this I wasnt that troubled by it, but Claude and Shirushu were completely exhausted. Both of them werent saying anything but it was clear that they were reaching their limits. In the end, that day, we continued hunting until the sun went down. I should find a way to let them rest somehow Hmph? Just as we got back to the capital, after finishing with our hunt, I noticed that it was quite livelier than usual. Come to think of it, the towns been really lively these past couple of days. Thats right. Now that I think about it its this time of the year Claude-san. The villagers seem to be having a lot of fun these days, dont they? Its like theres a festival or something said Shirushu Ah!! Come to think of it, theres a festival soon! said Claude as she clapped her hands. Thats right, the Heavenly Mages Festival, which was held once every year was soon to be held. The Heavenly Mages Festival is organized by the Five Heavenly Mages, each one of which stands on top of the Red, Blue, Green, Sky and Soul magic branches, and each year the Heavenly Mage in charge of the festival rotates. It costs money to study magic. And when it comes to the Five Heavenly Mages, each one of them have a lot of subordinates so they have to find a way to gather money. Therefore, a long time ago, one of the Five Heavenly Mages held a festival in order to gather money. That was the beginning of the Heavenly Mages Festival. Currently it was a huge event that even had countries and associations participating in it. In particular, the highlight of the event was the Title Battle which was usually held at the end. It is precisely as the name states, a battle in which the hosting Heavenly Mage fights against a challenger with his title on the line. If the challenger wins then he becomes the new Heavenly Mage. Usually it ends with the defeat of the challenger, however in some really rare cases the challenger may end up winning. In my previous life I won against one of Heavenly Mages and thats how I received the title Flames of Flames. However, there were other ways to obtain the title of a Heavenly Mage as well. For example, if a master hands it over to his student. Or if one is deemed to have higher level and talent than one of the Five Heavenly Mages. Just how I was robbed of my title in my past life. Just thinking about it makes me angry. Well excluding those others methods, the normal way for one to obtain the title would be through the Title Robbing Battle. On a side note, the Heavenly Mage in charge of this years festival was the bearer of the title Wind of Wind. Come to think of it I havent seen Lydia in a while. Shes not in the inn as well I bet that you made her do something again Zeph, didnt you? said Milly as she glared at me. Thats not a nice thing to say you know I just had her do some preparations for the festival. Though, the preparation for the festival does include a way of earning money as well. After all we can only earn so much by just reselling stuff. During the time of the festival, people from the nearby villages as well as people from far off countries gather. As long as a lot of people gather, money will also gather. In other words, this was just the right time to make money. That is precisely why Lydia was currently using the knowledge I gave her from my past life in order to produce a certain thing. And by cooperating with Adrei, that thing was already being mass produced. The Flower Bomb that I had asked Claude and Shirushu to buy before were one of the things components. We needed a spacious place for this times plan so Im currently having Lydia work there. Is that so. You should have said something earlier. said a bit irritated Milly. When Lydia-san concentrates on her work she even forgets to eat Im a bit worried. said Claude. Shes right, Lydias really hasnt shown herself in the past few days. Theres some traces that shes been back at the inn, but Im still a bit worried. Guess its not a bad idea to go visit her. Well since were all here why not go and visit Lydia. Youre right!! Maybe theres something that we could help out with!! said Milly energetically. And just like that we headed towards the house that Lydia was renting. Since that incident in Tiros Lydia rented a house and only did the job that I had asked of her. It was a large, rugged house near the stall square. This was the house that Lydia was renting. I had already been here a number of times so I was quite familiar with it. Lydia! Hey, Lydia! Are you there? Hmph, shes not responding. Even when knocking she didnt come out. Guess Ill have to let myself in. I used the duplicate key that I had with me in order to go in. She probably had no time to clean the inside of the house, as it had stuff lying around everywhere. It was truly a place without even a single clean space to step on. Milly dashed off in front of us and entered inside. Lydiaaa!! she yelled out, but there was no response. Hmph, shes not picking up the Telepathy call as well. She might be sleeping. When we went to the back of the house, we saw a widely open room with a desk, and on top of the desk there was a blanket that was moving. Urgh Who is it? said Lydia as she looked towards us with a sleepy face. She really was asleep. Hey Lydia. Did we wake you up? Hmph? Lydia was only in her underwear. She was scratching her head with a vacant expression but then her expression gradually became clearer. And then with an embarrassed face, she wrapped herself in the blanket. Z-Zeph-chi?!W-Wait!! D-Dont come closer!! I have things to take care of. Im sorry. You didnt respond to the Telepathy, so I directly came here. I guess Im at fault as well In any case, Im still a girl, so at least wait a bit until I get dressed. saying that Lydia turned around, and while covered in her blanket, she bounced to the back of the room. Hmm. I dont think her underwear is that different than her regular exposed clothes though I still cant understand why she gets so embarrassed. Should we wait for her over there. proposed Claude Sure. We waited in the rooms corner for Lydia to change her clothes. After that Lydia appeared from the back of the room in her usual attire. Im sorry I kept you waiting. said Lydia in her usual tone. She still looks a bit messy. I guess she really must have not slept and eaten the past few days So, whyd you come here? We thought wed check on how the preparations for the festival were going. If theres anything we can help with, please tell us. said Claude. Ohh!! Really?!! Lydias eyes shone as she heard Claudes words. Actually, there was just something I needed help with. Can I have you guys stand over there? said Lydia and she went back to sit on the chair that she had just woken up from. She then gathered some papers on top of the desk. And then she inspected us with her eyes as she began to sketch down something. Um What should we do? asked nervously Shirushu Wait! Shirushu-chan, dont move! said Lydia as she stopped Shirushu, who was trying to stretch out her arm, and continued drawing. O-Okay!! Milly, Claude and Shirushu looked confusedly at each other and followed Lydias instructions. I see. It seems like Lydias work is going well. Its already progressed to here. Since I knew what Lydias intentions were I kept my pose from the start, without moving at all. CH 128.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Okay, thats it! Thank you!! said Lydia as she closed the sketchbook and gave a slap to her buttocks. Claude timidly spoke to the seemingly pleased Lydia. I-Is that all? Hm? Yea said Lydia as she continued playing with her pen. She then crossed her legs and glanced at us with upturned eyes while smiling. Theres just one more thing. Tomorrow I want you to come at around the same time? said Lydia with a smile as she kicked us out of the house. What was wrong with Lydia. She had cloth scattered everywhere. Could she be making clothes?asked Shirushu. Her guess was right on the mark. Lydia was indeed making clothes. However, they werent just any clothes. Im really looking forward to tomorrow. Oh, I see youre here!! When we came to visit again the next day, Lydia welcomed us with a wide smile. It seems like shes awake today. Or rather, she probably didnt sleep at all The dark circles under your eyes are showing Lydia. Did you make them? They turned out perfect? W-Why are just the two of you getting so excitedMilly said angrily. Dont worry about it? Here, come on in. Claude, Shirushu and Milly were pushed by Lydia into the back part of the room. Eventually, from behind the curtain in the back of the room, I heard the screams of Milly and the others. While waiting I looked around the room, and from what I saw it seemed like the process had gone quite smoothly. On top of the long desk, was just the thing that I had asked Lydia to make. It really is well made. As expected of her. Thats right. I guess I should invite Silverie as well. I hadnt met with Silverie since that incident. After all, at that time I had been more worried about Milly so I hadnt had the opportunity to contact her. It might be a good opportunity to invite her for the festival and get her to make friends with everyone. I left the noisy room and called Silverie. (Hey Silverie, its been a while. You doing okay?) (So its you Zeph. Do you need something?) Her response was quite short, but nonetheless it sounded somewhat excited. Good grief, I really wish shed go out of her way to contact me as well once in a while. (Actually, Ive prepared some new clothes for you. Would you like to come?) (!! CCC-Clothes for me?) For a moment I felt like she was at a loss for words. But in the end she did end up replying. Last time when I saw her with new clothes I thought that maybe she had interest in those kinds of things. Indeed, it seemed like I was right. (So, can you come right now? I believe that itll look great on you.) (But your friends are going to be there as well, correct? Wont I be a nuisance?) (Were moving separately today. You dont need to worry about it.) (Got it. Where should I come?) Good, shes hooked. I then told Silverie the time and the place where she should meet me. Well then, I should go. I mustnt forget this as well. I grabbed the thing that I had asked Lydia to make and went outside the room. Zeph, where do you think youre going!! Just as I was leaving I was stopped by Milly. Looking back, I could see only her neck sticking out from behind the curtain. Im sorry, I need to go somewhere. You sure do whatever you please dont you Okay, okay, have a safe trip! I will. I waved my hand back at Milly and left the house. I had told Silverie to meet me in front of our inn, so I headed towards there. Come to think of it, where exactly is Silverie at the moment? I did tell her to be there in an hour, but if shes pretty far off then Id feel bad for forcing her. And she probably needs to prepare as well Well I guess Ill just wait for her there. I walked around while watching the bustling city preparing for the festival. In total it took me around 30 minutes to get to the inn. Just as I was thinking of where to wait for Silverie, I noticed her silhouette appear from behind the shadow of a post. T-That scared me S-Silverie You sure are early. I just came. Could she have been pretty close? However I then noticed that she was out of breath. You should have pushed yourself to come this early you know So Yea. Here, this is the thing I prepared for you. saying that, from the bag I had with me I took out a foreign clothing made from a thick cloth. DD It was a Yukata. It was a type of clothing that became popular during a festival in my previous life. However, it was still to be made known of in this life. Looking back, I think it became popular in two or three years from now. It was a bit for a gamble, however I had thought that it would definitely sell so I had Lydia make it. And the thing I currently had with me, was one of the prototypes. Silverie took it by the sleeves and spread them in front of her. It seems like shes wondering how to put it on. Is this something you wear like a coat? No, its a type of foreign clothing that you wear on top of your bare skin. Its called a Yukata. Hm Well, just come with me for now. Lets get you changed inside. I grabbed Silverie and brought her into my room, while she continued to mysteriously look at the yukata. I then left the room to let Silverie get changed and decided to change into a yukata myself. While waiting I called Lydia and the others via Telepathy, but it seemed like they had already finished changing and were already walking around town. But still, she really does take her time. Silverie had yet to leave the room. Silverie, are you still not done? Its a bit hard to wear this thing Dont you just put it on and tie it with the sash, is it really that hard? When I went inside I saw that the lower part of Silveries yukata was dragging on the ground. It was hiding her legs, forcing Silverie to have a bit of an embarrassed face. . How should I wear this? Oh It seemed like the female and the male yukatas were a bit different. This is bad. I have no clue. Thats right. I should just ask Lydia. (Lydia, can you teach me how to put on a yukata?) (Ah, I expected this would happen. You see, at first I had no idea how to wear it as well, luckily next to my house there was a foreigner that I asked and she showed me how to do it.) (Im sorry, for troubling you.) (You see this thing is pretty hard to put on by ones own. You should be the one to put in on for her Zeph-chi.) (I see Im in your care then master.) (Haha, okay then, Ill tell you what to do.) While receiving Lydias instructions I put on Silveries yukata from behind. According to Lydia, the length could be adjusted around the waist. So after adjusting the length I had to fold the excess cloth and then surround it with the sash, while tying it at the back. During the kitsuke process (apparently thats what its called) I ended up touching Silveries body a couple of times, and I said previously underneath the yukata there was only her bare skin. Each time I touched her she would end up squeezing her body. Zeph! Dont touch me in weird places. I-Its not on purpose Okay, its finished. Hm While wearing the yukata Silverie went ahead to the mirror to get a look at herself. Its a new type of clothing so she probably likes it. She spun around in front of the mirror in a way that she could see every part. She always wears the same clothes so I was left with the impression that she wouldnt like this kind of thing, but this really is a new aspect of her that Im seeing. D-Does it look strange? No. It looks great. I see. said Silverie as she brushed up the hair that had fallen in front of her face and smiled as if feeling relieved. After Silverie got changed we went out of the inn. After going out the looks of the people immediately gathered at Silveries unusual appearance. Hey Zeph, everyones looking It really is strange, isnt it? Theres just fascinated by you. D-Dont lie!! Its fine, lets go. I casually grabbed Silveries hand and began walking. Instead of our usual footwear we were currently wearing things known as zori, which one would usually wear alongside the yukata. However, because of them Silverie was walking in an unsteady manner. I was wearing the same footwear, however due to already having used them in my past life I had no problems. As long as you got used to them, wearing them was rather refreshing, so I liked them quite a bit. Zeph, this is hard to walk in. And I can feel the wind passing through my feet. I cant seem to relax Hold on to my arm and we can walk like that. Uh I forcibly grabbed Silverie as she still looked a bit uncertain and continued walking. But even so, Silverie didnt stop looking around. The gazes of the passerby were still bothering her. Silverie put her free hand in front of her chest and slightly shrunk her body as well. She looked just like a scared puppy. It was really rare to see Silverie looking like this. Perhaps she noticed that I was grinning, so Silverie got a bit angry. By the way, where are we going? Theres no specific place. Its just a regular date. If theres anywhere you want to go, Ill take you there. A d-da So, where should we go? Anywhere is fine said in a soft voice Silverie after which she became silent. CH 128.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I pulled Silveries arm and headed towards places that had a lot of passersby. The yukata looked really good when combined with Silveries black hair, and due to it also being an unusual type of clothing, she gathered the gazes of everyone whenever she stopped. However, Silverie seemed a bit uncomfortable. As we walked around the shopping street, Silverie suddenly stopped as she saw a stand with a red curtain that had ice cream written on it. Ice cream was a type of confectionary made by stirring animal milk, sugar and eggs, while cooling them with ice. Come to think of it, Silverie liked sweet things didnt she. Silverie, wait here for a bit. W- I ignored Silverie as she tried to speak and went ahead to buy two ice creams. When I gave one of them to her, she looked at it a bit reluctantly, but in the end she ended up taking it. She then nervously brought the ice cream to her mouth and slowly began to lick it. The sight of her eyes turning over as her small lips opened and her red tongue touched the white ice cream felt somewhat lewd. What are you staring at! I-Its nothing. Silverie, its dropping from your mouth. Hm Ah! Im sorry. Silverie wiped the white milk that was dripping from her mouth with her sleeve. Come to think of it, in my past life she wanted to eat it but was too shy to buy one for herself so she made me buy it for her. We continued walking around town and we finally arrived at the main venue for the Heavenly Mages Festival, which was the stall plaza. The stall plaza, which the Adventurer Guild usually rents out for adventurers to interact at, was now open for everyone as part of the festival. There were various food stalls and festival-like things that were lined up. Whoa, what is that clothing? It looks a bit unusual. But its cute. I could hear the voices of the passerby. I had already expected it, but as soon as we stepped inside the stall plaza, peoples gazes were immediately focused on us. Interest, envy Each of the gazes had their usual feelings embedded into them, however, probably because of the sheer amount of people, today those gazes felt stronger than usual. Fufu, were standing out. It seems like the yukata was a success. As I walked through the crowd with a grin on my face I saw that on the opposite side of us, there was another crowd. From the gaps in the crowd I managed to make out Milly and the others in their yukatas. The design of Millys yukata had large yellow flowers placed upon a white background and her hair that was usually tied up in twin-tails was now let down a bit lower than usual. Oh, it suits her. The saying clothes make the person really show here. As if having noticed my gaze, Milly yelled out. Ah!! Zeph, you were here! Hey. What a coincidence to meet here. Milly passed through the crowd as she tried to get close to us. However, due to not being used to the zori, she was on the verge of falling a number of times. Yea right a conscience So you had to go and meet Silverie-san. If that was the case, why didnt you just say so? Milly-san thats dangerous! Youre still not used to walking in those. said Claude as she supported Milly just as she was about to fall. Good grief, if youre not used to them just walk normally. So Zeph, why are you together with Silverie-san? If everyone came shed run off. But that out of the way, you look great Milly. S-Something like that wont work Even though she said that, she still averted her gaze as her face reddened. There goes your momentum Milly. I had once again managed to dodge the question. How easy. While stroking the shy Millys head I looked at everyone in order. Uh Haha Zeph-kun please dont look at me like that Claude was wearing a yellow-colored yukata with a black-wave like pattern. She had her arms put in front of her chest which showed that she felt a bit embarrassed due to the unusual clothes. So these are the clothes that you talked about Zeph-san. I somehow feel really calm when wearing them. Shirushu was wearing a pink-colored yukata with long and narrow flower petals which formed somewhat unusual flowers. Her head was wrapped in something like a wide sash which matched the color of her yukata, and was used to cover her ears. I know right; they all look great? said Lydia. Lydias yukata looked like it had been messed with quite a bit, and had a lot of exposure, just like her normal clothes. Her armpits could be seen from the shortly cut sleeves. The length was really short, which almost made it look like a skirt, from underneath which her white tights could be seen. It was a style unlike none of those that I had seen in my past life, however this would probably be popular on its own. Everyone looks great. You really outdid yourself Lydia. Haha. I was pretty confident? Thank you Zeph-chi. Silverie-chan you look great as well. W-Who are you using chan on Haha. Okay then, how about Se-chi? Just Silverie is fine. Okay, Ill do that as well then! said Milly while energetically raising her hands. I dont think she was talking to you Well I guess its fine. After that we casually walked around the stalls while talking. Silverie didnt speak much and just walked obediently while being dragged by me. She seemed really displeased. She wasnt like this when we hunted in Tiros before. You dont usually have to talk a lot during battle, so I guess that she might just not like places like this. To make it worse Milly was especially loud. However, she was also the person who approached Silverie the most. She asked her things along the lines of *How did you get so strong?* Silverie was a bit bewildered by all of it, but still ended up answering in a quiet voice. And thanks to that she wasnt isolated. It wasnt something that I had purposefully planned, however Millys character was really helpful in situations like these. Nonetheless, Silverie still wasnt used to talking. Around the end she was already drained, and while we were eating together she was leaning against the chair. But for the others it seems like a breath of fresh air. Claude and Shirushu who seemed to have been pretty tired these past couple of days seemed like they were having fun. While eating her spaghetti Claude suddenly spoke to me. By the way, what were you doing today? It looked like you were just casually walking around town For the time being, lets just say that it was a date. W-What kind of date was it? Isnt a date this thing, where two people go out and In that case Claude, do you want to go with just me tomorrow? Wh.!! Eh.! Zeph-kun?! Milly is gonna go with Silverie, and Shirushu is going to go with Lydia. Zeph, there you go again with your schemes. said Milly provokingly. Kuku, well I cant deny that. Zeph-kun, you idiot. What did I say? Nothing!! Hm Did I say something to offend Claude? But even so, on the date the next day Claude was in a really good mood. I dont get it. On the day after the date with Claude I had one with Shirushu, and the day after that I went out with Lydia. And like that a number of dates went by while wearing the yukatas. 7 Finally, the first day of the Heavenly Mages Festival arrived. For now, I did everything I could. All I could do now was wait. Come to think of it, Lydia should already be at the plaza. Good morning Zeph-kun. Morning Claude. Is Milly still sleeping? Ahaha. laughed Claude in a wry manner. What am I gonna do with her? Guess we cant help it. Ill go wake her up, so in the meantime you get ready. Understood. After entering Millys room, I noticed that she was sleeping very soundly. I tried shaking her shoulders. Milly, wake up. We need to go and help Lydia. Ugh.? I cant eat any more she said some gibberish after which she just turned around and continued sleeping. I guess she grew lazy due to Lydia not being here for a couple of days Usually I wouldnt mind, but we currently dont have the time. Guess it cant be helped. Ill get her dressed like this. .Aaah? I went behind her and reached out for her shirt from the back and undid the button of her collar. After I undid the buttons right up to her belly button Milly probably felt that something was being done to her so she hurriedly jumped out of the bed. Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! Oh, you finally woke up. Her shirt had slid off and Milly, whose shoulders were now exposed, was clenching to her falling shirt. I got up from the bed and proceeded to exit the room. Just as I did that I heard the sound of Millys pillow slamming against the closed door. Hurry up and get dressed. Everyones waiting. YOU IDIOT!! I ignored Milly as she was screaming in her room and headed towards Claudes room instead. Zeph-kun, just how in the world did you wake her up? Thats a secret. I said while sipping on my coffee, dodging Claudes question. CH 129.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After a bit Milly came down, wearing her usual attire. She glared at me with the intent to kill, but I just ignored it. Sorry to keep you waiting. she said We can go now. How should I put it Didnt you say that the festival starts at night? But its still morning, isnt it!! said Milly, laying her frustration bare, however what she was doing was unreasonable. Milly-san, Lydia-san told us yesterday that wed be preparing starting morning Eh? Was that so? Its you were talking about Milly. You end up falling asleep if the conversation drags on. You just pretended to listen yesterday, didnt you? Uhh! Ill tell you about it on the way to Lydia. Shes probably tired of waiting. While heading to Lydia I explained to Milly what we had talked about yesterday and about our plans for today. I also tried calling Silverie using Telepathy, but she didnt respond. Shes either busy or just asleep She did seem to have a hard time mixing in with everyone. Guess I shouldnt force her to come. Sorry we kept you waiting Lydia. When I opened the door of the house Lydia was renting I saw a large number of yukatas ready for sale. Our plan was to take these yukatas to the festival today and sell them in order to make a killing. In my previous life it had become common knowledge to wear yukatas to a festival. The reason I had made Milly and the others wear the yukatas these past few days was all with the intention of publicizing them. We had managed to gather way more attention than I had originally expected and each time I went out with everyone, I would always hear the people in the surrounding wondering where we had gotten them. After walking within the room filled with yukatas I saw Lydia talking with Adrei. It seemed like he had noticed me as well as he turned around to smile at me. I reflexively hid Milly behind my back. Oh my everyones here. Its been a while. Thank you for the publicizing of the yukatas. said Adrei. It was a great idea. I shouldnt have expected anything less from you Adrei. I replied. For the record the publicization that we had done was Adreis proposal. Apparently if a wealthy merchant such as Adrei got a hold of a new type of clothing, he would publicize it by having someone walk around with it around town. As expected its effect was spectacular. And it wasnt just that. The mass production of the yukatas had also been left to him. Furthermore, all of the yukatas within the boxes in this room had reached a satisfactory quality. Good To think he managed to produce so much in this short amount of time Nothing less I could expect considering he runs a large scale trading business. He might be a lolicon but his skills are the real deal. So what do you think Lydia-sama? Theyre perfect? If the opportunity shows itself again Ill certainly call you. Im flattered to hear that. After Lydia and Adrei exchanged a couple of words they shook hands. Adrei didnt forget to smile at Milly who was hiding behind my back and then slowly headed towards the rooms exit. As he reached the door he politely bowed. Well then Lydia-sama, everyone, thank you for the great deal. Were the one that should be thanking you? It was great doing business with you. said Lydia as she waved her hand at Adrei as he left. Then she came and stroked my head as if to try and calm me down. Zeph-chi, Ado-san is quite a nice person, isnt he? Hes a real gentleman. He was right, he really was a gentleman. In a lot of ways that is. He even took care of that for us. Hes a man that can skillfully analyse whether or not something will turn out profitable. As long as its something that will benefit him, hell do anything. Im sure everyone will love it. said Lydia excitedly. Adrei was one of the people in charge of the Heavenly Mages Festival. It seemed like he had also gotten on board with my other proposal and was willing to help with it as well. Though he probably has some kind of secret intention for doing it. Well as long as he does his job Ill feel relieved. Either way, we should get to work. I urged. Youre right. We put each of the yukatas in boxes, changed into our yukatas and we went to the stall square. When we got there we noticed that it was full of people. Everyone was running around restlessly in order to prepare for the festival. I reserved a place for us here. said Lydia as she guided us through the crowd to a stand which had YUKATA written on it with big letters. Even before we came there was already a crowd of women gathered before the store. They had probably seen us wearing them and had immediately rushed here. Youre the owner of the store right? When will you open? Wed really love it to be able to wear those at the festival It seems like our publicization went well. While surrounded in the sea of customers Lydia raised her hands and clapped them loudly, attracting everyones attention. EVERYONE, GATHER HERE! WELL OPEN ANY MINUTE NOW, SO PLEASE LINE UP? Kuro-chan you help me organize the customers. Shiru-chan, Milly-chan youll be in charge of selling, and you Zeph-chi You take care of any quarrels that might break out. Understood. Okay! Leave it to us!! I-Ill do my best After Lydia gave her order everyone got to their positions and only I was left behind. Didnt she just try and get rid of me Well either way, if a quarrel does break out Ill move, but I dont think it will happen. After all, were in front of the Magician Associations headquarters. There arent any idiots that would start a fight here. I slowly began walking around the store while eyeing any potential troublemakers. While looking at the numerous faces that had gathered for the festival I even saw some familiar faces from my previous life. A man that I fought alongside, an elderly man that often spoke to me, a woman that would always charge right in without thinking When I saw them looking young, or rather should I say, when they looked like children, it made me smile. I guess I cant talk about others though. Boy, youre being a hindrance by standing here. I suddenly heard a girls voice coming from behind me. I turned around to see a girl that was even smaller than me. Arent you a kid as well Was what I was about to reply, but as soon as I saw her face I stiffened. A blue jewel was shining on the girls forehead. Her long white hair reached all the way to her feet and from between her hair, a pair of long ears could be seen. DDAn elf. The long ears and the gem were signs of the elf race. Furthermore, the blue gem was given to only those who had lived over a 100 years. Despite her looking like shes the same age as Milly, in truth this young girl is an old hag that is over a 100 years old. She was wearing a foreign white clothing as well as a red hakama. If I remember correctly this type of clothing was called Mikofuku. But that aside Isnt she one of the Five Heavenly Mages?! Wind of Wind Yera Schugel! Yera was the only Heavenly Mage that wasnt of the human race. Originally the elves were forbidden from interacting with other races, but apparently Yera had fallen in love at first sight with a human man who had gotten lost in the forest, and had then moved to the capital. Did she come to look at the festival? I never thought that Id meet her like this. My bad Thats good, I dont dislike obedient children. And your face Looking closely youre just my type. DDHey girls! Where should I line up? Here. Yeras long white hair and her sleeves fluttered as she lined up at the end of the queue just where Claude had shown her. Looking at her defenseless like that I cast Scout Scope on her. Or rather I tried. Just as I was about to cast it she turned around as if she had felt something directed at her. She can feel a spell presence from this far away?! You demon hag. Still, no matter how skilful she was, due to the crowd she still wasnt able to differentiate that I had been the one who had cast the spell just now. Yera then gave up and turned around to line up. Come to think of it, even in my previous life Yera was still quite interested in anything that came from foreign countries. Guess her wanting a yukata is quite understandable. Yera was quite the strange one for an elf. She falls in love with humans, goes out into town, and takes interest in foreign cultures. Most of these were unthinkable for a conservative race such as the elves. After buying her yukata, Yera disappeared within the crowd. I dont get a chance like this every day, I might as well follow her. Thinking that, I prepared myself to head off when I felt a cold wind blow at my back and turned around. Hey, you. Standing behind me was Yera that had just now disappeared within the crowd. My heart rang as I saw Yera looking up at me with a smile, while holding her hands behind her back. Fufufu. Did I scare you? You could say that. I wouldnt mind it if you had fallen for me and were looking at me because of that, but that doesnt seem to be the case. What is your name? asked Yera with a smile. However, despite her smile I could still feel the sharpness of her words. Cold shivers ran down my spine. However, this might have turned out to be a great opportunity. Yera was one of the Heavenly Mages. The Wind of Wind. If she were to remember my name, then I could somehow be of help down the line. For some reason it seems like shes taken an interest in me. The names Zeph. Im Yera. Well then Zeph. You appear to be free as well, so how about you accompany me in looking around the area for a bit? Wh H-Hey! Without even waiting for my response Yera grabbed my hand and forcefully dragged me. I somehow managed to regain my balance and I stood next to her. Where do you plan on going? Dont mind the small stuff. A chance meeting such as this is decreed by destiny. Its not like youre not interested in me as well, isnt that right Zeph? While were at it, we might just turn this into a date. I dont mind. Shes quite the forceful one. Still this might be a good opportunity to hear an interesting story or two. Besides, shes bound to let her guard around me, since I look like a kid. Still, this is the first time Ive been found out when using Scout Scope. Even Silverie wasnt able to catch onto me Its either one of Yeras unique spells or due to the high talent for magic that the elves naturally have. To think that Id get to see a yukata here! The design is great as well. There really is someone here who knows that a yukata is supposed to be worn at festivals. So you know what yukatas are? Fufu. I actually thought of incorporating them in the next festival. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to do it in time for this one. I was beaten to the punch it seems. It seems like Yera was the one responsible for incorporating the yukata in my past life. That was a close call If she had made it in time we probably wouldnt have been able to sell this much. CH 129.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama DDIn the end Yera just continued walking around town buying various things and saying stuff along the lines of That guy theres handsome.This is delicious. and so on. I wasnt able to talk with her about magic at all Still it turned out to be a good way to kill time. Thank you Zeph, it was really fun. No problem. Well then, until we meet again!! said Yera as she waved her hand and went back to the tower meant for the Heavenly Mage of the Sky. After parting ways with Yera I went back to our stall to find that all of the yukatas had already been sold. I closed the store with everyone and while we were taking a break Lydia was laughing while sorting out all of the bundles of money that were placed on top of one of the boxes. Good. We got around 75 million rubi. Whoaaa!! Thats amazing Milly and the others were completely shocked at the amount. In my previous life when it came to festivals, everyone knew that there would be yukatas. However, in this life they were not yet integrated and no store had them. Even if a store had them it was something that they had made in a hurry after seeing us walk around the streets, and were by no means of good quality. The market was mostly ours for the taking. Still, we got an amazing amount. Im so glad they sold. Now Ill be able to pay back the 30 million I borrowed from Adrei-san. said Lydia happily. Thats a huge sum he let you borrow said a bit shocked Claude. As long as the yukatas go out on the market, people like Adrei will profit as well. And you could say that it was a type of a prior investment. I said in response to Claude. I see she then said while nodding. And due to the yukatas the festival would then get even more lively, and the amount of money circulating would increase as well. There was no loss for Adrei. Well then everyone, enjoy the Heavenly Mages Festival!! Night came and with Yeras speech the festival began. From time to time you could see women wearing yukatas that they had bought from our store. Due to the yukatas being sold in bulk, it wasnt that rare to see them anymore, so it didnt attract as much attention as before. It became easier to walk through the crowd, so we all went around, enjoying the various stalls. Shiru-chan! Lets taste that one! Okay!! You two, if youre not careful youll get fat! Your manners are bad as well Claude tried to stop Lydia and Shirushu from losing themselves to their greed and going around all of the candy food stalls instead of eating dinner, however it was useless Both of them had no intention of stopping. With a different sweet in each hand, they walked happily while eating them. Milly smiled bitterly at the situation and looked at me as if she was hoping to see the same expression. Milly have you had enough? Yea? Im already full!! I was already full as well because I ate when I walked with Yera before, but unlike me Milly and the others hadnt had anything due to dealing with customers all day. Is she really not hungry? Well if she says so then Ill let her be. Rather than that, I want to look around the stalls!! Zeph, come with me!! There are a lot of places that I want to look at! Okay, okay Dont run. I held onto Millys hand while walking because if I didnt shed just end up dashing away after seeing something she liked. Good grief, youll get lost again. L-Lets do that! said Milly as she found a target shooting stall and ran towards it. Dont rush out like that, good grief. I was swallowed up by the crowd as Milly vigorously pulled my hand and ended up separating from Claude and the others. In just an instant I completely lost sight of the others. Were going to be fine, so have fun over there Zeph-kun. Im sorry. Well meet up with you later I replied to Claude and arrived at the target shooting stall while being pulled by Milly. Gramps, Id like to shoot once? Sure thing!! Milly gave a 100 rupi to the elderly person running the stall and received the toy gun. She pulled up the sleeves of her yukata and readied herself. She thoughtlessly aimed at a huge stuffed dog toy, which seemed to be the hardest prize. The cork bullet drew a line and landed right on the dogs head but the dog toy didnt move an inch. Figures. The only toys you can get here are probably the small ones on the lower shelves. Ummm Milly finally realized that after shooting for a couple more times. She glared at the gramps running the stall, but he had already seen his fair share of these kinds of customers. He wasnt bothered by her at all. She readied herself once more, but this time I noticed that she had begun to gather magic power on the tip of her finger. Stop it you idiot. Whatever the circumstances may be, you shouldnt use magic at a target shooting stall. I tapped Millys shoulder in order to make her stop, but she just turned around to look at me with a disappointed face. Why did you stop me. Are you stupid? If you do that, youll get caught immediately. If you want it that much Ill just get it for you. Theres no way you can get that!! Just watch. Theres a trick to these kinds of things. I gave money to the gramps and received a toy gun. I then aimed at the stuffed dogs head and pulled the trigger. The cork bullet hit the forehead of the dog. Just as planned. The stuffed dog, which wouldnt fall no matter what until now, leaned forward and fell to the ground. Thats how you do it. Both the gramps and Milly looked with wide eyes at the unbelievable sight. A-Amazing!! Zeph how did you do it?! That thing is not something you can get by just shooting randomly. I just shot in a way that would break its centre of gravity. Centre of gravity? said Milly as she didnt understand it completely. It was something one would usually learn at school, however in Millys case, since I had forced her to quit, it was natural she didnt know about it. I guess I should bear the responsibility and teach her. But its hard to just explain it to her Its something like this. Milly eagerly waited for my explanation. Instead I put my finger on her forehead and lightly pressed, to which Milly fell back on her ass. I destroyed her centre of gravity, but even though she had just now experienced it, she made a face that showed that she still had no idea what was going on. I dont get it. I should have expected that. I guess Ill slowly explain it to her while walking around the stalls. In other words, each object is subjected to gravity. The centre of gravity is the point from which the weight of a body or system may be considered to act. And by breaking the position of the centre of gravity Ah!! Zeph, lets do this next!! Listen when someones talking Milly seemed bored and had no interest in listening to hard topics, instead she just wanted to walk around and play. Well this is fine in its own way I guess. DD Right next to me I heard a sound akin to that of the barking of a small animal. The source of that sound was Milly. However, when she noticed me looking at her she immediately tried to hide it as if nothing had happened. Ahahaha!! It must be insects Then it rang out once more. Her belly didnt care about her explanation and just continued to rumble. You have insects in your stomach? Um When I tried to tease her she immediately turned red and looked down, stopping in her tracks. So you really didnt eat almost anything. Is something wrong? . Thats because Lydia told me that I had gotten heavier So I thought that I might have gained weight You idiot. That just means that youve grown. B-But Before she could finish her sentence I picked her up and swung her a bit, while she just looked at me with a surprised face. Wh- See, youre not heavy at all. Wh-wh-wh?!! I continued walking while holding on to Milly, gathering the looks of the people around us. However, I didnt care at all. On the other hand, Milly seemed to be bothered quite a lot by it as she restlessly kept hitting my chest with her fists. After a while she understood that it was useless to resist, so she just buried her face and grew quiet. Her noisy side, as well as her quiet side were both cute. I bought a number of items at a food stall and walked to a place that didnt have so many people. We climbed up a hill where there were almost no people and I let down Milly under a big tree. Here you go. Thank you I sat down next to the now quiet Milly and took out the food that we had just bought. She looked a bit hesitant but in the end she took a single sausage. She grabbed the sausage with both of her hands, opened her small mouth and bit down. Maybe it was too hot, but as soon as she bit into it she took out the sausage from her mouth and began to blow on it to cool it down a bit. After which she slowly put it into her mouth again. . Tasdy Make sure you savor it. Which she was munching down on her sausage I took the dango that I had bought. It was probably because she had been really hungry, but Milly was eating the sausage at an amazing pace. She was already on her third. What are you looking at. Its nothing. I stroked her hand as she was eating the sausages with intense concentration. Even though she looked a bit annoyed by it, she didnt brush off my hand. The dark night was only illuminated by the lights of the festival below the hill, when suddenly a dazzling ray of light rained down from high in the sky. A loud exploding sound rang in our ears. Wh-What!! What was that just now!! Milly hurriedly turned towards the direction of the sound. It seems like it began. Flowers of all colors spread in the night sky. Those are fireworks. Its something that I had Adrei make for me. Fireworks Milly looked up at the flowers made of light, which were illuminating the night. In my past life I ended up visiting the capital right in the middle of the festival so I was able to witness the fireworks blooming in the night sky. At the time I had been entranced by the fireworks so I ended up studying all about them. The Flower Bombs were quite similar to how the fireworks worked so I disassembled them into pieces and then used them to make fireworks. I then left the production to Adrei and sold all of the Flower Bombs to him. Its so pretty. muttered Milly with a fascinated face. It really is. She grabbed onto my sleeve and leaned towards me. Looking down, it seemed like everyones eyes were glued to the fireworks as well. It was a spectacular success. With the fireworks in mind, theres no doubt that there will be even more people attending the festival next year. This year we were able to produce only a dozen of them, but the Shirogane Company, led by Adrei, who now knows how to make them, will probably mass produce starting next time. CH 130.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Good grief, she fell asleep. Around the time the fireworks stopped Milly had already fallen completely asleep, so I picked her up and carried her back. Her breathing passed by my ears and I felt her bodys temperature on my back. Just like that we walked along the night road, leaving the hustle and bustle of the festival behind us. Claude had apparently looked after Lydia and Shirushu after they had gotten drunk and the three of them ended up staying in the house Lydia had rented. The only people staying in the inn today were me and Milly. We returned to the inn and just as I was about to go in I saw a shadow of a person next to it. It was Silverie. Zeph, I waited for you. Silverie What is it, so late at night? I had something I wanted to talk about. She could have just used Telepathy, why did she bother coming all the way here. But still, since she came then it must be something really important. And judging by her sharp eyes it really seemed to be something quite important. Its important. Okay. Come up. I said and guided her to our rooms. Im sorry I kept you waiting. Dont worry After leaving Milly in her bed I returned to my room. Inside Silverie just stood still without having anything to do. I urged her to sit on the, and even though she was a bit hesitant she still complied. Should I make you some coffee? Sure. I put a bit of coffee and sugar into a cup and added water and milk. Come to think of it, Silverie usually puts two teaspoons of sugar. She does like sweet things after all. She took the cup from me and while looking at it she brought the cup to her mouth. Her face looked quite calm as she sipped on her coffee so I figured that her taste hadnt changed at all since my previous life. So, what is this all about? Um She stuttered and once again brought the cup to her mouth as if trying to hide her face. Apparently its hard for her to say it. I should just wait for her. I sat on top of the bed next to Silverie and waited for her for a long time. Recently I had gotten used to quite the lively days due to Milly and the others. Which I didnt hate by any means, but times like this were pleasant as well. A time where we didnt say anything to each other. Silverie put her cup on the side of the bed. She then lowered her hand and coincidentally it landed on top of mine. She tried to hurriedly move her hand away but I grabbed her ring finger and stopped her. And then the silence continued once more. Looking closely at Silverie I noticed that her mouth moved as she was about to say something. Its best to just wait. DD After that a bit of time passed and as if finally having made her mind up Silverie spoke up. Im thinking of challenging the Wind of Wind at this years festival. Are you serious? Silverie looked directly at me and nodded lightly. Well that surprised me. To think that shed actually decide to participate in the Title Battle. Thats surprising. I was left with the impression that you had no interest in these kind of things. Well Looking closely at Silveries eyes I saw that they were burning with flames of determination. She probably has some reason for doing this. Id like it if you could come watch Zeph Me, come and watch? Yea. Id feel encouraged if you were to come. The last part that she said was really quiet and hard to hear. Silveries face turned bright red, she closed her eyes and bit on her lower lip. It was as if she was committing a once in a lifetime proposal. This might be the first time that shes asked someone as sincerely as this, including my previous life that is. Silverie. Hearing my words, Silverie slowly continued speaking. If I were to win Id do any one thing thatd youd like so please come. said Silverie as she tightly grasped her pants. I ended up grinning at the pure sincerity of her request. Did she think Id refuse her? Like Id ever do that. Seeing me grin at her, Silverie got a bit angry. Did I say something funny? No, its nothing, Im sorry. Of course Ill come. Really? said Silverie as she exhaled and closed her eyes. It looked like she felt relieved from the bottom of her heart. That peaceful face of hers was really cute. She then averted her eyes as if she was embarrassed and stood up. Maybe she was a bit nervous, but as she walked towards the door she swayed a bit. When she got to the door she turned around and looked at me. Well then, definitely come and watch. Sure. Ill definitely be there. See you. said Silverie and left the inn. Good grief, shes not the type to get so flustered like that. She probably got really nervous at the thought of being watched by so many people. 8 DDThe following day. Claude and Shirushu would apparently help Lydia clean up her rented house. Well the festival did end after all. And it will be hard for Lydia to clean up all by herself. It was quite the mess over there after all. Dont waste the chance and go out with Milly-san today. You both were really interested in the Title Battle, werent you? Thank you. I showed Claude my gratitude and cut off the Telepathy. Well then, Ill take you up on your offer. Even if Silverie didnt ask me Id still go either way. Morning Zeph!! Milly was also looking forward to it, so even she ended up waking up early. Morning. Youre up early. Yea? You looked forward to it as well, didnt you Zeph? Of course. I felt the magic power inside my body rising due to the excitement. After all the Title Battle was the biggest event there was for magicians. Lets go!! How many times do I have to tell you not to pull me Even though it was early, and the sun was yet to rise, Milly was in full spirits. She must have really looked forward to it. While having my hand pulled by Milly, we quickly rushed towards the Sky Tower. In front of the tower there were already adventurers and magicians that had formed lines in order to buy entry tickets. Each ticket cost a pricey amount of 100,000 rupi, but even so, this was an opportunity to see one of the Five Heavenly Mages fight, so it was worth the money. In particular, Yera was really good at firing up the public, so even the general public were her fans. After the ticket sales began, half of the line just behind us was cut off. Phew, that was close. Thank god we managed to buy them. Lets go get something to eat before the qualifying round starts. There were two types of tickets: the participant ones and the spectator ones. Each participant ticket cost a whopping amount of a million rupi. The tickets me and Milly bought were the spectator ones, but the ones with the participant tickets would now have to wait for the qualifying round to start. No matter how strong the Heavenly Mages were there was no way they could fight everyone that bought a ticket. The participants first had to go through the qualifying round, before getting the right to fight the Heavenly Mages. At the plaza in front of the tower there were stalls, so we ended up buying food from there and sitting in the area while waiting for the qualifying round to start. After a bit, from the entrance of the tower, male and female magicians, that looked to be of the Sky system, began coming out one after the other. The participants for the Title Battle, please come here!! yelled out one of the males. His voice spread all around the area. The spell that the man used just now was a spell from the Sky system called Wide Voice. It let you project your voice quite far away. The owner of the voice had gray hair and wore a black coat with a slender line. He was quite handsome. Tension covered the square and all of the eyes fell one the man. It seems like the qualifying round is starting. Zeph, arent they Theyre the Five Heavenly Mages aides. In order to fight the Heavenly Mages you need to first get through them. Afterwards another tournament would be held for those who won against the aides, and the last remaining person of that tournament would get the right to fight the Heavenly Mage. The Title Battle was a really hard hurdle to clear. LETS DO THIS. yelled out with a thick voice a bulky man. No matter how one looked at him, he was more suited to be a Knight, but no matter how he looked he was still a magician. The aide didnt give him any regard and just casually smiled. Well then, please present your ticket. SURE! The man gave the ticket to the aide and entered the isolated space that would be used for the qualifying round. The aide then followed after him. CH 130.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama DD The isolated space is a simple barrier created by the Magician Association, which exists in only a handful of facilities and is used for mock battles. In other words, its called a type of battlefield. In this space, which was covered on all sides with transparent magic walls, it was impossible to suffer any real damage due to spells. Only your magic power would take damage. And those whose magic power dropped down to 0 or below would faint and be deemed unable to fight. Basically, it was an isolated space where you were able to fight safely. However, if one was to suffer too much damage it could collapse their mentality, resulting in the person becoming a cripple, so one still had to be careful when using it. This could also happen if one were to use a powerful spell, which spells cost far exceeded the magicians own magic power amount, resulting in the magic power amount dropping below 0. Therefore, the magicians must be careful and fight in a way that will prevent them from running out of magic power. After the bulky man and the aide entered the space and created a bit of a distance between them they took their stances. The bulky man took out an enormous club and began to swing it around. The aide on the other hand, just stood there relaxed with a smile on his face. Come at me whenever you please. WILL DO!! saying that the bulky man jumped forward swinging his club right over the aides head. Milly saw that and spoke. Z-Zeph!! That guys fighting with a club!! Is that fair?! Its allowed to use weapons. But even so, even if he were to win like that he wont be able to get the right to fight one of the Heavenly Mages. Then why He probably has some plan in mind Either way, just watch. Just before the club landed on the handsome youth, a wind covered his body The club struck thin air and collided with the ground. DD The handsome youth had used Black Boots. And it was pretty high levelled one at that. In that instant the handsome youth had managed to go behind the bulky man and had already prepared a spell on the top of his palm. What smooth transitions. Nothing less from an aide of the Five Heavenly Mages. Hes quite good. Whoa, you saw through me. said the man. However, underneath his moustache his smile could be seen. Immediately after that the bulky mans club shone with light. Looking closely, that club wasnt a club, but rather a staff. Red Bullet!! yelled out the bulky man. Alongside his spell a large number of fire bullets covered the whole space. Red Bullet, Red Bullet!! UWAHAHAHA!!! While the bulky man laughed, explosions continued bouncing around the space. It was impossible to dodge that attack in that confined space. Was that first blow a feint? Whoa What an amazing way of fighting Thats one of the ways to fight as well. Be sure to watch carefully Milly. The smoke cleared and a huge shadow flickered. The bulky man appeared from within the smoke and after swaying he fell down. After the smoke cleared completely, the handsome youth could be seen standing. Thank you for the fight he said with a slight smile as she picked up the bulky man and brought him out of the isolated space. The handsome youth proceeded to pat off the dust from his knees and at that moment I cast Scout Scope on him. He hadnt even used a third of his magic power. He probably counter-attacked the bulky man while enduring his attack. He was completely unaffected by that attack huh. Nothing less I could expect from an aide of the Heavenly Mages. The bulky man on the other hand passed out. I guess not being used to the isolated space took a toll on his mind. Well then, who is next? Even though the first fight just ended, the handsome youth began to casually search for his next opponent. He had probably suffered some damage from the battle just now, but he was probably already beginning to recover from it with meditation. Hey Zeph! Can I have a shot? What are you talking about, you dont even have a ticket And even if you did youd just get run over. You meanie! That wont happen! She got a bit angry, but he definitely wasnt an opponent that Milly could beat. That aide was quite strong after all. Zeph wont you go then? No matter how strong I am I cant win against the Heavenly Mages. You first have to win against the aide though While chatting happily with Milly, I watched as the handsome youth found his next opponent. The handsome youth managed to end his second fight without suffering almost any damage as well. Battles between mages were quite fast, so the handsome youth managed to defeat a total of 10 challengers in no time. Upon stumbling upon a weak challenger he would switch with one of his female assistants and rest. His female assistant wasnt as strong as the handsome youth, but nonetheless she was still more powerful than Milly. Still, Yeras fetishes sure are showing. In addition to the handsome youth, there were a number of groups of aides that were fighting against the challengers, but every single one of the males in those groups were handsome. I guess Yeras fetishes never change. The spectators also increased in number, so if we didnt go forward we wouldnt be able to see the battles. Milly was watching every fight without getting tired at all. After all, fights between magicians proved to be quite the reference material. And I was no different. The time passed by in an instant and as noon grew closer, the number of challengers also decreased. Meanwhile, a number of people received plates from the aides, which signified that they had won, and proceeded to enter the tower. From here on out, a tournament would be held between them and the winner of that tournament would get the right to the Title Battle. And then when night came, the winner of the tournament would fight against the Heavenly Mage. It was a hard schedule. If one wasnt able to go through all of this, then he wouldnt be able to become one of the Five Heavenly Mages. It seems like its coming to an end. As the time for the qualifying round was approaching its end, the aides began to pay attention to the time as well. Milly, who was leaning on my shoulder and watching the battles, began to notice it as well. I wonder if there are no more challengers. No, there are still more. Silverie was yet to show herself. Shes probably waiting for the aides to exhaust themselves and show herself at the last minute. However, Silverie was yet to appear. Silverie, itll be bad if you dont show up soon I sent a message over Telepathy, but she didnt respond. Could she be at another spot? No, thats not possible. Zeph, why do you look so irritated? Its nothing. Ouch, ouch! Wh-What are iou doibg I pulled on Millys cheeks as I waited for Silverie to show up. Suddenly the crowd buzzed. Someone was coming from within the crowd. I couldnt see quite well from where I was, but it was probably Silverie. The moment the person appeared from within the crowd, the commotion amongst the spectators heightened even more. Wh-Whats that? I dont know. What appeared was undoubtedly Silverie Or it should have been her Silverie wore a black coat, as well as a fox mask that was being sold at the festival yesterday. What is she doing Wait, come to think of it, shes being chased by the Magician Association, so thats probably why shes hiding her face. She went in front of the slightly confused aide and showed her ticket. When we lined up before to buy tickets I didnt see her. She must have had someone buy it for her. Im Sellie Ains. Id like to participate in the Title Battle. O-Okay Oh, shes even using an alias. However, it seemed like the handsome youth saw through Silveries real strength. He looked to be on guard against her. After receiving the ticket from Silverie, the handsome youth guided her inside the isolated space. Hey Zeph. That over there, its Silverie right? Correct. Watch closely Milly. O-Okay! Milly made a serious face as she looked forward to the match. I also focused on them as I stroked Millys head. Before entering the isolated space Silverie turned her gaze towards me, showing me that she had noticed me. I replied by putting up my thumb. Showing that I was cheering for her. Well then lets begin. said the handsome youth as he bowed his head. DD In the next instant from within Silveries mantle a spear made out of black wind shot forth at the handsome youth. It was Black Zero. The handsome youth had no chance to dodge and ended up taking the full force of the attack, falling down. Silverie, thats dirty. Surprise attacks like that are not nice. All of the other spectators had the same thought. It was also the youths fault for letting down his guard. Still he probably never thought that a Great Spell would come flying at him, without even a cast. Even though he didnt sustain any damage, his magic power still went into the minus digits. He was incapable of standing up. S-Silverie-san won! Silverie casually left the isolated space and headed towards the tower. The audience screamed at her, as if they had been deceived. Her chant is as fast as usual Did she make it that fast by decking out in gear that reduces her chanting speed? asked Milly. Thats right. She probably carefully picked out her cards as well as her equipment. No doubt it must have cost her a ton. Hmm, so you can use money in that way said Milly in praise. I left out a single detail in that explanation though. Just before Silverie left I caught a glimpse of a black snakes tail appearing from her sleeve. It was Silveries Unique Spell Enchant Spell: Quick. By using a chant reducing spell as well as card, she was able to reduce Black Zeros long cast to almost nothing. However, using chant reducing cards usually comes at the expense of power. The reason she was able to take down that handsome youth was because he had already exhausted quite a bit of his magic power. In the end there were a total of 8 people who passed the first test. These 8 people would now duke it out, until the last person who will then get the right to fight the Heavenly Mage. Well its Silverie were talking about, she shouldnt face any difficulties. Since the tournament between those 8 is not going to be made public I guess I have some time to kill until the evening. Hey Zeph, lets have a match between us!proposed Milly as she grabbed my hand and pointed towards the isolated space. She probably got really pumped up after watching the battles. But still, come to think of it, even normal people can use the isolated space as long as they pay a sum. Its quite steep, but if I think of it as a way to train Milly it doesnt seem that bad. And shes not the only one that got pumped up after those. Sure. Lets give it a shot. Yey!! The isolated space was currently open. As long as we inserted a special coin wed be able to use it for a limited amount of time. We bought a coin and entered the isolated space. Perhaps they saw us enter, but other spectators began to invite each other and a line formed in front of the isolated space. I guess everyone must have gotten pumped up from the battles. We wont be able to use it for that long. Fufu, Ill show you the results of my training? said Milly full of confidence. I could feel the magic power surging from her body Well then lets see what youve got. I replied while facing Milly. I viewed her as a kid but it seems like Millys grown up quite a bit. The impression she gives off when were facing one another is completely different from the one I get when were fighting together. While I was thinking that a wave of powerful magic power surged at me. Still, I have no intention of losing. CH 131.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Im coming? Come. As soon as she spoke Milly began to gather magic power in her hands. She was casting a spell that I had already seen numerous times. It was Blue Gale. Great Spells had long cast times and it was hard to target with them as well. I kicked the ground and ran toward Milly until I entered the firing range of Red Crash. I put out my hand in order to cast the spell but Urgh! A feeling that I knew quite well struck me. Looking towards Milly I could see her smiling. Immediately after that my vision was dyed blue. Afterwards, a powerful shock ran through my body. As expected, it was Blue Gale, but.! She had cast it at herself. It was hard for me to offset Great Spells, let alone Millys Blue Gale which she was quite proficient with. Shes trying the bulky guys self-bombarding strategy huh. Its true that I told her that there are fighting styles like that, but would one usually use a style that they saw just now?! The mental damage caused by the Blue Gale carved itself into my body. The feeling of my mentality whittling, alongside an intense feeling of losing consciousness assaulted me, yet I somehow managed to resist. Tsch! It packs quite the punch. But its not to a degree that I cant withstand. I somehow held as the storm began to disappear. T-The earth is spinniiing! On the other hand, it seemed like Milly was shaken up quite a bit as her legs were wobbling. It seemed like it had done quite a bit of damage to Milly, who wasnt used to mental damage. Self-bombarding yourself really does force your opponent to let down their guard, and can be pretty useful depending on the spell. However, I think there arent any idiots who would opt to do it with Great Spells, besides Milly that is While wobbling around Milly somehow turned towards me. As she did that I hit her forehead with my finger, bringing her down. Milly fell on her ass and wasnt able to get up anymore. Its my win it seems. W-Why are you okay Zeph?! Im built different. Urg Thats not fair No matter what, Im still a former Heavenly Mage. Theres no way a lousy suicide attack would work on me. Night came, and I headed towards the Sky Tower with Milly. The first floor of the tower was shaped like a huge arena. Almost all of the space besides the bleachers and the walls was used up by the arena. This was going to be the place for the match. There was an isolated space that was several times bigger than the one that was at the plaza. You were able to spectate the arena from even the second and third floors of the tower. Milly and I aimed for the front row of the spectator seats, so we pushed forward through the crowd of spectators. Uhh So many people Dont let go of my hand Milly. O-Okay While holding on to Millys hand I was swayed by the waves of people until we finally reached the front. Thankfully we were small so we were able to squeeze through and escape the crowd. Phew That was tough. said Milly. Its the main event of the festival after all By the way, you can let go of my hand now. Im okay like this as well True. If you were to get lost here Id be a big problem. Lets just stay like this. Why do you have to put it like that!! Milly was someone that ended up running off somewhere if you let her go for even a second. And if that were to happen I wouldnt be able to concentrate on the match. Even though Milly was complaining she still held on to my hand. Were currently finishing up the preparations. Please stay where you are. I held Millys hand as we stood and waited while listening to the music playing in the arena and the voice of the announcer that occasionally echoed. Around the time when Milly was starting to fall asleep the brightly lit arena suddenly went completely dark. The commotion amongst the spectators grew louder and then a ray of light coming from above illuminated the edge of the audience seats. Within the light, there were girls wearing bunny suits. Suddenly they began to sing something. Those girls were commentators. Alongside their cheerful songs, talks and commentary they raised the spectators excitement. Incidentally those girls were proficient magicians as well. After all, if one didnt have the necessary knowledge they wouldnt be able to comment on a battle between magicians. Still, they sure are in high spirits. Even though their announcements just now were so monotone Were sorry to have kept you waiting!! The final event of the Heavenly Mages Festival! The TitleBattle is about to begin!! said the announcer as she raised her hand and a loud cheer erupted. The tension amongst the spectators rose and at the same time the half asleep Milly woke up as well. Good grief, dont look around, its embarrassing. Youre drooling as well. Let the challenger enter!! From one of the edges of the arena Silverie, in her disguise, came out. As I had expected, she had won the tournament. It seems like she hasnt suffered any serious wounds. This times challenger is Sellie Ains!! As you can see shes an odd one with her black coat and her fox mask, but do not be fooled. Her being here means that she is certainly strong!! As the announcers words echoed, so did the cheers from the spectators. Silverie lightly stepped into the arena and a slight cloud of rose. She must be concentrating. She neither looked for me nor looked at the bleachers. Milly brought her hands close to her mouth and sucked in a lot of air. It was obvious that she was preparing to yell. You idiot. Silve?!! I closed Millys mouth. She glared at me as she was struggling to break free. W-What are you doing!! I was just about to cheer for her!! Its not like shes using a fake name because she wants to. There must be a reason for it. If youre gonna cheer for her, do it with her fake name. Oh yea, thats right. The reason for Silveries fake name was probably because she was hunted by the Association. However, I couldnt tell Milly that. After all its her were talking about. Shes bound to speak about it without thinking. Sellie!! Do your best!! cheered Milly, however it didnt seem like Silverie noticed it. Well theres quite the crowd after all And shes quite focused as well. While Silverie stood quietly, the crowds anticipation grew and the larger their anticipation grew the louder they became. That was because they were waiting for the second person that would participate in this fight. The Wind of Wind. Fufu, so you are the challenger this time. Suddenly a voice rang from the second floor. Looking up I saw Yera standing proudly on the railing of the second floor. As one would expect from her, Yera wore a tiger mask and a red cloak from a foreign country that fluttered in the air Is she trying to mirror Silverie? HYAA!! With a loud yell Yera jumped off from the railing. She then kicked the air a number of times accelerating downward. Zeph, how do you do that? You release Black Balls from your legs and then you use the magic wind balls as stepping stones. If you were to normally fire it off though it wouldnt work. You need quite the considerable amount of control in order to pull that off. Whoa, amazing! Wait, you can fire off magic from your feet?! If you practice, that is. It will also expand your fighting methods as well. For the record, I can also do it. Ill give it a shot as well!! Milly immediately tried to test it out. She began to gather magic power at her feet but nothing happened. Well shes used to firing it from her hands after all. It will be hard for you to suddenly grab a spoon with your foot and begin eating. The same applies for using magic with your feet. Its not easy. Do your best Milly. While Milly was giving it a few more shots Yera fell to the ground. While making her final step Yera slipped, flipped once and fell flat on her face. The crowd grew quiet as they were wondering whether or not to cheer. An idiot. Thats an idiot right there ladies and gentlemen. Yera stood up as if nothing had happened and brushed off the dust that had stuck to her face. I kept you waiting. Its too late to try and act cool after that you know The bleachers were enveloped in a wave of loud laughter. In response to that Yera waved her hand. Well it seems like everyones spirits rose quite a bit, so I guess it was fine. If this was all part of her plan, then I must give it to her. Hmm, youHuh? As if having noticed something, Yera spoke to Silverie. However, Silverie paid her no attention and entered the isolated space. Shes telling her that she has nothing to say to her rival. After entering the isolated space Silverie went close to the centre and turned to look at Yera that was still standing outside. Hmph Yera looked back at Silverie without moving from her spot at all. The spectators, as well, grew silent once more. T-The challenger Sellie ignored Yera as she greeted her!! Could she mean to say I have no intention of talking to you ?!! Booing began to rise from the spectator seats as the announcer put oil into the fire. This is bad. On top of being the challenger, shes also in enemy territory. Furthermore, shes not good at dealing with people. If shes bombarded with hostility from all sides she might not be able to use the full extent of her strength. In reality, Silveries legs were shaking a bit. Guess theres no helping it. I took a deep breath and screamed from the top of my lungs. DO YOUR BEST!! Even though the venue was filled with the sound of the echoing booing my voice was somehow able to reach Silverie and she raised a hand towards me. The magic power in her body rose and I could feel that she was ready for combat. Thank god. She seems like shes going to be fine. After letting out a sigh of relief I saw that Yera had turned to me as well and was waving her hand. Oh!! If it isnt the young lad that I met at the festival! Zeph was it? So you came to cheer me on!!Thank you!! yelled out Yera as she waved her hand. That wasnt for you. Milly was glaring at me. The same could probably be said about Silverie as well. She was wearing a mask so I couldnt tell, but I was certain that she was glaring at me. Hey Zeph, when in the world did you manage to get acquainted with a person like that? I talked with her a bit at the festival. That aside, focus on the match Milly. Good grief, dont dodge my question!! I put my hand on top of Millys head and forcefully twisted it forward. As I did so I noticed that Silverie was sending off a murderous intent at Yera. Yera noticed that and sent back her own intent as well. She took off her mask and the cloak and entered the isolated space. The bearer of the title Wind of Wind. One of the Five Heavenly Mages, Yera, is finally entering the isolated space in order to face the challenger!!Her face is implying that shes about to go teach this challenger a quick lesson!! said the announcer, continuing to pour oil in the fire. The spectators were getting even more excited as well. Silverie and Yera looked at one another as they waited for the starting signal. Just as the venues excitement reached its peak the announcer put her hand forward. Without further ado, let the Title Match, BEGIN!! CH 131.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Alongside the announcers voice the battle opened its curtain and the cheers echoed once more. However, neither Silverie nor Yera moved. Yera, with her arms folded, for some reason called out to Silverie as she moved slowly in order to gauge the distance. Hm I dont know if this is some kind of performance, however you sure have the audacity to be willing to fight me with that mask on. Are you perhaps mocking me? With that on, your field of view must be quite the hassle. Since entering the venue, Silverie hadnt spoken a word. Shes probably scared that the association will find her out if they hear her voice. Yet she still decided to show herself in such a crowded place Just what in the world is she thinking? Seeing Silverie not respond Yera got a bit annoyed. So you wont answer Well then I guess Ill just have to force you to speak. said Yera as she smiled at Silverie. At the same moment dust rose at Silveries feet. It was Black Sphere. I wasnt able to feel her casting until the very last moment. When I noticed it, a sphere made out of wind had already appeared, with Silverie at its centre. The cast time, as well as the power of that Black Sphere were the way they were, precisely because it was cast by Wind of Wind. The storm raged and Yera let out a slight smile as she waved her hair. Silveries magic resistance should have been quite low, due to speccing into shortening her chanting speed. If she were to get hit she wouldnt get out unscathed. It was then that the smile from Yeras face suddenly disappeared. From inside the storm a magic bullet flew out. Yera slightly moved her neck, dodging it. The spear of black wind, Black Zero, collided with the wall of the isolated space and disappeared. Yera was shocked, but she immediately recovered herself as she narrowed her eyes and licked her lips. Well this is going to be fun. It was only natural that Yera, one of the Five Heavenly Mages, wouldnt lose herself against something like that. Silverie definitely knew that as well, and while still not saying anything, she kicked the ground. The isolated space was set up in a way that changed all of the physical damage to mental one. And when overused, the spells in the isolated space, created distortions in the space. Those distortions are by no means huge, however in the case of the towers of the Five Heavenly Mages, places where primarily only one system of magic is used, the distortions grow bigger and the spells from that particular system become stronger. For example, the Sky System spells become stronger at the Sky Tower, while the Red System spells become stronger at the Red Tower. Due to that influence, the benefits that magicians who mainly practice Sky System spells receive are bigger than those that normal magicians receive. Those benefits are further enhanced in the case of the Wind of Wind. I understand it quite well since I was also one of those Five Heavenly Mages. To be able to escape Yeras Black Sphere without taking any damage It seems like Silverie is doing something quite risky. Look at that! On one hand we have Yera, with her expression that shows no worry!! On the other, we have Sellie as she runs around trying to find gaps in Yeras defense!! The battle is just starting!! as the announcer hyped up the situation, Yera swiftly waved her hands. As Yeras hands moved, magic bullets shot towards Silverie. However, Silverie swiftly moved around freely, with the help of the rollers that she had attached to her feet, dodging the bullets. Amidst the violently raging wind storm, Yera continuously read Silveries movements and shot magic bullets. Seeing that, Silverie slammed with her fists. It was Green Crash. A smashing sound echoed out and Silveries body was covered by a curtain of dust. Fufufu. Yera laughed while simultaneously raising her hand. From within her sleeve, close to a 100 magic bullets flew out. WHOAAA?! Yeras Black Bullet!! What a spectacular rapid-fire! Did our challenger receive that head on?! The magic bullets continued raining down on the place where Silverie had just been, creating a cloud of dust that blocked our vision. Milly seemed to be pretty shocked at the power of that skill. T-Thats Black Bullet? On top of taking almost no time to chant, each shot has such power Youre right. The Wind of Wind title isnt just for show after all. In fact, once one was able to reach the peak of a system, he would be able to cast such spells. However, this was only just the beginning. Ive seen a number of Title Matches; however, it was truly rare for a challenger to win. Its just that the Five Heavenly Mages power is truly overwhelming. Yera continued shooting her magic bullets when she suddenly felt something and immediately twisted her body. In the next moment, a spell that was supposedly cast by Silverie grazed Yera. Yera pretended to swipe her cheek with her thumb and licked it while looking at Silverie. Youre in the isolated space, you shouldnt have suffered any physical damage. Good grief. Maybe she just feels like doing that. Excellent. To think that you would be able to counter-attack while being bombarded by that. Youve good. However Before she could continue her sentence Yeras expression stiffened. From within the smoke, Silverie appeared unscathed. I-IT DIDNWORK!! She managed to completely block the Wind of Wind, Yeras Black Bullet!!! The crowd made a stir as the announcer spoke. From here and there I could hear people saying that Silverie was probably cheating. Fighting in enemy territory never changes While I was concerning myself with Silverie I felt Milly pulling on my sleeve. Hey, Zeph. How did she do that. Good grief, think about it by yourself you idiot. COME ON!! Just tell me! Okay they, give me a hint, a hint! Try using Scout Scope. Milly was being way too noisy so I ended up giving her a hint. Ive really grown soft. Hm What? Silveries magic power hasnt gone down at all? Correct. Even if its Silverie, her magic power will go down a bit when trying to offset such a spell. If she were to be hit, she would suffer mental damage and her magic power would go down. However, none of those happened which must mean what That means Shes decked out in resistance equipment? Correct. In this world there are magic items in the likes of Armored Knight Cards or the Cloak of Flame Road, which reduce damage. According to the Magician Associations research this mitigation effect can stack up, and depending on how you itemize yourself you are able to completely reduce incoming damage from a particular system. The King Nipper Card that Silverie brought from me before also has the same function. She must have gone around the world in order to gather these. Card effects could stack up to five times, any more would be useless. In those five card limit you would also need to include special items such as the Teleport Earrings or the Cloak of Flame Road. In order to be able to move freely, Silverie usually enchants normal clothes with cards. Back at the snow mountain I had managed to get a glimpse at her personal belongings and from what I gathered her Sky System Resistance was at 100%, her Green Resistance was at 5% and her other resistances were at 35%. She had decked herself out with Sky System Resistance, which is the reason Yeras spells didnt work on her. On another note, there hasnt been a person who was able to raise his resistance to 100% for all five systems. Although, Ive had companions who were able to raise all five to close to 80% after a lot of work. However, this kind of fighting style really is quite risky. It seemed like Yera had figured out Silveries plan. I dont mind you using resistance equipment, but is this really okay to just rely on something like that. Yera made a bold smile as she walked towards Silverie. Faced with that feeling of defenselessness, Silverie confusedly began to cast a spell. The magic bullets flew at Yera, trying to pierce her, but Yera just casually dodged all of them while slowly making her way towards Silverie. Yera or rather all of the Five Heavenly Mages were able to read their opponents magic flow, which allowed them to predict what kind of spell their opponents would use next. But even so, Yeras reading ability is truly abnormal. She was even able to sense me using Scout Scope. Silverie continued to fire off spell after spell. However, Yera dodged all of them as she slowly got closer to her. Step by step, shes slowly closing in Oh no!!! Yera is currently standing before Sellie?!!What will Sellie do?!! Yera stood right in front of Silverie and provocatively looked at her. This is the end. !!! Silverie flipped her cloak and shot off a Black Crash but Im here. Yera had managed to circle around Silverie. She probably cast Black Crash from her feet in order to quickly wrap around Silverie. No matter how the opponent fights, shell still use the Sky System. A fighting style worthy of the Wind of Wind title. CH 132.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Hm! Silverie said as she tried to dodge Yeras relentless strikes. However, it was to no avail. The button of Silveries cloak flew off from the impact and her cloak fluttered in the air. Beneath it, Silveries shirt also tore, exposing her chest. The crowd raised their voices as they witnessed that defenseless chest. WHOAA! Good job Yera!! You sure know how to entertain the crowd!! The vulgar cheers resounded in the venue, while Yera waved their hand at them. Her bad tastes never change. ?!! Silverie backed off and tried to cover her chest as she held onto her cloak. She then looked towards Yera and saw her drop the button that had been holding her cloak just now. Yeras aim had been not to injure Silverie, but rather strip her from her defensive equipment. Yera let out a boastful laugh as she looked down at the bend over Silverie. Your equipment becomes useless once its stripped, isnt that right? Still the thing that probably affected Silverie the most were the cheers, filled with excitement, that could be heard from the spectators. Yera and Silverie faced each other. Yera then once again charged at Silverie. While dodging Silveries spells Yera continued to flutter her sleeves. Each time she did so more buttons fell, Silveries clothes were torn and the crowd grew even louder. WHOAAA?! Sellies clothes are being cut up by Yeras fierce attacks!! Is this the end for her?!! It was true that an opponent who had specifically prepared equipment with resistances was a hard one to deal with, however considering Yera had heaps of experience it was only natural for her to have a way to deal with it. It was just as she said, she needed to just strip it. That is why it was way safer to opt for cards that would raise your fire power or your physical capabilities. Especially since Silveries opponent this time is none other than the Wind of Wind Yera. Shes probably faced countless opponents like this before. Yeras countermeasure is that wind covering her As long as she touched Silverie, Silveries clothes would get caught up in that wind and be torn. There were probably numerous other means to go about it, however considering that Yera loved to hype up the crowd, it was no surprise that she chose this one. Relying on resistance equipment is definitely not a good strategy. I said Then why did Silverie do it? asked Milly. I dont know. She probably has something in mind The determination that I saw from Silverie the other day. Theres no way that determination was based on a strategy of this level. Even though her clothes were constantly being ripped by Yeras attacks, Silverie kept trying to dodge as if she was trying to get a feel for the distance. Yera wasnt able to land a clean hit on her, however even more and more parts of Silveries pale skin became exposed under her cloak. Well then, what will you do? If you still have something up your sleeve, then let me see it!! As Yera spoke she threw out her arm forward, however her hand was stopped by Silveries cloak. The cloak continued to wrap itself around Yeras arm until it had completely gotten a hold of it. Huh?! Yera desperately tried to pull out her hand, however the cloak wouldnt let up. WHOOA?!! Sellies cloak captured Yera!!! What in the world happened?!! said the announcer Zeph, what happened? asked Milly while pulling on my clothes as I was concentrating on the match. Think on your own for gods sake That cloak. It cant be destroyed. It has a Thorn Snails card applied to it. I see But didnt you say before that theres not much point in a card that makes an equipment indestructible? Even if clothes are high grade, and durable they still dont cost that much. That is why its more efficient to equip it with another type of card rather than using up one of your precious five slots to make it indestructible. I thought that she had used all of her five cards for Sky resistance but in reality she only used four. Guess I was wrong But this just means that her other defenses are just too weak. It seemed like Yera had the same thought as me, as she looked at Silverie and laughed. So? Do you think youve caught me with this? If I managed to shoot at you from this range, then theres no way for you to w Enchant Spell: Quick Alongside Silveries words a black snake appeared. However, Yera promptly figured out that it wasnt meant for attack and immediately prepared to attack. Hmph, youre slow, slow!! A wind began to envelop Yeras body. It was Black Boots. Yera then immediately began to unleash a flurry of attacks. Silverie tried to counter, however Yeras attacks were just way faster. Silverie was forced on the defensive, while being able to land just a single attack. Ill commend you on forcing me to use something besides Sky magic. A screeching sound rang as it shaved off at Silveries mind. It was Green Rush. With four cards, Silverie was able to raise her Sky Resistance to a 100%, however on the other hand her resistance to other systems, such as the Green System, was significantly lower. But even so, Silverie refused to give up as she continued to circle her magic power within her body. Oh raging storm, oh lightning, annihilate your enemy!! whispered out Silverie softly, and with confidence as Yera was about to cast another Green Rush ?!! Black Thunder! The lightning struck the isolated space and fell on Silverie and Yera. Sparks fluttered from Yeras charred body. Originally one wasnt able to use Black Thunder unless the sky was cloudy. However, because this isolated space strengthened Sky magic to a ridiculous degree one could still use it. U Urgh?! Yeras expression twisted as she suffered from the pain. The Sky Systems Great Spell Black Thunder, albeit for a short time it was able to paralyze the body, preventing movement. However, since it had a cast time and was quite powerful to boot, almost no one used it with that purpose. Oh raging storm, oh lightning, annihilate your enemy, Black Thunder!! You So thats what your aim wa AHHHH!! The lightning fell down on Silverie and Yera once again. Silveries cloak was still wrapped around Yeras arm and due to the effect of the spell Yera wasnt able to escape. Silverie was able to block the paralyzing effect of the spell due to her Sky System Resistances, which meant that only Yera got paralyzed. While looking at the stumbling Yera Silverie cast Black Thunder for the third time. WHOAAA?! This is gruesome! A suicidal attack by using Black Thunder! However, due to her resistances Sellie is able to nullify the effect on herself!! The announcers voice was drowned by the sound of the thunder and the whole isolated space was illuminated by the thunders light. I see. Shes using her equipment in order to prevent the paralyzing effect of the thunder, while at the same time reducing the cast time with her unique spell. Not a bad tactic if I can say so myself. Isnt it kind of unfair though? asked Milly kind of troubled. The spectators had the same feelings as her, as their loud boos were heard. However, this was a type of tactic as well. It couldnt be called unfair. A lot of work is required in order to lure your opponent up to that point. If you think its unfair then just try to do it yourself. Thats true but Still it is quite unusual to prepare so thoroughly. In order to be accepted as one of the Five Heavenly Mages, in the end one must show that theyre powerful enough. This method probably wont leave a good impression on the Magician Association. Even if she wins, theres no guarantee that shell be chosen. And last but not least, Yeras fighting spirit is still alive. Even though she was being struck by lightning, Yera continued to look for gaps and used Green Crash whenever possible. Each time she did that Silveries clothes were torn. If Yera was able to somehow destroy Silveries defensive equipment, she would ruin Silveries plan. As long as she did that Silverie would have no hope of winning. So in the end its an endurance contest Yeah. Even so for Yera to be able to hold on this much, she sure is a tough one. Still theres no way shes not exhausted even after taking all those great spells. She must have a limit. Please hold on Silverie Both of them continued that stand-off until the eight lightning brought about its end. Urgh!! The thunder charred Silveries body and the sparks moved about her muscles. Yera laughed as she opened her hand to let go of the remains of Silveries white shirt. This is it said Yera. As she threw away Silveries shirt the crowd roared. I dont mind if you continue. said Yera provocatively. !! She then began to launch attacks as Silverie was still stunned by the last thunder. Yera began casting repeated Green Rushes and between the time it took to cast each one the wind that enveloped her body also bared itself at Silverie. Silverie undid the binding of her cloak and tried to create some distance, but Yera provocatively began to leisurely walk towards her. It wasnt just Silveries shirt. Due to Yeras fierce attacks, most of Silveries clothing was ripped apart. Silverie was desperately trying to hide herself with her cloak. No matter how one looked at it, it wasnt a pretty sight. This is the end. If youre going to surrender now is the time I see. Yera ordered her wind to attack Silverie as she chose to stay quiet until the very end. This is it. I circled behind Milly and covered her eyes and ears. W-What are you doing Zeph?! Youre too young to see this. Youre still treating me like a kid! Let go of me!! she raged desperately so I also blocked off her mouth as I continued to watch Silveries fight. From there on out it turned into a one-sided battle. Yera continuously attacked Silverie, as she was left almost butt naked. The enchanted equipment the Silverie wore was torn one by one, and each time it did so the crowd cheered. Silverie give up! Silverie didnt even respond to my Telepathy. Silverie stood up as she covered herself with her already tattered cloak. Zeph it hurts!! said Milly as she used her hands to hit my head Im sorry. It seems I accidentally put strength into my hands. I had completely forgotten that I was covering Millys eyes. Its over. I said. Yeras attack landed on Silverie and she fell to her knees. Using Scout Scope, I managed to see that Silveries Magic Power had dropped to -124. With that she wouldnt even be able to stand up anymore. The battle was over. She was unable to fight anymore. CH 132.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Sellie is finally down!! said the announcer. Currently Silverie had fallen on the ground with only her coat covering her mostly bare figure. Yera closely went up and squatted next to the unconscious Silverie, as she tried to lift up Silveries cracked mask with her hand. Ill have you show me that face of yours. In order to remove Silveries mask, Yera put more power into her hand. This is bad, if she removes it Silveries identity will be revealed. The Five Heavenly Mages are connected to the Dispatch Magicians. Furthermore, Silverie cant currently move! Milly lets go. Huh? I uncovered Millys eyes and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Wave and Blue Wave. Double Spell Synthesis: Burst Wave. A loud sound rang out and a white smoke covered the spectator seats. The Spell Synthesis of the Red and Blue Systems created a huge cloud of dust. While the surroundings were left in panic I grabbed Milly and rushed towards the isolated space. Were taking Silverie and running. W-What are you doing?! Im leaving it to you to distract them. Z-Zeph?! Good grief!! I didnt have time to bother with Milly. I rushed inside the isolated space and grabbed the unconscious Silverie. Silveries clothes were ripped apart, and some bruises were visible on her skin. You had a tough battle didnt you. Good job Silverie. Zeph! W-what is the meaning of this?! Im sorry but it will be troublesome if you found out who she is. So Ill be taking her with me! I said with a smile as I launched my ready to boil magic power towards the confused Yera. It seems like even I am excited to face her huh. When I was the owner of the Flame of Flame title, it was forbidden for the Five Heavenly Mages to fight amongst each other. That was because apparently there had been a case in which two of the Heavenly Mages had fought in order to test themselves, but due to getting way too heated up it had escalated into a fight to kill each other. The question has been bothering me all this time. The question of what would happen when two Heavenly Mages fought each other. As soon as I headed towards her, Yera seemed to have understood what my intention was. Oh? Zeph, you As if she was affected by my burning desire to fight, Yeras expression changed as she revealed a smile. She fell for it. Still it will be hard for even me to fight while holding on to Silverie. Guess Ill entrust Silverie to Milly. Milly, go! O-Okay! Milly tried to run away while holding on to Silverie. In order to protect both of them I stood in front of Yera to block her. It will probably ruin Yeras image if she let someone disrupt her battle and get away with it. She wont be able to turn a blind eye to me. Although shes exhausted due to her battle with Silverie, her level is still quite higher than mine. With the way I am now it will be pretty hard. If I get hit once its game over, so I need to fight properly. Ugh Up you go Silverie. Millys tired voice of picking up Silverie acted as the signal. Yera immediately raised her hand in a fluid motion. And from within her long sleeve a magic light could be seen. Her target was Milly. She was definitely aiming for Milly, now that she was full of openings due to carrying Silverie. Like Ill let you. I immediately cast Red Shot, aiming at Yeras hand. Wow?! Yera let out a surprised voice as the spell that shot off from her hand only grazed Millys cheek, passing through her. Just now I had shot a spell before Yeras attack in order to change its trajectory. Yeras spell continued forwards until it collided with the isolated spaces wall and disappeared. The spell that she had used now was probably Black Shot. I immediately dashed towards Yera while casting Time Square. However, even before I could do that I was pushed back by a violent wind. Ugh So this is the wind that caused Silverie trouble It really is troublesome. For now, I managed to let Milly escape, but she really isnt someone that I can win against by using ordinary methods. While having my balance ruined I managed to cast a Red Bullet at Yera, however she easily blocked it with a spell of her own. To top it off she even followed with another spell right after that. While still staying far away from me she cast Black Bullet. Faced with the rain of magic bullets I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast While Wall twice. Double Spell Synthesis: Double White Wall. Even though White Wall was a Primary spell, as long as I was cast twice it was strong enough to withstand even an Intermediate spell. The rain of magic bullets fell on to the white wall created from magic power that appeared before me. Thunderous sounds rang out as cracks appeared on the wall. It was a matter of time before the wall shattered. Damn it. I want to counter-attack but shes just faster. I guess it really is hard to land a powerful skill without the necessary preparations. I want to hit her with a Synthesised spell but Yeras magic detection ability is anything but normal. She was even able to sense the non-combat spell Scout Scope, and she also managed to dodge all of the spells the Silverie cast from afar. And even if Im able to land anything it probably wont do much considering she withstood so many of Silveries Black Thunders. I dont think it will affect her that much even if she suffers once or twice from mental damage either. Nonetheless, I still have something I can do Huh?! I cast Blue Wall right next to Yera, and a wall of ice appeared. And in order to sandwich her I immediately created one more. Hurry up and show me what youre planning!! It seemed like she was able to figure out that I was planning something. She then cleared the surrounding smoke that had been created by her magic bullets just now. Damn, I was planning on hiding myself within the smoke, but I guess that wont work now. Just as my eyes met hers I immediately cast Blue Wall and cut off her sight. With this I had managed to block Yera with Blue Wall. What do you think this thing will be able to do to me?! Blue Wall was a spell that created a wall of ice. It was tough enough to block monsters, however it was easily destroyed by Red System spells. But that doesnt matter! Behind the ice walls I noticed that Yera was beginning to gather magic power in her hand. She was preparing to cast Red Crash. Just as I had planned, she was thinking of melting the ice walls with a Red System spell. Too bad, thats exactly what I aimed for. I had ran towards Yera just as the ice wall had appeared. And now I was in front of the ice wall. I melted the wall with Red Ball and behind it I saw Yera as she was about to cast Red Crash any moment now. W-Wha?!! Just as I predicted. I said with a smile and put my hand up against Yeras. I coordinated with Yeras Red Crash and cast Blue Crash. Double Spell Synthesis: Burst Crash. A huge explosion occurred and both me and Yera were blown off, colliding with the wall. My magic detection ability wasnt as good as Yeras, but as long it was a spell from the Red System even I could figure out the timing of when it would go off. After all, I didnt receive the title Flame of Flame for nothing. Burst Crash was a powerful spell, which spells explosion even caused me damage. Moreover, this spell was created by two Heavenly Mages. The impact of the spell was tremendous and Yera had fainted after colliding with the wall. The damage caused by spells was reduced by the isolated space, however even the isolated space couldnt do anything about colliding with walls. I had used Safe Protection and there was more space between me and the wall behind me so I was fine. I guess Ill use one more spell just in case. I took out a potion from my bag and drank it, after which I turned towards Yera and cast Black Zero. The impact was tremendous and the shock wave from the spell even reached me. Phew, that should do it. Oh! I shouldnt waste this chance to get a look at her with Scout Scope. Yera Schugel Level 99 Magic Level: Red: 10/10 Blue: 32/80 Green: 45/91 Sky: 99/99 Soul 22/88 Magic Power Level 1325/11231 Hm Looking closely she still has Magic Power left. What a monster For starters, that magic power is ridiculous. I guess it must be because of her elf heritage. On the other hand, her potential for the Red System is quite low. I dont have the time for this. Outside the isolated space, the smoke in the venue was already beginning to clear. Itll be bad if they see me. Id better get out fast. CH 133.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After leaving the isolated space I noticed that Milly was waiting for me. Zeph!! Thank god she said after seeing me and having her worry washed away. And here I told her to go without me, she really is a hard one to handle I stretched my hand and stroked her golden hair. Didnt I tell you to run away? You did but S-Silverie was just too heavy But even so you managed to bring her here didnt you? Urgh Its all fine isnt it! You did say you wouldnt take long! Now that I think about it I really might have said something like that. Well theres no helping it now either way. Okay. In that case Ill take care of Silverie. Huh? Shes heavy isnt she? For me on the other hand she feels quite light. Oh Okay It seemed like Milly wanted to say something else but she gave up so I just took Silverie from her and then once again cast Burst Wave in order to create a smoke screen. We dashed through the white smoke while holding on to Silverie and exited out of the tower. 9 Oh, you woke up. Zeph?!! When Silverie woke up she quickly called out my name in surprise. She hurriedly got out of bed and looked around her surroundings carefully. However, she then quickly noticed that she was still naked so she covered herself with the blanket. You dont need to worry. This is my room. Theres no one here. Im here though said Milly annoyed as she approached us from the back of the room where she had just now been searching for Silveries clothes. Milly gave Silverie her clothes, and Silverie lowered her head and received them. As if not being able to stand the quiet, Milly raised her voice once more Ill go make tea. And with that she went back to the back of the room once more. Did I lose? Unfortunately. I see. said Silverie as she lowered her head. Silence enveloped the room, and only the sounds of Milly making tea in the back could be heard. Without saying anything I just looked at Silveries lonely face from the side. As she bent her back and held her knees, her appearance seemed even smaller than normal. I I didnt want to lose to her. she said in a quiet voice as a dark flame illuminated her eyes. Her depleted magic power was slowly but surely beginning to fill Silveries body once more. Usually when fully depleted, magic power would need a whole day before it begins to regenerate again, but this It seems like she really wanted to win. Come to think of it, her plan was really meticulous. I wonder if she holds any grudges again Yera? Oh my, I feel bad being addressed in that way you know. We suddenly heard a voice coming from the entrance of the room. When we turned to look at who the owner was, to our surprise Yera was standing there. Wh Yera?!!Why are you here?! I said in surprise. Yera slowly got close to us and stood right next to the bed Silverie was sitting on. I listened to the voice of the wind. Its a unique ability that I have you see. The voice of the wind So thats another one of her unique abilities huh. It must have been this that allowed her to dodge the attacks aimed at her in the fight just now. I dont quite get it, but it appears to be quite the terrifying unique skill More importantly this is not the time for me to be thinking about this. Yera is a member of the Association. She might have come to capture Silverie. I stood up in order to protect Silverie. You dont need to worry, its not like Im gonna eat her. But Its fine. So please asked Yera with serious eyes Those eyes didnt seem like they were planning anything. I let out a sigh and moved away. Yera and Silverie looked straight at each other. After a bit Yera kindly spoke to Silverie. For christ sake, where in the world were you these past 10 years, you stupid daughter of mine. said Yera. D-Daughter?!! exclaimed Milly. Naturally I was shocked as well. Come to think of it, when I used Scout Scope on Yera her family was the same as Silveries. Theyre both Schugel. I thought it was just a coincidence but to think that theyre mother and daughter. Im sorry Zeph. For me to fight my own daughter. I never thought that something like that would happen. No, its fine Im surprised as well. as said I bowed my head and Milly did the same. Afterwards Yera turned towards Silverie. You really are a stupid daughter you know. said Yera as she raised her hand !! Seeing that Silverie curled up even more and closed her eyes. And then, Yeras small hand softly handed on Silveries head. You sure grew big Youre so big that I can barely recognize you anymore. Youre just small said Silverie with hostility as she looked at Yera, however it didnt seem like she had any intention to remove the hand on her head. Yera narrowed her eyes and embraced Silveries head. You idiot Y-You, you!! You are the idiot!! said Silverie, her voice cracking, as she tried to rebuke Yera, but even so she couldnt escape from her embrace. I sure am. Im a stupid parent that didnt even notice that her own daughter was planning to run away from home. Idiot Idiot,idiot!! Just die!! There, there. Silverie buried her head in Yeras chest and began weeping. I dont quite get it, but it seems to be okay now. Milly, lets go, we dont need to be here. Youre right. I signalled Milly with my eyes, and both of us left the room. Right after we closed the door we could hear Silverie swearing at Yera, but even despite the slanders her voice sounded quite sweet. Ha What in the world is going on said Milly with a huge sigh as she leaned against the wall. It seems like they fought after which Silverie ran away. I said. That is correct. We suddenly heard Yeras whispering voice. This. Its not Telepathy. It seems like Milly heard it as well. Yera-san? Im using the air around you in order to deliver my voice to you. On the other hand, I can also pick up voices as well. That is how I also found out that the so-called Sellie was actually my daughter and also where this place was. Still, the range of this spell is not that great. continued Yera. Either way, Id be grateful if you could sort things out with your daughter. I said I want the same, however I dont know where I should start Yera mumbled. It seemed she had a hard time finding words. As you can see I am an elf. I fell in love with a human and ran away with him to this city where Silverie was born. Its something that happened close to 20 years ago. Originally in order to better our lifestyle I became a magician. However, in time, and before I even realized it I came to be known as one of the Five Heavenly Mages. So she became one of the Five Heavenly Mages just so she could cover her living expenses Yera is truly terrifying. Ever since she was young Silverie was quite the shy one, so she always followed behind me. She was a really lovely child. I always fought with my husband as to who would be the one to hold her and sleep with her, but It all happened around when she was 10. Her father fell ill and died. Me and Silverie spent a number of days crying Both of us were really lonely. So thats how you got hooked on chasing after men. T-Thats wrong!! I just wanted someone to talk to Its misleading to say that I was chasing after men!! I was just focusing on my work! Well, come to think of it, Yeras appearance really is that of a child. On top of that shes one of the Five Heavenly Mages. Theres not many lunatics that would dare lay a hand on her. So I guess her only choice was to surround herself with pretty aides who would help her with her work. However, Silverie didnt see it that way You probably paid her no mind. You have quite the wild character after all Yera. Haha, look at you, talking like you know everything. I had to spend some time back in my previous life, but from there I found out that she was quite the irresponsible person. She would push all of her work on her aides and go play somewhere. Well its not like that wasnt the case for the other Heavenly Mages as well though. Good grief, you should reflect on your mistakes. Its just as you said Zeph. To be honest it actually took me a few days before I even found out that Silverie had run away from home. And by that time she had already left the capital right? Thats right. I also asked a Dispatch Magician that was a friend of mine to look for her, however it didnt go well. It probably was a bad thing on my part to teach her magic. said Yera with a sigh. So she was adept in magic at that age. Silverie is really frightening as well. Though I guess some of it must be because of her mothers influence. But its precisely because you thought her magic that you are able to meet here like this, isnt it? Haha, that is true. Along Yeras voice I also heard Silveries sobbing. The feelings of joy from meeting her mother again and the feeling of revenge that had plagued her for all these years were probably clashing within Silveries heart. Still, if you hadnt come in at the time Zeph, I was going to meet my daughter at the worst possible time. Well as I said it was a coincidence for me as well. Furthermore, Silverie hasnt had any friends ever since she was little. So theres that as well. There are a lot of things that Im grateful for, so thank you. Hearing Yeras honest voice for the first time even made me blush a little. I hope youll continue taking care of her from now on as well. Leave it to me. I did cause you some trouble, I wont forget this debt. said Yera Ill be looking forward to it. Well then Milly, lets give those two some time alone. Okay!! Im so glad for them!! said with a loud voice Milly. I could hear Yeras strained laugh riding on the wind. In order to leave both of them alone, we left the inn. CH 133.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After that several days passed. I received a letter from Yera saying that she wanted to repay me for the favor from the other day. In that time Lydia and the others also returned to their borrowed house and came back to the inn, where I told them about Silverie and Yera. All of them had all kinds of different reactions. I see So something like that happened. Shirushu said It must have been hard for you both.Claude remarked Ahaha, good job Milly-chan, Zeph-chi. Lydia said as she stroked my head. While she did that I looked at Yeras letter. At the same time Claude was serving us tea, so she asked me about the letter. In it, it only said I want to thank you so come to the tower. So what are you planning on doing Zeph-kun? Ill take what Im given. She was one of the Five Heavenly Mages after all. There was no doubt that shed give me something nice. I folded the letter and put it in my bag, then alongside everyone we headed towards the Sky Tower. After reaching there I spoke to the tower guards and showed them the letter. Soon after that, a young man came to greet us. It was Yeras aide that Silverie had defeated before. Greetings. Yera-sama is waiting for you, please come inside. With the young man in the lead we entered the tower. Compared to the last time we came here; the tower was now quiet. While at the arena there were some magicians that were training hard. Halfway through the outer circumference of the tower we arrived at a room that had the Sky crest engraved on its door. It was the office of the Wind of Wind. The young man knocked on the door. Yera-sama, Zeph-sama and the others are here. Ohh, let them in. After hearing Yeras voice from behind the door, the young man stepped back. Its kind of strange. Here I thought that she lived on the top floor of the tower. Shirushu said. It would be quite troublesome to have to go up and down each time, dont you think? Now that you said it, it does make sense Shirushu said while turning a bit red. Come to think of it, before I also thought that the Heavenly Mages lived at the highest part of the tower. We opened the door and entered, only to see Yeras small frame, sitting on a big desk that didnt suit her. Yera looked at the young man and ordered him to leave, after which she stood up from her chair and came before us. Zeph, and your companions I presume? Thank you all for coming. Theyre all my guild mates. After I said that Yera looked at everyone as if she was evaluating some item and then nodded. Quite the gathering you have here. Youve made some good friends. Thank you. By the way, what happened with Silverie? Oh her, she ran away soon after that. Wh?! Didnt I tell you to look after her, how could you let her go so easily. Seeing my shocked expression Yera clicked with her tongue. Do not fret. She did run away but I caught her soon after. Well either way, I have a present for you Zeph. Come with me. Yera said with a cunning smile. Yera left the tower and began walking towards the outskirts of the city. She was walking quite fast, and looking at her feet, her clothes were even touching the ground. It looked like she was floating. It must be because of the wind that surrounds her. Yera-san is the wind that surrounds you a Unique Skill of yours? Milly asked. Well you could call it that, but its not quite appropriate to ask those sort of things, isnt that right Mirei-chan? Its Milly!! Fufu, youre so cute. Yera laughed as she stroked the angry Millys head. Still, when I look at you Milly-chan I get reminded of my daughter when she was young. You have the same expression. You can even call me Mom if youd like. P-Please stop it!! Milly said as Yera continued to mess up Millys hair. Oh, so the little Silverie was like that huh And here I thought that Milly only resembled her with her high magic power and flat chest. Zeph you just thought of something strange didnt you? Maybe I did, maybe I didnt. Milly continued to stare at me as we walked for a bit more. In the end we reached a small house that wasnt that far off from the tower. It had a bright golden yellow roof and white walls, and the wide yard was filled with weeds. It was quite the big house, however it looked like it hadnt been maintained for some time now. This is? This is the house that me and my family lived in before. After I became one of the Five Heavenly Mages, and after Silverie ran away I gradually stopped coming here. From what I heard, you guys are planning on buying a Guild House right? If youre fine with it, you could use this house. We were all shocked at Yeras sudden proposal. We ran around for a while trying to gather money in order to buy a Guild House, but to think that we would receive one just like this. I-Is this really okay? Of course. Im always in the tower so I dont use it either way. However, there are some conditions. What do you mean by conditions? Well for now lets first go inside. said Yera with a grin as she gave me the key. I received the key while still thinking that there was something shady about all of this, but then Yera looked at me with a serious expression and spoke. Ive already given the key to you, so youre free to do with it whatever you want, however if possible Id like you to cherish it. Thats a given. Thank you. I knew youd say that. Well then Im leaving it up to you. Yera said. I felt that there was some kind of hidden intent behind those words of hers. What did she mean I wonder? Even though I was filled with questions I still opened the door and entered inside, only to have my senses consumed by the smell of mould. However, it was still quite spacious and it looked beautiful. Milly excitedly rushed past everyone and cheerfully began circling around the house. Whoaaa!! Yera-san!! Can we really have this? Of course. Thank you!! Everyone, come inside! Everyone entered the living room in high spirits. Well everyone did wish for a house, so its no surprise that theyre this happy that we received one. Well then I guess Ill have a look at the layout. Thinking that I opened a door only to see a maid that was cleaning one of the corridors. Yera must have hired her. Still if we all help, then well be able to finish with the cleaning faster. I got close to the maid and spoke to her. Ill help you. As the maid heard my voice she turned around. And to my surprise the maid turned out to be Silverie. Z-Zeph?!! Silverie What are you doing? Th-This is Well Shocked from out meeting Silverie began to take a few steps back, but as she did so one of her legs got caught in the bucket behind her, and she fell. Her clothes then got drenched by the water. I held out my hand to Silverie as she looked like she was about to start crying any moment now. She then grabbed my hand and I helped her up. Silverie are you okay? Y-Yes She somehow managed to hold back her tears and immediately turned around to hide her drenched body. Her clothes and her skirt were stuck to her body and water was dripping off of them. With teary eyes Silverie faced the ceiling and yelled out. YOU NEVER TOLD ME THAT ZEPH AND THE OTHERS WOULD BE COMING! Hahaha! It seems like I forgot. Yera immediately responded to Silverie. Just now she probably used the same method that she used at the inn. You old hag!! Whos the hag, you stupid daughter!! Good grief, even though I went ahead and granted your request. D-Dont say any more!! said Silverie in an attempt to stop her, however Yera let out a long sigh and continued with her assault. Its because you said stuff like Please help me, I want to become part of Zephs group however I dont have the courage that I went ahead and did this. AH! Please n-no more!! Still it was quite the good plan to have you present yourself as an accessory to the Guild House that you told me to give them as a way to show my gratitude. UUgh Yera seemed quite excited as she continued to scold Silverie, as she looked at the ground and murmured something. To be able to toy with Silverie in this way She really is amazing. Hey Yera, shell end up running away again like this. You dont need to worry. We did have quite the mother and daughter long that these past few days. Well its fine in that case. I told her that next time she runs away Ill take you for myself, so I doubt that shed be willing to do it. said Yera with a laugh. What in the world are you thinking?! Dont use people as bait like that. I stroked Silveries head as her face had turned bright red from the embarrassment. You must have it tough Silverie. I-Ill definitely kill her next time The hag!! Even though Silverie was raining down curses at Yera, her attitude seemed to have softened a little bit compared to the last time I saw them. Good grief, these two. I cant figure out if theyre doing fine or not. I let out a sigh and smiled bitterly. CH 134.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama In order to master magic, I had used Time Leap to go back in time to my childhood days. That current me, Zeph Einstein, was now in the capital city of Prolea, on a visit to Yeras house, which was in the suburbs. Yera was called the Wind of Wind for having mastered Sky magic. She was also the mother of Silverie, who was my master in my previous life. With a defiant heart, Silverie had challenged Yera to a fight, and wanted to rob her of her Wind of Wind title. However, Yeras ability was too great, and even when Silverie exhausted all her strength and wits, she suffered a crushing defeat. Regardless, it was through this incident that the two conflicting hearts grew slightly closer is what I think. Yera had gathered us and requested us to use her house as a training site. In the meantime, we were also tasked to do her another favor C to bring Silverie along with us. Initially, Silverie was complaining and was not being honest with her feelings, but after she was admonished by Yera, she decided to act together with us in the end. Im Silverie Ill be in your care. While Silverie was being all stiff, she lowered her head towards all of us. Youre too nervous, Silverie. Im Milly! Once again, pleased to meet you, Silverie! Im Claude. Im Lydia~ Er, um I am called Shirushu. Surrounding the table, the guild members re-introduced themselves to Silverie. They shouldve at least known the names of one another by now, but its still better to go through the process anyway. Especially since Silverie easily forgets the names of other people. Ehehe, lets get along okay? A,ah Silverie was bewildered when Milly held her hand, and her tensed expression softened slightly. Well, guess I wont have to worry. Even though she may be inexperienced, I would be glad if you could get along with her. Yera bowed her head deeply. She was the Sky Heavenly Mage, Yera Schugel. Yera was Silveries mother, and an elf girl. That being said, she only looks like a girl, but her real age was quite something. Hey, you should bow your head too. Stu- Ive told you many times to stop doing these kinds of things, havent I! Dear me, youve said it many times? When have I heard anything of the sort? When I was around five years old, you did something similar when I was going to play with the kids in the neighborhood, didnt you! Because of that I was teased by everyone! My Lord, you actually remember such a thing~ Yera was impressed while Silverie was indignant. To bring up something from such a long time ago, Silverie sure is one to hold deep grudges. As a sign of her rebellion against Yera who didnt care for her as a parent, Silverie had once fought for the title of Wind of Wind, just to make a mess of things. Well, its embarrassing when your parents appear in front of your friends, so I guess Silveries behavior is understandable. Yera. I understand that youre worried about Silverie, but shes not a child anymore, so its okay if you let her be, isnt it? When I said that, Yera took a sip of her tea and nodded. Well, youre right, sorry about that. Then, Ill return to my tower and leave the rest to you young people Yera stood up from her seat, and quickly left the room. Silverie continued to glare hatefully at the door which Yera left through. Good grief Silverie spat out those words with her face red, eyes shut and her brows knitted. She mustve felt quite embarrassed. Hey, Silverie! W-what is it Milly Even though it was soft, Silverie called Milly by name. Milly appeared pleased as she nodded and smiled. Earlier, Yera told me that I looked similar to you when you were little, Silverie. That reminds me, she did mention something like that when we were on the way here from the tower. Although she said that, they only have similar almond-shaped eyes, while their personalities were not similar, I feel. No, when Silverie was little, perhaps she couldve been the same type of person as Milly. If thats the case for some reason when I imagine it, I feel like laughing. About that My condolences to you Nah, thats not what I meant! I was actually thinking that itll be nice if I could become a cool person like Silverie! If only I could become a straightforward person like Milly tooor something, hehe. Silverie muttered in a voice which was barely audible. Millys beaming face was probably too dazzling for Silverie, as she was squinting. Hey! Make me your disciple! Pfft!! At Millys sudden words, I spat out the tea that was in my mouth. I was coughing as Claude rubbed my back. Seeing that, Milly glared at me in displeasure. W-whats that for, Zeph Silverie-san is Zeph-kuns master, you know? Ehh?? Everyone exclaimed in shock, including Silverie. I had completely forgotten, but I had likely mentioned something like that to Claude in the past. Silverie glanced in my direction, and initiated telepathy. I havent heard about this. It was convenient for persuading Claude and the rest Itll be a great help if you could play along. Geez, youre really doing as you please huh, Zeph. Silverie placed a hand on her forehead and sighed, then turned to face Milly. My, my. Im not sure what I can teach you, but having one or two disciples doesnt make much of a difference to me. Really!? Millys eyes were sparkling, while Silverie chuckled as she assured her. Compared to when I first let her meet Milly, Silveries expressions have turned considerably gentler. To have let Silverie open up to you, you sure are amazing, Milly. After dinner, we divided the rooms among ourselves. Lydia said that as long as the room was spacious, she did not mind sharing a room with Milly who had a habit of scattering her things around. Therefore, the most spacious room on the second floor will be used by them. Claude and Shirushu were fine with anywhere, so they cleaned up the storage room on the first floor, and used it as their room. I took the third floor or rather, the attic. Everyone questioned why I would take that room, but when I thought about the need to slip out alone in the middle of the night, I felt that an inconspicuous place like that is more convenient. As for Silverie She had vanished before we realized it. Huh? Where did Silverie go? When Milly questioned, Shirushu replied. I saw her leaving the room and called out to her, but she said that she had something to do I will ask her by telepathy. I had only looked away for a moment, and this happened. This is why I say that she has difficulty communicating. Oi Silverie, where did you go? I just went to get some air I guessed so. For the most part, spending a lot of time with other people has probably made her tired. Shes not good at joining a social circle, as usual. When I looked out of a window, I saw Silverie leaning idly on a tree in the courtyard. The moment our eyes met, she stealthily began to escape. Good grief What a troublesome person. As I was about to head out to catch her, I heard sounds of what seemed to be a fight breaking out, coming from the courtyard. It was Yera. She had Silverie in a joint lock and had pinned her down to the ground. Good grief I was worried and came to take a look, and this happened, as expected Ku Let me go, old hag! Gah! Whos a hag! Call me mother, mother! As usual huh, this parent and child. As I was watching in amazement, Yera noticed me. Oh! Isnt it Zeph? Yera, didnt you leave already? I was worried so I hid in the shade of a tree to peek at the situation, and I found this kid thinking of running away. As you can see, thats why I ended up capturing her. Yera was roaring with laughter. Even though she said that she was leaving Shes unexpectedly overprotective. Rather, has she been watching all this while? What an idle person. As I had guessed, she is still the same and not used to such situations. This shyness of hers might be related to the elf blood within her Elves lived in the forests and hated humans. If they spotted a human who lost their way, the elves would escape at absurd speeds. That has yet to happen to me before, but Silveries communication difficulty could indeed have something to do with the instinct of elves. Among elves, I guess there are also those like Yera who are indiscriminately over-familiar with people? Well, whatever. More importantly, I have good news for my beloved daughter. Good news? Mm. I have just the right event to help everyone get along. Yera grinned and released Silverie. That being said, she only stopped sitting on her, but Yera still kept Silveries arms in a lock so that she couldnt escape. Then, Yera stealthily retrieved a piece of paper from her bosom. A commission letter? Mm, I was thinking that if you take up a job together, you should grow slightly closer with one another. Right, Silverie? Even if you cannot converse well, you should be okay with handling battles right? I didnt need your help. Despite her words, Silverie did not look as dissatisfied as expected. As expected of the mother, she sure understands Silverie well. I suppose we could bring Silverie back to the guild house to hear the specifics of the commission. When we arrived back at the house, Milly ran up to us. Silverie! Where did you go, hmph~ I had some minor business The rest who Milly left behind were looking at Silverie warmly. With Silveries communication difficulty, it seems like she was already completely seen through. Ye-cchi~ did you leave something behind? L-Lydia-san this is someone from the Five Heavenly Mages, you know!? Youre being rude! Claude was flustered, while Yera simply waved away Claudes concerns. No no, I dont mind it. But hmm, Ye-cchi huh Silverie, could you try calling me that? Calling you old hag is good enough ugh!? With a smile on her face, Yera pinched Silverie on her buttocks with all her strength. Meanwhile, she turned towards us and spread out the commission letter on the table. Weve digressed. Please look at this. Its a commission letter. It has Yera-sans stamp on it. Mm, its something I personally picked out. At Claudes words, Yera nodded in agreement. These commissions were usually received through the Adventurers Guild. However, for the Five Heavenly Mages, there wasnt a need to purposely concern oneself with the Adventurers Guild, and its also possible to command your subordinates to work. Nevertheless, we were not Yeras subordinates. In addition, our abilities were still insufficient and only at the level of novices. To have gone out of her way to prepare an official commission letter for us goes to show how much she considered our circumstances and what others would think of us. Incidentally, the contents of the commission were etched on special magic paper, and a penalty exists in the event of a breach of contract. A commission from one of the five Heavenly Mages C C unsurprisingly, everyone looked nervous. CH 134.2 Alright Milla, please read it. Im Milly! Milly received the commission letter from Yera and began reading it aloud with some difficulty. Erm Currently, there is a major outbreak of monsters on Southern Island. You are to exterminate the herds of monsters swiftly. The target is the Sti Beetle. The time limit is one month, and the reward is 1.5 million Rupis. The Sti Beetle is a monster that looks like an enlarged black rhinoceros beetle. It is agile and has a habit of picking up items to store on its body. If it initiates an attack, at least it is not all that powerful. However, it has a high spawn rate, so it gets extremely annoying to gather all the drop items at once. It was a subjugation request issued by a certain Adventurers Guild throughout the year. It was a request which should not have been difficult even for a newbie, as long as they form a party, so the ease of completion was set at the D level. If Yera were to do it, the mission would be too lenient on her. Everyone probably thought so too, as the tension in the air eased. Its an unexpectedly fun request, isnt it? If its Sti Beetles, I used to defeat them as part of work for the church. Carelessness is your greatest enemy, Shirushu-san. Its a commission from one of the five Heavenly Mages, so we dont know if there might be something extra. When Shirushu made a conceited remark, Claude rebuked her. Yera might have chosen an easy commission for the sake of letting us deepen our friendship, but Claude remained suspicious and looked doubtful. Hey, Se-chan, why are you heading to the back? When Lydia rested her arm on the sofas backrest and looked behind, Silverie had her back towards us and was stealthily making her escape. Nah, I wanted to take a breath of some fresh air Youve been getting fresh air all day though? I wont let you escape. I grabbed onto the hem of Silveries coat and jerked it, and she lost balance and stumbled backward. Silverie fell on her back and onto the sofa on which we were seated. With a loud bonk, the back of Silveries head bumped into Millys head. Owww~~!? Sorry. If youre going to apologize, then you shouldnt have tried to escape in the first place Hey, sit properly. When Silverie was still twisting her body in an effort to escape, I caught her, sat her on my lap, and forced her to listen. She squirmed about restlessly Well, it cant be helped that she wants to escape, I guess. Shes not good at dealing with the Sti Beetle after all. Yera seemed to have thought of the same thing, as she let out a big sigh. Goodness gracious it appears that your hatred for insects is still not cured. Stu Dont say it! With a red face, Silverie started to make a fuss in rage, but I used both arms to hold her down. Geez, this person must have an absurd amount of hatred for insects. In my past life, Silverie was also bad at dealing with insect-type monsters, and she never approached places where such monsters are known to appear. In the event where she had no choice but to fight them, it feels like I was usually the one who defeated them. I see, if it were any normal monster-extermination job, Silverie would be peerless, but if there were monsters that she had trouble dealing with, there would be a need to cooperate with us I guess? Damn it, Yera. You planned this all along, didnt you? If you were to complete a job together, it would probably be easier for this girl to open up to you. Sorry for deciding on a bunch of things on my own, but would you accept it? Yera quickly lowered her head, while we exchanged glances. What should we do? Accept it? Hmm. We dont really have a reason to refuse anyway. At Millys question, Claude nodded in agreement. Southern Island is a famous place for vacations, right? I heard that theres a place for swimming too~ I sure hope theres good food too! So exciting! Lydia and Shirushu were completely in a holiday mood. Tch. Silverie clicked her tongue in apparent reluctance, but she did not complain any further. Everyone already seemed raring to go. Moreover, I didnt dislike over-hunting large amounts of small fries. Milly was eagerly awaiting my reply, so I nodded in return. Isnt it fine? Al~right then weve decided on accepting that commission! After Milly effortlessly signed on the commission letter, the paper glowed and the contract was formed. Yera nodded in satisfaction. Well then, Im counting on you. Yes! That being said, it was decided that the next stage for our adventures will be at Southern Island. Anyway, lets go shopping for swimsuits tomorrow! I want to swim! Ohh! Sounds good~ Milly-chan. At Millys suggestion, Lydia was extra enthusiastic. Somehow, her eyes looked like those of a perverted old man It was as if she was looking forward to seeing the girls in swimsuits, so much that she couldnt contain herself. Shirushu also appeared excited, as her tail was swooshing from side to side. Im good at swimming, you know! Shirushu announced as she demonstrated her paddle with both arms. A dogs paddle As expected, its because shes a Beastfolk I suppose. Um, were there for a commission in the first place, so how about we only leave half the time for playing Well, you dont have to be so serious, Clau-chan~ Geez, Lydia-san Please say something to her, Zeph-kun. Well, isnt it fine? Everyone was making merry, while Claude who saw that was gumbling discontentedly. However, its also important to take a breather sometimes. I am used to training every day, but excluding me, everyone would consider our lifestyle hard. If we didnt take breaks occasionally, it would be difficult to get moving when it comes to the crunch. After were done with our vacation, I will have to get them to accompany me for tougher hunts again. Since we also added Silverie to our party, we should be able to go to higher-leveled hunting grounds too Im looking forward to it. He he. W-Why do you look happy, Zeph-kun? Claude was looking dumbfounded, while Milly peeked over from her side. Hm hmmm ? I bet hes looking forward to seeing how sexy we look in swimsuits. ? Whos sexy, you flat-chested. Haa!? I have them okay! I am also still in my growth period! And when I grow old enough, I will become like Lydia! Milly confidently stuck out her flat chest and I compared it against Lydias chest but its definitely impossible. I can declare that at least. Perhaps having realized what I was thinking, Milly puffed her cheeks. Claude sensed what was happening and quickly changed the topic. B-by the way, in Southern Island, it seems like there are plenty of rare fruits, you know? There seem to be parfaits too~. I heard that its sweet and yummy~ Waah, sounds delicious! Claude and Lydia sure did well in enticing Milly. While everyone was making merry, Silverie was watching from afar with a bored look on her face. Hmm, even if it wasnt possible to immediately get along with everyone, I thought she should have gotten slightly used to it. Moreover, I thought she had somewhat opened her heart to Milly already? Silverie, do you really hate being with everyone? Its not like that. Then, why? I am someone who is being chased by a dispatched mage. Being with Zeph and the rest will probably inconvenience you. Thats why That reminds me, Silverie was being pursued by the Magicians Association for stealing their scroll of Growth, the magic for accelerating the growth of ones abilities. She previously mentioned that she had intended to borrow the scroll to learn the spell, but had missed the timing to return it. I was supposed to return the scroll in Silveries stead, but with Silverie being recognized as the thief, its not as if her crime would be erased. Silverie averted her eyes from us and appeared slightly depressed. Ah, oh yeah. I forgot to mention something. Perhaps having realized Silveries emotions, Yera was reminded of something and spoke up. Silverie is no longer being pursued by the Association though. She has applied to be the subordinate of myself, and I am one of the five Heavenly Mages. Moreover, she is also registered as the owner of this home, so it would be even more suspicious if she ran away, wouldnt it? Thats quite smart. Ha ha ha, dont underestimate the Sky Heavenly Mage. At Yeras words, Silverie felt half relieved and half fed-up. Yera may have done it out of consideration for Silverie, whose personality she understands well, but I dont completely feel that she didnt go overboard. Its because of things like these that its not odd for Silverie to run away from home. By the way, which room is better for Se-chin? I dont mind whichever. Even outside is fine. Silverie-san, you used to stay here right? Then, maybe you have your own room? I have, but At Claudes question, Silverie glanced in Millys direction and spoke ambiguously. Its probably the room on the second floor which Milly and Lydia said they would use. Perhaps because Milly also realized it, as she was twirling her hair around her finger. Erm Shall we move downstairs? Dont mind it. Im really fine with anywhere. Besides, that was my room when I was a child, and its a little embarrassing to me now. The room she used as a child, huh? That reminds me, that room contained many stuffed animals and toys, and there were drawings of animals and other things on the walls. Milly seemed to like them. Why are you looking at me and laughing, Zeph Ku ku, dont mind me. Then, how about the room next to ours? Come to think of it, there was a small room next to Shirushus and Claudes room. It was probably another storage room similar to theirs, but it should be perfectly usable once it is tidied up. In Silveries case, a smaller room would likely help her to compose herself too. Alright, lets do that. If theres anything, dont hesitate to say it! Ah, then Ill take you up on that. At Millys words, Silveries expression loosened just slightly as she nodded. Then, shall we make Silverie-sans room? Following Claudes call, everyone tidied up the storage room, and somehow we managed to obtain a space sufficient for one person to live in. With this, I suppose weve mostly finished what we had to do. CH 135.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Phew, we got quite dirty after cleaning up huh. Shall we take a bath? Zeph can use the bath first. Youre good at heating bathwater, right? Well, I guess. Ill take you up on that then. Lets just do as Milly says. Heating up water basically requires the fine control of magic. Leaving aside Silverie, its still a difficult task for Milly. Who will enter next? Lets decide with rock-paper-scissors! Rock paper With Lydias shout, the rock-paper-scissors tournament began. It sure is nice that theyre getting along well. As their sounds of excitement filled the room, I headed off to the bath. Using magic, I filled the bathtub with water. Then, I added heat in moderation, to make heated bathwater. The bathroom in this house is spacious and it hasnt been completely cleaned yet, but its sufficient for our use. Due to the major cleaning we did, I was all covered in dust. I poured the heated bathwater over myself, then submerged myself into the bathtub. Phew, its a paradise, a paradise As I was relaxing, I heard hurried footsteps. From beyond the frosted glass, I saw the shadow of Claude. Zeph-kun, Ill leave your towel and change of clothes here, okay? Ah, thank you. And uh If youd like, I could wash your back for you? Mm. Th-then Hm? I just replied without thinking, but it feels like I said something strange At the moment when I was thinking about that, a rattling noise resounded, as the sliding door was opened. At the door stood Claude, who was lightly dressed. Bu!? Wha, whats going on, Claude!? I am always indebted to Zeph-kun, so I thought that its okay once in a while um As Claude was speaking, her face gradually turned bright red. If youre embarrassed then its fine to not do it Could it be that the rock-paper-scissors was some kind of punishment game? If thats the case then it cant be helped, I guess Ill have to go along with it? Okay, then Ill take you up on your offer. Y-yes! I got out of the bathtub and sat on a stool in the washing area. From behind me, Claude approached with wet footsteps. Then, she let out a sigh near the back of my neck. Somehow Im getting nervous. Please excuse me. Suddenly, Claudes hand came into contact with my back. Zeph-kuns back is pretty wide huh Oi, werent you going to wash my back? Ah! Erm, sorry. Ill do it immediately. Flustered, Claude began to scrub my back. Usually, after scrubbing the back, next would be to massage the back using the fingers. Claude was pretty strong, having trained with the sword, and she was able to accurately stimulate the acupuncture points on my back. Mm, how is it? Um, it feels good, Claude. Ehehe, thank you. After enjoying Claudes service for a while, hurried footsteps were heard again. When Claude heard that, her hands jolted and shook. Heyy Zeph! Did you see Claude? This voice Is it Milly? If youre looking for Claude, she is ngu!? As I was about to reply, Claude covered my mouth. Could it be that Claude, this girl, came to wash my back out of her own accord? How should I put this, this boldness When I looked behind me, Claude was pleading with tears in her eyes. I sighed and spoke. How would I know? Maybe she went outside? Thats weird Claude is supposed to be next in line for the bath though Ill search outside! Ah. As we heard the footsteps get further away, Claude and I heaved a sigh of relief. Ah, right. Zeph, shall I wash your back for you? Bu!? D-dont say stupid things! Its a joke, a joke. Did you take it for real? Heehee! Theres a person here who seriously acted on that though. Claude had hugged me in surprise, and I could feel the thumping of her heart being transmitted through my back. This time for sure, Millys footsteps had completely faded away. Phew, geez, I was shocked there. Sorry, Zeph-kun its all because of me Well, I dont mind it but Claude, arent you behaving a little strangely? When Claude was with everyone, she didnt seem like the type of person who would do such a thing. At my words, Claude cast her eyes down. Yes Recently, I somehow feel like Zeph-kun will go somewhere far away Because of that, youre doing such a thing? Sorry Like a dog that was being reprimanded, Claude was disheartened. I placed a hand on Claudes head and stroked it slowly. Dont worry. Im not going anywhere. Zeph-kun Somehow, these girls grew to be good comrades of mine. I dont have any intention of saying goodbye though. I mean, its fun being around them and its efficient too. He he. More importantly Claude, your clothes got wet huh. Im almost done now, so you can take your time soaking in the bath. Yes, thank you. I rinsed my body with the bathwater, then slid open the door and left. After Zeph left the bathroom, Claude submerged herself into the bathtub as she mumbled under her breath in a daze. Zeph-kun It was not known how many times she had called his name. Whenever she thought of Zeph, Claude felt a tightening in her chest. She knew that she was in love with Zeph. She has been aware of her feelings for a long time. But I cant Even though she tried to suppress it, her feelings overflowed. They were gradually getting stronger. However, she knew that Zeph only thought of her as one of his comrades. If she told him about her feelings, they definitely couldnt stay together anymore. Therefore, she had no choice but to suppress it. What should I do? The bubbles in the bathtub rose to the surface, broke, and disappeared. She thought that it signified her fate. In the bathtub, Claude wrapped her arms around herself. I waited for everyone to finish taking a bath, and at a suitable time, I went down from the attic to the second floor, to visit Milly and Lydias room. The visit was to conduct the usual practice to strengthen their magic lines. Magic lines were veins that branched out through the whole body, for magic to pass through. By strengthening these lines, ones magic power can increase. Then, shall we start from Milly? O-okay. After Milly hesitantly got onto her futon and sprawled out on her tummy, I let my hand move over Millys back. Once I focused, I could feel Millys magic lines. They reminded me of a big tree C thick and strong. For a person with as much magic as Milly, its uncertain what purpose the strengthening of magic lines would serve, but she said to do the same thing as I did for everyone else. Itll probably only be something like a massage, but I shall continue anyway since she so wished. Slowly, I began to massage Millys back. Ah Ow! P-please be more gentle Your muscles are all stiff. Youre not getting enough exercise, Milly. Ugh She probably got sore muscles from cleaning the house, especially since she took the initiative to do most of the physical labor. This is what you get from pushing yourself too hard despite being small in size. Since it would hurt if I put too much force, I slowly and gently massaged Millys back. After a while, Milly seemed to be satisfied, as she dozed off and began to snore softly. Ahaha, Milly-chan fell asleep~ Maybe my massage skills are improving huh. Then~ I wonder if Zephs skills will be able to satisfy me too~ With that, Lydia laid down across the sofa. I couldnt help but admire her toned, refined muscles. Lydia, you dont seem to need a massage though What are you saying~, Im having a hard time with my stiff shoulders, you know~ Lydia laughed awkwardly. Indeed, her breasts looked heavy. Ive often heard that women with large breasts have trouble with stiff shoulders. However, Ill save the massage for another time, since Claude and the others are also waiting for me. I gathered magic in my right hand and held it against Lydias back. Dont make too much noise, Lydia, or youll wake Milly up. Ill be careful, but I cant help it~ Nn. The purpose of this training was to provide stimulation for Lydias magic lines to make them thicker. Recently, I have been strengthening the magic lines of more people. Some days, I may not be able to do it for all of them, but I have to make sure to do it for Lydia, whose magic lines were weak, to begin with. After a while, Lydia fell asleep. Good night, Lydia. Mm~ Zeph-chi~ I bid farewell to Lydia as she called my name in her sleep, and went downstairs to knock on the door of Claudes and Shirushus room. When I entered their room, it was already tidied up, with only a single futon laid out. Weve been busy recently, so it has been a while since the last time, hasnt it? Yeah, now that you mention it. Pl-please take care of me. Claude readily took off her top and laid down. Her magic lines have become quite developed. Screen Point, Claudes unique magic-nullification magic C strictly speaking, it is not complete magic-nullification, but rather, a great reduction of the effect of magic C has a weaker nullification ability, the more magic its caster has. Therefore, while strengthening Claudes magic lines, we concurrently train her ability to suppress magic too. As a result, Claude is also better than Milly at the fine control of magic. Nn Shirushu also seems to have gotten used to the training, since she did not lose her mind even while I was strengthening Claudes magic lines. As a pure-bred Beastfolk, Shirushu had the special characteristic of being easily aroused, resulting in a beast transformation, where she loses her rationality and rampages. Just by watching me strengthen another persons magic lines, the stimulation would get too strong for Shirushu and she would always go into a rampage, so we would tie her up beforehand. Although Shirushu was also tied up this time with Claudes help, perhaps we could do without that soon. To suppress her beast transformation, theres nothing more important than the control of her magic. That is also why I am proactively strengthening Shirushus magic lines. Claudes soft voice resounded in the room. After a while, Shirushu seemed to have noticed something and she glanced towards the door. Silverie-san? CH 135.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama !? As if in response to Shirushus call, rattling noises sounded from outside. When I opened the door, what appeared was Silverie who was crouching in the corridor. She must have slipped and fallen in her attempt to escape, as she was holding on to her bottom with tearful eyes. What are you doing, Silverie? Wha-what about you Zeph, what exactly are you doing! Did something happen? From behind me, Claude appeared with only a bedsheet covering her front, while Shirushu approached while still bound by rope. ThisThis is immoral! On seeing the two immodest ladies, Shirushu turned bright red. This is troublesome I cant come up with an excuse for this situation. I was still considering my options when Silverie started to back away. Before I realized it, Shirushu went ahead and pinned Silverie to the floor, while she was still bound. Silverie-san do you wish to join in too? Huh!? Wha-what are you sayin-Mm!? While looking intoxicated, Shirushu covered Silveries mouth. Shirushus hair was dyed pink. It seems that her emotions were running high and she was heating up. Having lost her rationality, Shirshu leaned on top of Silverie. Silverie also realized that the sudden turn of events was not good, but she couldnt escape from Shirushu. Shirushu-san! Wait! Sit! ~? Claudes command of restraint didnt seem to reach Shirushu, as she continued to snuggle up to Silverie. Umm, what should we do about this? In Shirushus current state, if I touch her without caution, there is a danger that I could be dragged into this mess. Having said that, I cant leave them alone either While we were confused, tears began to spill from Silveries eyes. Silveriesan? Letmego, you idiot! Silverie immediately hid her face with both hands, but it was evident from her voice that she was crying. Oh no, we couldve stepped on a mine here. For a moment, Shirushu froze. Taking the chance, I seized her and cast Sleep Code. After she fell asleep and lost consciousness, I carried her up and moved away from Silverie. A-are you okay, Silverie? Uu uuuuu~! Damn it, damn it! Silverie cursed as she straightened out her disarrayed clothes, and ran away to her room. Ah Now weve done it Ill have to talk to her tomorrow. The next day, when Shirushu and I went to Silveries room to apologize, she was huddled in the corner of her room, hugging her knees to her chest while sulking. She glared at us with watchful eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot as if she hadnt slept much. Shirushu immediately put her head to the ground and apologized with a dogeza. I am extremely sorry about that, Silverie! Get lost. Huh!? Silverie looked down on Shirushu with a cold, piercing gaze, while Shirushu was completely frozen. She was totally frightened. Although she was just reaping what she had sown, in some sense, Im also at fault for not stopping her in time. Ill have to show some sincerity here. Um Can I have a moment, Silverie? When I called out to Silverie, she continued to glare at me wordlessly. What intense pressure. Shes even scarier now than when in battle. Shirushu is kinda unique, shes a pure-bred Beastfolk. When her hair turns red, she loses her rationality. Look, Beastfolk turn wild when theyre stimulated, dont they? For Shirushu, its slightly more extreme. I knew that, so? Even when I explained things to her, Silverie curtly rejected me. She remained fairly annoyed, as she turned away and refused to cooperate. W-what should we do, Zeph-san Hmm Im out of ideas A silence enveloped the room. As I was thinking about what to say, the door behind me suddenly opened. Silverie! Eh, huh? Zeph and Shirushu are here too. Oh, Milly? Milly appeared at the door with a cheerful expression, as if the heavy atmosphere in the room was no big deal to her. Thats perfect ? Hey, lets go shopping for our swimsuits now! Erm Ill pass Without minding Shirushu who was still bewildered, Milly took our arms and pulled us up. Then, she hooked our arms and walked with us towards Silverie. Milly walked with light steps, even in the face of Silveries aura which warned us not to get close. When we were right in front of Silverie, Milly let go of us and grasped Silveries hand. Ah Hey! Silverie got up surprisingly easily, as Milly pulled her by the hand and led her out of the room. Shirushu watched in a daze as she mumbled under her breath. Milly-san sure is amazing Indeed, Silverie didnt even listen to what we had to say, but she readily yielded to Milly. Well done, Milly. Shes still the leader after all. Besides, being invited by a child like Milly, its not like she can continue to sulk, can she? Fufu, Zeph-san, saying that despite approving of Milly as the leader ? Hm. As if she had seen through me, Shirushu chuckled. Zephhh! Shirushuuu! Hurry overrr! Were coming! Milly shouted from afar, and we replied as we left to follow them. We went into the city and arrived at a large clothing store. It was one of the few stores in the capital that sold swimsuits. This store was affiliated with the Shirogane chain, but the owner, Adrei, probably wasnt around. Hes a dangerous guy who looks at Milly strangely. I looked around for him, but it seemed to be a needless worry. Feeling relieved, I decided to leave everyone in front of the store. Then, Ill be taking my leave here. Eh~! Why! Milly-san, its weird for men to enter stores like these, you know. Besides, Zeph-kun probably has an errand to run too. Having been frequently treated as a man, Claude was probably familiar with the experiences of the opposite gender. Nice follow-up, Claude. I see~ If thats the case, it would be better to hide our swimsuits and only show how we look in them at the beach, right? Was that what you were aiming for, Clau-chan~ Wai youre wrong! Please correct it, Lydia-san! Fufuun, you can look forward to it, Zeph! Thats because Im going to choose a very sexy one. Milly puffed out her chest in confidence. Ah yeah I guess, Im looking forward to it. Eh, wait! Why are you looking at Lydia! Well, setting Milly aside, Im looking forward to seeing everyone in their swimsuits. Ill be keeping my hopes up, I guess. Then, Ill be taking my leave now When Silverie was stealthily trying to break away, Milly held onto her arm. Silverie, lets shop together! Ill choose something suitable for you! Lets give Zeph a shock together! Um Oi, Zeph As Silverie was being pulled away by Milly, she glanced towards me with pleading eyes, but I simply gave her a cutthroat gesture. Isnt it fine? Its a good idea to let Milly pick it out for you. Incidentally, youre about the same size too. Wha! As Silverie and Milly were about to object, I waved goodbye and left. CAlright then, if were going to the Southern Island, we wont be able to shop at big stores for a while. Its better to prepare the things we need in the capital. We were able to make quite a bit of money selling yukata at the Tenma Festival the other day, and Yera gave us a house too, so we have some spare cash. As I was looking around the street booths, I spotted a small bottle of white liquid that looked like condensed milk. Oh, this is rare. A potion to restore spiritual power. This was a concentrated form of magic recovery potion, a miracle cure that instantly restores all magic power when consumed. Its only obtainable through item drops of boss-class monsters, so its expensive and rare, but its handy to have a few on hand in case of emergencies. In any case, I decided to buy all of these potions I found. Three of them cost a bomb at a million rupis, but they should be worth that much. Hmm I dont have many gemstones either huh. That Ain, it seems like shes been gobbling them up even though I havent summoned her recently. Ill have to tell her off for a bit. I entered a back alley and cast Summon Servant, and from within the blinding light, my familiar, Ain appeared. But her face was even more listless than usual, and her clothes were a little worn out of shape. Mooorning~ gramps~ Its near noon already though. Oops~ is that so? Fwaaa~ How should I put it, it somehow seems like this girl is getting bigger. When Ain rubbed her eyes while yawning, I pinched her stomach. I felt a soft and squishy sensation on my fingertips. Hya!? Gr-gramps!? What are you doing! Youre getting fat, arent you? I havent summoned you lately, so you mustve been doing nothing but eating and sleeping. Ahn, wait L-let me go~ When I pinched Ains belly, she shrieked as she felt ticklish. It looks like you ought to lose some weight. Eh No way, Gramps Ain looked up at me, her face turning pale. Is she perhaps worried that Ill make her skip her meals? Dont worry. I wont restrict your diet. A-ah, thats great~ Ain was relieved from the bottom of her heart. Then, I grinned. In exchange, youll let me experiment with various fusion magic spells. Eh!? All this while, I couldnt experiment with fusion magic because I didnt have a lot of money at my disposal, but now I have tons of it. Shall we take this chance to try something now, Ain? Uh, what are we trying? Its an experiment to see what I can do with the Divine Sword Ainbelle. I knew it!? What? Im not going to do anything crazy. You liar! Youve been doing crazy things more often than not! Ain raised her voice in protest. I withdrew Ain and went back to the street booths at the plaza, to collect large amounts of gemstones. Ill experiment to my hearts content on Southern Island, where there are herds of monsters. Ku ku, Im looking forward to it. CH 136.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama The next day, at a suitable timing, we took a horse-drawn carriage to Izu. We arrived at Izu Port City after a few days, then we set sail from Izu towards Southern Island. It was nice to see the kids after such a long time. Everyone looked healthy too Good for you, Shirushu! While I was buying the tickets for the ship, Shirushu, who had been living in Izu until recently, went to see the children of the church. I also showed up briefly and saw that everyone was glad to reunite after a long time. Southern Island is pretty close to here, isnt it? We should reach in about two hours. Blessed with clear skies and a nice sea breeze, the ship advanced steadily. Milly was in high spirits, running around on the deck of the ship. Meanwhile, Claude and the rest were watching over her. Hey, youd better not get seasick and throw up again. Ah! I see it! Isnt that it? After a while, we could spot some land in the distance. Everyone turned to look in the direction in which Milly was pointing. Looks like thats Southern Island? As we approached the island, we could see fish swimming in the crystal-clear water. It was still in the morning, but a few people were already seen playing on the beach. Waa, they look like theyre having fun! I cant wait to go play! Well, thats fine, but dont forget that we still have our commission to complete. Dont get too crazy, alright? I know, I know ? You should look forward to seeing us in our swimsuits, Zeph! Hee hee! Milly laughed cheerfully. Her face radiated with joy under the sunlight, like a sunflower swaying in the ocean breeze. At the same time, there was a small boat drifting along the coast of the island that was just behind the place where Zeph and his friends were. It was at a cove, surrounded by steep cliffs where no one would stop by. On top of the battered boat laid a man who had already passed away. CImmediately after a particularly strong wave came in, flames engulfed the boat. Despite being on the water, the flames incinerated both the boat and the mans body. On top of the cliffs, two men watched the scene unfold below them The Southern Island was a place with an everlasting summer, therefore it was a resort island where rich people and adventurers would come to spend their leisure time. The island was home to rare flora and fauna, and the sea, forests, and beautiful nature were so attractive that people from all over the world would flock here during the holiday season. However, there were small dungeon spots scattered around the island. If left unchecked, the number of monsters would increase, hindering tourism. This was why the islands management would hire adventurers to exterminate the monsters before the holiday season. The Sti Beetles we were asked to exterminate this time have a habit of eating the garbage that people have thrown away and storing it in their bodies. Occasionally, they would even attack the tourists to obtain items that they have yet to dispose of. In terms of experience or money, it was not profitable to hunt the Sti Beetle. However, in exchange, adventurers who come to exterminate it are allowed to play freely on the island, hence many undertake the job. Due to the low level of difficulty in defeating the monsters on Southern Island, the monster-subjugation requests here were fairly popular. Waa~ ? The sea is so beautiful! Milly jumped off the boat and ran along the pier, flailing her arms about enthusiastically. Hey, youre getting too excited. Please dont fall off. We followed Milly onto the island, and after all the passengers had disembarked, the ship sailed off towards Izu. For a while, we watched the ship go further into the distance. Then, Milly turned towards the beach. Alright then! Lets go for a swim now! I agree. The sun is still high up too. Geez Clau-chan, youre already holding your swimming float around you, you dont have to act calm~ Th-this is just in case I fall into the water Eh, please dont push me, Lydia-san! When Lydia used her elbow to nudge the striped swimming float, Claude lost her balance and grabbed onto Shirushus tail. Hyaa!? Awawawawa!? When Shirushu suddenly had her tail grabbed, she also grabbed onto Millys hair which happened to be close by. At that, Milly stumbled and her hand landed on Lydias breast, which she grasped. Wait Milly-chan Ahn! At the sudden assault, even Lydia could not respond in time, and the four girls fell into the ocean. Meanwhile, Silverie and I watched from the pier, dumbfounded. Geez, what are they doing? Puha! Millys head emerged from the water, while in her hand was Lydias top. Usually, Lydia only wears a crop top. It greatly improved ones ease of movement, but it was very revealing. In addition, Lydia usually didnt wear a bra underneath. The fact that her top was in Millys hand would mean that Lydia was now Geez~ Milly-chan~ Next to the surface was Lydia, followed by the other two girls. As they were close to the beach, the water was not that deep, and Lydia was able to stand on her feet. Although she was facing away, I could see her bare back from the waters surface. L-Lydia-san your clothes Hmm, what~? At Claudes voice, Lydia turned around. What caught my attention was her swimsuit, which, as expected, was very revealing. I just couldnt see it at first, but at least she was wearing one? Lydia seemed to have realized what I was thinking, as she grinned at me. Ahaha~. Zeph-chi were you perhaps, expecting something? Hm She placed both hands on her hips and teased me with a smile but In some sense, isnt it more embarrassing to wear that swimsuit than to be naked? You being so brazen about it makes me embarrassed instead. Zeph and Silverie, hurry over! Milly waved us over. She had also taken off her clothes, and was in her swimsuit. Her swimsuit was decorated with many frills, and was cute and childish. In various meanings, it suited Milly perfectly. When I looked closely, I could see Claudes and Shirushus swimsuits through their soaked clothing. I guess they were already planning to swim from the very beginning. Hmph Milly-san, youre too hasty! Before swimming, you should do warm-up exercises first There, there, Claude-san, its fine, isn.t it? Lets swim too Shirushu let out a grunt as she took off her soaked clothing, and carefully folded them on the pier. It was actually quite skillful of her to take off those heavy-looking clothes while swimming. Shirushus swimsuit was blue and showed less skin, but even so, it was revealing in all the right departments, so there was plenty worth seeing. Understood. Hmm, Zeph-kun, sorry but can you pull me up? Ah. I pulled Claude up to the pier, then she began to take off her clothes excitedly . Inside her clothes, she wore a plain, white bikini, but it further accentuated Claudes moderately toned body. As Claude was earnestly doing her warm-up exercises, our eyes met, and she quickly averted her eyes in slight embarrassment. Erm Wh-what do you think..? It looks good on you. Thank you very much. Claude muttered in a voice so soft it seemed like it would vanish, while her face was bright red. She was probably embarrassed since it was a pretty bold swimsuit. Claude! Hurry up! Ill be right there When Milly called, Claude picked up her swimming float and jumped into the water. The four girls seemed to be enjoying themselves in their own ways. Everyone seems to be having fun. I noticed that Silverie was looking at the four of them enviously. It looked like she wanted to join them, but was too shy to step forward. It cant be helped, Ill give her a hand. Silverie, shall we go too? Eh? What do you mean? While Silverie was bewildered, I took her hand and directly dived into the sea. The seawater felt cold and pleasant. When my feet touched the sandy seabed, the water was just deep enough to submerge my body fully. It wasnt as deep as I had expected. With that thought, I kicked off the seabed, wanting to surface for air. However, all of a sudden, my body was dragged deeper into the sea. In my shock, air escaped from my lungs in a stream of bubbles. When I looked down in the water, I saw Silverie hugging on to my waist and crouching on the seabed. Silverie didnt seem to be wearing her swimsuit under her clothes, as I could feel the protrusion of Silveries breasts directly through her clothing. Could it be that she was looking envious earlier because she couldnt swim? H-hey Silverie, let me go! Zeph! Are you going to abandon me and run away!? You idiot! I cant do that now, can I! Ill go get help right away, but let go of me first! No! I dont want to be alone anymore Dont abandon me Bubbles of air escaped from Silveries mouth. I used telepathy to persuade her to let me go, but Silverie got into a panic and I could not get through to her. More importantly Im losing air The pain was causing my consciousness to fade. I cant go on Just when I thought that, someone grabbed me by the hand and pulled us up to the surface. What were you doing, Zeph-chi? Ha ha, you saved me, Lydia. In the meantime, Silverie had lost consciousness while clinging on to me. Lydia carried us in her arms and brought us to the beach. There, I performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Silverie, and soon enough, she spat out some water and regained consciousness. When she came to her senses, she was flustered and made a commotion at first, but after a while, she ran away from me and curled up under a tree, hugging her knees to her chest. Now, as we were playing on the seashore while waiting for our wet clothes to dry, Silverie continued to glare at us reproachfully from afar. What a lonely sight. I guess I ought to play in the sand with her later. Zeph! Here, here~ ? Suddenly, Milly threw seawater on my face as hard as she could. You ambushing me How dare you! Hee hee~? Catch me if you can~! Milly began to run away while teasing me, so I chased after her and caught her as we both fell into the water, laughing. Puha ? Ahaha I got caught~ Fufun, you thought you could get away from me? Milly looked up from the seawater, beaming from ear to ear. The droplets of water on her face reflected the suns rays and glittered. I was momentarily stunned by her dazzling smile. She may still be childish in some ways, but she looked much better now, didnt she? CH 136.2 After playing in the ocean until the evening, we headed to the inn that Yera had arranged for us. She had already spoken to the owner beforehand, so when we approached him, he readily showed us to a large room. It seemed that this was where we would stay the night. It looks like well all sleep in the same room. She said something about us getting along with each other, didnt she That old hag Ahaha, well isnt it fine ? Look, Im hungry already, lets get some food, food! When we arrived at the cafeteria, we found that our portion of dinner had already been set aside for us. The meal consisted of an abundance of seafood and was so delicious that simply having this would make the trip worth it. After the meal and a bath, everyone was so tired that we all fell asleep immediately. Something happened a while after I fell asleep. Ugh I felt suffocated and woke up. My eyes opened but all I saw was darkness Instead, I feel something soft and squishy against my face. Lydia was hugging me. She tightened around me with great force, so much that I was suffocating. I somehow managed to tear off her grip, and sat up. Mm~ Zeph-chi~ Geez, are you still half-asleep? Lydia groped about the air, searching for me. My my, Lydia was originally sleeping in the futon next to mine, but she rolled into my futon. That reminds me, before Milly went to bed, she had requested for me to swap positions with her. She used me as a shield Damn it. Shirushu and Silverie were covered snugly in their futon, curled up in a ball as they slept. I smiled wryly, as they somehow reminded me of wild animals. Speaking of which, Claude isnt here. The futon which Claude had used was already folded and tided up. I wonder if shes already awake? Since Im wide awake too, I guess Ill look for her. I quickly changed my clothes and left the room. Mm its getting pretty bright outside huh. As I left the inn, I saw that the sun was beginning to rise over the ocean. I was entranced by the beautiful scenery before me, when I spotted a figure on the beach, swinging a sword. Is that Claude? Youre early, Claude. Good morning, Zeph-kun. I called out to Claude as I approached her. She lowered her sword as she turned to face me. The morning sun shone on Claude, and her golden hair and the beads of perspiration on her forehead reflected its light. Were you practicing your sword? You sure are working hard, practicing this early in the morning. It has become part of my daily routine. Oh, right. Zeph-kun, shall we spar for the first time in a while? At that, Claude picked up wooden sticks that had fallen near her feet and tossed one to me. In the past, I had sparred with Claude as part of my sword training, and we were evenly matched then. I guess we could take this chance to see how much we each improved since then. Interesting. Its been a while since I took great care of you. He he, please go easy on me! Every day, Claude has been practicing her sword with Lydia, while I have been strengthening her magic lines. As a result, her swordsmanship will probably show significant improvement. However, that should be the case for me too. Im confident that my sword skills have improved since I started using the Divine Sword Ainbelle. Here I come! Come at me anytime! We each brandished our wooden swords. When our swords clashed, sawdust scattered into the air. I had more chances to be on the offensive, but Claude had an impenetrable guard and easily parried all my attacks. Im amazed that she has such a strong defense with no shield and nothing but a wooden sword. Originally, Claudes style was to have a shield at the ready. Now, her defense was so strong that I couldnt land a successful attack even when I had raised my physical ability using magic. As expected of someone who has been standing at the front lines to receive the attacks of strong monsters. After many clashes, our wooden swords finally broke. While panting, Claude dropped her wooden sword onto the beach. Haa haa A-as expected of Zeph-kun Its another tie in the end huh. Ha ha If I lost to Zeph the mage in sword skill, it would be a disgrace to the Leonhardt family, who were supposed to be mage killers Saying that, Claude threw her weary body to the sand. As I was considerably fatigued myself, I laid down on the beach as well. Beside me, Claude was drenched in perspiration, and her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath. This reminds me of a time when my family used to go on vacation together. When I was little, on family vacations, I would wake up in the morning and practice sword fighting with my brother like this too. Claude Claudes eyes narrowed, looking a little forlorn. Hers was a family of knights, but they gradually fell to ruin and were forced to lead a life of poverty. Therefore, Claude left her home on her own to become an adventurer, to lighten the burden on her family. However, that didnt mean that she could break off ties with her family. When Claude and I first met, her brother, Kane, was pestering her for money. I had rescued Claude and took her on a trip then. I wonder How is that man doing now? Claude usually didnt seem like she was bothered, but sometimes she would gaze into the distance, with loneliness on her face. Theres probably no way she isnt thinking about it. I got a little worried and gazed at Claudes profile while she laid, sprawled out. Claude then rolled over to face me and grinned, showing her white teeth. Geez, why are you making such a face, Zeph? I was wondering if you were okay. Thank you very much, but Im fine. Claude looked shy as the sea breeze gently caressed her hair, making it sway softly. After that, when Claude and I were frolicking in the waves, Milly came dashing over. It looks like shes finally awake. What a sleepyhead. Ahh! You two are so sneaky! Let me join in too! Its Millys fault for sleeping in. Its a pity, but I dont think we have time to play. From now on well have to get working on our commission. Hmph~! Milly was still groaning when I let her wait with the rest, while Claude and I finished up the preparations for the hunt. We had a lot of fun yesterday, but today we ought to hunt the Sti Beetles that have been popping up all over Southern Island. We should not only be playing but must also complete our job too. The Sti Beetle was not that strong of a monster, but it didnt discount the fact that its existence posed a danger to the average person. I think we should split into two teams to hunt. Thatll be me, Claude, and Shirushu. And then, Milly, Lydia, and Silverie. Sounds good. Ill be fine on my own though Well, come on, Sil-chin ? Since were all here together~ Lydia tried to pacify Silverie who was sullen. It was true that the Sti Beetle was nothing special for a monster. Even if Shirushu were in her normal state where she was the weakest in our team, she would still be able to defeat the beetle easily. Frankly speaking, it would be more efficient if we all split up to hunt, but this request was meant to help Silverie to grow closer to us. It would be less meaningful if Silverie were to act with me, so we will go separately, while Milly and Lydia should be able to look after her well. We parted ways at the entrance of the inn. Millys group headed to the south of the island, while we went towards the north. Then, well see you later at night! Yeah! I responded to Millys energetic wave and saw the three of them off. Shall we get going too? Shirushu prompted us and I nodded in agreement. Oh right, Sti Beetles are nimble creatures, so lets be careful. Sorry but I will need to do some shopping, so can we stop by a shop later? Im out of salve Ah, got it. Thank you very much. We decided to accompany Claude to the shop, and headed towards the city center. The city center was bustling with many tourists and stores. Although it was not yet the peak of the travel season, there was still a considerable number of people walking around. Zeph-kun and Shirushu-san, can you wait around here for me? Mm, you can go ahead. Alright then, Ill contact you through telepathy when Im done. Claude then ran off to the store. Now, we have some spare time on our hands. Zeph-san, since were here anyway, shall we go look around the stores? Hmm, I guess. Im interested to see what the stores have to offer. He he, yeah. I hope theres something that will suit your preferences, Zeph-san. Shirushu and I walked into a nearby store. The store seemed to be selling accessories, with various colors of jewels, belts, and necklaces on display. Shirushu appeared deeply fascinated by the accessories, as she picked them up one by one and carefully studied them. Unsurprisingly, women like these kinds of things, I guess? Yeah, just yesterday, Claude and I were talking about getting matching accessories. Hmm. Matching accessories huh Since the time they met, the two girls sure have been really close. A knight and a priest. As people who both place an importance on manners and etiquette, I guess they have something in common. CH 137.1 Hmm I guess this should do it Shirushu said as she chose a collar. A collar huh. C-C Its not! This is a choker, a choker! Thats what this is called!! said Shirushu with an angry face, however no matter how it looked at it, to me it looked like a collar. I raised my hands as if I had given up and Shirushu stared at me. It seems like I angered her. Im sorry. As an apology Ill give you the money for that. Really? Youre both doing your best. So its a gift. Wow! Thank you!! Claude-san will be really happy!! Shirushu said with excitement and she handed the collars over to me. I then went and gave it to the owner of the store. Both of the collars cost a total of 50,000 rupi. These are so expensive! Well Shirushu seems to like them so I guess its fine. Come here, Ill put it on for you. Stretch your neck out Shirushu. O-Okay. I put the collar on Shirushu as she stood completely still. It reminded me of the time when I put a collar on my dog. I just cant imagine this being anything else but a collar. I-It feels kind of embarrassing Kuku, but it suits you doesnt it? What do you mean by that? Haha, Ill leave you to figure that out by yourself. After a while, I received a Telepathy call from Claude so we went and met up. After finishing our shopping, we went out to the forest to hunt the Sti Beetles There were several dungeons in the depths of Sazan Island. If they were left unchecked, the Sti Beetles would come to the village in search of food. Our mission this time was to prevent that. As we walked through the woods, Shirushu suddenly stopped and cautiously looked forward. I smell a Sti Beetle. Just as Shirushu said that a beetle-shaped monster that was the size of a stump came out. It was a Sti Beetle. Two tentacles extended from its oval body, and several legs wriggled under its black shell. Even among the insect-type monsters, it was a monster that was particularly hated for its appearance. Furthermore, it was quick. Silverie will probably have a hard time against them, considering she hates insects. The Sti Beetle jumped at us, but Claude brought it down with her sword. Hya!! The Sti Beetle was split in half with only a single slash. It fell to the ground and its legs fluttered after which it disappeared. The thing that remained after the Sti Beetle disappeared was a banana peel. Urgh Its garbage Lets pick it up and throw it away later. I picked up the peel and put it in the trash that Shirushu prepared for me. The Sti Beetle have the habit of eating the garbage and equipment left by humans and storing it in their body. So once they are defeated the items stored in their bodies drop. Collecting the garbage they dropped was also part of our quest. After storing away, the banana peel we continued once again. As we walked a good number of Sti Beetles attacked us, but we took care of them all. Claude murmured in a small voice as she picked up the garbage that a Sti Beetle had dropped. This is kind of strange I thought that Sti Beetle was a monster with a timid personality that didnt attack people often Hmm, there really are quite a lot of them One by one they arent that strong, but there may be something else happening. Watch out okay? Understood.Claude replied. For the time being, lets look for a place where the monsters are gathering. I said. Hearing me Shirushu took off her hat and as she did that her ears sprung up. She then mobilized her nose and began to walk as she looked around. Hmm Its this way. she said. We continued our Sti Beetle hunt with Shirushu guiding us. Out of all the Sti Beetles that we encountered about half were of those that attacked people while the other half were of the timid ones. With so many aggressive monsters, the forests of Sazan Island will be dangerous for the normal tourists. A long time must have passed since the last time they cleared out the Sti Beetles. Good grief. The resorts here are making money so the management shouldnt be so stingy. AH! Another Sti Beetle! Its coming at us really fast!!Shirushu said Leave it to me. Right after Shirushus warning a black shadow appeared. Seeing it I immediately cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Ball and White Ball. Double Fusion: Marble Ball A black and white magical ball appeared and drew a line, piercing the Sti Beetle with tremendous speed. I hadnt been able to synthesize it before, due to the incompatibility between the Sky and Soul Magic, however after training for some time I was finally able to pull it off. The magic bullet that shot out at high speed wasnt so powerful, however it was without a doubt the fastest spell that I had. However, since I could only synthesize the ball version of the spell, for now I could only use it against enemies of this calibre. The things that the Sti Beetle had eaten fell into the grass. Ill pick it up. Shirushu said and moved forward, but then she suddenly stopped. Hyaaaa!! Both me and Claude were shocked by Shirushus yell so we approached as well. When we did, we were also amazed at the sight. Z-Zeph-kun!! This is A humans arm had dropped out of the Sti Beetle. I picked it up and examined it. It doesnt have that much damage on it It must be recent. D-Did it get eaten by the Sti Beetle? Shirushu asked fearfully No judging by the cut of the arm, it appears to have been cut by a blade or something. The cut is really clean It must be someone quite skilled. Claude said from the side. Sti Beetles are usually quite docile, but Ive heard that once they eat something thats been worn by a human, and learn that taste, then they may attack people in search of it. The Sti Beetles in this forest might have become ferocious because they found a human corpse and remembered its taste. I didnt notice until now because of the mixture of various smells, but theres a strong odour of blood coming from the north. There might be something happening over there said Shirushu Lets go check it out.Claude said immediately. Hold your horses. There might be someone really dangerous over there. I said, trying to stop her. However, Claudes eyes were burning with motivation. She was the perfect description of a person guided by justice. But it was just too dangerous. If theres someone like that we cant just let him go! Lets catch him and hand him over to the Dispatch Magicians! You idiot. People like that should be left to the Dispatch Magicians in the first place. We dont need to get involved. But I stroked Claudes head to calm her down. I understand your feelings, but would you really want to put us all in danger? Claude was left lost for words. It seems like she didnt think that shed be putting her own friends in danger. Claude then apologized. Im sorry Its fine as long as you understand. Claude has a strong sense of justice. Which is by no means wrong, but its not praiseworthy to stick her nose where it doesnt belong. She shouldnt get close to murderers In that sense Milly can be said to be dangerous as well. She might just dash off if she happens to find a dead body. Still, Lydia and Silverie are with her so I hope she wont do anything crazy Ill check up on them just in case. I called Lydia using Telepathy and she immediately replied. Zeph-chi, is something wrong? Something strange happened, so I thought that I would warn you. Actually I see. Got it! Well be careful! replied Lydia in a carefree manner. But even so Lydia was quite the reasonable person. She would stop Milly if she were to do something. Still, we dont need to be that afraid of the murderer. If we do happen to run into him, I plan on taking him down. Ill tell you this just in case, but if you happen to encounter someone that looks suspicious dont hesitate. Shirushu if you smell a strange odour be sure to tell me immediately. I-Ill do my best! Understood! I dont plan on letting someone like that get away either! Still Id prefer it if we didnt have to fight against humans. Especially if the opponent is someone whos committed murder. It might turn into quite a fierce battle. Aside from me, I dont want to force Claude and Shirushu into such a battle. I guess its gonna be fine as long as we dont go too far in and just hunt around here. While I was thinking that, Shirushu began to dig a hole in the ground. Ill bury this arm Youre right. The owner is probably no longer alive after all. Shirushu buried the arm in the hole as if she was handling something really important. She made a cross in front of her chest, clasped the cross that was hanging from her neck with her hands, closed her eyes and prayed. Considering she was once a sister, she probably wanted to mourn the owners death. Claude followed after her and kneeled on the ground. They sure are serious I pretended to pray with them while thinking that. Suddenly I felt a humans presence behind me. Whos there?! Hearing my shout, Claude and Shirushu looked back. This presence, its definitely a human To think that he was able to get this close without Shirushu noticing him with her nose Show yourself. I said facing the grass, however I got no reply. It seems like he doesnt plan on coming out. Claude stood in front of me and pulled out her sword. Come out! If you dont Ill attack! said Claude If you dont come out within three seconds, Ill cast magic. I declared and slowly raised my hand. As I did so I heard rustling coming from the grass. Im sorry for scaring you. I got scared and missed the timing to come out. We heard a polite male voice coming from within the grass. As soon as Claude heard that voice her body quivered. The man that appeared had a fearless look, and his long unsanitary hair was tied behind him. He was dressed in rags and looked like a slave who had just broken free. Wait a minute, this face, this voice, I think Ive met this person somewhere B-Brother Its been a while Claude. CH 137.2 I remember. This is Claudes older brother, Kane. He was Kane Leonhardt. The man who robbed Claude of her money by using violence and then splurged it by pretending to have a glamorous life to those around him. He used to wear luxurious armor, but now he just looked like a shadow of his former self. Kane looked at both me and Claude with a refreshing smile. Haha, this sure takes me back. As soon as Kane took a step towards us, Claude took two steps back. Kane reached his arm out to Claude, who was clearly frightened. I wanted to meet you Claude. he said smiling, but Claude remained silent. After I lost to you I couldnt stay with the Knights It was quite a miserable life. Everyone looked down on me with contempt Which was understandable. I had lost to my younger sister, to a child. They made a total mockery of me. I didnt have a single ally Didnt you bring that upon yourself though? You robbed your sister of her money, just so you could go and play it off. Afterwards your sister made fun of you in front of your subordinates. To me that seems like the perfect punishment. After that you couldnt remain a knight, and had a tough life? Well serves you right! Suddenly, Kane, who had just confused his lifes circumstances, started to shake. Is he crying? Claude, I think I finally understand how you must have felt. You were probably treated the same at home werent you? Thats why I wanted to meet you again and apologize. Im sorry Claude. Big brother I-Im At that time, Claude said goodbye to the Leonhardt family, however, somewhere within her heart, she must have felt guilty about it. Her calling Kane, brother, was proof of that. Claude stretched out her shivering hands as she tried to hold Kanes hand. At that moment, Kane twisted his smile. Kanes right hand immediately shot towards the sword that was hanging on his left hip. Claude-san!! Shirushu noticed that and jumped forward to protect Claude. At the same time, Kane pulled out his sword. This is bad! Time Square!! As I cast the spell, time stopped and before me I could clearly see Kane wielding his sword at Claude. So you planned on making Claude lower her guard and attack huh. I thought you were really trying to connect with Claude. I was too naive. Trash will always be trash. Kane has the Leonhardt familys unique spell, Screen point, which can almost completely nullify all magic. However, it only works if the said magic touches his body. There are many countermeasures to it. While time was stopped I cast Black Ball, Blue Ball and Green Ball. Triple Fusion: Icicle Ball. I unleashed the spell towards Kanes feet. A sound of metal being distorted was heard, and then Kanes feet were covered in magical ice. Due to Kanes Screen point the ice couldnt completely constrain his movements, however it was enough to stagger him so that his sword deviated from its original mark. After the swords trajectory changed, it ended up slashing towards Shirushu. With a tearing sound Shirushus back was slashed by Kanes sword. a Shirushu tried to cry out as fresh blood fluttered in the air. She fell down and her pink hair touched the grass. The scene that happened just now, passed through our eyes in slow motion. Shirushu!! Tsch, I missed. Shirushu-san!! Wake up!! Claude immediately ran towards her crying, as she picked up Shirushus bloody body. When Kane saw that he laughed boastfully. Haha! This is all your fault Claude. That girl will die just because she tried to protect you! Its all your fault! No Shirushu-san Claude held on to Shirushus body as her hands quivered and her tears fell down. She had been betrayed, cursed, and now even sank into despair all because of her brother. It was hard to imagine that there was something that could break Claudes heart this much, considering she was able to withstand any attack without faltering. You bastard!! Hmph Zeph was it. Dont think Ive forgotten about you. Kane said as he smiled, however at the same time he took a step back. However, there are others who hold a grudge against you Still Ill hold off until Im with my friend to kill you. What did you say? Afterwards Kane didnt say anything else and just disappeared within the grass. Wait! Do you think you can just get away?! Haha, I dont mind if you chase after me, but shouldnt you take care of that girl over there. Her wound looks quite deep. ! Hahaha. You dont need to worry, Ill come meet you again. said Kane laughing as he disappeared within the forest. I wanted to go after him immediately, however I couldnt just leave behind Shirushu as she was seriously injured. That bastard Ill remember this! Zeph-kun Because of me Shirushu-san Its not your fault! Calm down Claude! But but Its fine. Ill take care of Shirushu, so help me! O-Okay As Claude continued to cry I told her to help me by removing Shirushus jacket. Kanes sword left behind a long line that ran through Shirushus back, as it endlessly leaked blood. Upon seeing that Claude took a deep breath. Its fine, well definitely save her. I said that and immediately afterwards cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Healing twice. Double Fusion: Double Healing I put my hand on Shirushus wound and cast, upon doing so the flowing blood slowly stopped. Shirushus face, which had been pale just a minute ago, began to regain its normal color. Phew, guess that should do it for first-aid. However, the situation is still unpredictable Healing was a spell that could heal wounds, however it couldnt restore physical strength. In the worst case scenario, Shirushu could die due to losing too much blood! Claude, call Milly immediately! O-Okay! Get yourself together. I embraced Claude as she couldnt stop her tears. My clothes quickly got wet due to Claudes tears. But even so, she still showed no signs of stopping. It must have been quite the shock for her. It doesnt look like shell even be able to move properly. But still Kane said that theres someone who has a grudge against me, didnt he? Moreover, he said that he was his friend Who in the world was he talking about? Looking up, I noticed that a dark cloud had appeared in the previously clear sky. Within a steep, rocky mountain in the northern part of Sazan Island. After having split with Zeph and the others, Kane made his way inside a crevice of the rocky mountain. The cave looked like it had been naturally formed, and seemed like the perfect place for avoiding the public eye. Due to this also being a small dungeon spot, it was the perfect place for the Sti Beetles, which were able to dispose of garbage, to spawn. Which in itself was useful for Kane and his friend. Still I think its dangerous for us to stay here any longer I hear that within the Dispatch Magicians there are ones with unique abilities which make it extremely difficult to escape their pursuit thought Kane. The one who had suggested that they hide here was the one who had escaped with him from the Prison Island. Within the crevice Kane called out that persons name. Grain-dono! Grain-dono, are you here! However, there was no reply. It seemed like Grain had left somewhere. While feeling anxious, Kane proceeded even deeper. Theres definitely someone chasing us considering we escaped from Prison Island. Even so, I guess it must be safe here, after all Grain-dono, who was once a Dispatch Magician, said so. Kane thought. As he did so the sound of his footsteps resounded within the cave. Normally the cave would be quite lively, however today it was strangely quiet. Towards the depths of the silent cave, Kane once again called Grains name Grain-dono!! I was waiting for you. Suddenly a woman with long black hair, and a white coat stood before Kane. As Kane saw her sharp gaze he instinctively created some distance between them. A Dispatch Magician he thought. The woman slowly walked towards the flustered Kane. Every single one of her moves showed that she was no ordinary woman. Kane stepped back once more, and after taking a few more steps the woman stopped. She then slowly opened her mouth. Theres something that Id like to ask you. I presume you know a man by the name of Grain Ravens Where is he? It seems like this woman still hasnt found Grain-dono. Is what Kane was thinking. Knowing that he stroked his chest and laughed at the woman as if he was trying to mock her. Unfortunately, I cannot help you. And even if I knew I still wouldnt tell you. That person is the one who helped me in my time of need on Prison Island. Hes my saviour. It will go against my pride as a knight if I were to sell out my saviour you see. A knights pride you say. And here I hear that you did some terrible thing to your own sister. As Kane heard the womans words he clicked his tongue and got angry. To think that its spread that far. That damn Claude. Why must she torture me no matter where I go. Shes the worst sister there is. Thinking that, Kane angrily shouted back at the woman. It is an honor for the youngest child to help the ones at the top. Ive done nothing that would invite your scolding. Is that so Well I guess its fine. That aside, lets go back to the topic about Grain. Since hes not here, Ill have to make do by only taking you with me for now! You sure are persistent. I told you already that I dont know anything. If thats the case Ill have to force it out of you Just so you know, the Associations torture is not kind. The dialogue that just happened between the both of them was probably worthless from the start. The woman immediately drew her sword and swung it at Kane. Without any hesitation, she aimed at Kanes vital points. Even if her strike caused a fatal injury, it would still be fine because it could be treated. Shes quite the feisty one considering her appearance! And seeing that she didnt use an attack spell then it must mean that she knows about my Unique Spell. Kane also pulled out the sword that he had stolen from an adventurer and received the womans strike. After clashing swords for a number of times, it became evident that something similar to an aura was covering the womans body. Shes using some kind of strengthening magic! Their skill with the sword was almost on par, however as time went on Kane was gradually pushed back. If she saw a chance the woman would strengthen herself with magic, and widen the gap between them even more. It was a reliable strategy. So Im at a disadvantage when it comes to a prolonged battle huh Ah?! For just a moment Kane diverted his gaze. The woman saw that launched an attack that aimed at Kanes throat. Kane somehow stopped it at the last moment, however he was pushed back by the force of the blow. The womans strength, which had been increased with magic, far exceeded that of Kane. The womans body glowed with the colors of the rainbow as it was supported by her strengthening magic. Of course, she had also cast defensive magic as well. So even if Kane managed to land a hit on her, in the end it wouldnt cause much damage. But even so, Kane looked at the woman with a smile on his face. CH 138.1 Whats so funny? Are you laughing out of desperation because you realized you cant win? No, Im laughing because Im certain that I will win! ?!! With a loud shout the woman swung her sword. Kane received her strike, however her sword still managed to land on his shoulder. The sound of the ripping flesh and the sight of the flowing blood shocked the woman for a moment. It was then that Kane abandoned his sword and embraced the woman. W-What are you?!! The woman was a bit embarrassed, however she soon noticed Kanes aim. Due to Kanes Screen Point, her strengthening magic was beginning to disperse. ?!!T-To think that you would go this far! You were just too careless. This is the end. The woman tried to desperately get away, but due to her strengthening magic having disappeared, she couldnt escape from Kanes strong grip. It was then that a person appeared from the shade of a rock near them. Good job Kane! It was Grain. After praising Kane, Grain went behind the woman and thrust a dagger in her back. G-Grain?!! Wow, you sure pulled out the stops in order to kill me?!Didnt you Dispatch Magician-sama?! As he spoke Grain continuously dragged the dagger down the womans back. Since her defensive magic had faded, Grain was able to carve her body over and over again. U..rgh?! AAAAAAHHHH?!! Damn it!! Y-YOU BASTARD!! Every time the woman screamed, Grain would laugh happily. Hyahahaha!! Die!! Dieee!! Urgh Countless red streaks ran down the womans back. The blood that spewed from the wounds dyed her white coat red, and the woman finally collapsed to the ground. Although she was still barely alive, the light in her eyes faded, and she didnt even have the strength to stand up. But even so, Grain still had no intention of stopping his blade. Kane looked from the distance at Grain, who was swinging his dagger down like crazy. Hmph, the bitchs already dead. What a disappointment. Having had his fun with her, Grain finally stopped his hand, it was then that a powerful aura wrapped around his body. Im sorry Kane. If you were with me the Dispatch Magicians wouldnt be able to find me. So I needed you to leave for a bit. I see. My Screen Point erases the magic that touched my body, and even eats up the magic around me to a degree So in order to lure in the enemy you had to have me go out, right? Most of the Unique Spells that the Dispatch Magicians possess can only be used when wearing this coat. So in order for me to use those, I had to at least lure one of those Dispatch Magicians and kill them said Grain as he stepped on the womans dead body. By the way Grain-done, I saw Zeph and the others earlier. Really? Grain seemed to be quite interested so Kane continued to explain what had happened to him. They probably came to the island because of a request or something. I happened to see him and his friends inside the forest. That sure sounds interesting You didnt kill him right? I did not. I also hold a grudge against him but I couldnt disregard you Grain-dono. Haha You dont have to be so respectful. You should know that Im only using you because of my own benefits, correct? Even so, that doesnt change the fact that you saved me. The way Kane and Grain laughed casually as they spoke, would never lead one to think that they had just committed a hideous crime. The two men who had met on Prison Island and cooperated to escape were now here. Due to that a strange friendship had been born between them. As they were talking the Sti Beetles began to gather around them, probably having been led by the smell of the dead body. Ops, I should take it before it gets eaten by the insects. saying the Grain robbed the woman of her coat, sword, and any other useful items she had. The coat had its back dyed red, which seemed to represent Grains character quite well. It really didnt feel right without this. It suits you Grain-dono. Since we killed a Dispatch Magician, theyll probably come after us again And this time it wont be only one. Even if we wont be able to deal with so many of them, its best if we leave this place as soon as possible. Grain folded his arm, closed his eyes and smiled. But, its not like the pursuers will come immediately. Before escaping the island, we need to take care of Zeph and his friends. Its a little bit noisy here so how about we talk over there? proposed Kane. From a little while ago, the sound of meat being eaten had echoed in their surroundings. There was a black mountain that was wriggling right next to them. The Sti Beetles were continuously flocking to the corpse of the woman Grain had just killed. Even after the two of them left, the insects continued to devour the corpse. 3 After calling Milly and the others through Telepathy, we all brought Shirushu back to the inn where we laid her on the bed, and took turns healing her all night long. All the while, Claude held Shirushus hand and her tears flowed endlessly. She was probably still blaming herself. The treatment continued all night, and in the morning everyone fell asleep from the exhaustion. However, I still couldnt allow myself to sleep. There was something I had to do. After making sure that everyone was sleeping I slowly left the room so as not to wake them up. When I sneaked out of the inn, the pleasant sea breeze brushed past my cheeks, which made me feel a little better. I then turned my gaze north of the island, where Shirushu said she had smelled blood. Kane Ill never forgive him. I always thought he was a sneaky one ever since I met him, but to think that hed do something like that so casually. The days he spent resenting Claude probably distorted his twisted personality even more. He probably doesnt even know what sympathy feels like any more. The price for hurting my friends will be his death. Zeph-kun. Just as I determined myself I heard Claude call out to me from behind. Just as I was about to turn back she embraced me from behind. I could feel her body trembling slightly. She was holding on to my body with her hands in order to try and fight against it. Please take me with you. Even though hes my brother I cannot forgive him for harming Shirushu-san! No, youll stay here. Is it because you plan on killing my brother? She managed to read through me. Itd have been for the best if her instinct didnt work in these kinds of situations What a tactless fellow she is. Thats right. Thats why I cant take you with me. Youre connected by blood arent you? Theres no need for yourself to dirty your hands with that blood. Me, alone, is enough to take care of someone like him. In this battle Claude, youll only be a hindrance. Even so I beg you!! I tried to persuade her but Claude wouldnt let go of me. As Claude put even more strength into her embrace I felt my magic power slowly being sucked out. The wielders of Screen Point can extract the magic power of someone they touch. If you dont take me with you Zeph-kun, I wont let go until you have no magic power left! Claude you Screen Point certainly did extract the magic power of the person touching the caster. It also almost nullifies spells as well. Come to think of it, Kanes Screen Point from earlier seemed quite aggressive, like it was trying to rob my magic power away. On the other hand, Claudes Screen Point does not negate all magic power, but rather it can absorb some spells such as strengthening magic and such. Claudes Screen Point does not reject everything, but rather it only rejects that which it deems harmful to her. Although shes desperately holding on to me, my magic power has not been drained all that much, probably due to me being her friend, and not having ill intentions. Claude, thats enough. I grabbed Claudes hand and turned around. She looked like she was about to cry. I could clearly see her tears welling up. Zeph-kun! As I wiped off her tears, she looked at me with a resolved look. It felt like she was saying Ill never give up. Good grief, what a troublesome fellow. Okay, okay, you can come with me. But dont do anything crazy. I said with a sigh, to which a gloomy face changed to one of excitement. And this time, she hugged me from the front and even pushed me down with her. Thank you Zeph-kun!! Hey! Let go of me! Oh Im sorry saying that Claude released her Screen Point. No not that, move your arms. It hurts when your breastplate pushes into me. In the end I had to choose but to forcefully move Claude off of me and get up. Lets go before everyone wakes up. Okay! I didnt want anyone else, especially Milly, to have such a blood fight. Of course that included Claude as well. Thats why I was planning on being the one who would kill Kane. Claude was also probably aware of my intentions as well. If possible Id like her not to participate but oh well. We went inside the forest and proceeded smoothly while defeating monsters. As we went deeper, the Sti Beetles more frequently dropped pieces of meat and cloth covered with blood. Claudes face twisted each time. It seems like Kane is hunting adventurers who came here to hunt monsters. Considering he also slashed at Claude without any hesitation, it must mean that hes already lost his humanity. Shirushu-san said that the smell was coming for the north of the island, right? According to the map, the rocky mountain near the cape in the north is a small dungeon. Im thinking that that place is a bit suspicious. said Claude. Lets go check it out for now. Shirushus sense of smell worked by picking up on the smell of magic power. She was apparently able to sense odors which had been permeated with magic power, and then follow those odors to find traces. Kanes Screen Point, which is able to erase magic power, can be said to be her archnemesis. Thats probably also why she wasnt able to sense him getting close. Ain, come out. Hey, hey! After casting Summon Servant, Ain appeared right next to me. And after staring at Claudes face for a while, she whispered to me. Gramps, Claude doesnt seem to be doing too great. Some stuff happened. And the place that were about to head to right now is going to be pretty tough as well. Hmmm. Ain moved away from me and shot straight for Claudes face, as she hugged it. Hyaa?!A-Ain-chan?! Its gonna be okay Claude. After all Im with you ? Thank you. And like that Claude ended up cuddling with Ain for a while. As I was looking at them, suddenly a Sti Beetle appeared in front of me. Ain. Whats up? I just remembered a thing that I wanted to test out. Eh Youre doing it now? With this atmosphere? The battle afterwards may turn out to be a fierce one. I want to try it while I still can. Hearing me say that, Ains face suddenly went pale. And the target just appeared right in front of us. So hurry up and turn into a sword. Are you sure you want to use me against such a weak monster, to me it just seems like a waste Just turn into a sword, would you? Tsch Okay Ain reluctantly turned into Divine Sword Ainbelle and landed in my hand. Lets go Ain. P-Please be gentle CH 138.2 I had already tried storing most of my spells inside Divine Sword Ainbelle, but I had yet to try storing Red Zero. And that was precisely what I was going to try now. Oh God of Fire, the one who stands at the peak of its teaching and truths, bestow me with your strength. Let the Crimson Blade spin and lay waste to my enemies Red Zero! Claude looked at me in bewilderment, however I ignored her gaze and fired Red Zero towards Divine Sword Ainbelle. AH-AH-AHIts hot! The flames were sucked into the Divine Sword, and the blade took on a crimson color. Ain screamed in agony, as she tried to endure it, but With a popping sound Ains Divine Sword form was lifted. Ain fell to the ground, and held her skirt painfully. Hm, it looks like she still cant handle it. The amount of magic power released by the spell is probably way too much. D-Demon gramps Youre such a sore loser. Theres no way something that big would go in, you idiot!! Kukuku As I made fun of Ain, even Claude was giggling in the back. Claude?! Even you I-Im sorry Ain-chan. Hmph. At first Ain made a sulking expression, however she then saw that Claudes mood had lightened up a bit, so in the end it all turned out well. Although it consumes magic power I guess its best if I leave Ain out. Shes gonna help lighten the mood. After I easily defeated the Sti Beetle we once again continued on our way. When we passed through the forest and came close to the cape the smell of sea water consumed our senses. Mixed with it, there was a faint smell of blood. As if having noticed it as well Claude and Ain frowned. Whoa, I have a bad feeling about this Gramps, is this really gonna be okay? You dont need to worry. Who exactly do you think I am? A brute, a cheapskate, and also a perverted old man who loves big breasts? I hit Ains head, as she was being extremely rude. She then held her head with both of her hands, showing a painful expression. That hurt Dont over exaggerate it. Its always the same with you. Its the same with your sadistic character, gramps. You should treat me, and other girls a little bit more kindly! Isnt that right Claude! W-Well I think that Zeph-kun treats us fine the way it is What! You only say that because you dont know gramps true personality Hey, that hurt?! Why did you hit me again! Without saying anything I hit Ain a second time, to which she again exaggerated the pain. Ain hatefully glared at Claude, who had a perplexed smile on her face. Im grateful that the tension has been lifted a bit, but unfortunately I cant let it stay this way for long. Ain, turn into a sword. Claude, you concentrate as well. Yea, yea, I got it. Despite her unmotivated reply, Ains eyes seemed to be burning with hostility towards Kane. As soon as I held onto Ains hand, with a dazzling light she transformed into Divine Sword Ainbelle. Were going all out Ain. I know Before coming here, I managed to try a few things, and found out that if I put two or more spells within Divine Sword Ainbelle, each time I swung it, its spells would activate in the order in which they were embedded. The number of spells that I could put in depended on the power of the spells. I could stock up to two or three Intermediate Spells, and I could even stock up a single Great Spell, still I was only limited to some Great Spells. However, it also seemed that the spells that I had stocked up would disappear after a while. I dont know when the battle will happen, so I guess Ill stock up on some spells in advance. After stocking up some spells in Divine Sword Ainbelle I turned towards the quay of the cape. When I concentrated towards it, even though it was a dungeon, I could feel that at an area around the back of the rocky mountain there was a place that had no magic power. Its probably due to Kanes Screen Point. It feels like the magic power of the area has been sucked dry. I feel like the first time I met him his Screen Point wasnt this powerful. Unique Spells often change depending on the training of their owner, or their owners change of heart. Despair in particular could cause quite a powerful change. It was probably also due to the despair that I felt when I realized that I had no talent for Red Magic, that I was able to create the spell that allowed me to come back in time. Claude, if something happens run away immediately. Understood! Even with her brother as an enemy, Claudes eyes were still burning with motivation. It seems like shes quite fired up. Even though I just told her to run away, I bet that Claude would never abandon me and run. If by some chance I end up losing, shell probably face him herself. In other words, this is a situation in which I must not lose, no matter what I really shouldnt have taken her with me. Still theres no point in thinking about this now. I just need to win. Thats all there is to it. Clade and I both held our breath and slowly approached the place that had lost its magical power. Thankfully the place that Kane had chosen as his whereabouts was quite far, and it didnt seem like he had any intention of moving from there. After all, taking refuge in a dungeon meant that he would naturally come across monsters and adventurers. That said, considering he needs to be wary of stuff like that all the time, its highly likely that he would have set some kind of trap. Criminals would often choose to hide in dungeons, when they did so their go to method of defense were traps. Be careful where you step Claude. Okay. When we entered the crevice of the quay I noticed that some threads had been stretched out in places where it was difficult to see, and a bell had been attached to the end of the strings. Upon seeing that I signalled Claude and she noticed them as well so she nodded and returned. It seems like its safe to proceed. Just as I thought that a number of Sti Beetles approached with a rustling noise. As soon as the beetles eyes, which were peeking through the gap in its shell, saw us they clearly marked us as their prey. Hmph! Claude, wait! I wasnt able to stop Claude and she ended up piercing one of the Sti Beetles torsos. The Sti Beetle dropped to the ground and disappeared. It dropped a piece of cloth that had probably belonged to an adventurer. Seeing that piece of cloth, the other Sti Beetles came at us. The first Sti Beetle that reached the cloth and all the other Sti Beetles that had now lost their prey after becoming excited, all turned towards us. They got us! These Sti Beetles themselves are the trap?! Calm down Claude, were switching gears. Even if theyre a little far away, theres no way that Kane and his friend wont notice that a battle is going on. To think that Kanes plan would include feeding a flock of Sti Beetles adventurers belongings. What a cunning fellow. Nonetheless, even though we were caught in the trap, we are yet to make any loud noises, so theres a high chance that they still havent noticed us. Furthermore, Ive already predicted something like this would happen. Gramps!! I know I thought that something like this would happen so I stored a Sleep Code inside Divine Sword Ainbelle. At the same time, I swung my sword and cast Black Wave. Double Fusion: Sleep Wave With me as the centre a warm breeze shot out and every Sti Beetle that touched it stopped moving. This is? I put them to sleep. Its a wide-range sleep spell. It can only be used on small fry though. By combining a wave-type spell with another spell, I could spread the other spells effect in a wide area. At that time, the power of the other spell would be considerably weakened, so its disadvantage was that it could only be used against small fry. However, it could be used in situations like this to avoid a crisis. Phew, it looks like my preparations came in handy. While trying to not step on the sleeping Sti Beetles we continued towards Kane. While occasionally checking on Kanes position, we proceeded to make as little noise as possible. It seems like hes not moving. Still were getting pretty close to him. Its only a matter of time before he notices us. The Sti Beetles crawling at our feet were really annoying. If we defeated them, a large group would then flock to us, so we had no choice but to ignore them. Although sometimes some of them would jump at us. When that happened I put them to sleep with Sleep Code. Just a little bit more Claude. I know. The deeper Claude went, the more she slowed down and her breathing also became rough. I couldnt blame her. The smell of blood was already pretty dense, and the feeling of devilishness was lingering in the air. It felt terrible, it was just like we were making our way to some kind of altar for evil spirits. Shes probably scared. Then Claude suddenly stopped. I turned to look at her and noticed that her face had lost its color. Claude. Huh? W-What is it? I grabbed Claudes hand and hugged her from the front. You dont need to be afraid, Ill protect you. Zeph-kun I tightly embraced Clade as she was shaking. I then felt her hands run up my back and grab my clothes. I did that in order to try and calm her down, but Claudes body still continued to tremble. It really is too much for her. Theres no way she can fight properly like this. I need to calm her down. However, Claudes trembling got even worse. Her legs began to wobble, and just as she was about to fall down she managed to lean on me. It doesnt look like itll get better any time soon. Still, if we continue with this we might get noticed by the enemy. This is gonna be a bit rough, but I guess it cant be helped. CH 139.1 Claude. Y-Yes? As I called out her name, Claude looked at me. Her teeth were clacking due to the fear and tension. I slipped my tongue between her lips. ?!! Claude widened her eyes with surprise and tried to get away, but I held her head with both arms and didnt let her. I slid my tongue between Claudes teeth in order to stop their rampage, however her teeth didnt stop even then and danced around my tongue, damaging it. Claude noticed the taste of blood spreading inside her mouth, so she grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back. Puha!! Zeph Please let go No can do. .Ur And then once more. After hugging her for a while, Claude, who initially resisted, gradually calmed down, closed her eyes and let me do as I pleased. After a while Claude finally stopped trembling. Puha. As I released Claude, a vermilion thread could be seen stretching from where our lips had touched. Claudes breathing was rough, and she still looked like she had her head in the clouds, however it was clearly better than before. Are you okay now Claude? Y-Yes Even after I let go of her body Claudes face still remained red. My arms that had been wrapped around her back conveyed her heightened pulse to me. I had managed to stop her from trembling, but I probably overdid it. After all, even I got embarrassed by my actions just now. T-Thank you Zeph-kun Dont mind it, also Im sorry. D-Dont be It made me happy said Claude as she held onto my hand. He trembled then completely disappeared. She still looks a little nervous, but I guess it wont affect her fighting. Are you fine now? Yes. I stroked Claudes head as she responded with a small yet strong tone. Afterwards we once again headed to where Kane was. As we walked Ain that was still in her sword form spoke casually. You sure are quite the passionate type, arent you Gramps? Ill fold you in two. A-Ain-chan please dont tease us Its too embarrassing said Claude as she lowered her head shyly, however thanks to Ain the tension was lifted a bit. The movements of Claude, as she followed behind me, were no different from her usual ones. Its right ahead of us. Ready yourself Claude. Understood!! As I strained my eyes in order to look towards the darkness in the back, I saw two men sitting on top of a rock protruding from the ground. They were Kane and Grain. Grain! The Dispatch Magician Grain. He was the devilish person that set us up to fight against a monster in the Eastern Continent. We later managed to defeat him in battle, and he was captured by the Dispatch Magician Azalea. Afterwards, the Magician Association should have implanted a magic bug that would eat the magic lines inside his body, ending his life as a mage. However, Grain was currently standing before us wearing a bloodied Dispatch Magician alongside Kane. It seems like they still havent noticed us, lets take care of them before they do! Okay Zeph-kun! Seeing Claude nod I began gathering my magic power. There was no need for me to hold back. I would go all out from the start. Screen Point ate magic, reducing a spells effect significantly, but that didnt mean that it nullified it completely. Even if its power is reduced, the fivefold synthesised spell Platinum Slash should still do the trick. Azalea told me not to use it, but its better than stupidly prolonging the battle and putting Claude in danger. Still, Kanes current Screen Point is quite powerful. I tried checking Kanes stats with Scout Scope, however it turned out that I couldnt even check the stats of Grain that was standing next to him. Theres a possibility that theyll survive even after getting hit by Platinum Slash Maybe I should try that. Claude, come to think of it, you can use Red Crash right? Hm? Thats right I can but Can you shoot it at Ain, Ill leave the timing up to you. U-Understood. I thrust Divine Sword Ainbelle to the ground and held Claudes hand as I tried to read the movement of her magic power. Thanks to strengthening her magic lines, I could easily feel the magic moving throughout her body, so I knew that I would be able to grasp the timing of when Claude would unleash the spell. Im firing!! Just as Claude faced Divine Sword Ainbelle and was about to fire Red Crash I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Crash and Green Crash. They both combined with Claudes Red Crash, forming a red, muddy mass which was sucked in by Ain. Triple Fusion: Volcano Crash. AH?!! As the spell landed on her, Ain raised her voice in agony, and the blade began to shine in red and black. Perhaps this was Ains limit, as Divine Sword Ainbelle was quivering, seeming like it was about to burst at any moment. Ain-chan, are you okay? S-Somehow B-But I cant hold it in much longer Gramps Hurry I know. I raised Divine Sword Ainbelle and just as I swung it I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Blue Crash and White Crash. As time began to move again, a platinum light exploded out with the sound of cracking ice. My field of vision was dyed white, and immediately after that a blast and a roaring storm broke out. Kyaaaaaaa?!! Claude was even blown off by the impact, and a large amount of dirt flew up. The platinum light flew farther and farther until it eventually disappeared. From the gaps in the smoke screen, I could see traces of tremendous destruction. The rock walls that were blocking our view until now were nowhere to be seen. In front of me there were only the remains of a rocky mountain that had been scooped out in a circle. On the other side of the now open rocky mountain, I could see the sea and clouds that had been split in half by the impact. Incidentally, from the gaps between the rocks I could also see that the Hunting Beetle, which was the middle boss of this dungeon, had also been split in half. I guess it must have also been swept away The Hunting Beetle then proceeded to disappear. Along with that I could feel my level raising. Claude, who had been blown off by the impact, slowly stood up and made her way next to me. That sure packed a punch Youre right Even I was a little bit surprised. I was several times stronger than Platinum Slash. I was expecting it to some degree considering I used the Intermediate Spell Crash, rather than the Primary Ball spell, however I never expected it to be this strong. I guess Ill call it Platinum Break. You sure are carefree even in this situation, arent ya Gramps That aside, what about those two As I turned to look for signs the dust curtain slowly began to lift up. When the smoke cleared up completely, Grain and Kane were standing there unscathed. Wh- You mean to tell me that they took that and werent hurt at all It seems like Kanes Screen Point was even more powerful than I thought. While brushing off the smoke with his hand, Grain spoke. Hey, that sure was one strange greeting, dont you think so Zeph? You sure look like youre doing good Grain I guess I must be thanking you for that, dont you think? Kukuku. said Grain laughing. It also looked like he was missing a single eye. Besides his eye he also had some other visible wounds here and there. It seemed like the magic bug, whose purpose was to eat through the magic lines and cause damage to the body when the owner used magic, had been embedded successfully. And yet despite that Why are you here? Shouldnt you be restrained by the Magician Association? Hmph I escaped. saying that Grain signalled Kane with his eye, forcing him to take a step forward. Judging by the way he followed his instructions their relationship seems to be that of a master and his servant. I met with Grain-dono on an unnamed prison-like island where criminals are sent. Criminals huh I can understand Grain being there, but what kind of crime did Kane commit? Well, hes the type to boast about his authority as a knight, and steal money from his sister in order to enjoy himself. Probably after his source of income, Claude, got cut off, he ended up squandering money and found himself in a lot of debt. On Prison Island we had to cut trees and stones from morning till evening and then load them up on a ship. When that was over we would return to our sheds and sleep like logs until morning came, and we had to do it all over again. Every single goddamn day. Those days felt like hell. The island under the Magician Associations supervision, or otherwise known as Prison Island, was a place that forced one to do heavy labor without killing him, and even if one got wounded, he would be treated with recovery magic and forced to work again. The daily, monotonous, long hours of hard labor ate at ones mind, depriving him of any willpower to escape. Within the people there, there were those that also willingly took their own lives. Hearing Kane explain his struggles, Claude looked down as if she felt sorry for him. I told her not to worry about it as I placed my hand on her shoulder and glared at Kane. It was then that I met Grain-dono. This person, being a former Dispatch Magician, led the people who were trapped on the island and forced to work like slaves, and with their help hijacked the ship, escaping from Prison Island. Unfortunately, along the way our friends were killed by pursuers and only me and Grain-dono survived. You reap what you sow. Ha. If only you hadnt existed, we wouldnt have to go through that! Zeph, we escaped just so that we could take our revenge on you Kuku, better prepare yourself said Grain as he reached out for the sword resting at his waist. They sure bear a huge hatred against me. Well, its not like it matters I guess theres no need for words. Correct Theres no point in talking with someone whos about to die!! CH 139.2 As Grain raised his hand, I felt a torrent of magic power swirl inside him. Eat this!! He fired off a Red Bullet.At the same time I fired off a Blue Bullet, offsetting his spell. It seems like Grain is able to use magic after all. Kuhaha. I bet youre shocked! Do you want to know why I can use magic?! Its all because Kane used his Screen Point in order to kill the magic bug inside my body! I see, I was wondering why he could use magic, but now it all makes sense. Kane used Screen Point on Grain in order to eliminate the magic from his body, and due to constantly living in that state without magic, the magic bug inside his body perished. Grain and Kane huh. They sure are a troublesome combo. For now, we should create some distance. Just as I thought that I was swallowed by the dust in front of me. Damn i! Zeph-kun!! From within the smoke Kane emerged wielding a sword, at the same time Claude also appeared holding her shield to stop him. Both of you die!! Urgh!! Claude made a troubled expression just as she stopped Kanes attack with her shield. As Kane came closer to me my magic began to be sucked in. What a powerful Screen Point To think that even Platinum Break wouldnt work. Did he perhaps finally awaken as a Mage Killer?! It seemed like even Divine Sword Ainbelle was being influenced by his Screen Point, as the blade of the sword began to shake. Seeing all of that Claude stood before me and spoke to me. Zeph-kun, please take care of Grain! Thank you. Do you think you can hold off Kane until I do that?! If you dont hurry Ill end up defeating him you know? Claude said and proceeded to pull out the sword resting at her hip. CH 140.1 You sure pulled a good one on me! Grain said as he stared at me. While looking back I threw the Spirit Power Recovery Medicine at him. Guided by his reflexes Grain split it, making the white liquid pour down on him. At the same time, the Screen Point membrane which was covering him until now, grew weaker. What the?! The lower the amount of magic power the owner has the stronger Screen Point is. Grain, you are an excellent mage. However, due to that you possess a large amount of Magic Power, meaning you cant control Screen Point properly. Due to the medicine Grains magic power was restored and Screen Point lost its effect. It was then that I pointed Divine Sword Ainbelle at him. I cast Time Square and while time was stopped I cast Blue Crash and Green Crash. At the same time, I also activated Red Crash and Black Crash, which I had stored inside Divine Sword Ainbelle right after throwing the medicine at Grain. Quadra Fusion: Tetra Ball This cant beeeee?! A golden colored slash and a dazzling light wrapped around Grain. And then a roaring sound followed. When the light subsided, Grain had disappeared alongside the terrain. Before me I could only see traces of destruction that reached up to the sea. Without his Screen Point, there was no way for Grain to dodge it. He had been wiped out without leaving anything behind. Im leaving the rest to you Gramps Of course. You did great Ain. Take care of my meal later, kay? After having exhausted all of her magic power Ain began to disappear, of course she didnt forget to mention her meal at the end though. I ended up laughing at her easy-going personality. Perhaps they were shocked by the sight of Grain being slaughtered, but even both Kane and Claude were staring at me with shocked expressions. G-Grain-dono?! Kane, youre next. After defeating Grain, I immediately headed to help Claude. Each time I took a step forward, Kane took one back. Taking a glance at my side, I saw that Claude was also glaring at Kane with hatred in her eyes. However, her expression still felt somewhat sad. Its just as I thought, the way she is she wont be able to really kill him. Even though hes such a despicable person, she still views him as her brother. Claude. Y-Yes?! Claude replied with a trembling voice. It seems that she started to relax now that she saw Kane being pushed back. In order to call her down a bit more I placed my hand on her shoulder. Claude Ill use strengthening magic on you so that you can take care of Kane with one swoop. In order for me to do that though, you need to lift your Screen Point okay? Huh? Okay, I got it. Tsch You damn brats!! Without paying any heed to Kanes relentless voice I turned Claude towards me and looked at her eyes. And then I cast Sleep Code at her. Eh? Zeph-ku Claude, who got struck by the sleeping magic after having lifted her Screen Point, shook her eyes and collapsed while clinging to my body. I let her lay on the ground and turned towards Kane. Whats all this for? I didnt want her to witness her brothers death you see. You fool! Ill say it just in case, but when it comes to swordsmanship Im way better than Grain-dono you know? Do you really think that a brat like you can win against me one on one with just pure swordsmanship? I ignored Kanes smug remarks and picked up Claudes sword. It was just a regular sword without anything particular about it. Even though I had given her money she hadnt bought any decent weapons and only opted to strengthen her armor. Claude wanted to be a shield that could protect everyone. That is also the reason why she only trained to receive blows. Her pain of having to be shielded by Shirushu as well as having to cross swords with that same sword which wounded Shirushu was unimaginable for me. Kane did an unforgivable thing. Just die you brat!! Kane unleashed a vicious stab, which I easily dodged by moving slightly sideways. I continued to dodge his relentless and crazy strikes. No way?! I wonder if Grain, whose swordsmanship skills are apparently inferior to yours use magic strengthening? Even since the start of my battle against Grain I was also using Double Black Boots, which greatly increased my speed. Currently Kanes attacks looked like they had stopped in time. No way! No way, no way, no way!! Ill tell you just in case, but Claude is able to cross swords with me the way I am now. No way!! AHHHHH! While parrying Kanes sword, I made my way close to his body. And with a flash I swung my sword. The slash landed cleanly on Kanes torso. Urgh This is it. I felt a strong response from my strike. Kane then spat a large amount of blood, and a large amount of blood also poured out from his abdomen. He pressed on his stomach with his hands as he tried to steady his breathing, however the blood wouldnt stop flowing out. He wouldnt live long. Haa, haaa. If theres anything left you wish to tell Claude as her brother, Ill convey it for you. .Hmph. saying that Kane turned to look at the sleeping Claude and laughed. Claude, because of you my life was the words Family, friends, even my pride I lost all of it because of you. I was forced to live a life akin to that of an animal And in the end this You bitch!! You were supposed to serve me until you died! And in the end you ended up betraying me after being swayed by this bastard. Heed my words, someone who will betray you in the future will definitely appear because of what you did! Youll never be able to make true friends! Dont think youll ever be able to lead a happy life! One day you will die just like me. Sufferin Before Kane could finish his sentence I cut off his head. Kanes face showed an expression of agony as his head rolled next to my feet. Without Claude you wouldnt have even been able to live such a luxurious life and yet You got what you deserved. A pack of Sti Beetle appeared out of nowhere and flocked to Kanes corpse, beginning to devour it. The reason why the Sti Beetle, who usually only ate dropped items, suddenly began to flock to human meat was also probably because those two killed adventurers and fed them their meat. And now hes the one being eaten by them. It really is ironic. Over 10 Sti Beetles gathered in just an instant and after a while completely devoured Kanes body, leaving behind only traces of blood. It was the right choice to put Claude to sleep. If she ended up seeing her brother being eaten in this way, it would have probably left her with some kind of trauma. When she wakes up Ill just tell her that he ran for the sea or something. Zeph-kun Upon hearing a voice coming from behind me, I decided to turn around only to see Claude hugging me from behind. Even though I had put her to sleep with Sleep Code, she had apparently managed to wake up before I could notice. As Claudes hands grabbed my clothes from behind I could feel her body quivering terribly. You were awake Claude said nothing as she only moved her head to respond. Without uttering a word, she cried quietly while rubbing her head against my back. Did she use Screen Point at the last moment? Or has her resistance towards magic grown stronger? Taking into consideration her character she would have immediately jumped to assist me in battle upon waking up. She must have probably woken up just around the time I took care of Kane. Which means that she must have completely witnessed that terrible spectacle Are you okay? There was no way she was okay. Claude had no strength to say anything as the tears fell from her eyes, as she held onto my clothes with her trembling arms. I could feel my back become wet from Claudes tears. It must have been a huge shock to her. She probably had also lost all of the strength in her legs as well, because I could feel her supporting her body on mine. Ill lend you my shoulder. Cry as much as youd like. And then once again without saying anything she just moved her head. I put my hands on hers and held them until she stopped trembling. Thank you Im already fine so An uncertain amount of time passed before she said that. After crying her heart out Claude let go of my back. Her tears had already seeped through my clothes and gave me a warm feeling. Are you really okay? Yes. Ehehe she said as she tried to force out a smile while wiping off her tears, yet she still appeared like she was hurting. CH 140.2 Shes a mess. I need to let her rest as soon as we get back. As I stroked her head she narrowed her eyes as if she liked it. Still, she did end up seeing quite the spectacle We thankfully somehow managed to take care of Kane and Grain but I ended up completely destroying the whole dungeon in the process. Azalea will yell at me again Its a hassle to speak to her, so I guess Ill just reject her Telepathy for now. She might still be busy with the case of Grain escaping and not even have time to deal with me, but Ill still cut her off just in case. Zeph-kun? Dont mind me, its nothing. Well then I guess everyone must be worried about us, so lets head back. Okay Oh said Claude as she tried to move her foot forward, however her feet still refused to support her body so I immediately jumped in to help. Ahahaha Im sorry I guess she still hasnt recovered from that shock. Well I cant blame her. It was a cruel sight after all. I supported Claude and proceeded to lift her up. Hyaaa Zeph-kun?! Didnt I tell you not to push yourself? Its fine to get spoiled once in a while you know. But you spoiled me way too much just a while ago Dont worry about that. Okay Claude said quietly as she lowered her head. The monsters around here are mostly small fry so I should be able to handle bringing us back somehow. Afterwards, Claude tried to escape from me a couple of times by saying that she could walk by herself, however I never let go of her. Around the half-way mark it looked like she had completely given up as she lowered her head down and didnt say anything. Should I let you go about here? Yes Ive been telling you I can walk on my own for a while now I let go of Claude at the woods that were in front of our inn, however she still looked like she was staggering a little. From here on out therell be people as well. I guess Ill let her walk to the inn. When we finally got to the inn and entered inside, just before I could open the door from my side, the door opened itself. From the inside Milly jumped out. AH! Zeph, Claude!! Milly-san?! When I woke up both of you werent here so I ended up searching for you! I couldnt even contact you with Telepathy. I guess that must be because I held onto Claude until now. Even until now it had been hard to reach Claude with Telepathy, so now that she experienced that kind of thing it must have impacted her Screen Point in a strange way, and completely blocked off communication. Are the others still sleeping? Uh, yea They were looking after Shirushu until early morning, so they must be quite tired. Doesnt that go for you as well Milly-san? Well As you can see Im still sleepy as well said Milly with a huge yawn while rubbing her eyes. Shirushu should be fine already. Her beastfolk regenerating abilities are amazing you see! Even though it was such a deep wound, it almost completely healed and shes even sleeping peacefully right now. But that out of the way, where did you two go so early? asked Milly with a carefree face. Well She got me here. What should I say? Ill tell her. Thats the least I can do. As I was wondering what to do Claude stepped before me and began to tell what had happened. She told everything about her family, her brother, about Grain, and about our fight and how we ended up killing them Milly just glared with a serious expression as Claude was telling the story in a traumatic manner, as if she was repenting about something. And so I Hmm. It really must have been tough Claude. saying that Milly completely embraced Claude. Burying her head within Millys small chest, Claudes tears flowed once more. Look at her, acting like a proper leader. As I let out a sigh of admiration I noticed that Milly was beckoning me while holding onto Claude. It seems like she wants something. Thinking that I went next to Milly just to have her pull on my cheek. W-What are you boing!! Thats my line!! Pulling my cheek even more, she dragged my face closer to hers. She narrowed her eyes and bore her fangs at me. What is she so angry about? Zeph!! Youre our co-guildmaster so its your responsibility to stop Claude from doing anything reckless!! I bid tby do sdob har bat! I dont want to hear excuses!! Furthermore!! You should tell us about things like this!! Arent you the one who told us not to do anything selfish?! Yea Shes right. But I couldnt just let Milly and the others witness something like that As I didnt say anything else, Milly let go of my cheek. She then grabbed my hand and pulled it next to her chest similar to Claude. A small bulge hit my face, and I could feel Millys body trembling. She must have been quite worried. You idiot. You should trust us more. Im sorry. Afterwards I didnt say anything else and just continued to be embraced by Milly. A long time passed like that. The dizziness, fatigue, and drowsiness suddenly rushed at me like waves. It seems like Ive also reached both my mental and physical limits. It must be because I stayed up almost all night to cast recovery magic on Shirushu. On top of that there was that fierce battle just a bit ago. I let go of myself, leaving Milly to support my weight, as I collapsed. Zeph?!!Are you okay?!!Zeph?!! Zeph-kun! Both Milly and Claudes voices got further and further away as my consciousness drowned into darkness. Both of them desperately shook my body, however I couldnt muster up the strength to tell them that I was going to be okay, and just like that I lost consciousness. Within the darkness I could hear Kane continuously swearing at Claude. It mostly consisted of the things he said before his death. Claude, you will definitely betray your friends! Your so-called precious friends! Ill never do something like that!! Ill never betray anyone!! replied desperately Claude, however Kane just laughed as he looked down on her. Hmph I wonder about that. That may be true for now. However, you will surely one day betray them. That day wont come! Ill never betray anyone As abuses were constantly sent her way Claude broke down crying. After laughing while seeing Claude like that Kane shifted his gaze to me. Dont you think so too Zeph. Hearing his words, a memory from my future popped into my mind. It was the memory of the Scout Scope scroll which caused me to lose the Flame of Flame title back then. In the future, it was Claude who brought the scroll, which Millys father had left her, to the Magician Association. The continuous flashbacks forced me to take a deep breath. See Zeph? Claude will definitely betray you. You should know that more than anyone else. Something like that wont happen. Thats because I believe her. Kuku. Even though you say that your face shows otherwise Shut up!! Kukuhahahaha! Kane ignored my words and disappeared alongside his laughter. That bastard After saying that I silently walked next to Claude. Theres no way something like that will happen. Is what I wanted to say to her, but before I could do that I noticed that Claude, whos eyes only showed void within them, was holding onto a sword. And from the sword, drops of blood were constantly dripping down. Claudes feet were dyed bright red with blood, and within that pool of blood beneath her there was a familiar girls body. The girls chest had been pierced through. That girl was Milly. ?!! I woke up. I looked around trying to calm my breathing down, but the whole area was pitch black. Did I fall asleep back then? I must have been quite tired it seems. HaHa That damn Kane Due to sweating in my dream my clothes had gotten sticky and gross. Its because he said those things that I ended up having that strange dream. Theres no way Claude will kill Milly When I looked around, while holding onto my aching head, I noticed that everyone was sleeping soundly. However, I couldnt spot neither Milly, nor Claude. My heart suddenly began to beat faster and burst out in cold sweat. It cant be But I grew worried and stood up in order to look for them, however my body wouldnt listen to me. Now that I think about it, the area below my waist feels quite heavy. It feels almost like theres something clinging to me. Hm? It cant be When I turned over my blanket I saw that Claude and Milly had at some point snuck into my bed. These two. Their sleeping posture is terrible Hm Zeph Zeph-kun The two of them mutter out my name in their sleep, as they held onto each others hands. Looking at both of them I ended up letting out a smile. Haha. Good grief. If by some chance these two end up fighting Ill definitely stop them. As I decided that inside my head I spread my arms and hugged both of them. CH 141.1 Still that must have been pretty tough Kuro-chan. The next day, after all of us had woken up, me and Claude explained to them what had happened yesterday. Everyone listened carefully and didnt say anything about it. It seems like they were convinced after listening. No, I was fine. Rather than that, Shirushu-san Im sorry for having caused you trouble. No, no, dont mention, something like this is no problem! Shirushu said as she waved her hands. It seemed like she had recovered a lot already. Seeing all of that, Milly let out a sigh of relief and turned towards me. so, I guess its best if we take care of the request as well. Youre right. We couldnt just sulk forever. This would be the perfect chance to switch the mood up. After all, we still had to take care of the Sti Beetle subjugation request. Even so, since Shirushus wounds hadnt healed completely we decided to leave her behind. Hearing us decide on that Claude also volunteered to stay. I feel bad leaving Shirushu-san alone by herself so Ill stay with her. My wounds arent that serious so Id like to go though You cant Shirushu-san, it was an awful wound so you stay still for the time being. I-In that case, Ill just stay here and sleep so Claude-san you go with the others No can do. Shirushu-san. Ugh Claude grabbed a hold of Shirushus shoulders and forced her to lay on the bed. She mercilessly covered her with a futon while Shirushu was sadly shaking her protruding tail. It happened just the other day after all, no matter how great the beastfolks recovery ability was, it was best to let her rest. I dont mind to stay in your place proposed Silverie Its because of me that Shirushu-san got wounded, so I wont sit right with me if I dont stay. Furthermore, I can also use Healing to a degree. I see. Even though Silverie proposed to stay behind, Claude still refused, shaking her head. Shirushu told her that she didnt have to worry about it, but Claude still felt like she was responsible for her brothers actions. Still this is perfect. Claude must still be pretty exhausted from yesterday after all. In that case Claude Ill leave Shirushu up to you while I, Zeph, Lydia and Silverie will take care of the hunting. Should we separate in two groups? No, all four of us should stick together. The other day we got attacked by Kane after he had split into two, so for a while I wanted us to all move together. Even though Kane and Grain were already defeated, it wouldnt hurt to be careful. Okayyy, well then well go the four of us. said Lydia energetically Have a safe trip everyone. Be careful out there. said both Claude and Shirushu as they were seeing us off. Should we use this opportunity that the four of us have gathered and go challenge a harder dungeon? Are you serious Silverie! Theres something like that? In the central part of the island there are other monsters besides the Sti Beetles. Furthermore, Ive heard that Pixis also appears there. We might as well hunt it while were here. Pixis huh. Pixis are monsters that look like dwarves and exist in small numbers all over the world. They swing the wands in their hands to cast magic and attack. Furthermore, most of those spells cause abnormal effects such as changing ones appearance for a set period of time or shrinking ones body for a period of time. Even so they arent fatal. The Pixis themselves arent very strong, but they drop expensive items and so are often targeted by adventurers. However, they are pretty hard to find, due to only inhabiting a limited number of places, so its quite the rare monster. Even I had only fought a handful of them in my previous life. Guess I shouldnt be surprised that Silveries primary target is a boss monster. She sure is quite knowledgeable about stuff like this. Lets go search for the Pixis then? said energetically Milly Yey? Lydia replied, infected by her enthusiasm. Furthermore, even Silverie silently raised her hand a little bit, as her cheeks reddened as well. I guess shes getting used to this. I guess it was the right decision to split the party the other day and have her go around with those two. As I giggled at the scene Silverie looked back at me with a cold stare. What are you looking at Lets hurry up and go. I know, I know. Silverie took the vanguard and we headed towards the forest. Using Red Wave, we burned down the luxuriously growing grass along the road, however just as we passed through it, the grass once again sprung up from its ashes. Since this area was a spot for a tough dungeon, the concentration of magic power was quite high, which meant that the terrain recovered quickly. As I was casting Red Wave a Sti Beetle popped out of the grass as if having been scared. Blue Gale!! said Milly, after which a water tornado blasted away the Sti Beetle. For the record, a Sti Beetles magic power was 1200. While Millys Blue Gale just now did close to 10,000 damage. It was a total overkill. As always, shes completely devoted to that Blue Gale of hers Its not like I mind it though. Silverie! I took care of it!! Thank you Before I could notice it, Silverie, who had been at the front just now, was hiding behind it. This sure is troublesome Silverie, you should try and fix that fear of bugs of yours. Even if its only against the monsters. Even if you tell me that, I cant do anything about it Its fine, its fine. Ill fight in place of my master!! said Milly while patting my back as I scolded Silverie. Good grief, its great that shes gained a bit of confidence but still. I cant let her get too much over her head. From the dead Sti Beetle a single empty can dropped down. It must have been something dropped by the tourists. I put the empty can into the bag that I had prepared and we continued forward once more. Whoa!! Zeph look!! Theres a strange animal! Thats a Noromoros. At the place where Milly was pointing at, there was a beast, that went by the name of Noromoros, which was hanging off of a branch with its long arms. Its an animal that spends most of its life hanging from trees, and because it doesnt move all that much, even if it takes in the magic power coming from the dungeon it still wont turn into a monster. It is quite the rare animal. It said that there hasnt been anyone whos seen them eat, and that they live off by eating the wind. By getting rid of its movement, its able to diminish its presence and avoid being found out by enemies. Still, Im surprised you were able to spot it. Good job Milly. Hihihi? Its nothing special. I guess beings with weak presence can pick up on each others wavelengths. Hey, what does that mean!! Hearing me say that both Silverie and Lydia giggled. Considering this area is far off from the cliff where we met Grain and Kane, we shouldnt face any Sti Beetles that have eaten any gross things. It sure is peaceful here. By the way, how are we going to look for the Pixis? I havent seen one, so I dont know what they look like. Hmph. Its a monster with quite the unique characteristics, so youll know right away when you see it. I guess we should just split up like usual and contact each other via Telepathy when we spot it. That wont be necessary. said Silverie as she raised her right hand and muttered something out, after which a black snake appeared and wrapped around her arm. The Enchant Spell was one of Silveries Unique Spells, which enhanced her magic. Furthermore, it also worked as a monster sensor as well. Kuro, search around. Kyuu. The black snake let out a sound and narrowed its eye, after which it put out its red tongue. After looking around for a while, it turned to the south and shook its head. Its that way. Kyui? The black snake wrapped around Silveries arm then suddenly jumped up and kissed Silverie on the cheek. Hey, what are you doing good grief Even though she complained, her face still reddened a bit. Kuro raised its head as if it was trying to tease her. Phew? What a passionate love you have going on there you two. Shuuuu When Lydia went out and said something to tease them Kuro immediately turned and glared at her intimidatingly. Ahaha W-Well then shall we go Sure. Kuro continued to stare at Lydia intimidatingly, as Silverie stroked its head as she turned to the south and continued walking. Afterwards we proceeded through the forest while hunting Sti Beetles. Eventually we arrived at a small cave. Kuro was staring at the cave. It seems like its inside. I guess its inside there right? Yea Will I be able to go inside though said Lydia. Considering she was quite tall the entrance was a bit small for her size. The inside didnt seem like it would be quite spacious as well, which meant that she probably wouldnt be able to use her spectacular movement ability as well. Theres no need to enter. Eh?! Does that mean that you dont need me So rude said Lydia in an exaggerated manner as she rubbed her eyes pretending to cry, however Silverie ignored that and began walking towards the cave. You dont need to ignore me you knoow. Dont misunderstand me. said bluntly Silverie, after which she reached out to her bag and took out a small ball which she then threw inside the cave. She then raised her hand and fired off a number of spells. The small ball was hit by all of them and exploded, creating a smoke screen that enveloped the cave. The thing she had just used was a Smoke Bomb. Its a magic item that creates a huge amount of smoke. Its similar to the Flower Bomb that we used to make the fireworks, however compared to the Flower Bomb its mass produced and is used when trying to smoke out monsters. Whoa Thats so cheap!! Its way more efficient than entering a small space and fighting inside there. She might have a lot of lacking aspects to her, but when it comes to combat, shes undeniably still my teacher. Shes harsh, while at the same time efficient. Silverie continuously cast Sky Magic so as to not let the smoke exit inside and continued to shove it inside the cave. Shes quite the merciless one. We waited for a while, while continuously taking down the monsters that came out. Its coming! Kuro reacted and Silverie immediately went into a fighting stance. Milly, Lydia! Yea!! Okay, okay? Its finally here. CH 141.2 Immediately afterwards a small shadow jumped out of the smoke. The smoke then cleared up and a small fairy with a pointy hat revealed itself. It was the Pixis. It glared at us with hatred. It seems like we disturbed its sleep. Oh wow It really is a strange little thing. It looks similar to Ain-chan. Watch out for the light bullets that it shoots out from its cane.! Okayyy. Lydia said as she turned towards me and lifted her thumb. Good grief, turn towards the enemy would you Well I guess its Lydia Im talking about, I probably shouldnt be that worried about her. The Pixis swung its cane around, and fired off a rainbow-colored bullet at Lydia. It was a huge cluster of magic power. Without taking her eyes off of it for even a second Lydia jumped up and dodged it. And while she was still in mid-air, she flipped her body and landed her huge axe right on top of the Pixis head. ?!! The Pixis stumbled for a second but it didnt look like the axe had done much damage. Lydia then once again swung her axe and accurately hit the Pixis as it was moving quickly in a disoriented manner. To think that shed go ahead and fight the small Pixis in a hand-to-hand battle Her fighting sense is terrifying as usual. Even Silverie was shocked at the sight. Whoa Zeph look, the grass is turning purple and dancing around It was hit by poison and disorder magic. As I said before the Pixis bullets can lead to various strange conditions so be careful. O-Okay! said Milly energetically as she slapped her face with both her hands in order to pump herself up. In the meantime I cast Scout Scope. Pixis Level 68 Magic Power Level 142,210 / 143,510 I tried casting Summon Servant in order to summon Divine Sword Ainbelle, but nothing happened. Seeing that Milly also looked at me with a strange expression. That damn Ain, is she sleeping again? After using her so-called Ainbelle Upper the other day against Grain she had completely run out of magic power. Well it was quite the reckless attack so she probably needs the rest. We do have Silverie with us today so it should be fine. We should be able to take care of an enemy of this level. In the end instead of casting Summon Servant I opted for the Freybrand that was within my bag. Zeph!! Lets go!! Okay. Milly grabbed my hand and began gathering magic power where our hands intersected. It was her way of telling me she was planning to use a combo spell with me. That Milly. Shes thinking of using Blue Gale again. I also cast Time Square and while time was stopped I casted Blue Gale twice. I then fired it off simultaneously with Milly. Blue Gale!! Triple Triple Fusion: Triple Blue Gale An enormous water tornado sprung up with Pixis in the middle and enveloped everything while rising to the heavens. Silverie was left lost for words at the sheer power of the spell. What the That thing sure is amazing Fu, fu, were quite the team right? I guess I cant let myself lose now can I? saying that Silverie also prepared to attack. Black Zero, Blue Gale, Red Crash Without holding anything back we continued to fire off spells at the Pixis. Each time a spell hit it, the Pixis would swing its staff towards us. However, just as if a mole was putting its head out through a hole, Lydia would then immediately smash it with her axe, drawing the Pixis attention. Lydia was able to draw the aggro of all of the Pixis attacks so we were free to concentrate on our own attacks. !! Ahaha? You wont hit me!! The Pixis fired numerous spells at Lydia, however no matter how many spells it launched it didnt seem like it would be able to hit her. Furthermore, the Pixis spells had a lot of gaps and were slow. Indeed, they were huge clusters of magic, however it was precisely due to that, that they werent able to keep up with Lydias speed. Each time Lydia dodged one of those status-altering light bullets, they would then fall onto a tree and make it disappear, or hit a flower and make it run, or hit the ground and make it twist. The surroundings turned into a wondrous scene. Lydia, you must be careful and not get hit by those!! Leave it to me. Lydia replied to Milly, however I was honestly more worried for Milly than I was for Lydia. At one of Silveries attacks the Pixis made a flip and flew up in the air, planting itself there. Lydia, its coming! Due to feeling danger the Pixis gathered its magic power and shot towards Lydia. Upsy-daisy!! While dodging the charging Pixis Lydia also didnt forget to slash at it as they were passing by each other. However, without giving it any heed the Pixis just continued to charge towards the direction where Milly and I were. I immediately pushed Milly as she had frozen up from the shock, and somehow managed to dodge myself as well. I swept past us, as I felt my fingers going a bit numb. It seems like Milly managed to get out safely as well. While I was taking a sigh of relief the Pixis recovered itself and charged towards me once more. Just as I saw it I lifted up Freybrand. I guess its time I finish up. !!! The Pixis continued charging at me head on. Aiming for the moment when we would clash I swung Freybrand and cast Time Square at the same time. While time was stopped I checked the Pixis movements and also cast Blue Ball, Black Ball and Green Ball. At the same time as time began flowing again, I released a Red Ball from Freybrand. Quadra Fusion: Tetra Ball As we passed by each other a single line of golden light shone, after which just as I prepared myself and took up my stance once more I heard the sound of something falling behind me. Turning around, I saw the Pixis dissolving into empty air. I somehow managed to beat it huh. Its hard to land Tetra Ball on a moving enemy, however I guess its not that hard to land it when the enemy is charging right at you. As the Pixis disappeared, it left behind a small bracelet with a star decoration. A Prism Ring huh. Silverie picked up the bright rainbow-colored bracelet and threw it at me. Since the battle was now over, all of us gathered. It turned out to be easier than I expected, didnt it Youre right. You did quite well. Ehehe, thank you master? Milly said as Silverie stroked her head. But still a Prism Ring. It was a rare equipment that increased ones resistance to magic. I thought about who to give it to, however in the end there was only one suitable person Lydia, put this on. Whoa, what a beautiful bracelet. Its a bracelet that boasts a high amount of magic resistance. Its perfect for you since you always stay at the vanguard. Considering it was Lydia we were talking about, there was a chance that she wouldnt even get hit by a single spell, however it would still be useful if the worst came to pass. Thank you Zeph-chi? Ill treasure it. If you say that. Ehehe. Lydia seemed to really like it as she kept looking at the Prism Ring from various different angles as she put it on her arm. I even got a little bit flustered as I looked at Lydias wide smile. It was then that I noticed that it was unexpectedly quiet. Its usually way noisier than this I looked around and noticed that she wasnt there. Milly? Even though she was here just now, Milly was nowhere to be found. Did she get kidnapped? Or maybe she went to relieve herself? No wait, theres something that comes to mind. She probably got hit with Transparency. Within the quiet forest only the rustling of the grass could be heard. Transparency. The spells that the Pixis use have various effects, and due to their mischievous personalities, many of their spells change the appearance of the one that is hit by them. Transparency was one of those spells. It makes it so that people in the area cannot direct their consciousness towards the one hit by the spell. It doesnt only make them invisible, but also makes it so that its impossible to detect their odor or even magic power. Even though the person himself is still there, he cannot be perceived by others, just as if he had become transparent. In other words, Milly is still here, however whether she talks, or tries to touch us, we wont be able to notice her. Ive heard rumors about it, but it sure is a strange phenomenon. I tried to stick out my hand towards the place Milly was just at, however I couldnt feel a thing. After all, even if I happened to touch her I still wouldnt know. Which meant that we didnt even know whether or not she was here. Transparency huh Its true that I cant feel Milly-chans presence at all. Transparency had a really long duration, and continued for around half a day. It didnt cause any direct damage, however it made it so that your teammates couldnt see it, so one could easily get caught up in between attacks, meaning we couldnt fight recklessly. Hm? Zeph-chi, you also seem to be going transparent. What? Looking at myself, my body was also starting to grow transparent. Come to think of it, the Pixis did graze me as well. It might be because of that, that the Transparency took a little bit longer to occur. While in the process of disappearing I turned towards Lydia and shouted. Both of you, get away from me! Zeph-chi what are you planning on doing? Im fine, Ill return to the inn as soon as the Transparency wears off so dont worry. Itll get messy if I get involved in your battles so it would be for the best if you get away from here. Okay. Well then, well see you later. See ya. Just as I said that my body completely disappeared. I was completely swallowed by the Transparency. After looking at my direction for a bit, both of them turned towards the opposite side and left. It seems like they really couldnt see me. Feeling somewhat sad I tried to lower my hand, which I had raised earlier. So Zeph. In front of me I heard Millys voice. And I also felt a soft feeling coming from my hand. I managed to lightly push it as it gently rested itself in my hand. As I did that it quivered. And at the same time Milly revealed herself. I guess since I got swallowed by the Transparency spell as well I can now see Milly. Come to think of it, I did hear something about being able to interact with people that were hit by the Transparency as well. While quivering Milly glared at me. It appeared that my hand had landed perfectly on her chest before I had noticed it. How long do you plan on touching it! Im sorry. As I lowered my hand, Milly turned around. I cant get married anymore I admit that Im at fault, but if you didnt like it why didnt you move away immediately B-But its because you you were clinching onto my chest so I couldnt get away!! Clinching? Thats surely not what happened though. Was what I was about to say but then I saw Milly glaring at me, just as if she had read my mind. I decided to stop stirring the hornets nest and said nothing else. Either way, how about killing some time before going back? It will be pretty troublesome if we return to the city while still under the effect of the Transparency. Well I do have to keep an eye out for you so that you dont do anything lewd while still under the effect of the Transparency. Like I would do that! Didnt you just do it to me! Having been told that I couldnt deny it, however wasnt that just now just inevitable? Still, despite the things she was saying Millys mood didnt seem that bad. I dont get her. CH 142.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Well how about we use this opportunity to hunt some Sti Beetles? Youre right, were free until we need to go back after all. After that, we continued hunting Sti Beetles for a while. It was then that I noticed that Millys body was turning transparent. Rather it was my Transparency that was running out. It seems like this is it for me. I only got grazed by it, so I guess the effect wasnt as strong. Zeph!! W- Dont leave me alone Milly said as she looked very anxious and was on the verge of crying. Come to think of it, wasnt she trembling when I first touched her after becoming transparent myself? It probably must have been really hard for a child such as Milly to be left alone within the forest not having her presence recognized by anyone. I guess that must also be why she didnt move my hand immediately. I placed my hand on Millys head as her eyes were filling up with tears. I then crouched and turned my back towards her. Get on, well go to the inn together. I couldnt hear her voice anymore, however it felt like something was weighing on my back. After returning to the inn, I met Claude who was just coming out of the room. Oh Welcome back Zeph-kun. Hey. I said as the memories of yesterday entered my head, which made it kind of awkward to be alone with Claude. Claude tried to hide her blushing face as she invited me to the room. Oh my, you two. Did something happen? Good grief Lydia. Shes as sharp as always. Still, Im surprised theyre already back. I-Its nothing!! That aside, where is Milly-san? Come to think of it, wasnt I carrying her? To think that even I completely forgot about her even though I was carrying her. This Transparency spell is really frightening. Ah, Im sorry! I forgot to tell Kuro-chan! said Lydia. It seemed like she had forgotten to talk about the Transparency with Claude. It truly is a frightening spell. After explaining about the Transparency to Claude and Shirushu, both of them showed faces of surprise. We couldnt blame them. It was hard to believe that the person was in fact there, however you couldnt see them due to their presence being weak. When will she turn back to normal? Hmph, well it heals faster the more magic power the person has, so Milly should be turning back soon but Zeph. said Silverie from one of the corners of the room with a shocked expression. She was pointing at my back. I found it a bit strange but then I felt breathing. The feeling of that breath then gradually grew stronger And then a familiar blonde hair tickled my nose. I felt a small body weighing down on my back. Seems like shes back. It seemed like her Transparency had completely worn off as I could feel her presence clearly. I had let go of my hands at one point due to completely forgetting about her, but it seemed like she held onto me until the end. I even worried that I might have dropped her somewhere. She was clinching onto my body with both her arms and legs. Hey Milly! Wake up! Hey! Hm I shook my back however she showed no sign of wanting to wake up. Rather than that, she even strengthened her grip on my body. Well she did hold onto me this whole time, so I guess shaking her off wont work. Milly-san, youre bothering Zeph-kun. Hm? As she was called out by Claude, Milly slowly opened her eyes. She slightly rubbed her eyes and looked around while yawning. Zeph, everyone, morning. Thats one deep sleep she had there, this damn brat. Everyone was amazed that Milly was able to sleep so soundly while clinching to my back. Claude was looking at her and laughing with a complex expression. Milly-san, you really are amazing to be able to sleep in that position. Well its the safest place. said Milly with a bright smile, which surprised Claude a little. Is that so I guess youre right. Yea!! In contrast to Millys energetic reply, Claude showed a gloomy expression. However, she then immediately turned back to her normal self. Why did she do that I guess Im just imagining things due to being tired as well. You could have at least stayed awake you know, what an annoying fellow. Hehe, I was just so comfortable you see said Milly. I then flinched her forehead with my finger, however she only smiled back. A few days later, Shirushus wounds healed to a point where we could finally take her hunting with us again. However, I still warned her that she would only be following behind us today as a form of rehabilitation. Due to me and Silverie taking care of almost everything, in the end Shirushus turn never came. But even so she still looked excited and waved her tail around in a happy mood. AH! I can smell monsters!! Leave it to us. said Silverie after which she immediately fired off a Black Shot at the Sti Beetle that appeared. At the same moment I used Scout Scope and I noticed that Silveries spell did damage exactly equal to the Sti Beetles magic power, without any deviation. As expected of my master. To think that shes able to do that without even having Scout Scope. Still, this Scout Scope thing is really useful. she said. !! I immediately spat out the water that I was drinking. Which in turn drew the curious looks of Silverie and Shirushu. Zeph-san did something happen? N-No, its fine. I just didnt know that you knew about Scout Scope, Silverie Milly showed me the scroll the other day. She said it was a present for joining the guild. I see. Even though her father told her not to randomly show it around What a stupid daughter. Its not like I dont trust Silverie and Shirushu, but Scout Scope is a dangerous spell in many ways. After all, its a spell that allows you to peek at your opponents magic power, their name, and even the spells that they use in combat. If by any chance the scroll spreads around people that are after it may come. Ill have to punish her later I thought while taking down Sti Beetles. After hunting, we returned to the inn, and then Shirushu proposed that we go play at the sea. Perfect. Im gonna be able to keep an eye on Milly like this. Hey Milly, come here. Hm? What is it? As everyone else was playing in the water, I dragged Milly under the shade of a tree. I pushed her back against the rock wall that was there and placed my hand on it so as to block her escape. Wh-What are you doing Zeph? Suddenly dragging me here Theres something that I have to tell you. Eh?! W-What is it? said Milly as she put her hands in front of her lips and tried to avoid eye contact. As I brought my face closer to hers, she lowered her hands and tightly closed her eyes. I then used my fingers to pinch her bright red cheeks. Auchhhh!! I wanted to talk to you about the Scout Scope scroll. Didnt I tell you before not to spread that around so randomly? Oh, you wanted to talk about that? Good grief, this girl But look, theyre our friends so its fine isnt it? Just because theyre our friends doesnt mean that you can just tell them everything. And when it comes to Unique Spells, let alone your friends, you cant even talk about it freely in front of your family! Buuuut No buts! I said as I used my forehead to hit hers. I then repeated that a number of times. Auch!! Zeph it hurts!! Did, you, learn, your, lesson? I did!! I did, so stop!! Okay then. As I released her she held her forehead as tears began to well up in her eyes. A red spot could now be seen on her forehead; however, I didnt feel sorry at all. After all, I couldnt be too careful when it came to Scout Scope. A Unique Spell Scroll was something that a magician would spend their whole life creating. It wasnt something that you could easily show to everyone Ive already seen the worst outcome of it after all. Several years in the future, Claude would bring the Scout Scope to the Association. That future was one in which they hadnt met me, however the sight of Claude at that time is recently beginning to pop up in my head. You brought me here just for that? Just for that? You idiot. Looking as if nothing happened, it seems you need more reflecting No, no, Ive reflected already. Yea sure. CH 142.2 She then headed towards the beach. As her back turned towards me I once more hit the back of her head. To which she let out a groan of pain. Zeph-kun, Milly-san. From the side of the beach, Claude was running towards us while dressed in her white bikini. Just as my eyes deviated towards Claudes chest, which bounced around, covered by a white cloth I could feel Millys cold gaze on me. If she could just pay such attention when Im talking to her Is what ran through my mind. Where did you both go? I looked all over for you. Haha, well Zeph had something he wanted to talk Auch?!! Didnt I tell you not to talk about it so casually you idiot. I said as I hit her side, stopping her sentence midway. Shes way too quick to spill the beans, I warned her just a minute ago for christ sake. Urgh, okay Well, everyone else is waiting so Claude said as her expression got a bit gloomy. Yea, were sorry Claude. Why do I feel like shes misunderstanding. I guess it wouldnt hurt to say something. Ill say it just in case, but this is not what youre thinking it is Claude. No I understand. Then thats f Hey! After Claude said that she ran off without listening to me speak. This is bad, she definitely misunderstood everything. Even when we went back and had fun with everyone, Claude had a melancholy look on her face. Even when I tried to invite her, she always seemed to find a way to turn me down. As if being worried as well, Milly came to me Whats wrong with Claude Is the thing with her brother still weighing on her mind? Could be. Still I dont think thats all. When Lydia and Shirushu went to approach her, from what I saw, she acted normal. However, she still didnt feel like her true self. Guess well just have to solve it over time. We played around until evening, and got into the bathtub as soon as we got home. Afterwards we stuffed ourselves with delicious food. There were still a couple of days until the end of our assignment. I wonder if Claudes mood will clear up if we spend the remaining few days casually like this. During the evening, after everyone had quieted down I heard a whisper in my ear. Zeph-kun, are you awake? It was Claude. Turning around I saw Claude, covered with her blanket, looking over at me. Whats up? Its just It seems like she wants to tell me something. Claude twisted her body so she could get out of her blanket. After that she placed it on the ground and sat on top of it. She then began undoing the buttons of her pajamas and took off the top part. Its just that I!! She turned bright red as she tried to move her lips. She wanted to say something but her mouth wouldnt move the way she wanted it to. She then buried her head in the blanket. Please take care of my Magic Power Lines she whispered out in a really quiet voice. I somehow felt like that wasnt the thing that she came here to say. But even so I did just as she asked me. Okay. I moved my fingers across Claudes back, which was covered in scratches, and slowly began to impact her Magic Power Lines. At times I was rough, at others gentle. I did it very carefully. Each time Claudes body quivered and she let out a passionate sigh. Ah Zeph-kun Im Dont say anything Claude. O-Okay While continuing to fiddle with her Magic Power Lines for a while I could hear Claude sleeping. Looking closer, I saw that there were traces of tears on her cheeks. As I wiped them off with my finger Claudes long eyelashes shook a bit. Goodnight Claude. saying that I went to sleep as well. She must have been holding it all in. This is a serious problem. I should do something about it 5 The next morning, unusually for me, I overslept a little and was awakened by a loud voice. Zeph! This is bad!! Why are you yelling, good grief Claude is Claude is Millys face was deathly pale. I was immediately startled by her words. Claudes gone!! Damn it, I cant even contact her with Telepathy. I said as I tried to call her, but there was no response. Shes probably rejecting my calls. When I woke up she wasnt here I wonder where she might have gone Dont worry, shell probably come back soon. If not, well definitely find her and bring her back. Yea. I put my hand on top of Millys head as she looked down. When the thing with the Transparency happened, Claude looked at me and Milly talking with a somewhat of a lonely expression. Theres also that thing from last night Damn it, I should have realized it earlier. I began pondering where Claude could have gone while clicking my tongue. Despite it being a small island, when it came to searching for only one person it seemed quite huge. I turned my head towards Shirushu who stood next to me. Shirushu, you should be able to follow Claudes smell right? Actually I cant seem to feel her smell at all My nose follows the smell of magic, but if she used her Screen Point then I see. It seemed like even Shirushus nose wouldnt be of help this time. We could interpret it as her not wanting to be found at all. Silverie, is your snake no good as well? Yea. Kuros ability allows him to search for magic power. If Shirushus nose doesnt work, then neither will his ability. So thats how it is Either way, lets all split and look. It might take a bit of time, but if we all look then theres no way we cant find her. Yea!! In order to find her, we spread to all the places that we could think of. For me, there was one in particular that came to mind. It was the rocky mountain where I had fought against Kane and Grain with her. I dont exactly want to go there right now, but I guess it cant be helped Its not like I can think of any other places where she might have gone to. I hurriedly ran through the forest and reached the rocky mountain that had been left in ruins due to Platinum Break. Itd be great if the Dispatch Magicians arent here I sneaked through the gaps in the rocks and walked while being cautious of my surroundings. Looking around, it seemed like the damage was really grand, and monsters were yet to begin spawning again. It really is bad. I might have destroyed this dungeon completely. Oh my, if it isnt Zeph-kun. Shivers ran down my spine as I heard a female voice from behind me. I fearfully turned around and saw her leaning against a rock. Her black hair swept over her white coat. It was the Dispatch Magician Azalea. I ended up meeting the person I didnt want to meet the most. Its been a while since Ive seen you in person Hey! Where do you think youre going! I ignored Azalea as she tried to speak to me as I turned right and ran with everything I had. After all, I had annihilated the dungeon after having been warned not to do so. I wanted to avoid this place because there was a chance that a Dispatch Magician would be dispatched here, but it seems like I was dead on. Im sorry but I cant be captured right now you see! Hmph! Azalea snorted as she looked at me running at full speed. Immediately after that she appeared before me. Looking at me with a smile on her face she promptly grabbed my shoulders. Good grief, you should listen when someone speaks to you, you know? It seems like you were also purposefully avoiding my calls as well A feeling of intimidation suddenly rushed over me. Shes probably using some kind of intimidation magic in order to prevent me from teleporting. On top of that, it seems like she also teleported in front of me just now. Damn it, I have no choice but to talk with her. It really has been a while Azalea. Thats more like it, you should properly greet people you know. she said as she smiled and stroked my head. However, her eyes didnt seem happy at all. She quickly took on a serious look and looked down at me, forcing another wave of intimidation to rush over me. Even though I warned you so much, here you went ahead and completely annihilated this dungeon, didnt you Zeph-kun? said Azalea as she looked around at the remains of the dungeons that I had destroyed. However, it wasnt as if I destroyed it because I wanted to. Its true that I was the one that did it. And its true that I might have gone overboard. But listen here Azalea, it was because Because you had to defeat Grain right? If she knows then it makes it easier. Ill be able to speak honestly about it. I dont have to feel guilty about it. Grain was with a friend who happened to be a Mage Killer. He had the ability to absorb Magical Power He had a powerful ability that let him completely neutralize almost every spell. I had no choice but to go this far in order to be able to beat them. Hmph, well its not like I was here, so I cant say anything but, I cant help but feel that you still overdid it despite that You see I got an order from the Association to capture the culprit at all costs Urgh It was true that I overdid it. There should have been other ways to take care of it At least thats how a third party would view it. Especially when it comes to the thick-headed executives at the Association. It also seemed like even Azalea wouldnt be able to cover for me this time. However, this is the last, and I mean the last time that Ill let you go. Really?!! However. saying that Azalea put up a single finger. It seems like she has a condition. I want you to help me look for Grain. Im pretty sure I took care of him. There isnt a single trace left behind. No. she said while shaking her head. Unfortunately Grain is still alive. And hes still on this island. Wh-What The waves crashed in the rocky mountain drowning out my muttering. CH 143.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama At a rock cliff a bit farther from where Zeph and Azalea were. Claude was sitting there staring at her palm. Just before leaving she had touched Zephs skin one last time with her fingers. She caressed her cheek as she tried to remember that feeling. Zeph-kun Claude lost herself in thought for a while, but then suddenly returned to her senses and let out a big sigh. I guess this is what self-hatred feels like She held her knees and lowered her head. After leaving the inn early in the morning she had come and just done that. She knew that everyone was probably worried. However, she had no intention of going back. She wasnt sure if she would be able to remain calm when seeing Zeph or Milly. I became really annoyed when I saw Zeph-kun talking so happily with Milly-san Even though I love both of them so much It wasnt just this once as well. Claude would turn gloomy each time she saw Zeph getting along with anyone. Kanes words couldnt stop floating around in Claudes mind. DDYou will definitely betray someone at one point. Youll never be able to make real friends. Perhaps she couldnt ignore those words because they struck right at her core. If I stay with everyone any longer, I might really do something like that She was certain that if Zeph was in danger, she would sacrifice anything to protect him. However, was that the same for everyone else, for Milly. She didnt think that she would do anything to harm them directly, but she wasnt confident whether she wouldnt just leave them to die with the pretence of not being able to do anything to save them. If that were the case, then shed rather distance herself from them But I dont want to distance myself Zeph-kun!! Claudes vision got clouded by her tears. Oh my? Arent you that brat, Zephs friend? ?!! Upon hearing a voice behind her, Claude immediately turned around. She wiped her tears and readied her sword. The person standing before her, was someone she had presumed to be dead. It was Grain. G-Grain?!! You, Claude was it? Thank you for the other day. It was the Dispatch Magician Grain. A power magician that even Zeph struggled against. He wasnt someone who Claude could defeat in a normal fight. However, hes still a magician. With my Screen Point I might just! Just as she was about to concentrate and cast magic, Grain appeared right in front of her. Before she could notice it, he buried his fist in her abdomen. Urgh?!! Youre wide open!! Grain then used his swords scabbard to land a powerful blow on Claudes head as she was beginning to sink to the ground. With a loud sound Claude fell to the ground and didnt move. Blood oozed out from her head and dyed her beautiful golden hair red. You small fry. Trying to use magic against me in a close-range battle, despite not being proficient in it. Theres no way it would work. he said as he spat at her and sat next to her collapsed body. Upon casting magic, one would create openings. If the one casting the spell was an experienced person, then those openings would only last an instant, however with Claudes level, casting magic in a close-range battle could be seen as fatal. Furthermore, she was also in an unstable state of mind. Well then, I did spot Azalea, so I guess I cant just idle around. Ur Grain picked Claude up as she let out a quiet breath. Hmph? This girl Grain lifted up Claudes chin and narrowed his gaze. After looking at Claudes face for a while, she began laughing as if he had realized something. I see I might be able to use her he whispered as he picked Claude up once again and disappeared. Grains alive Is that really true?! Yea. I dont know what trick he used, however I can still feel his presence on this island. said Azalea replying to my question. That cant be He got hit by my Tetra Crash Could he have probably released his magic power at that moment and re-activated Screen Point? To think that a magician such as Grain, would be able to use Screen Point that well. I cannot take his battle sense lightly it seems. Zeph-kun, do you have an idea what might have happened? She used a magician-killing spell. Thats how he was able to withstand my spell. I see. Now it makes sense how he was able to kill his first pursuer saying that Azalea spread a world map and cast a small ball of light which floated on top of it. This was a Unique Spell that was used for tracking. I had seen it being used by other Dispatch Magicians before. It allowed the caster to know the location of their marked target no matter where they were in the world. Grain is definitely still on this island. Unfortunately, I cannot grasp his exact position. We have no choice but to search for him manually from this point on. And you want me to help you with it, is that right? Thats correct. Thats my condition for turning a blind eye to this destroyed dungeon. said Azalea as she winked at me. I see Even if we do split up and search, wouldnt it be dangerous for you alone as well when facing an opponent capable of magician-killing spells? Ive brought two other colleagues with me. If were gonna do that you should have brought more. Hes a strong one you know. There are a lot of selfish people amongst the Dispatch Magicians you know. Only two of them replied to my request. There were a lot of people amongst the Dispatch Magicians that had difficult characters, it was perhaps something that came with being strong. Which is why they werent the type of people that would sit and wait to be bossed around. You wont tell me to capture him alive right? Thats right. It would be preferable to do it like that, but considering its him were talking about, dead or alive, it wouldnt matter as long as we capture him. said Azalea with a sharp, cold gaze, which made me shiver. What a frightening woman. This thing with Grain has gotten way too out of hand. He may end up being dangerous not only to me, but my friends as well. I cant let him go. And since she says shell turn a blind eye to me destroying the dungeon I might as well follow her on this one. Got it. Lets do it. Great. I like clever kids like you. said Azalea with a smile as she shook my hand. Our negotiations had been completed. Upon that me and Azalea exchanged a crystal ring as a sign of trust. Azalea was able to use the Magician Associations Unique Spells in order to communicate with me via Telepathy without the use of a crystal ring, however apparently it was annoying for her to have to specify my location each time, so she didnt want to use it. Actually, one of my friends has gone missing as well. Her names Claude. She has short blonde hair and carries a sword, a shield and a breastplate with her. If you happen to see her it would help me a lot. Hm Claude-kun huh. Come to think of it, didnt I meet her once before? Either way, if I happen to see her Ill let you know. Thank you. If you do happen to find anything tell me as well. Will do. Dont die. Haha, thats my line you brat. said Azalea as she flew off with a Teleport. Still, to think that Grain would still be alive. Itll be dangerous if he happens to run into Claude. I must find her fast. Ive already met Azalea so I dont have to worry and can finally go all out. Ain, come out. I cast Summon Servant and alongside a burst of light Ain appeared. Urgh Good morning gramps It seemed like she was still fatigued as she didnt look as energetic as normal. Ain, Id like you to help me search for Claude, do you think youll be able to do it? Hmph? Since its Claude. saying that Ain fluttered her wings as if to squeeze out her remaining energy. Seeing that effort of hers I couldnt help but stroke her small head. We must find her as soon as possible. I know. Ill search from the sky. Thank you. After saying that Ain took to the sky. I left Ain to look under the steep part of the cliff since she could fly, while I on the other hand looked around the wreckage of the dungeon, in the opposite direction of Azalea. On top of this area being wide, it was also riddled with rocks which made it hard to see. I shouted out Claudes name with a loud voice. CLAUDE!! WHERE ARE YOU?!! I used all of my strength in order to shout over and over again. CLAUDE!! However, there was no response. I guess I wont be able to find her so easily. I guess Azalea and her friends have already searched through this area so I guess its only natural that she isnt here Damn it, where in the world did she go! Being overwhelmed by a feeling of impatience I kicked on of the rocks with my foot, it was then that I received a Telepathy call from Ain who was a little farther away. Gramps, come here! Theres a cave at the bottom of the cliff Im coming!! A cave! There wasnt something like that shown on the islands map. It wasnt a dungeon, and the chances of Claude being there werent zero. I went down the cliff and got to the place where Ain was at. The large rocks that emerged from the surface of the sea were wet and scraggy, making it difficult to cross. I proceeded carefully, while paying attention to my steps, while Ain was floating in front of a large crack in the rock wall. Gramps, its here. Okay. Ain pointed to a crack in the wall, inside of which I could certainly see a small cave. I cast a Red Ball inside, but it was dark so I couldnt see anything at the back. CLAUDE!! Ain shouted, however only her echo continued to ring out within the cave. Well guess we have to go in. Be careful gramps. CH 143.2 I jumped onto a big rock and entered the cave. The inside of the cave was connected to the sea, so if I were to slip I would fall directly into the sea. However, despite the site being lightly illuminated by the Red Ball, I still had to proceed carefully because it had not improved the scaffolding. The ceiling echoed with the sound of water drops falling, making me feel uneasy. Ain clung onto my back, looking like she didnt like it as well. Hyaa!! H-Hey gramps Didnt something just move in the water? Its probably just fish. I tried moving the light closer to the surface of the sea, but I didnt see anything out of the ordinary. Shallow waters such as these normally had a lot of small fish searching for food. I continued walking without really thinking about it, but Ain still seemed scared. Theres definitely something! Right there! Hmm Having thought that the fussiness she was exhibiting was in fact due to something, I decided to use Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Sphere and Green Sphere. Double Fusion: Gravity Sphere. The black gravitational sphere appeared in the water and began sucking up the seawater. The water dried up in the blink of an eye and at the bottom there was a spooky blackish lump of meat that was wriggling around like a fish. Hyaa!!W-W-W-W-Whats that?!! Ain said her eyes filled with shock. The thing extended from the entrance of the cave and pulsated as it rocked back and forth. Is it some kind of tentacle? Or maybe some kind of plan? Just as I was closely examining it, its tip suddenly flew up and charged at me. Damn i! GRAMPS?!! When I tried to run away it wrapped itself around my leg and dragged me into the sea. I heard Ains desperate shouts, however they only grew more and more distant. As I struggled to escape I was swallowed by the sea current and couldnt differentiate up from down no longer. You bastard. So you want to fight underwater huh. Damn it. If it goes on like this, it might get bad! In order to get a better grasp of the situation I cast Time Square. As time stopped, so did the torrent, and I could finally get a better look at the tentacle that was holding onto me. I might as well take the opportunity to escape. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash. Double Fusion: Pyro Crash I unleashed it towards my feet. The flames burned down the tentacle to a crisp, forcing it to let go of my foot, allowing me to escape. A mass of flames that appeared within the sea, shone brightly while using my magical power as a source. It lightly illuminated the bottom of the sea, allowing me to see where the tentacle was coming from. It was attached to the soft looking body of a monster. I aimed at that monster and cast Scout Scope. Octorol Level 74 Magic Power Level: 245,866 / 258,647 Its red eye peaked through its lumps of meat as they stared at me. Octorol was a giant monster that lived at the bottom of the sea and attacked its prey by extending its eight tentacles. The main body usually lurked at the bottom of the sea, while its long tentacles floated around in shallow waters, waiting for prey to approach them and then drag them to the bottom of the sea. It was also referred to as a Fishing Pass due to its fishing-like hunting method. I ended up encountering quite the thing while looking for Claude. I must get to the surface fast. I wont be able to fight it properly while inside the water. I began swimming up in order to get to the surface, however the Octorol had no intention of letting me go as it extended its tentacles in order to try and catch me. This damn thing!! I cast Black Crash at the incoming tentacles, creating a blast of wind within the water which propelled my body upwards. The Octorol shivered back for an instant, but at the next moment it once again shot out its tentacles. The efficiency of the spell dropped considerably inside water. If I dont hit it at point-blank range, then it wont have any effect?!!But Im running out of oxygen While trying to hold my breath I cast one more Black Crash. However, it was even less effective than the last one. It seems like its power is reduced significantly. It must be because Im not able to keep a steady mind due to my lack of oxygen As I desperately tried to get away I suddenly felt something trying to wrap around my leg. It was the Octorols tentacles. After wrapping around my legs, it then gradually moved up to my hips, my torso, my arms, and eventually pulled me into the bottom of the sea. The shock from the pull, shook my brain and even caused some damage to my internal organs. urgh!! As a result I ended up exhaling the air that I had been storing inside my stomach. This is bad. My body wont move My eyes began to close due to the pain. The Octorol opened its huge mouth as it waited for me to be dragged down. However, I didnt miss that opportunity. Time Square!! I used my remaining magic power to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Blue Crash. At the same time as time began to flow again the spell flew out, aiming directly for the Octorols open mouth. Burst Crash! With a roaring sound a tremendous shock wave burst forth. With its help my body was shot up towards the surface. The Octorol also seemed to be struggling. This is my chance to escape. Damn it Its way too far!! The impact of the Burst Crash was way less effective within the water, and although I hadnt sustained any damage it still wasnt enough to push me to the surface. My body wont move any more. As the light that was shining at me began to grow dim, and my consciousness slowly faded I felt a soft touch on my lips. Afterwards a flow of oxygen began to enter my body. More! I need more! My body was beginning to fill with oxygen, but it just wasnt enough. Grasping for more and more air I tried to suck in as much as I could. Hey! Isnt this much enough already?!! A bell-ringing voice echoed directly inside my head. What stood before me was an angle with a blushing face and white wings Or rather, it was just Ain. Ain had dived into the water in order to try and deliver some air to me. You sure are one work of art gramps She lowered her eyes as her face turned bright red, and after lifting her lips with a somewhat moody expression, she turned around and grabbed my hand. And like that she flapped her wings and began pulling me towards the surface. The surface got closer and closer and at last we broke through the water prison. gasp!! cough, cough My face was completely pale. Despite that I desperately gasped for breath. It felt like I had been reborn. That was really bad. Gramps, you okay? Haa Haa Y-Yea Thank you Ain cough. Hey, hey, take it easy. Ain said as she gently stroked my head as I gasped for breath. She then helped by pulling me and we somehow managed to get to the cliff. The Octorol did pull me out of the cave after all. Well I did get out with my life, so I guess its all good. Upsy-daisy. Ain, thank you, you really saved me there. If you want to thank me then get me food. As much as possible, you hear!! Haha, okay, its a deal I continued to chat with Ain while holding onto the rocks of the coast. Seeing Ain happily flutter her wings and scatter the seawater as she swayed on top of the rock, reminded me of my dog. Her hair and clothes were stuck neatly to her body, cleanly showing her curves beneath her white dress. Hey!!! What are you looking at gramps! As if having felt my gaze, Ain quickly used her hands to cover her chest as she turned bright red. I was deeply moved by the fact that the Ain, which I had taken care of for a long time, had grown up so well as to even save me. CH 144.1 Even though she turned around I still continued to stare at Ain, as I then suddenly heard a rippling sound from behind me. Ain!! Kyaa?!!G-Gramps?!! I jumped out to protect Ain, but doing that left my back completely exposed to the huge amount of seawater that assaulted me from behind. I immediately stood up and looked back. Many injured tentacles were protruding from the surface of the ocean. It seemed like the enraged Octorol had no intention of letting me go just yet. We were surrounded by its tentacles from all sides. It seems like it wont let us go that easily It really is a persistent one isnt it!! Were making a run for it Ain. The Octorol was an aquatic monster. As long as we got further away from the ocean then it probably wouldnt chase us. Well probably be able to get out if I cut down a tentacle or two. I grabbed Ains hand and began to gather magic power. Ain! Turn into a sword. Okay!! she replied and with a dazzling light turned into Divine Sword Ainbelle. Fortunately, we were currently situated at the coast which meant that if I went straight ahead wed be able to run away from the Octorol quite easily. However, there were many long tentacles that had popped out from the many waterways that ran through the rocks in order to prevent us from escaping. What a nuisance. I cast Red Crash at Divine Sword Ainbelle and swung it down, while at the same time casting Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Crash and Green Crash. Triple Fusion: Volcano Crash. Lava burst forth and took care of the tentacles in front of us. I ran through the tentacles that were torn in half, when new tentacles appeared. Once more then!! Casting Volcano Crash once more I took care of the newly appeared tentacle. Damn it!! It really is persistent! Still, no matter how persistent it may be, it should give up right about now. There appeared to be no more tentacles that were going to stop my advance, and I managed to get quite a distance away from the beach. Just as I thought I had gotten away the sky suddenly turned dark. Gramps!! Look up!! ?!! I somehow managed to slow myself down and stop, upon which just in front of me, a huge thing fell down. The thing that neatly fell on top of the wet rocks was the Octorol. I had known that by using their long legs the Octorols were able to jump short distances as long as it was close to the water. However, the place where I was currently at was quite the distance from the water and it never crossed my mind that itd be able to jump so far. The tentacles coming out from its body shot out, trying to surround me. Fighting it was unavoidable at this point. Good grief, Im quite the tempting prey it seems. It must be tough being so popular gramps! I dont like being popular amongst these kinds of creatures though. I branded Divine Sword Ainbelle and cast Scout Scope. Octorol Level 74 Magic Power Level 182,124 / 258,647 Its dropped less than I expected. I only have about 50% of my magic power left, so I guess I need to be quite careful with my remaining amount. Maybe I should give that a shot. The Octorol took a deep breath and began gathering magic power inside its body. From its swelling body it shot out an enormous tornado. It was Blue Gale. Perfect!! I readied Divine Sword Ainbelle and pointed its blade at the Blue Gale. Upon colliding with the spell, Divine Sword Ainbelles blade began to glow with blue light. It had sucked in the Blue Gale. It would be hard to cast a Spell Fusion with my remaining magic power. Thankfully, the Octorol was an aquatic monster. Its movements were sluggish when on top of the surface, and it had no choice but to rely on spells to capture its prey. Ill use it if you dont mind. Oh spirits of the world, shout out like a storm, scream out like thunder, and annihilate the enemy standing before me, guiding it to heaven! Using the chant, I cast a Great Spell from the Sky System of magic. Black Thunder. And, in combination with it I also simultaneously released the Blue Gale that had been sucked into Divine Sword Ainbelle. An enormous tornado appeared around the Octorol, and thunder fell from the cloudy sky. The thunder fell amongst the tornado, creating a scene of destruction. Using Scout Scope, I could see the Octorols magic power constantly drop. Pheww Gramps, that things really cool. I guess Ill call it Thunder Gale. Black Thunders disadvantage was that it had a long chant so it was hard to synthesise it with other spells, however the spell synthesis of great spells really was something spectacular. As the thunderous vortex settled down I cast Scout Scope at the Octorol. Octorol Level 74 Magic Power Level 119,178 / 258,647 So Thunder Gale caused around 60,000 huh. Monsters from the Blue Magic System usually take more damage from Sky spells so it was only natural that it would do a lot, but it seems like Black Thunders compatibility with Blue Gale was quite good as well. It seemed like it had really done a lot, as the Octorol cautiously backed up a bit. However, this place was still quite disadvantageous for me. The rocks were wet and slippery, making it hard to move. Furthermore, water could pass through the gaps in the rocks, allowing the Octorol to stretch its tentacles through the gaps and grab me. Unless it was underwater, such sloppy tactics would never work on me, but it still had a total of eight tentacles that constantly aimed at me at all times. I had to be careful. I moved forward, trying to gradually close the distance between me and the Octorol. Seeing that the Octorol once again took a deep breath and cast a spell. Blue Gale huh I once again took up Divine Sword Ainbelle in order to suck it in, however the spell that came out wasnt Blue Gale, but rather Blue Shot. I somehow managed to dodge the water bullet that shot at me. It seems like it learned that Divine Sword Ainbelle is able to absorb its Blue Gale, so it changed to a strategy where it will push me back with weaker spells huh. I can use spell synthesis and strike back, but I dont want to waste my magic power. After all, it constantly drained my magic power to keep Divine Sword Ainbelle active. Since I had been meditating while fighting, my magic power hadnt decreased since the beginning of the fight, however it wouldnt recover any more than this. Id like to take it down with a huge spell rather than wasting magic power on weaker ones. I guess it will fall down with two more Thunder Gales. While constantly dodging the water bullets shooting at me, I also had to dodge the tentacles that shot up from the ground. While keeping an appropriate distance away, I took out a magic recovery medicine from my bag and drank it. Why dont you just unsummon me for the time being. Afterwards you can just wait for your magic power to recover and take it down, cant ya? It will be hard for me to dodge if it shoots out a Blue Gale during that time. Im currently all alone. A battle of endurance is the rational choice in this situation. Id be great if I had someone else with me right now, but I guess I cant just sit here and whine. Ill have to take care of this alone. But, Im also here you know said Ain with a sullen voice. Come to think of it, she did help me quite a lot today. Thats right. Its really reassuring to have you here Ain. I said as I stroked the swords handle. Hyaa!! Dont touch me in strange places! And you shouldnt make such strange noises. As I sharpened my relaxed mood, the Octorol noticed me stop for just a moment and using that gap it began to gather magic power in its body. Come! After taking in a deep breath the Octorol shot out a Blue Gale. You imbecile. Right according to plan! Divine Sword Ainbelles blade collided with the Blue Gale and as it sucked it in, it began to glow with a blue light. I then timed releasing the Blue Gale with my cast. Oh spirits of the world, shout out like a storm, scream out like thunder, and annihilate the enemy standing before me, guiding it to heaven! Alongside Black Thunder, I also shot out the Blue Gale that was stored within Divine Sword Ainbelle. Thunder Gale!! A whirlpool of thunder struck the Octorol. And the Octorols magic power dropped with another 60,000. One more I thought as I let down my guard for an instant, which also overlapped with the tiredness that came from casting the spell, causing me to stop for a moment. At that same moment the Octorols body shook amidst the thunder vortex. GRAMPS!! YOUR LEG!! ?!! Hearing Ains shout I looked down only to see the Octorols tentacles crawling on the wet rocks, trying to get a hold of my feet. I immediately jumped up, dodging the tentacles at my feet. That was close. If Ain hadnt shouted out I would have been dragged into the water again. Thank you Ain. Fufu, dont forget my meals after this okay? Look forward to it. Still, keep in mind that if you eat too much youll get fat. I-I-I know! I then tightly grabbed a hold of Divine Sword Ainbelle with a biter smile on my face, and Ain, as if being in a good mood, shone bright. That damn Octorol, it purposefully cast the Blue Gale so that I would let my guard down. Trying to be clever arent we? Youll pay dearly for that. With the small amount of magic power that the Octorol had left, I could now defeat it without having to wait for it to fire off another Blue Gale. Were ending this. Okay!! I rushed at the Octorol, whose movements had gotten even more sluggish due to the last Thunder Gale. However, it also didnt give up, as it tried to block in advance by using its tentacles and shooting water bullets at me. Nonetheless, there was no way those kinds of measly attacks would hit me. Time Square!! Right after dodging a water bullet that was coming at me I cast Time Square, making it so that everything in the surrounding froze. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash. Double Fusion: Pyro Crash. As time began to flow again, I shot the synthesised spell at Divine Sword Ainbelle, and its blade was dyed in red and black. Auch Its hot!! Just a bit more Ain. Were going for the finish. Got it!! Due to already having picked the best route to avoid the incoming attacks while time was stopped, I was able to dodge everything coming at me without much difficulty. And then with a single jump I landed in front of the Octorol, and swung down Divine Sword Ainbelle while at the same time casting Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Green Crash and Blue Crash. Red, Blue, Sky and Green magic mixed with one another, creating a golden light. Quadra Fusion: Tetra Crash. The blade surrounded in golden light split the Octorol in half. The light born from Divine Sword Ainbelle was sucked in by the Octorols skin, which then began to glow as well. The light, while looking for a way out, began to desperately rage inside the Octorols body, shredding it to pieces. Gyaaaaaa?!! This is it. I swung Divine Sword Ainbelle once more, this time horizontally. The Octorols body split in four and turned into fragments of light, which scattered in the air. The golden particles scattered at my feet. As the Octorols particles gradually disappeared, I noticed a black cloth at the place where the Octorol had been. Oh! I picked it up and fiddled with it for a bit. It was made out of durable material that could also stretch pretty well. The item that the Octorol dropped was none other than the Lava Suit. Despite its appearance it boasted a high defensive power, and due to its tight fit, and also because it was quite easy to move in, it was usually worn right on top of bare skin, under normal armor. The material was quite stretchy and felt rather comfortable to the touch. I guess it will be perfect for Lydia in many ways Gramps, youre thinking of something dirty again arent ya? A-Are you stupid! Of course Im not! You sure? I put the Lava Suit in my bag while talking with Ain. It was at that moment that I felt an intimidating feeling coming from the distance. Looking back, I saw a familiar woman wearing a coat walking towards us. It was Azalea. CH 144.2 Azalea shook her hand as she seemed to have noticed me. Good grief, if you knew I was here why didnt you come and help earlier I wouldnt have had to struggle so much And here I thought that I heard something, and just when I came to check I found you Zeph-kun. Did you have a hard time? You could say. I gave you a ring crystal, didnt I? You could have just contacted me with that. Do I look that unreliable to you? I simply forgot about it. I was quite desperate you see. Haha, guess you didnt want to show me your trump cards. Especially considering how skilful of a mage you are Zeph-kun. Youre overestimating me. Id rather say that Im underestimating you, wouldnt you say? Oh spare me that talk. If I were to continue this, it would only turn to a back and forth between me and her. I seemed like she was enjoying that, however I was pretty bad at these kinds of topics. Before digging my own grave I decided to change the topic. Rather than that, I found a suspicious place. Hearing that Azaleas expression immediately became serious. Oh my, you sure work fast. I have capable friends you see Its over there. I said as I pointed towards the small cave. Seeing it Azalea nodded. That place its not shown on the map Theres a chance that he might be hiding over there. Just as I was about to enter it I got attacked by the Octorol. Im planning on going again, do you want to come with me Azalea? Sure. Ill take the lead being the older one. Be my guest. Lets see what youre capable of. Hahaha, give me just a minute to call my friends. said Azalea with a smile as she proceeded to call her friends. After a bit, two sturdy looking men came over by using Teleport. This here is Charade and Gustav. Both of them are only one star, however they are honest and good guys. Looking at the mens coats the single star, that was used to signify the ranks of Dispatch Magicians, was certainly attached around their chest area. Azalea-senpai, I hope you dont think were friends or something like that, now are you? Thats right! You should at least add that were strong or something like that! Hahaha, my bad. Their battle prowess is the real thing as well. And you both, this here is Zeph. Nice to meet you. I said as Azalea introduced me to both of them. Both of the men looked at me as if they were trying to evaluate me. Hmph, so youre Azalea-sans Ive heard stories. You certainly do look quite strong. Its a pleasure to work with you Zeph-dono. The pleasure is all mine. I said as I shook the mens hands. They appeared like honest and good people just from the way they treated me, a child, of all people. I also felt that the pulse of their magic power lines was quite strong, which signified that they were indeed strong. Well then, lets hurry. There was quite the commotion, so the enemy might have noticed us. Youre right. Still its not like anyone can escape from us either way. said Charade. Thats right. The intimidation magic that weve cast is now stacked trifold after all. continued Gustav. From a while ago, I felt that there was a dense amount of magic power floating around. It was a type of intimidation spell used to block teleportation. And it appeared that the three of them were casting it simultaneously. Due their spells overlapping with one another, the area had gotten quite huge and was encompassing the whole of the rocky area. With this no matter how skilled Grain was, he still wouldnt be able to escape. Lets go. said Azalea as she took the vanguard towards the cave. A magic light illuminated the darkness of the cave, as we proceeded forward with maximum caution. However, the cave ended up being not as deep as I had originally expected, and we reached a dead end quite soon. A dead end it seems. said Gustav. The back of the cave had formed into a wide cavity. We explored the inside with the help of the magical light, but there were no signs of neither Claude, nor Grain. Damn it, a miss huh. It seems like theres nothing here. Theres no point in staying here any longer, lets go back. prompted Azalea. At her command we turned around and prepared to leave. When I also turned around and was about to head for the exit, I heard a voice in my head. Telepathy This feeling Its Claude! Zeph kun Claude, is that you?! I stopped and immediately closed my eyes, and blocked my ears, just so that I could focus my whole being on Claudes voice. Where are you?! Everyones worried about you! Im so-sorry Her voice is probably cutting off due to her Screen Point. After all she cant use Telepathy quite well when she has it turned on. As if having calmed down a bit, Claude began to talk more normally. Im sorry for disappearing like that. But at last, my feelings At tomorrows full moon At that place Can you come alone Zeph-kun Claude? It seems like she really was overthinking it. She feels a bit different than usual. It feels like she didnt mean what she was saying Could it just be because of the telepathy cutting off? I got it. Tomorrow night right? Yes Ill be waiti And with that Claudes telepathy completely cut off. Thank god, shell come back to us. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes slowly only to notice that I was surrounded by Azalea and the two men. All three of them were looking at me with curious eyes. What is it, what is it? This feeling just now, could it be a woman?! Ah, youth, it sure is great. said Charade. Oh my continued Azalea. Both of them seemed quite interested. Rather it felt like they had even been able to hear what my and Claude were talking about just now. Charade, and even you Azalea-san Its not nice to listen in on peoples telepathy. Yea, yea. Im sorry Zeph-kun. Hahaha, my bad, my bad. So they really did hear it I guess it must be some kind of Unique Spell. What a sly thing to do. I glared at the both of them who didnt look like they were reflecting all that much. I really do feel bad. You looked really desperate, and I thought that it might be Grain so I just said Azalea. You should have noticed it wasnt him halfway there thought. Ha ha ha Dont think you can get away with just laughing. I said while brushing away Azaleas hand that was stroking my head. After that I got lost in thought about my Telepathy with Claude. Tomorrow night, during the full moon, I need to go to that place alone huh. That place must be the place where I killed Kane Its quite near here. Should I tell Milly and the others though? No, thats not a good idea. Claude said she wanted to see me alone. If I tell the others, someone, especially Milly, will definitely follow me. It must be quite important for Claude considering she cut off communication with everyone else and just contacted me. Come to think of it, Claude became strange after she saw me and Milly together. If she sees me with someone else, she might run away again. For the time being Ill go meet and capture her, Ill even put a collar around her neck if necessary and bring her back to everyone Talking about collars, I forgot to give her the collar that Shirushu bought for her as a gift. She might cheer up a little if I put that on her. In any case Ill definitely bring her back! As I steadied myself and tightly squeezed the collar in my hand. At that same time Azalea slowly sneaked up to my ear. By the way Zeph-kun. Come to think of it, wasnt Claude-kun a boy? Huh? Are you two like you know Between two men said Azalea excitedly as her face turned slightly red. This woman, shes definitely misunderstanding this. Ill tell you just in case, but Claude is a woman. Oh, so thats how it is Hearing that, the tone of Azaleas voice suddenly dropped. Why do you seem so disappointed?! I looked at her with a frightened face as she dropped her shoulders in disappointment. CH 145.1 Damn I cant find Grain. After parting with Zeph, Azalea, Charade and Gustav searched around the rocky mountain for a while, but in the end they didnt manage to find Grain. The sun was beginning to set, and probably due to the exhaustion creeping up on him Charade let out a long sigh. Urghhh, I guess hes not here anymore. Grain is quite the meticulous person, so theres no chance that hed get close to the city, but I also doubt that hed stay in one place for long as well. Hmph Guess youre right. Even though she said that she wasnt fully convinced. It might have been for a short period of time, however she was Grains superior, and had spent more time with him than anyone else, which all led to her having this particular hunch. The hunch that Grain was still here. I dont have proof; however, my gut feeling has never been wrong. She had always had this strange feeling about him. The feeling of his gaze, dancing around everywhere, clinging on to everything. On the surface, he seemed obedient, however she was convinced that he had become a Dispatch Magician only to steal the Associations spells. The Dispatch Magicians worked on the basis of a merit system. As long as one had power he would be able to become one. It didnt matter whether one was a criminal or someone with evil intentions. However, in order to counteract that Dispatch Magician had many restrictions placed on them, such as the nonaggressive policy, as well as the need to wear their uniform in order to be able to cast the Associations Unique Spells. But even so there are those who drown themselves in that power. And it was precisely Azaleas job, a two-star Dispatch Magician, to stop that. The more stars a Dispatch Magician had, the more authority they had, and rank was absolute within the Association. While he was still a Dispatch Magician Grain managed to skilfully hide his numerous problematic deeds. After getting wind of that, Azalea used Zeph as bait in order to capture him. However, there were two things which she hadnt expected. First, Grain hadnt drowned himself in his newly attained power, rather he became a Dispatch Magician in order to grab a hold of that power in the first place. And second, that he had enough power to escape from Prison Island. Because of my misjudgement Ive caused Zeph-kun a lot of problems havent I I ended up threatening a young boy so that he would help me search for Grain I really am going to hell. Thought Azalea with a bitter smile on her face. The only thing she could do now was hand in Grain with her own two hands. Grain has a strong grudge towards Zeph. Before he moves I need to Azalea-san, youre making a scary face there. said Charade Oh Im sorry about that. Youre quite the beauty after all, so you should smile. he said as he used his fingers to lift up the corners of his mouth. Charade had always been quite the bright person, however since coming to this island, his mood had strangely gotten even better. Charade, did something good happen? Oh, you can tell? he said with an embarrassed laugh. He then took the pendant from his neck and handed it to Azalea. Attached to the pendant there was a photo of a woman. I recently found a girlfriend you see. Shes not quite as beautiful as you, but shes quite the babe, dont ya think? Thats great. And so I thought that after finishing this mission Id use the prize money to buy her some sort of gift Hehe. So thats why youre this happy. Thought Azalea with a smile, as she watched the joyous Charade. Still thats unfortunate. You and Gustav had a good thing going between you so I thought that youd be able to Huh?! W-What are you saying Azalea-san! Hes just a friend! And were both guys you know!! Ahahaha, I know, I know. I was joking. I wonder about that Having been teased around with, Charade made a gloomy expression. Good grief, it was only a joke Azalea smiled bitter as it couldnt be helped. However, she then promptly took on a serious face and warned Charade. Lets save the joking for after the mission. This is also for your girlfriend as well. Youre surprisingly vigilant. I admit that Grain was certainly one of the best amongst his peers, but theres three of us. And youre also here Azalea-san. Its good to be confident, however you must not let your guard down. Kay, kay, I know Still Gustav is quite late, aint he? In truth, he really was quite late. They had decided they would meet at this time, in this place, after looking around the surroundings. And if anything were to happen they would contact each other via Telepathy, but there were still no signs from him. It cant be that he found Grain Hes not picking up my calls at all Could he have really said Charade. Lets look for him. That wont be necessary. said someone in a low voice. Azalea immediately turned around, only to see fresh blood leaking out of Charades neck. He had an expression on his face which was filled with shock, as he desperately tried to block the blood from flowing out with his hands, but even so it was too late and he crumbled to the ground. Azalea didnt even spare a moment to look at him, as she moved far away from the place where he had been attacked. Thats ridiculous, there werent any signs We also had a powerful magical barrier deployed at all times! Theres no way he could have been killed with only one strike As those thoughts ran through her mind, Azalea remembered what Zeph had said to her A mage killing spell. He had warned her that Grain would use that. She had completely forgotten about it. But to think that its this powerful She clicked her tongue and looked straight ahead. There, in clothes stained with mud, Grain, that had become one with the shadows, appeared holding a sword and smiling fearlessly. Grain! Kuku, I expected nothing less from you Azalea-senpai, you sure did dodge my strike well. He had probably killed Gustav in the same manner. Without his prey even having the chance to realize what had happened to them Charade had said that he wanted to buy a present for his new girlfriend. And Gustav had also mentioned that after the mission he would be taking a long leave, because he was to get married next month. Both of them were now Filled with rage, Azalea pulled out her sword and began to gather magic power towards it. A shining blue, magical light enveloped the sword. It was Raise Blade. It was a type of spell that created a magic blade. The spell could only be learned by Dispatch Magicians with two stars and above. Its power was by no means inferior to Zephs Tetra Ball. However, the thing that needed to be pointed out wasnt its power, but rather that it worked surprisingly well against magician killers. Raise Blade was a type of spell that greatly increased physical power, which meant that it wasnt affected by magical defense. It was one of the countermeasures against magician killers. Faced with Azalea and her sword, Grain could only laugh. It was like he was provoking her. Words were unnecessary. With sword in hand Azalea ran towards Grain, chanting a strengthening spell on her body. Hyaa.! Hahaha!!! Grain easily shunned off Azaleas blow. For a moment Azaleas eyes went wide with shock, but she then quickly recuperated and used the recoil in order to jump back and immediately raised her hand towards Grain to cast Black Crash. A blade of wind appeared as it slashed towards Grain. She knew that it probably wouldnt work considering Grain had a magician killing spell that was even able to withstand Zephs powerful spell. She only did it out of desperation, as a way to create a smoke screen, but Urgh?!! It worked?! Grain had definitely taken damage. She was confused. Earlier he was able to completely disable Charades magic defense yet Still, Azalea set aside her questions and began to attack Grain with spells. Red Crash, Black Crash, she constantly fired off spells. Fire and wind danced in the air, shooting towards Grain. Each time they did so, screams of pain were heard. Azalea shot off spells endlessly However ?!! Her hands suddenly stopped. Her knees dropped to the ground and blood spewed from her back. The amount of blood on the ground was a testament to the depth of her wound. A companion! And I was this close The shadow of the person standing behind the fallen Azalea swung its sword once more. Azalea rolled and somehow managed to avoid it, and then immediately cast Teleport. She flew far away and after making sure that she had fled a sufficient distance from Grain, she inspected her wounds. I guess there was no choice but to pull away considering it was two against one, and I have deep wounds At the place where Azalea had just teleported out from, the shadow, or rather the young girl just stood there with her bloodied sword, as she gazed at the direction in which Azalea had fled. Her eyes were vague, just as if she was looking at an empty void. Grain approached the girl, while brushing off the dust from the continuous assault. When he reached her, he readied his fist and swung it at her. With a thud the girl fell to the ground. After a while, she slowly raised up her body. Grain looked at her, spewing curses. How can you be so dull! I went ahead and created an opening for you, and you went ahead and blew it! There was no response from the girl, as her soulless eyes continued to stare forward and she held her reddened cheek with her left hand. Grain clicked his tongue as he looked towards the direction where Azalea had run off to. Well I guess its fine. Even though she escaped, she suffered deep wounds. She wont be able to move for a while. Itd be great if she just drops dead somewhere, but I guess I cant expect that much. Azalea was used to combat. Thats why it would be ideal for Grain to leave as soon as possible after finishing his business here. Still, this bitch, she might not be useful after all he said. Even though he had given her an order, she wouldnt move the way he wanted her to. His plan had been to attract Azaleas attention and have the girl strike her from behind, however it had failed due to her being way too slow, and had even put him in danger. It might have just been that his control over her was just too weak at the moment. Oh well, she might prove useful if I strengthen my control over her. And if she fails again, then that means that Ill just have to settle it myself somehow. Grain was sure that Zeph would definitely let his guard down, or at least be shaken up a bit, which would give him the perfect opportunity to take out both of them at the same time. Hey Claude! It wasnt sure whether she had heard his words or not. Claude just vaguely looked at the full moon with her soulless eyes. CH 145.2 Chapter 145 Part 1 Chapter 146 Part 1 *Teaser* Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama 6 The next night, after confirming that everyone had fallen asleep I got up. Everyone was sleeping soundly due to being exhausted from searching for Claude. While trying to be as quiet as possible I got up from my bed and got changed. Just as I was about to leave the room I heard something moving behind me. Hmph Zeph ?!! Milly, who was supposed to be sleeping, was quietly whispering out my name. I turned back fearfully, however it seemed like she was just talking in her sleep. After yawning once or twice she turned around and covered herself with her blanket. Good grief. I said while glaring at her. While looking at her sleeping face I remembered what she had told me the other day. It was the day when I had fought with Grain and Kane. Cant you trust us more? Were the words she had said back then. Even though she finally turned into a proper leader I guess Im still treating her like a child. Her body may still be small, but her heart has really grown. Still, I cant take her with me now. Forgive me Milly I said as I caressed her hair and left the room. I quietly sneaked out of the inn and headed to the promised meeting spot. The place Claude meant was probably the place where we fought with Grain and Kane. By using Teleport numerous times I quickly reached the rocky mountain. I looked around the appointed place with caution. It seems like theres no one here. I decided to contact Claude with Telepathy. Claude, its me. Im here. Come here to that place It seemed like she was already there. She was calling me. She probably wanted to talk to me, face to face. Theres no teleport restriction magic cast on the area. Its quite late so I guess Azalea and her friends must have already gone back as well. Still, I just cant seem to shake off this uneasy feeling Something could have happened to Claude. While pressing down the uneasiness in my heart I proceeded with caution. Grain was still alive, and still on this island, so I couldnt let my guard down. Still, this area is pitch black. The moon was hiding behind the clouds, which wouldnt let even a single moon ray pass through. It should be somewhere around here A huge ditch that extended towards the sea It was the sight of destruction left behind by my Platinum Break. Due to the dungeon repairing itself it had closed up a bit, but it was still quite deep. Come to think of it, I havent seen any monsters since yesterday. The dungeon must be redirecting all of its magic power towards repairing itself so I cant spawn any monsters. Without giving it a second though I continued forward until I reached a slightly open area. There was a huge boulder placed in the middle, and on top of the boulder a humans silhouette could be seen. It was dark and I couldnt see clearly, but just from the outlines I could make out that it was Claude. I let my guard down and slowly exited the shade. Doing so Claude seemed to have noticed my presence. Looking closely, I noticed that Claude wasnt wearing her usual outfit So you came Claude. Just as the words left my mouth the wind began to blow. The clouds dispersed, and the moon which had been hiding behind them showed itself. Its light illuminated the surroundings as well as Claude. Zeph-kun. she said. There was no doubt that the woman in front of me was Claude. However, the thing she was wearing wasnt her usual light armor, but rather a black dress which exposed her shoulders and a part of her chest. Claude usually avoided these kinds of clothes as they hindered her battle capability, yet the outfit she wore right now would undoubtedly steal the eyes of any man. She put her hands on her exposed chest and smiled bewitchingly. Um How does it look? she asked. Her lips were painted lightly red making her gesture seem quite erotic. However Its not like you. Ehehe But its cute isnt it Zeph-kun It seemed like we were on the same page at all. As Claude spun around, the skirt that stretched up to her ankles spread softly, revealing her white thighs beneath it. Her gesture felt somewhat childish. It was as if she was acting exactly as her heart told her. She approached me with a joyous face, however as she did so I noticed that her eyes were slightly red, and had lost their light of reason. So thats the case. Shes had a spell cast on her. Judging from this, it must have been Berselm! Berselm was a spell that significantly improved a persons physical ability, but its drawback was that it lowered that said persons ability to think. Originally it was created with the purpose of being a strengthening magic, but its true value lay in its ability to rob your opponent of their ability to think, allowing you to give them orders, turning them into puppets that followed your will. Berselm had a high affinity with people who had mastered hypnosis or commanding spells. As a result, it was widely abused as a torture or brainwashing method, which led it to be marked as a taboo in the future. Thankfully it looked like the one cast on Claude wasnt all that advanced, and seemed to just be a case of simple hypnosis. I wonder who cast this on Claude. I guess theres no point in thinking about it! Grain!!! Berselm was quite the rare spell after all. In these circumstances there could be no one else besides a former Dispatch Magician, such as Grain, that would be able to use. Hes probably hiding somewhere around here. I cant act recklessly. If Im not careful hell probably try and take me and Claude out at once. Either way, I must take care of Claudes hypnosis fast. Luckily I knew of a way to dispel it. Just as the Sleep Code, even though Berselm needed some effort in order to be cast on a person, it could easily be dispelled with Healing. And the command given would disappear the moment Berselm was dispelled, but Currently Claudes body was covered in a thin layer of Screen Point. He must have made her cast it after applying Berselm on her and giving her his orders. All in preparation against Healing Zeph-kun Claude approached ever so slowly with a feverish face. She doesnt have any weapons. While paying attention to my surroundings I patiently waited for Claude. Claude, who came right in front of me, cast her eyes down, and moved her lips. I you see I like She was mumbling her words, however as if finally having found the courage she looked me straight in the eyes and spoke. I like you Claude wasnt in her right state of mind. Still, these must be her true feelings. She continued to stare at me with her bright red face, and bewitching eyes. But you like Milly-san, dont you Zeph-kun Claude. Its okay!! I understand! She shook her head as she covered her face with both hands, crouched down and began to shake her shoulders. It seemed like my words wouldnt reach her in her current state. Either way, I must do something about this While I desperately thought of a way to deal with the situation, Claude stood up slowly, wiped her tears with her finger and smiled. I know I know that I cant win against Milly-san. But I I love Milly-san as well I know. That is why I!! Claude held her head with her hands as she began to tremble. Shes probably in a state of chaos right now. Having her ability to think stolen from her, and now being forced to confront me, the one responsible for her running away from her friends, must be really tough on her. Aaahhh aaaahhh I looked down at Claude who crouched in pain. The moment I break down and show an opening, Grain will try to assault me. If that were to happen I wont only be putting myself at risk, Ill also be dragging Claude with me. I cant move Not yet! Blood began to flow down from my hand as I tightly clenched my fist. So that must be it. said Claude with a smile and stood up as if she had remembered something. It was so simple. said Claude as she reached her hand for her bag and pulled out a reinforced silver longsword. It was the sword that belonged to Kane. She must have picked it up as a memorial of her brother. Claudes hand quivered as she pointed the tip of the sword towards me. Since you cant choose one, well just have to share. Ill split Zeph-kun in two. One half for me and the other for Milly-san! she said as the corners of her mouth raised up and she used her left hand to steady her quivering right hand. A single tear dropped down from her crazed eyes. Ain, come! A dazzling light shone forth from my hands and took the shape of a sword. Divine Sword Ainbelle. However, as Ain came out, her light seemed kind of lonely, and she shouted out in sadness. Claude! Come back to your senses!!! Claude, Ill bring you back. Ahaha? Zeph-kun, Ain-chan, what are you talking about, Im me, cant you see? she said with a smile as she forcibly held her sword with her trembling hands. And then she kicked the ground, arriving right in front of me and swinging her sword down. Shes fast! I cast Black Boots and somehow managed to dodge the attack. I continued to dodge while leaving behind afterimages, however Claudes eyes didnt sway as she followed me. As our eyes met, Claude showed a sadistic smile. Just a minute ago she was in a mental breakdown, and now it seemed like the only thought running through her mind was that of splitting me in two. CH 146.1 Ahahaha, Zeph-kun Please dont dodge okay?! Tsch! As I took a step back, Claude quickly followed after me. As she did, her sword came swinging down as well. I somehow managed to dodge the flurry of strikes that came at me. The sword slashed didnt have Claudes usual swordsmanship behind them. They were crude, but each one of them had a lot of weight behind it. To think you can produce so much power with Berselm. Divine Sword Ainbelle squeaked with a dull noise as I received her strikes. Currently Claudes sword was also covered in Screen Point, so it shaved off a bit of Divine Sword Ainbelle each time they clashed, due to Divine Sword Ainbelle being a sword made out of magic power. I was able to stop Claudes sword just before it landed on my head, but I was then pushed back by the sheer difference in our strength. Urgh?!! said Ain letting out a painful groan. I felt something hot fall on my cheek, as I desperately supplied Ain with magic power. !! If it isnt blood Before my eyes, Claudes eyes were filled with tears. Zeph ku she whispered out with a small, sad sounding voice. But even so, she still didnt stop her sword. The command given by Grain was forcing her against her will. Please Claude! Claude shed tears, but soon she once again sunk into her crazed state and her expression changed, as she crossed swords with me, blowing me away. Ahahaha she laughed as her tears continued to pour down. She looked just like a broken doll. Truthfully, her heart was probably on the verge of falling apart. Ive heard that, somewhere within the depths of ones heart, their consciousness remains even after being given a command. Which means that the pain Claude must be going through right now is immeasurable. That bastard! You wont get away for putting Claude through this Claude!! Ha!! Claudes sword fell down once more. I somehow managed to avoid it. However, it had turned into a one sided slaughter. I had no time to even use spells, and even if I did they wouldnt do much, due to Claudes Screen Point. But I can still do this Time Square!! While fighting off Claudes sword I somehow managed to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash twice. Due to Claudes Screen Point spells had almost no effect on her, but the spell right now would still serve as a good flashbang. I let time flow again and the fire spell bared its flames at Claude. Whats that? The Red Crash was cut off in an instant, however I had already expected as much. And now the other one! ?!! While time was stopped I hadnt cast both of them at once, but rather one after another. Which led to the current situation in which Claudes body was engulfed in flames. She probably didnt get hurt, however I guess it was enough to scare her. And now I rummaged through my bag and took out a certain item. A Spirit Power Recovery Medicine. A medicine which would recover all of my magical power at once. I was going to make Claude drink it and negate her Screen Point! Drink this!! I threw the Spirit Power Recovery Medicine at the frightened Claude. However, Claude smiled as the bottle was flying at her. Ive already seen that you know You did the same thing before I wont fall for it a second time!! she said as she took out her shield and used it to guard against the flying bottle. The bin collided with the shield and shattered into pieces. However, I had already planned for that development. ?!! Due to her putting up her shield, Claudes blind spot had widened. And when I suddenly appeared from a place she wasnt expecting, she showed an astonished look. The bin that I had thrown just now was an empty fake, the real one was with me the whole time. Claude finally caught onto my plan, however just as she did so, she showed a bright smile. Her body relaxed and she closed as if she was letting me have my way. Please Kill me. Is what I felt she was trying to say. However, there was no way Id do something like that. I grabbed both of Claudes arms and embraced her. And then I pried open her sealed lips with my tongue. Wh?!! I poured the Spirit Power Recovery Medicine from my mouth into hers. The white fluid filled Claudes mouth. She struggled to spit it out as if she was in pain, but I held her tightly, not letting her. Endure it Drink all of it. Claude was struggling like she was in tremendous pain, however she finally seemed to have given up as she slowly began to swallow. As the liquid began flowing down her body, her magic power rose and Screen Points influence began to grow dim. Now! I cast Healing on Claude while still embracing her. Doing that I could see the light returning to her eyes. The sword she held fell to the ground. Phew. She managed to come back. As I slowly pulled back my lips and let go of her, Claude looked up at me with teary eyes. Zeph-kun Why Thats my line. You idiot. I gently stroked Claudes head. Her face twisted as she was about to begin crying at any moment. But I I did those things to you and Milly-san You were going through a lot, I know. It was just so painful And you You and Milly-san she said as she looked down and shed tears. I hugged her once more, and she began to cry as the wall that held back her tears collapsed. Theres no doubt that I like Milly. But Claude, I also like you as well. That goes for Lydia, Shirushu and Silverie as well. You cant give me an answer such as that. Im sorry. I took out the collar from my bag and put it around Claudes neck. Whats this? Shirushu said she wanted to get something matching for you both. And I told her Id give it to you. It looks great on you Claude. Thank you Claude held onto the collar with both hands, as she cried while burying her face into my chest. However, her strength soon left her and her knees broke down. Berselm allowed one to display strength way beyond ones limits, but when the skill wore off it made it so that one couldnt even stand up. I took the unconscious Claude and laid her on the ground. I then stood up and looked towards a boulder in the distance. Your facade is over. Come out Grain. After a moment, a tall shadow came out from behind the boulder. Grain came out as his bloody coat fluttered in the air. Haa. So even something like this doesnt work on you huh. Oh no, it sure did work. The rage that Ive built up towards you is just about to overflow you see. Grain you did something you shouldnt have. Phew, so scary. You talking about Claude? You had quite the passionate moment just now. Kuku I was planning to take down both of you if you had shown an opening but it seems that failed However, you still showed me something quite interesting which I hadnt expected. I couldnt take my eyes off of you two. Hyahaha! said Grain as he laughed. As I took a step forward Grains expression tightened and he took one step towards me as well. Only the sound of our footsteps crushing the ground beneath resounded in the area and we both suddenly stopped in place. Arent you wondering why Im still alive? Im not surprised after all youve done you see. Folks like you dont seem to disappear no matter how many times you crush them after all. Youre just like cockroaches. Pff, you sure let your mouth run there. said Grain and took a step forward as anger made its way into his voice. I guess he didnt like being called a cockroach. He must be quite pissed off. However, the rage that Ive built up against him is way more than that! Ain! Lets go! Kay!! I turned, my anger exploding into magic power and sent it towards Divine Sword Ainbelle. I clutched onto Ain as she began to shine brightly and took a step towards Grain. Ains anger was probably about as well considering the light coming out of her couldnt be compared to her usual one. We were at last within each others range. If I were to swing my sword I would reach him. Come Grain. Ill definitely give you a free one way trip to hell this time. Thats my line! Just as the words left his mouth our swords clashed. Sparks flew through the darkness of the night. My swing, which had all of my power behind it, shook Grain greatly. My body which I had strengthened with Spell Fusion before the clash, could be said to be on par with Grains. We crossed swords a couple of times, however it was clear that neither me nor he were serious about killing the other with other swords. That was because both of us were mages after all. After crossing swords one more time we drew back a step. Kuku, its about time we get serious, dont you think Zeph? I was just about to say that as well! I said as I sent magic power towards Divine Sword Ainbelle and swung it down while casting Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash. Double Spell Fusion: Pyro Crash. A whirlpool of flames burst forth. However, Grain just smiled and raised his left hand. Immediately after that the whirlpool of fire enveloped Grain and burned him down Or at least thats what was supposed to happen, but the flames were sucked into his hand before they could envelop him. Hmph, Screen Point was it called this magician killing spell? Come to think of it, once I use it, it makes it quite difficult for me to use magic, but if I apply it to only a specific part of my body then thats a different story. Well, your average joe probably wouldnt be able to pull it off, but for a genius such as me its a walk in the park! laughed Grain as if he had already won. There were some very rare cases in which competent mages used magician killing spells in a unique way. The way Grain used Screen Point on only a part of his body, allowing him to use magic, was precisely one of those cases. It was definitely impossible to control it with just an average sense in magic. A genius huh I cannot dispute that. The talent and potential he had as a magician really did make me think so. However, no matter how powerful one became, if he were to dip his hands in the darkness even once he would then stray from the right path and proceed to the one of evil. That magician would then commit inhumane acts, and pile on corpses of innocent people There were a number of people like that throughout my lifetime. Grain looked back at me with menace as my eyes showed pity for him. Huh? Whats with that look? I just thought youre a sorry fellow, thats all. ! I dont like that look of you!! said Grain as he swung down his sword with anger, producing an enormous fireball. CH 146.2 Red Crash huh. Here I come! With a loud shout he launched the fireball at me. Faced with it I just closed my eyes and put up my hand. As the fireball touched my hand it exploded with a dull sound. Grain looked with astonishment at the scene unfolding before him. Wha You offset it? Well I guess it was quite good for a fluke Why dont you see for yourself whether it was a fluke or not? Ill take you up on that offer then!! Grain roared out and began to continuously cast spells at me. Red Bullet, Blue Gale, Green Crash, Black Storm, White Shot. Fire bullets, water whirlpools, flying rocks, blades of wind and spirit bullets. An uncountable amount of spells flew at me, trying to mow me down as if I was some sort of insect. WHAT?!! Is that all? I said with an emotionless expression while looking at the shocked Grain. His eyes were filled with disdain, as if he couldnt wait to crush me between his fingers. NOT YET!! Its useless. No matter how many spells he cast I offset each and every single one of them. I used blue against red, sky against green, and soul against soul. Each magic system had a counter. If one wanted to offset a said spell, he just had to cast a spell with the same power, but from the opposite system. There were various factors which one could roughly use to read what the other party was about to do. Those included the amount of power used, the disturbance of the magic power lines, the awkward body movements, the fluctuation in magic power and so on. The only thing left to do in order to offset your opponents spell was to cast your own spell before theirs hit you. Of course it was easier said than done. It was a skill which couldnt be used unless the enemy was several stages weaker than oneself. Grain was quite as skilled as myself, but there was no doubt that he was definitely up there. If you hadnt dipped your hands in the world of magician killing spells, you wouldnt have had to experience this kind of one sided battle Grain. The compatibility between normal spells and magician killing spells was the worst. It was definitely possible to forcefully use both of them at the same time, just like Grain was doing at the moment, but doing so distorted ones magical power lines which prevented him from fighting at full strength. The firing speed, power and casting speed were all below average, which made it easy to predict his next spell, and in turn prepare one of my own to offset it. DAMN IT!! he yelled out and fired off a spell towards Claude, who was lying on the ground. However, I offset that one as well. You should stop with your pointless struggle. Its painful to watch. Pointless struggle Painful to watch you say!! Grains magical power swelled forth from the anger, but its flow was distorted and it was evident that he wouldnt be able to withstand a spell battle. It was at a stage where it would be better for him to pick up his sword and fight like that, however having already lost his sense of reason, something like that wasnt possible for Grain. Pathetic and stupid. This is exactly what people who fell off the road of magic looked like. DIEEEE!! he shouted out as an enormous magical sphere formed. It was a Red Sphere and it was aimed right at me. However, before it could land I quickly cast Blue Sphere, offsetting his spell. Grain breathing had turned rough, it seemed like this last spell had exhausted his magical power. The Screen Point that was wrapped around his left hand looked like it was about to disappear as well. Using magician killing spells alongside normal spells, took a huge toll on ones mental state. It seems like it really was a huge toll. He doesnt have the strength left to fight me. It seemed like he had also realized that fact as he fell to his knees. Seeing him like that I took a step forward and brandished Divine Sword Ainbelle as to finish this. Dont come! he said as he fired off a spell in desperation, but his spells no longer had the strength to harm me. I casually took care of it as I took another and yet another step. Grain let out a shriek of terror as he tried to escape towards the darkness of the boulder, but there was no way I would let him do that. Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash and stored them inside Divine Sword Ainbelle. This is it Grain. Were the last words I said to him as he hid behind the rock. Just as I was about to swing Divine Sword Ainbelle down Grain suddenly spoke. Kukuku I wanted to say once more that his resistance was futile, but for some reason his laughter made me feel something strange. The sword that was about to strike down ended up stopping just above my head. Without being able to shake this feeling of uneasiness I once again spoke to him. Whats so funny? Nah its just that I thought that my luck still hasnt abandoned me he said as he came from behind the rock. His hand was holding onto a young girl. Her figure seemed to be quite familiar. As Grain took a step forward, the girls blonde hair appeared from the darkness and shone brightly under the moonlight. The girls small body was trembling from fear. It was none other than Milly. Milly! Kuku This one here was your leader right? Urgh Milly groaned in pain as Grain lifted her up by the neck with his left hand. And his right hand held onto a sword which was pointed at her chest. It seems like the tables have turned. he said with a bright smile, as his voice echoed throughout the area. Hey, dont move. he said as he saw that I was slowly trying to approach him in an attempt to save Milly. The sword pressed even further towards Millys chest and blood began to drip down. I presume I dont need to tell you what will happen to her if you move right? Milly! Zeph AHH!! Shut up you damn brat. Urgh! Grain strengthened his grip which made it hard for Milly to breathe. He looked at me as my face was turning pale and smiled brightly. Milly probably noticed that I was leaving the inn and followed me here. And here I thought that I wasnt being followed I guess her magical power sense has improved since she was able to find us. It was quite the flashy battle as well. It wouldnt be hard for anyone to find us as long as they were within the rocky area. Still, what terrible timing. Im glad that shes grown but it seems like it came to bite me in the butt. Furthermore, due to Grains Screen Point, Milly wasnt able to cast any spells. For a while now she looked like she was trying to move her magical power, however it didnt seem to want to activate. On top of that I could also feel Grains magical power begin to increase again. Come to think of it, his Unique Spell allowed him to steal power from others. His specific characteristics have impacted even his Screen Point, allowing him to steal magical power huh. Despair can be used to evolve magic. He might have undergone something like that the other day when I took care of him. Kuku, its flowing into me This blondie. Shes quite the small fry, but the quality of her magical power isnt half bad. Urgh Milly let out a painful moan. However, it wasnt a situation in which I could act recklessly. If my spells were to hit Milly now, as she was having her magical power sucked out of her, she wouldnt get away unscathed. Well then Zeph, it seems like you have no choice but to listen to me. And if I say no? After all, its not like youll let go of Milly even if I do follow what you say. Do you really think that Id just wilfully listen to your every command in this situation? Should we try it then? said Grain as he slowly began to press his sword against Millys chest. And with that the red spot on her clothes spread even more. URRRRGH?!! Haha, dont fight it now. My hand might slip if you do. !!! Grain pressed the blade further, as he held down onto Millys body, who was acting restlessly due to the pain. The red spot on her clothes spread even more, and as the blood left her quivering body it began to drip to the ground. Faced with her painful shrieks and her tears which fell endlessly due to the pain I shouted out. W-WAIT!! STOP IT! As the words left my mouth Grain stopped his sword. He then pointed it at me and smiled. Huh? Did you tell me to stop it? Thats not a nice way to ask of a favor now is it? Please stop it. Hahahahahaha!! Sure!!Oh god, you have no idea how much I wanted to see you make that face! said Grain while gazing at my pale expression. Millys tears still continued to drip down. Promise me that youll release Milly if I agree to follow your orders. Grain happily looked down at me, as I glared at him with hatred. Hahaha, thats a nice face you got there! Got it, got it. Im a man that keeps his promises. As long as Im able to kill you I dont care what happens to this small fry. Promise. Kuku, yea, yea, I promise. Well then, for starters why dont you throw that despicable looking sword here? !!! Divine Sword Ainbelle. Grain was telling me to hand over my trump card to him. I could feel anxiousness in Ainbelles light. Um. Its okay gramps. Im sorry Ain. Dont worry. In the end as soon as you let go of me, my supply of magical power will be cut off and Ill disappear. So dont worry and just do it As I talked with Ain through Telepathy, Grain yelled out in frustration. Hurry it up! Okay I said as I glared at him and threw Divine Sword Ainbelle towards his face. Whoa?! Divine Sword Ainbelle flew straight at Grains face, but he skilfully avoided it, and the sword ended up piercing the rock behind him. Damn, it failed. I thought that maybe Id be able to create an opening and rescue Milly but I had been planning on jumping out the moment I threw the sword, but due to the opening window being way too small I stopped myself. You bastard You sure do some bold stuff dont you. I gave it to you just as you asked, didnt I? I just obeyed your command. Dont fuck with me you bastard! Grain pulled out Divine Sword Ainbelle from the rock, and then slammed it into the rock with all of his might. Just as the blade hit the rock a loud sound was heard, and the blade shattered in half. CH 147.1 Ain?!! The swords blade turned into particles of light and disappeared into thin air. Divine Sword Ainbelle was Ains second form. Nothing major would happen even if it was chipped away a bit, but to completely break it Just as I burst out in cold sweat I heard Ains voice. Gramps Ain, is that you?! Hey!! Are you okay?!! Im fine Ill turn back to normal soon so Her voice grew more and more distant as she continued to speak. However, I could still feel her presence inside me. It seems like she just went to sleep. I thought Id go easy on you, but in the end I decided to ditch the idea. So just go suffer and die you bastard. said Grain as he began gathering magic power at the tip of his finger. The spell he was preparing to cast was Red Blaster. It was a spell that created heat rays which scorched the casters enemies. Dont dodge now, okay? Youre going to listen to what I tell you right? asked Grain Zeph dont worry about me Just now Grain had purposefully weakened his grip around Millys neck just so that he could let her speak. He was probably planning on letting me hear Milly so that I would do exactly as he asked! With a grin on his face Grain pointed his finger at me and fired off the heat rays. Right wrist!! I gathered magic power at the place the heat rays were aiming at, and somehow managed to guard the attack. Urgh?!! Still guarding with just magical power alone didnt amount to much and just slightly weakened the attack. Red Blaster was a spell that could continuously fire off heat rays as long as the caster continued to supply magic power. Normally it wouldnt be strange for my hand to be burned to a crisp immediately, but the feeling I got right now was that of it being roasted over low heat. Did its power decline due to the magician killing spell, or is he purposely lowering its output? Zeph!! Zeph!! Hyahaha!! Thats a nice scream you got there! said Grain with a vile laughter, mocking Millys sorrowful cry. The smell of meat being burned entered my nose and I was forced to clench my teeth from the pain. As the heat rays died off I held onto my wounded right hand, glaring at Grain. Kuku The next side is up next, prepare yourself! Next it was my left hand. As I suffered the attack of the heat rays I almost lost my consciousness. AHHHH!! Grain laughed as he watched me scream my lungs out. He appeared to be in a great mood, but even so he showed no openings and I couldnt try anything due to Milly being held hostage. Right leg, left ear, shoulders, thighs The relentless strikes continued as I used guard, fuelled by magic power, to try and somehow avoid any lethal wounds. Haha! Dance, dance!! Put on a good show for me!! NOOOO!!Zeph!! Zeph!! Milly screamed out my name. My eyesight turned misty. It seemed like I had suffered a decent amount of damage. I couldnt feel anything besides pain. Were still not done you know? I need to make you suffer for Kane as well!! Ill keep going until you beg for me to spare you! No wait, Ill continue even if you do!! Grain appeared to be thinking of ways to slowly torture me to death. There should definitely be an opening somewhere Grains spell then burned my forehead and I once again screamed in agony. How long has passed since that first attack I wonder. Grain continued to mercilessly rain down spells on me. The heat rays continued to scorch my body. I reached a point where I couldnt even let out a word. I could only hear Grains laughter echo in the area. Zeph Millys face was covered in tears as she looked at my miserable state. Looking closely, I could see that Grain had stuck his hand in Millys mouth. Hes probably preventing her from biting off her tongue After all it wouldnt be strange for Milly to opt for suicide, considering the state I was in. Phew, I sure had my fun Though I still think that its a little bit early for you to die, dont you agree? As my knees gave up and I fell to the ground I once again felt a heat ray pierce my left arm. ARGHHH!!! Ahahaha! This is so damn fun! Its so damn fun to bully the weak!! I was at a point in which I couldnt even use magic power to guard anymore. I had lost my sense of pain as well, and my scream wasnt even a scream. As I was in that state I suddenly heard something drop right in front of my feet. Oh my. said Grain with a slightly disappointed voice. As I heard him I looked forward. In front of me there was a piece of meat that was charred black. It was my left arm. As I watched it with a dumbfounded expression, Grain looked down at me, seeming a little bit disappointed, but nonetheless happy. My bad, my bad, it seemed like I let myself go on that one. On the bright side, you still have your right hand and your both legs, so should we continue our playtime? Hyahaha!! he apologized with only one of his hands. His apology was akin to that of apologizing to someone you had bumped on the road. His other hand was still stuck in Millys mouth, but that didnt stop her from letting out a painful roar. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! It was a long, painful roar. And alongside it Millys magic power burst forth. Wh?!! Millly? Was her dormant magic power awakened by her anger towards Grains? Her surging magic power was so thick; that not even Grains Screen Point could absorb all of it. Being shocked by the development, Grain unconsciously let go of Milly. As she was freed from Grains grasp, Milly stood between me and him, and as to surprise me even more, her magic power continued to rise even further. Her magic power was at a level that not even me, nor the Five Heavenly Mages, nor anyone else could compete with HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ZEPH!! . Haha However, Grain still didnt seem to be bothered by Milly that much as he just spit on the ground. On the other hand, Milly didnt also flinch from his cold murderous gaze. Blue Gale!! she shouted out as she cast a Blue Gale at Grain. A water vortex, that was close to the size of the Double Blue Gale me and her would usually cast together, launched towards Grain However, Like it would work. ?!! Screen Point. Without us noticing, he had released the Screen Point covering his left hand, and had switched it to cover his whole body, nullifying all magic. From behind the water vortex the sound of Grain kicking the ground could be heard. He didnt seem to care about Millys Blue Gale at all as his speed didnt falter at all. Blue Gale!! Blue Gale!! Milly continued casting Blue Gales. With the amount of spells she had just cast, anyone could determine that her potential was tremendous. However, the compatibility with her current opponent was just too bad. At Grains charge Millys legs began to shake from fear and she took a step back. Not good. No matter how tremendous her magic power may be, she cant fight him with his magician killing spell Milly run away!! Zeph Hearing my voice Millys legs suddenly stopped. I could see that her knees were about to give out. In order to prevent that from happening she held onto her legs with all of her strength. She then turned towards me and smiled. Its okay. Ill protect you. Im the leader after all!! she said with a dazzling smile, as she then once again turned towards the incoming Grain, prepared to fight. The stance she took told me that she was planning on casting Blue Gale again. Is she planning on firing it at close range and suiciding! Setting her gaze at the shadow coming from behind the water vortex, Milly stretched out her arms and cast her spell. Blue However, before she could finish it blood dripped down from her mouth. The dripping mouth flowed down her pale face, made its way through her throat, her collarbone and finally combined with the blood coming out of her chest. Sticking through Millys chest was Grains sword, who had now disappeared from sight. Milly used her trembling arms to grab a hold of the swords blade sticking out of her chest. At that moment, Millys chest exploded alongside her fingers and she was blown away. You cant do it. People without power cannot protect anyone. said Grain with a smile standing behind Milly, looking through the hole in her chest. He was using the sword in his hand to support Milly that was about to fall. Millys body lost all of its strength as her limbs fell down and her head sagged as well. She was dead. Oh my Kuku. Thats what happens when you look away during a fight. Didnt you teach her something as basic as that? Mi Grain then pulled out his sword and let Milly fall down. Just as she was about to fall to the ground he grabbed her hair with his hand and pulled up her face so that her eyes could meet mine. Zeph, Im sorry. I said I would protect you, but I ended up losing. he said while moving Millys mouth and imitating her voice. lly Blood continued to drip down from her mouth. Each time he moved her mouth even more blood dripped down. Her limbs were sagging, her eyes had lost all of their light, her cheeks had lost their reddish color The joyous, energetic Milly that always stood in front of me was nowhere to be found. So boring And here I thought that Id mess with her a little more You see I have this bad habit of taking care of people quickly when they refuse to obey me Grain said as he casually threw Milly to the ground, and trampled on her head with a dissatisfied expression. Millys beautiful golden hair got stained by the dirt and blood, and her neck was bent in the wrong direction. Guess theres no helping it, Ill just have my fun with you Oh wait, now that I think about it I have another toy over there! As his words left his mouth, my heart shrank. His eyes were looking at the sleeping Claude. CH 147.2 Like Ill let you I said while reflexively stretching out my right arm, grabbing onto Grains leg. However, my body refused to move as I wanted it to. It felt like I was trying to crawl through mud. Even so, I still managed to grab onto Grains ankle as he walked towards Claude. However, in the next moment Grain used his other foot to stomp down on my right hand and I saw my fingers bending into different directions. Urgh!!! Youre my dessert. Just lay there quietly Claude was it? When Im done with her, your other friends will come next. I wont let you die easily. Ill cut off your limbs and stick your eyelids so that you wont be able to close your eyes Ill make sure you see how all of your companions die. Kuku G After that Ill probably put you in an aquarium or something and feed you to the fish! Youll die while sinking to the depths of despair, and regretting ever having been hostile towards me. Hahaha!! rain!! Grain kicked off my broken hand and continued to walk towards Claude. As I looked, a dark and deep despair began to creep up within me. The reason why I went back in time was so that I could efficiently study and master magic. Thats what my second life was supposed to be about. If I had stuck to my training I would have become a one of a kind magician. I had the option of leaving Claude behind and running. However, if I did that, what would remain for me after mastering magic? Milly, Claude, Lydia, Ain, Shirushu and Silverie, all of them were my precious friends. I want power in order to protect them. The power to defeat Grain I need it now. In order to obtain it Ill do anything Ill even discard the damn efficient lifestyle that I sought after so much! As I steadied my resolve a black flame enveloped my whole body. A flame of despair that was several times stronger than the one that I experienced when I realized that I had no talent for magic in my previous life. The magical power wrapped around my body and burned it. As that occurred my body slowly started to change. My skin burned to crisps, my muscles tore, my bones squeaked However, in their place a whole new body began to appear as the burning pain assaulted me endlessly. But even so I forcefully moved my body as it was screaming in pain, and stood up. Noticing that something was happening behind him, Grain stopped and turned around. Oh? You can still stand? You sure are an energetic one arent you Huh?! he said with a smile. However, as he saw me changing while enveloped by the black flames, Grains expression suddenly changed to one of shock. He then took a step back and readied his sword. You bastard, what in the world is that form? I tried to speak, but it seemed that my vocal cords had yet to regain their function, as I couldnt pronounce anything. My eyesight blurred and my body wouldnt move the way I wanted it to. It felt like my body wasnt my own anymore. Suddenly I felt that something was wrong with my hand and looked down. My right hand, which had been crushed by Grain, was now solidified into a distorted shape. I tried to open my fist, but it wouldnt budge. However, that didnt matter. This fist would be enough. It would be enough to kill Grain. I then turned my gaze towards Grain. After our eyes met Grain took a step back as if he was feeling some kind of pressure. However, although he was afraid of me, in order to try and maintain his self-esteem, he forcibly stopped his trembling legs. And then immediately molded his magic power and swung his sword at me. .!! You worthless piece of trash!! A red barrage of bullets flew towards me. Numerous flames covered my vision. Red Bullet huh As the countless bullets of flame rained down on me, one of them touched my forehead. At that moment I cast Time Square. Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots. While time was stopped I cast Black Boots five times. Penta Fusion: Black Boots Circle. The moment the time freeze wore off I twisted my body and kicked the incoming flame bullet. I then slipped past the heavy rain of flame bullets and ran past them. How was that you bastard!! As I ran past the fire barrage what awaited me was Grain with a triumphant expression on his face. He had probably expected that I was going to be swallowed by the rain of fire. As I saw his stupid expression the remaining drop of sanity that I had held onto evaporated and I lost myself. I took a breath to adjust my breathing. I prepared to cast a spell in order to kill Grain, but as I did that I completely lost control and ended up shouting out with anger. GRAINNNNN!!! I shouted on the top of my lungs and slammed my broken fist into Grains face. The sensation of his muscles tearing, his teeth breaking and his cheekbones shattering were all conveyed through my fist. Grain flew back, bouncing up and down a couple of times until finally colliding with a rock. ARGH?!! he roared in pain. I then slowly approached him. I stood in front of Grain. His whole body was cramping up and white bubbles were filling his mouth. Looking at the state he was in I gave a fierce kick to his abdomen. The impact passed through his body and even shook the rock behind him. Urgh Wake up. While spitting blood up, Grain somehow managed to wake up. He then stood up and took on a stance in order to fight me. However, his legs were shaking and he could hardly stand. Even so he still somehow managed to support his body on the rock behind him and glared at me while holding onto his reddened cheek. You bazdad Vhad iz dhat form?!! What is that form? Is that what hes trying to say? It wasnt strange that he was shocked. My current appearance was only a remnant of my former self. My height, hair and limbs had all stretched out, and my previously immature body was now covered in muscles. My magical power lines couldnt even be compared to what they were before, and I could cast spells at the same intensity as the ones in my previous life. In other words, I had purposefully sped up my own growth, forcing my body to grow to a point where I could kill Grain. This body should be about 5 or 10 years older than my current one. I had sped up time until I had reached my body in its prime. Grain, this is the end for you. My magical power rose like a flame towards the sky. Silence surrounded the area as if time had stopped. Grain looked up at me with shock, as I cast Time Square in order to finish him. While time was stopped I cast each of Red Crash and Black Crash twice. Quadra Fusion: Double Pyro Crash. My fist was covered in flames as I swung it towards Grain. URGHHH?!! With a dull sound, the rock behind Grain broke, and the flames ran through the cracks in the rock. Grain cast Screen Point, somehow managing to reduce a lot of the spells damage. The power of the flame was such that no ordinary magician would live through it. While Grain on the other hand was even able to receive it. However, that didnt matter. If you end up dying quickly, then I wont be able to avenge Milly properly. .. Da.. mn it. As Grain tried to spew out curses I struck my fist at his forehead, forcing it to collide with the rock behind him. .ARGH!! You He tried to say something else, but his mouth was filling up with blood, preventing him from speaking. As he continued to spew out blood my killing intent didnt die down at the least and I slammed him against the rock numerous times. Each time he hit the rock, new cracks formed. Urgh Hmph. As his head moved a bit from the rock, his hair fell down due to having been rubbed against the rock behind it for so long. Fight back. Do you plan to die just like this? Dann uo Huh? I cant hear you. If you want to say something, then say it clearly. Grain glared at me as he took deep breaths in order to calm his breath. His magic power then suddenly shot up. The synergy between his Screen Point and his regular magic seemed to be even better than a bit ago. Apparently hes also levelling up while fighting me. He could now perfectly control the magician killing spell. YOU BASTAAARD!! he shouted out and cast a spell. His reddish-black magic power shot the sky, taking the form of a seemingly endless great sword. Seeing his own magic power, Grain smiled and looked at me. Red Zero! Grain swung down his hand and the great sword of magic power fell down towards me. He had probably chanted the spell while spewing blood in order to make it so that I wouldnt realize. The Zero spells, which were the strongest out of the Great Spells for any magic system, were high-risk spells which required a long chant and all of ones magical power in order to use. However, due to that their power was immense and in order to offset them one had to use a Zero spell as well. It was hard to dodge them or offset them, and it was almost impossible to receive them. Therefore, if they were cast in the midst of battle, and the other party hadnt prepared for them, it meant that the battle was won for the one who had cast them. And Red Zero was the strongest out of all of them, due to being under the Red System which specialized in attack. Its larger than a normal Red Zero! This Red Zero He probably used all of his magical power, or rather he probably even used his life force in order to cast it. Looking closely Grains hair had turned white and his skin had withered. He looked just like an old man. He had bet his life on this Red Zero. DIEEEEE!!! he yelled out. I raised my hand at the incoming blade of fire. As the blade touched my hand, part of it shattered and dispersed. Wh?!! Grain was lost for words as shock covered his face. The remaining part of the blade still continued as if trying to cut me down, however it didnt reach me and only landed in front of my feet, burying itself into the ground. My hand went numb from the considerable amount of pressure that it had just received. But even so the blade hadnt managed to reach me. The white barrier that was visible on top of my hand had prevented the blade from slashing me. Penta Fusion: White Wall Circle. Just now I had cast Time Square and while time was stopped I had prepared a White Wall Circle. White wall was a fragile wall that could counteract primary spells, but after stacking five layers on top of one another, it became a solid barrier that could prevent any spell. Large cracks ran through the body of the blade. I pressed my hand forward with the barrier still on top of it and crushed the already shattering blade. Disappear. As the words left my mouth the blade of fire scattered in the air. Particles of magic power fell down like rain, pouring down on me and Grain. CH 148.1 Like Ill let you I said while reflexively stretching out my right arm, grabbing onto Grains leg. However, my body refused to move as I wanted it to. It felt like I was trying to crawl through mud. Even so, I still managed to grab onto Grains ankle as he walked towards Claude. However, in the next moment Grain used his other foot to stomp down on my right hand and I saw my fingers bending into different directions. Urgh!!! Youre my dessert. Just lay there quietly Claude was it? When Im done with her, your other friends will come next. I wont let you die easily. Ill cut off your limbs and stick your eyelids so that you wont be able to close your eyes Ill make sure you see how all of your companions die. Kuku G After that Ill probably put you in an aquarium or something and feed you to the fish! Youll die while sinking to the depths of despair, and regretting ever having been hostile towards me. Hahaha!! rain!! Grain kicked off my broken hand and continued to walk towards Claude. As I looked, a dark and deep despair began to creep up within me. The reason why I went back in time was so that I could efficiently study and master magic. Thats what my second life was supposed to be about. If I had stuck to my training I would have become a one of a kind magician. I had the option of leaving Claude behind and running. However, if I did that, what would remain for me after mastering magic? Milly, Claude, Lydia, Ain, Shirushu and Silverie, all of them were my precious friends. I want power in order to protect them. The power to defeat Grain I need it now. In order to obtain it Ill do anything Ill even discard the damn efficient lifestyle that I sought after so much! As I steadied my resolve a black flame enveloped my whole body. A flame of despair that was several times stronger than the one that I experienced when I realized that I had no talent for magic in my previous life. The magical power wrapped around my body and burned it. As that occurred my body slowly started to change. My skin burned to crisps, my muscles tore, my bones squeaked However, in their place a whole new body began to appear as the burning pain assaulted me endlessly. But even so I forcefully moved my body as it was screaming in pain, and stood up. Noticing that something was happening behind him, Grain stopped and turned around. Oh? You can still stand? You sure are an energetic one arent you Huh?! he said with a smile. However, as he saw me changing while enveloped by the black flames, Grains expression suddenly changed to one of shock. He then took a step back and readied his sword. You bastard, what in the world is that form? I tried to speak, but it seemed that my vocal cords had yet to regain their function, as I couldnt pronounce anything. My eyesight blurred and my body wouldnt move the way I wanted it to. It felt like my body wasnt my own anymore. Suddenly I felt that something was wrong with my hand and looked down. My right hand, which had been crushed by Grain, was now solidified into a distorted shape. I tried to open my fist, but it wouldnt budge. However, that didnt matter. This fist would be enough. It would be enough to kill Grain. I then turned my gaze towards Grain. After our eyes met Grain took a step back as if he was feeling some kind of pressure. However, although he was afraid of me, in order to try and maintain his self-esteem, he forcibly stopped his trembling legs. And then immediately molded his magic power and swung his sword at me. .!! You worthless piece of trash!! A red barrage of bullets flew towards me. Numerous flames covered my vision. Red Bullet huh As the countless bullets of flame rained down on me, one of them touched my forehead. At that moment I cast Time Square. Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots, Black Boots. While time was stopped I cast Black Boots five times. Penta Fusion: Black Boots Circle. The moment the time freeze wore off I twisted my body and kicked the incoming flame bullet. I then slipped past the heavy rain of flame bullets and ran past them. How was that you bastard!! As I ran past the fire barrage what awaited me was Grain with a triumphant expression on his face. He had probably expected that I was going to be swallowed by the rain of fire. As I saw his stupid expression the remaining drop of sanity that I had held onto evaporated and I lost myself. I took a breath to adjust my breathing. I prepared to cast a spell in order to kill Grain, but as I did that I completely lost control and ended up shouting out with anger. GRAINNNNN!!! I shouted on the top of my lungs and slammed my broken fist into Grains face. The sensation of his muscles tearing, his teeth breaking and his cheekbones shattering were all conveyed through my fist. Grain flew back, bouncing up and down a couple of times until finally colliding with a rock. ARGH?!! he roared in pain. I then slowly approached him. I stood in front of Grain. His whole body was cramping up and white bubbles were filling his mouth. Looking at the state he was in I gave a fierce kick to his abdomen. The impact passed through his body and even shook the rock behind him. Urgh Wake up. While spitting blood up, Grain somehow managed to wake up. He then stood up and took on a stance in order to fight me. However, his legs were shaking and he could hardly stand. Even so he still somehow managed to support his body on the rock behind him and glared at me while holding onto his reddened cheek. You bazdad Vhad iz dhat form?!! What is that form? Is that what hes trying to say? It wasnt strange that he was shocked. My current appearance was only a remnant of my former self. My height, hair and limbs had all stretched out, and my previously immature body was now covered in muscles. My magical power lines couldnt even be compared to what they were before, and I could cast spells at the same intensity as the ones in my previous life. In other words, I had purposefully sped up my own growth, forcing my body to grow to a point where I could kill Grain. This body should be about 5 or 10 years older than my current one. I had sped up time until I had reached my body in its prime. Grain, this is the end for you. My magical power rose like a flame towards the sky. Silence surrounded the area as if time had stopped. Grain looked up at me with shock, as I cast Time Square in order to finish him. While time was stopped I cast each of Red Crash and Black Crash twice. Quadra Fusion: Double Pyro Crash. My fist was covered in flames as I swung it towards Grain. URGHHH?!! With a dull sound, the rock behind Grain broke, and the flames ran through the cracks in the rock. Grain cast Screen Point, somehow managing to reduce a lot of the spells damage. The power of the flame was such that no ordinary magician would live through it. While Grain on the other hand was even able to receive it. However, that didnt matter. If you end up dying quickly, then I wont be able to avenge Milly properly. .. Da.. mn it. As Grain tried to spew out curses I struck my fist at his forehead, forcing it to collide with the rock behind him. .ARGH!! You He tried to say something else, but his mouth was filling up with blood, preventing him from speaking. As he continued to spew out blood my killing intent didnt die down at the least and I slammed him against the rock numerous times. Each time he hit the rock, new cracks formed. Urgh Hmph. As his head moved a bit from the rock, his hair fell down due to having been rubbed against the rock behind it for so long. Fight back. Do you plan to die just like this? Dann uo Huh? I cant hear you. If you want to say something, then say it clearly. Grain glared at me as he took deep breaths in order to calm his breath. His magic power then suddenly shot up. The synergy between his Screen Point and his regular magic seemed to be even better than a bit ago. Apparently hes also levelling up while fighting me. He could now perfectly control the magician killing spell. YOU BASTAAARD!! he shouted out and cast a spell. His reddish-black magic power shot the sky, taking the form of a seemingly endless great sword. Seeing his own magic power, Grain smiled and looked at me. Red Zero! Grain swung down his hand and the great sword of magic power fell down towards me. He had probably chanted the spell while spewing blood in order to make it so that I wouldnt realize. The Zero spells, which were the strongest out of the Great Spells for any magic system, were high-risk spells which required a long chant and all of ones magical power in order to use. However, due to that their power was immense and in order to offset them one had to use a Zero spell as well. It was hard to dodge them or offset them, and it was almost impossible to receive them. Therefore, if they were cast in the midst of battle, and the other party hadnt prepared for them, it meant that the battle was won for the one who had cast them. And Red Zero was the strongest out of all of them, due to being under the Red System which specialized in attack. Its larger than a normal Red Zero! This Red Zero He probably used all of his magical power, or rather he probably even used his life force in order to cast it. Looking closely Grains hair had turned white and his skin had withered. He looked just like an old man. He had bet his life on this Red Zero. DIEEEEE!!! he yelled out. I raised my hand at the incoming blade of fire. As the blade touched my hand, part of it shattered and dispersed. Wh?!! Grain was lost for words as shock covered his face. The remaining part of the blade still continued as if trying to cut me down, however it didnt reach me and only landed in front of my feet, burying itself into the ground. My hand went numb from the considerable amount of pressure that it had just received. But even so the blade hadnt managed to reach me. The white barrier that was visible on top of my hand had prevented the blade from slashing me. Penta Fusion: White Wall Circle. Just now I had cast Time Square and while time was stopped I had prepared a White Wall Circle. White wall was a fragile wall that could counteract primary spells, but after stacking five layers on top of one another, it became a solid barrier that could prevent any spell. Large cracks ran through the body of the blade. I pressed my hand forward with the barrier still on top of it and crushed the already shattering blade. Disappear. As the words left my mouth the blade of fire scattered in the air. Particles of magic power fell down like rain, pouring down on me and Grain. CH 148.2 EXTRA CHAPTER: Lydias point of view On the morning of the third day after Claudes disappearance at Sazan Island Everyone!! Zeph is Zeph is!!! Lydia woke up from Millys sudden Telepathy. Feeling the urgency in Millys voice she immediately replied back. Milly-chan? What happened? Milly-chan! Zeph is Good grief Crying like that wont help me understand you, so could you try and hold it back? She tried to console Milly, but in the end her crying wouldnt stop. Lydia was starting to grow quite worried as well. After all this was way off of Millys usual behaviour. Did something happen to Zeph I wonder? And what about Milly? Did something happen to both of them right after Claude disappeared as well? Lydia UWAAA!!! What in the world happened? Where is she? Why is she crying like this? Did something happen to one of them? Am I at fault for leaving them by themselves? Why didnt I realize that everyone was acting strange? Why, why, why The inside of Lydias head had turned into a whirlpool of questions as panic assaulted her state of mind. Milly chan Please can you try and calm down As Lydia tried to squeeze the words out, something within her began to boil. She had a really bad feeling about this. What in the world happened to Zeph, Milly and Claude? From Milly state I assume it cant be anything good. It cant be hes dead right? She thought of the worst outcome that could have happened. Just as she did that her legs began to shake. Her pulse hastened. Her chest felt like it would tear open. She felt good to have everyone rely on her. She had acted like a big sister figure for all of them all this time. Lydia help us However, she couldnt reply to Millys desperate plea. The title of big sister that she had carried on herself seemed quite heavy to bear this time around. Please someone Anyone Help me She then felt a hand fall on her shoulder. Zeph-chi? she said instinctively. However, as she turned around she only saw Silverie. Silverie had a serious look on her face as she immediately contacted Milly. Calm down. Where are you now Milly? I dont know But Zeph is UWAAA. JUST ANSWER ME!!! ?!! Hearing Silverie get angry, Milly instantly froze up. Silverie then continued to calmly talk to Milly now that she had finally stopped crying. Anything is fine. Im just asking you to describe the place that youre currently at. I-Its full of rocks And I can also see the sea Anything else? How did you go there? I used Teleport In which direction from the inn is it? Towards the back I think Okay, if theres anything else that comes to mind be sure to contact me okay? Well head there right away. Silverie then stood up with a long sigh. Lydia, who could do nothing but listen to their conversation, looked up at Silverie as she stood up. Her dignified expression reminded her of Zeph. You sure are amazing Se-chi. And here I did nothing Ahaha You really are amazing Just the thought that something could have happened to Zeph-chi or the others made me lose myself Im no different. However, if we dont hurry up and do something about it something even worse could happen. It was just as Silverie had said. There was no time for them to panic. Thats right!! Lets go there fast!! said Shirushu who had woken up before the other two could even notice. I can follow Milly-sans smell after all! Youre right Were counting on you then. Ill give it my best, so just leave it to me!! Having been saved by the two of them, Lydia felt weak. She followed after the two of them with tears falling from her eyes. Milly was still in a state of confusion, due to which she gave some quite inaccurate directions, but with the help of Shirushus nose the three of them were able to find her without any problems. As soon as they got there they immediately understood what had happened. The shattered rocks, the split up ground, the broken trees. Milly was standing right in the middle of that scene of destruction. Everyone said Milly as she noticed the three of them and raised her head. Her clothes were covered in blood and dirt, and they had a big hole around her chest area. She was holding onto Claude, who was dressed in an unusual attire as well as a youth with silver hair. The youth was missing one of his arms and was covered in blood. It was quite the gruesome sight. Who is that boy? At Lydias question Milly didnt answer and just held onto the youth ever so strongly. However, the closer Lydia looked the more familiar that youth seemed to her. Even though she was seeing him for the first time, he gave her the feeling that she had known him for quite some time. The name of that youth was Zephchi? As the words left Lydias mouth her heart skipped a beat. There was no mistaking it. Even though he looked different, the presence that the youth gave off was identical to Zephs. Milly nodded her head in approval. Silverie and Shirushu were lost for words as well. That is it really Zeph H-He smells the same way as Zeph-san B-But to think something like this could have happened Silverie and Shirushu both looked like they were about to crumble. Lydia was in a state of shock as well. Only Millys cries echoed in the area. After several days the party abandoned the request and left Sazan Island. However, everyones shock was tremendous and it didnt look like they would be able to go back to how they once were. Claude in particular, was in a terrible state. A few days after they went back, she wouldnt stop convincing herself that it was all her fault and that it would have been better for her to die, rather than to see Zeph-kun like that Even after calming herself down a bit, she still locked herself up in her room and refused to leave. When the others tried to listen in on her through the door, the only thing they heard were her cries. Lydia and the others were worried about her, but they didnt have the time to look after her right now. After all, Zeph was in a state way worse than hers. In order to try and heal him, Lydia turned to numerous doctors. However, there were none which could bring him back. Today she had called in another doctor. However, he as well only shook his head as Lydia stared at him. Im afraid I cant do anything about his arm. Is there really nothing that can be done? Im afraid not. His magical power lines are in pieces. The wounds to his body are severe as well He probably used some kind of strengthening spell without considering the backlash it would have on his body. Strengthening spells put a huge burden on ones body so normally they would be used in moderation. There was no way for them to know that Zeph had stacked on five of those strengthening spells and had gone all out. The damage that his body had suffered at the time couldnt be expressed with just the word severe. If I have to be honest, Im not even sure if hell live. Im afraid theres nothing else that I can do. I see. She had heard these words a number of times already. Lydias eyesight went black. She once again reminded of how powerless she was. Up until now they had always managed to scrape by somehow. However, she then remembered that it was all because Zeph had been there for them. The only reason Milly was safe was probably because of him as well. And now, he was on his deathbed and unconscious. Zeph-chi Please Wake up As the doctor left the room, Lydia licked up Zephs tattered hand. His small, yet reliable hand had completely lost its normal appearance. Lydia, how is Zeph? asked Milly as she entered the room. As usual replied Lydia while shaking her head. All of them definitely knew it within their hearts. Both of them helplessly looked down. Yera told us that shed try and get a hold of a top class healing magician, but apparently we shouldnt get our hopes up too much. After all a spell that allows the user to forcefully accelerate the bodys growth is unheard of. said Lydia Yea, it really is an amazing spell said Milly as she drew her hands closer to her chest. At the time she had definitely been pierced through the chest. Her clothes had been torn as well. Yet right now the wound was nowhere to be seen and she was alive. At that time, within the depths of the darkness, she had heard Zephs voice. She was convinced that Zeph had saved her. As she thought back to that time tears fell from her eyes. I-Its not efficient at all for you to become like this you idiot!!! said Milly with a trembling voice. Lydia could do nothing but watch as Milly wept once more. CH 149.1 Urgh leaked out Grain in a pitiful tone as he tried to run away from me. Though he was afraid he still came up with a couple of solutions, but all of them proved to be useless. D-Damn it Why cant I use Teleport?!! He really was trying to run away with Teleport. Like Id like you. Ive cast a restriction spell. You wont be able to use it. You bastard You could use restriction spells!!! I became able to use them. My strong will not to let you go allowed me to use it Ive applied my murderous intent to my magical power, allowing me to deploy the spell. Its actually quite a simple mechanic. That cant be said Grain with a face full of disbelief. I could no longer feel any desire to fight coming from him. I lifted my leg towards Grain, as he lay there with his heart broken, in order to land the finishing blow. I cast Time Square and while time was stopped I cast Red Glove five times. Penta Fusion: Red Glove Circle. The muscles and blood vessels in my right leg were greatly reinforced due to the effect of Red Glove. My leg swelled to three times its size, and I slammed it down at Grains stomach. !!! He couldnt even let out a scream as he was smashed like a bug. Aaaa. I looked up towards the sky and kicked up my leg. Due to the impact several of my toes broke, but that didnt faze me at all. Grain flew up, soaring higher and higher into the air. He had a huge hole in his chest, and as he flew up his body split in two. Looking at his lifeless body, the hole in my chest which had opened after Millys death filled up a little. Milly I whispered out as I began to gather magic power towards my fist. A sound, akin to that of scraping metal rang in the area. I prepared my now filled with magic power fist and aimed it at the falling Grain. Oh Crimson god. I began chanting without paying in heed to the sound of Grain falling down. The pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Every single drop of my magic power began to flow towards my broken fist. Let the crimson blade rage and annihilate my enemies. As I completed the chant, a dazzling light wrapped itself around my fist. I waited for the right time and swung my fist at the falling Grain. Red Zero!!! The moment my fist touched grain a crimson light pierced straight ahead in front of me. The ground roared, the sea shook, the clouds broke apart, and an enormous flame flew up into the distance. There were no traces of Grain left. The crimson flames scattered in the sky and disappeared as if being swallowed by the light of the rising sun. The night had ended before I knew it. The rising sun covered everything in its crimson radiance. Scatter and become one with the madder red sky I turned my back on the rising sun as I said my last words to Grain. Urgh?!! As I relaxed, a sharp pain immediately ran through my body. It was the backlash of forcefully speeding up my time with magic. Furthermore, my muscles and magic lines were about to rupture due to the excess usage of magic power. I couldnt help but fall to the ground due to the immense pain. My sweat began to drip to the ground and my breathing became rough. I cant let myself fall here I somehow managed to bear the pain as I crawled towards Milly. I had lost my left arm, my fist had shattered and my toes were broken. The combination of these three continuously sent pain signals throughout my whole body. I had almost completely lost all sense of moving. While resisting the pain I somehow managed to reach Milly. Blood was still flowing out from the hole in her chest, dyeing the ground red. Milly I called out her name, but there was no response. The cheerful face that was always there for me was nowhere to be seen. She looked like a broken doll with her widely open eyes. I stroked her head and was just about to close her eyes, when I saw a single tear fall from one of them. Milly!!! I yelled as I embraced her cold body. However, it was still too early to fall into despair. There was still something that I could try. Just now I had been able to allow myself to grow by speeding up my time. Which meant that it could be possible to return Millys time to the time when she was still alive. Rather I would make it possible. With the way I was now it was definitely possible. I gathered all of my magic power and cast it towards Millys body. I began to pour my magic power into Millys body. More Until every last nook and cranny It was hard to pour magic power into things that werent alive. Strengthening magic and Healing spells were used by resonating with the targets own magic power, but that wasnt possible now because Milly had already lost her life, so she naturally had no magic power left. Which meant that if I were to supply her with my magic power I would technically be able to make her a part of me, allowing me to cast magic forcefully. With my eyes closed I continued to pour magic power into Millys body for a while. How long has passed I wonder? After a bit more, Millys body was completely filled with my magic power. Milly, Im starting I released my remaining magic power and a dazzling light covered Millys body. However, as I poured everything I had into Milly, my vision suddenly darkened. And my consciousness slowly went away. Within the darkness I could feel Millys cold body regain a bit of its warmth again, and her fingers twitched just a bit. My vision had completely darkened, but I somehow managed to feel Millys heart begin to beat again, and I could even hear her take a slight breath. Thank god Shes able to breathe again. A spell that allows me to speed up or rewind others time. I guess Ill call it Time Manipulate. Still, I guess I really did reach my limit. I completely lost my consciousness. Within the darkness I heard a young girls voice. That voice rang in my head over and over again. At times it was quiet, at times lively, and at times it sounded quite angry However, the sound of it crying was the most common one. I wanted to stroke the girls head and tell her not to worry, but my body wouldnt move an inch. So I guess this is what death feels like. While thinking that I let my consciousness fall further within the darkness. After a while I once again heard the girls voice. However, this time it seemed to be a different voice. The voices I could hear werent those of just one or two people. There was a whole mixture of them. Their voices made me feel reassured and I once again sunk deeper into the darkness. At times I felt like I woke up only to listen to the girls voice, but then I proceeded to fall asleep again. That process repeated itself countless times. At one point I once again opened my eyes, but the thing that was in front of me this time wasnt the usual darkness, but rather a wide blue sky. However, it wasnt just that, at the edge of my eye I could see a blurred outline. Moving my eyes around to get a better look around I realized that I was within a familiar room. The arrangement of the furniture and vases had changed a bit, but this was definitely my home. It was our Guild House, the one that Yera had given us. I was lying on top of a bed, within one of the rooms. !?!! Where am I? Is what I wasnt to ask, however I couldnt speak properly. It seems like my body still wont move huh. AhhAhhh I said as I tried to confirm if my voice was still there. It felt a bit off, but gladly I was still able to pronounce things. I then suddenly heard a loud falling noise coming from behind the door. Whats going on? I thought as I tried to raise up my unmoving body. It was then that a single young girl entered my line of sight. The girl, who had just now dropped the box at her feet, didnt even try to pick it up as she just stared at me with a shocked expression. Her beautiful blond hair was tied up with red ribbons on both sides as it reached all the way to her waist. She wore a short-sleeved dress, with a short skirt, which looked quite easy to move in. As well as knee socks which reached all the way up to her thighs. She looked like a girl that I had known all too well. However, the girl I remembered wasnt as tall as this and looked a bit different. The girl standing in front of me now looked a bit more mature than usual. As we stared at each other, the girl moved her lips and words left her mouth. Zeph? Her voice was the same as that of the girl that had been calling to me while I was sinking into the darkness. The voice which had come to me inside my dreams, that dearly nostalgic voice Milly, is that you? I replied with a faint voice. As she heard that the girl in front of me began to shed tears. Her shoulders moved up and down, and tears constantly fell from her eyes as she looked down. She continued to sob as she hugged me, while I was still lying on the bed. Zeph!! Zeph!!! Zeph, Zeph, Zeph, Zeph!!! she continuously called out my name as she pushed me down. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and didnt let go. The power of her grip was quite stronger than what I remembered. Just how long did I sleep for? For the record, my face was buried in Millys chest, but it didnt seem like that area of her had grown at all. I was so worried!!! Still, I guess now isnt the time for me to say that. I held onto her cheek with one hand, and stroked her head with the other. The darkness had prevented me from doing this all this time. Yet now I was finally able to do it. Her blond hair was just the same way as I remembered. CH 149.2 After a while Milly came in through the door. Im back!! Welcome back Milly-chan What happened to you, youre all dirty! Are you okay? Yea. I have something I want to show you, come! Wait, you need to wash your hands fir I know, I know. After returning from the washroom Milly took Lydia to Zephs room. She then put her hand on Zephs body and a bright light suddenly enveloped her hand. Healing? Not your ordinary one. Well just watch. The light coming from Millys hand gently wrapped around Zephs body. It was probably taking a huge toll on her. Millys brow was riddled with sweat. A slight moan escaped Zephs mouth. Seeing that, both of them exclaimed in shock. I did it! Zeph!!! Wake up! Zeph, Zeph, Zeph!! Milly constantly yelled out Zephs name. But even so Zephs eyes still didnt open. However, even though it was for just an instant he had still given a response. In addition, his skin was much healthier than what it had been previously. That sure was surprising. What was that? A Unique Spell I remembered what Zeph told me before. He told me that deep despair and strong emotions can give birth to new spells. Lydia had heard that as well. However, even though it sounded easy, it was no simple task to complete. And to think that Milly was able to complete it in just a day Lydia was left lost for words at Millys talent. But its still far off. If I dont make it stronger Zeph wont wake up! I guess that means that youll be training tomorrow as well? Of cours Milly collapsed before she could finish her sentence. Seeing that Lydia panicked. Millys breathing was rough and she looked like she was struggling. It was just as Lydia had thought. This new spell of hers came with a huge burden. Haaha I-It seems that Im a bit tired I told you not to overdo it. Lets go eat and youre going directly to bed after that. Okay I need to do at least that much in order to have strength for tomorrow As the final word escaped her mouth Milly fell asleep. She was just like a very troublesome younger sister. However, that was also one of the things that made her so cute. Lydia entered the bath with Milly, as she was still sleeping, after which she carried to her bed. Just as she did so Silverie came back. Oh my Se-chin. Youre quite late for your first day. Yea That hag drained the soul out of me Silverie looked completely drained, however she also gave off the feeling that she was quite happy with the work that she had done. It was evident that was made to do things which she hadnt experienced up until now. Coming into touch with a large number of new people must have been a good stimulus for Silverie, who usually acts alone. Why do you look so happy? Silverie asked angrily. Oh, do I? Its nothing. Listen here. It really was terrible. I had to even teach her subordinates. Normal mages should not only learn spells from the Sky System, but spells from other systems as well. By doing that, one is able to learn how to offset, and their variations grow as well Lydia prepared food, while Silverie continued to complain somewhat excitedly. Even while eating, Silverie was the only one who spoke. Just until a couple of days ago, Silverie would rarely be the one to start up a conversation, and even though all she spoke about now were complaints, Lydia was more than glad to listen to her. After a while, Silverie got tired of speaking and fell asleep on the table. Lydia took a blanket and put it over her so that she wouldnt catch a cold. Everyones growing Lydia felt like she was being left behind. She wondered what she could do. That question stirred her heart as she didnt know what was the right thing to do. As Lydia lost herself in the whirlpool of thoughts she fell asleep. Lydia continued pulling weeds in the garden the next day after sending everyone off again. While being scorched by the rays of the sun, she still continued that seemingly pointless task. She was still debating what she could do to grow stronger. Oh my theyre already growing back. Lydia noticed that the weeds that she had pulled out yesterday had already grown back. If that was the case, then she really wouldnt be able to finish pulling them all out. I should be more efficient Thats right, if I use some kind of tool. As the thought crossed her mind, she remembered an old lady in the neighbourhood cutting grass with a sickle, and decided to imitate her. She took out a knife. She swung the knife at the root of the weeds and proceeded to swiftly cut them out. With this I can cut them pretty fast Still if Im gonna do it I might as well do it in the most efficient way possible. Thinking that, Lydia began to paint a picture in her head. A picture of a mower. While muttering to herself, she lost herself in her thoughts once more. Swing the knife faster In a wide area, in a way that wont burden my body. In a way that anyone would be able to do it In an efficient way More More Lydias trance-like state continued until Millys return. After eating dinner, Lydia closed herself in her room and began to devise ways to create mowing tools. There were a lot of things she needed. She didnt have a workshop, nor any materials. On top of that, she also didnt have the tools. But even so Lydia couldnt contain the throbbing of her heart. Thats right. Im the daughter of a blacksmith! It was her first blacksmithing work in a while. She had learnt her fathers craft, however she would always face his critique whenever she tried to make something, but currently that noisy father of hers was far away. Ill just make the things that I want in my own workshop. She had finally found it. The thing she wanted to do. The thing she was meant to do. Lydia started preparing for her own workshop as soon as the sun shone brightly again. While at the same time she also ordered materials and tools. She used her connections with Adrei and the Adventurer Guild, as the connections she had made during the Heavenly Mages Festival and the help of some capable people to quickly set up her workshop. Okay, its time to make them! She rolled her sleeves and set fire to the furnace. The air grew hot, but it was a feeling that Lydia loved. She gathered the materials that she had ordered and laughed just like a child that had made a successful prank. I might as well try and make something that only Ill be able to create. After she began her work Lydia didnt exit her new workshop for three days and nights. Seeing her like that Milly and Silverie got worried but even as they went to check up on her she only gave them a brief answer that she was fine and immediately immersed herself in her work once more. If she was tired, she would sleep, and if she was hungry, she would eat, but she would return to work right away. A number of days passed like that Im done! Around the time the sun began to rise Lydias first land mower was completed. The device had a circular blade attached to the tip of a horizontal bar. It used an engine that worked by exploding burning liquid. The discarded book I found at the place where Soara-chan was really did come in handy. Lydia apparently used technology that was used in the automatons found in the Tiros Abandoned Factory. Her materials and expertise were nowhere near those of the craftsmen who designed the automatons, but it still looked decent. Well then, lets give you a test run! She then pulled the rope that was attached to the mower and its blade began to rotate rapidly. The area where the mower crossed over was totally free of weeds with only a slight swing. Without having to bend, she swung the mower left and right getting rid of the tall weeds. Whoa! Its way too amazing! Lydia got excited and happily swung the mower around. It was the joy of having your invention work just the way you intended it to. Lydia exhaled a sigh of relief as she quickly cleaned up the weeds. The middle-aged woman from next door approached her just as she finished her job. Good morning Lydia-chan. Thats one amazing tool you have there. Where did you buy it? Ahaha. I made this myself. Its still in its testing phase though. Oh my! Thats amazing. You see my weeds have also been growing quite a bit these days. If possible could I ask you to lend it to me? Just as Lydia was about to answer with Of course! another woman approached her. Madam, thats really selfish. I want to use it as well! Thats right, thats right. How selfish of you to want it just for yourself!! Before Lydia could notice it more and more women had gathered. Apparently she had made quite the noise when mowing down the grass. She felt a little remorseful for causing such a ruckus, as she tried to calm down the arguing women. Now, now, how about you take turns? Lydia said. Youre right Its not good to argue. That would cause you trouble as well Lydia-chan. Thats right. Lets all use it without fighting over it. Lydia-chan, can you show us how to use it? Of course. First of all Lydia was beaming as she demonstrated how the mower worked. Having finally found a way for herself she was now constantly pondering on what to make next. All of her worries had now completely disappeared. Lydia-chan thats a really nice face youve got there. Huh? I-Is that so? Thats right. Not long ago you looked really down, everyone thought so right? Hearing the question all of the women nodded, while Lydia showed a bitter smile. Thank you for worrying about me. You dont need to worry about it. That aside, hurry up and show us. Ive already eaten so I think Ill be able to mow down a lot. Thats right. You should make more. Itll definitely sell. Ill even buy one. ! A lightbulb suddenly lit in Lydias mind. There was one more thing she was capable of. It cost quite a lot to make a machine that could work on its own. And Zephs medical bills werent cheap either. Furthermore, all of their previous journeys had cost a significant amount of money. The other skill that Lydia possessed was none other than making money. She was certain that it was something only she could do. Got it. Ill give it my best madams. Oh my. We were joking, you know But wed still be happy if you do end up making some. I definitely will. If possible though, could you advertise it a bit for me? Oh my, you sure are a shrewd one arent you Lydia-chan. Nothing gets past you. Ahaha. Lydia smiled as she gazed up at the endlessly blue summer sky. Lydias machine grew in popularity within the capital of Prolea and so Lydia grew to be known as one of the best merchants within the capital. However, that was something that wouldnt occur for another two years. CH 150.1 After I woke up from my bed in the guild house, I received an update about the whole situation from Milly. So Ive been asleep for three years? Yes! Zeph, you idiot! Idiot! Milly hugged my head to her chest as she sobbed. The fog gradually cleared from my mind. When we were at Southern Island to complete our commission, we happened to meet our old enemy, Grain, and a fierce battle had unfolded. The bastard was so despicable that he took Milly hostage, and even took her life. I was so enraged that I had forced my body to grow by advancing its time and barely won the battle. Then, I rewound only Millys time and had managed to bring her back to life. However, that came at a high cost, which was that I would sleep for three years. In fact, I was lucky to get away with just that. After all, I had used that much magic when I was on the verge of death. It wouldnt have been a surprise if I had just died then and there. Regardless, because I had been asleep for three years, my muscles have deteriorated considerably. At that time, my body was in a terrible condition, with broken bones and torn flesh, and no natural healing or healing spell could be of any help. However, my body had recovered so well that it was hard to believe. While I was still in disbelief at the miracle, Milly pulled away and faced me. She still had some tears in her eyes and her cheeks were flushed, but she seemed to have calmed down a lot. I gazed at Millys face and saw that she looked a little more mature than before. Youve grown up huh, Milly. Yeah. Its been three years after all. The way she wiped her tears with her fingertips was different from the child-like Milly in my memories. At a closer look, even the twin-tails which were her trademark were slightly lowered and had grown longer and thinner. However, Milly had a baby face and her chest was still modest. How should I put it? She gives me the vibe of a child who has grown tall. As I was staring at Millys face, she seemed to become embarrassed as she lowered her gaze slightly. Geez, what is it? Nah, sorry sorry. The way she puffed her cheeks and raised her eyebrows showed that she was unmistakably the Milly I know. When I examined my limbs which had been completely healed, Milly looked at me proudly. I was the one who healed Zephs injuries. Really? When Zeph was asleep, I invented a unique spell, called Healing Bic. I healed you with that! Milly patted her chest as she spoke. As the name suggests, its my unique magic which is a better version of Healing! Its different from the conventional Healing spell which merely strengthens the bodys natural healing. It even mends broken bones and heals badly injured bodies! Milly looked elated as she confidently explained her new spell. In any case, I already thought that she was a genius, but she had even managed to learn a unique spell at her age Furthermore, Healing Bic was such a powerful spell, being able to heal even my broken arms. The basic Healing spell was only able to heal small wounds and took a lot of time to do so. Rather, I hope Im wrong, but Bic was not a misspelling of Big, right? Since its Milly, theres a chance that she could make that mistake and it bothers me. Well anyway, if I asked her that now, it would be insensitive of me. Milly looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if asking for me to praise her, so I slowly stroked her head. Youre amazing, arent you, Milly? Ehehe. Milly was in my embrace, letting me stroke her without resistance, but her face quickly clouded over. She was gazing at the space where my left arm once was. As expected, even Healing Bic would not be able to regenerate an arm that had been torn to shreds. Im sorry Its my fault that Milly hung her head and hid her face, her voice slightly trembling. I had rewound Millys time, but could her memories of being taken hostage by Grain have remained? Dont mind it. You even invented a unique spell to heal my body, didnt you? Its thanks to you that I was able to wake up despite my grievous injuries. Zeph Usually, to awaken ones unique magic, a long period of training and a strong desire was necessary. For a young and inexperienced girl like Milly to be able to learn a unique spell, her desire for it was definitely not something to belittle. By the way, where are the rest? The other four guild members were nowhere to be found. Silverie was not the type of person who would nurse someone, so it wasnt a surprise that she was absent, but Lydia and Shirushu werent around too. As for Claude, I can somehow guess why she wasnt here Ah, yes. Erm For a moment, Milly thought about how she should begin her explanation, but soon she began to narrate bit by bit. After my battle with Grain, Milly awoke and saw that I was gravely injured while Claude had also collapsed, so she had called everyone for help. We were immediately sent to the islands medical facility to receive treatment, and I was somehow able to keep my life, though I never regained consciousness. For about half a year after that, I remained on complete bed rest. Zeph, your consciousness never returned for so long so I thought that I had to do something. The only method I thought of was to use a powered-up version of Healing. I practiced and practiced, and finally, I mastered it. After Milly had learned the spell, she continued to train, and cast Healing Bic over and over again. With that, my body was on the road to recovery. Then, I think it was around the time when Zeph began to recover when Claude went off on a trip on her own. She said that all that happened was due to her inexperience and that she couldnt face Zeph as she was. She even left the guild emblem behind, because it would remind her of us and make it tougher for her. I see. At that time, Claude was manipulated by Grain and had attacked me. Even though she was brainwashed, Claude probably still suffered from the guilt of it. Without the emblem which was the proof of guild membership, it was not possible to communicate by telepathy. I suppose she wants to be alone for now. Guessing from Claudes personality, she would likely say something like that. Yeah, I also understood the pain which Claude felt, so I didnt stop her then. Ah, but she also mentioned that shell definitely be back, so its okay! She said its because I belong to Zeph. Isnt that great, Zeph? Yeah, I guess. Milly glared at me reproachfully, and I averted my eyes. Its not as if Claude left without saying anything, unlike the other time, so we dont need to worry about that. Come to think of it, there were three guild emblems pinned on Millys chest. One would be Millys, another for Claude but whose is the third for? Having noticed my gaze, Milly placed her hand on her chest and tilted the emblem so that it glinted under the light. Ah, this ones Shirushus. Did Shirushu leave too? Yeah. Together with Claude. I think theyre in Izu City now. She also comes frequently to visit Zeph. I see. In the past, Shirushu had been taking care of the orphans in a church in Izu City, but due to various reasons, she began traveling with us. At such a time, it was a good idea to go back to be with the children. And then theres Lydia and Silverie Since youre awake now, shall we go see them? Are they in town? Yeah, theyre running a store together. If Zeph shows up out of the blue, Im sure they would be surprised! Milly smiled happily as she took me by the hand. I was about to get up from the bed when I staggered and almost fell. Immediately, Milly hugged and supported me to stop my fall. Ah, Im sorry Zeph. Youve been sleeping for three years after all. I guess you cant move around yet. Its okay, its a trifling matter. I smiled in response to Millys concern and cast the muscle strengthening magic, Red Glove, on myself. Scarlet-colored magic encased my entire body, and my completely weakened body began to overflow with strength. I slowly stood up and checked how it felt to move my body. Hmm, with this, I should be able to handle light exercise. Um, you really look okay huh Im a little disappointed. Hey hey, what are you saying? Well, I thought that maybe you would still have to rely on me for a while but Im grateful for that, but Id appreciate it if you could forget about it as soon as possible. Hee hee, I will remember it foreeeever ? If I think about it, I was bedridden and being cared for by Milly for three years. Damn it, shes got something on me now. Sorry Milly, do you have my clothes and things? Id like to take a bath before we go into town. Yeah, would you like me to join you? No need for that, you idiot! Milly grinned mischievously as she handed me my things, and I rushed into the bathroom as if fleeing for life. CH 150.2 Blue Sphere A large amount of water gushed into the slightly spacious bathtub and overflowed it. Then, I tossed a few Red Balls into the water, and so that it became warm as the steam began to rise. Ow ow I think I made it a little too hot. I tried to dilute it with a few Blue Balls, but this time it became lukewarm instead. Hmm. Its been a while, so I cant seem to get a good feel for using magic. I used Red Ball and Blue Ball alternately, and by the time I managed to get the water to a suitable temperature, my body had completely cooled down. As I reached for the tub to pour bathwater over my body, I remembered that I had lost my left arm. Its inconvenient My left arm was gone due to Grains attack. Over time, I should get used to going about my daily life like this, but I probably cannot avoid the disadvantages it would bring when fighting. That being said, since Im a mage and not a swordsman, it might still be fine? I guess itll be inconvenient only when I use the Divine Sword Ainbelle. Oh yeah, wheres that girl? Suddenly, I recalled the state of my familiar. During the battle with Grain, the Divine Sword Ainbelle had its blade snapped off and it disappeared. At that time, Ain had said that she was fine, but I wonder what happened to her. Even when I cast Summon Servant, Ain did not appear. In the first place, if she were well and noticed that I was awake, she would have appeared even if I did not call her out At that, a bulb went off in my head. When the sword was broken, the faint presence of Ain completely vanished from within me. To sustain Ain, Gemstones were needed, as they contained magic power. The amount needed each day was roughly ten. However, I had been neglecting the gluttonous Ain for three years. I dont want to imagine the result of that Dont tell me that she starved to death? Without further thought, I threw open the door to the bathroom. As I was about to run out, I locked eyes with Milly, who happened to be undressing in the changing room. Kyaaaa!? Milly barely covered her front as she screamed, and she slammed shut the door that I had opened. That was dangerous, my hand almost got caught in the door. What are you doing, Milly? Erm, I was wondering if you were having trouble washing with one hand Milly squirmed as she muttered in a voice so soft that it seemed like it would vanish. I already said that I would be fine on my own though. Well, when I replied earlier, I had forgotten that I was missing an arm, so I would actually appreciate her help. More importantly, I was going to ask about Ain. More importantly, Milly, have you seen Ain? Did anything happen to her while I was asleep? Ain-chan? Mm~ that reminds me, once when I was nursing you, Ain suddenly appeared, and said that she would be away for a while. Away? Yeah, she said that she would go back to her hometown since she couldnt receive any food. Isee I heaved a sigh. I guess she didnt die. It must have been boring to be with me while I was bedridden for three years. In a way, that decision was typical of Ain. As I was pondering, my door clattered open to reveal Milly who was naked and wrapped in a bath towel. She clutched the bath towel tightly at her chest and her face was slightly flushed. D-dont keep looking at me Nah, it just looks like your bath towel might slide off Ouch!? Idiot. Milly punched me at the side of my body. Hey, I only just woke up after three years of sleep okay Enough! Hurry and turn around! I was forced to sit down in the washing area and had hot bath water poured over my head. While I couldnt see because of the soap and water, Millys small hands began to wash my hair. How is it? Does it hurt? Ahh, it feels good. Millys mood seemed to be lifted with my reply, and she washed my head, neck, shoulders, and back carefully with a sponge. The perfect control of her strength lulled me to sleep, and I unintentionally let my strength leave my body, and leaned on Milly. Hya! W-wait, Zeph Milly was stunned but she didnt try to avoid me and held me in her arms instead. I was feeling her small bulges on my back when she splashed me with hot bathwater again. Shall I wash your front too? No, thanks. I took the sponge from Milly and washed my front, then got into the bathtub with her. Haa this feels so good. Yeah Sure enough, the bath was great. I felt like I was coming back to life. Well, in actual fact, I did sort of come back to life. Um, you know, Zeph. Theres something Ive been wanting to tell you. What is it? Thank you. The water splashed as Milly came to hold my hand under the water. You lost an arm, and even fell unconscious for three years, all for the sake of saving me Dont mind it. I mind it, though! Milly squeezed my hand tighter and tighter. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and it looked as if she would cry any moment. I mind it Even though youre always talking about efficiency, I stole a huge amount of your precious time from you Efficiency, huh? I had thrown away that concept for Millys sake, and this time shes the one being concerned about it. Thats why I wished to heal you as soon as possible and decided to take the place of your missing left arm. Milly pressed her body against mine so that she took up the space which my left arm once was. Then, she moved her face closer and looked up at me. I may not be Claude, but I belong to Zeph too, so Zeph can use me however you like Milly Milly clung to me tightly. I put my arm around her small back and embraced her in response, and her shoulders twitched. Slowly, I caressed Millys back. Just then, my fingertip got caught on a small scar. It was a scar which wasnt there before. Milly had also gained a little muscle, and her magic lines have become fairly strengthened. To help me regain consciousness, and to be my strength after I awaken, Milly had probably been training herself by fighting monsters and running through dungeons. I patted Millys head to praise her for her good job, and Milly leaned into my embrace comfortably. Just three years and the loss of an arm is not a major obstacle to me. Im going to master magic. Of course, Ill need Millys, and everyones help too. Zeph So, dont cry anymore. Mm! Milly rubbed away the tears which gathered at the corner of her eyes and grinned. Thats better. Tears dont suit Milly. Anyway, three years huh. If I remember correctly, before we went to Southern Island, the organizer of the Heavenly Mage Festival was Yera, the Sky Heavenly Mage. If thats the case, then three years later Whats wrong, Zeph? You have an evil look on your face. Well, it seems like I just found a suitable goal to work towards. The annual Heavenly Mages Festival is hosted in turn by each of the five Heavenly Mages, who have reached the pinnacle of their respective magic attributes. They follow the order of Red, Sky, Soul, Green, and then Blue. Next years festival will be held by the Flame of Flame, the Red Heavenly Mage. If I win the title match which marks the end of the festival, I will be able to gain the title of the Flame of Flame. In a year, it should be possible for me to retrain my weakened body and win the title match. Im itching to start training Milly, didnt you earlier say that I can use you however I like? Er please go easy on me Kukuku The current Flame of Flame, Bertram Cabel, was known as the strongest man in the history of the Five Heavenly Mages. In my previous life, when I first came to the capital city of Prolea, Bertram had already handed his Heavenly Mage title over to his grandson. Therefore, I have never seen Bertram in his prime. I had seen him a few times before, but the sheer intensity of his magic only made my conceited self look insignificant in comparison. Bertram is probably about thirty-five now, which I believe was when he was known to be at his peak. I will defeat the strongest of the Five Heavenly Mages in history, and take his Flame of Flame title. Theres no better goal than this. It seems like this year will get even busier. We headed towards the shopping district. According to Milly, during the last three years, Lydia had set up a store in the capital city of Prolea. Before I learned my unique magic, we were only able to afford Zephs treatment fees thanks to Lydia who was earning money from her store. Ill have to thank her for that. I thought I had already known, but I was again reminded of how everyone had been taking care of me in various ways while I was asleep. As we walked along the wide pathway of the shopping district, I saw a large crowd of people ahead. Thats the place. Lydias store was thriving. I wonder if its because she had made a name for herself as a businesswoman by selling yukata at the Heavenly Mages Festival? From within the crowd, I could hear Lydias voice, which filled me with nostalgia. Welcome! Were having a big sale for only this evening! Everythings cheap, cheap! It looked like Lydia was starting a discount sale for a limited time. However, the crowd was so large that Lydia could not be seen, and I was only able to catch quick glimpses of her long arms. We might be in the way if we visit her today, right? Maybe. Since were here already, shall we walk around for a bit? Milly held onto my hand lightly. Her fingers intertwined with mine, and I gently returned the hold. She lowered her head with a reddened face to avert her eyes from mine. Geez, even though youre bold enough to take baths with me, you havent changed much in this aspect. When I turned around to go back the way I came, I saw a lady standing in my path, hugging a shopping bag in her arms. The ladys eyes widened in shock. It was Silverie. Zeph is that you? Its been a while, Silverie. Silverie dropped her bag to the ground with a thud and approached me. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Well, it has been three years after all. It cant be helped. For a moment, we only stood and stared at each other. Then, Silverie wiped her eyes with her finger and smiled. Welcome back, Zeph. Yeah, Im back. Lydia was worried about you too. Lets go and see her now. Well but, the shop looks busy now It doesnt matter. Silverie casually grabbed my hand, then she concentrated her magic in the direction of Lydias store. Hey Silverie, what are you planning to do? Silence. At Silveries words, the sounds in the surroundings completely vanished. Silence, a spell of the Sky system. A wind barrier is created with the caster in its center, and all sound within the barrier is erased. The spell is basically used to cancel the opponents great magic spells, which require an incantation before casting. However, due to its small range, the spell would affect the caster too, hence it was somewhat lacking in usability. -!? -! -! At the sudden erasure of sound, the people who were focused on the shops goods became confused. When the crowd slackened, Silverie led Milly and me to jump into the crowd. Regardless, that was kind of overkill, just to get through the crowd Well, that seemed very much like something Silverie would do. When we pushed our way through the crowd, Lydia let out a squeal in surprise. Her long ponytail had grown even longer compared to three years ago. She was still wearing the same revealing clothes which showed off her abundant assets Moreover, the body part which protruded from her stores apron seemed to have grown bigger than before. Lydia gazed at me vacantly, and I waved in greeting since I could not speak. Lydias mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak. Even without hearing her words, it was obvious that she was calling my name. Immediately after, Lydia jumped at me and hugged me with all her might, so much that she pushed me to the ground. Amid the crowd, I was forced to get a taste of the hard ground and Lydias softness at the same time. CH 151.1 Anyway Zeph-chi, you finally woke up~ You had such a long slumber though Mm, its a happy thing! After we met, Lydia hurriedly closed the store and let the other workers and customers leave. I said that it was fine to wait until the store was closed for the day, but Lydia replied that there was no way she could work on a day like this. With that, we were the only ones left in the store. Even though it was a store, it also had a kitchen and bedrooms, making it a suitable place to live in. One of the rooms in the back was a workshop, and Lydia would stay overnight at the store when she had smithing to do. In the kitchen, the girls laid out the lunch boxes which we were to have for dinner. That reminds me, I had not eaten ever since I woke up so I was hungry. The lunch boxes which Lydia prepared looked appetizing, and my stomach growled when I looked at them. Its such a pity though, you didnt get to see the way Silverie worked. Theres nothing to see. According to what Ive heard, Silverie was unexpectedly helping out at Lydias store. I was surprised at that. Was she able to do that now? In some sense, she might have grown the most here. But it seems like she still has difficulty in dealing with customers~ Hey, enough of this topic More importantly, its just the right timing that Zeph woke up now. Lydia, shall we test that out? Oh, thats right. Somehow, Zeph always has great timing~ Is something up? Thats something for you to look forward to ? While I was wondering about what awaited me, we finished our meal. Then, I was led to the workshop in the back of the store. In the dark, Lydia fumbled for the switch and lit up the room. What is this..? In front of me was an unrefined lump of metal. Lydia nimbly picked it up and passed it to me. The thick metal shaft had several tubes running through it, and it looked like some kind of engine. One tip of the shaft was movable and could be twisted smoothly, and five thin shafts further extended from this tip. Basically, it was an arm made of metal. Sil-chin and I developed this for Zeph-chi. Its an artificial arm made of magic metal. Try using it. Lydia and Silverie looked at me and smiled sweetly. Erm, I helped with the development too. I helped with gathering materials Just a bit only though Milly added on with a blush on her cheeks. Yeah, thanks everyone. I hugged the three of them at once, trying to disguise the fact that my eyes were almost watering with emotion. The girls laughed in slight embarrassment. Ive sure been blessed with good comrades. This makes me acutely aware of it. The artificial arm was made of special magic metal, and it was said to be powered by magic. Putting on the prosthetic was fairly easy, as it would stick snugly to my arm when I put magic into the connector. When I put magic into the attached prosthetic, it felt a little out of place, but I was able to let the magic flow through it smoothly as if it was part of my own body. With this, it should even be possible to release magic from this artificial arm. Im surprised. Does this artificial arm have magic lines running through it? It sure was hard work. I had to spin and wind up threads from a Spidermet, which had a high transmission rate of magic. If it were too thick, the transmission rate would be poor. Yet, if it were too thin, the thread would be torn easily. To determine the appropriate thickness of the thread, I had to repeat the experiment countless times Yeah, yeaahh! I also took part in a lot of the hunting! Silverie proudly explained the process, while Milly constantly tried to assert herself. Meanwhile, Lydia smiled wryly while watching the two girls. I thanked them and then began to put magic into the prosthetic to make it move. With a grating sound of metal against metal, the fingers, wrist, and elbow began to move without a hitch. The prosthetic boasted flexibility that didnt pale in comparison to a normal arm. When I cast Red Ball, a fireball appeared on the palm of the artificial hand. On seeing that, the three girls heaved a huge sigh of relief. Thats great~ Its the expected outcome. Ahaha~ Werent you the most worried about it, Sil-chin~ Hm. Lydia slapped Silveries back teasingly, while Silverie simply took it without as much annoyance as I wouldve expected. It seems like theyre now getting along quite well with one another. Alright~! Since its such a joyous day, lets go all out~! Lydia whipped out a bottle of alcohol from a bag and waved it around with both hands so that the swishing of the liquid inside could be heard. Seeing that, Silverie sighed. GeezWell, I guess Ill make an exception for a day like this. Ill get the glasses and snacks. Ah, then Ill go get some juice ? Silverie and Milly half-ran towards the kitchen. Alcohol huh. I did drink a few times at social events in my past life, but Im not a big fan of it. Once when I drank too much and was totally wasted the next day, I never thought that I would drink again but I guess I dont mind if its on a day like this. Besides, Ive now become old enough to drink too, since three years have passed. Zeph-chi. As I was thinking about that, I was softly hugged from behind. Lydias forehead bumped into the back of my head. Then, on the nape of my neck, I felt warm droplets of liquid flowing down. Tears? As if to disguise the fact that she was crying, Lydia rubbed her head against mine. Welcome back. Ah, youve been a great help. Ahaha But anyway, youve grown taller~! I cant call you cute anymore~ Even so, Lydia is still bigger than me. Thats a little disappointing I dont mind it. Its fine, its fine ? I mind it, though. I separated from Lydia and faced her, and saw that she had on her usual smile. Now, shall we set the table? Are we going to do it here? Although the space here is indeed larger than the kitchen, I dont think the workshop is the place for drinking and merrymaking. Ahaha, isnt it fine? ? In the end, we set up a table and started drinking in the workshop. I took the alcohol in small sips, but Lydia and Silverie were gulping down their drinks one after another like heavy drinkers. They would probably hit their tenth bottle soon. In addition, despite drinking so much, I was surprised to see that they hadnt changed at all from their normal behavior. The two of you have a high tolerance to alcohol Lyria and Seelverie arrre amayshing~ In contrast, Milly was already flushed and slurring. A moment ago, Milly had mistaken my drink for hers and had held the alcohol in her mouth without swallowing. Milly was drooling with a red face while her head was swaying from side to side. This girl is too weak to alcohol. I didnt expect her to get this drunk just after one sip Ill have to be careful to not let her drink in the future. Milly, dont you think its about time you go home? Theres no such thing~ He he he~ Youll throw up again. Ugh Millys cheerful face suddenly stiffened. She was probably still traumatized by the fact that she threw up on my back before. Shall I carry you to bed on my back? I-I would like to decline For some reason, Milly started speaking formally. It was so strange that I let a chuckle escape my lips. Ahaha, then Ill be the one to carry you today~ Wait its finee, Lydia. Lydia nimbly picked up Milly, then forcibly transported her out of the workshop. Only Silverie and I were left behind. After a moment of silence, Silverie took one of the liquor bottles and brought it to her mouth. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she tilted the bottle and gulped the alcohol down her fair throat. Hey hey, youre still going to drink? Even the whole bottle at once? You should somewhat hold back on the alcohol. I noticed that Silveries face was slightly more flushed than a short while ago, and her almond-shaped eyes were staring at me. Zeph. Hm? Umthat I stared wordlessly into Silveries eyes, as it seemed like she wanted to say something. The way she opened and closed her mouth and shifted her gaze from side to side was suspicious. Then, she looked down with a reddened face. Its nothing. After that, Silverie fell into silence. Good grief, it looks like her clumsiness with words didnt improve after these few years. What a helpless person. Is there something you wanted to say? When I asked jokingly, Silveries shoulders began to tremble slightly. Uh, did I offend her? That was what I had initially thought, but instead of glaring at me angrily, Silverie looked like she would break down in tears any moment. Uh, erm Silverie? Idiot. The moment those words left Silveries mouth, she threw me to the ground and straddled across my body. Big droplets of tears rolled down her cheeks. In that position, she weakly pounded on my chest, while I had no words to offer in response. Idiot Zeph is an idiot! Silverie sobbed like a child. Could she be drunk? Her face was red and her eyes were unfocused. More importantly, the usual Silverie wouldnt call someone an idiot, but a fool instead. I was lonely, you know You were sleeping the entire time Youre always like that Zeph is always nice to me, but then immediately leaves me If youre going to be that way, then just leave me alone forever, idiot! Her quivering fists and her words pierced my heart. Well, perhaps Ive been like that No, come to think of it, wasnt Silverie the one who was always escaping? Before I realized it, Silverie had suddenly drawn her face close to mine. You ought to take responsibility. Huh? Thats right, you should! You made me feel lonely, you should do that at the very least! Silveries face got even closer than before. She was so close that our lips would touch if I only moved a bit. To prevent me from escaping, she firmly fixed my head in place with both hands. Im not particularly thinking of escaping but Silverie, I Silverie closed her eyes and leaned on me. The heartbeat which was transmitted through her slim body was unexpectedly calm Are you perhaps asleep? Close to my ear, the sounds of her faint snoring were accompanied by her breath which smelled like alcohol. This person is really helpless. Good grief I muttered to myself as I carried Silverie to the sofa nearby. CH 151.2 In the end, I stayed up all night at Lydias store. The next morning, when I was having the breakfast prepared by Milly and Lydia, Silverie tottered over while holding on to her head. Ugh my head is splitting open Ahaha~ You were drunk after all, Sil-chin~ Lydia, this girl, probably escaped from the situation last night on purpose. She was nowhere to be found after she carried Milly to the bedroom, and she left this drunkard to me. I glared at Lydia, and she laughed sheepishly as she averted her eyes. Sil-chin was pretty much the type who would cry when drunk, right? Im bad at dealing with these kinds of situations According to Lydia, she once made Silverie drink to help her open up. Lydia had a constitution where she was able to drink a lot, and she thought that Silverie was the same, since she wasnt getting drunk. However, for Silverie, it just didnt show on her face, but she would change completely once a certain threshold was crossed. Lydia then got herself entangled in the problem of a bawling Silverie, and was at a complete loss. She ended up being trapped with Silverie the entire night. Well, with that as the impetus, I managed to get Silverie to help out at my store in the end~. It was awful, you know? She was wailing like a child, saying Zeph-chi is goneee! and such. I experienced something similar too Dont tell me, that was your plan all along? Ahaha~ While we were conversing by telepathy, Silverie was looking at us suspiciously. The two of you are talking about something. Theres nothing. Well, then~ Lets do our best today too~ Yeahh ? When Lydia raised a rallying shout in a desperate move to drop the subject, only Milly, who knew nothing of the situation, responded. Then, I will be trying out this artificial arm in a battle. I also ought to train up this dulled body of mine. Currently, Red Glove is constantly activated to supplement my strength. That is how weak my body has become. As I have been bedridden for three years, I should probably take my time rehabilitating, but to win next years title match, I cant afford to relax. Real fighting experience is the way to go. Well, that being said, its not as if I would immediately go to a place with powerful monsters. Here, heree! I will follow you, of course! Milly raised her hand energetically. In my current state, I would feel uneasy if I were alone and an emergency situation occurred, so I was planning to have someone come along anyway. This is just right, and I can observe how much Milly has grown too. Im coming with you too Urp. Ahaha~ Its better if Sil-chin just rests for today. That wont do Ugh!? While Silverie crawled over with a pale face, Lydia gave her a karate chop to the back of her neck. Milly and I watched as Lydia carried up the collapsed girl, and exchanged looks with one another. What a frighteningly quick karate chop I didnt even catch its afterimages. To be able to put down the mighty Silverie so effortlessly Lydias physical ability seems to have improved too. Okay then, Ill be taking care of Sil-chin and the shop. Are you fine with that, Lydia? Its fine~. I cant suddenly close the store either, and besides, you two can go by yourselves for the first time in a while. Lydia winked at us. I surmised her intentions, while Milly cast a fleeting glance in my direction and turned red as she looked downward. Then, Millys small hand wrapped around my finger and squeezed it tightly. Alright, Ill see you later. See you ? Yeah yeah~, take care, both of you~ With Silverie on her back, Lydia waved as she saw us off from the store. Somehow, I think she was being considerate of us. While were at it, how about we bring back something that Lydia would like? Then, lets go to the swamp of Govnu! We can get the mineral which magic metal is made from, while the monsters there are not that strong either. Hmm, thats not a bad idea. Even if something happens, I will protect you, Zeph ? Ill be relying on you then. The swamp of Govnu was east of the capital of Prolea, and it was inhabited by many of the Zell species. The Zell species are less aggressive and most of them are relatively safe, hence fighting them would be suitable for my rehabilitation. We quickly transported ourselves to the swamp using the Teleport spell. As I was doing some light warm-up exercises, Milly was smiling happily. Ehehe, its been a while since I could fight alongside Zeph like this, hasnt it? Yeah, I guess. Milly was skipping along in high spirits, but she ought to be careful since it was slippery here. The moment that thought crossed my mind, Millys foot slipped and she was about to fall, but I caught her just in time. If I hadnt grabbed your hand right away, you would have fallen, you fool. T-thanks. Geez, be careful. I thought you were supposed to be protecting me? Ugh Milly puffed her cheeks for a moment. Then, as if she thought of something good, Milly showed me a triumphant look. Hey, Zeph. Try using Scout Scope on me. Hmm, the grown-up Milly huh. Lets see how good she is now. I faced Milly and cast Scout Scope on her. Milly Reyad Level 86 Magic Level Red: 49/94 Blue: 88/98 Green: 29/92 Sky: 43/96 Soul: 65/85 Magic Power 4253/4253 Finally C or should I say C as expected, Millys Blue Gale has reached level 99. It seems like Milly was the same Blue Gale simpleton as before. However, Milly is now able to use some magic that she didnt know before. I guess she was taught by Silverie? At any rate, the naming sense of the unique magic, Healing Bic, sure stands out. Below it, there were letters that I was familiar with. Hmm, what is this Niheehee ? It seems like youve noticed it. In the corner of Millys magic section were the words Summon Servant. That is the magic used to summon a familiar. Three years ago, whenever Milly saw my familiar, Ain, she would always whine, saying I want it too. It looks like she has finally mastered it. Look, Zeph. This is my Summon Servant! With a blinding light, a large, white horse appeared. On its head was a horn, and on its body were large wings that matched the size of its large body. The horse put its face close to Millys, and I thought that it was about to rub its face on Millys cheek at first. Instead, the horse began to lick Millys neck, or rather, her collarbone area. Hey, where are you licking, you pervert horse. Kya! Geez, dont lick me in weird places~ Bururu The pervert horse snorted in response as Milly stepped away from him to face me but the horse wouldnt even look at me. What a character. Erm, this is my familiar, Uruk. Hes pleased to meet you. With Millys introduction, Uruk the horse grudgingly bowed its head. Nice to meet you, Uruk. A-ahaha Sorry I guess? Hes a little shy No, this horse is simply a pervert. Perhaps Ill make him into horse sashimi and eat him someday. Well, whatever. So, what can this guy do? He guards me against attacks directed at me, using his horns and front hoofs. Milly puffed her chest in pride, but wasnt it a given that your familiar protects you? When Milly saw that I had an uncertain look on my face, she frantically continued. H-he also guards against attacks directed at my comrades. However, for that, you need to be on good terms with Uruk. He guards well against attacks directed at Silverie, but when Lydia gets attacked, he doesnt even budge. Isnt that because he thought that Lydia would be about to dodge those attacks anyway, so it would be fine? Lydia even tried to get Uruk to defend her by purposely taking attacks head-on, but it was to no avail. Geez, what was Lydia thinking In any case, although Milly described her familiars Auto Guard ability, I still cant quite picture it. I wonder what it feels like Guess Ill try it out? While making sure that Milly doesnt notice me, I moved my artificial arm and lightly swung it down onto the back of Millys head. With a resounding thud, Milly fell to the ground. Oww~ What are you trying to do, Zeph! Sorry, I was wondering under what circumstances the Guard would get activated It doesnt protect you from attacks from your friends! Even if Guard successfully activated earlier, Im troubled that you sent me flying just because you wanted to see it defend me! Or rather, dont hit me with such a hard object! I will turn stupid, wont I! I see, if I keep Red Glove constantly activated, it could hinder me when Im simply trying to joke around like this. Milly was rubbing her head while walking, as it probably still hurt. At her feet was a green, spiky monster. Its a Weed Zell. Its a type of Zell with green spikes on its head. It usually mimics grass, but it retaliates by spitting poison from its spikes when its stepped on. That being said, its poison is weak, so high-leveled adventurers would be unaffected even if they accidentally stepped on it. To us, it was a harmless monster. Hmm Milly was still glaring at me and had yet to notice the Weed Zell. This is just right. With a monster attacking, the supposed Auto Guard should activate this time. Lets see. Ugh, Im so mad at you! Milly puffed her cheeks angrily at me. I continued to observe her as she stepped onto the Weed Zell. Hyaa!? Milly screamed as the Weed Zell suddenly perked up, and ejected a white liquid from its tip. A large amount of cloudy, white liquid covered Milly, leaving her so stunned that she could only stand stiffly in place. No, in the first place It still doesnt activate though? Auto-guard, I mean. Ughh Its not like it will activate all the time Activation is not definite, so it seems. Im not sure if that was just how Uruk is, but he sure seems like an iffy familiar. Im all sticky Hey, can I go wash up? Mm. Then Oh Water of Purity, wash away the impure filth on my body and grant me cleansing Clearance. When Milly chanted the incantation, her body became enveloped in a transparent cylinder. The cylinder was filled with purifying water, which washed away the dirt that was on Millys body. Clearance is one of the Blue systems magic spells. It was a cleansing spell that helps to wash away the dirt from battle. It not only cleanses the body but also your clothes and armor. However, you have to be soaked in the purifying water for quite some time. The spell is very convenient and can be used in a wide variety of situations C from overnight dungeon crawls to long journeys C making it one of the essential spells for adventurers. Phew I cant move now, so dont go too far out, okay? If Uruk actually protects me, itll be fine, wont it? Ugh Zeph is so mean Im kidding. Millys face was half-submerged in water so it bubbled as she spoke. In response to her sulking, I patted her head to comfort her. Its nice to be protected, but there are only harmless Zell species nearby. It should be fine for me to leave you for just a short while, right? I have various things I would like to try out too. Yeah, if anything happens, I will call you using Telepathy. But dont get too far away from me though? I know. Ill be close enough so that you can dash over immediately. From inside the transparent cylinder, Milly waved her hand with the sound of splashing water. Then, I turned and left. CH 152.1 Now, what shall I do? For the time being, I cast Scout Scope on myself. After all, it has been three years and I only have a vague recollection of things. Zeph Einstein Level 70 Magic Level Red: 49/62 Blue: 46/87 Green: 51/99 Sky: 48/89 Soul: 44/97 Magic Power 3241/3251 When the body is dulled, the magic lines are also weakened. In the worst case, there is a chance that the levels could drop, but it looks like my levels were the same as three years ago. Its a relief I suppose? That being said, I am still unable to handle magic well in my current state. Even for Red Glove which is currently activated, its effect is much weaker than before. Well, I just need to get my battle instincts back for now I guess. As for my level, it has actually been quite some time since I reached level 70. Of course, by that, I dont mean the three years where I was asleep. After attaining a certain amount of growth, it becomes more difficult to reach the next level. One of those barriers to leveling up is at level 70. At levels 80 and 90, the barriers are even higher. Even with the growth-acceleration magic, Growth, average hunting methods are unlikely to get you to a level that is high enough to challenge a Heavenly Mage within a year. To be able to compete with them, you would need to be at level 95, or 90 at the very least. Its pointless to rush it, but I cant take it easy either Oh. Soon enough, a single Zell which looked like a big tree appeared before me. It was a Treant Zell, one of the Zell species with an appearance similar to a long, thick trunk, but translucent and green in color. It has several saplings absorbed into its body, which it spits out C as if splitting itself C to create Weed Zells. At the feet of the Treant Zell, many small Weed Zells were bouncing around. For a monster that produces more monsters, the dungeon would grow rapidly if this monster was left alone. Just in time, Ill try fighting this guy. I cast Time Square and froze time. Alright, it is properly activated. In the past, during the fight with Grain, my Time Square evolved rapidly, and I am now able to synthesize the spell up to five times. However, in exchange for the immense power of the five-fold Time Square, it causes a great backlash. If I cast a body-strengthening spell during the frozen time, my body would get destroyed. Even if I only cast normal magic spells, my magic lines would be burned to a crisp, accompanied by intense pain. I should try not to overdo it for a while. While time is frozen, I cast Red Crash, Black Crash, and Green Crash. The result is a tri-fusion spell, Volcanon Crash. Lava flowed from my hand and directly hit the Treant Zell. The heat from the lava burned the Zell so much that it was bent backward. It convulsed in pain, but the amount of damage dealt was probably still insufficient. In the past, I should have been able to slaughter the Treant Zell in a single blow, but as expected, Im still out of shape. Treant Zell Level 51 Magic Power 8521/12533 I cast Scout Scope on the monster but ugh, it only did this much damage? The spells power has roughly been reduced to a third of its original amount. It might not be a bad idea to make do with basic magic spells for the time being while undergoing rehabilitation at the same time. The damaged Treant Zell began to scatter many seedlings so that numerous Weed Zells sprang up around it. When a Weed Zell jumped at me, I swatted at it with my prosthetic arm and knocked it to the ground. The metal arm was perfectly suitable to be used as a blunt weapon, as the Weed Zell burst into pieces when I simply struck it. Its attack power is more than I had imagined. Although I didnt use much force earlier, now I feel bad for hitting Milly. Red Crash. On the other side of the smashed Weed Zell, the Treant Zell was standing stock-still as I directed my flames at it. The Treant Zell twisted its body in agony and scattered even more Weed Zells. However, for a monster of this level, strength doesnt exist in numbers. Again, I relied on the prosthetic to crush several of these Weed Zells. Then, I touched the Treant Zells soft and flabby body and cast Green Crash. After the Treant Zell was blown away, it slowly stood up again and produced more Weed Zells. The Treant Zells movements were sluggish, and it left its defenses to the Weed Zells it produced. For a high-leveled monster, it was tough but had a relatively low attack power, hence it was the perfect opponent for my rehabilitation. Its been a while since Ive been in a battle. My movements are slow, while my magic is also considerably weakened, but Im feeling great. I dodged the Treant Zells attack while firing magic at it. It felt like I was back to my old self as if a string that was severed until now was suddenly reconnected. Ha ha! As the feelings of joy welled up inside me, I laughed out loud without restraint and continued to fight. Mm, it should be almost time for Millys cleansing to complete. After that, I was engrossed in my fight, and by the time I noticed, an hour had already passed. Since it had been a while since I last worked out, I was exhausted and drenched in perspiration. Despite that, I had only defeated two Treant Zells. It was partly because I was only relying on basic magic spells, but that sure took me a long time. A Treant Zell appeared before me. With its attack, I ducked out of the way and dove in closer to it, then cast Time Square. While time is stopped, I cast Red Crash and Black Crash. The result is a bi-fusion magic spell, Pyro Crash. Flames blended in with strong winds creating an explosive torrent of destruction which burnt the Treat Zell to a crisp. This flame was obviously stronger than the one earlier. Hmm, I think Im starting to get some of my battle instincts back. Oh. I spotted something glinting from among the embers and picked it up. It was a shiny, gray stone the size of my fist. Madonium? It is a stone with an extremely high magic transmission rate. Metal that is obtained from refining this stone is known as magic metal and is highly prized for making weapons and armor. My artificial arm was also made by refining this stone. Looks like Ive got a good souvenir for Lydia. When I got back, Millys Clearance spell was just about to complete. The pure water also had the characteristic of drying up quickly. Milly retrieved a towel from her bag and wiped her face and body with it, and soon enough the moisture was nearly gone. Alright! Then, shall we get going, Zeph! Yeah. Even though we were in a swamp, the water was clean. I could see gravel on the bottom and fish swimming in the water. There were also Blue Zells that ate the fish. Zeph. I turned around at the sound of Millys voice, and before my eyes were tall grasses that rustled as they swayed. Whats approaching must be huge. Fall back, Milly. But Hey hey, this is my rehabilitation, you know? Y-yeah, I know. But if it gets dangerous, Ill interfere okay? Okay, if it comes to that. Milly looked at me worriedly, and I flashed her a grin. CH 152.2 With a rustle, the grass parted and out jumped an olive-brown four-legged Zell, whose fur was all ruffled up. It had jelly-like fur and was known as a Beast Zell. Compared to the docile Zell species, this type of Zell was quite ferocious, and it was undoubtedly the strongest monster in the swamps of Govnu. The Beast Zells jiggly body trembled as it kicked off the gravel and launched itself at me. I jumped to the side to dodge and cast Time Square as I turned back to it. While time is stopped, I cast Blue Crash, Black Crash, and Green Crash. What formed was the triple fusion spell, Icicle Crash. With the sound of rapidly freezing ice, the Beast Zells lower body was frozen in place. No longer able to support its body weight, the Beast Zells frozen legs broke off, and its body rolled back onto the ground. The Zell species was vulnerable to changes in temperature and cannot survive in places with low temperatures. I had taken advantage of this weakness to freeze its legs, but it only caused the Beast Zells movements to be slowed for a moment. The Beast Zell quickly grew new legs and charged at me again. I hit it with a Black Crash as it passed me, but that only staggered it for a moment. Tch what a tough guy. I originally wanted to use Green Crash which has higher offensive power, but with its short firing range, even if the Beast Zells movements have dulled, I guess it would have still been tricky to take it down. The Beast Zell never faltered from my counterattacks and continued to charge towards me again and again. I shouldnt make Milly worry about me either, so lets finish this off with a combination magic spell. Pugiiii! When the Beast Zell charged towards me once more, I used all my strength to receive its attack. Dust clouds rose at my feet as I skidded across the ground and I was pushed against a large tree that was behind me. Zeph!? Dont worry about me. Milly cried out in a sorrowful voice, and I replied to her with composure. Safe Protection. This spell can reduce the damage of the next attack received by ninety percent. It was standard practice to cast this spell before any battle. Got you! I smirked as I looked down at the Beast Zell, then thrust both my arms into its gelatinous body. Then, I cast Time Square. While time is stopped, I cast Green Crash four times. The result is a quadra-fusion spell, Green Crash Square. The Beast Zells jelly-like body swelled up and burst open. Hm, well there you have it. At my words, Milly sighed with a look of relief. Geez, what a worry-wart she is. I approached Milly to pat her head, and she simply resigned herself to my will and lowered her head for me. I must have really weakened, huh? Enough to make Milly worry for me, at least. Sorry. I knew that I didnt need to worry but when I saw Zeph getting injured, I couldnt help but recall what happened that time By that time, could Milly have meant the time when I was tortured by Grain for defending Milly? It seems like that incident has caused a lot of trauma for Milly. Amid the somber atmosphere, a monsters presence could be felt. Milly probably noticed it too, as she stepped away from me and readied her fighting stance. Good grief, this monster sure cant read the mood. Before us, another Beast Zell showed itself. Ugh, dont disturb us Milly complained as she distanced herself from me and stepped back. As I stood on guard, the Beast Zell glanced towards me. However, it then ignored us, jumped into the swamp with a splash, and left. Eh? It went away. While Milly gazed in the direction of the Beast Zell, her hairs stood on end. At the same time, a chill ran down my spine. When I focused my senses on the grasses where that Beast Zell appeared from, I felt a magic power that was stronger than anything Ive experienced. Even from a distance, I could feel the tingling of the powerful magic. However, there have never been any monsters this strong in the swamps of Govnu. Zeph! Yeah, be careful, Milly. With a rustle, the tall grass parted to reveal a bouncy and gelatinous object that was completely black. At first sight, it looked like a pretty small Zell. Whats that A Zell? It seems like it, but even I have never seen a Zell like that. Is it a new species? I quickly cast Scout Scope. ???? Level 102 Magic power 3856905/3856905 Wha Its magic power is three million and eight hundred thousand!? Its magic power is no less than the usual bosss. Even if magic power does determine its fighting prowess, but this is not normal. Furthermore, it has no name. In the past, Milly told me that the Scout Scope displays the monsters name according to what it was most commonly known as. Hence, in the event that there was someone with a false name, and if that false name was widely known, the Scout Scope would display his false name instead of his real one. This display works in the same way for monsters. For monsters, its simple if the person who discovers the monster decides on its name. However, if the monster became known by a name apart from its original one, that name could also be etched into Scout Scope. By having no name, this monster could likely be a new species. In any case, I guess well just name it as Dark Zell? H-how carefree, as usual Its unknown how strong this guy is, so lets get him together. At my words, Milly grinned widely, showing her pearly-white, protruding canines She overflowed with confidence and looked like she was itching to show off the fruits of the three years of training. Why, arent you raring to go? Yeah! Zeph, you stay back. Its been a while since your last fight, so you arent performing at your usual best, right? Well, itll be easier for me to follow up when Im in the rear-guard anyway. Guess Ill leave this to you. Niheehee ? But Zeph might not have a chance to take the stage though! Probably having recognized us as its enemies, the Dark Zell seized the opportunity to pounce at Milly while we were still talking. Milly easily evaded the attack, but the Dark Zell extended a tentacle-like part of its gelatinous body and caught Millys arm. Milly! Black Crash! The instant she was caught, Milly unleashed Black Crash, which blew away the Dark Zell together with its tentacle. Using Black Crash to blow away your opponent and shirk off its attacks was one of the fundamental tactics of a mage in close combat. In a battle where ones reaction speed plays a significant part in determining the outcome, that was one of the essential skills of a mage. Hmm, considering that reaction speed, Milly must have been trained hard by Silverie. With her back still facing me, Milly put up her index and middle fingers in a victory sign. Geez, seems like Im a worry-wart too. I have no right to judge others. In any case, be it its appearance or the way it fights, the Dark Zell didnt seem to differ greatly from the other Zell species. However, the magic power it holds is extraordinary. Generally, monsters with higher magic power tend to be bigger and more aggressive, in proportion to the amount of magic power they hold. Certainly, outliers to this trend exist, but theres no way that such a small and weak-looking monster could hold so much magic power I have a bad feeling about this. Dont get negligent now, Milly. I know, I know ? Ah, the way she replied already shows that shes getting lax. Even though she has grown, Milly is still Milly. Blue Gale! When Milly raised her arms, the sand on the ground floated. The Dark Zell seemed to sense danger, as it began vibrating. Then, with a resounding boom, a waterspout appeared and stretched high up to the sky. The Blue Gale was more refined and densely compressed than the one Milly used to cast. It sucked up the Dark Zell and minced it into pieces. Oh, thats brilliant. Hmhmm~ Milly proudly puffed up her humble chest. It looks like her growth here still has a ways to go. The Dark Zell which was sucked into the waterspout fell to the ground with a dull thud. Lets see, how effective was that attack? I cast Scout Scope on the Dark Zell. Dark Zell Level 102 Magic power 3855215/3856905 What It wasnt effective at all! Im afraid that this monster is a Soul type. Perhaps a spell from the Soul magic system would work? Monsters from the Soul system are invulnerable to normal magic attacks. In contrast, they are weak to magic from the Soul system. That being said, it seems like were stuck. To use Soul system magic, we require not only magic power but also Gemstones. However, we dont have large amounts of them right now. It wouldve been fine if Ain were around, but she went off somewhere. Its troublesome. Should we escape? That sounds like a good idea. The Dark Zell is relatively weak but has a lot of magic power. I thought that it was the ideal monster for me to earn experience points, but it turned out to be quite a troublesome opponent. Lets come back to hunt it after we have made the proper preparations. Milly and I cast Teleport and withdrew from the area. CH 153.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I synced my timing with Silveries White Sphere and cast Time Square while keeping an eye on the transforming Dark Zell. While time was stopped I cast White Sphere four times. As soon as time began to flow again a dazzling light enveloped the area. Penta Fusion: White Sphere Circle. Since the whole area had now turned pure white, both me and Silverie withdrew so as to avoid any attacks that could come our way. While at the same time also casting Scout Scope to check up on the Dark Zells Magic Power. Dark Zell Level 103 Magic Power: 1,021,233 / 3,972,153 The numbers that appeared inside the white light sped towards us at a terrifying pace. A black jelly-like monster with feathers sprouting from its body emerged from behind the white curtain shortly after. With its newly emerged wings the Dark Zell was flying in the sky. Its gonna escape! The corners of Silveries mouth twisted up just as I was thinking that. At the place the Dark Zell was rushing towards a wall of ice was waiting for it. The Dark Zell collided with the wall and fell down. Using that opportunity, I also cast a wall of ice in order to ensnare it. The Blue Systems spell Blue Wall. Silverie cast a number of Blue Walls in order to completely block the Dark Zells escape. The ice that formed the Blue Walls was incredibly powerful, and it was difficult to break it apart with anything other than Red System spells. In the end, we found ourselves stuck in the ice room with Dark Zell. As expected of Silverie, shes quick to pull the trigger. There are not a lot of monsters that are really adept at running away, and this Dark Zell is the first of its kind. Silveries eyes darkened even further as she took a step forward to close the gap. Were taking it down Zeph. Understood. I said in a cold tone. Silverie really was reliable, but she was also quite scary as well. After we trapped the Dark Zell it turned into a one sided slaughter. All that was left was to constantly repair the walls of ice so as to not let the Dark Zell escape, as well as continue to bombard it with spells. Silverie continued to ruthlessly attack the Dark Zell as it flew inside the cage of ice. That ruthless side of hers was exactly the teacher that I knew. Its over. she exclaimed as the light bullet she shot connected with the Dark Zell, knocking it down and releasing its final shriek. At the same moment, I felt a surge of energy coursing through my body. It was the feeling of my body being filled up with Magic Power. It seems like I levelled up. Furthermore, this feeling It felt a bit familiar so I decided to use Scout Scope on myself. Zeph Einstein Level 72 Magic Level: Red: 50 / 62 Blue: 46 / 87 Green: 51 / 99 Sky: 48 / 89 Soul: 46 / 97 Magic Power: 1,151 / 3,732 I really did level up. And twice on top of that. After crossing the level 70 mark, it required considerably way more experience to level up. To put it into perspective I would need to take down 10 boss monsters in order to level up once. Looking at Silverie, she seemed shocked as well, clenching her fist in confirmation of her newly acquired strength. Silverie you too? Yea, it seems like you level up as well Zeph. Come to think of it, Silveries level was 92. When one reaches that level they need to farm high level dungeons daily for a year in order to even level up once. It seems like the experience points we get for killing one of these is tremendous. Dark Zell was it. If we continue hunting them down, you might just be able to make up for those three years that you were sleeping. I was thinking the same thing. However, it was still a monster that we hadnt even encountered before. There were still no ways to defeat it, or even search for it. Its existence itself was just like an illusion. None the less it seems like Silverie has some sort of plan. I just had Kuro remember the Dark Zells smell. With this, even if were not close to it, Ill immediately find out if one appears. It can attack and it can also track down enemies That familiar of yours really is something. Your Ain is quite strong as well isnt she? On top of that shes also cute. You should tell that to her, Im sure shed be really glad to hear it. I cant, its too embarrassing. Silverie said as she averted her gaze. Before we knew it was already evening. The sky was beginning to turn dark as well. Ain huh. Now that I think about it, where in the world did she go? My familiar Ainbelle Rubyeye was a young girl with long blond hair and wings. Apparently she left while saying that shed be back, but no one knew where she went to. I went to another world for a bit. I was deep in thought when I heard a familiar voice approaching from behind me. I turned around unconsciously and saw a tall girl with a beautiful body. The wings emerging from her back were almost as tall as her, and her blond hair was floating in the wind. She had her arms folded in a proud manner which didnt suit her grown-up character at all. It cant be Ain, is that you? Is it that unbelievable? Ain said in an angry manner. It was definitely her. She looked me over from head to toe while sighing. Gramps, stand up straight will ya. Hm? As she said that, she drew closer to me, straightened herself up, and compared the tops of our heads with her hand. She looked quite disheartened as she realized she was still not as tall as me. Having lost herself in comparing our height Ain drew even closer to me, so much that I could feel her chest touching me. Shes grown in a lot of places it seems Youve grown gramps! You too Ain. Hmph. Its so-so. she said with a proud tone as she glared at me. Probably because she was still somewhat angry for being the shorter one. Her height has grown, but her character hasnt changed at all it seems. I became nostalgic as I gazed at her cheeky smile, and my hand accidentally landed on her head. It really has been a while. Thank you for coming back Ain. I-Ive grown so much already so please stop treating me like a child! But Im not You really have grown. This is exactly how you treat children Good grief Ain complained as she closed her eyes. That aside, Im hungry, gramps! Get me some food! Sure thing. We took a brief break as I continued to feed Ain gemstones. After all our battle with the Dark Zell had drawn out for quite a bit. I was somewhat tired. You see, the reason why I decided to return was because I suddenly smelled food. Ain said as she continued to stuff herself with gemstones. What are you, a dog?! Could she have noticed that I was carrying a large amount of gemstones with me? Her sense of smell is frightening Well thanks to this Ill be able to proceed with my training so I cant complain. Still, where were you all this time? I returned home. To our world that is. A place completely separated from our world where the familiars live The Other World was it? Thats right! There are a lot of races there you see. Like the black thing from just now. The black thing? Is she talking about the Dark Zell? I looked over at Silverie. Still, in the Other World each race is strictly divided in its own section, so I dont know that much about the other races beside mine. Ain said. Even the Magician Association doesnt know much about the Other World. Silverie said. And here we thought it was a new type of monster, when it was apparently just a monster from the Other World. I see, that makes sense. Either way, enough of the complicated talks, lets have a welcoming party for me? Is that really something you should recommend yourself Well its not like it matters. DD After returning to the Guild House we held the welcoming party just as Ain had requested. Both Milly and Lydia were both surprised at Ains growth. Still Ain, youve definitely grown in height, but is there something new that you can do? Milly asked, to which Ain showed a big grin. Hmm? Ill have you know, but Ive grown a ton! Is that so So what can you do? Milly asked once more. Its something that will be of great help for gramps! Ain said as sparks could be seen flying between her and Milly. Faced with one another, they both took one step forward. No matter how much they grow, both of them are still kids Then they took one more step, and another one right after. As Ains chest pressed against Millys she raised her head proudly showing that she had won, while Milly bit her lip in shame. And here I wondered what they were doing Shes probably jealous that Ain has grown in more places than one. I-I can be of use to Zeph as well! Milly said. Is that so? And here gramps said that you were only a burden. What?!Zeph, is that true? Of course not. Ain you shouldnt tell such lies. Damn, I got found out I didnt know whether it was because of her growth but Ain seemed to have developed into quite the bully. As I held my aching head Lydia stepped in between them and nodded their heads. What are you doing!! Both of them said simultaneously, to which Lydia simply grinned. Both of you, do you know what youre supposed to do in times such as these? This doesnt concern you Lydia!! Their voices came out simultaneously again. In reality they get along quite well dont they Thats right, it doesnt concern me. But if theres something that you dont like, the best way to settle it is through a battle! A battle? Thats right. If you fight against each other with all you have, youll definitely make up? Huh?!! That doesnt make sense!!! Either way, lets just do it ? Oh and also, be careful not to destroy the house. Well then lets have a nice fight. Lydia said as she grabbed a hold of both of them and brought them to a room with a huge bed on the second floor. They would probably be able to fight to their hearts content and settle their catfight in that spacious room. Me and Silverie took a sigh of relief as we were left alone. Good grief Some things never change. Still its a good thing. Up until a while ago I couldnt imagine witnessing something like that. Silverie said as she looked at me. Shes probably trying to imply that its because Im finally awake. Its true that Im probably the only one that feels like things havent changed. For them its something that hasnt happened in three years after all. That was probably pretty insensitive of me The atmosphere got a bit awkward, but then Silverie suddenly jumped at me and hugged me. Welcome back Zeph This time for real Im back. We remained in that position for a few moments before hearing Milly and Ains excited voices from upstairs. Apparently the Milly VS Ain match had ended with Ains overwhelming victory. It seems like shes grown quite strong physically as well. She did uppercut Grain three years ago after all. She might have had it in her all of this time for all I know. CH 153.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama DD Several days later we went to hunt for Dark Zells. We were able to find out when a Dark Zell spawned while being inside the capital thanks to Silverie leaving Kuro at the dungeons entrance. While we were eating breakfast Silveries shoulders suddenly shuddered. A Dark Zell had appeared. I found one. Its at the Tiros Abandoned Factory. There again? Urgh, that place is cold so I dont quite like it. Lydia exclaimed. In that case you can stay here and guard the house Lydia. It should be fine with just us ? Milly said. Hmmm. Okay, Ill leave it up to you then! Ive been neglecting my shop since Zeph-chi woke up after all. Lydia said as she stood up and stretched her back. In truth, the Dark Zells were quite tough, but they werent all that strong. Honestly I could probably take care of them all by myself. Though if it was just me theyd probably run away so in the end its best to cooperate with the others. We finished up our preparations and went outside, just as we did so Milly cast Summon Servant.With a bright light a horse with wings appeared. Just as he appeared Uruk shook his body and drew closer to Milly. Hey Uru-chi, how have you been doing? Lydia said as she got closer to try and pet Uruk, but as soon as Uruk felt her presence he raised his back legs in order to kick her. Phew!Thats dangerous you know! Im sorry Lydia. Bad Uruk! Bad!! Milly scolded Uruk. neighh However, Uruk ignored her and instead turned towards Silverie to give her a sexy snort. Why does it feel like hes picking a fight with me and Lydia? On the other hand, he seems really attached to Silverie and Milly I dont want to believe this, but does he have a thing for flat chested women? If thats the case, I guess he wont like Shirushu and Claude as well Well then well go like usual. Me and Silverie will ride on Uruk while Zeph, you use Teleport. Sure. As soon as Milly and Silverie got on top of Uruk he spread his wings wide and flew up. I watched as she flew off in the distance alongside Lydia. Well then Im off. Have a safe trip ? Lydia said as she saw me off. DD The Tiros Abandoned Factory. Milly and Silverie were already there and were waiting for me at the entrance. Even though I dont like his character I have to admit that Uruk is quite fast. Though I dont like how he seems so proud about it. Its over there. Silverie said as she used Kuro to guide us. As we proceeded forward Silverie suddenly stopped and pointed to a direction. There it is. As soon as she said that both me and Milly took our stances. Our strategy was going to be the same as usual. First we would attack it normally and as soon as it entered its berserk mode Silverie would trap it while me and Milly attacked it. Uruk! Milly called Uruks name and jumped on top of him, one hand holding the straddles. Uruk dashed at the Dark Zell at the same time. Go Uruk, go!! Uruk jumped up and trampled down on the Dark Zell with his front hoofs while Milly cast spells from above. The Dark Zell was relentlessly attacked by Uruks kicks and Millys spells. It was a terrifying sight. The Dark Zell had no means to fight back and could only watch as its Magic Power plummeted. It was both an offensive and defensive strategy that took perfect advantage of Uruks temperament. This is bad. Milly said as she stepped away from the Dark Zell. Did she run out of Magic Power? Maintaining a familiar usually required a constant supply of Magic Power, and the amount needed to maintain Uruk was way more than normal familiars. It was probably due to the fact that it boasted a high battle prowess. After all, when Ain and Silveries Kuro switch to battle mode their consumption grows quite a lot as well. Switch, its my turn. Thank you. Milly pulled back and unsummoned Uruk. She then began to meditate in order to restore her Magic Power. Well then. As soon as I went out I summoned Ain. With a burst of light, a sword emerged, far larger than what it had been previously. It had also gotten quite heavier compared to before so it was quite hard to swing it. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle! Thats what Ain wanted me to call it now. Gyaa!! Dark Zell shouted out as it cast a Red Sphere. As I blocked the spell with Divine Greatsword Ainbelle it absorbed it and let out a red light. While swinging down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle I also cast White Sphere. Double Fusion: Nova Sphere. A white sphere burst forth from the tip of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and enveloped the body of the Dark Zell. Ain was able to absorb spells in her sword form, and then I was able to release the spells she had absorbed by swinging her. On the other hand, since the sword had now grown as tall as me I needed quite a bit of strength in order to swing it, on top of that its Magic Power consumption was way greater than before, making it hard to maintain. You sure got quite heavy. I-I grew, so theres no helping it!! Stop complaining and just do your best would ya gramps!! Okay. I cast Time Square and while time was stopped I cast White Crash four times. Quadra Fusion: White Crash Square. The white light that appeared was immediately sucked in by Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Before the limit of spells, she could absorb was limited but due to her growing her capacity had gone up quite a bit as well. Id done a few tests over the last few days, and Ain could now store up to five of the Red Systems most powerful spells, including Red Zero. I swung the shining Divine Greatsword Ainbelle while at the same time casting Time Square once more. While time was stopped I cast White Crash four more times. And I released them at the same time as the ones stored inside Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Octa Fusion: White Crash Octa A dazzling light burst forth and both me and Milly were forced to close our eyes. Silverie on the other hand wore glasses with dark lenses so she was fine It seems like Lydia made those for her. The more one mixed the same spell with Spell Synthesis the stronger the original spell became. Up until now, I had only attempted up to six spells at a time, but with regular attack spells, the pushback was much too great, and I was in danger of being affected by the spell. The effect I got from stacking a strengthening spell such as Red Glove up to five times was tremendous as well, but it came with a huge drawback as well. If I were to move with everything I had my body would break. Spells from the Soul System were the only ones that could be synthesised more than five times because they didnt have a direct effect on the casters body. M-My eyes!!! Well I guess its not completely perfect considering Milly was blinded by it Just as I was thinking that, Silverie moved quickly and cast Blue Wall, trapping the Dark Zell. The Dark Zells Magic Power had dropped quite a bit and it was about to enter its berserk mode. Silverie had acted in order to close off its means of escape. The Magic Power consumption of White Crash Octa was quite large, but on the other hand its power was no laughing matter. The Dark Zell reappeared with just half of its body after the light faded. Its my turn again ? All yours. I released Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and pulled back as Milly went upfront. Our strategy was to have me fight until I ran out of Magic Power, after which I would pull back and let Milly take the front while I meditated and recovered my Magic Power. The Dark Zell wasnt that strong, however it was extremely tough, so the most efficient method of taking it down was to shoot it with a number of large spells. Millys martial arts couldnt even be compared to before at all, as she easily dodged all of the Dark Zells attacks. Her short skirt fluttered in the air as she dodged a Black Crash. Phew! After dodging Milly put forth her hand towards the Dark Zell and cast a White Crash. The spell blew the Dark Zell back and he rolled a few times before coming to a halt. As wings appeared on its body, it attempted to slowly lift itself back up. Its in berserk mode. It had all come together perfectly, with me regaining my Magic Power and Silverie putting the cage together. Good job Milly. Zeph lets go!! Milly yelled out. Okay. I grabbed Millys stretched out hand and read the flow of her Magic Power running through her Magic Power Lines while at the same time casting Time Square. I cast White Sphere four times and matched my timing with Millys spell. Penta Fusion: White Sphere Circle. As the dazzling light burned the Dark Zells body I could feel my power rising. It seems like I levelled up once more. I was currently level 78 while Milly had gone all the way up to 90. We sure are growing with tremendous speed. After we defeated the Dark Zell it dropped a pure black crystal. It was the second time we were encountering this crystal. Milly bent over to pick it up after which she threw it at me. What in the world is this? Milly asked. Beats me. From what me and Lydia analysed it seems to be a type of magic stone that strengthens the transfer of Magic Power. Considering we dont have any information about it, it must be something from the Other World. Silverie said while looking at the black crystal in my hand. In short Silverie and Lydia didnt know what it could be used for, but it definitely had some kind of use. For the time being we just decided to collect them and leave the rest to Silverie and Lydia. CH 154.1 After we completed our task we went back. Just as we got back we were welcomed by a familiar face. Welcome back. If it isnt you Yera. The person waiting for us was the Sky Heavenly Mage, Yera Schugel. She was also none other than Silveries mother, and someone who had helped us on several occasions. Today, however, it seemed that she had arrived with an important business. After prompting us to sit she cleared her throat and began explaining. Today I came here to ask you to do a job for me. Yera said. A job for us? Milly asked while tilting her neck. Truth be told, a new dungeon has recently emerged around Izu Port City Id like you to go ahead and seal it. DD Izu Port City. It was the place where Shirushu was currently located. A lot went on recently so I had completely forgotten about it, but I had yet to meet with her. Shirushu Onslaught is one of our companions and a beastfolk with pinkish hair. She works as a sister at one of the churches, and looks after the kids there. Still, a new dungeon emerging is certainly no laughing matter. You see, since the accident with Grain three years ago, more and more people have been leaving the Association. It seems like no one noticed that the barrier guarding the city had weakened a little Hahaha Yera said awkwardly. Thats no laughing matter you hag. Silverie said with a cold tone. Theres nothing that we could do. Even I worked non-stop to try and help. Dont try to excuse yourself. Its disgusting. Are you going against your mother? Why dont you become a Heavenly Mage in my place then? I wouldnt mind giving you the position at all, so what do you say? . Y-You After a long silence Silverie just clicked her tongue and while mumbling something she ran away from Yera. Stop it Silverie, theres no way you can win against her with words. But still, three years really did pass. From what I heard since the case, where I had been left on the brink of death and the former Dispatch Magician Grain had escaped once again. The authority of the Magician Association had plummeted and the number of Dispatch Magician had dropped by half. The Five Heavenly Mages workload had been multiplied as a result, and Yera seemed to be very busy even now. Apparently she had come to visit me quite a lot during these last three years, but it was my first time meeting her since waking up. In any case, lets leave the minor details aside; may I entrust this to you? Yera asked. What should we do Zeph? Hmm, I was just thinking of going to see Shirushu so isnt this perfect? Well it does seem so Okay Yera-san, well take up the request! Milly said. Im in your debt Milly-chan! And like that we ended up taking on the mission of sealing the dungeon that had newly emerged near Izu Port City. 2 DD We met outside of town the next day, just as Lydia had requested the night before. So, where in the world is Lydia? Beats me, she said she was bringing something. Sorry everyone, did you wait long? Lydia said as she appeared next to the towns gate while pulling onto what appeared to be a hut on wheels. What is that? Fufu, this is whats called a carriage. Well have Uru-chi pull on it while we ride on top? This really does look like a carriage Wait, wont this be incredible given Uruk is able to fly while pulling it? As I was pondering things, Silverie seemed to have noticed me and decided to enlighten me. Theres nothing to worry about. From what we researched before, Uruk is able to fly by using magic power to create a road in the sky. So if we put pieces of Uruks hooves on the carriages wheels, it will be able to use that path as well Weve already put it through its paces, so dont worry. So thats what you were doing when you asked me to borrow Uruk. Milly said. Thats right, well then Milly-chan well leave the drivers seat to you. Lydia said. Following which Milly hopped on top of Uruk while the rest of us boarded the carriage. W-Will this thing really fly? Milly asked anxiously. Its fine, dont worry about it ? Lydia said with a carefree smile while sitting right next to me. Nonetheless, Milly still looked at Uruk with a bit of disbelief in her eyes. However, Uruk looked like he wasnt worried at all and even tried to draw his face closer to Milly so that he could lick her to calm her down. Milly, on the other hand, deftly averted the situation. Bad Uruk! Neigh. Looking at the disheartened Uruk, Milly couldnt help but feel somewhat bad so she ended up petting his head. Good grief Milly. Its because you spoil him so much that he acts however he pleases. Okay, look here Uruk. If you do a good job then Ill give you a reward, how about that? Neigh!!! Uruk exclaimed happily. Uruk started to run, dragging us high into the sky, as I made up my mind that I would surely make her pay one day. Whoa!!! This is so amazing. Milly exclaimed. Uruk effortlessly danced in the sky as he pulled the carriage. Hes quite powerful, being able to carry Milly alongside us three. I was worried at first but it looks like there wont be any problems. Uruk was flapping his wings and slicing through the sky at a terrifying pace. Normally, a leisure flight without any shaking would be unlikely, but the carriage had a magic system attached to its outer region that was able to control the incoming air, minimizing the vibrations. It seemed like Lydia and Silverie had combined their skills in magic and craftsmanship in order to create a number of amazing things. Zeph-chi were so high up arent we! The people look just like ants! Lydia said excitedly. Youre quite excited for some reason. Didnt you already try it when performing the experiments? Riding with everyone else feels different. Isnt that right Se-chi, Zeph-chi? Lydia said as she hugged both of us. She is right, this view is definitely something else. Flying like this is a first for me. Its been so long since Ive last seen Shirushu, I cant wait. I totally get it. Shiru-chi has been quite busy recently so she didnt have any time to come and visit us, we havent seen her in quite a while as well. It might have been better if I went to see her immediately but I did have a lot of stuff to take care of first. Still, my rehabilitation is finally finished, and Im able to fight properly now, so this request came just at the right time. Look, look, thats the Govnu Swamp over there. We crossed so much distance already! Thats so amazing!!! Lydia said excitedly. You sure are having a lot of fun arent you Lydia Of course I am! Urgh Everyone sounds so happy Milly quietly mumbled to me via Telepathy. I had completely forgotten about it, but she had been controlling Uruk all this time. Looking towards Uruk, I saw Milly, who had a lonely expression on her face, staring at us. After a while we finally arrived at Izu Port City. This atmosphere It doesnt feel that much different from before. Considering there is a dungeon nearby, it appears to be a lot more peaceful than I expected. Milly said. Well yea, the towns protective barrier is still active apparently. Protective barriers were usually deployed with the centre of the town as a base, forming a circle around it. Apparently the dungeon had appeared at a part where the barrier had been damaged. According to Yera the Magician Association were quick to dispatch people so it would take some time before the monsters entered the city. Which means that sealing the dungeon is not that urgent. Having decided on that our first task was to go to the church that Shirushu was at. It really has been quite a while. Shirushu lived in a church on the outskirts of Izu Port City, on top of a hill that could be seen from the citys entrance. The churchs garden appeared to be in good shape, and children were playing in the area. Just as we arrived at the church, a single boy noticed us and immediately came to greet us. Following him, the other children came as well. Whoa!! Milly-san, Lydia-san and Silverie-san came! Hey Ryu-kun, its been a while ? Milly greeted him Did you grow taller? Lydia asked. Im still no match for you Lydia-san. Ryu answered happily. You seem to be doing well. Silverie said. Thats right Silverie-san, I see that youre also the same as always. The tanned boys small ears moved about as he greeted everyone with a cheerful smile on his face. He was dressed in a tanktop and short pants. Still, to think that this is Ryu. Its true that I havent met him in three years, but to think that hed grow so much. Come to think of it, I dont remember Silverie meeting him. They must have gotten to know each other during these three years. Excuse me sir, who might you be Ryu asked. Its been a while Ryu. That voice It cant be Zeph-nii? Thats right. You sure grew quite a lot Ryu. Look whos talking Zeph-nii Youve grown way too much Fufufu, sleeping brings up a child well. That aside, where is Shirushu? Well Shes probably meditating under the waterfall. Meditating under the waterfall? Whats that? Milly asked When Ryu heard Millys query, he scratched his head, as though he was trying to come up with an explanation. You see Shiru-nee found a master a while back, and since then shes constantly been with him. Hes apparently teaching her a method to restrain her instincts. Ryu explained. Oh! Now I remembered, she did say something like that. Shirushus race was a rare one even amongst beastfolk. Her eyes and hair would turn bright red as her emotions took over, and when she was overcome with rage, she would lose herself and feel compelled to fight, regardless of whether the adversary was an enemy or an ally. Her initial goal in joining us was to train herself to control her impulses, but due to my falling asleep, her training had evidently come to a halt. I kind of feel bad for Shirushu, but Im glad that she finally managed to find a way to control her instincts. Well were free so we might as well go and check up on her. Would you guide us Ryu? Sure thing, leave it to me Zeph-nii! We arrived at a rocky area a short distance from Izu Port Town, following Ryu. Shirushu was apparently meditating under one of the numerous waterfalls in the region, which fed into a vast river that flowed into the sea. Still, meditating under a waterfall huh. Come to think of it I remember there being something like that in a foreign country quite far away from here. Silverie said Se-chin you know about it as well? The old hag asked me to do it a while back. Ahaha, so thats how it is! We walked and spoke until the sound of a waterfall became more audible. A massive waterfall was right in front of our eyes. However, Shirushu was nowhere to be seen. Cant see her. Please wait for a bit. Ryu asked as he began to sniff the area. I can smell her. She was here just now. Her masters smell is mixed up as well, so I think that theyre somewhere together. I see. Do you know where they went to? If theyre not here then they must be at the hemp grasslands. They seem to be doing some kind of training that involves jumping over the tall hemps there. Jumping over hemps I had to do the same thing as well Ahaha Se-chin you know way too much! Is that a kind of foreign country training as well? The old hag just likes these sort of things. Well Yera is a foreign country maniac after all. I guess she must have had a lot of fun playing with Silverie. We once again followed behind Ryu until we reached the hemp grassland, however Shirushu wasnt there as well. Hmm It seems like we missed her again Around the area filled with hemp there were numerous footsteps. This size, theyre definitely Shirushus shoes. Theres one more pair though. The other pair of footprints were slightly smaller and seemed to be made of rope-like shoes that were made in an unusual way. These footprints were definitely left behind by Zouri shoes. The people of a certain foreign country love to wear them. I guess Shirushus master might be a foreigner then. Shirushus teacher huh. Im quite curious now. Afterwards we went to quite a few places, however we never ended up meeting Shirushu. I finally got an idea of what Shirushu is trying to do. It seems she really is training quite hard. Feeling tired from all the walking we decided to go back to the church. CH 154.2 As we got closer to it a delicious smell invaded our noses. Looking through the window we could see a pair of ears and a womans silhouette. It was Shirushu. As soon as Milly saw her, she relaxed her body and let herself fall into my arms. Good grief In the end what was the point of all that walking!! It seems like it would have been better if we had just waited at the church. Wasnt it precisely you Zeph who said that we had to find her cause you couldnt swallow your pride! Milly said angrily. Ahaha, its fine. I had a lot of fun. Lydia said as she tried to calm Milly down. We approached the churchs door as we talked cheerfully. Just as we were about to open the front door we suddenly heard a voice. Dont move. I felt something cold touch my throat. Looking closely, I noticed that it was a short knife. My right hand was twisted behind my back, causing squeaking in my joints. I couldnt see very well because of the position I was in, but there was certainly someone behind me. Zeph!! That goes for all of you as well. The person said in a quiet but firm tone. Milly was stopped in her tracks by the voice, which contained a heavy pressure. Good grief, I didnt notice him at all Hes not your typical guy if he can get behind me even with Lydia present. Answer my questions. Who are you? As the person spoke I could feel the blade attached to my throat dig even deeper I guess it cant be helped. Just as I prepared myself to strike back someone yelled out. Zeph-san?!! Shirushus voice sounded in the area. I took advantage of the opportunity to break free from the grip and gain some distance. Looking back, I noticed that the enigmatic figure was wearing a black mask with only his eyes visible. And he had the nerve to ask us who we were. Youre 10 times as suspicious as us! Sarutobi-san please stop! These people are Zeph-san is my friend! Hm, so you are The person named Sarutobi slowly sheathed her short blade as she spoke. Shirushu then hurriedly appeared in between me and him. Her long peach hair fluttered in the air and her beast ears rose above her head. It was my first time seeing her in these past three years. Even though she wore the same sister clothes as before, she had a completely different air around her. It was obvious that she had trained her body quite a bit. This person is Sarutobi-san. Shes my master. I go by Sarutobi. I apologize for my rude behavior. Im Zeph Einstein. It seems like youve been looking after Shirushu. I said as I shook Sarutobis hand. It seems like we finally cleared up all of the misunderstandings. Sarutobi huh Have we met before? Silverie asked as she took a step forward. I am a shinobi that works under Yera-dono. Shes been taking good care of me. Just as I thought. Now it all makes sense. So Yera sent one of her subordinates to train Shirushu. How about we talk while we have dinner? You must all be tired from the long trip, right? Shirushu asked. You are right. My stomach is gurgling like crazy because we spent the whole day searching for you, Shirushu. Milly said. Youre making stew arent you Shiru-chi! Ill help. Lydia exclaimed. Following that all of us entered the church and sat around the dining table. Zeph-san Im glad youre awake. It must be because of Gods protection. Well Millys spell helped as well I guess. I said while laughing Hey! What do you mean by that!!! Milly said angrily. She really needs to get used to these jokes. I nodded Millys head, who seemed to be in a foul mood as she looked down. Sarutobi, on the other hand, made no attempt to communicate with us and simply ate without taking off his mask. Could it be that he wears that thing 24/7? Shirushu, have you seen Sarutobis face? I havent. It appears that master has no intention of showing it, so I havent pried that much as well. It seems like Shirushu doesnt know as well. Lydia moved her neck like a snake in an attempt to get a better look at Sarutobis face, but Sarutobi didnt seem bothered in the least. Its just as I thought. That mask has a spell cast on it. It most likely makes use of the lights reflection to obscure the owners face. Lydia Im afraid to say that its pointless no matter how hard you try. So Shirushu, can you introduce us to Sarutobi-san? Milly asked. Youre right! Im sorry I completely forgot! In that case Ill introduce myself first. As she put his spoon on the table and wiped her mouth with a napkin, Sarutobi said. My name is Sarutobi. I serve under Yera-dono and am currently Shirushu-donos teacher. Due to being a beastfolk as well I was tasked with helping her control her power. Im honored to be under your care. Shirushu said as she lowered her head towards Sarutobi. I see. I guess theres a lot you can learn from your own species. That aside, you lot came here because you took a request from Yera-dono, correct? You know about it? I was the one who reported it I have the necessary sealing scroll here as well. Can I ask you to come with me as soon as tomorrow? Sarutobi said as she took out a single sheet of paper with a magic circle on top of it. This magic circle could be activated by supplying it with magic power. And after its activation it would prevent the emergence of monsters for several years. When building a city these types of scrolls were usually laid around the area in order to prevent it from turning into a dungeon. They were also used before the construction of any facilities. With a newly formed dungeon, as long as it was placed at the centre of the dungeon, it would be able to seal it then everything would go back to normal. Of course. Well count on you to guide us. Im excited to see what youre capable of. Sarutobi said as we once again shook hands. Thank you for the meal! After finishing with their meal, all of the children brought their hands together and said words of gratitude. Similar to them we also brought out hands together. The stew that Shirushu had prepared for us was as simple as usual. It included some basic vegetables and market scrap meat, as well as a stale slice of bread. And the amount was limited as well. In the past Ryu used to beg for food in the market in order to fill his belly. The amount of food served was definitely not enough to feed a growing child. I could see where he was coming from now, because despite having eaten, I was still hungry. Ill go to the market later and buy something. While I was thinking that I noticed that Lydia was rummaging through her bag, searching for something. The next moment she placed a cardboard box on top of the table. As she opened the lid, a massive cake coated in whipping cream filled the inside of the box. I actually made a cake, so how about it everyone, want to share it with me? Whoa!!! Yes, yes! I love you big sister Lydia. Im glad that you like it! Lydia said while hugging the children. Lydia seemed to be overjoyed despite being surrounded by children. She made a cake in order to be popular with the children huh Nothing less from her. Thank you very much Lydia-san. Shirushu expressed her gratitude Its fine. I made it because I felt like it ? So Shiru-chan, will you try it as well? You like stuff like this, right? Well Im Your tails going wild Shirushu. Wha-?! Even though Shirushu tried to hold back her tail, it wouldnt stop moving. It was somewhat inconvenient not to be able to conceal your emotions. After seeing everyone smile at her, Shirushus face turned bright red. Considering she was a pure breed, Shirushus hair and eyes would turn red when her emotions were stirred. Still I guess with this much it shouldnt be a problem. Well then lets eat! I made a lot so no need to hold back! Yey!! Lydia looked extremely happy as the kids filled up their cheeks with cake and even came to ask for seconds. It looks like there wont be any left for me. Thinking that I moved to a desk placed at the corner of the room and sat on a chair. As soon as I sat down Milly came closer while hiding something behind her back with both hands. Zeph. This please take it!! Milly said as she pulled out a plate with a piece of cake on top of it. When did you get that? Actually, I made this myself. Really? It really looked a bit different than Lydias cake. Millys cake was much smaller, fitting in the palm of ones hand, and her shape was a little awkward. It was difficult to make a comparison to Lydias. Even so, it had a cream pattern drawn on it, and even had a heart shaped mark with a number of cute decorations. It was evident that it must have taken quite a bit of time to make. It was definitely something that screamed hand-made. My mouth unconsciously turned into a grin as I stared at the tiny cake. W-What is it Nothing much, I just thought that it looked really cute. D-Dont be stupid Come one, hurry up and eat it! Milly said as she turned bright red and pushed the plate at me. She must be quite embarrassed that she made it herself. Milly kept a close eye on me as I took the fork and sliced a tiny slice of cake with a smile on my face and shoved it into my mouth. H-How is it? Hm I slowly chewed while trying to fully savour the cake. Millys eyes grew wider and wider as she waited for my answer. Its hard to eat with you watching me like that, you know. The moment the cake touched my mouth a slightly sweet taste assaulted my mouth after which the silky cream spread itself around my tongue, slowly melting into the inside of my mouth. The slight sweetness left a pleasant feeling in my mouth. It made me wish to take another bite. Its delicious Milly. Youve done a splendid job. Really?!! And to think that three years ago all she could do was bake cookies. Lydia must have taught her a lot. Her skills have improved quite a lot. As I patted Milly on the head to thank her, she smiled brightly. CH 155.1 Would you like to try it, Milly? Huh? When Milly saw me taking a fork with a slice of cake towards her mouth, she exclaimed with surprise. However, for some unknown reason, she turned bright red and tilted her head. I-Its fine, Ill pass Hm? Youre the one who made it arent you? You havent poisoned it or something like that have you? I havent! Then why? As I asked Milly proceeded to look around the area. After she saw that everyone was focused on Lydia and the huge cake she let out a sigh of relief and whispered. Id be really embarrassed if everyone saw you feeding me Thats all? Thats all you say! Hyaa?! I pulled her under the table in front of me, oblivious to her scream. If shes that embarrassed of being seen then I just need to hide her under the table so that they dont see us. Zeph, w-what are you doing If youre loud theyll find us you know? I said as I held Milly in between my legs. While she looked up at me with a look of uncertainty. Come on now, open your mouth Milly. O-Okay I slid the cake under the table and slowly moved it closer to Millys mouth. Still this position really is a bit embarrassing Millys mouth was touched by the slice of cake, and the cream of the cake dyed the corners of her mouth white. She licked the cream with her tongue and smiled. Mmm it really is delicious. Right? I said as I nodded her head. Hm? Where did Milly-chan go? Lydia suddenly asked. Hearing her I instinctively squeezed Milly with both of my legs in order to try and hide her. Urgh?!! Milly let out a shriek as she was squeezed by my legs. I then hurriedly answered Lydia. M-Milly went to the bathroom. Oh my, well thats unfortunate. I even went ahead and made a cheesecake. How about you Zeph-chi theres one for you too? Lydia said as she brought a cake decorated with white cheese. She held a piece in each hand, one for me and one for Milly. Ill give it to her when she comes back. Really? Thank you Zeph-chi? Lydia said as she left both pieces in front of me and returned to the kids. Phew, that was close. As the cold sweat ran down my back, Milly spoke to me with Telepathy. Zeph this hurts Oh, my bad. In the hurry I ended up squashing her between my legs. I quickly released her, and she coughed a few times as she tried to catch her breath. Lydia brought us cake. Whoa, thats the new cake that she made recently! Its really good! Is that so? Looking over to the childrens table, they all seemed to be having a great time. Even Silverie and Shirushu were taken back by the cakes deliciousness. Hey Zeph Can I ask you to feed me again? Sure, I dont mind. This girl. It seems like she really enjoyed getting fed by me. I cut off a bite-sized piece of Lydias cake and placed it closer to my legs, where Millys face was. However, I then suddenly lost control of my hand and the cake ended up falling on Millys face. Good grief! Its stuck on my face Im sorry, it proved to be harder than I thought. Can you open your mouth once more? Aaaa? I cut off another piece and this time put it in her mouth. Milly happily bit onto the cake and even refused to let go of the fork. Thats nasty Milly. Milly didnt seem to mind that her face had been stained white as she licked the delicious cream off with her tongue. We followed Sarutobi the next day as he led us to the location where we were supposed to place the barrier. Shirushu and Silverie stayed behind as guards in case there was an attack by the monsters. We encountered a number of monsters on our way, but they were no match for us. We arrived at a small spring after passing through a grassy plain on our way inside the forest. The region around the spring seemed to be brimming with magical energy. Is this the centre of the dungeon? I asked. It seems like it. Sarutobi answered. He then took a step forward and took out a sheet from his bag. The sheet had a sealing formation drawn on top of it. This sheet was one of the magic apparatuses used by the Magic Association. It was able to create a defensive shield that kept monsters at bay by drawing in a vast amount of magical power. It was something that could be found in every city, as well as important structures. If one of these barriers were to fail, the Magic Association would instantly send people to place a new one. This time, a dungeon emerged as a result of their failure to act in a timely manner. Originally, it was something that the Magic Association would have to deal with, but Yera assigned it to us instead. Well then, can I ask you to supply it with magic power? Sarutobi asked. Ill do it. I said. I want to do it too! Milly replied enthusiastically as well. After all, a large amount of magic power was required in order to set up a protective barrier. This was a case where quantity was more important than anything else. It seems like this time Millys ridiculous amount of magic power will prove to be useful. I took out a wand from my bag and placed it right in the centre of the magic circle, after which I called out to Milly. Milly, grab this. Okay. I should just dump my magic power into it right? Yea Lets begin. Okay! I slowly awoke every single ounce of magic power in my body, and while holding hands with Milly, I began to channel it into the wand. Her amount of magic power is definitely ridiculous. The magic circle was quickly being filled up. Urgh It feels like my stomach is about to tear open!! Bear it Milly. O-Okay Sarutobis nose suddenly twitched as we were both channeling our magic power through the wand. The scent of a strong monster invaded our senses the next moment. Its a monster. Sarutobi said. It seems like it. Sarutobi took out the small sword at his waist, while Lydia took out her long axe from within her bag. Milly looked at them both and was about to let go of the wand to assist them when I intervened. Zeph?! If you stop channeling your magic power mid way, the barrier that forms wont be perfect. And theres still a bit more to go until its completed. So you cant let go for the moment Milly. But Milly said with an unsatisfied expression. I grabbed her hand as I looked her straight in the eyes. Its gonna be fine. Trust those two. Okay. Milly said and closed her eyes in order to concentrate on channeling magic power once more. You must be kidding me! She wasnt going all out until now?! It seems like she wants to get this over with and go help Lydia. Good grief. She really is a bottomless hole when it comes to magic power. Hyaaa!!! Urgh!! Lydia and Saturobi took care of the numerous monsters that came flying at us. Both of them took the vanguard to fend off the various monsters in order to shield me and Milly. I did say that we only needed a bit in order to call Milly down, but were still not even halfway done Damn, these monsters are sure putting us in a tough spot. Thankfully its still fine. This is a newly formed dungeon so the monster shouldnt be that strong. Lydia and Sarutobi both seem to be doing fine, if we keep on like this, we should be able to seal it without difficulty. ROARRRRRRRR!! I heard a strong roar shake the ground just when I was thinking that. Milly was shocked by the roar and was about to release her grip on the wand when I intervened. W-What in the world was that roar? Its a Werewolf. A Werewolf. It was a monster that resembled a black wolf with bulging muscles. The werewolf stood on two legs and wielded a massive sword that was almost as long as it was tall. It was one of the most powerful of all the monsters on this continent. Milly tightly clenched my hand with worry. Saru-chi! Leave this one to me! Lydia said. Okay. Lydia brandished her long axe and stood in front of the werewolf. Sarutobi gave her one final worried look before turning his attention to the other monsters. Zeph This might get tricky. It shouldnt be all that unusual for a werewolf to appear in this area However, this timing is just way too perfect. It seems like the monsters all gathered here in order to prevent the deployment of the barrier. Milly. Ill go assist Lydia and Sarutobi. You will?!! Your magic power is higher than mine isnt it? You dont need to worry. Ill be back before you know it. Okay But be careful okay? I let go of the wand and gently stroked Millys hair. If it came to supplying the magic circle with magic power Milly was more than enough. Milly panicking and letting go of the wand was the only thing I needed to be concerned about. The monster horde was numerous, and it gradually closed in on us. Lydia fought against the werewolf one on one, while Sarutobi held back the horde of monsters. However, no matter how one looked at it, they were completely outnumbered. It was precisely in a time like this, that a magician capable of wide-area attacks, such as myself, was needed. Sarutobi, Lydia, Ill take them down with spells! Be careful not to get caught up in them!!! I moved closer to Milly after warning them both, hoping to find myself in the centre of the monster encirclement. As soon as I made my way to the centre I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Wave, Blue Wave, Black Wave and Green Wave. Quadra Fusion: Tetra Wave. I drew up a golden orbit with my hand, from which a wave spread out across the area. The wave was almost as tall as my hips and repelled any monster that came in touch with it. Usually the attacking power of Wave spells wasnt that great, however by stacking up four times it was enough to take care of these kinds of monsters. Sarutobi lightly jumped over the wave while the monsters behind him were completely annihilated. Lydia dodged as well, not even looking back, and the golden wave cut the werewolfs body. ROARRR?!! As soon as the wave made contact with the werewolfs fur, a scraping sound was heard. However, the werewolf, using only his willpower, forced the golden wave back, breaking it. And in doing so, it was able to save the monsters that stood behind it. Tsch. I guess it wont work on a monster thats close to being a boss. Still I managed to clean up most of them. Now we can focus on the werewolf. Ill back you up while looking after Milly. You two take care of the werewolf. I said as I grabbed both of Lydia and Sarutobis shoulders and cast Magenta Coat on both of them. CH 155.2 A fusion spell that would increase both their power and speed. As soon as I cast the spell a red-darkish aura covered both of their bodies. Aye, aye sir!! Understood. The magical light completely enveloped their bodies. They both vanished after that, leaving just a faint light behind them. In the next moment marks of slashes appeared on the werewolfs giant body. Sharp attacks landed repeatedly on the werewolfs huge body, forcing the creature to defend itself with both hands. ROARRRR!!! After the attacks ended, the werewolf swung his massive sword about like hed gone insane. Its attacks, on the other hand, had no chance of succeeding. The werewolfs brute strength was undeniable, but it had no other means of attack besides swinging its giant hunk of metal. As long as it didnt hit it wouldnt matter. There was no reason for me to be concerned because it was those two who were facing it. While being careful of my surroundings I began to recover my magic power by meditating. Even though I had left the werewolf to those two, I had already channeled quite a bit of magical power into the barrier, and you never know when something unexpected might happen. So there was no harm in being careful. Suddenly a Light Snake crept up behind Milly and sprang up at her like a spring. However, before it could do anything I managed to get behind Milly and pushed back the Light Snake with a spell. Like Id let you. The Light Snake vanished as the fire particles dispersed. Milly had her eyes closed and didnt let go of the wand for even a second after all that had happened. She was carefully directing her magical energy into the protective barrier. She appears to be doing so in order to avoid being disturbed by the events taking place around her. Its very dangerous, but I suppose she trusts us to keep her safe. This is precisely why I cant just give up on her. As I looked at Milly, who was frantically completing her assignment, I smiled. Lydia wielded her long axe relentlessly, parrying the Werewolfs massive sword and creating opportunities for Sarutobi to skilfully hack at the massive beast. Their team work was flawless and the Werewolf wasnt able to do anything. Good, my magic power has mostly been restored. While taking care of restoring my magic power I also made sure to protect Milly from any incoming monsters. I did this by placing a number of Red Spheres throughout the field, which would trigger as soon as I saw a creature. Thankfully all of the monsters around us were weak ones that were able to be taken down by those spheres alone. And, from what I could tell, the defensive barrier had reached 70% completion. It was all due to Milly desperately channeling magic power. Given the current state of affairs, the barrier might be deployed before Lydia and Sarutobi are able to take down the werewolf. ROARRR A miserable shriek came from the werewolf. It was already at wits end. Not being able to land even a single strike, it was just played around with by Lydia and Sarutobi. It must be pretty pissed off right about now. Kuku, struggle more. Filled with rage, the Werewolf turned its gaze towards Lydia and Sarutobi once more. However both of them were fine. After all, it was impossible for it to reach them. I on the other hand refrained from attacking the werewolf at all. If it unexpectedly decided to change its targets from them to me and Milly, it would get nasty. ROARRR!!! The werewolf roared, and despite the fact that I had done nothing to provoke it, it turned to stare at me with its bloodshot eyes. Thankfully, Lydias attack landed squarely on its head, trying to divert its attention away from me. However, it was to no avail. Damn it! Its definitely targeting me No wait! Its looking at Milly! Its going after the barrier! ROARR!!! This is bad!!! The werewolf was knocked down by Lydias attack, but it quickly got back up and ran towards Milly. Tsch Sarutobi clicked his tongue as he threw his short sword, but the werewolf completely ignored it as it set its eyes on the protective barrier. Its just as I thought. The monsters and the Werewolf didnt gather here by accident. Theyre trying to prevent us from setting up the protective barrier. Milly cant move right now. Im going to have to take it down right now. Ain! Come forth! I cast Summon Servant and a heavy sword appeared in my hands with a flash of light. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. I slashed the sword against the ground and drank a magic power recovery medicine from my pocket. Ain, if Im correct you should be able to store a lot more spells now right? Hm? Thats right. Dont hold back and give it all ya got gramps. It seems like its fine then. Well then Ill go all out. After drinking the medicine and completely restoring my magic power I once again grabbed a hold of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Oh Crimson god, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Let the crimson blade rage and annihilate my enemies. Red Zero! The blade of flames that appeared was immediately sucked into Ain. Her previously white blade was now dyed red. Urgh The blade of the greatsword trembled as Ain let out a small shriek of agony. The spell had completely been absorbed by Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Haa Ha Gramps Its in You sound a bit tired, Ain. Is everything okay? S-Somehow That aside the enemy ROARRRR!!! The werewolf frantically dashed towards the barrier without even batting and eye to Lydia or Sarutobi. It knew that it was no match for them, so it could at least try and stop us from activating the barrier. However, there was no way I would let it do that. I raised my sword slowly and signalled Lydia and Sarutobi to move away. Both of them responded quickly, and just as they were about to walk away from the werewolf, Sarutobi threw some kind of ball at it. When the ball collided with the werewolf, it exploded, filling the area with white smoke. Zeph-done, thats a smoke bomb. Take it down before the smoke dissipates! Good job Sarutobi! Within the smoke, the werewolf seemed to be struggling. Well this certainly makes things easier. But, gramps, you wont be left with much magic power after shooting off Red Zero, will you? What do you plan to do? Ain asked. Just sit back and watch. I picked up Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and chanted once more. Oh God of Souls, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. May my enemies fall beneath your white blade! Gramps, you arent thinking of The Zero spells were the strongest out of any system, but activating them took a long chant as well as all of the casters magic power. In contrast to the other systems, however, the Soul Systems Zero spell demanded gemstones rather than magic power. And, while Ains skill allowed me to reduce the cost of other Soul spells to zero, it couldnt do the same for this one. When Ain realized she would lose all of her food, she let out a miserable shriek. STOP IT!!! White Zero! I swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, unconcerned about Ains feelings. Red Zero and White Zero, the two most powerful spells from the Red and Soul systems collided, forming a vermilion magic sword that sliced down on the Werewolf. A massive explosion erupted when the sword clashed with the ground, engulfing the area in white flames. The trees that had stood in the swords way had been reduced to rubble, and the scene in front of me was one of complete devastation. The Werewolf was nowhere to be seen. It had been annihilated with just one strike. Didnt I just wreck another dungeon? Oh well, its certainly preferable to the destruction from the fivefold synthesis. I got shivers down my spine just thinking about being scolded by Azalea again, but I was relieved at the same time. I guess Ill call it Nova Zero. I mumbled out as I wiped the dust off of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. No My food Waaa Dont worry Ain. Milly has a ton of gemstones so just hold on until we get back to town, okay? Gramps Youre terrible Ain said this as she reverted to her human form and sobbed on the ground. What will I do with you? Milly, Ains being annoying so Ill borrow some gemstones from you. Hey! Watch where youre touching me! Milly said in shock as I buried my hand in the bag around her chest area to take out some gemstones. I gave Ain half of the gemstones I took out, and kept the other half in my bag. After all, Ain had the habit of constantly eating the gemstones that I had in my bag. They were by no means enough but it would probably be enough to keep her quiet until we returned to the city. Everyone! Look! Milly said while pointing to a dazzling pillar of light stretching into the sky. Soon the light engulfed the entire town, with the protective barrier serving as its focal point. It seems like she finished her task. The monsters presence gradually faded as the light spread throughout the forest. It seems like everything went smoothly. Ahh, Im so tired!! Milly exclaimed. Good job Milly. Hehe Milly guffawed, her face devoid of all strength. Seeing her like that my hand unconsciously landed on her head. She really is amazing. I thought that shed need a bit more time before being able to set up the protective barrier. It seems like she really did work extremely hard. I guess we can rest easy for a couple of years with this. Im grateful to all of you Thank you. Sarutobi said as he bowed. Seeing him like that, Milly frantically waved her hand. Its fine Sarutobi. It was our job after all. Milly said. Thats right Saru-chi. We even got to meet you as well, so its all good. Lydia said with a smile on her face. Well then, I guess its time to go back. If were late everyone will worry. Youre right!! Milly said. And with that, we were on our way back to the church. Welcome back everyone. Im glad that youre all okay. Shirushu said as soon as we emerged from the forest and she greeted us. Were sorry to have worried you Shirushu. Silverie, on the other hand, was seated in a chair, fiddling with an accessory in her right hand with an annoyed look on her face. Look at her acting all tough and all. Didnt you just look at us with a concerned expression on your face? Did everything go well? Silverie asked. Yes, we successfully set up the protective barrier. The dungeon has certainly been destroyed. Sarutobi replied to her. Good work everyone! Shirushu said as she bowed her head respectfully to us. A delightful fragrance unexpectedly invaded our senses from behind her as she did so. We found the table behind Shirushu was piled high with various colored dishes as we got a closer look at it. Millys eyes widened as soon as she saw it. CH 156.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Good grief Milly. I know that youre hungry but try to calm down. Youll fall down if you run like that. Whoaa! This looks so good!! Milly said. When the townsfolk found out that Zeph-san and the others had arrived, they all came bearing gifts. The mayor Daviel-san, also said that he had wanted to express his gratitude for that case with the Belzel Illness. Shirushu explained. Oh my, how generous of him. Milly said. Hm, the Belzel Illness huh. Come to think of it that really did happen Belzel Illness. A disease thats transmitted from the beastfolk. I gave the cure to the mayor of this town a bit back. To be more specific, I had just told them that the Mill Herb was very successful in combating it. They treated me quite nicely when I first came back to the city as well. Giving me their thanks and all. Shirushu said. Daviel-san was just here with his chefs but they ended up leaving before you came back Zeph-nii. They said they didnt want to be a nuisance. Ryu said. I see. Since there are so many kids here, Daviel and his chefs most likely left, fearful that the kids wouldnt be able to relax and enjoy the food. He seems like quite the considerate person. Everyones waiting so how about we go in and eat? Shirushu suggested. Lets go! Im starving! Milly said excitedly. All picked up a utensil and started eating after clapping their hands in appreciation. The soup was made with various seasonal vegetables which gave it a really deep flavor. My hands moved towards the massive fish that was laid on top of the table, coated in sauce, after tasting the delicious soup. The taste of the white meat was elevated to new heights when smothered in that incredible sauce. Each dish is spectacular. Zeph, its really good! Milly said, her face stained by the white soup. Good grief. Dont eat so fast. Youre not a kid any more As I was thinking that, I took a napkin and wiped her cheeks. Still a port city really is something else. Ive never seen so many different ingredients before. Lydia said. Youre right. This is also my first time seeing this fish. Theres quite a lot of ingredients from the Southern Continent. Cooking is quite developed over there you see. Ive heard that the royal families often import ingredients from over there. Silverie explained. You sure know quite a lot Silverie. I-Its nothing special she said. This is amazing as well? Milly exclaimed. Everyones hands flitted around the table, picking various dishes from the packed to the brim table. Initially, there was plenty of food, but as time went by, it steadily diminished until there was little left. Phew. Im stuffed. Milly said as she sat back in her chair, sighing. You ate way too much Milly Just look at how big your stomach has gotten. Ehehe. Still I dont think it can fit anything else. Milly said as she stroked her stomach. 3 We made our arrangements to leave as the sun rose. While I was taking care of cleaning up the rooms that we had used I suddenly felt Shirushu standing behind me. If it isnt you, Shirushu. You surprised me. Dont come close to me with your presence concealed like that. Ahaha, Im sorry she said. She seemed to have gained a lot of strength as a result of her training with Sarutobi. Her demeanor, and the way she hid her presence was almost like that of a wild beast. Are you leaving already? she asked. Yea. I see she said while fiddling with her thumbs. There appeared to be something on her mind. Her face turned bright red as well. Y-You see I-I She tried to say something, but she couldnt get the words out. An awkward silence followed afterwards. It was then that we heard the voices of the children as well as Millys coming from afar. Z-Zeph-san! Is it possible for me to join you and the others once more?!! she asked, her face flushed, as she fixed her gaze on me. I looked back at her and answered. Youve probably gotten quite good at controlling your beastfolk power by now right? There are also the children at the church who need attention. I dont see why you would want to come with us any longer. But she said as she took a step back. She probably knew of all of that without me even having to say it. Itll be difficult for you to visit the church if we end up moving to Prolea, our original base. Shirushu looked down without saying anything. Once again, there was an uncomfortable period of silence. As it hid behind her bangs, I could see something sparkling on the top of her long eyelashes. I guess I went too far with my joke. Im sorry Shirushu. It was a joke. I said as I nodded her head. Z-Zeph-san? she inquired, becoming increasingly ecstatic. Her mouth let out a slight sigh of relief. After she had calmed down a little, she looked up at me with tears in her eyes. W-Why did you do that? she asked. I just wanted to make sure you were certain. You see its not just me who wants you to come back. Everyone wants to travel with you once more. So if possible Would you like to come with us? Of course!!! Shirushu responded, her tail swaying left and right, indicating her delight. She really does look a lot like a puppy Well then, see you again Ryu. See you Zeph-nii. Be sure to look after Shiru-nee okay? Leave it to me. I said as I grabbed Shirushus shoulders, as Ryu looked at me with a puzzled expression. While we were gone yesterday, Shirushu had apparently told Ryu and the other children that she wanted to go on another journey. Silverie told me that the kids had broken out crying, putting Shirushu in a difficult situation. Ryu, on the other hand, had persuaded them in the end. Youve become quite the man Ryu. I said as I nodded his head. Thank you Zeph-nii. He said as he looked at me. Afterwards he murmured something in a quiet tone so that Shirushu wouldnt be able to hear him. I wont lose Hm? Did you say something Ryu? N-No its nothing!! Well then Zeph-nii, Shiru-nee, see you! He said, running back to the church, waving his hand. Good grief, to think that hes grown so much as well. With a bitter smile on my face, me and Shirushu headed to where the others were. Lydia was tying the carriage she had borrowed to Uruk outside of Izu Port City. As soon as Milly saw both me and Shirushu, she immediately came running at us. Zeph, Shirushu! Welcome back! Im back. Ill be in your care once more everyone. Shirushu bowed and said. Everyone greeted her with great enthusiasm. Are we using this carriage to go back to Prolea? Shirushu asked. It may appear this way, but its been strengthened with magic, so itll be fine. We were able to come here safely werent we? Lydia said. Wow. Itll be my first time riding something like this. Shirushu said as she looked up at the carriage. Silverie, who had already entered the carriage, peered out and said something. By the way isnt Sarutobi with you? she asked. Saru-chi said hed run back on his own. Lydia answered her. Yera-san apparently tasked him with something else. Milly said as well. I see. I thought that wed all be going back together. Oh well, guess it cant be helped. Even so, returning to Prolea with a carriage takes a few days. To think hed run all the way Ninjas can not be trifled with. neighhh Uruk snorted, clearly tired of waiting, as I looked in the direction of distant Prolea. All right, then, lets return!! Milly exclaimed as she climbed to the top of Uruk. Lets go. I said, boarding the carriage as well. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Uruk yelled as he spread his wings and soared upwards. The speed at which we flew increased with each swing of Uruks wings. When he flies like that, he looks really cool It doesnt change the fact that hes a perverted horse, though. Wow! This is amazing!! Shirushu said. I know right! Lydia exclaimed with pride. We were enjoying the smooth ride through the clouds before the carriage started to shake and Uruk began to turn in mid-air. What in the world happened? As I was thinking that Milly contacted us through Telepathy. Look towards the east. The sky looks kind of odd. The east? Even though we thought it was strange, we went along with it and looked outside. There was a black stain in the sky that we could clearly see. We couldnt tell what it was because we were so far away, but it sure gave off an unpleasant vibe. Shhhhhh Kuro hissed threateningly as it wrapped its right arm around Silveries. Is there something wrong Silverie? I asked. Yea. That thing emits a huge amount of magical power. Its coming! Silverie said. Something emerged from within the clouds at the same time. Whish! Something black whizzed by us just like a bullet. Uruk turned in mid-air, almost avoiding the attack, then moved left and right, keeping an eye out for any incoming attacks. Just as I thought the black things speed was slowing down, its body started to writhe. The black bullet-like object slowly started to open, exposing its true shape. Its body was covered in scales and had enormous wings and lizard-like legs, giving it a strong appearance. Its appearance was similar to a pterosaur. Monsters who made their homes in high mountains. Still, this black body I used Scout Scope on it to figure out what it was. ???? Level 112 Magic Power: 4,215,875 / 4,215,875 Hm, a black monster. Its most likely the same kind as the Dark Zell. As I gave Milly orders, I clicked my tongue. Milly! Were running! We cant fight it here! G-Got it!! Everyone, hold on tight Uruk, please. NEIGH!!! Uruk neighed loudly, raising his legs high in the air. He then dashed at top speed towards Prolea. Wow?!! T-This is so fast!! Shirushu exclaimed. It seems that its still following us. Uruk was by no means slow, but despite that the monster used its jet-black wings to glide and chase after us. Well for the time being, how about we call it Dark Wyvern? Ahaha Zeph-chi you sure are laid-back arent ya. Lydia said with a wry smile. Its attacking! We went to the back of the carriage in order to face the Dark Wyvern. My hair was swept away by the wind that raged around us. A feeling of dizziness hit me as I looked down. Everyone, be careful. If we fall down from here it wont be pretty. Thank you for the worry Zeph-chi. Lydia said. I and Silverie will attack it using spells. As soon as it gets close enough then its your turn Lydia. Shirushu youll act as our support. Okay!! Shirushu said as she clenched her fists. Shirushu, who could also supply us with Elixirs, was the ideal person to stay back, because we needed at least one person who could be used to contact Milly. Its coming! CH 156.2 GYAAAA!! As it opened its massive mouth, the Dark Wyvern let out a loud shriek. As it did that I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Ball, Blue Ball, Black Ball, Green Ball and White Ball. Penta Fusion: Platinum Slash. Azalea forbade me from using it, but since Ill be using it in mid-air rather than on the ground, I suppose itll be fine. And since its only using Ball Spells it wont take a huge toll on my body as well. The spell left my hand, followed by an arc of blinding light. The Dark Wyvern twisted its body in an effort to avoid my Platinum Slash as soon as it felt its strength, but Silverie had anticipated this and cast a spell right away. The Dark Wyvern was sucked back into its original place, colliding with the ball of dazzling light. Good job Silverie! GYAAA?!! The Dark Wyvern lost its balance in mid-air as soon as Platinum Slash struck it. The spell vanished into the distance after leaving a long, white trail on the monsters dark back. GYA! GYA!! It let out shrieks of agony as it began to fall down. Dark Wyvern Level 112 Magic Power: 4,155,756 / 4,215,875 As expected. Platinum Slash really is quite strong. Despite all, the Dark Wyvern regained its balance and launched another assault on us. I cast Summon Servant and called forth Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Hey gramps! It seems its my turn! Yea. Ill need your help. I placed my hand on the blade and cast the Quadra Fusion spell Tetra Crash. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle absorbed the golden light and its blade shone. This is tough Are you okay Ain?! Im fine, Im fine I suppose absorbing a spell as powerful as Tetra Crash isnt that easy even for her. I took my stance with Divine Greatsword Ainbelle in hand and sent a signal to Silverie. Ill stop the Dark Wyverns movements. Zeph Ill count on you to do the rest. Leave it to me Silverie. Hmph. Silverie turned towards the Dark Wyvern after hearing my answer. She then used White Bullet, which caused a shower of small lights to fall on the monsters black body. GYA!! Despite the fact that it didnt take much harm from the attack, the Dark Wyvern curled up its body and tried to fly past the hail of white bullets, presumably finding the spell irritating. With that it shouldnt be able to change course so easily. I set my sights on the Dark Wyvern that was trapped in the hail of bullets and lifted up Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, while at the same time casting White Crash. Penta Fusion: Platinum Break. As I swung my sword down, a brilliant light shone, powerful enough to break the sky in two. We did it! Lydia yelled out. However, it still wasnt over. The Dark Wyvern reappeared after the light faded and the smoke cleared. It was totally drained, and its body was in shambles. Giii! Its bright red eyes stared right at us. It seems like it still hasnt given up. Were doing that once more. Okay. Silverie answered as she cast White Bullet in order to restrain the Dark Wyvern. This time its gonna run to there! I fixed my gaze on the path the Dark Wyvern was about to take and cast Platinum Break once more with the help of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. My magic power was depleted after casting Platinum Break twice, so I returned to Shirushus side. Shirushu, please give me an Elixir. Sure thing!! Shirushu rummaged through her bag for a white leaf. When she found it, she then chewed on it and clasped her hands in front of her chest. It was her Unique Spell Elixir. It allowed her to bring out the maximum potential of any herb. The herb she used just now was an herb known as White Sage. Its function was to restore Magic Power. I took the White Sage and ate it after Shirushu enhanced its effect, instantly restoring my magic power. Still, it doesnt seem like Ill get my shot at it Lydia said a bit disheartened. Youre our trump card in case something happens. So be ready just in case. Ahaha, so Im something like a secret weapon right?! Lydia said jokingly. Jokes aside, she wont be able to display her full potential when fighting mid-air. Tsch, it really is persistent. This had been my third time casting Platinum Break. Despite taking all three of them head-on the Dark Wyvern was still chasing after us. And here I thought that Id run away just like the Dark Zell. It seems like this one really likes to fight. GYA!! After a short piercing shriek, magical power started to gather in the sky in front of the Dark Wyvern. Whats this, Black Bullet? Like Id let you. Upon seeing it act, Silverie immediately cast Green Bullet. Both spells collided in mid-air, cancelling each other out and dissipating. Cancelling a spell took a lot of concentration and wasnt anything someone could do unless they were extremely powerful. However, with the help of her familiar Kuro, Silverie was able to perform Quick Casting, allowing her to do it. Thats why, despite beginning her cast a little later, she was still able to cancel out the Dark Wyverns spell. Eat this! I didnt want to feel left out, so I swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and cast Platinum Crash once more. The dazzling light once more split the sky as it landed on the body of the Dark Wyvern. Despite this, the Dark Wyvern persisted, seeming to be steadily drawing in the darkness around it and regenerating its body. Gigigi Maybe its a monster that was born out of a shadow? Its magic power is certainly decreasing, but I cant just leave it to restore itself like this forever. The Dark Wyvern flailed its wings once more in pursuit. Damn We cant shake it off. Should we force it into Berserk Mode and try to use the opportunity to escape? It will probably take a while for it to transform after all. Its not a bad idea, but the thing is we dont know what the Dark Monsters will do once they enter Berserk Mode. If it gets quicker, well be in a lot of trouble. If possible, Id like to run away while its still like this. And Im also worried about Millys Magic Power. Uruks speed has been gradually decreasing. If she completely runs out of magic power well be forced to fight on the ground. And battling an airborne monster on the ground has a number of drawbacks. We have no choice but to escape while still in the air. Shirushu, can I ask you to go and restore Millys magic power? Understood!! Shirushu said as she skilfully made her way through the shaking carriage, getting closer to Milly. She gave Milly an Elixir as soon as she reached her, restoring her magical power. With that, the carriages speed increased once again. GYA!!! The Dark Wyvern appeared above the carriage just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief. Damn it! It caught up to us. It seemed to be gathering magical power right above our heads. The barrier that covered the carriage shone with red light. This is bad! In order to try and cancel out the Dark Wyverns spell, Silverie immediately cast Blue Bullet. The shield covering the carriage collapsed as a thunderous sound rang out. The carriage shook violently, so I hugged Lydia and Silverie and grabbed one of the walls to keep us from falling. Kyaaaaaaaaa?!! ?!! Everything beneath my feet shook, and it felt like we would fall down if I let go for even a moment. The shaking slowly died down and the smoke from the explosion cleared. Phew Lydia let out a sigh. Lydia, Silverie, are you okay? Somehow Im sorry Zeph, I couldnt block its attack. Dont worry about it. We managed to reduce the casualties to minimum. We would have probably been scattered across the sky by now if Silverie hadnt tried to cancel out the spell at the last moment. Still, thanks to the barrier shattering the sky cleared up as well. Over the carriage hung an eerie figure that didnt at all suit the bright sunlight and white clouds. It also revealed its unprotected abdomen as it hung over us. Giii You idiot. You just made it easier for me to attack you. I lifted Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and heard a yell just as I was about to cast my final spell. MILLY-SAN!!! Shirushus heartbroken voice could be heard from the carriages front. What in the world happened? Just as I thought that I turned towards the front to look. Shirushu screamed at the ground, while Uruk had no one riding on his back. It cant be Looking down, I saw Milly tumbling down, her face contorted with disbelief. She had been struck by the Dark Wyverns attack. MILLYYYYYYYYYY!!! CH 157.1 My yell echoed in the area. Milly became smaller and smaller as she got even closer to the ground. I dont do anything then shell! Silverie! Ill leave the rest to you! Zeph?! What are you doing?! Im going to save Milly! Shirushu, an Elixir! O-Okay! Shirushu promptly bit on a White Sage and cast Elixir. At the same time, I pressed my tongue against her mouth, hoping to snag the White Sage leaf as quickly as possible. After all, the Elixir spell was one that simply increased the efficiency of an herb. I would be able to receive its effect way faster this way. I usually wouldnt do something like this, but this was an emergency. I unsummoned Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and jumped onto Uruks back after my magic power was restored. Uruk, on the other hand, became enraged as soon as he felt me on his back. This stupid horse! Stop it! I dont have the time to play with you. I grabbed a hold of his reins and channelled magic power through them. neighhh?!! Uruks reins were used to keep him under control. Milly had done the same thing. It was possible to regulate Uruks strength and the way he went by channeling magic power through them. As I held onto the reins I ordered him to run. After all, a familiar had no way of going against the master who provided them with magical power. Go Uruk! Youre running in order to save your master! Neigh Uruks face was hesitant, but this wasnt the time for gripes. Uruk flew down towards Milly as I swung the reins. Uruk raised his hooves and began to run rather calmly. Seeing this, I swung the reins once more. Run faster! Go! NEIGHHHH! Uruk started to run down in a vertical line, most likely in an attempt to retaliate for my scolding. The carriage couldnt withstand his speed and began to break. Lydia and the others managed to stay in the carriage despite the fact that it was falling apart. They seem to be having it tough as well. As I thought that I saw Lydia waving her hand at me. Were fine here, dont worry! She said. But Were fine, were fine. Dont worry about us and just concentrate Zeph-chi! Ill take you up on your word then. I have no choice but to trust Lydia here. When I turned to face forward again, I found that I was approaching the ground at a frightening rate. I lowered my body as well to try to resist the wind pressure. Uruk then accelerated even faster as I got within a hands reach of Milly. M-Milly! I reached out my hand as far as possible, however it wasnt enough. With the tip of my finger, I was able to touch her boots, but not nearly enough to fully grasp them. And the ground was getting closer and closer. URUK! FASTER! NEIGH!!! Uruk went even faster as he kicked the air even harder. A bit more, a bit more My fingers somehow managed to wrap around Millys foot and I quickly pulled her towards me. I breathed a sigh of relief after managing to grab a hold of the unconscious Milly. Thank god Okay Uruk, were done here, go up! neighhh!! Uruk neighed and kicked the air in order to try and go up, but the ground was already way too close. Its all over if we crash now I looked down towards the ground and cast Platinum Slash. The white light penetrated the ground deeply, dividing it and forming a small valley. Uruk continued to fall down as he entered the valley in an arc. Damn Will it be enough?! Uruk Dont give up!!! NEIGH!! Uruk kicked with all fours and flapped his wings in an effort to slow us down. I clenched onto him so as not to fall down, bracing myself for the impact. Uruk kicked the air once more, this time successfully trampling on the ground and landing. Hyaaaaaaa!!! Lydia screamed behind us. Along with her scream, there was a loud blast. Looking back, I could see Lydia clutching Shirushu and Silverie, who were both unconscious inside the broken carriage. Phew That was quite the thrilling ride. How in the world are you unharmed? Just before the crash I just POW and we landed. Quite nice, right? Lydia said, making a strange gesture. I dont get her at all Well either way Im glad that theyre okay. I stared down at the unconscious Milly, still awestruck by Lydias abilities. I was just glad that we were somehow able to save her. Well then, all thats left is I said as I looked up. I could see the Dark Wyvern staring down at us from the sky. We wouldnt be able to get out of this if we didnt take care of it first. Lydia, take both of them and run. Prolea should be quite close by. You should be able to reach it in two or three days by foot. What are you planning on doing Zeph-chi? Ill take care of that flying chicken. There you go again. Lydia said with a smile. Milly-chans unconscious as well, right? Should I take her with me? One more person wont make that much of a difference to me. Lydia said this as she gazed at Milly, who was perched atop Uruks back, while clutching Shirushu and Silverie under each armpit. No, thats fine. Ill take her with me. If Im alone, I wont be able to replenish my magic power while still controlling Uruk, and I might need her battle prowess when she wakes up. Okay, I got it. Since its you were talking about then I dont need to worry Zeph-chi. Do your best, okay? Lydia said as she got closer and kissed me on the cheek. She ran away from me while skipping and winked back, as I was still dazed from the kiss. Well then, see ya ? Y-Yea I said as I turned my back towards her and once again grabbed a hold of Uruks reins. Ill have you obey me for just a bit more Uruk. neigh Uruk glared at me as if he were staring at his arch-enemy, but he complied nevertheless. Kuku, now thats how it should be. I took the reins and used them to bind Milly to myself while grinning at Uruk. Urgh Milly sighed softly as she leaned against my chest as I tightened the reins around my waist. Like this I would be able to use both mine and Millys magic power in order to control Uruk. While in that position I used my hand to search around Millys chest for something Found it. Im borrowing this Milly. From the bag tied around her chest I took out a Magic Power Recovery Medicine and all of the gemstones that she had. The ones that I had on me wouldnt be enough. However, combined with Millys provisions that I would have just enough. Uruk! Go!! neigh Uruk was grumpy as he flew towards the Dark Wyvern in the sky, reluctantly. He ran up the sky, cutting the wind and steadily rising his pace. Well then, lets check how much magic power its got left. Dark Wyvern Level 112 Magic Power: 2,523,121 / 4,215,875 It appears that we were able to shave it down quite a bit in the fight just now, but taking it down on my own wont be easy. For the time being, the best course of action would be to use Uruks nimbleness to draw it in and force it to focus on us rather than Lydia and the others. Uruk should be able to do it without difficulty now that he is no longer responsible for pulling the carriage. Ain Ill need your help once more. Sure thing gramps! The enormous Divine Greatsword Ainbelle emerged as a blinding light wrapped around my hand. It was usually difficult for me to wield the greatsword, but now that I was on horseback, it felt completely normal. I wielded the greatsword like a lance in front of me, commanding Uruk to charge straight at the Dark Wyvern. GYAAAA?!!! The Dark Wyvern shrieked in surprise. Uruk paid little attention to it as he charged headlong into the Dark Wyverns jet-black body with all he had. NEIGHHH!! In the meantime I also constantly swung Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. I felt like I was about to let go of the sword with each swing, but I somehow held on to it as I proceeded to hack at the Dark Wyvern from atop Uruk. I cast White Crash at the same time Uruk kicked the Dark Wyvern with its hind legs. The white ball appeared behind the Dark Wyvern and crashed at its back. After the white smoke dispersed, I found the Dark Wyverns bloodshot eyes looking at me. GYA! As it started to pursue us, it let out a short scream. Good, good. It will be our victory if it follows us like this for a while and I am able to shake it off afterwards. Even though Uruk is a tad quicker than the Dark Wyvern now that he isnt pushing the carriage, we wont be able to flee if we fly about aimlessly. Gramps, why not use Blue Wall? In order to use Blue Wall, I must be near a wall or the ground. Thats also the reason Silverie didnt use it. I cant deny that my current plan is very close to that thought. As Uruk sped through the air, I took in my surroundings before I noticed a rocky mountain in the east that towered above all else. That should do it. Uruk, head for that rocky mountain. Neigh Uruk made a disdainful expression, but he nevertheless changed course and flew towards the mountain. Good boy. Okay, this should be fine Ain lets go! Okay! I used Divine Greatsword Ainbelle to absorb the Quadra Fusion Spell White Sphere Square. Good. All of the arrangements have been completed. GYA!! The Dark Wyvern began to cast a spell. Red Bullet huh Its no use. I cast Time Square and while time was stopped I cast White Wall twice. Double Fusion: Double White Wall. My hand emitted a wall made up of white aura that fully blocked the rain of fire. I could block a number of powerful spells as long as I stacked White Wall on itself. It had a fast cast time as well, allowing me to deploy it on time even if the enemy had already begun casting. Furthermore, I only needed to stack it twice in order to completely block a spell such as Red Bullet. Even though its impossible for me to cancel out spells with as little as Silverie can, I still have my own tricks up my sleeve. Well then, I guess this area should do it. CH 157.2 We were getting quite close to the rocky mountain at this stage. I yanked Uruks reins to slow us down. As we approached the mountains walls, I slowed down even further, and we continued to fly along the mountains walls. The Dark Wyvern swooped down behind us, salivating as it eyed Uruks tail. Uruk, on the other hand, continued to fly along the mountains walls by kicking his hind legs. Gramps, what are you planning? Ain asked. Just sit back and watch. I could see several rocks protruding from the rocky walls in front of us. The location appears to be ideal. It will also help in our concealment. Ain, close your eyes!! I said as I swung Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. While at the same time casting Time Square. While time was stopped I cast White Sphere four times. I swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and released the White Sphere Square I had stored in it at the same time I triggered the spell. Octa Fusion: White Sphere Octa. Behind us, a blinding white light washed all white. Uruk flew towards one of the protruding rocks from the mountains walls while the Dark Wyvern was blinded by the spell. GYA?!! GYAAA?!!! Just the Dark Wyverns shrieks could be heard as the light faded. Good. It seems it lost track of us. I peered out from behind the rock, half of my face showing, to gaze at the tired Dark Wyvern, who was healing its wings while searching the area for us. It will eventually find us like this, wont it? What is your plan gramps? Ain asked. Its fine even if it finds us. Whats important is that we hide for the time being. It was important to get it to come here, to this wind It doesnt matter even if it finds us. I said as I downed a bottle of medicine and threw it at the Dark Wyvern.As soon as the can hit the Dark Wyvern it immediately shifted its gaze and charged at us. However, that was exactly what I was aiming for. I cast Blue Wall and a wall of ice emerged from the mountain walls in front of me. GI?!! The Dark Wyvern collided head on with the wall of ice. The ice created by the Blue Wall spell was extremely tough, and breaking it with physical force was nearly impossible. I cast another Blue Wall to trap the now terrified Dark Wyvern, and a number of walls of ice appeared, but this time they came from the newly formed wall of ice. I ended up creating a total of six walls. The walls formed an ice prison that completely trapped the Dark Wyvern. The monster repeatedly slammed its body against the walls in an effort to smash them, but it was in vain. It couldnt even move because of the ice walls that were impeding its movement. Well I expected as much. This had been my plan all along. To lure the Dark Wyvern into the rocky mountain and create numerous walls of ice in order to trap it. After completing my mission, I turned around and grabbed Uruks reins. Well then, lets escape while we have the chance. GI!!! Gramps!! Behind you!! Ain screamed. When I turned around, the interior of the ice prison was bright red. In order to destroy the walls of ice the Dark Wyvern was casting the Red System spell Red Crash. Gramps, Blue Wall is weak to spells from the Red System right?! If it continues like this it will break through!! We must do something! That wont be necessary Ain. What do you mean? Ain asked. Just watch. Youll see. I said calmly as I urged Uruk to fly. Ain couldnt stop shifting her gaze anxiously between me and the Dark Wyvern, however there was no need for her to worry. GYAAAAAAA!! The Dark Wyvern screamed as it cast Red Crash in an attempt to destroy the ice prison. Unfortunately, the flames produced by its spells were unable to penetrate the ice walls and dispersed into nothingness. But why? Ain expressed her perplexity, as she couldnt understand what was going on. The Dark Wyvern cast Red Bullet as a last-ditch effort, but it did nothing once more. GI.?!! The Dark Wyvern didnt understand what was going on as well. It tried slamming against the walls and after it realized it was pointless it tried casting spells once more. However, the ice walls didnt budge at all. What in the world is going on? Thats not a normal Blue Wall you see. It was true that the first Blue Wall that I cast was an ordinary Blue Wall, but the walls that were currently forming the ice prison around the Dark Wyvern were the result of a fusion spell combining Blue and White Walls. The White Walls ability to nullify spells was the ideal complement to the Blue Walls vulnerability to Red System spells. I guess Ill call this one Stripe Wall. Furthermore, all of the walls were Double Stripe Walls, which increased their toughness even more. Despite this, casting a total of six Double Stripe Walls was no simple task. My magical power had plummeted to almost nothing. As we flew away I took out some recovery medication and drank it. Umm Milly murmured something as she moved around. Is she finally starting to wake up? Come to think of it, shes the type that doesnt wake up no matter what after she falls asleep. Theres still quite a bit until we meet up with everyone else so I guess Ill let her sleep until we get there. I was thinking as I nodded her head, but then she jumped up like a kitten. Whoa. That scared me. Milly looked me in the eyes as soon as she awoke, and then she began to look around. She then noticed the Dark Wyvern being kept back in the distance by the ice jail. It cant be?! When I turned back to look as well I noticed that the ice prison was shaking. As the prisons shape shifted, the shaking continued, sometimes sending fragments of ice flying in the area. Then, with a cracking sound, the ice walls split in half, revealing the Dark Wyvern from inside. Thats! It seemed to be a little different than before. It was covered in bright red lines that ran the length of its jet-black body. A red liquid also dropped from its mouth. Is that blood? Could it have wounded itself on purpose just so that it could enter Berserk Mode? Milly was pulling on my clothes as I was stunned by the scene unfolding in front of me. Zeph, theres something Id like to ask. She said. What is it Milly? Can you explain why Im like this? Milly asked, her face flushed as she had her head leaning on my chest. She was bound up to me as we were both riding on top of Uruk. Well I guess everyone would be shocked if they woke up to something like this. Still, now isnt the time for me to explain it to her. Ill explain once we take care of it. Okay then. Milly said with a slightly irritated tone. Our bodies were tied up with the reins so each time she moved, my body was forced to follow as well. Its kind of hard to fight like this. Im probably gonna be fine either way, but Im worried about Milly. As those thoughts raced through my head, I reached for my hand to untie the reins, but Milly stopped me in my tracks. Zeph wait. The Dark Wyvern is behind us so it will be easier to fight it if one of us is turned towards it. Milly said But Im fine. Thats the most efficient way, right? Well youre not wrong. Agreeing with her reasoning I left the reins as they were and cast Summon Servant. Immediately after that Divine Greatsword Ainbelle appeared in my hand. That monster The Dark Wyvern still has 1,400,000 Magic Power left. Milly said as she checked up on the Dark Wyvern with Scout Scope. Well thats a reasonable amount considering it entered its Berserk Mode. Its not gonna be easy to take it down, but its not out of the question. GYAAAA!! The Dark Wyvern let out a loud road as it charged at us. I-Isnt it faster than before?! Milly exclaimed. It appears so. I could feel a sharp magic power coming approaching us. I guess running away is out of the question now. We have to fight it. Milly, I want to focus on attacking it. Do you think you can cancel out all of its spells? Y-Yea. Leave it to me! She sounded a little unsure of herself at first, but when she looked me in the eyes, she made up her mind. I have my doubts, but theres no way Ill be able to take that thing down if I dont concentrate entirely on attacking. Even though its gonna be pretty tough for Milly I have no choice but to leave this up to her. I discovered a number of Magic Power Recovery Medicines and a single bottle of Spirit Power Recovery Medicine while rummaging through my pack. Well this should be enough. CH 158.1 Well I guess Ill store a single Tetra Crash in Divine Greatsword Ainbelle for the time being. A brilliant golden light emerged, which Divine Greatsword Ainbelle quickly absorbed. GYA!! The Dark Wyvern in turn fired a spell in order to try and stop me. Black Bullet huh. Hundreds of wind bullets emerged in front of it and fired at us. !! G-Green Bullet!! Milly shouted out as she cast her spell, trying to cancel out the Black Bullet. Countless explosions occurred right behind me. She was a little bit late, but thanks to the quick casting, she was able to make up for it. As soon as the explosions settled down I lifted up Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and swung it down while also casting White Crash. Penta Fusion: Platinum Break. The golden-white light slashed through the smoke, slicing the sky in half. The Platinum Break landed directly on the Dark Wyverns body. Despite the fact that its body was melting as a result of the attack, the Dark Wyvern proceeded to stare me down with malice. Just 1, 200, 000 to go If you keep it up like this, youll need six more of those A small matter. Ill slash it as many times as necessary. Milly I trust you to take care of its attacks! I-I know!! As we flew away from it, I steadily whittled down the bastards magic power while continuing to cast Platinum Breaks. But no matter what the Dark Wyvern didnt give up and constantly regenerated its body as it chased after us. GYA!! I wont let you!! The Dark Wyvern cast Black Bullet once more, but as before Milly was there to stop it. Her movements had become very fluid by this stage. It was most likely that she had become used to it. Good, good. Shes giving it her all. Milly. You shouldve gotten used to its attacks by now, right? How about you join me in attacking? Huh?!!B-But its dangerous Dont worry. I trust you can do it. I said as I handed Divine Greatsword Ainbelle to Milly. Wow Its so hot Milly exclaimed. Thats because theres a spell stored in it. The stronger the spell Divine Greatsword Ainbelle had stored inside of it, the hotter it became. As Milly held the sword and squeezed it, I put my hands on top of hers. Seeing us like that, the Dark Wyvern behind us began to gather magic power. Noticing that, Milly tightened her grip around the sword and began to cast Green Bullet. It wont work!! she exclaimed, totally cancelling the Dark Wyverns spell and creating a smokescreen. But despite that I had already remembered the Dark Wyverns position. Without waiting for the smoke to settle, with Millys help I raised Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Milly! Match my timing! Okay!! she replied. At the same moment I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast White Sphere four times. The four White Spheres I had previously stored, along with these four and the one Milly cast, resulted in a total of nine White Spheres. Nona Fusion: White Sphere Cube. Behind me, a flood of white light erupted. Even though I was turned with my back at it, it still felt like I was about to go blind. When I felt that the light was beginning to die down I decided to turn around. The Dark Wyvern was nowhere to be found, except for a black rock that had fallen to the ground where it had just been. Good grief. Its finally over. I said as I nodded Millys head. That sure took some years out of my life. Milly said, followed by a long sigh. I instructed Uruk to run again while clutching the reins. As some time passed I felt Milly move about. Whats wrong? I asked. Well Dont you think its about time you untied us? Oh I had completely forgotten that we were tied to each other. I drew Milly closer in order to untangle us, which caused her to moan. Urgh Hm, this is a bit Zeph if you move too much our bodies will brush against each other Each time I pulled on the reins I could feel Millys body rubbing against mine. She tried to resist it by burying her head in my chest and shutting her eyes. Well thats a problem Milly, weve got a bit of a problem. I wont come off? Yea. It became even more tangled. The more I tried to untangle the reins, the more Millys body became entangled in mine. Furthermore, we were on top of Uruks back, which wasnt a stable place by any means. If I were to make even a single wrong move, we could fall down. Well theres no helping it now. Lets just go back like this. HUH?! L-Like this? But thats embarrassing!! Stop complaining. Just make sure to hold onto me so you dont fall. O-Okay Milly said, her face blushed, as she didnt resist anymore. I wrapped my left hand around my and used my right in order to hold onto Uruks reins. Zeph-chi welcome back!! Lydia yelled out. Despite the fact that we were very high up, Lydia was still able to see us riding on Uruks back. She was still holding onto Silverie and Shirushu. It appeared that both of them had yet to wake up. I used the reins to get Uruk to land safely. Wow Zeph-chi, just now you looked like prince charming, riding on top of his white horse. You were quite cool! Lydia teased as she hit me with her elbow. If Im a prince then that would make Milly a princess. Kukuku. W-Wha!! Y-You You Milly said, her face blushed. Her expression was a complex combination of happiness and distress. Didnt she like being treated like a princess? She did quite well today so I guess I might as well treat her like a princess a bit more. I borrowed a knife from Lydia and cut the reins before leaping off Uruks back and reaching out my hand to Milly. Will you do me the honor of taking it? You and your jokes Milly said. Even though she sounded like she was complaining she still ended up grabbing my hand. However, when she tried to get down she ended up slipping and lost her balance. I immediately stepped in and grabbed her. Good grief. Are you alright princess? I asked. y-yes Her face was as red as a beet as she murmured something as she looked away. Im so jealous of Milly-chan. I want to be held like that as well ? Lydia exclaimed. Youre quite heavy you see I said. How could you!! Zeph-chi thats so mean!!! After that, we all headed towards Prolea once more. 4 After walking for two days we finally reached Prolea. Were finally back Lydia said. I want to take a bath so bad!! Milly exclaimed. Weve been out for quite some time so we need to clean up after that as well. Lydia continued. After going back and entering our house, Milly and the others immediately entered the bath. Ill just wait for them and go in by myself later. Whats this? There was a letter left on top of the table. This thing wasnt here when we left Did someone leave it while we werent here? I picked it up and noticed that it had the Magician Associations stamp on it. I removed the seal and took out the contents. Lets see here. To: Zeph Einstein From: Yera Schugel with lots of love <3 Yera and her jokes I was just about to throw it without reading but then stopped myself and decided to give it a quick look. More sightings of the black monsters have been recorded around the world. Some of them seem to be very skilled in combat and have a proclivity for attacking people. Zeph, since youve fought them already you probably know, but they are quite the tough ones. The Heavenly Mages and the Dispatch Magician have been attempting to deal with them, but we havent been able to make much progress due to our excessive workload. So, as much as it hurts me to ask this of you so soon after youve completed your mission, could I please request that you go out and subjugate them? The black monsters have apparently emerged not only here, but also in your homeland, the East Continent. I would like to ask you to head there first and evaluate the situation. If youre willing to take on this mission, take this letter and deliver it to the Red Heavenly Mages tower. If you do that, the people there will escort you to the East Continent. That is all. That old hag As soon as I finished reading the letter, I murmured out. I told Yera about the black monsters just before leaving to seal the Dungeon, but to think that there would be other people who have encountered them as well Additionally, there are those on the East Continent who are attacking people? It makes me sad to think that my mother is alone in Nanami. This is something I cant ignore. Thats a letter from Yera-san right? I turned around when I heard a voice behind me and saw Milly, who had just gotten out of the shower and was dressed in her everyday clothes. Everyone else began to gradually flock towards us as well. So the black monsters have appeared in the East Continent as well huh I thought it was strange that weve been seeing more of them in the last few days. Its possible that their numbers are growing. You must be kidding?!I wonder if pops is okay Lydia said, a bit worried. Come to think of it, her father was also all alone. The East Continent The place across the sea Shirushu said. Everyone, lets go! I cant help but worry about Lydias dad and Zephs mom! Milly exclaimed, her eyes darting around the room. Youre right It really does make me worry a bit. I said. Same here. By the way I still havent met your mother Zeph-chi. Zeph-sans mother Im curious about her personality. Shirushu said. All three of them seemed quite curious, as if their real purpose lay somewhere else Well I guess its fine as long as they dont complain. Well then its decided! Were headed for the East Continent ? Milly expressed her delight by raising her index finger. Milly saw the East Continent as both a sign of our meeting and a place where we spent a lot of time together. Of course that was the same for me as well. The more I thought about it the more nostalgic I got. We finished our preparations the next day and set out for the Red Heavenly Mages tower. The Red Heavenly Mages tower was situated on the capitals north main street, making it very noticeable. It was made of red bricks and soared high into the sky, giving it the appearance of a real flame. This brings back memories. Did you say something Zeph? Milly asked. No, its nothing. I said as I nodded her head. Upon seeing the tower, I was reminded of a time in my former life when I was the Flame of Flame and lived here for a while. We reached the towers entrance and spoke to the elderly guard at the front. May we talk to you for a second. Yes. What do you need? The elderly guard standing before me looked quite familiar. Come to think of it, I think he was also the guard even when I was the Flame of Flame. He seems to be a few years younger than he was back then, but its hard to believe hes been here for so long. I kept speaking to the guard while being enveloped by nostalgic feelings. We have business inside, so Id be grateful if you let us in. Heres our invitation. Let me see This is certainly Yera-samas signature. You may come in. The elderly guard said as he turned around to fiddle with the door behind him. The door made a metallic sound. The elderly guard proceeded to open the door and invite us in. Wow. So this is the inside of the Red Tower Its quite different from Yera-sans Sky Tower isnt it. The design of each of the Towers was chosen by the first Heavenly Mages. Its normal that theyre completely different from one another. You know quite a lot for your age, young man. The guard responded. I read about it before. We kept walking past the red-brick walls until we arrived at the towers centre. From there we walked a bit more until the guard stopped in front of a room. This was probably the room where the Dispatch Magicians who were expected to escort us to the East Continent. A response was heard from the other side as soon as the elderly guard knocked on the door. You may come in. If you will excuse us. CH 158.2 I noticed a young girl with silver hair wearing a red beret as soon as we walked into the room. She was sipping her tea while sitting on a luxurious sofa. She was probably around the age of 12 or 13. Why do I feel like Ive seen her before? I sensed an intense look unbefitting her age as soon as her eyes met mine. You should be the people that Yera-sama told me about. My name is Elise Cabel Elise said. My eyes widened as soon as I heard her name. She was the daughter of Bertram Cabel, the current holder of the Flame of Flame title, and in my past life she had also been a former Magician Association companion of mine. Back then we had managed to build a strong rivalry between us when we first met, which helped us both grow, but as time went on, we started to get into more and more arguments until we couldnt stand each other any longer. To think that Id meet her here. Is there something on my face? You havent stopped staring at me this whole time. Elise asked. No, its nothing. You just resemble an acquaintance of mine. I see. Well fine then. That was close. I shouldnt act so unnaturally. It appeared that even Milly and the others seemed to find my act strange as they all looked at me with worry. In order to get out of this atmosphere I forcefully changed the subject. I guess we should introduce ourselves as well. Im Zeph Einstein. These are my companions. Starting from the left theres Milly, Lydia, Silverie and Shirushu. Im already aware. Elise said as she sipped her tea gracefully. Her elegant demeanor is the same as it was in the past. I have heard the gist from Yera-sama. Im supposed to go to the East Continent with you. Well that saves us the talking I guess. Truth be told I really wanted to go alone, but I couldnt turn down a request from Yera-sama. As she drank the rest of her tea and stood up, Elise said with a frustrated expression. She then went to the back of the room and took out something similar to a carpet. She then laid it out on the floor. We found that it was really a large magic circle made of cloth as she did so. This magic circle strengthens ones spells. Originally, the transportation spell I use could only transport one person at most, but with the aid of this magical circle, that number can be increased to six. While pulling a white coat from the closet next to her, Elise said. It was a Dispatch Magicians coat. Elise youre a Dispatch Magician? I had the Association accept me the other day. Regardless of that, I am still just an apprentice. Theres an emergency going on and theyre short on people. Wow. Thats so amazing Elise-chan. Becoming a Dispatch Magician at this age. Milly said as she got closer to Elise. While Elise on the other hand took a step back. She then frowned and pouted as she looked at Millys amazed expression. Do you mind? It feels unpleasant to have a child such as yourself attach -chan to my name. she said. Really? I did it because youre so young and cute Well in that case should I just call you Elise? Milly asked. Well I guess that will work for now. In a boastful tone, Elise said. Even though youre way more childish than me Milly murmured in a quiet tone. Elise was not only an unpleasant character, but she was also very proud of herself. Shes quite the troublesome one Milly, you better watch out. Well then everyone, get on. Elise said and we all got on top of the magic circle. Shes quite the pushy one, isnt she? Elise tried to step on the magic circle after wed all gotten on, but there wasnt enough space. Excuse me, but could you make some room? she asked Zeph! Where do you think youre touching me!! Milly exclaimed. Theres no helping it. Theres no space. Ahaha. Just do this! Lydia said as she hugged me tightly and freed up some space. Elise got on as well and began to cast something. It was the Unique Transportation Spell Portal. It was one of the spells that only the Dispatch Magician from the Magician Association could use. Its disadvantages were that it took a long time to cast and used a lot of magic power, making it useless in combat. However, it allowed the caster to travel to any location in the world as long as they had previously visited. It was an extremely useful spell. Im activating it. Elises magic power gathered and a blue light gradually enveloped our bodies. It felt as if I was slowly losing my consciousness. It felt as if we were endlessly falling through the dark space. Truth be told, this was my first time experiencing the Portal spell. The sensation of passing through space for the first time felt quite strange. Everyone was nervous, so they clung to me, while Elise stood alone a little farther away, her eyes closed and her hands crossed in front of her chest. She looked quite relaxed. After a bit, the space in front of us suddenly opened and everything turned white. It was then that I once again felt gravity pulling me down. Were here. Elise said. Except for Elise, we all collapsed to the ground as soon as we arrived. Next to us I could hear Elise moving as she came to a halt in front of the blue light. With a graceful swing of her hand, the pillar of light disappeared. After somehow pulling ourselves up and brushing the dust of our clothes we looked around. The grassy plains spread as far as the eye could see, and the gentle fragrance of flowers filled our nostrils, while bird songs echoed throughout the region. This nostalgic feeling Were definitely back in the East Continent. In the distance I noticed my hometown of Nanami. Whoa! Zeph, that brings back so many memories! Milly exclaimed. It sure does. Nanami was the place where I first met Milly. She had apparently traveled to Nanami at the time after hearing stories about a young mage her age. At the time I never imagined that our companionship would last this long. Come to think of it, we also met Claude there as well didnt we. Elise ignored us as we gazed around, lost in nostalgia, and simply started walking. Elise wait! Do you really plan on going by yourself? I certainly am. Im not the type of person that travels in groups. Elise answered without even turning around to spare us a glance. Well thats a relief. To be honest I wasnt that good in dealing with Elise. She was a really proud person after all. She had a bad habit of lashing out at others, which was most likely due to her status as the Flame of Flames daughter. Back then I got into quite a bit of trouble when traveling with her, so going our own separate ways now might just be for the best. And, given her skills, I doubt shell have any trouble dealing with the monsters here; additionally, she can use Portal to return home if she gets hungry. I thought while chucking when Milly suddenly jumped out. Elise wait! Hey! Stop it you idiot. Shes finally going away, why in the world are you stopping her?! Hearing Milly call her name Elise turned around with a frustrated expression. Milly-san was it? How can I help you? she asked. Its just Milly! Hmph All, except Milly, burst out laughing at Elises response. So Elise! Since were all here, how about coming together with us? Huh?! And just why would I do that? Elise asked. Why not? Its more fun to travel with more people. And were going in the same direction either way. Milly said it with a bright smile, while Elise had a troubled look on her face. She was trying to come up with anything to say, but couldnt come up with something, so she just let out a sigh as she shook her head. Well since our destination is the same, then I guess theres no helping it YEY ? Were going together! Ill warn you ahead of time, but dont try to get too close to me. That kind of behavior irritates me. Elise warned Milly in a threatening tone. ??? However, Milly didnt pay her any mind as she happily hummed. In the end, we decided to walk together, with Elise going a little faster than the rest of us. However, we were able to catch up to her while walking normally because her legs were on the short side. After a bit Shirushu suddenly jumped in front of the group. A monster. How do you know? Elise asked. Shirushu is a beastfolk. She can sense and locate monsters. That would make sense. After my explanation we prepared for battle. A Dark Zell then suddenly appeared. Summon Milly wait. I said, stopping her just before she was able to summon Uruk. Dont use Summon Servant. Well fight it with just normal spells. Or rather, you stay back and dont fight at all. But why?!! Elise is a really proud person. Didnt she bear her fangs at you just because you were close to her age? Just because of that Shes quite the troublesome one. Its better we dont use any powerful spells in front of her. I nodded Millys head to calm her down while persuading her. Bear it for now. Truth be told, youre way more accomplished as a mage than she is. If Elise found out, shed probably lash out at you with her fangs out of envy, dont you think? She really is quite the troublesome one, please believe me. Hmm Okay Ill stay back. Milly said as if she was finally convinced. Phew, easy as always. Silverie, you hold back as well. Although I doubt she would be envious of you, its better to be safe than sorry. I understand!Silverie replied. Next to her Milly tilted her head in confusion. Zeph, how do you know Elise so well? You dont need to worry about that. Lets go. Lydia, Shirushu. Sure thing!! Okay! I then stretched out my hands towards each of them, and their weapons were instantly covered in a white light. White Weapon. Well its actually a quadra fusion version of the spell but Ill just trick her by saying that its a normal enchant spell. Im gonna keep the existence of my Time Square a secret. After all, Elise is the daughter of Bertram Cabel, whom I want to defeat one day. I cant go revealing my trump cards to her. Everyone lets go!! Milly urged. At the same time all of us charged at the Dark Zell. CH 159.1 The Dark Zell disappeared after being clobbered by our attacks for a while. The black monsters I heard that they were formidable foes, but we dispatched it much more quickly than I had anticipated. Elise said. It was only normal that Lydia and Shirushu, both of whom had White Weapon Square cast on them, would be able to dispatch it with ease. Even though it seemed to Elise to be a simple task, she was unaware that both of them had been boosted by a fourfold spell. Lydia-san, Shirushu-san, your movements were extremely beautiful. Id be really glad if you decided to join my guild. What?! Both of them were left speechless after hearing Elises suggestion. Who does she think she is inviting them like that?! Lydia and Shirushu exchanged glances before turning to Elise with a confused smile. I hope youll excuse us Eli-chi, but we cant do that. Lydia said. Were grateful for the invitation, but Im afraid we cant join Elise-san. Im sorry. Shirushu added. I was just joking. Elise said while laughing, but it didnt seem to be a joke at all. In a previous life, I was a member of Elises guild, Bertrams Guild, but due to a number of constraints, I had to leave soon after. Come to think of it, she was quite persistent to have me join even after I left. Wait?! Wasnt that the reason I began arguing with her in the first place?! Shirushus ears twitched as I let out a long sigh. A monster Its another Dark Zell. Shirushu said. What?! And, just as Shirushu predicted, a Dark Zell emerged from behind one of the nearby rocks. Everyone was feeling anxious and concerned at the fact that we had to face a series of dark monsters. It was much more difficult to come across black monsters on the North Continent To think wed run into two of them here on the East Continent, one after the other. What is going on in the world? Ive got a bad feeling about this I could feel shivers run down my spine. Maybe there are many black monsters whove made the East Continent their home. Wait, what if Town Nanami has already been run down and thats why theyre here Damn it! Lets get to town as soon as possible! Okay! I grabbed Lydias hand, while Milly grabbed Shirushus and we used Teleport. The environment rapidly shifted thanks to the numerous Teleportations. W-WAIT! Elise shouted from far behind us. I could see her desperately trying to catch up. It seems like shes shouting something Oh well I dont have the time to worry about you now. Lydia yelled as she stared off into the distance as I cast Teleport once more. Zeph-chi, theres another Dark Zell over there! It cant be! What in the world is going on? We were encountering just as many dark monsters as regular monsters. Rather, the closer we got to the Town of Nanami the more Dark Zells we saw. Damn it! My hometown My mom!! I instinctively bit down as I cast Teleport with all of my might, and after a while, we arrived in Nanami. Its right there. As I cast Teleport once more I felt Lydia strongly holding onto my arm. Zeph-chi stop! Why? Was what I was about to say but then I saw that there was no one behind us. In my panic I had apparently gone far ahead, leaving everyone else behind. This is bad. My magic power is nearly depleted as well. Lets wait for everyone here, theres nothing for us to gain from hurrying. Lydia said. Youre right. Thank you Lydia. No biggie. While getting worked up is one of your negative characteristics, it can also be viewed as a positive trait. Lydia said, nodding my head to help me calm down. It was just as she said. Even if my bad hunch was right and the Town of Nanami was infested with black monsters, going there by myself would be futile. Furthermore, with my current level of magic power, I was doomed to run to my death. It would be best to first wait for everyone and completely recover my magic power first. Thank you Lydia, Im fine now. Really? I dont mind doing this a bit more though. Lydia said, laughing. Dont tease me please. Good grief, I really cant win against her. After a while, I spotted a human silhouette in the distance that resembled Silverie. Milly and Elise were also following behind her. What took you so long? I asked. Im sorry, its just that Milly muttered under her breath as she cast a look at Elise. So thats what happened. No one asked you to help me, you know! I know! Urgh, why must you be like this Elise! Milly said, angrily. Hmph Elise gasped as she averted her eyes. They must have gone back to help Elise take care of the monsters. Thats probably why they took so long. Dont worry about it Elise, everyone makes mistakes. I said, trying to encourage her. Hmph. She once again gasped as she moved further away from us. I made the decision to ignore her and concentrate on our other task. Thats the Town of Nanami. Theres a chance its filled with black monsters. Everyone, be on your guards. Okay! Elise you wait here, depending on the situation we might not need your help. !!! I cant figure out whats going on inside the city. In the worst case scenario, the whole town might have already been wiped out. I cant afford to look after Elise in this situation. As soon as I looked at her, Elise recoiled for a brief moment, but she quickly recovered and returned my stare. H-Have it your way then! My task is researching the black monsters. Ill do everything I can to make it happen! Do your best to stay as far away as possible. I said this as I pressed my hand against Elises shoulder, pulling her in the direction of Nanami. Even though she was quite proud, he wasnt stupid enough as to not understand the current situation. She trailed us as we approached the citys perimeter wall, but kept a safe distance behind us. Well then only god knows whatll happen next! The gatekeeper who usually always stood in front of the towns tightly locked gate was nowhere to be seen. Theres definitely something going on. I thought to myself as I approached with caution, when the door suddenly began to open with creaking noises. As the door slowly opened all prepared for battle. Looking behind me I could see Elise standing a safe distance away. Good. Shell be able to escape at any time from there. The door opened halfway, at which point the gatekeeper hurried out from behind it. Are you adventurers? Is there something wrong? Whats the deal with those terrified expressions? He inquired. We absolutely lost all will to fight as soon as we heard his carefree question. Oh my, so you are people from the Magician Association?! he said, shocked. Were here to investigate the monsters. Thank you for coming all this way. Please come on in. Welcome to Nanami. As he held out his arm, the gatekeeper asked for a handshake. Apparently the reason we werent able to find the gatekeeper earlier was because he had gone to get a drink. He told us all about it while grabbing the water bottle around his waist and taking a sip from it. Youre quite carefree arent you. Gatekeepers shouldnt leave their posts. I said. That is certainly true But its peaceful here. So its fine from time to time. Hahaha. Its by no means peaceful. Theres countless Dark Zells roaming around the area. Hasnt the town been attacked? I asked. Hmph, come to think of it some dark monsters came to the town a while back. he slowly began to explain, The black monsters The Dark Zell or I think thats what the people from the Magician Association called them. Theyve recently started to appear more frequently outside of town. he said. The Dark Zell had apparently just walked around the town at first, but they were later seen eating other monsters. People leaving town seemed to have decreased as a result of that, but then an incident had occurred in which the Dark Zell were seen eating the livestock of a ranch outside of town. They apparently tried to repel it but since the average person couldnt match up to the Dark Zells, they had no choice but to leave the livestock behind. However, one day, a traveling Holy Knight appeared out of nowhere and took care of the black monsters. A Holy Knight? Milly asked to which the gatekeeper nodded. A Holy Knight came? He must be one heck of a conceited bastard if he truly calls himself that. Thats right. He was extremely strong. He took care of the black monsters in no time. the gatekeeper said. Wow, thats amazing! Milly exclaimed, but she quickly turned to ask me a question. Hey Zeph. Didnt you say that the dark monsters can only be defeated with Soul spells? Could it be that the so-called Holy Knight-san can use White Weapon? she asked. Maybe. He may also be a Magic Knight; they are people that used spells in order to boost their battle prowess. It was rare to encounter someone who used swords or martial arts in combination with magic. There were several instances where magicians used tools to aid them in combat, but they were often used for protection or were some sort of special weapon that enhanced their spells, like my sword. It was difficult to use spells when fighting in close range because they needed a great deal of focus to cast. That is why choosing one or the other was much more convenient. The Holy Knight is still here so if youd like you can go ahead and meet him. Hes always surrounded by a lot of girls so it wont be hard to find him. the gatekeeper said. Huh? Is he handsome? Milly asked. Doesnt matter. Lets hurry up and go inside. I replied After saying our goodbyes to the gatekeeper we proceeded to enter Nanami. The vastness of the landscape and the slightly rough nature of the townscape. Between the sparsely populated homes, the people moved about in a lively manner. Zeph, this really is nostalgic isnt it?! Milly exclaimed. It really is. As if I shared Millys enthusiasm, my fist instinctively clenched slightly. Next to us, Elise had her arms folded as she looked at the town. Hmph Theres no doubt that its the countryside. she said. It doesnt change the fact that its a good town. I really enjoy this atmosphere. Silverie said. Se-chis right. How about we go to Zeph-chis house for the time being. Lydia made a suggestion. I concur! Id like to see the house Zeph-san grew up in. Shirushu remarked. Urgh Well I guess Ill take them there. Its not like I mind but I guess mom will be shocked when she sees so many people After pondering about it for a bit I turned to face everyone. Im sorry everyone but could I ask you to stay at an inn today? Huh? Why? Milly asked. Mom would be shocked if so many people barge in at once, so I think its best if I go back alone today. Ehh Thats no fun! Lydia said, after which Silverie smacked her on the back of her head. Calm down Lydia Zeph has a point. Well definitely trouble his mother if we all go there. And she probably wont be able to accommodate us. Silverie said. I dont mind sleeping outside Shirushu said. Well I do! I had no intention of going either way, so lets just find an inn! Elise said. Even though she was normally quite troublesome to deal with, she ended up saving me this time around. I guided them to a nearby inn after they all approved. Even though it had been three years and I had only visited it a handful of times, I still knew where it was. As we walked, gradually the run-down inn where Claude had stayed before entered my field of view. I led everyone to the inn as I tried to keep the unpleasant memories from engulfing my mind. By the time we completed the paperwork, the sun had almost set. Well then everyone, see you tomorrow! Yea! Milly said, sending me off. CH 159.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama After I parted with everyone I headed home. My heart swelled with nostalgia and a smidgeon of nervousness as the surrounding scenery became increasingly familiar. Three whole years, huh I walked down the path between the rice fields, past the white wall, and eventually arrived at my home. My house hadnt changed at all, but it seemed to be a little smaller, perhaps due to my growing up. A sweet scent wafted from the inside as the laundry was hung to dry outside. Moms home it seems. I swallowed my saliva and stood nervously in front of the door before knocking. A dull sound echoed and immediately after that I heard my moms voice. Im coming. Her nostalgic voice entered my ears. Followed by her hurried steps. When the door opened, my mother stood in front of me, her brown hair tied behind her and an apron on, indicating that she was currently cooking. Im Seeing her I completely blanked out. Mom looked at me as I was pondering what to say. There were some white hairs protruding from her head, and there were some wrinkles around her eyes. She looked smaller due to me growing in height. It really has been a while Mom brought her face closer to mine as I was being attacked by my emotions. Zeph is it really you? she asked. Y-Yea I replied sloppily. My mother broke into a big smile right after that. And rushed in to hug me. Welcome back!! Im home Thats right. What was I worried about? I didnt need to say anything special. Just a simple Im home was enough after all. I quietly hugged my mom back. To think that you would come home so suddenly. I would have prepared something if you had contacted me, you know? Im sorry mom, it happened suddenly. After all, I was still in the North Continent this morning. There was nothing I could have done. Despite this, my mother proceeded to cut vegetables while humming and smiling broadly. Should I help you? Im fine, so just sit down and wait. Itll be done any minute now. Okay I slowly closed my eyes and just enjoyed the sound of mom cooking. It was truly calming. My artificial arm made a squeaking noise as I moved my hands behind my back. Come to think of it, mom still hasnt asked me about my arm. Lydia and Silverie had given me this artificial arm in place of the original arm which I had lost in that fight three years ago. Id grown used to it and it didnt bother me anymore, but it didnt alter the fact that strangers would sometimes cast odd glances my way, which wasnt particularly friendly. Theres no way mom hasnt noticed it. ??? She probably hasnt asked about it because she doesnt want to bring up a difficult subject right after I returned. And itll be pretty rude if I were to bring it up myself. Sorry for the wait, Zeph. Heres my special miso soup. Nothing less from you mom. Its delicious. Fufu. Dont bother flattering me. Hurry up and eat. Thank you for the meal. As mom left the bowl with soup on the table, the delicious aroma tickled my nose. As soon as I took a bit from the soup the nostalgic taste spread inside my mouth. So good Theres still more, so eat as much as you want. mom said with a smile as she watched me gobble down the soup. Mom, its hard to eat with you staring at me like that Let me be just this time. Its been a while since Ive watched my son eat so happily? Well okay then I said, trying to mask my embarrassment by averting my gaze. Mom simply smiled as she watched me. By the way Zeph. If I remembered correctly both you and Milly-chan left together, right? Did you split up mid-way? mom asked. !! I was on the verge of spewing my soup, but I was able to keep it down. W-What in the world is she asking so suddenly Its just me today, but dont worry were still traveling together. Shes in the town as well, but she had something else to do today so we separated. Is that so? Well thats fine. By the way, a pretty girl came by here not so long ago. She claimed to be one of your acquaintances. Thats why I thought that maybe you had moved on from Milly-chan. Moved on Mom you really are That aside, could you tell me more about that girl. She apologized non-stop, saying she had done something terrible to you She told me about your arm and various other stuff. I see. So she must have told my mom how I lost my arm in my fight with Grain. It was probably Azalea. She did say she was going back after all. Shes the one who pulled me into the battle with Grain in the first place, so she probably came here to apologize for my arm. Well still, even if she didnt ask me I probably would have still ended up going after Grain. So, what happened to that so-called beautiful girl. She said that she had put my cute son through quite a bit of trouble, so I had her atone. Mom said, a devilish grin on her face. I got goosebumps from the pressure she was exerting. W-What in the world did you have her do? I asked. Fufufu. First, I gave her a cold-water-soaked cloth and instructed her to clean the floor for an extended period of time while maintaining poor posture. Then I had her repeat the process, but this time with a dry cloth, while forcing her to take her time, that is. Then I had her stir the soup that I was cooking while also cutting the requisite ingredients on top of the cutting board, which was a dangerous job. I then soaked her whole body in a white liquid and forced her to soak in a hot bath for a while, despite her hating it, after which I forced her to eat a brownish broth, and eventually I forced her to sleep in the room that had been collecting dust for years until the morning. So you just had her assist you with chores and then let her spend the night?! You also let her use my room!!! Fufufu, arent I terrible? Mom asked with a devilish smile. Seeing her like that I could only let out a sigh. So in the end mom just had her help her with chores, after which they ate together, took a bath and she stayed the night. Good grief. Moms way too kind. Well, she didnt seem like such a bad girl, and theres always the possibility that shell become your wife in the future, so I couldnt make her do something difficult, could I? Mom asked. Cough?!! M-Mom?! First theres Milly-chan, now theres this girl as well. You really are quite popular, arent you Zeph? Just to let you know, cheating is not permitted. Mom said, a sly grin on her face. To which I simply responded with a dry chuckle. I dodged a bullet on this one. If I had brought everyone it would have become a mess. Take Milly-chan with you next time, okay? Shouldnt she have grown up to be quite a beauty as well? Mom asked. I wonder about that Well she is somewhat cute I guess. Youre not exactly the truthful one yourself, are you? Ive gotten it from you. I see the know-it-all part of you hasnt changed. We both smiled as we looked at each other. After washing the dishes, I went up to my room. My room had remained just as I had left it. Just looking at it made me feel better. Come to think of it, it all started from here didnt it? I laid down on my bed and reached for the ceiling with my hand. I slightly activated my magic power lines and cast Red Ball. I stared at the ball of flames that appeared in front of my hand for a while. It couldnt be compared to what I was before. The ball of flames died down as I cut off the supply of magical power, as if it had been cut off from its source of fuel. I really have grown, havent I I slowly dozed off on top of the bed, losing consciousness as I was immersed in my thoughts. Zeph, its already morning. Wake up already. Mom said from the lower floor. Hm Okay. It seems like I overslept. Well Im home after all. Its fine for me to relax from time to time as well. I stretched out and walked down the stairs with a big yawn. Morning, mom. Morning. Breakfasts ready. Thank you for the meal. I started eating while still half-asleep when I heard a knock on the door. Who is it so early A sense of deja vu suddenly washed over me. Come to think of it, something similar to this happened before as well ZEPHHH!!! Hearing Millys voice from the outside made me remember everything. During holidays, she used to come here first thing in the morning. Oh my, if it isnt Milly-chan. Its been a while. Mom greeted her. It really has? Milly said. M-Mom! W-What are you doing?! This is bad. If its just Milly, Ill be fine, but if Lydia and the others show up, Im not sure how Ill justify it to mom. I quickly stuffed down my rice and jumped up, but it was already too late. Milly, Lydia, Shirushu, and Silverie were already lined up when mom opened the door. Its a pleasure to meet you, Zeph-chi has been taking great care of us. Lydia said. H-Hello! Its a pleasure to meet you!! M-My names Shirushu!! Im Silverie. Its been a pleasure to travel with, Zeph-kun. Oh my, oh my, oh my. Mom was ecstatic. Its over I slapped my brow with my hands. Zeph. Could you please explain what all of this is about? Mom asked. Im sorry mom, Ill explain some other time I had no choice but to use Sleep Code on mom in order to get out of the situation. CH 160.1 I let Mom sleep on the bed, then led everyone out of the house. In contrast with my sighing, everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves. Zeph-cchis mother is such a beauty~ Shes so different from my old hag at home. Yera-san is kinda Shes indeed very different, but shes quite lovely though, Silverie-san? Shes just an old hag inside. While each of the girls chimed in excitedly, I scowled at them. Good grief Didnt I already tell you girls not to come here out of the blue? You didnt tell us not to come and pick you up though~ Milly held her hands behind her back as she calmly stated the facts. I used my artificial arm to hit her on the back of her head. Tears welled up in her eyes, but shes the one at fault here. By the way, where is Elise? Ah~ Eli-cchi said that she was going to split up from us to investigate something. When we woke up this morning, we only saw the note she left behind but will she be okay? Dont mind it, Shirushu. Elise is a dispatched mage after all. For a prideful person like Elise, its hard to imagine that she would come along with us while knowing that she could become a burden. I actually half-expected that something like this would happen. Well, since Elise is holding on to a portal too, it should be fine if we leave her alone. I had completely forgotten, but we were originally here to investigate the black monster, right? Yeahh, what shall we do now, Zeph? There was a Holy Knight who defeated the black monster that attacked this town, right? In that case, shall we have a chat with him? Mm, sounds good. We went with Shirushus suggestion and headed towards the main street in order to ask around for information. When we arrived at the main street, we split up and went around to gather information about the so-called Holy Knight. After I separated from the rest, I spotted a crowd of women and called out to them. Perhaps the Holy Knight was surrounded by that crowd of women? Even if that wasnt the case, women love these kinds of gossip. Sir Holy Knight? Hmm~ I dont think I saw him today. Dressed in his white armor, with his long and beautiful blond hair, hes suuuper handsome, isnt he~. And somehow, that mask he wears gives him a mysterious feel too He usually visits that shop to have tea, though I heard that he also goes outside to defeat monsters sometimes, so he might be out of town! I spent some time asking around, but I didnt learn anything. It might be better if I leave Milly and the rest to ask around, while I use my legs to walk around in search of information. Since Im familiar with this area anyway. In any case, this is my hometown. I have some places in mind where I think travellers would gather. For example, the inn, or the shopping street No, the area around the bar seems suspicious. I went through the back alleys and headed for the bar. This area is quite nostalgic. I remember storming into the bar, enraged at Claudes brother, Kane, who was being violent. I then made a mess of the bar and escaped from it though. While I was lost in my memories, I spotted a figure walking into the alley. I caught a glimpse of long, blond hair, white armor, and a white mantle. Thats him! Immediately, I followed him into the alley. However, I lost him. The streets here were pretty complicated after all. Theres no way to chase after him if I didnt know which alley he went down. After asking around for some time, we met up in a shop at about noon, to share the information we obtained while having tea. This shop was where the Holy Knight in question was said to frequent. It sounds like the Holy Knight wanders around the town quite a lot~. The people mentioned various places around town where he was spotted. I heard that this was a rural town, but its bigger than I had expected It seems like it will be difficult to find the guy. Hmm, Silverie is right, especially when we have almost no clues. Shirushu, is it possible to follow his scent? Since he fought with the black monster, the monsters scent should be stuck on him. Umm Sorry, but in such a crowded place like this, its almost impossible A dead-end, huh. However, the dejected silence that fell over the room was quickly broken by Milly. I found the place where that guy is staying. Really!? A knightly man dressed in white armor, with long and blond hair right? When I was walking around town, I chanced upon him. I stalked him and saw him enter a hotel outside of town. Well done, Milly. Ehehe I can at least do that much ? Lets head there now. We left the shop and had Milly guide us to the hotel where the Holy Knight was said to stay. The hotel we were led to was the largest hotel in Nanami Town, Leucario. The name Leucario meant A great, white dragon, and it was built to look like a grand castle, which didnt fit in with the rural town. It was a lodging facility built for the nobles who visited the town from time to time, and the rich used it on a whim. Ooh, thats a huge hotel~ He must be quite a vain person, to purposely stay out here in this place. In any case, shall we go inside to talk to him? No, considering that were not acquainted, I dont think he will answer the door. I have another idea. I grinned as I led everyone into a place hidden from view. So, whats your plan, Zeph? Well use Black Coat to stay hidden while we enter. Black Coat is one of the Soul-type magic spells. Using this spell, the target is clothed in a special layer of air, so that it becomes difficult to spot. However, if we move too quickly, the cloak of air would peel off and we would get discovered. Using Black Coat requires some skill. Since Silverie and I are used to it, we will go. The rest of you please stand by here. Okay, understood! See you later~ Be careful. We waved goodbye, then Silverie and I turned around. Lets go, Silverie. Mm. Silverie nodded, then cast Black Coat and became one with the surroundings. Oh, what a great vanishing act, as expected of the skillful Silverie. I, too, cast Black Coat and disappeared. I am not as proficient as Silverie but with this amount of camouflage, it shouldnt be a problem. After confirming that Milly and the rest were no longer able to see us, I walked slowly and carefully into the hotel. Fortunately, there was no one in the lobby, besides a receptionist who was yawning out of boredom, so we were able to get in easily. If the hotels doors werent wide open, we wouldve been in a pinch. The air in front of me sometimes glimmered and warped. Silverie was probably there. She was walking pretty quickly. Without a hitch, we managed to get to the second floor, and began to go around checking for empty rooms. Of course, the doors were locked though, and we couldnt look inside them. Even when we tried to listen carefully, we couldnt hear a thing. However, theres also a likelihood that whoever is inside was asleep. We cannot afford not to check it out. What should we do, Zeph? Well, watch me. I placed my hand on the door and cast Unlock, and the door unlocked with a click. Unlock is a spell for unlocking. In my previous life, I had learned this unique spell from a thieving magician, in exchange for overlooking his wrongdoings. I rarely use this spell, but it sure is convenient at times like this. With a soft creak, I opened the door and entered the room. However, there was no one inside. Too bad, we guessed wrongly. Well, you cant expect to hit the jackpot on the first try. Phew Im a little tired. I called off Black Coat and sat down on the bed. Silverie also cancelled her Black Coat spell, then cocked her head from side to side to release the tension in her neck. Using Black Coat while on the move was quite mentally draining. Silverie, are you feeling okay? I am reasonably good at this spell. I used it to escape from the old hag before, so Ive already mastered it. I-I see. I thought that she was strangely proficient at this magic, so it turns out that she had honed it due to her fight with Yera. I looked at Silverie who had a composed look on her face. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Wha!? We let out our voices in confusion. At the same time, the door opened with a click. Damn it, is it the hotels staff!? Theyre probably here to clean the room. At this rate, were going to get discovered! Without thinking, I took Silveries hand and crawled into the closet together with her. I thought I heard something just now The voice of the hotel staff could be heard through the closet door. Its a relief that we were not seen. H-hey, Zeph! Silveries voice came from near my chest. As we forcefully squeezed ourselves into the narrow closet, Silverie looked squashed and uncomfortable. Damn, because everything happened in an instant, were now stuck in an awkward position. Sorry, I unintentionally Geez Right now, our bodies were completely in contact with one another. The warmth of Silveries body and the sound of her heartbeat was transmitted directly to my body. Ugh Not good. The balance between our bodies was going to collapse anytime, and thats going to make a sound. I moved slightly to steady ourselves, but I ended up more closely pressed against Silveries body. Ah Silverie almost let a sound leak from her lips, but I quickly put a hand over her mouth to show that it was a bad idea. It could be audible from outside after all. Tensions ran high and I held my breath. We leaned in close to one another while listening to the sounds coming from outside the closet. After a while, the sounds of footsteps drifted further away and we heard the door close with a slam. Phew Somehow we were not discovered Geez, that was such a waste of energy. Despite her complaints, Silverie did not look as dissatisfied as I would have expected. Silverie and I took a short break, then left the room. It was quiet in the hotel, probably because the cleaning of the rooms was completed while we were resting. Even so, we used Black Coat to hide our bodies before proceeding, just in case. We went from room to room, to put our ears against the door and check for sounds. There was one room that made us stop in our tracks, as soft sounds of movements could be heard from it. It seems like theres someone in this room. Yeah. When we peeked through the keyhole, something that looked like white armor could be seen lying beside the bed. Bingo huh. I exchanged looks with Silverie and nodded, then knocked on the door. CH 160.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Coming. A mans voice came from within the room, and the door was opened. Before us, a tall and slender man appeared, with blonde hair and dressed in something like a white suit. He was about as tall as me but slightly lanky. As the people in town described, he was quite the looker. When the man saw us, he stiffened up as if wary of us. Who are you people? Were from the Magicians Society. We would like to speak with you with regards to the black monster. Do you mind if we come in? The Societys! The man tensed up upon hearing what I said. It appears that the name of the Magicians Society was great and far-reaching. Be that as it may, since we had no evidence of our identities, we would immediately get exposed if he decided to press us about it. Lets quickly move on so that he doesnt have time to doubt. Seeing the man stiffen up with caution, I smiled broadly. I heard that you protected Nanami Town. For that, I would first like to extend my gratitude to you, Sir Holy Knight. The townsfolk were saying that you did a great job. A-ah, I see! Its about that, huh? Ha ha ha, if thats the case then please come in. After I buttered him up, the man lowered his guard and welcomed us into his room. All according to plan. Sweet talking is the way to go at times like this. I stifled a grin by twisting my mouth so that the man wouldnt see it. Silverie and I then entered the room together. I am Oaks, a Holy Knight. I see. Then, first, can you tell me about the time when you encountered the black monster? That Right, that was probably some time after I arrived at this town. The Dark Zell suddenly turned up outside this town. According to Oaks, the Dark Zell had attacked the livestock. So, he used his dazzlingly-white sword to chop up the Zell with his beautiful swordplay and defeated it splendidly. Just like that, I drove away the Dark Zell which attacked the livestock. Then, I was honored as a hero, and I ended up staying in this town. I was told to stay in this town for as long as I liked When they put it that way, even I was not able to refuse them. I see. Since there were still many Dark Zells around the area, I guess the whole town was taking care of him in exchange for him acting as a guard for the town? Thats also the reason why Oaks is staying in town while letting the people provide for him. Have the Dark Zells attacked again recently? Hmm? That reminds me, they havent appeared I think Hmm, no matter how I see it, hes being evasive. Is he hiding something? Guess Ill pry a little deeper. The fact that the livestock was attacked could mean that the outer perimeter of the protection barrier around this town is currently damaged. Since there are still a fair number of Dark Zells around the town, its a little hard to believe that they have not attacked again after that. S-Surely its because they were afraid of me, right? Now, our conversation ends here. Please leave. Wait We still have more to ask If you continue to bother me, I will call for the guards! Im a busy man! Tch. Theres no helping it. If the guards came and realized that we had sneaked in, it will be troublesome. Guess well have to pull back for now? Although I was still a little suspicious of him, we covered ourselves with Black Coat again and exited the hotel. Ah, welcome back, Zeph! Did you meet the Holy Knight? Mm, his name is Oaks. By the way, we met Elise-san earlier. She had obtained some information regarding the Holy Knight and came here following it. However, she said that since we were already here, she would investigate from another direction. Oh well, she has such a troublesome personality as usual. Ive been thinking from way before that Elises actions were inefficient. Her overly prideful nature is also something of concern. Hey, Zeph-cchi. If were done here, can I return to Beruta Town? Im concerned about the town, but Im also slightly worried about my Dad. I suppose so. That father of hers didnt seem like he would die even if you killed him, but I guess Lydia would still be worried. Ill send you there. Ive always wanted to meet Lydias father once anyway. Thank you, Sil-cchin! Ahh~ What everyone needs is a friend, dont you think~ Dont cling on to me, Lydia. Lydia hugged her joyfully, while a bewildered look overshadowed Silveries face. Alright then, stay safe, both of you. Well probably be back in a few days, but if you get lonely, feel free to contact me through Telepathy anytime ? I will fly back to you. Youre finally going back home after a long time, arent you? You should take your time there. We sent off the two ladies, then headed back home. Were home, Mom. Welcome back, Zeph, Milly-chan and Erm, as I thought, this mornings events werent a dream Mom held her head with her hands in distress. Leaving that aside Zeph? I have something to say to you, can you come with me? Uh, mm. I couldnt decline when faced with that intense pressure. That forced smile of hers is kind of scary. Mom seized me by the collar and dragged me towards the kitchen. On the way, Mother turned to face Milly and Shirushu who were dumbfounded, and smiled at them elegantly. Please wait just a li~ttle while, Milly-chan and Its Shirushu, Mother. Shirushu-chan, I see, I see. Sorry about that. I have something to say to my stupid son here ? Mom pressed me against the kitchen wall and placed her hands on both sides to block off my escape routes. She then glared at me with a frightful look. So, you tell me, what is this all about? I believe there were already two other girls, right? Calm down, Mom. Milly and Shirushu, and the two girls you met this morning, are all my companions from the same guild. Hmm~ Guild-mates, I see~ Mom glared at me with disgust. Apparently, she didnt trust me at all. Its the truth though Hmm, how should I explain it? Well, whatever. Lets just leave it at that. Everyone will be staying over today, correct? Since you are companions? Ah, um, if you would allow us to It was really not a good time to suggest staying together in an inn. Mom hurried over to Milly and Shirushu, and welcomed them into the house. Sorry for the wait~? Both of you, please stay over at my house today. Erm that Okaay, Mother ? In contrast with the reserved Shirushu, Milly replied enthusiastically. Perhaps because Milly had come to stay over a few times before, hence she didnt show much resistance to the idea. During our meal, Mom asked the two girls about our travels thus far, happily prying information from them. From time to time, she would glare at me intensely. Good grief, I really cant tell what she will say later Then, we spent a night at my place. CH 161.1 Well be going now, Mother! Take care! Mom sent us off while waving her arm above her head, and we left home. By the way, Milly and Shirushu slept together with Mom in her room. Their light was still on until late into the night, probably because they were talking about something. Thats so dreadful that I simply cant ask them about it. Zephs Mom is a good person, isnt she? Yeah, if I become a mother someday, my goal is to become someone like her. Shirushu clasped her hands before her chest and looked upward as her eyes sparkled. Shes not such a great person though? As I sighed, Milly spoke to me. By the way, Zeph, what are we going to do now? Theres an outbreak of Dark Zells around Nanami Town right? I thought that we could go around killing them before Lydia and Silverie come back. Its dangerous to have those monsters near the town after all, and we could also serve as our training at the same time. Recently, by continuously defeating the black monsters around here, I received a large amount of experience and my level rose to 86. The black monster boasts an unparalleled efficiency in providing experience points. Even now, just by defeating a few of them, I could raise a level. To obtain the Flame of Flame title, theres no better way than to level up. Shirushu, can you find the Dark Zell using your sense of smell? Leave it to me! Shirushu thumped her chest with confidence. We let her lead the way, while Milly and I followed behind her. After a while of walking, Shirushu stopped in her tracks and pointed towards a rock. Over there. Blue Gale! Milly let loose a water spout, which activated with the rock in its center. Together with some stones, the Dark Zell was sucked up into the sky. Shirushu, can you do it!? Y-Yes! The Dark Zell fell to the ground and rebound upwards as Shirushu turned to face it She let out a long breath as she fixed her eyes on her prey. Her hair and eyes were gradually dyed in scarlet. Zeph-san Ill leave the rest to you! Beast Transformation. As Shirushu was turning scarlet due to the powers of the pure-bred Beastfolk within her, her claws and teeth also grew longer and sharper. I took the hand of the beast-like Shirushu and cast Time Square. While time is stopped, I cast White Weapon four times. The result is the quadra-fusion magic, White Weapon Square. Shirushus hands began to glow with a blinding light. Like a four-legged beast, she crouched low and curled her body up like a tensed spring, then she pounced towards the Dark Zell. Gaaaaah!! Shirushu roared as she swung her arm at the Dark Zell. Her claws swiped at the Dark Zell, leaving red stripes which ran across its body. Since the beast-transformed Shirushu has a higher offensive ability, she was the vanguard while Milly and I were the rear guards. Gaau! Shirushu kicked the Dark Zell high above her head. As the Dark Zell rose, Shirushu also leaped into the air following it. Aaa!! Then, Shirushu swung downwards with both claws, slamming down on the Dark Zell. On impact, the Dark Zell spiraled towards the ground at such absurd speeds that it was as if the air was split open. When it hit the ground, the impact kicked up a cloud of dust and the Dark Zell bounced high off the ground. Milly and I estimated the Dark Zells trajectory, then together we cast White Sphere at it. The result is a bi-fusion magic, White Sphere Double. The Dark Zell was enveloped in a flash of light and annihilated. With that, Shirushus red hair returned to its original color. Good work, Shirushu. Haa haa yes Shirushu panted heavily as she replied. She was dripping in sweat and her cheeks were flushed. Although Shirushu has become much better at controlling herself in her Beast state, it appears that Beast Transformation still puts a great strain on her body. However, once she gets used to it, the burden on her body would gradually lessen, and she would be able to handle the powers of the pure-bred Beastfolk without going on a rampage. Besides, Sarutobi also mentioned that its better to have Shirushu fight in her Beast state whenever we have leeway in our fights. We defeated Dark Zells one after another, and the number of Dark Zells eliminated totaled seven. In her Beast state, Shirushus attack prowess helped us to end the battles quickly, but it was still tiring, so we took breaks in between the fights. Shirushu Onslaught Level 62 Magic Level Red: 3/21 Blue: 18/42 Green: 17/51 Sky: 2/12 Soul: 16/39 Magic Power: 1216/1216 Shirushus level was originally much lower, but it rose in one shot with todays training. Since it was starting to get dark, I guess we should stop here for today? As I was about to cast Teleport to return to Nanami Town, Milly pulled on my sleeve. Hey Zeph, is that? In the direction Milly pointed, Elise was battling it out with a Kobold Elite. It looked like she was forced into a tough fight, as she was out of breath as she confronted the wounded Kobold Elite. I-Its looking bad! Lets help her. Shirushu was about to dash towards Elise when I stopped her. Whats the matter!? Zeph-san, if we dont help her quickly Its fine, Elise wouldnt lose to an opponent of that level. More importantly, if we helped her now, that would hurt her pride, wouldnt it? I dont want any trouble. Well, I would give her a hand if things get dangerous for her though. Milly and Shirushu watched over Elises battle while on the edge of their seats. I paid attention to ensure that they didnt jump out to help her. Before long, the fight ended and Elise emerged victorious. While the girls were relieved, I cast Teleport so that we could get back to town before Elise noticed us. Rather, that was the plan, but at the instant before we teleported, my eyes met Elises and she glared at me sharply. Her eyes seemed to say that she didnt need our unnecessary concern. Damn it. I think she had already noticed us earlier. Good grief, I hope she wont come to pick a fight with us over this though? As I sighed, I teleported away from the area. CH 161.2 C C The third day of hunting Dark Zells. The number of Dark Zells in the area around Nanami Town has been dwindling at a fast rate. Initially, we would chance upon the Dark Zells even without much effort put into searching for them. However, now it takes some time before we can find one. It seemed like the Dark Zells were purposely gathered around here. Hey Zeph, looks like youre working hard today too. We had just defeated a Dark Zell close to town and was in the midst of letting Shirushu search for the next prey, when a voice was heard from behind us. When we turned around, Oaks was standing there. Oh what, its just Oaks. Hey hey. What a cold response to a friend who came all the way to meet you. Hold on, when did we even become friends? Oaks ignored the astounded look on my face and turned to face the girls. Hello, lady? Oaks winked at Milly and Shirushu, and they greeted him politely while being slightly wary of him. Hello, I am Milly. My name is Shirushu. Thank you for your courtesy. I am Oaks, a Holy Knight. Ah That Holy Knight huh Seeing Oaks smiling merrily, the two ladies seemed to sense that something was off. Oaks distanced himself from them, then he approached me and beckoned me to lend him my ear. Hey hey Zeph, including that lady from the other day, arent you usually surrounded by such beautiful ladies like them, eh? Why dont you introduce just one of them to me? Nope. W-what an immediate rejection Then, excuse us, were in a hurry. I turned my back to Oaks, which was frozen in place. Then, I took Milly and Shirushu and teleported away. Is that fine, Zeph? Is it okay to ignore that person? Dont mind it. More importantly, Shirushu, did you find the location of the next Dark Zell? Erm There is a weak scent drifting over from the other side of those rocky mountains. Hmm, thats quite far away. The Dark Zell from a moment ago was close to the town, but this time it is quite far away. I cast Teleport and found a Dark Zell when we went deep into the rocky mountain range. Lets do this, Milly, Shirushu. Yeah! Yes! Ilga watched and Zephs group teleported away, and grinned to himself. That Dark Zell was the bait that was meant to lure Zephs group away from the vicinity of Nanami Town. After all, the Beastfolk with an acute sense of smell and their high battle prowess was the biggest hindrance to the group of bandits. During the night, the herd of Dark Zells was led to a field of Carna grass, which had the effect of erasing scents. Several other Dark Zells were then used to lure Zephs group to a faraway place. (Its a simple plan because we didnt have much time but it looks like it went well.) While Zephs group was away from the town, a detached troop was on standby at the field of Carna grass. The plan is then to use the Dark Zells there to attack the town, then plunder the money and goods while the town is deserted. (Alright, I think its about time?) After confirming that Zephs group had teleported far away, Ilga initiated contact via telepathy to relay the message to his companions. This is Ilga. Can you hear me? However, there was no reply. Ilga thought that it was odd, so he contacted other members of the bandits by telepathy. This is Ilga, please respond! Hey, Arek! Stein! Goering! Please respond! No matter how many times he called out, or who he contacted by telepathy, no one answered. (Damn it, whats going on!? After all the effort we put into getting those guys off our back, if they come back now well be in trouble. Were racing against time here Huh!?) What caught his eyes was a black object in the direction of the field. Ilga was astonished as he stared fixedly at the object that was still growing bigger by the minute It was a Dark Zell. However, its size was far greater than any other Dark Zell he has ever seen. W-whats that!? Ilgas jaw dropped. At that moment, a voice resounded in his head. It was the voice of the leader of the detached troop, Zefald. Hey, can you hear me, Ilga? Y-yes By the sound of your voice, I guess youve seen that huh? By that, of course, he was referring to that gigantic Dark Zell. Ilga was still unable to take in the situation, while Zefald continued. Listen carefully. Remember that herd of black-colored Zell that we gathered the other day? After we gathered a certain number of them, they suddenly began to combine. C-combine you say? Dont tell me that the guys were unreachable because they were eaten by that gigantic Dark Zell Nah, dont worry. Everyone is in the middle of running for their lives right now. The gigantic Dark Zell moves pretty slowly, so its not that difficult to escape from it. To be able to direct everyone, Zefald was on higher ground with a few of his men, so that he could get a clear view of the whole area. If that Zefald said that things were fine, then they should be. Ilga felt relieved while Zefald continued to speak. Although we did not foresee this happening, this situation is still favorable for us. That gigantic Dark Zell is heading towards Nanami Town as we planned. Well aim for the time when the townsfolk evacuates. A sense of uneasiness welled up in Ilga. He had a really bad feeling about the situation. Ilgas hunch had always proven to be right thus far. This time, when Ilga experienced the same chills as before, he objected without further thought. That gigantic Dark Zell is suspicious. We dont know what it would do, and it could be dangerous if we went along with the plan and let it attack the town You moron! If we ran away here, those henchmen wont keep quiet after all the work you made them do! Even if it might be dangerous, weve got no choice but to do it! C C Tch. Indeed, hes right. After having the henchman take up the dangerous role of luring the Dark Zell, if we ran away with our tail between our legs and later tell them that there is no reward, the henchmen would surely go into a rampage and get out of hand. If that happened, the subordinates would surely have doubts about Zefalds qualifications as their leader. Since weve already come this far, we cant pull out. Ilga also knew that well. I understand. Just in case, Ill head towards the town too. That would be helpful. With a short reply, communication with Zefald was cut off. He was probably on his way towards Nanami Town too. Zefald had been taking care of Ilga after all, and if this bandit group were to get crushed, Ilga would have to find a place to go next. (At the very least, I should return the favor for the times he had taken care of me.) Ilga pulled his hood over his eyes and teleported towards Nanami Town which the gigantic Dark Zell was drawing near to. All right, all right. Guh Ugh! Gradually, the red color faded from Shirushus hair. In the past few days, Shirushu had to undergo Beast transformation multiple times. Her control over the Beast state had improved greatly, and she was now able to get in and out of the Beast state in a shorter time than before. Even in battle, she could afford to pay attention to our needs. Fuu, haa Shirushu inhaled deeply and exhaled as she gently brushed her pale, pink hair. Her cheeks were flushed and perspiration trickled down her forehead. Good work, Shirushu. Thank you very much, Milly-san. Milly held out a towel for Shirushu, which she took to wipe the perspiration off her face and neck. Suddenly, Milly seemed to notice something as she abruptly turned to look eastward. Milly-san? Somethings coming Shirushu and I were drawn in by her statement and also looked in the same direction. At a place further out from the distant Nanami Town, there was something. It was faint, but there was unmistakably something big and black. It was so far away that I could only vaguely see it, but I could already feel its terrifying magic power. This feeling was the same as that time when I was attacked by the black monster in the air. Hurry, were returning to Nanami Town now. Uruk! Milly cast Summon Servant to call out her familiar, Uruk. From the light emerged a horse with wings and a horn. Milly jumped onto its back and snapped the reins. I will go ahead and check out the situation! Ah, if the town is in a panic, please lead the people to evacuate! Please be careful, Milly-san! Leave it to me! Neeeigh!! With a high-pitched cry, Uruk flapped his large wings and soared to the skies. While seeing Milly off, I took Shirushus hand and cast Teleport. At any rate, isnt that Dark Zell much bigger than normal? The closer we got to Nanami Town, the better we were able to see that gigantic Zell. It looked like a Dark Zell, but it was even bigger than the fort around the town. People were scrambling to escape from the town as they all rushed towards the gate. Milly had probably directed them there. Even from here, I could see her in the air, calling for people to evacuate. Uu, theres a really awful smell For now, lets just enter the town. Inside, the town was completely deserted and the stone pavements were damp with something like black sludge. Due to that, it was sticky and difficult to run. The terrible stench, like the smell of rotten eggs, assaulted my nose. Ugh Im starting to feel sick Shirushus face turned blue as she covered her mouth with her hand. For a Beastfolk who has a good sense of smell, Shirushu was probably having a hard time. Shirushu, please look around the town to check if theres anyone who did not manage to escape in time! W-what Dont tell me, youre going to fight that gigantic monster alone, Zeph-san? Dont worry, Milly is around too anyway. Best of luck. I bid farewell to Shirushu, then ran towards the black monster in the distance. CH 162.1 I set my gaze on the black lump and cast Scout Scope. Dark Zell Level 146 Magic Power 21423148/21423148 Oh, this is outrageous. Its magic power has surpassed 20 million. Or perhaps I should say, as I had expected, this guy is a Dark Zell. Its gigantic, but its exactly what a Dark Zell looks like. Considering the fact that the Dark Zell had previously leveled up by eating other monsters, this Dark Zell must have used similar means to level up this much. However, for it to suddenly appear in such a big size This has become a troublesome matter. Milly, can you hear me? Milly? Yeah yeahh, Im listening. Do you know around which part of town that big guy is at now? Hmm A part of it has already trespassed into town, but the main part of its body is still around the northern outer wall, I think. I see, the protective barrier is especially strong near the fort, so the Dark Zell is probably being forced to stay there. Alright, lets join up now while we can. Lets stop the Dark Zell together. Got it ? While running, I looked up and saw that Milly had changed directions in midair and was gradually descending towards me as I had instructed. Sorry for the wait! Here, board quickly. Mm. After verifying that I have mounted on the horse behind her, Milly lightly snapped the reins and Uruk ran up into the sky. We reached the towns fort at once and saw that it was like a black bog on the ground. Hey hey, dont tell me that all of that is the Dark Zell? Uwaa, so muddy What should we do, Zeph? Umm That things huge. Since well probably have a long-drawn fight, seal off Uruk and well fight on the ground. If we fought while seated on Uruk, the magic consumption would be too much. It would be more efficient for Milly and I to fight on our own. Mm, got it! Neeeigh! Milly replied enthusiastically while snapping Uruks reins. Uruk neighed as it sped on towards the fort. Then, it landed, and Milly and I dismounted. Good work, Uruk. Milly stroked Uruks mane as it snorted, then it vanished with the light. Alright then When I turned to look towards the towns fort, I saw that a part of the gigantic Dark Zell was raised in our direction, arched in the shape of a sickle, and poised for attack. Something like an eyeball rotated from within its mud-like body. Then, the Dark Zell opened its mouth wide and it breathed out a black mist. Uwaa, whats that. How disgusting Its probably breathing out poison. Milly, hold this in your mouth. While saying that, I took out a white-colored grass from my bag and shoved it into Millys mouth. Mmph!? That was a medicinal herb with detoxification properties, known as the Remilla Grass. Its slightly bitter, but if you hold it in your mouth without swallowing, you would be able to move about even in a poisonous fog. After being force-fed with the Remilla Grass, Millys lips were damp in a white liquid as she furrowed her brows. Its so bitter Dont swallow it, just endure it for a while, Milly. I, too, held the Remilla Grass in my mouth as I cast Summon Servant. A dazzling light shone as I felt the distinct weight of a great sword appear on my hands. The Great Divine Sword Ainbelle. The sword glowed as Ains listless voice echoed in my head. Owaa, that is huge~ Im going to work you hard, Ain. I glanced up at the sky and saw that it was just cloudy enough. Hmm, then lets go with that? I pointed the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle at the sky and took a stance. Oh Spirits of the world, shout out like a storm and cry out like the thunder. Eradicate the enemy before me, for it has done wrong unto the heavens Black Thunder. As I spoke, the skies shone. A bolt of lightning struck the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle and was absorbed by it. The Great Divine Sword Ainbelle crackled with electrical energy as I held it in a low position and took a stance, then looked towards Milly. Milly, match my timing and cast Blue Gale. Got it! In addition to that, I began a chant to cast another magic spell, White Plasm, which is of the Soul type. I signaled Milly with my eyes and swung my sword, letting all the magic spells loose together with my slash. Blue Gale, Black Thunder and White Plasm. The three Great Magic spells formed a triple fusion spell. Take this! With a flash of the blade, the Blue, Sky and Soul-type magic spells mixed and exploded. Thunderbolts, accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning and a hail storm swept over the area, swallowing up the black mud. Under the cloudy sky, an endless storm ravaged. It was as if we were watching the end of the world. Hyaa!? Milly screamed and leaped backward, as a hailstone buzzing with electricity fell at where she once stood. The aftermath of the attack has even reached us a distance away. I protected my head using my artificial arm and moved slightly further away from the center of the storm with Milly. Er Zeph, were in danger too, though!? It seems to be the case huh. While somehow dodging the incessant lighting bolts and the large hailstones, Milly cried out in desperation. The fusion of three great magic spells was continued for an unusually long duration and over a wider area of effect. Hmm a storm of destruction pouring down as if the sky itself were howling I guess Ill name this combination of spells the Howling Storm? Now is not the time for this! Geez! While evading the projectiles that whizzed past due to the strong winds, I cast Scout Scope on our target. Dark Zell Level 146 Magic Power 21315285/21423148 Dark Zell Level 146 Magic Power 21282642/21423148 Dark Zell Level 146 Magic Power 21178337/21423148 In just a few seconds, the Dark Zells magic power was reducing. Furthermore, the storm didnt show any sign of abating yet. Since the gigantic Dark Zell has a large surface area to receive attacks, its likely that it was continuously taking damage. Although its dangerous for us too, the attack was plenty powerful. Lets cast another round of spells, Milly. Ehh!? Wait, youre going to make it worse than this!? Despite her complaints, Milly came to stand beside me. She sulked and drooped her head, but she knew that it couldnt be helped. Together with Milly, I charged up the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle with Black Thunder. Then, I matched the timing with Milly, and once again we fired off Howling Storm. Amid the thunderstorm that has yet to cease, a new storm emerged and ravaged the land. The combination of the blinding lights, the rumbling thunder, and the pouring, rock-like hail from the storms caused the Dark Zells giant body to begin breaking down at an intense rate. Owwie!? Millys head was struck by a fist-sized hailstone, and with a loud clink, it broke into half. For a moment, she hugged her head with tears in her eyes and squatted down in pain, but then she somehow managed to stagger back onto her feet. Hmm. Milly, that girl, has quite the hard skull huh. You okay? Uuu It hurts To reduce the likely area of getting hit, I embraced Milly with one arm, while using my artificial hand in place of an umbrella to shield her. If its only a small hailstone, the prosthetic should be sufficient to guard against it. Look, youre less likely to get hit now, right? Now, hold one more piece of Remilla grass in your mouth. Thanks, Zeph. I handed a piece of Remilla grass to Milly, which she held in her mouth. In any case, this storm sure is difficult to evade, even for myself. Perhaps its better to distance ourselves for now. I carried Milly into my arms and retreated out of range of Howling Storm. Wow, that guys magic power is gradually being shaved off. Its surface area is larger. With a higher chance of getting hit, its probably receiving a lot of damage. After that, we fired off Howling Storm several more times, and the Dark Zells magic power was reduced to its current 12 million. Incidentally, during this time, Milly also received three shots of hailstones to her head but well, she looks surprisingly fine. More importantly, the damage inflicted onto the Dark Zell was reduced from before. Is it effective? That, Im sure of. The gigantic Dark Zells body that was so swollen before has now shrunk to half its original size. However, that was probably just a change in form to defend against Howling Storm, rather than due to the damage it took. Therefore, compared to before, Howling Storm was somewhat lacking in effectiveness. As evidence of that, while the Dark Zell shrank, its color also seemed to become more concentrated, as if dyed jet black. While its body grew denser and smaller, its attack and defense abilities also increased. The fort around the town was already half melted away, and the Dark Zell looked like it was just about to enter the town. At this rate, the town would be in danger. Milly, were going in for close combat. Lets deliver the final blow. Mm! As the storm subsided, we ran towards the gigantic Dark Zell. Z-zeph-san! When we were about to dash out, Shirushu contacted me via telepathy. Her voice contained so much urgency that I subconsciously stopped in my tracks. I gestured for Milly to wait, then replied Shirushu. Whats going on? Did something happen? This is bad! Black monsters have entered the town a-and they are attacking people! What!? Until just now, because of Howling Storm, I couldnt get a good look at the town, but when did the other monsters get in..? Damn it! I clicked my tongue in frustration, while Shirushu continued to speak. The mud and poisonous fog have subsided, but its getting too hard for me to defend on my own Please, could you please send help?! Got it, Ill head over now. I cut off telepathy and turned to Milly with an uneasy look. Milly, sorry but could you keep that Dark Zell distracted for a while? It seems like things are going haywire in the town. M-mm Be careful, Zeph. Yeah, Milly too, dont push yourself okay? I patted Millys head, then ran off towards the town. If its just to keep the gigantic Dark Zell distracted, Milly alone should be sufficient, especially since its movements were dull. CH 162.2 In the town, the black fog and mud that had filled the place earlier had more or less subsided, which made it easier to move about. Perhaps due to the gigantic Zell compressing itself, the mud and fog which seeped into the town were reduced. Shirushu, where are you! I-In the shopping street! Shirushus voice was audible for a moment but quickly broke off. For telepathy, a certain level of focus is required. She was probably in a battle so intense that she couldnt maintain that level of focus. The shopping street, huh? In any case, I should head there immediate- C C !? S-sluurpp Cra-ck! There was the sound of bones being crushed and the sucking of meat juices. I was about to change directions and run away when something caught my eye. There was a monster eating a man. The upper half of the mans body had already been eaten, and the black monster was straddled across it. The monster had a pair of small wings and a horn, and had a human-like form. Gii Having discovered my presence, the black monster paused mid-meal and slowly turned to look at me. Its eyes were bright red and its mouth opened wide, splitting its face open from ear to ear. ???? Level 100 Magic Power 12142521215875 Good grief, yet another new species? For the time being, guess Ill call it the Dark Imp. Moreover, there are several of these around. I can feel strong magic scattered around this area. I have neither the time nor magic to spare against a single opponent. In that case I guess Ill use that? I cast Time Square, followed by Red Ball, Blue Ball and White Ball while time was stopped, forming the triple fusion spell, Vanishing Ball. C C !? With one hit of the released spell, the Dark Imp vanished. No, to be exact, it blew up rather than vanished. The Dark Imp broke into pieces as small as beans, which glistened as they disappeared into the void. The combined magic of the two conflicting systems, Red and Blue, results in a powerful explosion. With the addition of the Soul type of magic, which conflicts with the other four magic systems, an even stronger shock wave was created. Gyaaaa!? Phew! Another Dark Imp charged at me, but again I blew it far away with Vanishing Ball. Hey hey, you sure fly well, dont you? Vanishing Ball is only effective on small monsters, and it has low damage. There are limited ways to use the spell, but once you pinpoint the right way, it becomes useful. Well then, Shirushu is waiting. I should meet up with her soon Wait up, Zeph! As I was about to run off, Oaks appeared before me. Its you, huh. We met at a good time, didnt we! Its safer for the two of us to fight together here, dont you think? Hm. That reminds me, this guy previously mentioned that he had defeated a Dark Zell, right? Well, its true that in this situation, help from anyone or anything would be welcomed. If we fought together, it may be more efficient I guess? Got it, come with me. Oh! Thats great! Oaks slapped my back with a big grin on his face, while I cast Scout Scope on him. Oaks Grambell Level 25 Magic Level Red: 0/0 Blue: 0/0 Green: 0/0 Sky: 0/0 Soul: 0/0 Magic Power 0/0 Level 25 Setting aside his zero magic power, does this guy really have the ability to defeat a Dark Zell? The Dark Zell is tough, but its attacks are not that strong. At this level, would it have been possible to drive away the Dark Zell so long as you have time? Well, ones fighting ability isnt in proportion to his level anyway. This pattern is more striking in vanguards like Lydia and Shirushu, but somehow Im still uneasy about it. I cast a doubtful glance at Oaks, but he simply smiled back innocently. In the worst case, I guess I could use him as a meat shield? While I was considering that, Oaks and I headed towards the shopping street. Haa Haa! Hey Oaks, your breathing is ragged. I Im fine! Theres no need for worry! Oaks was gasping for air as he caught up to me with great difficulty. Seriously though, is he going to be fine? If he cant keep up with me, Im going to leave him behind. Vanishing ball! Gii!? With a great impact, the Dark Imp was blasted off into the sky and vanished. There are so many of them Agh!? I winced as a sharp pain assaulted my right arm. Vanishing Ball is a magic spell that blasts away the opponent with a strong force. For its power to be fully displayed, the spell needs to be invoked at point-blank range. Consequently, in that instant of impact, the recoil on the hand is exceptionally great. Due to the repeated Vanishing Balls, my right arm had been feeling numb since earlier, and I was starting to lose feeling in it. It would be fine to use my artificial arm to cast the spell, but Im unable to perform such fine control using the prosthetic yet At this rate, my right arm is going to become useless. Haa haa Youre good Zeph! Come on, lets get going. As I faced forward and was about to continue running towards the shopping street, something shone at the edge of my field of view. Mm!? It was the light from powerful magic. At once, I cast White Wall Square. Immediately after the white, magic walls appeared, a terrible storm ravaged the area. Is this Black Zero? The walls formed from White Wall Square creaked unsteadily. Even these walls, formed from a quadra-fusion spell, stand little chance against the Sky systems strongest magic. Little by little, fissures appeared and streaked across the wall with cracking sounds, and fragments of the wall fell to the ground and disappeared. Damn it, I dont think it will last long. Oaks, get down. Eh? What..? His words were cut off by a loud cracking sound as a rift appeared across the wall. It was a fatal crack, so much that the barrier could no longer stay standing. The moment when the wall split open, I placed my artificial left arm before us and desperately cast a spell. Let it be a shield! With my spell, the prosthetic arm opened up wide and became like a shield. The prosthetic, made of magic metal, was able to change its shape if you strongly willed it to. That was what Lydia had briefed me on, but this was the first time I used it in an actual battle. I stooped down and got on my belly to hide behind the shield and prepare for the impending impact. The bullets of stone from Black Zero pummeled on the shield formed from my prosthetic, creating metallic sounds which grated on my ears. Oaks grabbed onto my legs and seemed to be holding on for dear life, trying not to get blown away. After a while, the force of Black Zero gradually weakened. It seems like we held out somehow However, as expected, this was way too tough on us. Even though White Wall Square had mitigated the initial blow, the prosthetic which had to bear the rest of Black Zero was badly beaten up. I stood back up and willed the prosthetic to return to the form of an arm, but it was stuck in its shield form and I cant seem to change it back. Umm, Lydia would probably get mad at me later. While I was checking if the prosthetic was functional, Oaks let out a cry from the ground. Z-Zeph! Look at that! I looked at where Oaks was pointing and saw a black shadow appear inside an abandoned building. Its hard to tell from a distance, but the shadow looked to be slightly taller than me. There were two horns on its head, and it held a trident in one hand. On its black body were bat-like wings and a long tail. It looked like the adult form of the Dark Imp from earlier. For the time being, lets just call it a Dark Demon? Shuuuu! Dark Demon Level 166 Magic Power 66666666666666 Good grief, a big shot just had to appear during this busy time. Having a magic power of 6 million is nothing special, but considering the power of that earlier spell, this guy is probably a magician type. Although it is not common, some monsters are good at magic. Those monsters usually have low magic power but can control extremely powerful magic. That being said, its still the first time Ive seen a monster that can use the Zero type spell. Ukuku! The Dark Demon smirked as it spread its wings widely and rushed in my direction. Then, it raised its right arm and let loose a Black Bullet. Compressed air bullets rained down on us. Before I realized it, Oaks had run away and was hiding behind a distant rock. That guy sure is good at escaping, huh. Well, if hes that far away, I guess he wont get entangled in this. Using my prosthetic that was stuck in its shield form, I blocked the wind bullets that were unleashed on me, while I moved further away from Oaks. Hey Didnt that guy attack us with Black Zero earlier!? Monsters that can use magic usually dont use their own magic power. Instead, they use the mana from the land. It appears that this black monster is no exception, even though it looks like it came from another world. It could immediately attack with another spell right after it consumed all its magic power with Black Zero. In other words, it effectively has limitless magic power and can release any attack, for as many times as it desires, be it Black Zero or any other spell. Shaaaaa! Amid the air bullets, the Dark Demon readied its trident and launched an attack. A dual attack using magic and his spear. The prosthetic is still holding up, but at the same time, it was being shaved off and warped. This If I damage it any further, Lydia will get angry, wont she! While avoiding the monsters attacks, I shot a Vanishing Ball. Ouch!? Right after I blew the Dark Demon away, an intense pain shot up my right arm. It felt like the pain was now full-blown. There was a dull, throbbing pain, and I couldnt feel my arm when I tried to move it. Furthermore even though I had just blown the Dark Demon away with Vanishing Ball, it was already hovering in the skies with its black wings spread out wide, looking down at me from above. As expected, against an opponent of this size, Vanishing Ball isnt able to knock it back far enough. Its troublesome, but were going to have to take it down. Hey Oaks. W-what is it? Be glad. Its time for the secret weapon to take the stage. What do you mean? Without concern for the fear written on Oaks face, I continued. You dont have to do too much, just stand in front to defend me from the attacks. Ill be counting on you alright, Sir Holy Knight? I dont mind even if you defeat it in the meantime. Heh, hehe! I-I-I-In that case, dont worry, l-l-leave it to me! Oaks replied with a shaky voice and a tight-lipped smile. In all honesty, hes not exactly reliable, but hes still better than nothing Probably. While still feeling uneasy with my impromptu partner, I glared at the Dark Demon. The Dark Demon in the air flapped its wings and glided towards us. It moved at a considerable speed, but there was still some distance between us. I downed a mana restoration potion and stepped behind Oaks. Turn back, turn back! Damn it, its not working! I tried to command the prosthetic to turn back into its original form, but besides the sounds of metal grinding against metal, there was no sign of it turning back. With the pain in my right hand, I wont be able to wield the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle either I guess well just have to accept our fates. CH 163.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Lets go!! Hyaa!! Its coming here?!! Hey! Oaks, dont run away! D-Damn it! After dodging the Dark Demons charge, he took out a spectacular shield from his bag. Cross Shield. It was a massive shield with a cross embedded in it, consisting of several layers of magical metal. It was quite costly, but it also had a lot of defensive power. Oaks sure has quite the nice shield there. Good, with this hell be able to stop the Dark Demon. Hiii?!! Or at least he should have been able to stop it. However, Oaks let out a miserable shriek and jumped out of the Dark Demons way, avoiding the attack. The Dark Demon was surprised by the sudden dodge as well and gave up on attacking again as it flew away. As he saw that Oaks threw away the Cross Shield and hid behind a rock, trembling. You imbecile! Get yourself together! I-I cant do it!! Theres no way I can fight against something like that!! Oaks said while crying behind the rock. I was right to think that this guy wouldnt be useful at all. I guess he was all talk. Im sorry. It was all a lie I am neither the one who saved the town from the monsters nor the Holy Knight!! I just gave in to the urge and pretended to be him! Oaks said with tears flowing down his face. I see. So the Holy Knight who saved the Nanami wasnt Oaks but someone else. And after that person defeated the Dark Zells he just left without saying anything. Oaks must have decided to imitate him in the hopes of receiving a reward meant for the Holy Knight. What a heinous crime, to say the least. He should have known that he would have been found out eventually. Jauuuuu. The Dark Demon threw a look at the Oaks hiding behind the rock and then pointed his spears towards me. It chose me as its opponent instead of Oaks, who had already lost his will to battle. Sha!! I dodged the Dark Demons all-out attack by jumping to the side and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and White Crash. Double Fusion: Nova Crash. A roar erupted, and the Dark Demon was engulfed in a ball of white flames. It fell to the ground and after the flames died off it once again fled to the sky. Good. With its current speed, Ill be able to dodge its attacks while being able to counterattack as well. The problem is what Ill do in case it decides to use spells. But I can guess if that time comes I can just dodge them or take them head-on. Either way, I must focus on recovering my magic power for the time being. I lost myself in meditation as I began to recover my magic power while also keeping an eye out on my opponent. While gazing at me, the Dark Demon began to amass magical power at its spear. Shaaaaaa!! It let out a loud shriek and swung the spear down. As it did so dozens of flame balls appeared out of thin air. It was Red Bullet. Its easy to offset it, however, I want to preserve my magic power. Ill just dodge them all. I grasped the orbit of all of the incoming flames bullets and began to dodge without making any excess movements. And if I encountered a bullet that I couldnt dodge no matter what I blocked it with my arm which was still stuck in its shield form. After dodging all of the flames bullets I quietly hid within the smoke. Hes not moving. I should recover my magic power while I can. I had managed to recover quite a bit of magic power thanks to meditating, however, the Dark Demons magic power was over 600,000. It was by no means a lot, but having it fly around made it quite annoying. It was hard to hit it with a big spell and having spells fired at me from mid-air was troublesome. However, there were advantages as well. Him being in the air meant that I could use my fivefold spells without having to worry that I would break the continent. Still, I guess Platinum Slash is a no-go, considering its range isnt all that big, which will make it harder to hit. I can only use Break here But can I really pull it off? Without Divine Greatsword Ainbelles assistance, a penta fusion of intermediate spells would be rather taxing on my body. At the battle with Grain three years ago I had let my rage take over me and had managed to cast a couple of them. As far as I remembered, each time I had done so, a number of my magic lines tore, and an unimaginable pain coursed through my body. However, my current body is not as it was back then. My body has grown considerably both physically and magically. The way I am now I should be able to withstand the burden from the penta fusion. Gihihi! The Dark Demon opened its red mouth wide and laughed. It must have been quite exciting after seeing that I wasnt counterattacking. I once again swung its spear and this time bullets of wind flooded the sky. Black Bullet. Now! I aimed for the moment it cast its spell and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash, Blue Crash, Black Crash, Green Crash, White Crash. Penta Fusion: Platinum Break. As time began to flow again a dazzling light burst forth. The swirl of white-gold light burst out from my hand and pierced through the Dark Demon. It completely destroyed its Black Bullet and flew past the cloudy sky, leaving behind a shining line. ?!! A feeling of pain coursed through my whole body as I felt my magic power lines burning. However, it wasnt something that I couldnt withstand. Ha Ha Phew Wiping off my sweat I tried to calm down my hastened breathing. It certainly does take out a lot of me, but with breaks, I think I can fire off a number of them. The worn-out Dark Demon emerged from the smoke after the light faded. Dark Demon Level 166 Magic Power 5,856,631 / 6,666,666 Quite a chunk of its magic power had been shaved off. Magician-type monsters usually had a high resistance towards spells, but no matter how strong it may have been, it would have been impossible for it to completely block Platinum Break. With a face full of anger, the Dark Demon began to gather power in its whole body, and its wounded body began to restore itself. Perfect. The longer it takes to restore itself, the more I can meditate to restore my magic power. I concentrated in an attempt to cool down my burning magic power lines. Good, Ive healed up quite a bit. However, it wasnt enough as to where I could take down the Dark Demon. I must restore as much as I can with mediation and save up as much of my magic power restoration medicine as possible. Shaa!!! I continued to meditate while dodging the Dark Demons Red Bullet spell. True, magic thrown from the air was terrifying, but it also meant that there was some distance between the spell and the target, making it simple to avoid. After dodging the rain of fire I looked up at the angry Dark Demon and laughed. Kuku. You wont hit me with that. Use something flashier. Giii!!! After hearing my words, the Dark Demon got angry and once again began to cast something. Good. It took the bait. As soon as dozens of wind bullets appeared around the Dark Demon I once again cast Platinum Break. And then the whirlpool of light on again enveloped all of the wind bullets as well as the Dark Demon. When casting it was leaving itself wide open. With Platinum Break I was able to completely destroy its spell as well cause damage to its body as well. 7 more!! I heard a piercing yell from afar as I wiped the sweat from my brow and attempted to slow down my breathing. Looking towards the direction of the voice, I noticed that the Dark Demon had already begun gathering its magic power. Giiii The rhythm of this chant Its a curse! And on top of that, its one that Ive seen. The Dark Demons right hand, which was pointing towards me, had amassed a great deal of magical power. Deciding not to regenerate itself this time, the Dark Demon concentrated a great deal of magic power on one point. Gigi, GIIII!!!! This is bad!!! It was Black Zero. The wind, which had taken on the form of a spear, flew towards me. The Dark Demon had decided to take on my spell head-on, just so that it could counter with Black Zero. Although Black Zeros cast was quite lengthy, its speed was the fastest out of all of the intermediate spells. It had a wide range as well and I had no means to dodge it, considering I had just fired off a Great Spell. As the spear of wind drew closer I could feel the fierce wind. I prepared myself for the impact, however, for some reason it never came. Did it fail to cast it? No. Did something block it for me? The smoke in the area cleared and my view became clear. Then a silhouette appeared out of the smoke. Are you okay? I heard a dignified female voice, which I was quite familiar with. As the wind blew, the smoke cleared, and the person revealed himself. Standing before me was a blonde girl donned in white armor. The girls long hair fluttered in the wind. Her face, however, was for some reason hidden behind a mask. As her eyes, behind the mask, met with mine we both froze up. Silence enveloped the area around us, just as if time had stopped. The shape of the girls face was quite similar to the face of a girl that I had known for a long time. It was the face of the beautiful girl knight, who had accompanied me on my journey three years ago. Claude Is that you? .?!!! CH 163.2 After hearing my question, the girl made some weird movements before turning around to hide her face. You must have the wrong person Its not me M-My name is Claudia The girl answered while hiding her mouth with her mantle Theres no mistaking it, thats Claude alright. And he even tried to fool me by using a different name In order to avoid my suspicious look Claude turned, and pointed at the Dark Demon. T-That aside. We should focus on taking down the enemy first!! she said. Well I guess youre right. Ill ask you for the details later, is that okay with you Claudia? O-Okay Her imposing tone from just now was nowhere to be found as she replied timidly while looking down. I guess the Holy Knight that Oaks spoke of must have been Claude. But why is Claude, who is supposed to be in the North Continent here? The only things here are my house, and the black monsters who recently started assaulting the town Could it be that youre protecting Nanami from the black monsters? Thats Youre right Although it might have been unnecessary Claude said in a quiet tone. I see. Then it makes sense. Claude probably took care of the Dark Zells around the city, not letting them in. In a situation where the Dispatch Magicians have their hands full, Claude protected my hometown in secret from the unknown dark monsters. It was by no means unnecessary. Thank you Claude. Im telling you my name is Claudia I couldnt stop laughing after witnessing how stubborn she was. Still, to think that youd put on a mask and hide your face Im telling you, you have the wrong person! Its embarrassing! I used to live here before! Theres nothing to be embarrassed about, no one else besides us knows who you are. Your hair. You grew it out huh. It suits you. Thank you. she said as her cheeks flushed and she tried to hide her delight by turning her head away. And behind her, the flabbergasted Dark Demon, who had just had its Black Zero completely blocked, swung down its spear at us. A wind sprung up and covered the area around it. Black Bullet huh. Dozens of wind bullets aimed at Claude However, it was to no avail. The rain of wind bullets disappeared just before they could touch her. The mage killer spell, Screen Point. It was Claudes Unique Spell. It covered her body and could disperse all kinds of spells. Even the Black Zero from before, which boasted enough power to wipe out its target, proved to be useless before Claudes Screen Point. It wont work. As Claude swung down her longsword, a breeze blew away the smoke. As I tried to go forward she waved her cloak and stopped me. Zeph-kun, Ill go forward! And Ill take the rear, right? Yes!! she said while nodding and turned towards the Dark Demon, sword and shield in hand. She had the same orthodox stance as before, but the feeling of mastery she gave off now, was incomparable to before. She must have trained hard these past three years. Shuuu Having realized that spells wouldnt work the Dark Demon decided to get in close and landed on the ground. The spear wielding Dark Demon against the sword wielding Claude. Both of them, while holding onto their weapon of choice, stood and seized up one another for a few seconds. The thing that broke the silence was the sudden appearance of a while flame, which enveloped the Dark Demon. Double Fusion: Nova Sphere. Seeing him full of openings I blasted him with a spell. Gyaaa!!! The white flames wrapped around the Dark Demons just like a snake. You imbecile, who told you this would be a one on one fight. Your opponent isnt just Claude. I cant have you forgetting that Im here as well. One of the Dark Demons hands flew up in the air the following minute, while still being scorched by the flames. Claude hadnt missed the opportunity and had charged in to cut it off cleanly with a single slash. Each time her sword danced, more and more traces stacked up on the Dark Demons body. HAAAA!! Claudes swordsmanship was so accomplished that each of her strokes seemed to conceal a few more. After her ferocious rush she firmly planted her foot on the ground, took on a low pose with her sword and slowly lowered her body. After which she suddenly disappeared. In the next instant she appeared behind the Dark Demon, tucking away her sword in its scabbard. A metal sang rang out and alongside it a trace of a sword slash bloomed like a flower on the Dark Demons body. Without turning to look back Claude whispered something. White Flash. Without realizing what had just happened the Dark Demon desperately tried to grab onto Claude. However, its hand split into pieces which fell to the ground and disappeared. Each time the Dark Demon attempted to move its body crumbled, and just like that it dispersed. Its over. Claude said, turning around as a strong wind blew past her. While her lovely golden hair flapped, the Dark Demons body was carried away by the wind and vanished into the sky. Claude gave a final look towards the Dark Demon, before she turned around to face me. Even if one were to destroy the body of the monster, the monsters magic power value wouldnt be reduced significantly; but, if the body was split into more than a specified number of parts, the monster would vanish regardless of its remaining magic power. Of course, a considerable amount of attack power was needed to perform the feet. Youve grown stronger Claude. Holy Knight No, Claudia-san!! Oaks yelled out. Despite having her name called, Claude just gazed off blankly. Good grief. Wasnt it you, who called yourself Claudia just a moment ago, and now you dont even respond when youre called. After I slightly poked her with my elbow she finally came to. Without caring that he had been ignored by Claude, Oaks lowered his head to the ground. I deeply apologize! E-Eh? Claude was taken aback by Oaks sudden actions, however she then clapped her hands as if she had remembered something. Could you be the one from that time? she asked. T-Thats right!! Im Oaks. You helped me when I was attacked by the black monsters. It seems like Claude had completely forgotten about him. I guess the masked ally of justice couldnt remember the people she saved due to there being so many of them. In a sense, thats just like her. I didnt impersonate you with any ill intentions in mine Its just that Im weak And I wanted to become strong fast So I imitated your appearance and tricked the people of this town Im really sorry!!! Faced with Oaks confession, Claude didnt say anything. Seeing her act like that, Oaks got even more frightened and lowered his head even further. Ill return all of the money that I received from the villagers!! So please forgive me!!! Oaks said while weeping. Seeing him like that, Claude kneeled down and put her hand on his shoulder. Please lift your head. Im not angry. Claudia-san With a complicated expression on her face, Claude smiled at Oaks, as he lifted up his teary-eyed face. Its fine if youre weak now. As long as you have the will to become stronger you definitely will. It was the same for me in the past. T-Thank you Thank you!!! That is why Oaks-san you have to keep trying. she said, while putting out her hand. Oaks grabbed onto it, while his tears streamed down his face. I guess its about time. Deciding that it was time to leave this place I placed my hand on Claudes shoulder. There are still more enemies you know. Oh!! Youre right Youll have to excuse me. I need to go. she said. Okay!! Be careful Claudia-san!! Oaks said. Ahahaha Claude gave a dry laugh to Oaks, who wasnt able to clear away the misunderstanding until the very end. Still, Claude, I was quite shocked to meet you in a place like this. I said. Ehehe. Same goes for me. I was certain that Id definitely meet you one day, but I didnt think that itd be this soon she said while laughing. With Claude alongside me, we rushed to meet up with Shirushu. As we were moving I received a telepathy from Shirushu, who had lost contact with me earlier, and according to it, she had gotten through the bind she was in by turning into her beastfolk form and was currently heading towards us. I wasnt sure if it was because we had defeated the Dark Demon, but the Dark Imps in the town were beginning to disappear. The Dark Demon must have called them out. Well either way, its good that everyones okay By the way, Claude, why arent you taking your mask off? Huh?! When she heard my query, Claude was taken aback, stopping in her tracks and looking at me with an ashamed face. Its hard to see with that thing, isnt it? Your cover has already been blown, so theres no point in hiding anymore. That is indeed true but she said while fiddling with her fingers. Her face flushed, and her mouth moved slowly as she attempted to speak in a very quiet tone. I-Im just too ashamed to look at you without it HUH? I replied instinctively. Wasnt it because of me that you had to go through that, Zeph-kun? Thats why I I see now Come to think of it, Claude did attack me three years ago under Grains influence. It wasnt that big of a deal, to think that shed still be worried about it. I let out a sigh and put my fingers on Claudes mask. You dont have to worry about that any more. Its fine, so take your mask off. Even if you say that I-I dont want someone to take it off for me! Then can you do it yourself? Ugh Ill try Claude said, placing her hands on her mask. I-Im taking it off she said as she nervously took her mask off. Her eyes slowly lashed open, and her brilliant blue eyes peered out from beneath the mask. Her face appeared to be a little more mature than before, and it even had a seductive edge to it. She stopped just as the mask had reached the area around her mouth and looked up at me, while asking in a quiet tone. I-Is this fine? She still had some infantile features three years ago, but now with her hair grown out as well, she looked like a proper woman. Youve grown into quite the beauty. I almost couldnt recognize you. As I drew in closer to get a better look Claudes face turned bright red. Just as I drew in even further, just right before our faces were about to touch, Claude suddenly jumped forward and hugged me. Whoa?!D-Dont scare me like that Hehe. Im sorry, Zeph-kun. But please, just let me stay like this for a bit. Well I dont mind. Well its been three whole years, I might as well let her do as she pleases until Shirushu comes. As I thought that, my eyes wandered to Claudes neck area. There I saw that she was still wearing the choker that I had given to her as a present before. I couldnt see it because of her coat before, but it seems like shes treasuring it. Knowing that I got quite happy. As a way to give back to her for treasuring it, I wrapped my hands around her back. Zeph-san!! Claude-san!! Shirushu yelled out from afar. Shirushu! Its been a while Shirushu-san! Claude said. I know!! Both of them embraced one other after exchanging hello. Good grief, calm down a bit Shirushu. Ahahaha, Im sorry. That aside, are there any more monsters left in the town? There arent any monsters that stand out in the town but She stopped midway as she turned to look at the white horse flying in the air. Milly. Well then, lets go help her! Okay!! Shirushu replied. I took Claude and Shirushus hands and cast Teleport. CH 164.1 The Dark Zell was continuously shooting black mucus at Uruk and Milly. Given the numerous lumps of black mucus on the ground, she had probably avoided quite a few of them. Milly!!! I yelled out Zeph? After noticing us, Milly slowly descended towards us. Milly leaped down from Uruks back, sweating profusely as she seemed to be out of breath. You did great. I said hugging her. T-Thank you she replied, closing her eyes and losing consciousness due to her fatigue. She must have run out of magic power You really did great Milly. Shirushu, could you look after Milly? Of course! I handed Milly over to Shirushu and Claude and I made our way towards the massive Dark Zell. Well take care of it ourselves. Lets go Claude. Okay!! Dark Zell Level 146 Magic Power 5,125,875 / 21,423,148 Milly sure did whittle it down quite a bit. Even though I told her not to go overboard. As I was sighing in regret Claude stepped in front of me and dashed towards the Dark Zell with her hand on her swords handle. HAAAA!!! She pulled out her sword and slashed down. Numerous flashes tore through the air, landing on the Dark Zells body. The Dark Zell, on the other hand, recovered quickly, stretching out a portion of its body in the shape of a tentacle trying to grab Claude. However, I managed to repel it by using Black Sphere. Back down Claude. Urgh! Without resisting, Claude pulled back next to me. Even though its movements are dull, its body is still enormous. If were not careful well be swallowed whole. Close-range combat is dangerous. Damn it. If only I could use Ain! I could synthesise more spells and chop off its massive body from afar if I had Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. However, it was difficult to handle the massive sword because my left arm was stuck in its shield form, and my right arm was also wounded. No, wait! It was then that I glanced at Claude standing next to me. Im not alone. If I cant wield the greatsword by myself then Ill just ask Claude for help. Claude, lend me your strength for a bit. Whenever you say, Zeph-kun! Perfect. I grabbed Claudes hand and cast Summon Servant. A bright light enveloped our hands and Divine Greatsword Ainbelle appeared. With both of our power combined we were able to wield it. Sup Claude. Its been a while. Ain said. It really has been a while, Ain-chan. Youve grown quite a bit, havent you? Thats right? Youve gotten really pretty as well Claude!! They seemed to be quite excited to exchange greetings for such a long time, however now wasnt the time for that. I placed my hand on top of Claudes hands, which were holding onto Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. I cant wield it properly due to injuring my hands. Can I ask you to help me with it? Of course. Claude replied with a nod. As I had my chest stuck to her back I wrapped around my right arm to grab a hold of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Her little back appeared to be a little wider than before, and she felt a lot more reliable. Lets go Claude! Okay!! I strongly gripped onto Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and cast Time Square. The Dark Zells remaining magic power was 5,000,000. I would need quite the wide area spell in order to take down its huge body. This will take a bit of a toll on my body, but I guess Ill do it either way! While time was stopped I cast White Crash five times and imbued them into Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. After which I immediately felt my body beginning to creak. I guess Fivefold Synthesis really does take a big toll. But even so I held on as I strongly held onto Claudes hands. The bright light was sucked into Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, and alongside it an intense heat spread throughout the sword. Z-Zeph-kun, its hot Dont let go of it now. O-Okay Penta Fusion: White Crash Circle. Claude made a face of anguish as she somehow held onto the shining Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. The swords handle had become extremely heated after absorbing the Penta Fusion spell. Nonetheless, Claude somehow managed to continue holding onto the sword while taking on a stance. Whenever youre ready Zeph-kun Lets go then!! HAAAAAAAA!! Hearing my signal, Claude swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. At the same time, I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast White Crash five more times. Combined with the spell already absorbed by Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, the spell that we activated was Deca Fusion: White Crash Omega. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle left behind it a streak of white light. The white light exploded into the sky shortly after, entirely blowing away the black clouds. Even though we had our eyes closed the light still burned, as it enveloped us. WHOAAA?!!! I stood there watching as the Dark Zell slowly disintegrated while supporting Claude from behind as she was about to be blown away. As the Dark Zell slowly disappeared it left behind a huge curtain of smoke. Good grief. We somehow managed to defeat it. As I let out a sigh I could feel tremendous pain coursing through my body. AUCH! I guess the recoil of casting two Penta Fusion spells one after the other is nothing to sneeze at. My magical power lines were continually emitting shrieks of pain. This time, it was Claude who came to my aid as I became dizzy and was on the verge of collapsing. Zeph-kun, are you okay? she asked. Thank you Claude. Dont worry about it. she said with a smile on her face. The brightness was still enveloping the surrounding area. Its a bit disappointing that I cant see her smile due to the light As I thought that I let my body on top of Claudes chest. When the light died down I noticed that an enormous hole had appeared. It was most likely the ground that had been melted by the Dark Zell. Phew, we somehow managed to win huh. Youre right. Claude said. With her help I somehow managed to stand up on my feet. Auch I guess my body is still quite wobbly. With my own efforts, I was able to stretch out my body. I then turned to face Claude, only to notice that her legs were trembling. H-Huh? Claude!! Just as she was about to drop down to the ground I somehow managed to rush in and support her. Her face was pallid, and her eyes were also blank. As I looked around I noticed that a purple fog was hanging in the area. Is this poison? Ze-ph Tsch! Upon its death, the Dark Zell had probably released this toxic fog around the surroundings. I was fine due to still having the Remira Grass in my mouth, however that wasnt the case for Claude. Claude, get yourself together! Ugh Her eyes closed as she let out an agonizing sigh, and her consciousness faded away with it. I quickly took out a Remira Grass from my back and tried to feed it to Claude, however she refused to chew on it. Damn it. The poison must be quite strong. Its spreading way too fast. Guess I cant help it. I took a sip of water and put the Remira Grass I had just pulled out of my backpack into my mouth. After that, I started chewing. I softly placed my lips on top of Claudes and tried to transfer the liquid once the Remira Grass had converted into a liquid. Urgh Claude quivered for a minute, then with her eyes closed, she gave in without struggle. Even though it was slow, the liquid certainly made its way down Claudes throat. Phew! Well that should do it She had somehow managed to drink it all. All that was left was to wait for it to take effect. Due to the effect of the antidote, Claudes complexion slowly started to get better. Good. Her complexion is going back to normal. Shell probably be able to move again once a bit of time passes. T-Thank you You idiot. Just rest for now. I said, pinching her cheek. Feeling relieved, Claude once again closed her eyes. After a bit she fell asleep. I placed her on top of my back and headed back to Shirushu. Shirushu had also fallen to the ground while clutching Milly behind a boulder a little further away. Good grief. I guess she inhaled the poison as well. I held onto Shirushu and proceeded to do the same thing that I had done for Claude. Urgh Zeph-san? Shirushu asked with a confused expression. Her condition didnt seem to be anything serious. Its either because the poisons effect was weaker because they were farther away, or because of her beastfolk regenerative skills. All thats left is Milly But I guess I dont have to give her any antidote. Her Remira Grass, which shed been chewing since the battle, must still be functioning. Her fatigue aside, it doesnt seem like the poison affected her. Well then, lets carry everyone back to the house. I said. I held onto the three of them and just as I was about to cast Teleport to go back I saw someone crawling out of the hole left behind by the Dark Zell. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties. I didnt know where he had been up until now, but he looked like he was about to pass out at any minute. Hey! You okay?! I let go of Milly and the others and stretched my hand out towards the man. I dragged him out of the pit and cast Healing on him, which improved his appearance. Moaning, the man slowly opened his eyes. Urgh.. Where am I? The Town of Nanami. Are you a villager? Whats your name? I asked. Where is everyone? he inquired in a hazy manner. However, he appeared to have regained his memories and shut up shortly after. It was the awkward feeling of seeing someone stop mid-sentence. The way he cautiously looked around the area also gave off the feeling that he wasnt a normal person. This guy. Hes a magician. His body is well-built and I can also feel his strong magic power circulating around his body. Hes suspicious Thinking that I cast Scout Scope on the guy. After seeing his name, I remembered who he was. Ilga, a bandit magician I had arrested in my past life. He was one of Bertram Cabels, the Flame of Flames, former disciples and a man who would earn himself a wanted sign in the next couple of years. He specialized in gathering a large number of monsters, which he would then dispatch to attack trading company wagons, destroying the traders goods in the ensuing chaos. The random gathering of the Dark Zells in the area makes perfect sense now. He must have used the black monsters to attack the city. Given that the gigantic Dark Zell was able to break through the defensive barrier and infiltrate the town using its mucus and black fog, its possible that the black monsters have the ability to break through our barriers. And this bastard here probably caught onto that as well The bandit magician Ilga. Thats your name isnt it? I asked. ?!! CH 164.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama As soon as I asked my question Ilga froze up. His look was that of complete confusion. He wasnt sure as to how I was able to find out his name, or the fact that he was a magician. It seems I was right. I snatched Ilgas collar and lifted him up. You said everyone didnt you? Did you gather the monsters alongside your pals in an attempt to attack the town? So, where are your pals hiding? I asked. Please. Ilga looked down and raised both of his hands. Is he trying to surrender? You got me. I guess you saw through everything. Ilga said. Dont underestimate me. The stuff the bastards like you commit are clear as day to me. I said. Having been completely found out, Ilga completely lost his will to resist. Well even if he did try to run away its not like I would have allowed him. Give me the details. Okay, okay. he said, after which he proceeded to explain what they had done. My friends were eaten by that huge thing. And the ones that managed to escape were probably eaten by the other monsters His eyes were full of despair as he talked. Come to think of it, I saw a person being attacked by a Dark Imps, but strangely enough that persons body didnt seem like that of an ordinary person. He was probably one of the bandits. Just before I was swallowed up by the huge thing I cast a protective spell, which is how I was able to survive he said. I looked inside the massive hole, and saw several human bones strewn about. Considering his skill as a magician, if Ilga had wanted to he could have escaped alone without any worries. However, the reason he hadnt done so was so that he could try and save his companions. Hes quite fond of his companions it seems Well either way, that doesnt mean that Ill let him go. Why dont you take me to your base? And I presume theres no need to tell you what will happen if you refuse? I said while staring at him menacingly. While on the other hand Ilga looked back at me with a sneer. Good grief, I really dont have any companions left HEY! Theres a black monster over there! he yelled out. Hm? As soon as I heard him I turned around and looked at the place he had pointed at. I didnt see any black monsters, though; instead, there was Milly, who was just waking up and staring at me. Haha! You idiot! Ilga said as he cast Teleport. As I looked back he was already quite far away. Tsch. What a cheap trick Dont think Ill let you go that easily! Milly, look after the other two. Huh? Huh? I cast Teleport and chased after Ilga, leaving Milly befuddled. I followed behind him, while being careful not to be found out. After a while I arrived at an abandoned village. It was a nameless farming village. From what I remembered its youngsters had left for the city, leaving only the elderly behind. It was utterly demolished when I looked at it now, yet there was still evidence of individuals who had recently lived there. Ilga and the other bandits probably used the black monsters to assault the village and make it their base. Well then, where is he hiding? I imagined my magic power flowing out from my body. When it came to a magician of my calibre, I was able to locate monsters or other magicians in a specific region. It was difficult to use it in the centre of towns or dungeons because they were too congested, but it was very beneficial in abandoned villages like this one. I can feel magic power from the north Its faint but its definitely a magician. I came across a run-down house as I continued cautiously. There Lets go. I cast an Intimidation spell so that he wouldnt be able to escape even if I was found out. The Intimidation spell that I used was one made specially by me, after witnessing other magicians use theirs. Its range was small; however, it was more than enough to cover this worn-down house. With this he wont be able to teleport. I walked in carefully. As soon as I did I could clearly feel the presence of a person inside. With each step the floorboards underneath my feet creaked. The inside of the house was unexpectedly narrow, and I quickly managed to make my way to the room in the back. I walked inside after opening the door. I noticed a faint silhouette of a person on the floor. The silver-haired girl wore a red cap and was tied with a rope, while also having a piece of cloth around her mouth. Elise? It was Elise, with whom we parted at Nanami. I thought she went back to Prolea To think that Id meet her here. I dashed over to her right away. I assumed she was sleeping based on her steady breathing. Underneath her eyes I could see traces of tears. These are spell sealing shackles, arent they? They were a type of shackles which could forcefully seal away a persons spells. And they were wrapped around Elises hands. From outside the house I heard something trying to flee just as I was about to cast an unlocking spell to remove the shackles. Ilga!! Damn it. I wanted to chase after him, however I couldnt leave Elise behind. Tsch. That bastard. He used Elise as bait for him to run away. What a sly fox. By the time I noticed he managed to run away far enough from the house, allowing him to use Teleportation. Theres nothing I can do anymore. Ill let him go this time. I then cast the unlocking spell and the shackles fell to the ground. However, the traces of them on Elises small wrists were still there. She must have struggled quite a bit. Elises fingers twitched when I took her hand and cast Healing on her. She slowly opened her eyes and muttered something out. ugrh Youre up. F-Fa As soon as she heard my voice her eyes filled with tears and she jumped forth to hug me. She must have gone through a lot, considering how much her small body was trembling. WAAAA!! FATHER!! she yelled out. H-Hey! I-It was so scary Father waaa Elise She refused to let go of me as she continued to cry her eyes out. It appeared that he was under the impression that I was her father, as she constantly called out for him. This is the first time Ive seen something besides her arrogant side. I have to admit, shes quite cute. As I passed my fingers through her hair I could feel a warm feeling rise up in my chest. Huh? Elise muttered, perplexed. She then sniffed my chest area after which she froze. This is not fathers smell she murmured. She suddenly let go of her grip and raised her head. As our eyes met our faces were on the verge of colliding. This is bad Elises eyes widened and she utterly stopped, as if she was thinking the same thing as me. W-Wha. How should I say this Im sorry that Im not your father !!! Upon hearing my reply Elises face turned bright red. And immediately after that full-force slap landed on my cheek. She then walked behind me and changed into her filthy and soiled clothes. I sat cross-legged, listening to the sound of clothes rubbing. Dont you dare look! Who would If youre that worried why not do it outside the room? T-Thats Well shes probably scared. I shouldnt tease her that much. I patiently waited for Elise to get changed. Im done. she said after a bit. When I turned back, there she was, dressed correctly and with her arms folded in front of her chest. To think that she would still put on that act after just now showing me that shameful sight I guess thats just like her. Elises cheeks flushed and she pouted when she noticed me giggling to myself. Good grief, how could I mistake such a tactless man with my father Elise said. I dont think you have the right to insult me when youre the one who mistook me in the first place. Shut up! Its entirely your fault for having that deceptive haircut! she said, turning to the side. Good grief, what a wilful person. Well still, considering how shes acting, it seems like they didnt do anything to her. I thought that maybe Ilga and the others violated her but that doesnt seem to be the case Thank god they werent lolicons. I took a deep breath and placed my hands on Elises shoulders. As I looked her straight in the eyes, she swallowed down her saliva. W-What is it? Elise, its best for you to go back You had quite the unpleasant experience didnt you? Wha!!! Elise exclaimed. I squeezed her shoulders even tighter as I pulled her closer. Its still too early for you to travel. You should polish your skills more under your fathers guidance. Y-You dont have the right to order me around Elise. !!! Elise gasped and looked down after a few moments of staring at my eyes, possibly realizing that I was serious. She opened her mouth slightly after a while, as though she had made up her mind. Remember this she murmured out and brushed off my hands before turning around and gathering her magical power. The blue light that appeared enveloped Elise and she began to disappear. Just before she disappeared she turned around to glare at me one final time. However, I noticed something shimmering in the corner of her eye as she did so. Good grief. Why must I be blamed even after saving her. She really does have a bad character. I chose to return to Nanami after being baffled by her bizarre conduct. Welcome back Zeph. What happened to the person you chased after? Milly asked as soon as I returned to my house. He escaped. Although Im certain that he wont come after us or this town ever again. Really? Then thats great. How are Claude and Shirushu? Theyre sleeping in your mothers room. They have yet to wake up. Well they did inhale the poison. Its no wonder they are still asleep. The town is in an awful state as well. We must put up the protective barrier as soon as possible. I suggested. Youre right. Lets do it tomorrow. After all, you seem quite tired. Milly said. Like youre one to talk. You used too much magic power as well. You probably wont be able to move at all tomorrow. Yea, yea, I know. If you say so But, youre right. I am really tired. I need to get some sleep. Youre right. I should get some rest too. Good night Zeph. Milly said. Night. Milly and I both passed asleep on the sofa after reaching our limits. CH 165.1 Urgh Is it morning already? As I slowly rose up from the sofa, I smelled a pleasant aroma coming from the kitchen. Looking towards the kitchen I saw Claude, who was wearing an apron, cooking. Oh yea. Mom is at the shelter. Having noticed me Claude turned to look at me with a bright smile. Good morning Zeph-kun. Are you okay, being up this early and all? Ahahaha Its all thanks to you Claude mumbled, her face flushing as she shifted her look away. Thanks to me? Oh! She must be talking about the Remira Grass. Even though it was an emergency it probably was somewhat unpleasant for her. I changed the conversation to the food in an attempt to deflect the subject. So, what are you making? It smells fantastic. T-Thank you! Im trying to make soup Would you like to try it? With pleasure. Claude scooped a bit of soup into a bowl and handed it over to me. The aroma that tickled my nose felt awfully familiar. This is moms Thats right I actually had your mother give me the recipe. Did you stop by the house while I wasnt around? I originally came with the intent to apologize Yet I felt even more indebted when I left Claude said nervously fiddling with her hair. I see. So the beauty that mom told me about was Claude. Truth be told, with her hair grown out like this, she really is quite the beauty. Your mother is a really nice person. she said. Shes my pride and joy. This soup, its quite good. Fufu. Theres more so eat as much as you like. As I presented my empty bowl to Claude, she filled it up again. The sunrays pierced through the cracks in the curtains, and Claude and I just stood there silently. However, it strangely didnt feel unpleasant at all. Zeph-kun What is it, Claude? Can I travel with you again? Of course. Thank you. Claude sighed deeply, relieved from the bottom of her heart. Afterwards Shirushu woke up and we ended up having breakfast together. Phew. Thank you for the meal. Claude-san it was really delicious. Shirushu said. Hehe Im glad you liked it. Still, Milly is oversleeping even more than usual, dont you think? She must have been quite fatigued from yesterday Shirushu said, worried. Milly had yet to wake up. I got closer to the sofa and called out to her. Milly. Hey Milly. Ug. Zeph? she replied with a faint voice. Her eyes still closed. Its just as Shirushu said. She cant even move. Let me check something. I said. Urg It cant be. I turned over her clothes and put my finger on her lower abdomen. As a result, I saw some damage to her magical power lines. It must be because she used magic even though she was already way past her limit. If one pushed their magic power to the limit, their magic power lines began to snap. Due to weariness, in some of the more acute situations, that person would be unable to move for several days. Theres nothing we can do about it. For now, just rest, okay? Im sorry Well take care of the protection barrier by ourselves. After carrying Milly to the bed I left the house with Claude and Shirushu. We discovered the stone monument carved with the Magician Associations crest after walking around town for a while. It was a small Hokora just in the centre of Nanami. The protection barriers most important point was right beneath it. This is terrible Claude remarked. Normally, the residents of Nanami revered the Hokora, and they wouldnt let even a single piece of trash near it. However, it was now covered in mud and rubble as a result of Dark Zells massive attack. The outer circumference of the beautifully constructed protection barrier was completely covered up. Hmm, it reeks as well. A foul smell was lingering in the area. Shirushus face turned pale as she covered her mouth. Urgh I feel sick Shirushu said. It must be hard for you, considering your keen sense of smell. Youd better go back. Dont push yourself. Shirushu-san, you can leave this to both me and Zeph. Im sorry Just in case Ill keep watch from a bit farther away. Zeph-san could you wait here for just a bit? Claude-san you come with me Shirushu said and dragged Claude by the hand. She then whispered something in Claudes ear. After a few moments of watching them converse, Shirushu encouragingly sent Claude out. Claude was approaching me in an embarrassing manner, whilst Shirushu appeared to be quite happy. I-Im sorry to have kept you waiting Claude, youre bright red. What did Shirushu tell you? I-Its nothing! Dont worry about it Zeph-kun. L-Lets just go! she said, waving her hands. If you say so. As I said, Claude took me and we went inside the Hokora. The inside was quite dark. The inside was usually covered with luminous moss which illuminated the area, however that moss was now completely covered by the black mucus. We then proceeded after I cast Red Ball, which I used in place of a torch. Its unpleasant I feel like something will jump out at any moment Claude said. Whats wrong Claude? Are you still scared of ghosts? I said teasingly. T-Thats not it! she said, pouting. She should be more honest with herself. If shes scared she can just hold onto my sleeve or something. The mud became more awful as we progressed deeper. It was to the point where it was hard to walk. Claude was just behind me when she abruptly grabbed on my clothes, attempting to compel me to come to a halt. Zeph-kun. Theres something moving over there. Youre right. It seems like there are still monsters left. As I used the Red Ball to illuminate the ground, a dark silhouette appeared, wriggling on the ground. It was a Dark Zell. The Dark Zell approached us with its partially destroyed body, further destroying it. This thing must be a fragment of the enormous Dark Zell. Leave it to me! Claude said, pulling out her sword and facing the Dark Zell. She moved, and in an instant numerous slashes burst forth. The Dark Zell before her was left with numerous white trails as Claude calmed her breathing. Was that White Flash? I asked. cough!! As soon as he heard me Claude began to cough violently. Hm? Did I mess up the name? Ive only heard it once, and she did mumble it, so I might have gotten it wrong. The fact that Claude hesitated to look me in the eyes and her face turning blazing red led me to believe that. Whats wrong Claude? Did I get it wrong? Isnt it called White Flash? No White Flash is fine Youve got the name perfectly right so please dont say it over and over again As she squatted and covered her ears with her hands, Claude said. Hmm She seems to be embarrassed by it for some reason. After a while she wobblingly stood up, however her cheeks were still a bit blushed. This skill Its something that I created during these three years I see. So its a self-made sword skill. White Flash is a good name. Can I ask you not to say that name? Its embarrassing. But why? Its really cool. I think that White Flash fits perfectly. Just dont, please!! Blocking her ears, Claude said. I dont get her. I tried to give it a name just the way you give your spells names, Zeph-kun However, its way more embarrassing than I thought. Really? Ahaha. I guess I really cant win against you, Zeph-kun. Claude said as she looked at me with a complicated expression. I really dont get her. So, what kind of skill is it exactly? At first I thought that you had just used some spell on it, but it doesnt seem to be that simple. Well it works by applying my Screen Point to the sword. Claude said. She took out her sword from its scabbard and gathered magic power at the tip of the blade to show me. Screen Point was a magician killing spell which was passed down the Leonhardt family. It worked by enveloping ones whole body with a dim light which could nullify the magic power that touched it. So she wrapped it around her sword huh. If we excluded Support Spells like Red Weapon, it was extremely difficult to imbue a standard spell in a weapon. Originally, a blacksmith and a magician would have to collaborate to create such a weapon by stacking layers upon layers of high-grade magic metal imbued with magical power. The more powerful a monster is, the more of the continents magical power it contains. As a result, this White Flash is highly effective This is especially true when it comes to the black monsters. However, the drawback is that when Im using it I cannot use Screen Point on myself, so I need to sacrifice my defense. Claude said. I see. Its a completely offensive skill. Thats right. After proceeding forward for a bit more, we finally reached the central part of the Hokora. Next we went down a long spiral staircase till we arrived in a dimly lit room. CH 165.2 The magic circle in the room was closely drawn together, and it looked like it was about to run out of magic power at any moment. Despite the lack of lighting in the room, the magic power emanating from the magic circle cast a dull blue light. Whoa So this is the centre of the protection barrier It seems like a really mysterious place. Claude exclaimed. Thats right. This whole room can be viewed as the focal point of the powerful protection barrier. If its destroyed it wont be pleasant. If a citys protection barrier was totally shattered, monsters would begin to surface in random locations throughout the city. If that occurred, the city would suffer significant devastation. And with a barrier of this magnitude, it would take several days to fully repair And, if done incorrectly, it could take even a month or more. In the worst case scenario, the town could even be abandoned. The fragments of the enormous Dark Zell had appeared just once, just after we had entered this Hokora. The erosion by the black mud had also stopped in the middle of the passage, which meant that the magic barrier protecting the heart of the protection barrier was probably working as intended. Normally, one wouldnt even be able to enter due to this magic barrier. Oh, and before entering this Hokora, I had previously phoned Yera to urge her to release the magical barrier. This Hokora is usually off limits so why not use the opportunity to look around. There are a number of interesting mechanisms applied here you see Kuku! Ahaha Well, go right ahead. Claude said. I will. You dont get this kind of side benefit often. Back in my previous life I had visited this Hokora a number of times. However, all of those times had been with other people. So I hadnt had the chance to look around. Still, this place is amazing. By engraving magic patterns on the walls and floor its possible to maintain the barrier for a long time huh Im curious if the effect may be amplified by combining amplification and preservation spells in particular areas. It also seems like its using those dark stones that the black monsters drop It was possible to imbue these black stones with a great deal of magical power, but it was difficult to extract that power. Even after countless tries, Lydia and Silverie were yet to find a way to use them efficiently I could see that by using the black stones here they could create a good circulation of magic power. When I touched the surface with my finger, it felt a bit rough. Hmm, so white powder is burned together with the magic pattern To the touch this feels just like gemstone power What do you say Ain? Hmm. Youre right, gramps! Dont lick it now, you might break the pattern. If we fiddle with it, we might break the whole barrier. I know! Ain complained. Immediately after that she disappeared. So it really was gemstone power. After all, theres no way the gluttonous Ain would mistake it. Now that I look closely the patterns drawn here and there seem different. I need to study them even closer. Well lets just try and imbue some magic power into the protection barrier. The barrier began to shine as I placed my hand on top of the crystal in the centre and provided it with magical power. I was right. The black stones serve as the keystone of this barrier. As I watched the barriers activation I noticed that more than half of my magic power was already gone. I guess a barrier of this scale requires quite a bit of magic power. I wont be able to do this alone. I guess well need to come back tomorrow as well. But before that, let me check it carefully just in case. Let me just steal I mean use this place as a reference. After all, if were able to efficiently use the black stones that we gathered we might be able to make a really powerful magic weapon. Zeph-kun, youre thinking about something naughty again, arent you? Claude asked. Kuku. Youre imagining things Aside from the gears and magical pieces in this facility, there are a few magical metals that Ive never seen before. Even if its me, Im not that skilled in this field Ill have to wait for Lydia to come back before I can do any extensive research. Ill just research the things I can for the moment. Ill stay here to study for a bit. You can go back to Shirushu and Milly. I said. No, Ill stay. Maybe I can help with something! Though I say that there might not be anything I can help with Thats not true. Can I have you light up the place? It wasnt like I couldnt do it myself as well, but I wanted to concentrate on studying. Okay!! Claude joyfully replied, and began to cast Red Ball. The magic fire lit up the area, and the previously dimly lit room was enveloped in light. Is this fine? Yea. Thank you Claude Though I feel a bit bad for having you do this. Dont worry! Ill do anything as long as I can help you Zeph-kun. Claude said with a smile. Shell even do troublesome things without a single complaint. She sure is amazing. I took up Claude on her offer and proceeded to study the protective barriers mechanisms. After studying the inside for a while, me and Claude left the Hokora. I had managed to remember some parts; however, it was still necessary to write it down. There were also a number of materials that had effects that were absolutely alien to me. Guess Ill bring a lot of stuff tomorrow and re-study it all. Shirushu, who was perched on top of the rubble, waved her tail and raced over to us as we reached the outside. Zeph-san, Claude-san welcome back. she said. Were back. Did you behave yourself while we were gone Shirushu? Zeph-san stop it Im not a kid I meant it in a dog-like manner though. Shirushu pouted for a bit after which she turned towards Claude and whispered something to her. Shirushu appeared to be having a good time, whereas Claude appeared troubled. Come to think of it, didnt she also say something to Claude before we entered? By leaving me and Claude alone, she was undoubtedly attempting to be considerate in her own way. Good grief. That was really unnecessary you know That aside, there was something that I had to do. I created some distance between me and them and called Lydia using Telepathy. Lydia. Heyo, Zeph-chi. You doing okay? You could say. How about you? Im great? That goes for everyone in town as well as pops. Although, he wouldnt stop bugging me about bringing you over Still, its quite rare to receive a call from you. Could you have gotten lonely without me, and wanted to hear my voice? You idiot Weve been having it pretty tough over here. Eh? What happened? Well After that I explained to her everything that had happened. How the black monsters had attacked Nanami. How I had saved Elise from the bandits and had sent her back home. And how we had met Claude. Whoa I was worried about where Kuro-chan could have gone, but to think that she was there all along. She apparently even went to apologize to my mom. Oh my. Kuro-chan sure is a sly one Getting the jump on us by introducing herself first Well Ive already introduced you to my father as well, so you could say that were even. What in the world are you talking about Ahaha, dont worry about it? Lydia said with a laugh. She must have been quite excited about meeting her father for so long. I could feel that her tension was over the roof. That aside, Lydia, I found something that you can maybe use for that magic weapon that you created before. Could you come over here? I might have found a way to use the black stones. Oh my! Really? I can even use the workshop at home so I feel like Ill be able to create a nice weapon? But if I rush there right away Ill probably arrive at night, so how about I come tomorrow morning with Se-chin? Thats fine with me. Well then see you tomorrow. I said cutting off the Telepathy. When I turned around I saw Claude standing behind me. Whoa. She scared me. Were you talking with Lydia-san? Thats right. It was about the black stones that we found at the protective barrierBut how did you know I was talking with her? Fufu, it was easy to guess. After all, back in the Hokora you didnt stop mumbling about how you would call her later. Really? I guess I did it without even realizing it. Claude immediately closed her mouth when I glared at her laughing.at me. Fufu, well then should we go back? Milly-san is probably waiting for us. Claude said. Youre right. The sun is about to set as well, and the way Milly is currently I doubt she can even move a muscle. She probably hasnt had anything to eat. I did leave some fruits next to her bed just in case but But they probably werent enough It might be for the best that we return. Claude said. Milly was unable to get up in the morning due to the excruciating pain she was in as a result of going overboard with her magical power. Shes probably groaning in the bed even as we speak. All three of us decided to return back home. Oh my, if it isnt Zeph. Welcome back. M-Mom?! When we returned the one who welcomed us was my mom, who was supposed to be at the shelter. Furthermore, on top of the table there were numerous dishes spread out. It was a spectacular feast. This is the first time Ive seen this Mom you went way too overboard Oh my. Youre the one that came here before Im sorry but it seems Ive completely forgotten. What was your name again? mom asked Claude. Its Claude. Claude answered. Oh yea! Im sorry. It seems like you finally managed to meet up with Zeph. Thats right. Thank you for back then. M-MOM! Why arent you at the shelter?!Its dangerous here! Interrupting my mother and Claudes lovely conversation, I said. The protection barrier was yet to be restored. And the evacuation order shouldnt have been lifted as of yet. There might still be monsters inside town! I said. Oh my. But still, since you are in this house, then that must mean that its safe right? The barrier protecting the shelter is quite frail. Everyones been talking about how it could collapse at any moment. In that case, doesnt that mean that this house is safer? mom asked. Urgh T-Thats It was true that the shelters barrier was a simple one. It was uncertain on how it would fare against the black monsters. It was exactly as Mom had predicted The location where we were was unquestionably safer. Well, dont mind it that much. According to rumors it will take a while to restore the towns protective barrier, right? You would probably want to come home to your mothers cooked meals after work and on top of that I want to get to know everyone as well. Zeph, please? mom said, putting her hands together and winking. Acting cute like that might have worked when you were in your twenties mom I thought while looking at my mother with a contemptuous glance. It was then that her expression suddenly changed to one of intimidation. Ufufu, what is that face Could it be that you want to say something about my age? she asked. Y-Youre imagining things. In that case fine? So I assume that you dont mind me staying here, right? I was terrified simply thinking about what Id do if I had to return through that monster-infested town. mom said, elevating one of her legs, in a charming voice. Act your age for christ sake Is what I wanted to say but I couldnt bear to face that overwhelming intimidation again. Even if a monster attacked her shed probably be able to take it down alone Ah Okay mom. Its true that it will be safer if you stay with us. I said. YEY!! Nothing less from my son, youre so understanding? she said, jumping in to hug me. Good grief, I just cant win against her. As everyone looked at me in awe, I had no choice but to give in and just sat around the magnificent feast to recover from my exhaustion. CH 166.1 1 Zeph-chi, everyone, Im back!! Lydia said excitedly. Several days had passed since the attack on the Town of Nanami by the black monsters, led by the bandit group. While we were helping with the restoration of the town, Lydia appeared, having finally returned from Beruta. Both she and Silverie apparently got here by using Silveries Teleportation. Originally she went back in order to check up on her father, but considering she was able to come back as soon as she was called it seems like her father was doing okay. After I met up with them, the three of us went back to my house and sat around a table alongside the other members of the guild, Milly, Claude and Shirushu. Beruta was fine. Apparently not many black monsters had shown up. Lydia said. Just as I thought. The monsters here were forcefully gathered after all. What do you mean? Silverie asked. To which I began to explain. Actually I proceeded to tell them about how the bandit group had gathered the black monsters in order to assault Nanami. And about how the black monsters had unified into one and tried to swallow the town, as well as how we fought it back. While also not forgetting to include our reunion with Claude. Im sorry you had to come all this way. Claude said, lowering her head. No biggie. You must have had it tough everyone. And also, welcome back Kuro-chan. Lydia said. Thank you. Claude said. After which Lydia suddenly embraced me and her together. As our bodies collided, a whiff of something sweet tickled my nose. Lydia-san, i-its a bit hard to breathe Fufufu? Kuro-chan you grew out your hair didnt you? It looks great. Ahaha I would really love it if she could let go of us Moms looking this way, and its frightening. We somehow managed to pull off Lydia, who held onto us with everything she had. By the way, Zeph-chi, that protection barrier that you talked about, I went to check up on it before coming here. Lydia said. You sure work fast, dont you? I replied. Lydia then took a large piece of paper from her backpack and strewn it on the table. The diagram of the protection barriers magic circuit was drawn on top of the paper, which I had also examined by myself during the previous few days. Id also put Milly in charge of writing down the data that Id gathered. I was able to grasp how the magic circuits mechanism operated by combining my data and Lydias data on what materials were utilized in the circuit and how they were used. I was able to understand the magic circuit on my own, but when it came to its construction or the types of materials utilized in it, Lydia, a weapons dealer, knew a lot more. Still this protection barrier is pretty well made if I can say so myself. Lydia remarked. Well its made by collecting the Magician Associations best techniques so thats a given. Every town and its citizens were continually attacked by monsters before the Protection Barriers were formed. Barriers, to be more accurate, had been around for a long time, but they were only deployed on key infrastructure and only activated in an emergency. The Association significantly enhanced the barriers, allowing them to be deployed across the town to provide peace to all, and thus the Protection Barriers, as they are now known, were formed. The Magician Association got significant achievements as a result of improving the barriers, allowing them to amass a large number of supporters and dramatically increase their influence. The secret of the barriers is kept secret in order to retain that authority, and if it werent for a case like this, even their own magicians wouldnt be able to see it. So, do you think youll be able to use this? I asked. Hm If I do use it, it will undoubtedly be to create a magical weapon. Lydia remarked. Well I guess that was a given. The procedure for making a Magic Amplifier or a Magic Supplement was the thing we wanted to learn from the Protection Barrier. And it seemed like Lydia had understood that without me having to even say it. Well, I suppose its understandable given that shes already created a slew of magical weapons. She understands most of what Im planning. But theres the ingredients Theyre all stuff that I cant get my hands on. she said. Hmph. Anyway, I was thinking it was about time for us to return to Proleas capital, so it all works out. I said. We had already fulfilled Yeras request on researching the black monsters, so it was about time we went back. And it was also almost time for the next Heavenly Mage Festival as well. We would activate the Protection Barrier and then go back to the capital. I need to also fix your prosthetic arm as well. Lydia said. Yea In the battle a few days ago my arm had split in two after all. Fixing that would probably take her a lot of effort. Im sorry Lydia Ahaha, dont worry. Im glad as long as youre fine Zeph-chi. she said with a smile, patting my back. Im glad shes not angry. As I had a bitter smile on my face, my mom suddenly approached me. Zeph, are you going already? with a sad expression on her face, she inquired. These days had been far too active; but, after we went away, she would most likely feel lonely once more. Would you like to come with us mom? I asked. We did have a house back in the capital. It was big enough, so one or two more people wouldnt make that much of a difference. However, as soon as my mom heard me she shook her head. Fufu. You dont need to worry about me. I-Im not I dont want to be a burden to you Zeph. The reason you left home in the first place was not to get me into trouble, correct? Mom Shes right. If she does join us on our journey, shell almost certainly become involved in something deadly. Apart from the others, Mom wont be able to escape because she cant fight. And its not like I can always be with her, so I guess it really is for the best if she stays here As I clenched my teeth, mom gently hugged me. Im fine. Just getting to see you like this from time to time is enough for me However, you can always come home from time to time you know. I know. And also, regarding your wedding WHOA! We already talked about that! Fufu, have a safe trip. Mom waved her hand, seeing me off in the same manner as he had done before. She never changes Urgh Whats wrong Milly? Are you tired already? I asked. I-Im fine Just stay where you are, okay? As sweat ran down Millys bright red cheeks, she said. Okay, okay. Dont push yourself. I said, encouraging her. After stroking her head, I proceeded to lay down. Zeph-kun, Millys really doing her best, so dont you think that we should help her out a bit Claude looked at me and asked with a troubled face. However, I wasnt affected by it at all. Its fine. After that battle Milly stayed at home for a couple of days recovering her magic power. Shes got lots to spare, dont you think? Zephs right? Leave everything to me! Nihihi? Milly said. Me and Claude were currently just watching as Milly poured her magic power into the protection barrier. High levelled magicians had a large amount of magic power within their bodies. If they werent able to let that magic power out their stress piled up. Milly had been itching and unable to calm down before coming here, but she now had a really relieved expression. She must be ecstatic to be able to use her magical power for that long. Urgh Haa Haa Milly panted. Still it must be pretty tough. Milly tried to slow down her breathing with a fatigued expression. A long time had passed since she first began pouring magic power into the protection barrier. She was currently drenched in sweat and her face was bright red. Despite the fact that she had a lot of magic power to begin with, she was nearing her limit. Milly, switch with me. Silverie said, as she placed her hand on Millys sweat covered shoulder and pulled her away from the barrier. M-Master Good grief. So when I say it she doesnt stop, but as long as Silverie steps in she listens to everything huh I grabbed Milly as she swayed left and right and placed her down. Her chest moved up and down as she tried to calm down her breathing. Im beat! she said. Kuku, your face says otherwise. You seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit. Ehehe Well I cant deny that? Milly said with a smile. As I sat cross-legged, she turned around and placed her head on top of my feet. Didnt you just say you were beat?! I glared at her with an angry gaze; however, in contrast to that Milly just smiled. Oh come on. Just for a bit, okay? I did my best didnt I? she said I dont mind. However, everyones gazes felt cold. Especially Silveries. As she looked at us she constantly poured out a tremendous amount of magic power. Please be careful. Last thing I want is for you to overdo it and break the barrier I watched Silverie pour out her magic power, with cold sweat running down my back. However, even after some time passed nothing happened, so I could relax. Silverie poured forth her magical power at a breakneck speed before collapsing to the ground, trying to catch her breath. She then buried her face between her legs, looking at me with a keen glance between the cracks. Silverie, thats scary I-It seems Im next I said. And just as I was about to stand up, unable to bear the cold stare anymore, I saw Silverie narrow her eyes even further, as if she was trying to tell me not to move. Shirushu, with her puppy ears, timidly raised her hand from very close to me as I shrank back. H-How about I go? she asked. Go ahead. Silverie said with a nod. Shirushus magic power isnt all that much though Well I guess theres no helping Shirushu when shes like this. Ill leave this to Shirushu. Ahh, Im so tired. Silverie said. And with a leased face she drew closer and laid on top of my legs, using them as a pillow. Could she have just been jealous of Milly for using my legs as a pillow? Ahaha? ZephCchi it must be nice having a beauty on each side. Lydia said. Haaa You never change, do you Zeph-kun Claude continued. As they stared at Silverie and Milly, who were both lying on my legs, they both had bitter smiles on their faces. To make matters worse, Milly had fallen asleep before I could even notice And Silverie was still mad at me and refused to look me in the eye. Haa, how did it end up like this? CH 166.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Following that, we took turns pouring magical power into the barrier until the Protection Barrier was fully repaired. Im all done Zeph. Milly said. Good job. A dim light enveloped the whole room and the magic circuits began to work properly once more. Their construction looked strangely beautiful. This really is spectacular. As I looked at the properly operating mechanism a new idea struck me. Lydia and I both had a curious expression on our faces as we watched the magic circuit in action. As I was focusing on engraving the way the magic power moved I heard a voice inside my head. Hey Zeph. It seems like you successfully put up the Protection Barrier. Could you leave the Hokora? Im going to adjust the seal so that no one can get in. It was Yera. I would have liked to study it a bit more, but I never expected that Id get this fixed soon. Okay Haha. You sound quite disappointed. You on the other hand sound quite happy, Yera. The Heavenly Mage Festival is drawing near after all? And this year its Urohimes turn so how can I not be excited. she said. Really? I thought that it was the Blue Heavenly Mages turn this year. Maybe the order changed from what it was in my previous life The Soul Heavenly Mage: Urohime Tatsumigawa. She was a foreign princess who, a few years ago, married into the Hems Family, a family known for generations of Soul Heavenly Mages. She then began to miraculously rise up, leaving her spouse behind and assuming one of the Five Heavenly Mage titles. A true prodigy of Soul Magic. And, because Yera was a travel aficionado, she got along swimmingly with Urohime. Urohime huh Kuku, I guess Im going to be looking forward to it as well. Oh my! Are you planning on participating in the Title Match? Yera asked. You could say. The Heavenly Mage Festival was a once-a-year event sponsored alternately by the Five Heavenly Mages. And this year it was Urohimes turn. Which meant that this year the Title Match would have the Soul Heavenly Mages Soul of Soul title on the line. And, as a result of returning to my country and fighting a number of high-levelled monsters, my level had increased to 88. It wasnt quite up to par with when I was in my prime, but it was enough to defeat a Heavenly Mage. I see. Ill have you now that Urohime is not an easy foe. Do your best. Hahaha Yera said, laughing loudly. Of course. Ill do everything I can. I said with a grin. By the way, could you leave the Hokora already? I want to completely restore the Protection Barrier. Well be out any minute. Tsch. I wanted to spectate the mechanism a bit more, but I guess times up. I took everyone and we proceeded out of the Hokora. As soon as we closed the door a blinding light burst forth. The light spread, enveloping the whole of Nanami and then disappeared. It seems like the barrier successfully covered the whole city. Still this timing It feels like she was watching us the whole time. Yera really is a scary one. Will the town be all right now? Claude inquired, concerned. I remembered what Yera had said to me the other day and recited it to her. According to Yera, the black monsters have begun to dwindle. At least in the North Continent that is. Furthermore, she said that a number of available Dispatch Magicians had been dispatched as well. It was still difficult to declare the East Continent totally safe; a few Dispatch Magicians wouldnt help much, but it was better than nothing. Well if something does happen well just rush over immediately. After I took a final glance at the Hokora we left Nanami. So, how are we going to go back? Are we going by boat again? Milly asked. Now that you mention it Lydia exclaimed, her face revealing her distress. Come to think of it, we really dont have a means of going back. If we are to go by boat to the North Continent, itll take us close to ten days. We might not be able to make it in time for the Heavenly Mage Festival. Well considering there are no other options I guess it cant be helped. Just as we were going to walk towards Berutas harbor, a human silhouette loomed in front of us. Youre finally here. Elise?!! Milly exclaimed. Her surprise was completely normal. Elise wore her crimson cap as usual, and her silver hair floated in the breeze. She was the Flame of Flame, Bertram Cabels daughter, and despite her age, she was a Dispatch Magician. With her transportation spell Portal, she was the one who had brought us here. However, we found ourselves on our own at one point, and she was caught by the bandit group. Afterwards Id somehow ended up rescuing her by accident. I remember I told her to go back. To think that shed still be here. Shes way braver than I thought. Didnt you go back to your fathers place? I asked. Dont be foolish. Im a Dispatch Magician after all. I wont be able to return unless I finish my mission first. Kuku, it appears that you do, after all, have a conscience. As Elise looked at me with evil eyes, I said, resting my hand on top of her head. She may still be a chick, but shes doing everything she can to fulfil her duty. A Dispatch Magician should at least be this devoted to their work. Elise was continually glaring at me, as if she didnt appreciate my attitude. How long do you plan to keep your hand there!! Dont act all friendly with me!! Sure, sure. I apologize. I said waving my hands. Elise on the other hand, just turned her back to me. If youre going to do that, then why did you come to meet us in the first place? I dont get her at all. Claude stepped closer to me as I let out a sigh. Um Zeph-kun, who is this? Oh yea, you havent met her Claude. This is the Dispatch Magician Elise. We were able to get here with the help of her transportation spell. A Dispatch Magician? Claude asked with a stiff expression. Elise then turned around and presented her hand to Claude. Its a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elise Cabel. The pleasures all mine. Im Claude Leonhardt. Both of them said, tightly gripping their hands What an intense handshake! It seems like Claude is somewhat cautious of her. Could it be because Elises a Dispatch Magician? The one who brainwashed Claude three years ago had also been a Dispatch Magician, so maybe that was why. I should change the topic for now. So Elise, why did you come? Considering its you I thought that maybe youd be in a pinch with no way of going back. L-Like thered be any other reason for me to come!!! I guess youre right. Hmph Im glad you understand! Elises voice broke at the end of the last line for some reason. I really dont get her. Either way, just wait here for a bit. Ill get ready. Elise said. Sure thing. Elise turned around and retrieved a large cloth from her rucksack. It was a cloth with a magic circle drawn on top of it The cloth was a magic tool which increased a spells power. By using it she was able to transport a large number of people at once. Im done. Get on. she urged. S-So cramped Milly murmured. Similar to her, everyone had difficulty getting on top of the cloth. Due to Claude being with us, it felt even more cramped than last time. As Claude clung on to me she spoke in a quiet tone. Zeph-kun It seems like you got another one What are you talking about? Nothing Claude replied while glaring at me. I sensed a jet black aura emanating from her, but it was most likely just my imagination. Seeing Elise look over here from time to time also led me to think that maybe she was somewhat cautious of Claude as well. Elise and Claude huh For some reason they dont seem like theyll get along with one another. Well then, were off!! Elise said, closing her eyes and beginning to chant. The magic circle suddenly emitted a blue glow that fully engulfed us. The view in front of my eyes increasingly darkened as the light encompassed us fully. The blackness cleared after a while, and I found myself tossed on top of the dirt ground. Immediately after that, one after another, everyone fell on top of me. Were here. Elise said. Ouch Where exactly are we? Claude asked. Without looking her in the eyes, Elise replied. Were in a plain close to the capital. Its be dangerous if we were to appear in a strange place and bump into the people there, dont you think? To think that you couldnt even figure out that much, hmph Elise said with a smug. Urgh Claude was somewhat irritated by Elises condemnatory attitude. I guess these two really dont get along after all. Milly abruptly stood up and approached Elise, surrounded by the tense atmosphere. No matter how many times I see it, its still an amazing spell. Thank you Elise? she said. I-It wasnt much! Nihihi, oh come on, you should be more honest from time to time? Elise didnt seem to be that displeased with Millys behaviour. These two, on the other hand, seem to be doing quite well. Milly does have the tendency of not building any walls between herself and other people after all. She can be considered the archenemy of those who enjoy erecting such barriers. Either way, Im going. I wish you all the best. Elise said, turning around. You too. See you again Elise? Milly said, waving her hand at Elise. While Elise on the other hand just glared at her. It was a determined look, the kind one would send towards their rivals. Elise shifted her gaze away from the dumbfounded Milly, casting Teleport and vanishing. As Milly watched Elise fly away I placed my hand on top of her head. If you arent serious shell leave you behind. I said. Huh? What do you mean? Milly asked. Nothing. Well I guess being an airhead is one of Millys strengths. The Great Magicians of the future huh Finding a good rival with whom you can grow together is certainly crucial. Milly and Elise Considering their talents, theyll probably become one of the Five Heavenly Mages in the future. Well, they wont be as strong as me though. I said laughing. ? Milly simply tilted her head in astonishment without saying anything. I made my way to the capital with Milly and the others. CH 167.1 Hmph So the black monsters really did appear in the East Continent as well. Yera said. Thats right. Heres our report. I said as I placed a bundle of paper on top of Yeras desk. It contained information on our encounters with the black monsters, their unique abilities and how to fight them. I had come here to the Sky Tower, alone, in order to deliver the report. After all there was no point in bringing everyone with me for something like this. After looking over the report Yera nodded a couple of times. Youve done a good job in writing this Its hard to imagine that its your first. she said. Ive had some experience with writing them. In my previous life I often found myself writing reports on monsters or Dungeons, so I was quite used to it. The Guilds and the Association would nitpick every minor detail, so I was obliged to learn how to write reports properly, even though I detested it. For a former Heavenly Mage, a report of this quality was a given. I see no problem with it. By the way, how was your homeland? Yera asked. I managed to enjoy myself. I got to meet my mother as well. Hmph. You sound like youre on good terms with her. Im so jealous! If only Silverie could be more like you and address me as Dear Mother or hug me every now and then Yera said, letting out a deep sigh. Thats one serious mother complex youve got there And its not like I call my mom Dear Mother. Yera proceeded to go over the report, ignoring my glare. Still the black monsters There sure are a lot of different types. Their skills are also rather odd; thus no ordinary individual would be able to stand up to them By the way, can you truly utilize the strategy you wrote here, where we can overlook their tremendous magical power and kill them as long as we demolish their mana-based outer shell? The thing Yera was asking about was Claudes White Flash which was able to destroy the dark monsters outer shell and annihilate the body along with it. After all, no matter how tremendous their magic power was, as long as one destroyed their main bodies the monster wouldnt be able to live. It is, but it necessitates a significant amount of attack strength Im sure you already know, but the bodies of the black monsters are quite tough I said. It was precisely because it was Claude that she could do it. After all, with her Screen Point applied to her sword she could easily destroy the mana-based outer shell of the black monsters and annihilate them. Fufufu, dont underestimate the Associations magicians. Yera said, grinning. Hmph I guess the Heavenly Mages and some of the higher ranked Dispatch Magicians will be able to destroy the black monsters outer shell and kill them. To think Claudes White Flash would turn into a method to fight them. By the way, I heard that recently there havent been any black monsters in the North Continent. I said. Youre right. There have been a few sightings, but theyve all but vanished recently. After all they cant continue to appear infinitely like the other normal monsters around the continents. The Association speculate that they may be monsters that came from somewhere else. Yera said. In other words, they wont appear once theyre defeated? The probability of that is high. In other words, it will be safe as long as we defeat all of them and they do not respawn at regular intervals. Come to think of it, it was Ilga who gathered the black monsters around Nanami. And after we defeated them they didnt spawn anymore. Which means that Nanami should be safe for the time being. On a separate note I was informed that the Dark Imp which I had blasted away with Vanishing Ball had been subjugated safely. So yea. This should take care of our strife with the black monsters for now. Which means that well be able to hold the Heavenly Mage Festival without any problems! Yera said. You seem like youre really looking forward to it. Kuku. I said, a smile creeping on my face. After all, this year would be my first try at the Title Match. It was certainly an experience that would get ones blood pumping. Hmph You seem quite confident dont you. Yera said. I wouldnt say that. Though, I plan to give it my all. I replied politely. Haha. Well either way, Ill be looking forward to it. Ill try not to let you down Well then I have other matters to attend to so Ill be going. Im expecting great things from you. And thank you for your work on this last case. Ill have the reward sent to you later. Yera said. After which we parted ways and I left the Sky Tower. The Heavenly Mage Festival was just right around the corner and the whole town was in a festive mood. There were even a number of people walking around in yukatas. The yukata was a sort of foreign attire that we popularized in order to gain money. It was primarily worn during festivals. To think that itd spread so much. It sure feels quite nice. As I allowed myself to get carried away by my feelings, I made my way to Lydias shop. As soon as I arrived, I observed a large crowd. At the centre Milly was dancing on top of a stage, wearing a yukata. Her blond twin-tails moving across space beside the yukata gave her a really cute appearance. What in the When in the world did Milly become the shops mascot?! How about it, miss? Doesnt the yukata look amazing? You would certainly look great in it! Oh my, what should I do I can promise that youll love it! Come on in! Im passing through! an employee said as she guided one of the women who had been watching Millys dance up until now. Its probably some sort of marketing strategy that Lydia came up with. She really is something else. Ah! Zeph-san, youre back? I suddenly heard someone call out to me from behind. Turning around I saw Shirushu wearing a yukata. So its you Shirushu. Is there something? Could you help us run the store for a bit? Lydia-san is busy repairing your arm, so were short on people And Silverie-san went to the Magician Association in order to help Yera-san with something. Shirushu said. I see. I should apologize to Lydia later. After all, just before the Heavenly Mage Festival, I had managed to destroy my arm. To top it off I had also asked Lydia to repair it before the Title Match. In order to repay a bit of what she had done for me I decided to help out with as much as I could. So, is there something I can do to help? I asked. Of course! Wed take all the hands that we can get. Shirushu said, her ears standing up in joy. Too bad I only have one to offer but still. Even though the thought crossed my mind I didnt say it out loud. Get hyped up everyone? The Heavenly Mage Festival is right around the corner! Come and buy your yukatas at the Blue Sky Pavilion! Milly said. KYAAA!! MILLY-CHAN! the customers yelled out as Milly waved at them from the top of the stage. Shes quite the popular one. Well I have to admit that shes somewhat cute, and the fact that shes a bit of an idiot adds to her charm as well, so its no wonder shes so liked. The crowd was mostly filled with women and small girls, but upon further inspection I noticed a suspicious man. I decided to approach him because he seemed suspicious. I got a better look at the man when I drew closer. He was borderline obese and wore glasses. He was always wiping sweat from his brow, and his breathing was hurried. M-Milly-tan, ha ha Hey. I said. W-Who are you Cant you see Im busy Urgh?! Before he could finish his sentence I buried my fist in his stomach. Tsch. You damn lolicon. You make me sick. As I looked down on the chubby man Shirushu rushed from the side, cold sweat running down her back. Z-Z-Zeph-san, what are you doing to our customer Dont worry about it. So, did you think of what I could help out with? W-Well How about this Shirushu said, heading towards the store. I brushed aside the passed out fat-ass and pursued her. As I went inside I was welcomed by Claude, who wore a yukata as well. It seems like Claudes in charge of dealing with the customers. W-Welcome Eh! Zeph-kun? Hey Claude. Im here to lend a hand. Ahaha. Well Lydia-san is quite busy after all Ah! Welcome! She abruptly stopped her conversation with me and turned to welcome a customer. I caught a glimpse of her cleavage peeking through the yukata as she did so. Hmph, it seems she needs a slightly bigger size. Having noticed me, Claude fixed her yukata and smiled slightly. Shirushu-san. Could you guide Zeph-kun to the storage in the back? Claude asked. Sure. Zeph-san please come with me. Shirushu said. Okay. I followed Shirushu until we arrived at the back of the store. There was a storage room in front of me that was crammed with various items. Various items were turned upside down, giving the impression of a total mess. This sure is something I told you that were short on people Were short on some items so could I have you look for them here. First theres a large sized yukata with a large flowers pattern, then a Snow, Moon and Flowers patterned yukata and finally a Lapis Lazuli patterned yukata. Got it. Is what Id like to say but I have no clue what those are There are names written on top of the boxes so youll find them. I see. Shirushu was right. Each box had the type and the size of the yukatas written on top of them. Lily No, this is not it. I couldnt find any of the items Shirushu was looking for as I rummaged through the boxes. Looking back at her, she appeared to be spinning in circles, possibly utterly out of control owing to the stress. You already checked that one didnt you?! She looked just like a dog, as she spun in circles. Seeing her like that I couldnt hold back my laughter. Calm down Shirushu. Ill organize the storage so you just take the necessary items over there. O-Okay!! She dashed away, but tripped over one of the items on the floor and fell flat on her face. Auch!! Good grief. The goods heaped on top of one another began to come down as a result of her falling down, and she was about to be buried beneath them. I dashed forward as I saw that. In order to protect her I jumped on top of her. My back was in excruciating pain as the goods continued to fall down. Z-Zeph-san?!! Urgh I let out a soft groan as I held on. Suddenly a red something fell on Shirushus cheek. AAAAAAA!! Shirushu wait!! Hold it in!! Shirushu blew off the surrounding items with a mighty roar and embraced me, and laid me down on the nearby sofa. She then began to lick the wound on my head. She really is just like a dog. Even though she had a good command of her beastfolk abilities, I believe she couldnt handle the shock at the moment and went out of control. Shirushu, that tickles. Zeph-san, a-are yu aw rigt? she asked. Im fine, dont worry. Its nothing serious. A-Are you really all right? Im fine. So please just stop looking at me with that sad face. I pinched her cheeks in an attempt to calm her anxiety, and she let out a mournful moan as I did so. Fuee Immediately after that we heard Claudes voice coming from the other side of the shop. Zeph-kun, Shirushu-san, I thought I heard something falling! Is everything okay? she asked. I moved Shirushu from on top of me and adjusted my body to sit on the sofa. Everythings fine. Some things just fell down. Lets go Shirushu, we still have work to do. I said, slapping Shirushus butt. O-Okay CH 167.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama The following morning Milly. Hey Milly! Ughh Stop dreaming and get up! Its morning! To be more precise it was still early morning. Because the sun had not yet fully risen, it was still somewhat dark. I had made the decision to start getting up early every day starting today in order to conduct extra training for the title match. Milly had expressed an interest in participating as well, but knowing her, I assumed she would oversleep, so I came to check on her, and lo and behold, it was exactly as I had predicted. I pulled her blanket and threw it down on the ground. Milly, on the other hand, tried to keep the warmth from the blanket by holding onto my body, rather than waking up. Urgh Its cold. Good grief. Werent you the one who wanted to get up early and train with me? If youre not gonna get up Im going by myself. Okayy. Milly finally let go of me and began undoing her buttons one by one, deciding to give up on keeping herself warm. With each button she undid, her collarbone and small chest gradually revealed themselves. She flung her pajamas away, leaving her only in her panties, and began searching through the pile of things littered around her for something to wear. She didnt like the outfit that she had quickly put together, so she began to mix and match all kinds of outfits. Hurry up! Just wait a bit You are so pushy Zeph She slowly moved her head towards me, like a broken puppet, as soon as she uttered that. Her face was bright red. Whats wrong? Im waiting just as you told me? Zeph, you idiot!! If youre gonna wait, do it outside of the room!! Okay, okay. But dont dare fall asleep again, okay? Get out!! she yelled out. I dodged the pillow that flew at me and left the room. DD There were multiple Isolated Spaces in the plaza surrounding the Soul Tower. The Isolated Spaces were special environments which were used as practice grounds for magicians. Within them, if one of them were to fall prey to a spell, they would not suffer any physical harm, but instead lose their magical power. When a persons magic power completely ran out they would be unable to move, ending the fight, which made it a perfect place for safe mock fights. However, with the Title Match being just around the corner they were usually packed, so we had decided to get up early in the morning in order to use them. I guess there really isnt anyone this early. Yeah right, morning The sun isnt even up Milly said with a big yawn. A door opened up after we placed our hands on the pillar in front of the Isolated Space, and we entered. After both of us entered the Isolated Space, we created some distance between us and faced one another. Milly shifted her gaze to me with a stern expression after slapping her cheeks to wake herself up. I guess shes finally ready. Well then, lets begin. I said. Okay!! Milly responded with a zealous tone as she began to cast her spell. A dazzling light came forth, and a white horse with wings appeared from within it. It was Millys Summon Servant: Uruk. Although he was perverted, Uruk had high fighting prowess, as well as the ability to fly. Originally Uruk was more suited to close quarters combat, but with Milly riding on top of him, she was able to attack from long range. Because maintaining a familiar necessitated a significant amount of magic power, they werent well suited to long battles. Using them suggested that the caster intended to take advantage of the familiars superior combat abilities in order to complete the battle quickly. And the times when battles ended quickly werent that rare. For example, the Title Match was one such example. Hm? Uruk, why do you seem bigger than usual? Milly tilted her head as she looked at him. Were in the Soul Towers Isolated Space after all. I said. Spells of the same class as the tower had their power considerably boosted in Isolated Spaces. Since we were currently inside the Soul Tower, Soul System Spell, in other words Summon Servant was strengthened. Which was why Uruk had gotten a power up. Typically, Soul System spells have a huge impact on foes who dont have physical bodies, such as spirits and other such creatures. When confronted with humans, however, their impacts were dramatically reduced. However, because most familiars lacked that flaw, they were seen as the key to triumph, giving them a significant edge in the Soul Towers Title Match. In response to Milly I also cast my Summon Servant. Ain, come. The spectacular Ain makes her appearance? From within the blinding light a girl with blond hair and big wings appeared. It was Ainbelle Rubyeye. My familiar. Despite the fact that she was a loudmouth, her Divine Sword form had aided me on several occasions. Unfortunately, my arm was still being repaired. And due to the weight of Divine Greatsword Ainbelle I wasnt able to wield it with only one hand. However, this was also the perfect opportunity to test how much Ain could do in her human form. W-What is this place I feel like my power is overflowing! Were in an Isolated Space. Amazing It feels like Im not myself! Ain was completely flabbergasted at the power up from the Isolated Space. If only her personality could power up as well I dont expect much from her, even though she can use magic, but lets give it a shot. Okay Ain! Go! Leave it to me HUHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!! Ain ran in with vigour at first, but once Uruk kicked her lightly, she was blown away very far An instant kill huh, this is even worse than I imagined. Nihihi? Im sorry to say this but, it seems like you wont be getting a hold of the Heavenly Mage title this year Zeph. Why do you say that? Thats because Im going to wi?! Just before Milly could finish her sentence Uruk dashed at me. Due to the sudden shock, Milly ended up biting her tongue and mumbling her words. She held her mouth with both hands, and tears began to well up in her eyes. I dodged Uruks charge to the side and immediately cast Green Sphere. A megalith-sized green magic ball emerged in front of my palm and flew towards Uruk, as if to smash him. Uruk!! Milly yelled out. NEIGHH! In response Uruk let out a powerful neigh and split the magic ball in half. He had been able to split Green Sphere in half with the horn sticking out of his forehead. Fufufu? Uruks horn is made out of a high purity magic crystal. Its able to block all kinds of attacks!! Milly explained in a boastful tone. However, she soon noticed that I wasnt even there to listen to her. I had used the slowly moving Green Sphere, and had hid behind it. After which I had circled around and was currently standing right behind Milly. Uruk immediately yelled out in order to let his master know that. NEIGH! B-Behind me!? Uruk tried to kick me with his hind legs, but I dodged and used his hooves as a stepping stone to jump up and land behind Milly, assaulting her. Milly quickly turned around and lifted her hands in an attempt to stop me. Blue Gale!!! As soon as she turned around she immediately cast her best spell, the Great Spell Blue Gale. However, since Great Spells had a long cast time, they were weak, and fragile at the start of their cast. Even a Primary Spell could be used to offset them if their cast hadnt been fully completed. I used a Red Crash to pierce through Millys Blue Gale, and place my hand on her chest. So frail I cast Time Square and stopped time. While time was stopped I cast White Crash and Red Crash. Double Spell Synthesis: Nova Crash! A white flame burst forth starting from Millys chest and just like a snake, it wrapped around her whole body. In the next instant the flames exploded. KYAAA?!! Milly screamed in agony and collapsed from Uruk, falling face down on the ground. Immediately after that Uruk disappeared, popping like a balloon. After all, a familiar couldnt continue to exist after the master had passed out. Due to hitting her head on the ground, Milly looked like she had passed out. Hey! Get yourself together! I quickly ran up to her and cast Healing. True, Isolated Spaces prevented physical harm from spells, but this did not apply to falls or other types of impacts; in other words, physical damage could not be negated. Ugh Youre finally awake. Are you okay Milly? I think After casting Healing on her for a while Milly finally opened her eyes. She had yet to completely regain her senses, but thankfully it didnt seem like anything serious. Since youre up you better restore your magic power fast. Were short on time. We need to have another match. I know, good grief!! Milly said, standing up and beginning to meditate. As she stood with her eyes closed and took deep breaths, I could feel her magical power quickly recharging. It was impossible to achieve such a level of mediation without extreme focus. After waiting for a bit, Millys magic power recharged completely and she glared at me, ready for battle. If Im to be honest, its quite amazing for her to be able to recover so fast despite using Blue Gale just now. Geniuses really are something else. Phew. Im done. Good. Come then. You dont have to tell me DDFollowing that, I continued to fight Milly for a few more times until she was absolutely fatigued. Our training came to a close just as the sun was about to completely rise. The score ended with 15 C 0 for me. While we were eating the breakfast that Claude had cooked for us, Milly wouldnt stop whining. Why cant I win!! Your output is definitely on point, but youre not aware of your surroundings at all. You always charge in foolishly which makes you easy to read. Like this. AH!! MY EGG!! Ahaha Milly-san, Ill give you mine so dont cry. Claude said, trying to cheer her up. Still I didnt think that Ains human form would be so disastrous. Milly aside, I dont think that Ill be able to win against Urohime without a familiar. Good grief. I must think of something. CH 168.1 After finishing our training, me and Milly went back home. After resting for a bit I slumped down on the sofa and rested while I drank tea. It was currently around noon. Right next to me, Silverie was resting as well. Milly, on the other hand, had gone to bed immediately after we got back, probably due to waking up so early. Because Lydia was fixing my arm, Shirushu and Claude were currently helping out at her store, which meant that it was currently only me and Silverie. Silverie, arent you participating in this years Title Match? Im too busy helping that hag. The fatigue is getting to me. she said with a frustrated look, while she cracked her neck. She spent the bulk of her time within the Sky Tower over the previous few days. She did come home from time to time to rest, but it was clear that the fatigue was getting to her. Yeras definitely working her to the bone I should do something for her. I stood up and placed my hands on Silveries shoulders. Zeph? Let me massage you for a bit. T-Thats not necessary?! As I pulled down her black coat, the nape of her neck was slowly revealed. I dug my fingers under the gaps of her shirt and began to massage her. Each time my hands moved Silverie let out a pleasant moan. How is it? Does it feel good? Uh I wouldnt say th Ah?! Before she could finish her sentence her body shook all around, and she squeezed her fists. It seems like I was a bit rough just now. Come to think of it, she was quite the sensitive one, wasnt she? I once again began to gently move my fingers. As I did so Silverie managed to relax once more and closed her eyes. After massaging her for a bit, Silveries body grew warmer and even her cheeks were beginning to redden. I finally remembered what I should do to make her feel good. In my past life, each time Silverie went overboard, I had massaged her like this. It should be around here I think? HYA?! Ops, my bad Kuku. As soon as I touched her Silverie let out a cute moan. Her face flushed, and her breathing became choppy. My sadistic desires welled up as I noticed an expression she didnt typically display. By the way, youre helping with the Heavenly Mage Festival, correct? Didnt you find some juicy intel while you were at it? Like for example, Urohimes weak points or something? HmThere are no such things, and even if I did know them theres no way I would tell you!! Since when were you so stubborn? Fufu, if you tell me Ill put you out of your misery you know? W-Wait Stop! Each time I applied a bit of force to her shoulders, back or even nape, Silverie let out a cute moan and glared at me. Despite the fact that she was glaring at me, her petite chest was just barely exposed, which made her appear even sexier. Seeing you like this makes me want to tease you even more you know! Hey, Im back!! Lydia said as she suddenly entered the house. Phew, that was close. Silverie swiftly put her coat back on and straightened her clothes once I let her go. Right as Silverie managed to fix herself up Lydia entered the room. Hm? Its just you two huh. Lydia said. Yea Silverie replied. Se-chin, your face is slightly red, did something happen? Lydia asked. Y-Youre seeing things!!! I-I-I must go!!! Lydia only gazed at Silverie with a puzzled expression as she tried to flee. Lydia then smiled as she turned to face me, as if she had grasped the issue. Fufu. Zeph-chi you should sexually harass Se-chi like that. I just massaged her shoulders, thats all. Oh! How about massaging mine as well then? Sure thing. Lydia proceeded to sit where Silverie had just been, and just like before I placed my hands on her nape. Hmph, shes quite stiff I guess its no wonder considering how busy she is. Her two hills went up and down a lot as I caressed her shoulders. Ahh Zeph-chi youre quite good at giving massages! Ive had a lot of experience. Experience of massaging beautiful womens bodies right? Dont be stupid. Auch!! That hurts I decided to increase the force in my arms as retaliation for Lydias nasty statement, while Lydia simply stuck her tongue out in a cheeky fashion. She likes teasing me just as always. Shes definitely got a screw loose or two. I let out a sigh, deciding to change the subject. How are things going with my arm? Its going smoothly. I might be able to incorporate some new functions as well. Ill be looking forward to that then. Apparently she would be able to use the information we got out of the protection barriers magic circuit to incorporate some new features to my arm. When she first started repairing my arm I was there to help her, but currently she was working on it by herself. Well she did tell me to look forward to it, so I guess Ill go when she gives me permission. Lydia? Lydia fell asleep without me noticing She must have been quite tired. She flopped down on the sofa as soon as I let go of her. Good grief. Youll catch a cold if you sleep here. Furthermore, she was just wearing her usual light outfit, so it was destined to happen. I went into Lydias room to get a blanket and put it on top of her. I was compelled to stroke her hair as I gazed at her serene sleeping face. 2 What are you planning by bringing me to this place gramps? Youll be training her, Ain. HUH?!! Me and Ain were currently at the Govnu wetlands, located close to the capital of Prolea. It was known as a Dungeons which was inhabited by various kinds of Zells.Ain had a strange expression as she stood next to me. Dont huh me. Didnt Milly beat the crap out of you the other day? Arent you frustrated? I am but In that case, no more whining Relax, I wont make you do anything crazy. Kuku. Why do I feel like youll only make me do crazy stuff There were various methods to make the familiar grow depending on the sort of familiar. Fighting monsters was, however, a common theme in all of them. However, before that I had to first get a grasp of Ains general combat prowess. After all, Ain was a familiar which specialized in abilities, and up until now I had mostly used her in her sword form. I didnt have a clear grasp of her combat prowess while she was in her human form. Well either way, the best way to find out is to have her fight. Lets start from there. I pointed to a certain location of the wetlands. A brownish monster emerged from the wetlands near the location where I had pointed at. It was a Mad Zell. I looked at the Mad Zell and cast Scout Scope. Mad Zell Level 38 Magic Power 2561 / 2561 The Mad Zells were monsters made out of the wetlands mud. Their fighting ability was on the lower end, and they were one of the weaker monsters that appeared in the area. Try taking that down. Ehhh But its gross Just go. Okay, okay Ain replied nonchalantly as she headed towards the Mad Zell. She lowered her posture, readied her fists and fixed her gaze on the enemy. As I suspected. She fights with only her bare hands. At first I had wondered whether it would turn out okay, but it seemed like I had nothing to worry about. PIGIII!! As it stretched out its jelly-like body into a tentacle, the Mad Zell let forth a tremendous screech. Ain dodged it by jumping, and after flipping mid-air she aimed her foot at the Mad Zell. As soon as she stretched her foot out, Ains leg shone in red light. Ainbell Kick!! PIGIIIIII?! The Mad Zell let out a horrible cry and puked forth mud after being kicked, following which it melted into the earth and vanished. Whoa! She won easily. Im surprised. I even expected her to fail. Did you apply a spell to your attack? I asked. Youre quite skilful it seems. You were able to notice that. Ain said, boasting. Before attacking, Ain had focused her magic power on her leg. After all, it wasnt possible for a normal kick to create that much of an impact. And flames had even burst out for a second which probably meant that she had used Red Crash. There are some special cases where magicians can increase a spells power by performing special actions. There are even some guys who unnecessarily approach their opponent in order to cast a spell. What do you mean by unnecessarily!! Its cool isnt it! Ain frowned, probably assuming I was referring to her. Apparently a strong feeling or rather the persons belief is needed for that to work. Therefore, theres only a small number of people who can pull it off. I think its amazing that you can do that Ain. I said, nodding her head. Hmph Why do I feel like youre just trying to trick me she said, agreeing somewhat reluctantly. Apart from some spells which had a small range of effect, the distance at which a spell was shot wouldnt impact its power. However, there are some magicians who perform special actions before casting their spells. Theres also a popular method that entails executing a ritual before casting the Summon Servant spell, allowing the magician to summon a powerful servant that he wouldnt otherwise be able to summon. But using that takes too much work. Its more efficient to just use magic power normally to cast the spell. At the very least, methods like that were definitely impossible for me. CH 168.2 Okay. Next go after that one. I said, pointing to a grassy area where a monster was munching on something. It was a Beast Zell. It was a ferocious monster, which walked on all fours. It was the strongest monster within these wetlands. Ain began spinning her arms as she constantly gathered Magic Power. Shes probably planning to use some kind of spell to hit it like she did just now. Ainbell Punch!! BURURU!! As Ain yelled out her attack, charging, the Beast Zell saw her and easily dodged. Hmph. This fighting style probably doesnt suit her. After all, she doesnt have any martial arts experience. Hmph Ainbell Chop! After recovering her balance, Ain attacked once more. Thankfully this time the attack hit and the Beast Zells body bent a bit However, it didnt seem like it had done any major damage. It was normal considering Ains spells werent that strong to begin with. I guess this is as far as she goes. BURURURUUUUU! Kyaaa?!! With a loud roar the Beast Zell charged at Ain. Having been hit by the Beast Zells attack Ain flew back and fell on the ground. Hmmm. Theres not much left until the Heavenly Mage Festival and considering Ains fighting prowess and her martial arts I guess she wont be that useful. As I was thinking that the Beast Zell turned towards me as if it had found its next prey. BUKIIII!! Good grief. You should have just left. I let out a sigh and dodged the Beast Zells charge. After dodging I buried my fist in its abdomen and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash, Black Crash and Green Crash. Triple Spell Synthesis: Volcano Crash. With a booming sound, lava burst forth from my hand and shattered the Beast Zells body into pieces. As its body turned into jelly I could feel power welling up inside me. Oh! Its been a while since Ive levelled up! I had levelled while crazy while fighting the black monsters, however, recently it had gotten pretty slow I immediately cast Scout Scope on myself. Zeph Einstein Level 89 Magic Level Red: 60 / 62 Blue: 57 / 87 Green: 56 / 99 Sky: 60 / 89 Soul: 68 / 97 Magic Power: 3550 / 4456 Im nearing the Red Systems limitI guess thats why the sensation of using the Red System was close to that of my heyday The Red System spells had a tremendously high attack power, and they were easy to synthesise. Which was why I ended up using them quite often. It appears that it is time for me to shift my concentration to another system. With the Heavenly Mage Festival approaching, it was the ideal time for me to concentrate on the Soul System, which had the highest limit after the Green System. And thanks to fighting the black monsters it seemed like a lot of my spells had levelled up as well. Either way, it seems like this as far as Ain can go. I said while looking down at the unconscious Ain. If a familiars fighting prowess was high they could be used in the Title Match, but with the Ain was currently I need to think of something else it seems. For the time being I decided to help Ain regain her consciousness by casting the Assist Healing spell, which was used to heal familiars. Similar to Healing, this spell also required quite a bit of time in order to do its magic. Ain, get a grip. Urgh Gramps there are a lot of pretty stars I constantly pinched Ains cheeks in order to get her to get up. As I was in the process of doing that I felt a presence behind me. I promptly stood up and turned around. Standing behind me was a woman with black hair, dressed in a pure white kimono, wearing a hat. She had a blank expression on her face as she looked at me. You are You ignorant fool!!! The one who responded to my words wasnt the woman. Small demons, one red and one blue, both with a horn on its head, came around the womans neck. Their roundish bodies made them seem like stuffed toys. The one who yelled at me just now had been the red demon. Kagutsuchi, calm down. But princess. Silence. Understood. The womans voice was quiet yet powerful. She promptly managed to shut up the red demon. She quietly looked at me, both demons sitting on her shoulders. This woman Ive seen her before. In order to make sure I cast Scout Scope on the woman standing before me. However, nothing appeared. She had managed to block it somehow. As long as one used Protection Spells, they could block most spells which did not cause any direct damage. Although I wasnt certain, I assumed shed used Shell Mist in the area. It was a spell that stopped most spells, apart from attack spells. Due to the spells inability to be stacked on top of itself, I, like many other magicians, chose to utilize Safe Protection, which could significantly reduce the amount of damage taken. Only a handful of people choose to use Shell Mist on themselves. The woman in front of me was more concerned about spells that could affect her mental state than spells that could harm her directly. Having noticed that I had tried to use Scout Scope on her, the woman looked at me with cold eyes. I am not a fan of such acts. I apologize. However, I hope you understand that being wary of someone who emerges suddenly behind you inside a dungeon is normal. Lets just say that were even on this one? Hmph When you put it like that it certainly does make sense After thinking for a bit, it seemed like she finally agreed. Good, I was able to fool her somehow. My name is Uro. These ones here are my familiars. The red one is Kagutsuchi and the blue one is Wadatsumi. Im Zeph. The one passed out over here is my familiar Ain. I said putting out my hand for a handshake, however, she just looked at it and didnt take it. It seems like shes cautious because of the incident just now. As I inwardly sighed to myself, Uro took a step forward. It seems like Ain-san has suffered an injury. Could you let me look at her? I dont mind Thank you. Uro sat down next to Ain and stretched out her hand. As she did, a dim light gently wrapped around Ains body. It was Astral Healing. However, it was more powerful than anything that I had ever seen before. Ain slowly opened her eyes, after quickly recovering. Urgh.. Where am I Who am I? Thank god, it seems like youre alright. Uro said. It seems like youre fine, since youre able to fool around like that. I said landing a chop on Ains head. Having been hit by me Ain looked up with her cheeks puffed up. Gramps, youre so mean! Wait, whos this person? Shes the one who healed you. Her name is Uro. Hmph You ungrateful girl You should thank the princess. The red demon, Kagutsuchi, said as she jumped down from Uros shoulder and glared at Ain. Ain, however, didnt seem to be scared at all and hugged him with a bright smile. WHOA! Hes so cute!! L-LET GO!! Wadatsumi! HELP ME! You reap what you sow Wadatsumi said, looking down as Ain squeezed the life out of Kagutsuchi. Hmm. Kagutsuchi and Wadatsumi huh. So Uros in control of two familiars. Come to think of it, Grain also had two familiar. After I had first encountered Grain I had also tried to summon a second familiar, however it hadnt worked. And even though my Summon Servants level was currently on par with Grains it was still not working. This meant that an increase in the spells level didnt always imply an increase in the number of familiars. How in the world did they do it? If I can do that as well, it will be really helpful in the title match Its a bummer that Im not too knowledgeable about the Soul System. As I was thinking of a way to pull out the information from Uro, Ain suddenly approached her. Um, excuse me Uro-san. You have two familiars right? Howd you do that? You see, I want a younger sister as well! Ain said. Good job Ain! Due to my mess up, Uro currently had her guard up against me. So that was why it was so helpful to have someone who could ask her so casually such as this. After thinking for a bit, Uro answered. Familiars strongly reflect the magicians personality. I cant tell you how to do it because the number of familiars changed depending on the casters qualities. And its not like I have multiple familiars to begin with Huh? But theres two of Just before Ain could finish her sentence, Kagutsuchi slipped out from her grip and climbed up to Uros shoulder, where he whispered something in her ear. Princess, we should wrap up our mission Oh my, its already this late. I apologize, but Ill be leaving now. Youre going already? Ain asked with a sad expression. Yes, but dont worry, well probably meet again. Uro replied with a friendly smile and then gave me one last look. Her expression conveyed some sort of meaning. She then cast Teleport and vanished as her familiar urged her. CH 169.1 Uro-san She sure is a strange one. said Ain. Well shes one of the Five Heavenly Mages after all. Its natural that shed come off as strange. Hearing me say that Ains eyes went round. So she really didnt notice. Her full name is Urohime. Shes the Soul Heavenly Mage. HUH?!REALLY?! Yea. In addition to wearing foreign clothing, the two demons also called her princess. Even though she called herself Uro, there was no way I could have mistaken her. Id seen pictures of the Heavenly Mages, but meeting one face to face was certainly different. Meeting her sent shivers down my spine. So she was one of the Heavenly Mages In that case, what was she doing here? Youve probably heard that some Dark Zells recently appeared in the Govnu Wetlands, right? Shes probably here to investigate that That aside, Ain, theres something that Id like to try. What is it? Ain inquired, her face beaming with anticipation. A smile crept across my face as I saw her like that. The thing that Uro had said just now, about not having more than one familiar was bugging me. Having heard that an idea had come up in my head. For the time being, Ain, Id like you to disappear. Hmph You and your strange requests Ain said, complaining. Despite this, she transformed into light and vanished. Okay, its all set up. I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Summon Servant and Red Glove. Light burst forth and at the same time sparks danced around the air. From within the light Ain appeared, wrapped in a deep crimson dress. T-This is It seems like it worked. Just now Uro had said that she didnt have multiple familiars. This implied that the little demons had multiplied in some way. Which gave me the idea to devise a Unique Spell that would increase the variations of my Summon Servant spell. The familiar that Grain had used, all had the same air about them. Its only a guess at this point, but I suspect he utilized his Unique Spell, which allows him to steal other peoples spells, to steal already completed Summon Servants and tie them to himself. To put it simply, when time is stopped, if I cast Summon Servant alongside another spell I can make you stronger. Amazing I feel like my powers about to burst out! Ain said, admiring the power inside herself. And just at the same time another Beast Zell appeared right next to us. It looked at us and let out a threatening noise. Okay! Go get it Ain! This time itll be different! Ain dashed at the Beast Zell, putting out her fist. As soon as her fist landed, the Beast Zells giant body twisted and exploded, turning into smoke. Whoa! Amazing! Gramps, this is amazing! Ain said, jumping up and down. Good job Ain. With the help of the physical strengthening spell Red Glove, Ains power was leagues above what it was before. A Synthesis Summoning using Time Square. Its way more useful than I thought it would be. Since Ive turned red, why not just call me Red Ainbell now? Ain proposed. Does that mean that youll change each time I use a different system and cycle between Red, Blue, Green and so on? I like the fact that its simple but your naming sense needs work Since youll be changing colors often why not just call it, Colored Servant? I asked. Red Ainbell PUNCH? Shes not listening. Ain continued to joyfully swing her fists left and right, unconcerned about what I had to say. Well if she likes it then I guess its fine. Now then, I guess Ill have to think of the various possibilities. Summon Servant had a long chant, and the spells which I could use with it were limited. Even though I could only use it with Intermediate Spells right now, there were still a lot of possibilities. Ain, well be testing a lot starting now. OKAYYY? Ain said, as she happily raised her hand. Her tension was through the roof. Probably because she was quite happy at the idea of transforming by using Colored Servant. However, Colored Servant had the downside of it first needing Ain to disappear before it could be used. Because Summon Servant and Spell Synthesis both required a lot of magic power, casting Colored Servant used up a third of my magic power all at once. I would probably only be able to at most cast it twice in real combat. The most important part is using the best spell to combine with it depending on the situation. I proceeded to meditate to restore my magic power and once I was done I cast Colored Servant once more. This time instead of Red Glove I used Black Boots. A dazzling light burst forth once more, and Ain appeared from the inside. She was dressed in a thin black cloth, coupled with knee-socks that reached her inseam, and rugged boots on top of them. Getting kicked by her in this state would probably hurt a lot. While jumping around, Ain constantly shot out kicks in the air. So the Black Boots increase her speed and kicking power. WHOA! This ones cool as well! BLACK AINBELL! I was delighted she was having a good time, but I still had to see how useful it would actually be. Ain, theres a Treant Zell over there. Go get it. Okay!! Leave it to me? Ain said, putting an end to her fooling around. She then lowered her body to the ground. After which she kicked the ground and flew forward with tremendous speed. BLACK AINBELL KIIICK! She let out a frightening kick. Her speed was spectacular. She seemed to be moving as fast as the wind. Without being able to dodge, the Treant Zell was met with Ains kick. I dont think that was a wise idea, Ain. Treant Zells were basically huge trees. They were monsters who fought by letting a great number of Zells, which were normally found in their upper parts, fall down and fight. Ains kick shook the Treant Zells head and numerous Zell fell to the ground. Or at least thats what I thought would happen. Before the Zell could fall to the ground they were blown into oblivion by Ains storm of kicks. TAKE THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS! Her kicks blew away the Zells that resided in the Treant Zells head, and her voice shook the surroundings. And without stopping she then proceeded to attack the Treant Zell. Isnt she way too hyped up? It feels like shes turned into a completely different person. FINISHING KICK!!! Ain yelled out, kicking with her whole body. The Treant Zells body let out a cracking noise and its body split in two, completely disappearing. It lost without being able to put up much of a fight. Black Boots huh. This one is quite strong as well. Ill be able to use it. Phew Im beat. I guess the problem is her stamina. Both her arms and legs looked like boiled spaghetti. It didnt seem like she would be able to maintain that fighting style for a long time. Youve been slacking Ain! What do you expect! Up until now you were just swinging me around everywhere Gramps! She had a point. Up until now I had only swung her sword form. In her human form she was no better than an amateur when it came to fighting. And the Title Match wasnt so easy that wed be able to win with the way she was now. Unfortunately, I didnt have the time to train Ain. I guess Ill have to use the Synthesised Summoning sparingly. Oh yea, I wonder whatll happen if I use a spell apart from the strengthening one Lets give it a shot. Ain, disappear for a sec. Really Why does it feel like youre up to something nasty again Ain complained, but disappeared nonetheless. After restoring my magic power with meditation I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Summon Servant and Green Sphere. A blinding light appeared, and a silhouette of a ball appeared from within it. The light died down, and a completely round Ain appeared in this world. As soon as she took a step forward the ground shook. Shes huge, and heavy Um Ain, thats you right? Urgh What in the world is this! she said, with an expression of complete disbelief as she looked over herself. She was about to burst into tears at any moment. I guess she really doesnt like how she looks Though to be honest its quite funny. I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! GRAMPS YOURE A MEANIE!! she yelled out, hitting me with her sausage-like arms. Hmph. Even though shes only tapping me lightly it actually packs quite the punch. \ Green Sphere was a spell that created a magical sphere the size of a massive boulder. And having been influenced by that, Ain was blessed by a round and heavy body. This meant that attack spells influenced her by applying their characteristics to her rather than making her stronger. HURRY UP AND TURN ME BACK!!! Im sorry but Im out of magic power. That aside. Look over there Ain. A new monster appeared! Youre lying! Just look at the grin you have on your face! Kuku If you defeat it, Ill turn you back. Ugh You demon!! she said glaring at me, but despite that she headed towards the Mad Zell that had spawned close to us. Even though Ain desperately swung her short arms and legs, the Mad Zell, who wasnt particularly fast, managed to play with her until she was out of breath. On the bright side however, the Mad Zells attacks werent working at all. It seems like her defense has risen quite a lot. Ha Ha Go, go! Y-YOU DEMON! After catching her breath Ain returned to the Mad Zell in an attempt to take it down, but she was unable to do so. Good grief. This will go on forever if left like this. I guess this was a bad opponent for the Green Sphere synthesis. Guess theres no helping, Ill take it down. I slowly got closer and cast a Red Crash, completely annihilating the Mad Zell. T-Thank you No problem. Lets go look for another monster. Youre still planning on keeping this up?! The thing about being out of magic power was a lie, wasnt it!!! I managed to recover it. Come on, come back Ain. Gramps you idiot!!! With the rest of the day at my leisure, I continued to play with Colored Servant, using Ain as my guinea pig. As a result, I was able to discover a slew of new ways to utilize the spell. Im looking forward to the Title Match. CH 169.2 I returned to Prolea after completing my testing of the Colored Servant spell, where I met Silverie. She appeared to be tired. She had most likely just finished assisting Yera. Oh Zeph, its you. What a coincidence meeting you here. Are you going home? Yes. Were you out training for the Title Match? Looking at your face I presume it went quite well. Thats right. Ive got some new tricks up my sleeve now. What were you up to? Im completely beat because of that hag. Shes been working me to the bone from morning till night. Im so hungry that Im going to pass out. Silverie said, lightly rubbing her belly as it began to rumble. The absurd timing made us both burst out laughing. How about stopping by somewhere before going back? After all, Shirushu is in charge of dinner today. And as you know her food is quite plain and not that much. Youll probably be able to fill yourself up when we get home if we eat something little while were still out. I guess youre right. I just happen to know the perfect place. I found it not too long ago Its this way. I remarked this as I grabbed Silveries arm and walked down one of the back alleys to the store. Silverie didnt say anything as she lightly squeezed her hand. The place we arrived at was the cafe that Milly had shown to me some time back. The donut that the waiter had recommended to me back then had been quite delicious. After Silverie and I finished ordering, the aroma of donuts and coffee filled the air almost immediately. We ate for a bit after which Silverie began to talk. And then that hag suddenly proposed a new event at the last moment Shes saying that shes doing it because of the Soul Heavenly Mage, but to me it just looks like she is trying to show off. She should think about what shes putting me through, for gods sake Hahaha Im not sure if it was because of her stress, but Silverie demolished her donut in no time while whining. While listening to her I would nod from time to time while sipping on my coffee. Her talking continued for quite a while, and before we knew it we ended up overeating. And theres also dinner left Well, I guess I still have some room left. Welcome home, Silverie-san, Zeph-san. Youre both quite late today. As soon as we came home, Shirushu welcomed us with her head bowed down. Seeing her like that suddenly made me feel somewhat guilty. You must be hungry. Today I went out of my way and cooked up a lot of things! Shirushu said, spreading her arms out. After looking at her, Silverie and I looked at each other. Shirushu seemed to be quite happy, which could also be seen from her ears and tail moving up and down. Why did it have to be today? I slightly glanced at Silverie, however, she immediately dodged my eyes. You see, Im quite the small eater. I dont think I can eat anymore. Year right. Says the one who devoured donut after donut just now I glared at her as we discussed with Telepathy. Suddenly Silverie clapped her hands and turned around. I just remembered! I left something at the hags place. Y-You! After making up a sloppy excuse, Silverie quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night. She sure runs fast. Oh my Well, I guess it cant be helped. Well, it doesnt matter if its just you Zeph-san. Yea. Good grief. Lets get to work then. Shirushu brought me to the table with a broken expression on my face. Thank you for the meal. Urgh. I somehow managed to eat all of it, but my stomach feels like its about to burst. Because Shirushu looked at me the whole time I had to force myself to eat everything. Fufu? Im glad you liked it. Im glad I feel like taking a walk. Ill go see how Lydias doing. Have a safe trip. Shirushu said, seeing me off. Lydias workshop was close to our house. These past few days she had closed herself there while fixing my arm. Since it was my arm she was fixing I felt that I needed to help at least a bit. Im coming in. I said, going inside the workshop. Lydia was just putting off her goggles as I walked in as if she had just finished her work. Oh, Zeph-chi. Welcome. I see youve been hard at work. The inside of the workshop was as hot as usual. Lydias sweat had drenched her clothes, and they were stuck to her body. As she removed her goggles I could even see some sweat gathering around her eyes. I thought Id come help with my arms repairs. Thank you? Then can I have you look over the fire. Ill go take a bath real quick. Lydia said, waving her arm as she opened the workshops door and went outside. Take your time. As I sat in front of the furnace, the intense flames cracked frequently. When I looked around, I noticed some metal parts that appeared to be part of my arm laying around. Shes probably about to assemble it. It wont be long it seems. I lost track of time as I began to play around with my arms parts. It was then that I suddenly heard the door opening. Phew. That was a nice bath. Thank you for looking over it, Zeph-chi. The aroma of soap lingered in the air, mingling with the heat and the stench of something burning. It appeared as Lydia had just gotten out of the bath. Youre planning to continue arent you? Ahaha, you got me. Its almost finished, so I thought that I might as well get the quenching over with Quenching was a process where one would cool off the heated metal in order to make it stronger. However, if the cooling wasnt done equally the metal would crack, making it useless. The process was quite hard to pull off, and it was one of the blacksmiths secret techniques. Can I watch for a bit? Of course! Even though she replied in a carefree manner, her eyes looked serious. She began to put the parts in the furnace one by one, raising their temperature. The side of Lydias face was illuminated by the fire, making it appear golden. Okay she muttered, taking out one of the parts out of the furnace and dipping it in water. A sizzling sound could be heard as a tremendous amount of steam filled the air, turning the area white. And then she once again put the metal part back in the furnace. Apparently, by putting an already quenched part back in the furnace you could make it even stronger. I was entranced by Lydia as she took out the parts from the furnace and then put them back. Suddenly I heard a cracking sound and a metal part exploded. BE CAREFUL! I immediately jumped forward, pushing Lydia down. My back ached with searing pain The stench of charred meat floated from my back shortly after that. A piece of heated metal had stuck itself in my back. Zeph-chi! Your back! I-Its f-fine! I said, casting Blue Ball on my back. As the ball collided with my back I felt the heat subsiding. Lydia stood up and embraced me, gently stroking my wound. Im sorry, Im so sorry Zeph-chi she said, tears welling up in her eyes. Shes overreacting way too much. Dont worry Im just glad that you didnt get hurt. Id be in quite the pinch if the person taking care of my arm suddenly disappeared. I did this because of myself. Good grief If you say it like that then I have no choice but to work even harder Kuku. That was the plan all along. Ahahaha I used my finger to wipe off the tears welling up under her eyes. As I assisted Lydia, the night went on. The date had already changed and a couple of hours had passed by the time we finished. I could feel the weariness rush over me as soon as I lay down on my bed. Just as I was about to let myself be washed away my door suddenly opened. Morning Zeph! COUGH?! Something suddenly jumped on top of me. It was Milly. She was joyfully jumping up and down on top of me. Ehehe. I woke up earlier than you today? In an attempt to get back at me for the last time, she began to pinch my cheeks so that I could wake up. Come to think of it, I did tell her that wed be having special training early in the morning until the Title Match ended. But even so, this is way too early. Its still way too early for our appointment. Good grief. I guess I cant help it when shes so pumped up. It seems like Ill need to get up. Urgh. It is surprising to see you up so early. Thats because if I dont wake up youll just barge into my bedroom and try to wake me up. Assaulting a maiden in her sleep is as low as you can go! Urgh, I dont get what shes implying. First and foremost, I would never assault Milly, of all people, while she is sleeping. Its your fault for not being awake. And Ill have you know that I did knock first. Thats not the problem! I even went to the trouble of sleeping during the day so that I could wake up early!! I see. That explains why I didnt see her at all. She was sleeping. Sleeping throughout the day and staying awake at night is not beneficial for her development. Well its Milly were talking about so I cant see her growing any more than this. CH 170.1 Several days passed after that. As I diligently trained myself and delved even deeper into my research of the Colored Servant spell the day of the Heavenly Mage Festival finally came. Claude and Shirushu stood in front of the house, seeing off me and Milly. Good luck, you two. Im praying for your success Milly-san, Zeph-san. Shirushu said. Ill definitely come watch once were done helping in the store!! Claude yelled out. Shirushu, Claude, thank you!!! Well do our best! On a separate note, Silverie had already left the house earlier, because she was part of the Heavenly Mage Festivals staff, while Lydia was working on some final touches for my arm. This years Title Match would proceed as usual, with the qualifiers taking place before noon, followed by the preliminaries until evening, and finally, the one whod managed to stay until the end would get the opportunity to fight the Heavenly Mage and win their title. Lydia told me that shed finish up around the evening, but before that, I must win the preliminaries. Ill probably manage somehow even with just one arm. There werent many magicians that could use Soul Spells. My biggest rival would probably turn out to be Milly. Why are you looking at me with that grin? Milly asked. Its nothing. Im just looking forward to the finals Kuku. Hmph? Ill have you know but Im the type that gets stronger when faced with those kinds of situations! Truth be told, Milly had grown quite a lot compared to before and her coordination with Uruk had improved as well. She was quite the frightening opponent. She had even managed to push me to the edge of defeat several times in the last few days. However, that was because I hadnt used Colored Servant. I had to still use the spell in front of anyone else. After all, Colored Servant was my trump card. I wouldnt mind if Milly saw it, but Id be in a pinch if someone else found out about it. It wouldnt hurt if I was a little more cautious than normal. Well just try to stay on your toes. You tend to let your guard down quite a lot after all. Hmph Thats not true! she said, puffing her cheeks. Its amazing how she can say that when her guard is constantly down. We slowly made our way to the Soul Tower while continuing to chat. The Soul Tower was located in Proleas northern parts, and the aides stationed there were testing the candidates in front of the Isolated Spaces. It was a sort of screening. Oh, theyre sure going at it. Youre finally here it seems. Coming from behind one of the pillars, someone remarked. It was Elise. I guess she came to watch. Morning! Elise, are you joining as well? Milly asked. Unfortunately, Dispatch Magicians cannot participate. Elise remarked with a pained expression on her face. Due to receiving the Magician Associations Unique spells, the Dispatch Magician had numerous limitations placed on them when fighting. One of them was being unable to compete in the Title Match. Which was also the reason why I hadnt become a Dispatch Magician. Then why did you come? I heard you were going to participate, so I came to give you some tips so I wouldnt have to see you fail miserably. You should be grateful. Elise said in a boastful tone. However, instead of being offended Milly just laughed with joy. Really?! Thank you, Elise!!! I-Its nothing special! Elise murmured, blushing as she turned around. Milly tilted her head in befuddlement at Elises actions, but Elise disregarded her and began to explain with a small twist of her head. The Soul of Soul, Urohimes aides use a foreign countrys swordsmanship. Ive seen it a few times up close. It has a peculiar feel to it. I would encourage you to stay away from close-quarters combat as much as possible. Swordsmanship from a foreign country, eh Come to think of it, Sarutobi was a Shinobi from a foreign country. His fighting style was really something else. If our opponents employ the same combat style as Sarutobi, it would be better if we avoided battling them in close quarters. I see So close-quarters are dangerous. Let me write that down. Milly said. The aides are Urohimes retainers that came with her when she married. That makes sense. The Dispatch Magicians information network is definitely something else. Elise did you really come all this way just to tell us that?! Milly asked. N-No! I just happened to be passing by! W-Well then I have some things to take care of so Ill be leaving! Elise said and ran in the direction of the Magician Association. Looking at her get further away, Milly let out a pained sigh. What in the world was that I wonder? Beats me. I dont get what shes thinking at all. After seeing her off both me and Milly lined up. Those who had already finished registering themselves were either fighting in the Isolated Spaces or waiting for their turns. As I had predicted, there werent many people present, and those who could employ familiars were even fewer. Why arent most of them using familiars I wonder? The Isolated Spaces here make the familiars really strong. Its a waste not to use them. Raising familiars requires quite a bit of funds after all. There arent many people like you and me who battle with familiars as their main weapon. Each time a Soul Spell was used a high amount of gemstones were consumed. And that consumption was even higher when using Summon Servant. If I were to have Ain stay around all day shed probably consume close to 500 gemstones. That was equal to 10 times our daily hunting earnings. To put it simply, raising familiars required a tremendous amount of money. When I first awakened my Summon Servant, I was strapped for cash and had to scrape here and there to make ends meet. However, thanks to Lydias shop, both Milly and I were now able to employ our familiars freely. She also made that mechanical arm for me. I really dont know how Ill repay her. In any case, it was for these reasons that the number of competitors in the Soul Title Match was reduced. And, out of all those that competed, only a few were capable of pushing the Heavenly Mage to give it their best, therefore the Soul Title Match was rarely enjoyable to witness. I didnt have a familiar in my previous life, and I didnt bother to summon one, therefore I rarely went to see the Title Matches. Well, I guess having higher hurdles means fewer rivals. At the same time, since I had raised my familiar to a high degree, Urohime was the one I would most likely defeat out of the Five Heavenly Mages. Next. HERE! Milly exclaimed as she headed to the register. Milly and I were both directed to different examinees after putting down the necessary information and handing over the participation fee. Milly dont let your guard down, okay? I know! Make sure to win, okay Zeph? Lets meet at the finals. Milly said with a wide smile on her face. I gave her a wry smile after which I headed to my appointed Isolated Space. As soon as I stepped inside, I noticed an elderly gentleman dressed in white with the Magician Associations crest embroidered on his clothes. He possessed a magnificent beard, and despite his advanced age, his enormous muscles were clearly visible even from beneath his garments. I cast Scout Scope on him. Shiranui Gennai Level 80 Magic Level Red: 32 / 65 Blue: 41 / 51 Green: 19 / 19 Sky: 21 / 21 Soul: 65 / 65 Magic Power 3585 / 3585 Thats one high level hes got there Hes quite strong. And that doesnt include just his status. The way he holds himself and his magic power which gives off the impression of a massive tree makes him seem like quite the opponent. Come to think of it, Elise did say that theyre proficient in close-quarters. A feeling of anxiety washed over me. Take your stance. he said. Shiranui grabbed up the staff with his hands, saying nothing else. No familiar huh No, wait. I saw it with Scout Scope. This Shiranui guys Summon Servant is quite high levelled. Theres a high chance that hes planning something But I guess I cant just stay and do nothing, now can I? Im sorry but Ill finish this with one strike. I said, immediately kicking the ground and widening the distance between me and Shiranui. I cant let myself be dragged into a close-quarters fight. Ill bombard him with spells and finish this. I cast Blue Gale and a water tornado enveloped Shiranui. Im not done. Even before the water tornado could disappear I began to bombard him with Green Bullet. The rock-like magic power bullets pierced through Shiranuis body inside the tornado. Or thats what I thought. Suddenly a strange feeling washed over me. Why didnt I feel any response? Even though the link between the spell and the caster weakened after the magic was cast, a response could still be felt when the spell struck something. Even during an offset, there would still be a response. Why didnt I feel anything? What does this mean? Its my turn. As soon as those words came out the dust in the area exploded. A white shadow flew at me with tremendous speed Hes fast! I immediately twisted my body, somehow managing to dodge the charge. The thing that had flown by just now was a beautifully sharpened blade. That was close?! This shape If Im right it should be a katana. A foreign weapon, eh. According to what Id heard about katanas, their sharpness was unparalleled because of the blade being folded and baked multiple times. I dont have time to worry about this Thats not nice you know? Are you planning to kill me? Do not fret. I didnt aim at a vital spot Still, its quite surprising that you managed to dodge it. When the smoke cleared, I saw Shiranui wearing a demon-like helmet with horns protruding from both sides and a white torso patch covering his chest. CH 170.2 He was dressed in spectacular white armor. It even radiated a tremendous amount of magic power. This Its probably his familiar. I guess its similar to the way Ain can transform into Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. The armor covered his whole body, and he wielded a katana in each hand. This was something Id seen in books before. It was a type of armor worn by warriors known as Samurai. Shiranui dispersed the curtain of smoke with just a light swing of his brightly shining katana. His katana was wrapped in an unusually thick layer of magic power. He probably cut through my spell with that thing, making it ineffective. It was somewhat similar to Claudes White Flash. However, unlike it, Shiranui had specialized in dealing with spells. If a weak spell touches that it will evaporate in an instant. Even though it seems easy, it probably requires quite a lot of skill in order to cut down a spell. So this is what the foreign countrys swordsmanship is like Its just as Elise said. It really is a sight to behold. Hes definitely someone Id like to get close to. Whats wrong? Are you finished, magician? Shiranui asked in a boastful tone. Even still, his eyes glowed with passion, and as he drew closer to me, he showed no signs of letting down his guard. Good grief. Dont you think that going all out against a participant is kind of mean? Hmph. I have no intention of allowing the princess to engage in combat with small-fry. Ill wipe out everyone right here. Is that really okay? The Title Match is the highlight of the Heavenly Mage Festival. If you do something like that the Magician Association will definitely give you an earful. I do not mind. This stupid festival that attempts to make our princess into a spectacle is uninteresting to neither me nor any of us! Shiranui replied, a nasty expression on his face. Urohimes subordinates had sworn their loyalty to her and left their now distant homeland. They only fought for the sake of their princess, ignoring everyone else, including the Magician Association. This will be a tricky one. Im done fooling around with your games. Prepare yourself. Shiranui said quietly. Immediately after which he readied his katana, slashing it down at me. If I were to presume that the katanas and that armor of his were his familiar, then that would mean that within this Isolated Space both of them would have received a tremendous power boost. In other words, it would be bad if I were hit by it. I swiftly dodged the katanas sharp blade and immediately cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast both White Crash and Red Crash twice. Quadra Spell Synthesis: Double Nova Crash. With a booming sound, a while flame enveloped the whole of Shiranui. The white flames wrapped around his armor just like a white snake. However, Shiranui managed to extinguish them with just a single swing of his katana. That wont work. Tsch! While pulling away I cast Scout Scope on Shiranui to confirm his status, however, just as I had thought he hadnt sustained almost any damage. If it was Milly, Id only need only one Double Nova Crash I guess that armor is also spell resistant Well, I guess thats to be expected. I shifted my gaze back to Shiranui as he chased after me, and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Blue Crash, Black Crash and Green Crash. Triple Spell Synthesis: Icicle Crash As I cast the spell, ice began to creep up Shiranuis armor just like an ivy. However, probably due to the effects of his armor, Shiranui didnt seem like he had taken any damage. I should have expected as much. After all, Icicle Crash is a spell that mainly focuses on restrain, not damage. But as long as I can keep him in place that will be more than enough. You cant stop me with this!! Despite having his body held down by the ice, Shiranui continued to creep forward, peeling the ice from his armor. As he did so I pointed above his head. Hm? Look up. HUH?! Like Id look away with my enemy standing right in front of m Before he could finish his sentence, Shiranui was flattened by the green ball that fell on top of him. Good grief. Thats why I told you to look. Triple Spell Synthesis: Triple Green Sphere. With this Spell Synthesis, I was able to even further increase the volume and the weight of the already enormous Green Sphere. However, because of that, its movement had gotten even duller. Which meant that it made it even harder to land a hit with it. However, by dropping it right on top of someone I managed to get rid of that problem. An unmatched destructive power. Shiranui was completely flattened to the ground. Ops. Did I overdo it? No matter how strong his armor and bones maybe I guess it was still dangerous to drop it like that. As I uncast the Triple Green Sphere I noticed Shiranui laying on the ground, twitching as his armor had shattered into pieces. Well, at least hes alive. Thank god for that. Y-You bastard Whoa! Youre still conscious? Youre quite tough arent you? I doubt hell be able to fight anymore but to think that hed manage to keep his consciousness after that attack. He really is something. Well, I guess thats it for the match. You dont mind giving me the win right? Tsch Shiranui simply averted his gaze without saying anything. I guess thats a yes. A foreign countrys warriors huh He truly was a strong foe, however, not as strong as me Im afraid. Shiranui somehow managed to lift his torso up, in doing so he also stripped his shattered armor. Following which he crossed his legs, sitting down half-naked. He then took out a small blade from somewhere and pointed it at his abdomen. H-Hey wait! What do you think youre doing?! I yelled out. LET GO OF ME! Useless bastards like me who would only cause the princess trouble have no right to remain in this world! He yelled out. I immediately grabbed his hands, pushing them down and stealing the short sword. T-That was close Was he really planning to die?! Ive heard that those foreign warriors often cut their own stomachs, but to think that it was actually true That seems quite dangerous. Why wont you let me die Calm down, would you? If you were to take your life over every minor thing, then even endless lives wouldnt be enough! A life that cannot serve its master is pointless! Hes not listening at all What a stubborn geezer. As I let out a sigh I prompted Shiranui to look up at the top of the Soul Tower. Standing there was Urohime. She was looking down at Shiranui with a worried expression on her face. Urohime-sama Do you really think that your master would really wish that? These people had followed Urohime, leaving their homeland behind, in order to protect her. She had been living here with them all this time. They were probably nothing less than family at this point. As I threw away the short sword from Shiranuis hand, Urohime looked at me and lowered her head. I guess thats her way of saying thanks. As Shiranui saw that, tears welled up in his eyes. Princess For you to lower your head for someone like me Come on now, gramps, dont cry. I said, trying to comfort him. Well, I guess from now on he wont do something that stupid again. After calming down Shiranui I exited the Isolated Space. I wonder how Millys match went Wait! If she managed to finish at around the same time as me, and if her opponent was the same as that geezer, then theres a chance that hed try to take his life as well! I must stop it! It should be this way They should still be fighting I thought as I rushed to the Isolated Space Milly had been assigned to. As I arrived there, however, the match had already ended. The one lying in the heart of the dust cloud was Milly. Hey! What happened with meeting at the finals! Good grief. To think that shed lose like that. I rushed to Millys side, lifting her up. Are you okay Milly? Urgh So strong The person Milly had fought with was a normal, kind-looking old woman. She was dressed in white and held some kind of wooden staff. At first glance, she looked like someone youd let your guard down against, however, upon a closer inspection, her magic power was no weaker than Shiranuis. That ghost thats lingering behind her must be her familiar. I cast Scout Scope on the woman, being careful not to be found out. Tomiko Gennai Level 76 Magic Level Red: 21 / 52 Blue: 40 / 40 Green: 12 / 32 Sky: 43 / 48 Soul: 72 / 72 Magic Power 1593 / 4152 Shes not your typical old woman all right However, shes also not an opponent Milly couldnt beat if she were to go all out. She really did let her guard down after all. Hoho. Are you that girls boyfriend? I would advise that you treat her as soon as possible. Like hell, Im her boyfriend. Good grief I said, a bit annoyed. I immediately began casting Healing on Milly. Shiranui Gennai and Tomiko Gennai eh. Are these two a couple by any chance? That damn geezer. How could he think about dying with his wife right here! As I was thinking, I noticed that Shiranui had appeared out of nowhere and was standing before Tomiko with an apologetic look on his face. Im sorry Tomiko Oh my. Did you lose? Its a disgrace that will be forever engraved in my heart. Shiranui said, bowing his head to Tomiko. Tomiko, on the other hand, simply sighed and returned his stare with a blank face. You dummy Were nothing more than ordinary subordinates. Its fine to trouble the princess once or twice. And the princess, herself, said that shed like to fight from time to time, dont you think this will be a welcome change of pace? Tomiko said, embracing Shiranui. Im sorry for only causing you trouble Tomiko. As I looked at both of them Milly suddenly shrugged her shoulders. Zeph, we mustnt disturb them. Youre right. Lets leave. Milly was still unable to move, so I held on to her as we exited the Isolated Space. So those two are a couple huh I actually kind of like things like that. Really? Even though you just had your ass handed to you by one of them? That doesnt matter! Shes cool after all! Milly said, pressing her body against mine. CH 171.1 Night came and Milly and I once again headed towards the Sky Tower. There was a crowd outside of the tower, all of them waiting just to get a glance at a Heavenly Mage fighting. Its Zeph Einstein! Do your best!!! Some of the crowd even cheered my name. It wasnt nearly enough the amount that Urohime was receiving, however, it seemed that I had also managed to make a name for myself. In the end, Zeph, you were the only one that managed to pass the qualifiers. Apparently Good grief, the elderly sure dont know the meaning of holding back Apparently, all of the other participants had been bested by Urohimes subordinate. However, as a result of this, the tournament between those who had qualified had not taken place, making things easier for me. I had time to look at the other qualifying matches because I had finished the qualifier early, but Urohimes subordinates had not held anything back. Unless one had trained themselves sufficiently they wouldnt be able to win. Even Milly had ended up losing. That aside, Zeph, whats your plan? Just go in like normal. I havent planned anything in particular. I could have opted to strengthen my resistance towards a specific system, just like Silverie had done before. However, if I were found out it would turn sour really fast. It would be fine if I knew what my opponent specialized in, however, since there was close to no information about Urohime, it wouldnt be useful. The best course, in this case, would be to just go in as usual. Well, its not like I dont have some tricks up my sleeve I thought while clenching a fist with my prosthetic arm. Lydia, thankfully, had stayed up all night to finish the repairs to my arm. She was, however, currently sleeping at home as a result of this. She had strongly expressed her desire to watch the match, however, since she had been really exhausted we had no choice but to force her to lay down. Currently, my prosthetic arm was even equipped with the techniques that were used in the protection barrier, so it would probably prove really useful in this Title Match. Well then, lets go, Milly. Okay!! The gate that led up to the arena had only a single corridor which I would have to pass through upon being called in by the announcer. Milly, on the other hand, was accompanying me as my support. She was ecstatic to be able to see a match between two high-levelled magicians, and she also saw it as an opportunity that could benefit her in the future. For the time being though Ill have her stay near the exit of the arena. Whoa. Zeph there are so many spectators Isnt it even more than the time when Silverie fought? Judging from the way Shiranui and the other subordinates acted, its probably been a while since a Title Match was held in the Soul Tower. Its no wonder there are this many people. The spectator seats were full to the brim. Milly was completely dumbstruck at the sheer volume of people. Urgh Im starting to get nervous It was normal for Milly to get nervous in these kinds of situations. Me, on the other hand, I was completely calm. Rather, I was the type of guy who became even more fired up as the number of people increased. Kuku, now this is exciting. My focus deepened, as magic power filled every nook and cranny of my body. DEEEDEDDEDERERERADEEDE? CHARARATTATTA! Suddenly the announcers carefree humming voice echoed in the arena. It took a special kind of skill to be able to make those sound effects with just ones mouth. This times announcer was certainly the same one who had spoken throughout Silverie and Yeras match. Im surprised shes still going at it after so many years. SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING EVERYONE! I WOULD FORMALLY LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE START OF THE TITLEMATCH!!! YEAAAAA!!! As usual. She sure knows how to fire up the crowd. Without further ado, lets invite the fighters! the announcer said, waving her arm towards me. I guess I should go. Kuku. This makes me feel like the centre of attention. Do your best Zeph! Milly said, clasping her fists I will. After nodding her head, I headed toward the arena. The stark contrast, between the dark corridor and bright lit arena, blinded me for a second as I entered the arena. As soon as I entered the cheers grew even louder, and in an effort to reply to them I raised my hand. Despite not having been held for a very long time, we finally have a challenger for the Soul Title Match! The man in front of you is this years only challenger! He fought through the rigorous qualifying round and earned the right to stand in this arena! I present to you, Zeph Einstein! He is quite the handsome one if we exclude the nasty look he has hidden beneath his grey hair! What does she mean by a nasty look?! That aside, shes right about the handsome part. I suddenly noticed Shirushu and Claude sitting in the front row of the spectator seats, right next to the arenas entrance. As soon as our eyes met, they cheered loudly so that I could hear them even amongst the other noises. ZEPH-SAAAN! DO YOUR BEST! ZEPH-KUN! FIGHT!!! I waved back at them and then looked over the stands once more. In the back, I noticed Yera, and standing right next to her I could even see Silverie. In contrast to Yera, who was standing up to wave at me, Silverie had just slightly raised her hand. I could just see her lips moving slightly. From their movement, I realized she was telling me to give it my best. As I nodded back at her, and despite her cheeks turning red she didnt avert her gaze. Shes probably giving it her best to watch so that she can share with Lydia what happened afterwards. After I entered the Isolated Space inside the arena I patiently waited. I was meditating with my eyes closed when I felt the air in the arena start to shake. Facing him we have, the one and only! The Soul of Soul, Urohime Tatsumigawa! As soon as the announcers voice filled the arena, a wave of cheers, even louder than the one just now, crashed inside the arena. Upon entering the arena, Urohime didnt even reply to them, as she quietly entered the Isolated Space. She gave me a small bow as soon as she walked in. Let me introduce myself anew. My name is Urohime. As youre probably aware Im the Soul Heavenly Mage. Im Zeph. Well you probably already know me I presume. Itd be great if this fight turns out to be a good one. I wonder. Im not quite the fighter you see. Urohime said, narrowing her eyes. Her magic power began to silently but fiercely well up as she did so. It was on a whole another level compared to Shiranuis. Despite her placid appearance, Urohimes eyes burned with a fierceness that implied she was a true fighter. Not a fighter my ass. Dont make me laugh. Kuku Dont be too hard on me. Even though were about to fight, you seem quite happy, Zeph-san. Arent you the same? Your excitement is as clear as day. Fufufu. Urohimes face, which had been expressionless up to this point, now smiled slightly. Since she told her subordinates to clear all of the participants I thought that maybe she hated to fight, but it seems I was wrong. Shes the same as me. Well if that wasnt the case she wouldnt be one of the Heavenly Mages in the first place. This is going to be fun. As soon as I took my posture, Urohime took one as well. The air in the Isolated Space began to shake. Having felt that, both the spectators as well as the announcer didnt utter a sound. Zeph! Do your best!!! Millys carefree voice was the thing that broke the silence. The silent crowd slowly began to raise their voices, which grew louder and louder as time passed. The buzzing atmosphere from just minutes ago was going at full blast once more. Having been influenced by that, Urohimes expression grew a bit softer. You have quite the cute companion over there. I guess youre right As I hopelessly waved back at her, Milly put her chest forward, showing how proud she was. She really cant read the mood. Well, thanks to her things got a bit easier. You both seem to be just about ready! Lets not make the crowd wait any more!!! As soon as the announcer spoke the crowd grew louder. Their voices grew louder as if they couldnt wait any longer. Amongst the buzzing of the crowd, the announcer managed to grab the only moment of short silence and raised her hand. LET THE TITLE MATCH BEGIN! YEAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! In the midst of the thundering noise, Urohime and I charged at one another. The white clothes that Urohime wore had the effect of strengthening her Magic Power Lines and as long as she wore them her Magic Power would be increased. The Isolated Space shaved off ones magic power each time they were hit and on top of that, the Summon Servant spell consumed a great deal of magic power as well. Which meant that this match would turn into a battle of attrition. One of the most useful things inside the Isolated Spaces was a large amount of magic power. I, as well, had clothes which increased my magic power, however, the several layers of embroidery on Urohimes clothes made them several times more effective than mine. However, there was a trade-off in terms of mobility. If it turns into a long-range spell battle Ill be the one that gives out first. This means that I have to get in close! I had charged at her having made that decision. However, as I charged, a bad feeling rushed over me and I immediately jumped to the side. It happened immediately after that. A warrior in deep crimson armor appeared at the location where I was just about land. The gap in the warriors helmet revealed two bright crimson eyes. HERE IT IS! Urohimes familiar! What kind of fight will the foreign countrys warrior, the samurai, show us I wonder?!!! An armor that resembled a demon with horns, as well as a katana in its hands The familiars appearance somewhat resembled that of Shiranui. And it wasnt just its appearance. Its stance was the same as well. CH 171.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Kagutsuchi, I leave this to you. Understood. Kagutsuchi? Wasnt that the name of one of the small demons who were accompanying Urohime the other day? I see now. She can change her familiars appearance. I guess something like that must be quite easy for the Soul Heavenly Mage. Im coming, Zeph, or whatever your name was! Kagutsuchi said, gripping his katana tightly and slowly lowering his posture. In truth, his actions werent slow at all. The only reason it looked slow to me was that I was focusing everything I had on observing him. Before he even slashed I twisted my body to try and dodge. However, the slash came down with unbelievable speed. Tsch! I promptly put out my prosthetic arm in order to stop Kagutsuchis blade. Furthermore, I couldnt just break the arm that Lydia had worked so hard to repair, so upon receiving the strike I turned to try and slide the blade down my arm. The sound of metal scraping was heard as the blade slid down the surface arm. The blade finally slid off my arm, however, as soon as it did so, Kagutsuchi twisted it and aimed it at my legs. Just before the moment, the blade reached my legs I managed to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Blue Crash. Double Fusion: Burst Crash. An explosion burst forth and its impact assaulted me. The Synthesis between the Red and Blue systems, between heat and cold, caused a repulsion between the elements, creating an explosion. It was an enormous explosion that would even damage oneself at close range. And because of that explosion both me and Kagutsuchi were blown back. Phew, scary. I swooped back a few feet, and when I landed, I cleaned the dust off my clothes. I looked up in order to confirm what had happened to Kagutsuchi, however, upon doing that I noticed that he was already charging straight at me. I once again used my prosthetic arm to repel his sword and created some distance between us. Even I found it difficult to deal with Kagatsuchis power boost as a familiar within the Soul Towers Isolated Space. Are you scared? Youve been running all this time. Dont worry, Im coming any moment now. Just before his next attack could land I managed to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast White Mail and Summon Servant. Fusion Summon: Colored Servant White. As time began to flow once more, a blinding light enveloped the Isolated Space. Hmph. I dont know what youre planning but Kagutsuchi, wait! Urohime yelled, stopping Kagutsuchis charge. With a frustrated face, Kagutsuchi turned around to look at his master. Princess, why?!!! Hes most vulnerable when summoning! Fufufu. If you had continued you would have turned into a skewer. You should thank your master. Ain said, appearing from within the light. Damn, and here I preserved the spell just for a moment like that Fufu. I am Ain No wait. Currently you should address me as the Noble White Ain. Ain said in a boastful tone. She was clad in beautiful silver armor and wielded a long spear and a shield in each hand. Her armor had wings growing from its back, making Ain seem like a battle maiden. White Mail was a spell that created soul magic armor and weapons that could counter the opponent. And I had used that spell in combination with Summon Servant. Turning Ain into an anti-familiar weapon of sorts. OOOHHH! Everyone, Zeph summoned a familiar of his own!!! A showdown between familiars! You wont want to miss this! As the announcers voice echoed in the arena, the cheers grew louder and louder. In order to reply to all of the cheers, Ain raised her lance towards the ceiling. Her eyes burned with excitement. This form This power that feels like its about to burst out from my body! Were in the Soul Towers centre after all. However, that goes for our opponent as well. Dont let your guard down Ain. Fufu, fufufufu Without saying anything, Ain just turned her back on me and laughed creepily. Will she really be okay? Still, it seems like Kagutsuchi is quite cautious of her. Kagutsuchi was taking small and careful steps towards us, when Ain suddenly pointed her lance forward, with a confident smile on her face. Whats wrong? Arent you coming? Tsch. Ain was undeniably inferior to Kagutsuchi in various ways due to her lack of battle experience. Her long lance and huge shield however, were exceedingly intimidating to Kagutsuchi, who only had one katana. Still, if Ain was the one to attack first, she would definitely show some kind of opening. Which was why I had strictly forbidden her from attacking. This battle will take a while it seems. I see. Youre buying time, arent you? Urohime asked. Correct. She just needs to hold on until I defeat you. I said, kicking the ground and dashing towards her. As I tried to get closer, Urohime cast a spell in order to keep me in check. Tsch. As I expected, her accuracy is nothing to sneeze at. Getting close wont be so easy. Furthermore Ain wont be able to hold on for that long either. Ain had managed to use her reach and shield to overwhelm Kagutsuchi for a bit, however, he was beginning to get a grasp of her movements. I guess he figured us out. If it goes on like this, shell be taken down in no time. I must take down Urohime before that! I rushed straight towards Urohime once more. In order to stop me, Urohime cast a spell and a white light burst forth from her hand. It was White Sphere. The overflowing light enveloped me, and stopped my movements completely. !!! A sensation of being scorched on the inside washed through me. I never imagined that White Sphere could be this strong! Usually, when used against people, White Sphere could at most be used to achieve a dazzling effect. It was difficult to believe it could be this powerful. I guess I should be this shocked Ignoring the pain, I continued moving forward. The reason I hadnt offset the spell was because Urohime used it at point-black range. And when using Intermediate Spell, one would have to wait a bit before he could use another spell, so it was impossible to chain them. As I dashed out of the whirling of light I was faced with Urohimes confused expression. EAT THIS! I reached out my right hand towards Urohimes bosom and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast both White Crash and Green Crash twice. Quadra Fusion: Beat Crash Double. A shattering sound echoed in the area, and the space around Urohime twisted. The fusion of the Soul and Green systems was a spell that created a tight region that diffused and reflected magical power, creating a shock wave that could penetrate an opponents defenses. It worked by shaking the inside of the body, causing damage that completely ignored all defenses. However, the damage caused wasnt that much considering the amount of magic power it consumed so I hadnt used it that much up until now. But thanks to my countless matches with Milly I was able to grasp its importance when fighting against human opponents. With it I was able to cause damage despite the opponent having numerous layers of defenses. Just as I thought that the shock wave would reach Urohime, it stopped at some kind of wall just before it could reach her. Huh?! Hmph. No spells may touch the princess. I wont let them. someone said. A little demon pushed its head out from underneath Urohimes diadem. Wadatsumi, was it? I see now. Kagutsuchi is the spear while this one here is the shield. Hes probably the one who blocked my Scout Scope the other day as well. But damn, this really feels like cheating. Hes even able to stop Beat Crash Double, despite its magic resistance penetration trait. I wonder if his ability is simply nullifying the spells themselves? This is quite bothersome. Just as I clicked my tongue in frustration, Urohimes long sleeve fluttered. I got a bad feeling so I immediately moved back, but the clothes around my chest were still split in half. Urohime held a short katana in her hand. So she was hiding it in her long sleeves. That was a splendid dodge. Those sleeves are way too huge. Its be strange if you werent hiding something in there. I wouldve been done for, if I hadnt been careful. Despite having a docile appearance, it seemed like she had definitely undergone some kind of training. After all, one needed a bit of hand-to-hand battle experience as well in order to become one of the Heavenly Mages. And her having immunity to spells made it even more annoying. I constantly searched for an opening as I continued to dodge Urohimes slashes. She wasnt nowhere as good as Kagutsuchi, however, I was unarmed. The difference in reach was quite the hurdle for me to overcome. Both Ain and Kagutsuchi, as well as Urohime and I were caught up in a close-quarters combat in different places within the arena. Is this what a Title Match is really supposed to be like? Both contestants are stuck in a hand-to-hand combat! The Title Match is supposed to be a battle between peak magicians, and yet it feels like were watching a martial arts tournament!!! Use some of those spells youre so fond of!!! The crowd erupted in laughter when the announcer cried out. Good grief. Are they blind? Were already using them. Summon Servant consumes a lot of magic power you know? Furthermore, the one we were using drained even more magic power than usual. Just maintaining it was taking everything we had. We didnt have the leisure to use other spells. However, the announcer was somewhat right. Urohime had the advantage because of her katana. If I didnt use a spell sometime soon the situation would only grow worse. Well then, what should I do? Zeph-kun! Do your best!!! Claudes voice somehow managed to break through the loud wall of cheers, reaching my ears. Huh? Claude? Wait. I just got an awesome idea. Kukuku. If I use that I might just break through Wadatsumis defense What are you smiling for!!! Urohime yelled out, swinging down her katana. Using my prosthetic arm, I grabbed the katanas blade. The sound of metal scraping against one another entered my ears. However, despite the sound, the katanas blade hadnt budged at all. These blades are really something else But how about this? While still holding onto the blade I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash, Black Crash and Green Crash. Triple Fusion: Volcanon Crash I immediately launched the spell with my prosthetic arm. The magma inducing spell Volcanon Crash found its way into my prosthetic arm. As soon as the spell entered my arm, my arm instantly burned with heat and turned bright red. Steam frequently leaked through its cracks, the heat twisting my field of vision. What?! Kukuku. With the help of Lydias skill, my arm had been reborn with a whole new set of functions. CH 172.1 Zeph-chi Im done! Heres your new arm! Lydia said, handing me my new arm. I immediately attached it to my shoulder and filled it with magic power. The feeling was almost the same as the first time I had attached it, so it didnt feel strange at all. It feels a bit heavier than before. Im surprised you noticed! Its because of the new functions that we talked about last time. You mean the mechanism that we took from the protection barrier? Ahaha. Thats right? Lydia said, smiling. She was, however, clearly fatigued. She did work on it non-stop these past few days after all. She probably hasnt been getting a lot of sleep. Thank you. Youre always there for me when I need you. W-What are you saying Zeph-chi Thats embarrassing Good grief. Hahaha Lydia said, her cheeks blushing. It was quite unusual to see her like this. Lydia turned her look aside, unable to bear my constant stare. I-I believe that that arm will be your trump card during the Title Match. T-Thats why I wont forgive you if you lose! she said, closing her eyes. As she gripped my arm, her face turned bright red. Thats so not like you Lydia. Lydia became irritated because I was holding back my laughter, prompting her to apply an arm lock on my head. You brat! Dont mess around with your older sister!!! Hey, that hurts! Stop it! I give up! Despite that Lydias frustration didnt die down. It was then that I decided. I decided that I would definitely win the Title Match. DD Lydia believed that her arm would prove to be the trump card that would leave me to victory. And she wasnt wrong to believe that. S-So hot!!! Urohime let go of her katana because she couldnt bear the heat from my arm. I then immediately discarded her katana, which had entirely lost its former appearance. Upon touching the ground, the katana let out a snapping sound as it broke in two. The new function that Lydia had installed, allowed my arm to inherit the effects of the spell that was embedded in it. The magic circuits of the protection barrier were designed to efficiently circulate and store magic power that would otherwise be lost. Lydia had used that ability and had adjusted it to my arm. I had originally planned to store spells in my arm and then utilize them later, similar to how I did with Divine Sword Ainbelle. However, upon trying it I had discovered that I couldnt re-use the spell at a later time. Which led me to change my thought process. In the end I ended up taking inspiration from Claudes White Flash. Normally it was quite difficult to try and store spells in an inanimate object that didnt possess animate magic power lines. And even if technology was used it didnt help all that much. However, thats where Claudes White Flash came into play. Claudes White Flash was a technique that involved applying Screen Point on an inanimate item, which gave it an attribute. By using that as a reference I was able to tweak it to my arm. In the end, my arm was imbued with an attribute that gave it ultra-high temperature by utilizing Volcanon Crash, which normally produces lava. Urgh?! Urohime jumped back, however, I immediately followed after her. Urohimes diadem and the little demon were both grabbed by the crimson trajectory that landed on her head. Wadatsumi started releasing smoke as soon as I locked him in my prosthetic hand. P-Prince Disperse. I swung my now-crimson arm and launched Wadatsumi into the air before he could complete his last remarks. He dispersed into hundreds of fragments. I guess hes not that strong against normal attacks. The fragments then turned into small particles and Wadatsumi completely disappeared, returning to the Other World. As I unclenched my fist the palm of my prosthetic arm returned to its original color. I was right it seems. The duration is quite short. Imbuing a spell into an inanimate object is quite the challenge. Either way, I guess Ill call this Volcanon Impact. Im honestly impressed. The spell is similar to a flower in that it blooms first, spreading its crimson petals, and then its color fades, as if the petals have been scattered in the wind. To think that Claudes White Flash had such meaning behind it. Her naming sense is quite splendid. Ill praise her later. Wadatsumi! Urohime cried out towards her fading familiar. Once a familiar disappeared the magician would need to wait a couple of days, if not even a dozen before they could re-summon it. Which meant that Wadatsumi wouldnt be showing himself in this battle. Urohime remained silent as she gazed downward, clinging to the void in an attempt to recall her familiar. She then abruptly raised her head, as if shed made up her mind, and scowled at me. Wadatsumi I will avenge you T-This is a direct declaration ladies and gentlemen! Will Urohime bring down divine punishment upon this heretic?! Who are you calling a heretic?! Good grief She really does love to exaggerate things. Familiars are given temporary bodies made out of their masters magic power. They cannot die. Theres no point in avenging them. In the end, shes still an announcer I guess. I understand that its for the entertainment of the crowd, however, Id like it if she didnt treat me as the bad guy. With everything they had, the audience began to boo. Oh well, Im already used to this kind of stuff. While the wave of boos was drowning the arena, I suddenly overheard a couple of voices cheering my name. ZEPH!!! DO YOUR BEST!!! Milly, Claude, and Shirushu were all reddened from yelling in an attempt to break through the booing. Silverie wasnt yelling; instead, she was gazing at me, fire burning in her eyes. Yera on the other hand was smiling? She never changes Hmph. Well its not like I plan on losing. I turned towards Urohime and sprinted forward, everyones cheers giving me a push on the back. Urohime probably had another familiar that she could summon, however, Summon Servant had a long chant so it would be impossible to use it in a close-quarters fight. I was planning on bringing her down before she could summon another familiar. However, contrary to my expectations, Urohime had no intention of fleeing and instead opted to call Kagutsuchi to her side. Kagutsuchi! Can I have you hold him off for a bit? Of course!!! Kagutsuchi replied, moving away from Ain and standing in between Urohime and I. Thats the wrong move. Ain! You dont need to tell me!!! Without needing any further instructions, Ain immediately dashed after Kagutsuchi. Using Ain as a shield I continued charging at Urohime. While running I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast both White Sphere and Red Sphere twice. Quadra Fusion: Nova Sphere Double. As time began to flow again, the white flames enveloped both Kagutsuchi and Urohime. ?! PRINCESS! Kagutsuchi tried to coved Urohime from the flames, however, as he did that Ain thrust her lance Urohime. Kagutsuchi had no choice but to sacrifice his body in order to stop both attacks. Kagutsuchi was hit by both my flames and Ains lance. With the simultaneous assault of both attacks, Kagutsuchis body was quickly being whittled down. Urgh! Forgive me Kagutsuchi. Please hold on for just a bit more! Urohime said, trying to comfort Kagutsuchi as he held on with everything he had. Even though Urohime wasnt moving at all, the fire in her eyes was still burning strong. Those eyes, shes plotting something. Are you watching everyone!!! Have you ever seen a fiend such as this? He purposely targeted Urohime, hoping for her familiar to intervene and protect her! We are witnessing the pinnacle of heresy!!! the announcer yelled out Shes right! Thats cheap!!! And with that the booing got even worse. Faced with this kind of booing, not even Milly and the others could do anything. You dimwits. It is disrespectful to hold back against an opponent in a real battle. Whoa, gramps you really are a demon Well its not like I didnt already know that. Who are you calling a demon? This is called strategy. Strategy!!! The plan was to attack the master and have the familiar cover for him. At that time if I were to mix in a Soul Fusion spell, at least one of the attacks would land, causing damage. This was the most efficient way Oh, slumbering spirit I beg thy, heed my call and reveal thyself. While that was going on, Urohime was beginning to chant something. It was an absurdly long chant that contained various hand signs that I had never seen before. Is she trying to summon something? Thats not your ordinary Summon Servant. P-Princess, that chant is?! Please restrain yourself! You mustnt call him!!! Urohimes supporter, Shiranui, screamed, attempting to stop her. However, she didnt listen. Even that geezers gone pale. That must mean that this is one hell of a spell Im starting to get a bad feeling. I should finish this! HYAAAA!!! I WONT LET YOU!!! Kagutsuchi yelled out, desperately blocking Ains lance attacks. However, due to already sustaining quite a lot of damage, it took everything he had just to block them. Have one more taste of this then! Just to be sure, I once again cast Nova Sphere. ARGH! Kagutsuchi once again jumped in to protect Urohime from the raging white flames, however, this time he wasnt able to stop them completely and a part of the flames made their way to Urohime. PRINCESS!!! ! Let thy otherworldly black armor aid me in wreaking havoc I managed to stop her for a second, however, even despite that Urohime continued her chant What strong determination However, I dont have the leisure to admire her. Judging from the chant, theres at most 2 or 3 more lines. That goes to show how powerful the spell will be. I dont know what will come out, however, I must stop her before it does. Ain! I know! Ain replied, her lance at the ready as she kicked the ground. Ain turned into an arrow of light as her spear pierced straight through Kagutsuchi and continued to make its way towards Urohime. W-What in the world? In the end, however, Ains lance didnt reach its target. When Ain looked down to see her lance torn in half, she was speechless. Secret Art: Violet Stream Slash The flames had already spread across Kagutsuchis body. Just now he had mustered all of his remaining power in order to split Ains lance. Even though he was my enemy, I couldnt stop myself from feeling respect towards him. Princess I leave the rest up to you Kagutsuchi said, a smile on his face as he allowed the flames to envelop him completely. In an effort to answer her familiars request, Urohime did everything she could to finish her chant. I beg thee, heed my voice Demon Spirit Summoning!!! CH 172.2 Light burst forth and a tremendous amount of magic power flooded the arena. Damn it. Im late. If I just manage to make the first move Just as I thought that I heard Ain scream. GRAMPS! THAT THING IS BAD NEWS! As the light faded I turned towards the location Ain was pointing at. There I saw darkness spreading before Urohime. The air in the area grew colder and a raging whirlwind raised up a cloud of dust. Everything combined into a violent torrent of freezing magic power. You rarely see a spell of this magnitude. It resembles a ceremonial spell, which normally requires multiple people. By using the long chant in combination with Summon Servant, Urohime was able to enhance the spell, pushing it beyond its limits. By including a special action or a chant to a spell a magician was able to greatly enhance that spells power. And with that, she was supposed to summon a powerful familiar However, this is way beyond my expectations. The darkness in front of Urohime steadily spread inside the Isolated Space. OOOOooo!!! Wails that sounded like those of a beast resonated from beneath the ground. The darkness slowly began to take on the shape of an armored warrior. The closer the armored warrior came to completion the more he resembled Kagutsuchi. However, unlike Kagutsuchi, this warrior was enormous. He was close to five times my size. GOSHURURURURU!!! The armored giants roar echoed within the whole of the Soul Tower. I-ITS ENORMOUS!!! What in the world is that?! Everyone! Urohime-sama just summoned an enormous samurai!!! The massive samurai in black armor exerted tremendous pressure. It was enough to send shivers up everyones spine. As the crowd grew silent, only the giants breathing echoed in the tower. His face was hidden behind its helmet, however, from the gaps in the helmet one could see its crazed red eyes. As his armor creaked, the giant slowly rose up in a rigid manner. He stared down at me after fully raising his body. You seem to be having a hard time there pal? Is the armor not the right size for you? This is no time to be fooling around gramps! What are we going to do about this?! Ain screamed, pulling me by the arm towards the edges of the Isolated Space. The giant was so large that every time he moved, he smashed his head against the Isolated Spaces ceiling. And here I thought that the Isolated Spaces ceiling was quite high GROWLLL!!! The air shook with the giants roar. Ains wings stood on end as they began to tremble. T-Theres no way we can win against that huge thing! Ain said, shaking her head. Her face became completely devoid of color as the giant samurai looked down at her. It seemed like she could feel the difference in their strength due to both of them being familiars. Hyaa?!! I-Im out, Im so out!! Ain, wait! After saying that Ain vanished. Good grief. How can she be so selfish and run away like that? Well, I suppose she wouldnt be able to do much without her weapon against that gigantic creature. In the end, magic power consumption was quite severe due to her, so I wasnt such a bad thing after all. And I could always forcefully summon her if I needed her. I then once again lost myself in my thoughts as I used meditation to try and recover a bit of my magic power. Come to think of it, how much magic power does Urohime have left? She was controlling two familiars at the same time, and on top of that, she also summoned this thing. She shouldnt have that much left And if thats not the case then Im totally screwed. Wait. Since Wadatsumi isnt here anymore I should be able to use Scout Scope on her, right? I cant see her though. She must have hidden somewhere. I last remember seeing her around the Isolated Spaces entrance There she is! Urohime was hiding in the gaps of the armored samurais armor. She was currently around his neck area. As soon as I spotted her I cast Scout Scope. Urohime Tatsumigawa Level 97 Magic Level: Red: 42 / 71 Blue: 18 / 60 Green: 29 / 35 Sky: 55 / 64 Soul: 97 / 97 Magic Power: 1815 / 5415 She still had quite a bit of magic power left. Even though I hadnt managed to land a proper attack on her, it was hard to believe that she still had much left despite using so many spells. I guess its the difference in our spells level. The higher the level of a spell, the harder it became to level up. However, the time and effort invested in levelling them eventually paid off. The strength, consumption, and casting time of spells could vary substantially depending on the systems level, even among expert practitioners of the same system. And those spells would of course be enhanced if they were used in the appropriate tower. Currently, the match was between my Soul Level of 73 and Urohimes Soul Level of 97 If I factored in the increase from the Soul Tower, Urohime was about twice as powerful as I was. Subjugate him, Susano! ROARRRR!!! Susano let out a powerful roar and swung its pillar-like arm towards the ground. The arm split the ground as it made its way toward me. Rather than an arm, it looked like an enormous boulder. Is this it, everyone?! Will Zeph be able to avoid this?! Is this the end for him?!!! The sheer size of Susanos arm and the narrow Isolated Space made this attack exceptionally hard to dodge. Theres more than one way to dodge an attack you know? The arm made its way straight at me. I squatted to the ground and placed my hands on it, casting Green Ball, for I had no other option. Green Ball had the effect of creating a powerful impact at the place where it was cast. That impact was especially strong when cast at the ground. It was possible to use it to dig a massive hole. A large hole opened beneath my feet and I dived inside it. Immediately after that Susanos arm passed just over my head. Phew. That was close. Now its my turn! I used the dust to conceal myself as I jumped out of the hole. I cast Scout Scope once more, and countless numbers entered my field of view. With their help, I was able to locate Urohime even inside the curtain of dust. Found you But that doesnt change the fact that shes still inside the armor Even if I were to cast a spell at Urohime, that thick armor would act as a shield. In that case I might as well try that. The fusion of Red, Blue, Green, Sky and Soul. The simultaneous cast of all of the systems combined. The Penta Fusion. It was the most powerful of all the weapons I held. Kuku! My lips instinctively curved upwards. Urohimes strongest familiar Susano against my Penta Fusion, I wonder which one will win I get shivers just thinking about it. Urohime! Im going to go all out against you! Ain, come out! I cast Summon Servant, and Ain appeared in her sword form. Urgh Please let me rest for a bit Divine Sword Ainbelle appeared. However, its light was somewhat weaker than usual. Did Susanos pressure cause her mental damage, causing her power to wane? I dont have the time to think about it, Ill just have her endure it. I placed both of my hands on Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Ball and Black Ball. Double Fusion: Pyro Ball. Urgh.! A small moan echoed from within Divine Sword Ainbelle. Its previously golden blade now shined darkish-red. Once more! I murmured as I swung down, casting Time Square once more. While time was stopped I cast Blue Ball, Green Ball and White Ball. Penta Fusion: Platinum Slash. A golden-white aura blade appeared as soon as my spell was cast, spanning from Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. ?!!! Susano! Block it! Just before the blade could reach Susano, Urohime noticed my intention and immediately ordered Susano to put forth his hands and guard. Tsch She noticed Unfortunately, I cannot change the course anymore. I gave everything I had in order to try and push through, however, Susanos arms completely stopped the blade. Cracking sounds echoed in the area as sparks of magic power flew everywhere So tough! How hard is it to be able to even withstand my Penta Fusion! Platinum Slash had a lot of cutting power, which is why I had never encountered any resistance while using it before. Susanos hands, on the other hand, were so tough that it couldnt even cut them. This kind of magic resistance is just ridiculous. GuGIGIGIGI It hurts! It hurts! Ill break!!! Ain screamed out loud. B-BEAR IT!!! HYAAAA!!! I yelled out as I swung Divine Greatsword Ainbelle once more. The force of the slash was so great that the shockwaves cleared the smoke in the vicinity, allowing me to see Susanos arms. One of them was cut, however, the blade hadnt managed to reach his torso. Rather, it had stopped close to his shoulder. Urohime was completely flabbergasted. To think that youd be able to cut Susanos arm ROARRRR!!! Susano cried out, pulling out the katana on his waist with his remaining arm. The unimaginably long katana appeared to be even larger than Susano himself. Susano tried to wield his enormous katana, however, the narrow Isolated Space prevented him from doing so. Despite the fact that his katana scraped against the Isolated Spaces boundaries, he swung it down with force. GROWLLLLL!!! Damn it Time Square!!! While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Blue Crash. On top of that, I also imbued Green Crash and Black Crash into Ain. Quadra Fusion: Tetra Crash. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle shone with golden light and the blade of light flew forward in an attempt to stop Susanos attack However, the impact made me lose my footing as my feet sank to the ground. The size difference is just way too huge Even if our weapons are equally strong, mine just isnt long enough to reach him I could feel my bones begin to crack under the weight. Urgh Im being pushed back! Sparks flew from where the blade collided and I was slowly but surely being pushed back. One of my knees touched the ground and Susanos blade was right in front of my eyes. DAMN IT ALL!!! I mustered up as much power as I could and turned my blade. As soon as the balance was lost, Susanos katana slid down my sword, landing right next to my feet. As soon as it fell, the weight of his katana shattered the ground. CH 173.1 I managed to flee before the ground beneath my feet sank, and I charged towards Urohime right away. ROARRRRR!!! Susano screamed and drew his katana from beneath the earth, attempting to strike me down. That wont work Im afraid. The katanas progress was halted by the Isolated Spaces walls, preventing it from reaching me. The reason I had run to the edge of the Isolated Space was just so that this could happen. So naive. Its a good thing I was able to calculate the angles precisely. I ran towards Urohime, hiding within Susanos armor, as Susano tried everything he could to stop me. I wont allow you! Urohime shouted, firing off a spell. I dodged Urohimes magic power ball and immediately cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Blue Crash, which I imbued into Divine Sword. After which I cast both spells once more. Quadra Fusion: Burst Crash Double. I cast the spell into my prosthetic arm, and as soon as I did so Divine Greatsword Ainbelle disappeared. It was because I had run out of magic power to maintain it. From how things stood, this was going to be my final spell. I had to finish it with this. I clenched my prosthetic arms fist and light burst forth. My prosthetic arm shone with dull light as it creaked each time it moved. It was on the point of breaking. Please, hold on just a bit more! I somehow raised my arm as it creaked out in pain and pointed it towards Urohime. Hmph! In an attempt to dodge my arm, Urohime hid her whole body inside Susanos armor. I, on the other hand, pushed my hand against Susanos armor without batting an eye. Urohimes confident voice could be heard from within Susanos armor. Where do you think youre aiming at! Im not ther Youd better not speak. Youll bite your tongue. Wh Before Urohime could continue her sentence, the armor, which boasted extraordinary toughness, shook. Immediately after that numerous striking sounds were heard coming from within the armor. The impact blew me away, and I somehow managed to land on the ground after first colliding with the Isolated Spaces walls. Susanos movement stopped completely after that. He fell on one knee and both of his arms lost all strength as well. Can you believe this everyone?! The giant has stopped!!! And there is no sign of him getting up ever again!!! Phew. It seems like it worked. With Ains help I had been able to launch Burst Crash Double. A spell which gave birth to powerful shock waves. I had been able to shake even the inside where Urohime was hiding by launching the spell with my prosthetic arm right against Susanos armor. There was no way Urohime hadnt suffered a tremendous amount of damage from that attack. I guess Ill call it Burst Impact from now on Still the Quadra Fusion sure does take a toll on my arm. My prosthetic arms exterior metal coating was mostly torn off, which was probably partly due to the Volcanon Impact I had cast not long before. From now on Ill have to restrain myself to Double or Triple Fusion at most. If I go over that Ill cause way too much work for Lydia. Urgh A voice echoed around me and I turned to see Urohime slowly slithering out of Susanos armor. What the?! Shes still conscious? Urohime was in tatters due to the damage that she had sustained, however, the fire of determination in her eyes was still burning strong. Shes quite resilient And Im at my limit. Urohime looked at me with a smile on her face. Its time to get serious dont you think? Are you crazy? Youre still planning on fighting? Did you hit your head or something just now? Its best that you dont push yourself anymore. Fufu. This fight with you has been a real joy I cannot just give up when the one who managed to push me past my limit is still in front of me. Fufu. Fufufu. Kuku. Despite your appearance, youre quite the combat junkie, arent you? Urohime slowly stood up and took on a fighting stance once more. It seems like she doesnt plan on giving up. My state was no better than hers. My arm was completely busted and I didnt have enough magic power to summon Ain anymore. However, just like her, I felt joy for some unknown reason. Oh well, guess I cant help it. Ill play with her a bit more. As our eyes met, we both smiled. Urohime and I both kicked the ground in unison the very next second. Neither of us can use any big spells. Which means it will be decided by who falls down first. Ill continue hitting her until she passes out! Just as I had made up my mind and was about to clash with Urohime a powerful impact shook the ground beneath us. KYA?! Urohime stumbled due to the shaking and headed for the ground. However, before she could fall I managed to grab her. Are you okay? T-Thank you The ground shook so much that it was impossible for us to stay upright. I guess its impossible to continue the match with this thing going on. I transformed my prosthetic arm into its shield form and raised it to protect Urohime from the falling rubble from the roof. Panic was sowing its seeds among the spectators as well. Everyone can you believe this?! A strong earthquake erupted seemingly out of nowhere! Everyone in the crowd, please hide yourself under your chairs! KYAA!!! The arena was filled with the announcer and the crowds screams. It was truly an epitome of chaos. While holding onto Urohime I swiftly stepped away from the cracks forming beneath us. I presume this means that were putting the match on hold? Urohime asked. Im afraid that I would have one if it had continued. Oh my, are you certain? I still had some cards up my sleeve. Urohime said with a smile. Good grief. Shes not the one to give up easily. Numerous cracks appeared on the towers walls and rubble fell constantly. The force of the earthquake was enough to crumble the whole tower. This is bad. How are Milly and the others? I looked around and saw Milly hiding at the gate, her frightened expression on her face as she gazed at Urohime and me. It looked like she wanted to jump out and help us, however, the tremors refused to ease up. I tried to signal her with my eyes not to move from where she was. Turning around the spectator seats I noticed Claude holding her shield, with Shirushu hiding beneath it as well. Silverie and Yera, on the other hand, had spread out with the other mages and were using spells in order to prevent the larger pieces of rubble from falling down. It was thanks to them that no big pieces had fallen down. The crowd was also starting to slowly regain its composure, as I could see a lot of people beginning to protect themselves. Most of the people willing to pay a high sum to come and watch the Title Match were all like that. There were also some bigshots who had hired guards to protect them, as well as combat junkies. And those who had a free hand, helped out the normal citizens. Well it seems like that area is going to be safe at least. After a while the shaking died down and I was able to stand on my feet. W-What in the world was that? Urohime asked. Beats me. Its best that we evacuate everyone as fast as possible ZEPH! Just as I finished my sentence, I heard Milly calling me. She jumped at me and I had no choice but to catch her. As I caught her I noticed that she had a bump on her head. Did she hit her head somewhere? Her tears are about to burst out as well Are you okay Zeph?! Youre not hurt, right? Look whos talking. Youre the one with a bump on your head. I-Im completely fine! Milly said in a boastful tone. It looks quite bad though Well if she says shes fine then I wont press it. That aside. What in the world caused the shaking? It couldnt have been Urohime said in a meek tone, looking down at the cracks in the ground. Furthermore, she placed her hand on the ground and focused. Is she looking for something? Is there something wrong? Milly asked. Shh. I need you to be quiet for a second. Hearing Urohime say that, Milly closed her mouth. What in the world is going on Similar to Urohime I also placed my hand on the ground and focused. Found it! Theres definitely something down there. There was a pulse coming from underground. What in the world is this presence? Urohime, what in the world is that?! Urohime just looked down, pursing her lips. The look in her eyes meant that she knew exactly what was going on. Answer me! She turned towards me and after a while, and with a lot of struggle she finally opened her mouth. Susano that I used just now The Summon Servant spell used to summon him wasnt a normal one you see. And? Well I already know that. Susano was quite the strong familiar after all. However, it seemed like there was something more to the matter. Urohime looked down once more and continued speaking. Its somewhat hard for me to admit this but The Magician Association doesnt allow me to use that spell Urohime said, her facing turning bright red. Hearing her say that, shivers ran down my spine Come to think of it, the Association doesnt allow me to use my Penta Fusion as well. I was lost in the moment just now so I completely forgot about it. Ops Well Ill just take the scolding after that. It involves my Unique Spell Outer World. When I use it, a door to the Other World opens, much larger than when Summon Servant is used. And when the door opens, some uninvited guests pass through, which is why Im not allowed to use it I assume that the earthquake just now has something to do with it In other words, a door that was not intended to exist opened as a result of the clash of two forbidden spells. We sure did it this time The cold sweat running down my back was a testament to that. Zeph? Whats wrong? Milly asked, with a confused expression. N-Nothing Urohime, please continue. I said, trying to avoid Millys question. The door is getting bigger by the minute. The monster on the other side of the door is probably the cause of that. CH 173.2 Even I knew that. Something was trying to forcefully open the door in order to make its way to our world. Summon Servant was a spell which used the magicians magic power in order to summon familiars from the Other World and bind them under the control of the magician. However, the monster on its way into our world was currently trampling on those restrictions by forcing open the entrance itself. That is to say, it would appear in its true form and be able to walk around on its own. And the impression it gave off was of a monstrous creature the size of a fortress. If that thing comes out it will bring up a disaster! Everything else aside. We should get out of here as fast as possible. Urohime said. I agree. The ground shook one more time. However, unlike last time, this time it felt like something was trying to come out from underground. It felt like it was about to burst through the ground at any moment. We cant stay here any longer! Both of you, grab tightly! Kyaaa?!!! I set my sight on a distant elevated area with Milly and Urohime in my arms and cast Teleport. The moment I disappeared the ground split and something enormous and dark made its way to the surface. Phew That was close. We had been this close to getting sucked into the ground. I was currently clinging to a street lamp, which was some distance away from the Soul Tower, after escaping with Teleport. Milly and Urohime were still in my grasp, of course. ZEPH! Dont carry me around in such a strange position!! Since I was holding onto the lamp I could only carry Urohime properly, while Milly was turned upside down as I somehow held onto her leg. Since she was upside down it was quite funny looking at her from my point of view. I cant help it. We had to get away as soon as possible. Dont look at me from up there!!! Let me go! Milly yelled, frantically holding her skirt. However, due to it being too short, she couldnt hide everything. You idiot! If you move around like that well all fall! Okay, okay I cast Summon Servant and Ain appeared. Ain, help her down. Sure thing! Ain grabbed a hold of Millys leg, as she was about to burst into tears at any moment, and helped her down. Good grief. I really cant deal with you Milly At least hold me in a more proper way next time! Come to think of it, why didnt you just call Uruk? Youre right! I completely forgot about him. Me forgetting is one thing, but for Milly to forget about him as well How could you forget your own familiar?! Im letting go, okay? Ain said. W-Wa! W-Wai Auch?! Milly fell head down before she could finish her sentence. A dull sound rang out after which she held her head with both hands. Even though she didnt fall from that high up, that was still mean I guess Ain still has a grudge against Milly for the loss a few days ago. Seeing Milly like that seemed quite funny to Ain. Ufufufufu. Im sorry Milly. AIN!! That was on purpose, wasnt it?! Milly screamed, as she tried to chase after the flying Ain. Ehehe. I wonder. Those two They sure are carefree considering our situation. Urohime laughed as she watched the both of them. Fufu. They get along quite well. Are you blind? Good grief. Every single one of them. Dont you get the situation were in? And why am I still holding onto this lamp?! My arms starting to get tired. Milly, wed like to go down as well. Could you summon Uruk to help us? Okay! Milly said, casting Summon Servant. Immediately after that Uruk appeared. He flew up to us and moved his head to urge us to hop on. Urohime, you go first. Understood?!! W-Where are you touching me?! T-This horse!!! As soon as Urohime tried to get on top of Uruk, Uruk moved his face and buried it in her petite chest. His breathing became quick as a result of the excitement. He must not cherish his life. If Urohime hadnt been exhausted, he would have been cut down by her familiars. As a way to punish him, I grabbed his bottom with my prosthetic arm and squeezed. NEIGHHHHH!!! I hope youll forgive him. Thats just the kind of horse he is. Please forgive him. I said. Uruk became remarkably docile as soon as he locked his gaze on mine. Good grief. Hes not picky at all when it comes to sexual harassment. After Urohime climbed aboard, I followed suit, and with Uruks assistance, we landed safely on the ground. A voice boomed in my head as soon as we did. Zeph-kun!!! Are you okay?! It was Claude. Thankfully it seemed like they were alright. I am. Millys also with me. How is the situation over on your side? Yera-san and some Dispatch Magicians used Teleport in order to evacuate all of the spectators that were inside the tower. All of us are also fine. Thats great news. Where are you right now? Within the Magician Association. With each passing minute, more and more evacuees arrive At the moment, were assisting the injured. Great. It seems like youre safe. There are a lot of people which probably makes moving around difficult. For the time being stay there until things calm down. Understood. You should be careful as well Zeph-kun. So the Dispatch Magicians can prove every once in a while. I typically end myself in some sort of mess as a result of them, but it appears that this time they did a fantastic job. It seems like the people that were inside the tower are safe. The Dispatch Magician evacuated all of them. Thats great! Milly said, letting out a big sigh of relief. Urohimes face showed that she was glad as well. Well then, that leaves that thing. I turned my gaze back to the source of the disaster. There I noticed an enormous shadow looming about. growlll. growlll Even the air around us shook from its distant growls. The Soul Tower standing above it was even now slowly crumbling down. As the tower crumbled, a massive black dragon emerged from beneath the ground. Its eyes were bright red, and its fangs were razor-sharp. Things that looked like bones protruded from its back. It looked a lot like the dinosaurs that had once roamed the earth. Draconic species of monsters could be encountered in the depths of high-levelled dungeons. This, on the other hand, was a whole new level. Its bigger than the Heavenly Towers Whoa Its so big Milly said, completely flabbergasted. I was shocked by the dragons size as well. I promptly cast Scout Scope on the enormous creature. Tiamat Level: 255 Magic Power: 99,999,999 / 99,999,999 What the.?! Its tremendous amount of magic power left me lost for words. The majority of the dark monsters wed encountered up to this point had a significant amount of magic power, but none of them had exceeded 10,000,000. This thing has 10 times that amount Beating it will be no walk in the park Wait Tiamat? Why does this one have a name, despite all of the other black monsters not having one? Scout Scope operated by displaying the name given to a monster when it was first discovered. Since it has a name that must mean that In the past, someone actually gave a name to this monsters species! Tiamat Tiamat I remember. It means Primordial Dragon in this worlds ancient tongue This thing It was here even before humans walked this world?! GROOOOWLLLL!!! Its roar reverberated throughout the world, causing the air to quiver. Milly instinctively covered her ears as the earth and sky trembled An explosion followed shortly after, and we witnessed the Soul Tower being reduced to ruins. As he walked out of the wreckage of the tower, Tiamat kept a steady pace. Each stride it took wreaked havoc on the environment. This is bad. Its the epitome of a walking disaster. There arent many residential houses in the region around the tower because its still considered a suburb, but what if it finds its way into the city? Thankfully theres still a bit more time before it reaches the citys centre But the way its heading As soon as we thought of that, both Milly and I turned pale. Grabbing my sleeve Milly said. Zeph The place where that thing is heading is Thats right This is extremely bad. It was heading right towards our house. And the worst part was that Lydia was still there, sleeping. If it continues that way Lydia will Cold sweat ran down my back. Milly, we need to take it down! Okay! I felt a presence behind me as soon as Milly replied. As soon as I turned around I noticed a woman dressed in a white coat. It was the Dispatch Magician Azalea. CH 174.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Azalea-san!? Hey, its been a while, Milly-chan, and Zeph-kun. Azalea is one of the dispatched mages. We helped one another out in various ways in the past, during the case of Grain, a former dispatched mage. Usually, dispatched mages would be traveling all over the place, but it seems like she would be in the capital of Prolea this time. Her sudden appearance is bad for the heart though. Its been a long time, hasnt it? Oh, dear me! Ive been rather busy recently. In truth, I had wished to pay Zeph-kun a visit too, but I apologize that I was not able to show up earlier. The association has been in a flurry of activity because of the uproar regarding the black monster. That reminds me, I think Milly mentioned that she visited me several times when I was unconscious. Well, its fine. More importantly, are you sure you have the time for idle chatter here? Youre harsh as usual Anyway, look over there. When Azalea pointed at Tiamat, numerous magic lances appeared and flew towards it. As the giant dragon was about to step out onto the street, its body was pieced by the magic lances, and the surrounding air froze and glistened. The lances robbed Tiamat of its body heat, and gradually dulled its movements. That was Blizzard Lance, one of the unique spells for use against large monsters, which the Magic Association prides itself on. Its a spell that takes away the targets body heat, greatly limiting its movement speed. When I looked in the direction from where the magic lances were shot out, I saw several dispatched mages. Probably because it takes some time to activate the spell, the mages were activating Blizzard Lance at staggered timings to ensure that they were being shot continuously. Its quite a boring spell, isnt it? Its powerful, not only does it take a long time to cast, but its area-of-effect is also small and it consumes a lot of magic power too. Thats why it is difficult to use it against people, but it is pretty convenient against big monsters. Azalea smiled at me, as if telling me not to worry. Well, its indeed a strong spell and it is plenty effective. If there are that many dispatched mages, things might turn out to be fine. Well, Ill do as I please. Hey hey, are you saying that were not trustworthy? Dont tell me youve forgotten what you people have done before. Oh, dear. Thats embarrassing. Azalea let out a strained laugh. Bringing up Grains case seemed to give her a headache. As a matter of fact, the combat power of the dispatched mages is nothing to scoff at. However, the black monster is abnormal in various ways, and I cant bring myself to leave the job to them completely. At the very least, I ought to protect what I can defend on my own. I do have some confidence in your abilities when it comes to combat, but I just want to be able to protect my companions. Ill leave the townspeople to you. Thats what dispatched mages are for, right? Mm, we will do our best. You all should be careful too. Of course. Lets go, Milly. Oh, wait for meee. Azalea let out a sigh of resignation, looking like she didnt have a choice. We bid her goodbye and left for our home, amid the escaping throngs of people. Tiamat was headed towards our home. So that we would arrive before it, Milly and I rode on Uruk and moved through the skies. Beneath us, people were in a flurry to escape. Fufun ? If we didnt have Uruk, we would have taken a long time to get there, wont we? Bururu! As Milly stroked Uruks mane, he snorted proudly. Its true that youre a useful familiar, but dont get cocky though. Well, whatever. More importantly, we have to help Lydia escape. Lydia! Hey Lydia, wake up! From a while ago, I have tried many times to contact her by telepathy, but there was no reply. Pulling consecutive all-nighters seemed to be taking its toll even on Lydia. Theres no other way but to go and help her. Although Azalea and the dispatched mages tried to stop us, when it comes to a gigantic monster like that, no one can predict what would happen. Ohhh Ohhhh The roar from Tiamat caused the air to vibrate. I realized that the number of ice lances raining down on Tiamat was decreased from before. Even though several people have joined forces to cast the spells consecutively, they have been firing off the unique spell ceaselessly. They may be dispatched mages, but its not as if their magic power was limitless. It was probably about time they started running out of steam. Ooo With its red eyes glowing eerily, Tiamat moved along little by little. Clouds of dust rose up, and the sounds of buildings being crushed could be heard from a distance. Damn it, Azalea. Leave it to me, you said? You guys are already in trouble, arent you? Tiamat was still a distance away from the town area, but at this rate, things would turn tragic. Zeph, we can see the house from here! Ah, lets hurry Hm? Here and there, black, squirming shadows could be seen on the streets. The black monsters, which looked like round lizards, destroyed the buildings and attacked the people who were slow to escape. Lets land, Uruk. Bururu I tapped Uruks side with my heel, and Uruk reluctantly flapped his wings as we gradually descended. As I couldnt wait for us to land, I jumped off halfway through. H-hold up, Zeph! Milly, you protect the townspeople from those black monsters! Ill do something about Lydia! G-got it! Dont overdo it! As much as possible, only take on those monsters that are heading towards the house! The black monsters were spread throughout the city. If they attacked in large numbers, even I would have a hard time. Theres no way we can rescue everyone from so many monsters. However, I would at least like to help my neighbors. Giruru! Youre here early, huh? With a groan that sounded like the pulling of a saw blade, a round lizard with hard, densely packed scales on its body emerged from the shadows of the tall grass in a houses yard. I would say its a smaller version of the Tiamat. I cast Scout Scope on it. Mushussu Level 76 Magic Power 937266937266 Well, I can tell that its tough, but in addition to that, its even more troublesome this time because there are so many of them. Moreover, this guy has a name. Its written in an ancient language, like Tiamat If Im not wrong, I think it meant something like baby dragon or something like that. Giruruaaa! But I have already fought you black monsters many times. I have ways to deal with you. Mushussu jumped at me with its talons extended. I blocked it with the prosthetic and pushed back while I cast Time Square. While time is frozen, I cast Red Crash, Blue Crash, and White Crash. The result is the tri-fusion magic, Vanishing Crash. With a heavy boom, Mushussu was blown far away. The recoil was transmitted through my prosthetic hand and up to my shoulder, but it wasnt bad enough to hurt. Vanishing Crash, which blows away the opponent with a strong shockwave, would immediately hurt my arm if I used it bare-handed. However, if I shot the spell through my artificial arm, the spell is certainly useful. I should still be careful not to damage the prosthetic from the recoil, though. I watched as the Mushussu that I had blown away brushed past Uruk who was hovering in midair. Wha-! Hey, Zeph! That was dangerous! Sorry, I wasnt aiming there though. Of course, you shouldnt be! Geez, be careful! I just blew it away in a random direction though It seems that Milly is as unlucky as ever. Anyway, the monsters have even reached this place. This is extremely bad. I hope youre safe, Lydia! I reached home and while uttering a prayer in my heart, I turned the doorknob. However, the door opened without any resistance. Its not locked..? The door was not destroyed either which means that it cant be the act of a monster. Dont tell me there was an intruder? There might have been a burglar who took advantage of the monsters attack to enter our house. Its not a big deal if he just takes our things, but Lydia was sleeping inside. If the intruder were a man, I dont want to imagine what sort of things he would do to the sleeping Lydia. If thats the case I wont let him get away with it! I squeezed my fists tight in rage. I quickly calmed my unsettled heart, then stepped into the house stealthily. In the living room on the ground floor there was no one. When Lydia was tired, sometimes she would sleep on the sofa here, though it seems like this time she chose to rest in her room. Suddenly, a clatter was heard from the hallway. The intruder! CH 174.2 To keep the intruder from escaping, I put up an intimidating magic barrier around the house and pumped magic power into my right hand. Once he comes out, Im going to strike him! I kept my artificial arm at the ready while I quietened my breathing. I heard the floorboards creaking as someone walked over them and slowly approached me. The moment I saw the intruders silhouette, I threw myself upon him and shouted as I cornered him against the wall. Dont move! However, the body of this person seemed much smaller than I had expected. When I took a closer look, I realized that the silhouette belonged to someone I knew. Wha-whats going on!? Elise? Her red hat fell to the ground with a rustle. Seeing that Elise seemed to be having a tough time breathing, I took my arm away from the base of her throat. She coughed with teary eyes as she slowly moved to sit on the sofa in the living room. Why are you here? I was asked by Claude-san to come and look after a friend who is here Saying that, Elise produced a key to the house as evidence. It appears that Claude had beat me to the punch. As usual, she sure is attentive to others. Nice job, Claude. Sorry about that. I thought that there was an intruder. Thank you for coming all the way here. When I expressed my gratitude, Elises face turned red as she looked away. I-Its not as if I did it for you! It-It was at Claude-sans request I just had no choice! I know. But Im still grateful. H-hmph! Still flushed, Elise looked down. She might be strong-willed, but unexpectedly, this girl seems like quite the shy type. When I accidentally chuckled out loud, Elise stared at me. By the way, did you notice that there were monsters outside? Oh yeah, I encountered one earlier, but I sent it flying. You must be quite strong huh You even treat that black monster like its nothing As expected of you What did you say? I-Its not like I said anything! Then, I still have work to do! Elise was in a fluster as she stood up and left the house. As usual, I dont get her. When I went into Lydias room on the second floor, I found her sleeping there. I grabbed her by her exposed shoulders and shook her, but only her breasts shook while she showed no signs of awakening. Hey, wake up, Lydia! Hey! No response. Shes sleeping like the dead Just in case, I checked that she was breathing, but she wasnt budging at all. Lydia usually has a bad sleeping posture and talks a lot in her sleep This time she must have been pretty worn out. Theres no helping it, I guess Ill have to carry her on my back? Heave ho. I dragged Lydia out from the bed and somehow put her on my back. Ugh Shes heavy in various ways. Especially the weight of those lumps pressing against my back Theyre exceptionally heavy. Zeph! That lounge of black lizards is approaching the house! What happened to Lydia!? Millys voice rang out in my head. I firmly re-positioned Lydia on my back while I responded to her. Umm, Lydia is fine. Shes still asleep though. Even if Lydia may be asleep, I hope youre not doing anything weird to her during this important time Theres no way I would do that, would I? Hmm never mind, then. In any case, come back here. Since Lydia is showing no signs of waking up, well ride Uruk to take shelter at the association. Yeah yeahh. I dismissed Millys complaint and asked her to head towards the house. As I walked while carrying Lydia, I felt a pleasant sensation of something bouncing on my back. Milly, I have to say, Im not doing anything weird though This is simply what is called a side perk When I stepped outside the house, Lydia stirred awake on my back. Mm~ Zeph-chi~? Lydia murmured in a sweet voice at my ear. Did she finally wake up? At that thought, Lydia suddenly chewed on my ear. H-Hey Lydia! Dont bite me! Mguu? Lydia continued play-biting on my ear. The strange sensation sent shivers down my spine and I subconsciously let go of Lydia. Howaah!? Lydia quickly responded and clung tightly to me. She was still half-asleep earlier, but now she became wide awake. When I turned my head to look at her, our eyes met while our noses almost touched, and Lydias face immediately turned scarlet. Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-What!? With the unusually long stutter, Lydia moved like a wild animal as she distanced herself from me and jumped onto the houses roof. Shes way too flustered. In the first place, Im the one whos supposed to be flustered and stuttering here. Heyyy, come down, Lydia. When I called out to Lydia, she timidly peered down at me from the rooftop. Her face was redder than youd normally expect. Erm Why is Zeph-chi here..? I came here to wake you up. Is the Heavenly Mage Festival already over? I guess you could say that, but I think its quicker to show you the current situation. I snapped my head in another direction and Lydia followed my gaze. There stood a giant black dragon, Tiamat. Wow, whats that? A huge lizard? It suddenly appeared at the Tower of Heavenly Souls. Many other types of black monsters have also appeared on the streets. The air vibrated as Tiamats footsteps echoed. When I looked up towards the monster, I realized that the number of ice lances raining on it has decreased significantly. The interval between the sounds of Tiamats footsteps has clearly shortened, while it has also gradually grown louder. The dispatched mages attempts to block its advance have clearly reached their limit. Thats why, Lydia. Lets hurry and escape. Mm, youre right. Lydia leaped off the roof and dashed right past me. Hey, where are you going? Im going to check if theres anyone left behind! Ill just check on our neighbors, at least! Lydia waved me goodbye while she deftly dodged the Mushussus attack and ran off. She sure is energetic, for someone who just woke up not too long ago. Look in front, in front Well, if she can move that well, Im sure she wont lose to the monsters. Its Lydia after all, it should be fine even if I leave her alone. Zeph! As I saw Lydia off, I heard a voice from the sky. With a whoosh sound, I saw Uruk flapping his wings as he descended. Oh right, I had asked Milly to come over earlier. Sorry to keep you waiting! Eh, wait, wheres Lydia? She had already gone off because Milly was too slow. What! I even flew here at full speed Seeing Millys crestfallen look, I felt my lips curl into a smile. He he, Im kidding. She just went to check if any of our neighbors were left behind. Geez! Dont be silly at a time like this! Sorry sorry. Milly was so amusing that I couldnt help but tease her, but shes right that this isnt a time for jokes. Tiamat raised its head and howled towards the sky. Uwooooooo!! The air shook as the reverberations from Tiamats howl reached even this far away. Meanwhile, the ice lances that were about to pierce Tiamat were broken under the impact of the soundwaves. At this rate The city is in danger right? Milly verbalized the rest of my thoughts. Umm, lets join in the fight. Mm! Ive no idea how much help we can be, but if we just left things as they were, the city would be destroyed soon. This is the city were living in after all. We ought to protect it too. Several Mushussu can be seen here and there, but theres almost no one nearby who is still trying to escape. They could have escaped, or they could have been attacked and lost their lives In whichever case, if there is this much space, I should be able to Teleport around. Giruru I was about to cast Teleport to quickly get past the Mushussu in front of me, when a gigantic pillar of water poured down from the skies and crushed it. Gagi The Mushussu tried to move, but even more water bullets rained down on it, drowning out its groans. It was as if all the rain in the area had come together in a storm of water bullets. Is this Blue Bullet? The Mushussu tried to force his way out, but it was simply impossible for him to move. Gahah Together with its hard scales, the Mushussu was flattened, but that wasnt the end yet. The monster began to regenerate its squashed parts right away. Black monsters tend to regenerate themselves even when some physical damage is dealt to its body, so long as their magic power is not being shaved off. As expected, this monster has the same characteristics. Wont allow that. Shortly after, a mans voice came from the sky. Once again, water bullets rained down on the regenerating Mushussu like a waterfall. As I had thought, that doesnt seem like just a Blue Bullet spell It seems like an arrangement, or maybe something was added to the original spell. Mushussus body, which was almost fully regenerated, bore the brunt of the attack, while the land surrounding it was also being eroded with a thunderous roar. A few moments later, the roar ceased. I peered into the large hole that was gouged out from the land, and in it, I saw a man and the vanishing Mushussu. The man wearing a blue jacket noticed my presence and he quickly pushed his glasses back and turned to face me. His sharp gaze gave off an intimidating air, and his hair was short, while strands of it stuck out in places, probably because he had a bad case of frizzy hair. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and most of all, he looked strong. Within him contained a quiet but heavy, oppressive magic power. A crest was proudly affixed on the collar of his jacket. It was a green crest adorned with five stars, in other words, the crest of the Aqua of Aqua. A Heavenly Mage! CH 175.1 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama While I was catching my breath, I cast Scout Scope on the man. Sherrod Aims Level 91 Magic Level Red: 53/82 Blue: 99/99 Green: 48/71 Sky: 60/68 Soul: 72/72 Magic Power 4191/5278 Are you guys hurt anywhere? The Blue Heavenly Mage, Sherrod, walked towards us. His face was expressionless as if he was wearing a mask. Perhaps because Milly was slightly terrified of that, she took a step back and hid behind me. Hm, I remember seeing you guys at the title match Zeph Einstein and Milly Reyad, if my memory serves me right. That said, you must be the Aqua of Aqua, of the Five Heavenly Mages, Sherrod Aims. Hmph, having the position of a Heavenly Mage is convenient for research, but I cant help it when I stand out in pointless ways. For example, having my name known by people like you guys. While speaking, Sherrod pushed his glasses back again. I watched your title match. Its not a simple feat to be on par with that Uro but among the Five Heavenly Mages, Uro is the least battle-oriented. I wouldnt get too carried away if I were you. What are you trying to say? I meant it literally. With your skills, it would be unpleasant if you thought that you were on the same level as the Five Heavenly Mages just from that fight alone. Sherrod pushed his glasses back again. I wonder if its a habit. He appears to be quite a gloomy person. Before I could reply, Milly interrupted from behind me. Hey, you. Urohime-san was really strong, you know! It was a really good fight! I wasnt speaking to you. Silence. Hearing your grating voice is going to lower my intelligence, isnt it? At Sherrods words, Millys face turned red as she retorted. Oh yeah?! Im a guild master! I may look like this but Im amazing! Hm Sherrod pushed back his glasses while his eyes narrowed. Faced with his cold gaze, Milly flinched a little. Somehow, it seems like Milly has a hard time dealing with people like Sherrod. Wha-what is it Why are you staring at me Indeed, you seem to have the makings of a good mage. Make sure you train hard alright, little guild master? As I said, I am a guild master! Pfft, see you. Sherrod ignored Milly and teleported towards Tiamat. Seeing that she was not being taken seriously at all, Milly stomped her feet in frustration. What is wrong with that guy?! Hehehe. Milly looked so amusing that I couldnt help but chuckle. Ugh, not you too, Zeph! How rude! Sorry, sorry. As I was trying to soothe the fuming Milly, a thunderous boom rang out. A huge explosion occurred at Tiamats neck, where Sherrod was headed earlier. We cant just sit around and watch the fight forever. We should get going too. Four figures flew through the sky, cutting through the billowing black smoke. Sherrod, that idiot. He said that he would go ahead, but where did he go? The one who muttered was an elf girl with white hair and long ears. She is the Sky Heavenly Mage, Yera Schugel. To be exact, she only looks like a girl from the outside, but she was actually a hundred and a few decades old. With her many years of training, she was proficient in magic. Combined with a body that didnt age, she has maintained her position as a Heavenly Mage for the longest time in history. Gogaaaaaa!! Oops. Tiamat unleashed a torrential flame from his mouth, and Yera somersaulted in the air to evade it. Yera used Sylph Field, which gathers the wind surrounding her and greatly increases her mobility. Its side effect was that minor movements of the enemy would be transmitted to Yera through vibrations in the air. As a result, it is near to impossible for any attack to reach Yera. Gahaha, theyre probably just taking a detour anyway. They should catch up with us soon. A man with a buzz cut guffawed from beside Yera. The man was around his forties or fifties. However, his well-trained body showed no signs of decline due to his age. He is the Green Heavenly Mage, Rhox Giganmeil. Ummph! Alright then, the first to strike wins. Lets make the first move! He landed lightly from high in the air, and as he pranced about in a way unfitting for his large build, he swung his strong arm. Green Palm Strike!! The palm strike hit Tiamats right leg and in the next moment, the black scales surrounding the point of impact popped off in succession as a shock wave ran through its leg. At the same time, a cloud of dust rose around one of Tiamats legs as it swayed, even though Tiamat was supposed to be sturdy like a pillar of stone. Regardless, Tiamat did not fall. It somehow regained its balance and tried to stomp on Rhox with its injured foot. However, Rhox had probably completely read its movements, as he was already out of Tiamats attack range. At a comfortable distance away, Rhox seemed to be impressed as he stroked his goatee. Ooh I see that even my Green Palm Strike was not able to hurt you Youre quite strong, arent you? Rhox was enjoying the battle to its fullest. He is an active martial artist who has faced various other martial artists, knights, and even mages with his fists. In other words, he was a battle maniac. He was greedy when it came to martial arts, and he would take the martial arts, sword arts, and magic spells from his opponents and assimilate them into his style. It was by refining his combat style that he attained the title of a Heavenly Mage, as one who has reached the peak in martial arts. He was bold, yet halfhearted. To those around him, he often laughed and said that it was a funny thing to start off as a martial artist and end up becoming a mage. In that case Consecutive Green Palm Strikes! He kicked off the ground and unleashed a series of blows, all of which carried the Green Bullet. Rhox combined his independent form of martial art with his Green Magic, which multiplied the power of his attack by several times. His technique raised the power of his magic through ritualistic movements. In fact, it was this man who refined these movements to ones suitable for combat. While other magicians laughed at him, he had continued to refine his techniques, until he won the title of a Heavenly Mage. Rhox-sama, the soul-type magic is more effective against the black monsters. A black-haired young lady in a kimono landed softly beside Rhox. She is the Soul Heavenly Mage, Urohime Tatsumigawa. Gahaha, I am lacking in skill, therefore I have never trained in any other systems of magic! Youre indeed correct. In that case, if I may be so bold, Id like to take it from here. Urohime spoke quietly as she closed her eyes and focused. Kishaaaa! Three Mushussu flew towards the defenseless Urohime to attack her. However, the fangs of the Mushussu could not reach her before Rhoxs punches beat all of them to the ground. Hmph, I wont let you. You have my gratitude, Rhox-sama. Urohime slowly reopened her eyes, and a blinding light began to shine from her palms. White Prism. When she uttered the spell, a vortex of light appeared and swallowed up Tiamat. That was a spell that required a long casting time and a large number of Gemstones, but it was the strongest spell in the Soul system, boasting of immense power. GahAh! To escape from the rapid stream of light, Tiamat tumbled and rolled over. Urohimes unique spell, Dance of the Outer World, would exhibit greater effectiveness if the time taken to cast the spell was longer. During that time, she would be completely defenseless, which limits the opportunities where she can use the spell. However, in exchange, after the magic has been charged up to its limit, its power is immense. White smoke rose from the black monster, but it was still going to launch a counter-attack. Tiamat raised its long neck towards Urohime and opened its massive maw as a flame welled up within it. It aimed for Urohime, but instead of shooting the flame out towards Urohime, it exploded inside Tiamats mouth. Gyaaaau!? Tiamat stumbled as smoke rose from its mouth. It tried to stand firm by putting strength into its legs, but before it could do anything, the ground beneath it exploded. Ga!? Tiamat tried to regain balance with its other leg, but again the ground exploded. It stumbled another few steps forward, but with each step, explosions occurred consecutively. Now completely off balance, Tiamats body finally fell to the ground. GaUuuuu!? Tiamat attempted to somehow get back on its feet, but any movement was cut off by a series of explosions. No creature would be able to take further action when it was disheartened during its initial efforts. Even if the creature was not hurt, that would still be so. Oh, he finally appeared. That guy As usual, he only appears at the fun part. Yera and Rhox fixed their gazes on a man who stood atop a tower, with his mantle fluttering in the wind. He is the Red Heavenly Mage, Bertram Cabel. His scarlet mantle reminded one of a blazing flame as it fluttered in the wind. CH 175.2 Translator: Jimi Editor: Ryunakama Girururu With an iciness that didnt match his appearance, Bertram glanced at Tiamat which was gnashing its teeth as it growled. Then, Bertram snapped his fingers. Together with that, an explosion occurred in Tiamats mouth. It was Red Sphere. However, as a mid-tier magic spell, it didnt do significant damage. Tiamat aimed at Bertram as it opened its mouth to release flames. However, the flames did not launch towards Bertram. Instead, it exploded within Tiamats mouth. The explosion helped the fallen Tiamat to stand back up, but whether it wants to counter-attack or escape, Tiamat could not even move of its own volition anymore. The magic spell was called Chain. In this spell, a coordinate is specified during casting, which can then be activated at a chosen timing. Using this characteristic, Chain can be used to set up many spells in advance, so that spells that originally cannot be strung together can now be activated consecutively. Besides having a good spatial awareness, the multiple spells set up also have a chance of being moved by someone. Hence, it is extremely difficult to be put into practice and gives off the impression of it being a spell just for show. Red Sphere is great in the aspects of casting time, area-of-effect, and damage-over-time, and it is an easy spell to use. Even so, a mage of the highest tier should only be able to activate two to three of them in succession. However, Bertram had chained together what seemed like an infinite number of Red Spheres. What a loooong chain, as always Hmph, that sort of thing is only for show! It doesnt do much damage, and is not something you can use in a fight! Yera was about to retort that the showy spells were tormenting Tiamat but she decided to hold her tongue. She thought that if she were to voice her thoughts to Rhox, who viewed Bertram as a rival, they would not be able to focus on the current battle anymore. In any case, Rhox himself also knows the greatness of Bertram. The fact that he spoke through clenched teeth earlier tells something. Ga GuaaaAA!! Tiamat was in anguish as it flailed its long tail around. However, that swinging tail was shot down by a super-concentrated water bullet. Together with the sounds of the falling, scattered water, footsteps were heard. Sorry, Im late. Ohh, Sherrod. You sure took a while. I spotted people who were late in escaping. I had to help them. The Blue Heavenly Mage, Sherrod Aims, pushed back his glasses. Seeing that the Tiamat was immediately regenerating its tail, he clicked his tongue. As expected, a water bullet of that quality isnt enough to eradicate it, huh Mm, that monsters toughness is abnormal. It seems to be at a completely different level from those normal black monsters, as you can see. Sherrod nodded at Yeras statement. The usual black monsters could be disintegrated with a single powerful strike, and you could eradicate them while disregarding their magic power. Being the first to discover the black monsters earlier, Sherrod had arranged his Blue Bullet spell to make it directional, and created a spell that annihilated the black monsters in an instant. Even if you have completely mastered a spell, it would not be easy to refine it and make it directional. Having easily done that in a matter of a few days, Sherrod could be called a genius. He usually behaves arrogantly, but the other Heavenly Mages had to admit that he was talented. Among the five Heavenly Mages, he was the one who stood at the top. Those are the five Heavenly Mages! In the middle of the fight where Tiamat was being led around by the nose, Millys shocked voice rang out. That being said, I didnt expect to see all five of them assembled here. Most of the Heavenly Mages were self-centered people. They would only do the bare minimum and leave the rest of the work to their close aides, while many of them tend to wander around. Naturally, they were also prideful people, and it was extremely rare to see them join forces in battle. Even when I was Flame of Flame in my past life, things were the same. Well, Im in no place to judge others. The Sky Heavenly Mage, Wind of Wind, Yera Schugel. The Green Heavenly Mage, Earth of Earth, Rhox Giganmeil. The Soul Heavenly Mage, Soul of Soul, Urohime Tatsumigawa. The Blue Heavenly Mage, Aqua of Aqua, Sherrod Aims. Even so, that guy sure is a head and shoulders above the rest of them huh! The Red Heavenly Mage, Flame of Flame, Bertram Cabel. He could very easily incorporate Chain into his battles, even though the spell was as complicated as an acrobatic act. If I were to do that in a real battle, my limit would be just five chains. Even if I were completely focused, my maximum would be eight With my current abilities, it would be ridiculous to count how many chains I could keep up. In addition, it didnt seem like Bertram possessed any unique magic spells. Has he reached that level with pure magic skill? So thats Bertram Cabel huh The man who is extolled as historys strongest Heavenly Mage! That overwhelming sense of intimidation from him sent shivers down my spine. Im trembling with excitement. Hehe, how interesting. Only by defeating him will I be able to earn the title of the strongest mage. Ohhh. Gohhhhh Due to the attacks from the five Heavenly Mages, Tiamat moaned and groaned. It was a terrifyingly concentrated series of attacks. The attacks of the dispatched mages earlier were not enough to stop Tiamat in its tracks, but this time, Tiamats body was visibly being shaved away. That was the case even when the black monsters do not receive significant damage from spells outside of the Soul system. The high-leveled spell that fell like rain was probably able to overcome the systems disadvantage. T-Thats amazing Mm, but its strange. I cast Scout Scope at Tiamat. Tiamat Level 255 Magic Power 99999999/99999999 As I thought, that guys magic level isnt decreasing. It looks like the attacks are effective though Could it be that Tiamat has so much magic power that it has exceeded the maximum possible measurement of Scout Scope? If thats the case, I cant imagine how much magic power Tiamat has. It doesnt seem practical to defeat it by shaving down its magic power. At least, not with ordinary magic Ah, right! Shouldnt we be able to defeat it with Zephs Platinum, or whatever its called? No, to blast that away, my attack definitely wouldnt have enough power. Then, what should we do? Well Id like to see what they can do, though? When I glanced at Bertram, I saw that he had distanced himself from Tiamat, probably because he had the same thought as us. Then, he suddenly jumped. A Red Ball appeared in his flight path, which he used as a platform to jump further. He repeated that several times, and finally landed on the roof of a tall building. He downed a magic-power restoration potion and closed his eyes to concentrate his magic power. Hey, lets guard Bertram. Good grief, what a troublesome fellow. While uttering complaints, the other four people dispersed and began to fight in order to stop Tiamats movements. They probably presumed that Bertram had his plans. Indeed, Bertram did not look like his usual self. He continued to keep his eyes shut as he tempered his magic power. That guy What is he doing? Isnt his casting time way too long? Milly raised a question because of that exceptionally long casting time. He had already been casting his spell for more than five minutes. However, there are no spells that would take that long of a time to cast. I might have an idea of what he was doing but is that really possible? As I gasped, Bertrams eyes opened. The scenery above Tiamats head swayed and distorted, and spots of light lit up bit by bit. In an instant, the light that spread across Tiamats black-colored body was like a sea of stars. In the next moment, the lights exploded in terrifying flames that threatened to crush Tiamat. The blinding flash of light filled my entire vision as Milly screamed. Hyaa!? W-Whats that!? Thats probably Red Inferno He had numerous shots of those on standby, then he unleashed all of it at once! Youre kidding me Red Inferno is one of the great magic spells of the Red system. Simply put, it is the powered-up version of Red Sphere, which burns down a large area with a massive explosion. To some extent, it is possible to control the spell to set it up before activating it later. However, the difficulty of doing so is so high that Red Sphere simply cannot hold a candle to it. Bertram was able to group tens of those spells together and activate them all at once. He didnt activate them consecutively, but rather in a group Instead of Chain, it was more like Banding, huh With Red Inferno Banding, which consists of multiple stacks of Red Inferno, a tremendous conflagration engulfed Tiamat. Amazing That spell was probably intended to forcefully erase the black monster, by destroying the magic power that the monster itself was composed of It was easy to say, but not simple to carry out. It was especially so because the black monster was composed of magic from another world, hence it has an exceptionally sturdy body that would not be easily scratched by any attack. That being said, Bertrams spell was on the same level as my Platinum Break No, it has even more firepower than that. Amid the billowing white smoke, I caught a glimpse of the words from Scout Scope. Tiamat Level 255 Magic Power 99999999/99999999 Nevertheless, Tiamats magic power did not even drop by one. In addition, it looked as if Bertrams attack was not as effective as expected, since Tiamat raised its head in an attempt to counter-attack. It was aiming at Bertram That guy, is he unable to see Tiamats movements from where he is? Considering that he had just unleashed that many spells, he has probably lost focus. Tch! Ah! Zeph! I immediately cast Teleport. With consecutive Teleports, I headed straight for Bertram. Will I make it in time?! Tiamat was about to release a Red Zero spell. With Bertram in that state, theres no way he can guard against it. With the last Teleport, I landed in front of Bertram. Hm..? Bertram was shocked as I suddenly appeared before his eyes. However, this is no time to be dawdling. The shadow within the white smoke swayed and following that, a blade of flame cut through the smoke and extended towards us. I guess its Red Zero after all. I positioned my hand before me and cast Time Square. While time is stopped, I cast White Wall five times. The result is a quintuple-fusion magic, White Wall Circle. The five magic barriers which appeared before me stopped Tiamats Red Zero in its tracks. Hmm, thats pretty strong. Are my shields stronger than Tiamats attack? Screeching sounds were heard as the blade of flames and my barrier ground against one another. The White Wall Circle is capable of blocking almost any offensive magic known to the world. That would include Tiamats magic. Though, I wont deny that I broke out in a bit of cold sweat. CH 176.1 I felt relief as I managed to save Bertram by a hairs breadth. Bertram, who was behind me, called out to me. You saved me. Thank you. You are? More importantly, the fight has not ended yet. Mm, youre right. Bertram and I looked towards the ground and saw that within the white smoke, Tiamats long neck was raised. Thats strange, was that monsters neck always that long? As I was pondering, more heads appeared. One after another, new heads continued to extend out from its body as they glared at us hatefully. I hope it isnt the Berserk Mode? A black dragon with eight heads appeared from the white smoke. Boss-classed monsters would change their forms and get a power-up after their magic power was cut down by a certain amount. Known as the Berserk Mode, this new state of the boss would significantly increase the difficulty in defeating it. Tiamat Level 255 Magic Power 99999999 / 99999999 The values shown on the Scout Scope were still at the maximum limit of the display. Although it depends on the monster, Berserk Mode is usually triggered after the magic power is reduced by half. That being said, can we assume that we have finally cut down Tiamats magic power by half? Good grief, what a tough monster. Bertram sighed as I agreed with him. But if we already shaved off half of its magic power with the attacks earlier, doesnt that mean we should be able to go on and defeat it? No, that may not be the case. Bertram pointed at the other Heavenly Mages who were battling with Tiamat in Berserk Mode. Unlike before, they were having a hard time against Tiamat whose number of heads had increased, which significantly diminished their opportunities for attack. In any case, the bigger problem was that the counter-attacks could not damage Tiamat at all. By that, I dont mean that it was because Scout Scopes display of the magic power was capped at its maximum limit. Rather, Tiamat didnt look like it was receiving damage from the attacks of Yera and the rest. It was likely that Tiamats defense had increased together with the activation of its Berserk Mode. Earlier, Tiamat could be held back by the massive firepower, but now those attacks did not work against it. Tiamat was disregarding all of the attacks from the Heavenly Mages. What an impenetrable defense. UuuUuu!! With a low growl, Tiamat took a step forward as a cloud of dust rose around it. In the meantime, the magic of the Heavenly Mages and the Dispatched Mages continued to pour down on it, but they could no longer stop it. Hey Bertram, do you have any good ideas? Um, unfortunately, the attack earlier was already the maximum firepower I can muster. Bertram calmly asserted. Hey hey, while you may be saying that, dont you have another card hidden up your sleeve? Youre the strongest among the five Heavenly Mages, right? Some people may call me that, but I only think of myself as a normal mage. I dont have any unique magic after all. Are you kidding me While muttering that, I cast Scout Scope on Bertram. Bertram Cabel Level 96 Magic Level Red: 99/99 Blue: 72/76 Green: 75/85 Sky: 77/90 Soul: 60/88 Magic Power 245/6226 The magic spells that Bertram knows are only just the basic spells. He doesnt hold any unique spells? I cant say that Im not surprised, but to make up for that, all his magic spells are at a high level. In particular, all the magic spells of the Red system have their levels raised to their limits. In this era, it is not considered a good idea to raise the levels of each system in a balanced manner Despite that, Bertram had done that well, with the Red system as his main focus. With a terrifyingly acute sense of magic and a good grasp of his maximum levels of each magic system, Bertram must have trained himself with high efficiency. To have spent that much time raising his magic levels, it made sense that he wouldnt have spare time to pick up unique magic spells. In addition, unique spells were usually awakened when one was triggered by excessive negative emotions such as despair. For a person like Bertram who is blessed with talent, he probably never experienced such emotions. Is there something on my face? I dont feel good about being stared at so closely. Bertram spoke with a gentle voice, but from those eyes, I could feel a subtle sense of intimidation towards me. He couldve discovered that I had cast Scout Scope on him. To keep him from noticing, I had mixed in other magic while casting the spell though I guess its better not to use Scout Scope on a high-leveled mage after all. That being said, I learned quite a lot from it. Hehe. Its valuable intel that he doesnt know any unique spells. Its nothing. More importantly, that monster. Hmm, youre right. Before our eyes, Tiamat was advancing leisurely. To break its strong guard, quintuple-fusion magic is required and it would have to be done with a great magic spell. Even if I used the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle and matched my timing with Millys, the most we can do is a triple-fusion spell. Only the people who have a good understanding of the flow of my magic in my magic lines, or mages who have trained to their limits, would be able to perform a fusion spell. Those mages there Wait, dont we have mages here who have trained to their limits? Bertram, I have an idea. Whats the matter? Uhh, can I get you to gather the other Heavenly Mages? Bertram shot me a look of curiosity as I grinned back in return. I see, can you do something like that? Frankly speaking, I have not done it before and I dont know if it can be done. I also dont have proof that we can defeat the monster with this However, I think it is worth a try. Thats true. We dont have any other ideas either I understand, Ill call the four of them. Bertram quickly agreed, but I still had my doubts. Its great that it didnt take much to convince him but isnt he too trustful of me? Earlier it seemed like he discovered that I had used Scout Scope on him, but he didnt find fault with me either. Bertram, is it right to put your trust in me so easily? I mean, of course, Im not scheming anything, but am I not a complete stranger to you? Hm, youre unexpectedly ignorant about yourself, Zeph Einstein. Why do you know my name? Seeing the shock written on my face, Bertram grinned. Oh right, even Sherrod knew about me. Did Yera tell them about me? No, I dont think she was that type of person. If they had watched Urohimes title match, I guess they would know my name at least. Even so, I dont think he would trust me with just that alone. I gave Bertram a quizzical look as he resolved my doubts. I heard about you from my daughter, Elise. Didnt you rescue her when she was caught by the bandits? Once again, Id like to extend my gratitude for that. Bertram bowed his head. I was a little bewildered at his unexpected gesture. Ah, ah Yes, that did happen. Sometimes when we meet, Elise would talk about you. I heard that youve been fighting with a fair number of black monsters. That girl doesnt even talk about me with her eyes sparkling like that That makes me a little jealous. Hahaha. HaHahaha Elises name came up in an unexpected place. However, thanks to her, Ive gained a reasonable level of trust from Bertram. Though, Im glad that Elise hasnt had the chance to tell him about what happened earlier, where I mistook her for an intruder and pushed her against the wall. Therefore, if you say that its possible, then why dont I take you up on your plan? Saying that, Bertram held out his rough hand. In response, I, too, held out my hand and gave his hand a firm shake. Mm, lets just try as many things as we can. That gigantic dragon is not an opponent we can defeat without us joining forces in battle. Yeah. We, the Heavenly Mages, feel the same way. With just a handshake, I could feel the toughness of Bertrams magic lines, so much that I subconsciously held my breath. The quality of his magic, which must have been obtained through considerable amounts of training, far surpasses mine even during my peak in my past life. So this is historys strongest Heavenly Mage huh Well, someday Ill definitely beat him. Then, Ill call everyone over. Give me a moment. Got it. While Bertram contacted the other Heavenly Mages using telepathy, I wondered if there was a good place to carry out our plan. Its important to pick the right place. If we picked a bad spot, the monster could hinder us before we activate the spell. We also need some time to have everybody at the ready. If its that place C C As I had that thought, Millys voice resounded in my head. Zeph! Where are you and what are you doing!? Oh, Milly? That reminds me, I forgot that I had left Milly behind earlier. When I looked towards Milly from far away, I saw that she had just defeated a Mushussu. Had she been fighting alone after I left? I was speaking with Bertram. We were trying to think of a way to defeat that Tiamat. Really!? But, is that possible? Milly sounded worried and I replied with a smile. Yeah. However, we would need your help with that. Mm got it! Ill do anything I can! You said youd do anything huh. Thats admirable. Ok then, listen up. What were about to do requires the right time and place. Someone has to distract Tiamat in the meantime to buy us time, and to act as bait. Thats what Im supposed to do, right? Exactly. Milly, can you ride on Uruk and lure Tiamat to our desired location? Understood! Milly cut off communications immediately after. Hey, I havent given you the location details yet, you idiot. I had to re-establish communications to inform that reckless Milly of the location. Im feeling uneasy. Just in case, I should tell Silverie that I will need her support. CH 176.2 Bertram and I stood atop the clock tower that was symbolic of the capital of Prolea. At this spot where we could get a good view of Tiamats movements, we waited for the other Heavenly Mages to arrive. After a short moment, a shadow of a girl appeared while wrapped in wind, as she landed on the edge of the tower. It was Yera. She appeared surprised to see me as her eyes were widened. You suddenly called, so I came over But I did not expect to see Zeph here. Hm, I knew it was you. Sherrod, who we met earlier, arrived after Yera. Oh, isnt it Zeph-san! This time it was Urohime. She softly flew down to land on the tower while holding on to a white bird, which was probably her familiar. Yo, we meet again. Yes, I did not think that I would be able to meet you again so soon though Kyaa!? Behind the smiling Urohime, a giant shadow landed with a thud. It was Rhox Giganmeil. It seems like he had scaled up the tower with his strength. What a freakish athletic ability. Oh, did I keep you guys waiting? Rhox smiled refreshingly, showing his white teeth. I heard that he had a large build unlike that of a mage, but this was my first time seeing him up close. He is quite big-sized, as expected. Rhox stood in front of me and scrutinized me with great interest. He was about two heads taller than me. I could tell that his build was not for show, as both his body and his magic have been trained to their limits. Ive heard many rumors about you. You are that Ze Ze~ Rhox seemed to be at a loss for words as he couldnt say my name. In frustration, Yera kicked him. Its Zeph! Didnt I tell you before? Its just four letters, cant you remember it? Ohh, right right! It was Zeph! Gahaha! Rhox guffawed. He seems a little odd in the head. Is that okay for a Green Heavenly Mage? After laughing for a while, Rhox glared at me with a piercing gaze. Hmm, Bertram and Yera have been yapping about you, so I thought you were someone great but youre tiny! How rude, for a first meeting. For the record, Im not tiny. Its you who is too big. Rhox rested a hand on my head as he turned to face Bertram. Hey, Bertram. Even if he borrows our strength, I cannot possibly see how this tiny person can defeat that black dragon, though!? I dont understand what youre thinking. Isnt it because you have muscles for brains, Rhox? Im not someone who would simply let him continue prattling on. I gripped Rhoxs hand with my artificial arm and put strength into it. However, Rhox looked like he was amused instead, as he returned the grip with all his strength. Sounds of creaking metal were heard from the prosthetic. What crazy strength. My artificial arm has a grip that was strong enough to smash a log, and yet his grip was evenly matched with it No, its even stronger. Rhox grinned as he loosened his grip. At that rate, my prosthetic would have been crushed. Hm, so all we have to do is to attack that monster until it can no longer move. If we combine our strength with the associations mages, theres no way we wont be able to defeat it. Everyone was speechless at Rhoxs confident declaration. Did this guy not see how their attacks were futile in the fight earlier? Hes so much of an idiot that it boggles the mind. Certainly, theres nothing you cant defeat if you put in enough effort. However, how many days would that take? In that time, how much more of the city would be destroyed? What about rescuing the people who were unable to escape in time? Ugh A-about that At my reply, Rhox hemmed and hawed around. You cant even come up with a rebuttal? As I thought, hes the type of person whose brains have been replaced by muscles. Seeing Rhox stammer, Bertram cut in. Its fine, isnt it? In any case, we dont have many options now. It wouldnt be a bad idea to go with Zephs idea, would it? I concur with Bertram. What do Uro and Sherrod think? Urohime nodded at Yeras comment. I have no problems with it. We could just give it a try. Whether its useful or not is another story. He seemed to be implying something else, but Sherrod also agreed with the plan. Being cornered by the majority, Rhox clenched his jaw and glared at me as he spat out his opinion. Tch. But if we dont defeat it with this plan, I hope youll know what happens next. Yeah, if that happens, well go with Rhoxs plan, or whatever other plan we can come up with. Hm, then lets hear the plan. Rhox plonked himself down on the stone steps and jerked his chin towards me, signaling me to hurry and speak. I regained my composure and began to explain my plan. That black dragon Ah, its a mouthful to call it that, so lets call it Tiamat for conveniences sake. Tiamats armor is so tough that even the attacks by the five Heavenly Mages cannot damage it. We already know that! Rhox raised his voice. It felt like he was frustrated about it but had to admit that it was true. However, its a different story for my fusion magic Take a look at this. I cast Time Square, followed by Red Ball, Blue Ball, Green Ball, Black Ball and White Ball during the pause in time. The result is a quintuple-fusion magic, Platinum Slash. The platinum-colored light pierced through a Mushussu, splitting it into half before it vanished. Wow What an interesting skill. Did you mix various spells together? How fascinating Ive never seen this type of magic before. Seeing my Platinum Slash, Sherrod and Bertram exclaimed in wonder. Nonetheless, Rhox snorted. Hah, thats no big deal. I can beat that little monster with just one hit. Im sure the rest could do that too? I guessed so. Though, that was when I used my unique magic to fuse low-tier magic spells. If I fused mid-tier spells, the power would be several times of that. If I fused high-tier, great magic spells, the power would increase by several dozen times I see Youre saying that we should replicate that with higher-leveled magic spells? But your magic power wont last. Yeah, that is why I would like to borrow your strength. I grinned while Bertram continued speaking. Thats right, we, the five Heavenly Mages, will fuse our Zero spells and activate them together. His declaration caused a stir among the Heavenly Mages, as all of their facial expressions changed. If we fused the extreme magic, Zero, from all five of the Heavenly Mages, that should be able to get rid of even Tiamat. Are there no objections? My idea must have taken away their breaths. After everyone gave their approval, I began to explain the battle strategy. Milly would lure Tiamat, then the fusion magic spell would be used to crush it. The detailed procedure would be up to their discretion, because there was no idea how the actual events would play out. And thats all for the plan. My companion will lure Tiamat for us, so all weve got to do is to match our timings and attack it. Hm, well fine by me. Rhox seemed to be slightly displeased, but he reluctantly agreed with the plan. The other Heavenly Mages also nodded silently. This is all thanks to Bertrams trust in me, I guess. Somehow, Yera was looking super excited though. Haaah~ To think that a day where the five Heavenly Mages would put our powers together would come! Im starting to get excited! With an enthusiastic person like Yera, things would be much easier. On the other hand, Sherrod and the rest were mostly silent while I was briefing them. Even so, is it really possible to lure that monster all the way here? That little girl looks like shes having quite a tough fight. Hmm Rhox was watching Milly as she battled with Tiamat while mounted on Uruk. No, calling it a battle sounds good, but what she was doing was no different from just flying around Tiamat. Naturally, she was having a tough fight because her target was not being controlled the way she wanted. Rather than that, wont it be better if we just went over there? Its better not to do that. Sherrod interrupted as he pushed his glasses back. Zephs so-called fusion magic was that powerful with just low-tier spells. If we fused the Zero spells of the five Heavenly Mages, I have not the slightest idea how much power would be released. If we fired that spell from the ground, even if Tiamat may be defeated, the surrounding streets would also be seriously damaged. That is why we ought to aim at Tiamat at an angle, from the top of this tower. It is as youve guessed. If possible, I would like you all to lie in wait here. Precisely, even Platinum Break, which was formed from mid-tier spells, possessed sufficient power to destroy the landscape. In order to suppress the damage to the minimum, the best method is to stand on the tallest tower of the capital of Prolea and fire towards the ground. By shooting to the ground at some angle, in the worst case, it will only leave a big hole in the ground. However, if we used this attack in an unsuitable place, the whole city could be wiped out. That is why I had Milly act as bait to lure Tiamat over. Nevertheless, Milly-chan is having a hard time. The available dispatched mages are heading over to support her. Well just have to trust and wait. On Sherrods order, mages from all over the city were gathering. Milly, thats the current situation. Backup is on the way, so hang in there. SSomehow I will hold on! Milly was able to respond, but she seems to be nearing her limit. Hmm, guess Ill cheer her on a little. After were done with this, lets go shopping for something youd like. Im not a child, you know? Im not going to be baited with something like that. Was it my imagination, or did Milly sound slightly elated? Well, when Milly is enthusiastic, she tends to be able to display more of her potential. When flattered, even a pig will climb a tree. Then, after this battle is over, lets go shopping together! Yeah, fight on, Milly. Mm! With an enthusiastic reply, Milly cut off communications. Discussing plans for after the battle makes me somewhat uneasy though Seriously, please be careful, Milly. Dont go dying on me. CH 177.1 Milly was flying about Tiamat in circles when one of its heads sprang out at her. Just as Milly was about to change directions to dodge the attack, another of Tiamats heads appeared to block her escape. Milly! Theres one more! I yelled out as I was about to jump off at the tower at any moment. The shock of having made a mistake could be seen on Millys face, as Tiamats heads drew closer to her. Just when I thought that all was lost, an enormous magic ball landed down on Tiamat, drawing its attention away from Milly. Using that chance Milly managed to escape. It seems like the back-up came at just the right time. Standing next to Tiamats feet was Silverie alongside some other Dispatch Magicians. That sure was a close one Yera joyfully laughed from the side, as she watched everything unfold. Either way, well wait here. You are all okay with that, right? I asked. Look at whos talking. Werent you about to jump down just now? Rhox said, teasing me. That Milly Ill scold her later. The sound of Tiamats footsteps grew ever so closer to us. It was hard to precisely pinpoint how far he was because of his sheer size, however, there was no doubt that he was heading towards us. Hell be here in a few minutes at most. I guess its time for us to move as well. We all moved towards the edge of the roof, to a place where we could clearly see Tiamat. This tower was the only place tall enough to allow us to hit Tiamat from above. As Tiamat took another step, the ground shook once more. Milly, who was directing him towards us, soared right past the tower. In that fleeting moment our eyes met. From her complexion and her attire, it appeared like she had exhausted herself quite a bit. You did great. As Milly flew further away I turned my gaze back at Tiamat. Well then, everyone, place your hands on top. I said, presenting my prosthetic arm in front of them. After all it would be impossible for my body to handle the Zeros of all five Heavenly Mages. Which was why I had planned to use my prosthetic arm to cast the Fusion Spell. But Zeph, dont we need to cast our spells at the exact same time for that Fusion Spell of yours to work? Bertram asked. Hes right. The timing must be perfect, right? Yera asked as well. Hearing both of them, the remaining Heavenly Mages also lost themselves in thought. It was true that all of them were spectacular when it came to controlling their own spells, however, they werent that great at synching them with other people. It would be impossible for the five of them to cast their spell with perfect timing. And the Zero spells long chants made it even harder. Thats where I come in. After you cast your spells, they will first pass through my prosthetic arm, which will allow me to get rid of any small gaps that may have appeared. By passing through my body, Ill be able to adjust the timing of the spells in order to make them match. Can you really do it? Rhox asked. Thats beside the point. Theres nothing else we can do either way. We have no choice but to do it! Bertram stated. Hearing him say that, no one objected anymore. At that moment Tiamat took another step. However, thanks to the Dispatch Magicians attacks, Tiamat lost his balance. In the surroundings, a powerful magical storm was brewing. Within that storm Tiamats steps didnt halt at all. Each step he took he drew closer to our firing range. Just one more step! As if having read my thoughts, everyone began to chant their spell. Oh Crimson god, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Let the crimson blade rage and annihilate my enemies. Oh God of Water, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Let thy blue blade rage and annihilate my enemies. Oh God of Earth, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Let thy green blade rage and annihilate my enemies. Oh God of Wind, the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Empower me with your strength. Let thy black blade rage and annihilate my enemies. Oh God of Souls the pinnacle of magic and the culmination of the long winding road. Let your blade of souls rage and annihilate my enemies. Their simultaneous chants were a sight to behold. I guess I shouldnt have expected anything less from the five Heavenly Mages. Still, there are some gaps It seems like its my time to shine. RED ZERO! BLUE ZERO! GREEN ZERO! BLACK ZERO! WHITE ZERO! As soon as their chants ended, a tremendous amount of magic power entered my prosthetic arm, feeling up so much that it was about to break apart. The magic power didnt stop there and continued to spread within my whole body. Urgh Wh-What a tremendous torrent of magic power! It feels like my bodys about to break apart! It doesnt matter! I cannot let this chance go to waste! I focused all of my attention to the five Zeros colliding with one another in my arm It felt like my head was about to explode. I aimed my trembling hand right on top of Tiamats head and shot off the spell. Penta Fusion Platinum Zero!!! The blade made out of golden-white light shot forth from my arm and pierced straight through Tiamat. As I looked at Tiamat disintegrating within the light I slowly lost consciousness. The whirlpool of light and the thundering noises constantly assault my aching head. I leave the rest to you I completely lost consciousness before being able to say those words. FU!!! ZEPH! I suddenly heard a voice. It appeared that something was holding onto my hand. My body, it feels so heavy However, I can still stand. I managed to open my eyes, albeit a little sluggish. As I did so I immediately saw Millys crying face. T-Thank god! ZEPH! she yelled out, giving me a big hug. Her long blond hair was running down my face and tickling my nose. Good grief Theres no need to cry now is there B-But I-I thought that you ended up like that time! That time? Is she talking about the time when I slept for three whole years. Come to think of it, that was the reason which led Milly to develop her Unique Spell Healing Bic. Hmphm, why does my body feel so refreshed? Milly You cant have Milly just nodded at my question. Good grief. Shes such a worrywart. I only lost consciousness for a bit. Theres no way Id get that wounded ever again. Well I guess its still my fault for making her worry. I let out a sigh as I placed my hand on top of Millys head. Millys Healing Bic was quite the dangerous spell. That was because healing spells usually took a burden on the casters body. For example, the Healing spell requires a tremendous amount of magic power for not that much of an effect, so its not used that often. Millys Healing Bic, on the other hand, completely restores the targets body. However, its rebound should be huge as well. Could this be the reason why Millys growth has been this slow? Zeph? Whats wrong? Milly asked, raising her head to look up at me. Looking down at her chest I judged that it really hadnt grown at all these past three years. I guess I should tell her not to use it that much. As soon as we defeated Tiamat the Mushussu monsters around town disappeared as well. According to one of the Associations ancient records, back in the day Titan had apparently suddenly emerged out of nowhere on a little island in the middle of nowhere. He was apparently put down by the Associations powerful magicians at the time after destroying that little island. I guess that when they named him. Hyaa that hole sure is huge Lydia said with a shocked face. The force of the Platinum Zero had been tremendous. The spell had created a massive crater, the bottom of which could not even be seen. We even tried throwing stones inside, however, we couldnt hear them hit the bottom. And even though we threw in a bunch of thrash and rubble, the crater showed no signs of being filled up. Well I guess we can just use it as a huge dump, dont you think? Youre right Zeph-kun, that might prove to be quite efficient. Claude said, giggling at my proposition. A month passed after the battle. I was currently in the process of helping the restoration of the town with Lydia and Claude. Everyone else had also split into groups and were doing various tasks. Right after the battle Shirushus nose proved to be quite useful since she could track people buried under the rubble and help them. Milly and Silverie on the other hand joined other teams and helped destroy big rubble with their spells. The Dispatch Magician as well as the other adventurers all helped with what they could as well. They were usually the type of people who wouldnt bat an eye to such occurrences, however, considering the state that the city was left in, even they pitched in. It was all thanks to the help of everyone that the wounds of destruction left behind by Tiamat were almost completely healed. So, where should we go and help today? Area B has already been repaired, so how about we go and help out at Area D? They probably still need people over there. Claude said. I guess youre right. This past month she had worked together with the Magician Association to efficiently discover where and what needed to be fixed, and was doing a great job of forming a plan based on that. According to her, she apparently had wanted to help as much as possible. It was the perfect job for someone as hardworking as her. After we arrived at Area D, we met up with some of the adventurers there and began working. CH 177.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Well then, lets begin! Lets go! Lydia took up a trolley, while Claude picked up a shovel and they headed off. We still needed human labor to complete these types of meticulous tasks, no matter how far magic had evolved. Hey! The magician big bro over there! Can you come and destroy this rubble? Ill be right there. I followed after the boy and arrived at a house, which had been pierced by a huge boulder. This thing definitely cant be moved by human hands Everyone, step away for a bit. I told the people in the area to move away after which I aimed at the huge boulder and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Green Sphere and Black Sphere. Double Fusion: Gravity Sphere. When time began to flow again a black magic ball appeared and began to slowly whittle away at the enormous boulder. I could hear all kinds of cheers from the surroundings. After shattering the boulder into smaller pieces the magic ball completely disappeared. Now that was some fine control if I can say so myself. I wasnt sure whether it was because the Heavenly Mages spell had passed through my body, but I could control my spells way easier compared to before. Thank you, young man. Dont worry about it. Something like this is no big deal. Even though you say that, your smug face says otherwise! Kukuku Afterwards I continued my work. I searched for even more large boulders and destroyed them with Gravity Sphere. Because it could only break things apart with its sheer pressure, Gravity Sphere was particularly effective in these scenarios. The only thing I needed to do was break up the huge rubble into smaller pieces. It also looked quite flashy, so it was a great way to entertain the onlookers as well. After all, I didnt hate standing out. Well then, next is Just as I was about to head to my next destination I caught a glimpse of a small girl. She had short, black hair and looked like any other typical young girl. Why do I feel like Ive seen her somewhere before? As that thought crossed my mind, the young girl drew closer to me. Zeph-done, isnt that you? That voice. Is that you Sarutobgf!!! Just before I could call out her name, she blocked my mouth. It was Sarutobi, the shinobi under Yeras supervision. I had previously worked with her, but we had to part ways since she had some business to attend to. I hadnt met her since then, but it seemed like she had done well for herself What in the world are you doing Isnt Sarutobi just an alias? Im a spy. Even my alias being found out is a big problem degozaru. That manner of speaking is way more revealing if you ask me I-I cannot do anything about it! Im still not used to this countrys language degozaru! Urohime can talk quite naturally though. Rather I think youd sound quite natural if you just got rid of that degozaru thing So you cant have your alias be found out, but showing your face is okay? The mask that I usually wear is my disguise. As long as my name and attire dont match, then theres no problem. And even though its slight, Ive altered my face a bit as well. Come to think of it, last time we met, she said that she had some scars on her face. Looking at her now, there are no scars Shes probably hiding them with some sort of makeup. Please do not stare at me like that. Sorry, sorry So, what should I call you now? Whatever you like. Its Saru then. You Sarutobi said, glaring at me as if she was about to kill me at any moment. TL/N: saru means monkey in Japanese Still to think that youd help with the restoration as well. Like how should I say it, it somehow doesnt match your character. Shinobi must always blend in with their surroundings. It is important that we do stuff like this as well degozaru. I see, so shes doing it so as to not seem suspicious. Observing Sarutobis work, I noted that she wasnt moving in her customary, flawless manner, but rather in the manner of a typical young girl. She was stumbling into rocks here and there, and was also trying to break her balance on purpose. She was also carrying some dangerous looking rubble to the trolleys. To be honest she gave off the impression of being quite skilful rather than anything. Hey Sa-chan, want me to help you? After one of the older men saw her struggle, he immediately offered to help her. Im fine gozaru. Thank you gozaru! Sarutobi responded in her rough, unpolished manner. She did, however, appear to be making an effort to blend in. I see, so shes known as Sa-chan here. That so? Well it looks like your boyfriend is there as well, so I wont meddle. Y-Youre mistaken gozaru! Hahaha. The old man returned to work without saying anything else. Kuku, it seems like shes even mastered getting flustered as well. Dont laugh. My bad, my bad. I wont do it anymore Sa-cha Hahahaha!!! Ill stab you. Sarutobi said as she glared at me with a murderous gaze. She might really do it We continued helping the restoration of the city when one day I received a message from the Magician Association. The sender was no other than Bertram. Hmph Its about time I got one I was somewhat scared to open it, however, I wouldnt find out what was on the inside if I didnt. I sat down on the sofa and opened the letter, at the same time Milly slowly crept up next to me. Whats that? A letter? From the Magician Association? Yea, its from Bertram. Its asking me to come meet him. Whoa I wonder what he wants to talk about. I dont know, maybe its about the Title Match that got cancelled, or the saving of the capital, or maybe about the Penta Fusion spell which Im forbidden from using Theres a lot of stuff he might want to talk about. Well all of those have already happened so it doesnt matter? Milly said with a smile, however, I couldnt smile. They were all serious topics. Especially the one about me using a forbidden spell. They did warn me once already after all Well I did end up saving the town so they might turn a blind eye to it this once. Or thats what Id like to happen. Can I come as well? Milly asked. Im the only one they asked for. I doubt theyd let anyone else inside. In that case Ill just wait for you outside. Milly said, hugging me. Why do I feel like shes even more clingy since the fight with Tiamat? She must have been really worried when I exhausted my magic power. Good grief, shes such a worrywart. Okay. But dont do anything stupid. Okay! Milly said, clinging onto my arm. With her by my side we headed towards the Magician Association. Bertram was peering out the window of the Magician Associations uppermost room. Even though most of the damage had already been restored, there were still some wounds, from Tiamats attacks, that were yet to heal. According to what he had heard from Sherrod, that monster had apparently appeared due to Urohimes Unique Spell. They had somehow managed to defeat it with that so-called Platinum Zero spell, however, it hadnt come without any casualties. Tiamat huh The black monster that came from the Other World. That was the name that had appeared in Magician Associations ancient records. A closer examination of the ancient records revealed that there had been countless such dark monsters that had arisen from time to time. Zeph did not only know of Tiamats name but of the other black monsters as well Who in the world is he? Bertrams brows furrowed. He was worried. Worried that as one of the five Heavenly Mages, he might have to be cautious around Zeph. He had grown interested in the boy since his daughter, Elise was fond of him as well. And during the battle with Tiamat, Zeph had managed to prove himself worthy of Bertrams trust. At some point I thought that he might be suitable for Elise However, hes way too dangerous. Bertram whispered out as he looked down from the window. His gaze was drawn to Zeph and Milly, who were strolling down the street. Zeph looked to be quite uninterested, while Milly on the other hand was jumping up and down while holding onto his arm. Bertrams veins bulged and the wall next to him exploded when he saw it. Hed cast a spell unintentionally just now. Having felt flustered for a moment, Bertram immediately regained his composure and even started laughing. Fufu Hahahaha! After laughing his heart out Bertram sat down on his chair. He tried to search his mind for various reasons as to why he didnt like Zeph, but there was only one. It was just that he didnt feel like giving his daughter to him. He had previously believed that he would be willing to give up his daughter to any magician who was talented, even if it meant that he had gone down the wrong path. Thats what Bertram had believed up until now. Thats how it should have been, however Huh. It seems like Im just an ordinary parent after all. Bertram muttered out and folded his arms while waiting for Zeph. A knock came at his door just as he was contemplating how to pick on the boy. Enter! Excuse my intrusion. Zephs voice was heard and the door opened. CH 178.1 9-12 minutes 24.07.2022 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I opened the door to Bertrams room. As I entered I noticed Bertram sitting down, with his elbows placed on top of his desk. I expected as much but why is the wall destroyed? Having noticed that I was looking at the wall, Bertram turned towards it as well and laughed. Do not worry about it. When Tiamat attacked some of the furniture flew off and broke it. To me it looks quite recent though I told you not to worry about it. If hes so keen on hiding it then I wont ask anymore. But still, why does the atmosphere here feel so cold? Is he really planning on blaming me for the incident? Lets get to the point at hand. Zeph Einstein, first I would like to thank you for bringing down Tiamat and saving the towns people. Bertram said, as he got up and lowered his head. He then took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it over to me. Come to think of it, your Title Match got interrupted didnt it? If you use this, youll be able to directly challenge one of the five Heavenly Mages. It doesnt matter who you pick as your opponent. Use it whenever you please. There was a single ticket placed inside the envelope. People who were qualified to become one of the five Heavenly Mages would occasionally appear, and a match would be held at those times, even if it wasnt during the Heavenly Mage Festival. The ticket in my hands indicated that I was one of those individuals. How considerate of them. Ill take you up on your present in that case. Theres one more thing. Bertram muttered out quietly, however, the fire in his eyes burned even brighter than before. I get a bad feeling about this. This must be the real reason he wanted to talk. Sherrod stated that you were barred from utilizing the Fusion Spell you used the other day, and that you had already received a warning. Youve heard correctly. I could feel my insides turning. Millys guess had been right on mark. And it was also what I had expected as well. It was general knowledge that the Heavenly Mages held higher positions within the Magician Association, and that the Blue Heavenly Mage was in charge of the Dispatch Magicians. He should have known from the start that I was banned from using that spell. And even despite that, he had still helped me cast the Penta Fusion and defeat Tiamat. Hes a nasty one that Sherrod Its true that I recommended it, but why bring it up now? So theyre okay with turning a blind eye to it when theres an emergency, but as soon as it passes they blame me huh You dont seem quite happy with what you just heard. I hope youll forgive me, but I have a position that I have to maintain as well you see. You dont sound like youre that sorry though. Dont mess around. No matter the circumstance, using a forbidden spell is a serious crime. Normally, we would imprison both you and Urohime for a number of years However, what I was about to say has a continuation. Bertram said, as he spread out a map on top of his desk. It was a map of the world. One where you could find anywhere. As you can see this is an ordinary map of the world However, did you know that this map isnt complete? Bertram asked. He then proceeded to move his finger to the edge of the map, and then moved it even further, completely exiting the map. Theres a continuation to this world map. The world spreads way beyond this world map. Zeph, I would like to task you with travelling to the world outside of this map Id like you to go to the Outer World. According to Bertrams words, there was a world that stretched far beyond what the world map showed, and in that world, black monsters such as Tiamat roamed free. Apparently Urohime was able to bring those monsters here with her spell. And it would be my mission to go find the source of those monsters and destroy it. If I were to succeed, they would overlook me using the forbidden spell. Good grief. They sure know how to work a man to the bone, but still this offer isnt all that bad for me. I realized it when fighting Tiamat, but the way Im now I cannot win against the Heavenly Mages. However, if I were to go and train in the Other World, where black monsters roam free then Fine. Ill take on that mission. Thats great to hear. It would have been troublesome if you were to refuse. However! I said pointing my finger at Bertram leaving him dumbstruck. You need to fight me as soon as I get back. Hmph? You see, one of my goals in life is to take you down. Thats one far-fetched goal you have there. I dont remember doing anything to receive that kind of grudge though. Its not a grudge. Think of it as a personal reason if you would How about it? Bertram showed a surprised expression for a moment, however, he instantly recovered and began laughing. It was a laugh that showed his unwavering confidence. Fine. I have a personal reason to fight you as well you see. I wont hold back and trample you. Its a promise then. Of course, I promise you that Ill destroy you. Kuku We both looked at each other with creepy grins on our faces. And just like that I brought everyone and we headed towards the Outer World. 8 Several months passed. In those months we arrived at the Outer World and began to fulfil the mission given to me. The black monsters were undoubtedly powerful, yet the way we were now was sufficient for us to struggle but not lose. We also managed to raise our levels and my stats currently looked like this. Zeph Einstein Level 96 Magic Level: Red: 86 / 99 Blue: 87 / 92 Green: 92 / 99 Sky: 89 / 93 Soul: 95 / 97 Magic Power: 6250 / 6256 That is right. There was a fruit in the Outer World which allowed one to break through their Magic Levels limit. However, it was a really rare item and the monsters that dropped it were hard to come by as well With everyones help we hunted the hell out of them. It was a truly helpful experience. Thanks to it I was currently able to face Bertram. I wanted to raise my level even further, but it became increasingly difficult. And besides my guild members we were also accompanied by researchers of the Magician Association so we couldnt stay in the Outer World for a long period of time. Tsch, how unfortunate. Well I guess this is the end of our great adventure. After getting on a boat we left the Outer World and sailed back to Prolea. WHOA! Its been so long since Ive last seen the capital! Milly exclaimed. Youre right. Zeph, look, look! Everyones here to greet us! At the harbor there were numerous people waiting in a line. Most of them were acquaintances of the crew and their friends. However, amongst those people there were some familiar faces as well. WHOA! ITS ELISE! HEYYY! Milly yelled out waving her hand. As soon as Elise saw her, she immediately pouted. Huh? Whats wrong with her? Milly asked. Beats me. She probably just hates you. Youre terrible Zeph! Theres no way thats true! Milly exclaimed. I however ignored her completely and let my body be swept away by the tides breeze. At last out boat finally arrived at the harbor. We slowly got off the boat as we were greeted by everyone. Welcome back. Youve finally made it back. Good work out there. The people who welcomed us were none other than some of the members of the five Heavenly Mages. Even Bertram was amongst them. I looked at him and our eyes met. Sup. Hmph. Bertram didnt say anything, instead he let the waves of magic power surrounding his body do the talking for him. It seems like hes ready. As soon as I realized that a smile crept up my face. 10 days. Ill need that much for the Title Match preparations. Kuku, I dont mind doing it right now though. As the sparks flying between us grew larger, everyone stepped in to separate us. Come on now! Today should be a day for celebration! We just came back to the capital after all! Lets just leave it at this for now, okay? Yera said laughing, as she made her way next to Milly. Youre both quick to draw the guns arent ya. Its not like Im picking a fight with him or anything Bertram said in response to Yeras teasing. Even though he was the strongest Flame of Flame in history, he still tried to save face in front of Yera. How about we make a huge feast today and have a party?! Milly proposed. Id like that. Good going Milly-chan! Thats a great idea! Elise, youll come as well right?! Milly asked. IIm Elise tried to mutter out some words as she hid behind her father. Seeing her like that, Bertram put his daughter forward and gave her a push on the back. F-Father Go. Even though she was still a bit on the fence about going, in the end Elise gave up and followed after Milly. D-Dont misunderstand. I-Its just that its rude to turn down an invitation. Here you go again with that thing of yours. You should be more honest with yourself, you know. Milly said, smiling. Hmph Elise just snorted and turned away, however, she didnt seem annoyed by it. Well then, its been a while since Ive done this! Everyone, youll help as well, right? Lydia asked. Of course? Milly exclaimed. Of course we will. Shirushu said as well. That day, we had a feast at our house. Drinks were spilling over the table, and music reverberated throughout the house. Despite the ruckus, none of the neighbours seemed to mind because they were partying with us as well. As the celebration progressed, the night grew darker, and the commotion began to fade. Urgh, I think Im a bit drunk. In order to wash away the dizziness of the alcohol I went outside to get a bit of fresh air. The cool breeze brushed past my cheeks, taking away with it the warmth of the alcohol. Zeph. A voice called out behind me. As I turned around I saw Elises face. Her long hair fluttered in the wind as it blew past her. CH 178.2 Hey. It seems like youre having fun. Hmph. Its only natural that I would come upon being invited. It wouldnt be good manners otherwise. Even though she said that, it was my first time seeing Elise have so much fun. In my last life I had gone to numerous parties with her, however most of them had been quite boring. Kuku. W-What are you laughing for?! Elise asked angrily after seeing me laugh. I guess she has a cute side to her after all. Well I cannot deny that I did have some fun. Im glad to hear that. Elise then let out a quiet sigh, and after a moment she opened her mouth to speak. Zeph, you Hmph? It looked like she wanted to say something, however, before she could finish she ended up turning her head towards Milly and the others. She looked at them for a bit after which she closed her eyes and shook her head. Its nothing. Dont worry about it. You really did great on your mission. Thank you. After swallowing what she was planning to say, Elise quickly changed the topic. Id like to ask you something, Zeph. Its already settled that youre going to fight against my father. Do you think you have a chance of winning? If I didnt I wouldnt have challenged him. Ill have you know that my father is strong. Thats exactly why Im challenging him. Its precisely because hes the strongest Flame of Flame in history that Im doing this and throwing my whole lifes effort at him. Your whole lifes effort huh Now thats a huge claim. Elise said, as she let out a sigh. However, I wasnt exaggerating, not even one bit. There was no one better to put everything Id done in my second, so-called efficient life to the test. Good grief. I was planning on stopping you, but now that I see you with that huge grin on your face I dont think I can do it. Go and have your ass whooped by my father okay? Do not worry, Ill be the one doing the whooping. Fufufu. Kukuku. We both laughed as we looked at each other. God, I cannot wait for these 10 days to pass. Starting today were having special training. I had gathered Milly and the others and brought them to an area. This arena was a huge Isolated Space that was usually used for Title Matches. After going inside, I had everyone surround me. I dont mind having special training but this is a bit Milly exclaimed. Are you really planning on taking all of us on at the same time? Claude asked as well. Ahaha, Zeph-chi you always come up with the craziest ideas. Arent you looking down way too much on us Zeph? Silverie asked, a bit annoyed. I-Its going to be okay. E-Even if he runs out of magic power Im here! Shirushu exclaimed. Ill be counting on you Shirushu. Immediately after that Silverie began attacking. When she cast her first spell, a flurry of wind bullets descended on me. It was Black Bullet. Whoa?! I somehow managed to dodge the unexpected attack. Youre quite merciless Silverie Milly exclaimed. Your enemy wont just stand there and wait for you now will he? Silverie answered coldly. She has a point, but even so, that was way too sudden. After I dodged all of the attacks, I noticed Lydia flying at me. Eat this! She swung down her training long axe, which didnt have a blade on it Regardless if I were to be hit by that long axe, at that speed, I wouldnt get out unscathed. I cannot continue just dodging their flurry of attacks like this. I need to make an opening and aim for there. Take this! Ive got you! I grabbed the axe just as it passed right next to my arm and broke it. While Lydia was still dumbstruck by the shock I buried my fist in her abdomen and cast Green Crash. Kyaaa?!Hee goot meee Lydia yelled out as she was flying back. Good grief, that just now was on purpose wasnt it I dont like it that theyre holding back. I still cant figure out what Lydia is thinking. Dont look away Zeph-kun! In Lydias place, Claude immediately appeared before me. I quickly grabbed a piece of Lydias broken axe and used it to block Claudes wooden sword. The axe piece began to slowly crack here and there as I withstood the attack. At first I managed to attack and defend, but as time passed I was put on the defensive by Claude. Shes gotten quite good. When it came to using swords, Claude was leagues above me. In that case I just need to fight in a way that suits me. Haa! Claude yelled out as she charged. I stepped back in order to fool her that she had won, and then threw the broken axes piece. Claude easily avoided the broken piece, however, in doing so she created a chance for me to strike. Without missing that chance, I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Black Sphere and White Sphere. Double Fusion: Marble Sphere. The white-black ball made its way towards Claude. Hmph Screen Point! A white light began to envelop Claudes body. However, it was too late. I had hidden myself inside the Marble Sphere, and just as it appeared before Claude I jumped out. ?! Depending on Screen Point whenever push comes to shove is a bad habit of yours Claude. The reason I had used Marble Sphere was not to damage Claude, but rather to block her vision. Claude realized what I was planning, but was too late in putting up her shield. ?! Before she could defend, my prosthetic arm landed a hit on her neck. I wasnt going all out of course. But it was still enough to force Claude to surrender and go to the back. If I had felt like it, I could have used a spell rather than using my prosthetic arm. In other words, the moment my attack landed on Claude, she knew that she had lost. Kuku. It seems like youve lost your vanguard Milly. N-Not yet! Silverie! What are you doing?! Milly step back. Ive always wanted to try and fight with Zeph one on one. Ill gladly make that wish come true for you then! Both Silverie and I immediately charged at one another. I cast a Double Fusion of Black Boots on myself and headed for Silverie in a direct line. However, Silverie accelerated at the same time as well. She cast Black Crash, and by using the rollers on her boots she headed straight for me. As we passed each other we both cast spells, however, both of us managed to dodge each others spell. And just like that the high-speed spell brawl between Silverie and I began. The way both Silverie and I were running around the Isolated Space made it seem like we were racing with one another. Hmph. I should have expected as much. But can you dodge this?! Silverie said and immediately after that a spear of black wind made its way towards me. It was Black Zero. She had managed to summon her familiar Kuro and cast a high-speed chant before I could even notice. As soon as I understood what was going on the wind spear was already in front of me. However, it wasnt like I hadnt expected something like this. Ain! Leave it to me! Ain appeared in my hand in her sword form and with her help I was able to block Silveries Black Zero. The clash created a powerful blast wave. Regardless, I still managed to completely block the attack. I fixed my grip on Ain and just as I was about to shoot the Black Zero, which I had just absorbed, back at Silverie I noticed something. Shes not there?! Silverie was nowhere to be found. I thought that perhaps she had jumped up but she wasnt there either. I see. Various scenarios flashed through my mind until I found the right one. I immediately jumped away from the spot where I was standing once I realized what she was up to. As soon as I did, the ground beneath me shattered. Afterwards, Silveries silhouette appeared within the cloud of dust. Impressive. Black Coat, huh. Black Coat was a spell which allowed the caster to bend the lights rays and make it seem like they were invisible. So she cast it right after shooting that Black Zero at me. Both Black Zero and Black Coat have a long cast time, making it difficult to use them in succession, but I suppose its feasible with Kuros high-speed casting. Can you dodge the next one though? As soon as she said that, Silverie disappeared again. Thankfully, it was hard to fool a person twice with Black Coat. However, Silverie knew that as well. What is she aiming for now? Well I guess it doesnt matter. I just need to do my thing. As those thoughts ran through my mind I cast Blue Wave. The water wave spread around with me as the centre and began to search for Silverie. Kyaa?! However, it couldnt find her. It only worked to cover Milly in water. Where in the world did you go Silverie? Just as I thought that I felt bloodlust coming from somewhere! I jumped as soon as I felt it, however, I was still hit by a shockwave from behind. Immediately after that I felt my magic power leaving my body. It appeared like I had been hit by Black Sphere. I promptly turned around, however, Silverie was still nowhere to be found. However, she was certainly here somewhere. The magic bullet that was coming straight at me was proof of that. ?! As I dodged it, another Black Sphere slammed into me from one of my blind areas, reducing my magic power even more. I started moving around haphazardly to avoid the attacks, but if I kept doing that, Id get tired. I guess its time I end this. CH 179.1 Ain, get ready for a big one! O-Okay! I strengthened my grip on Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and cast Quadra Fusion: Tetra Wave After that I cast Time Square and while time was stopped I cast another Tetra Wave. I synched the second Tetra Wave, with the one inside Divine Greatsword Ainbelle and cast both of them at the same time. Octa Fusion: Tetra Wave Double. Two golden shockwaves drew spirals across the room as they spread out in the empty space. Thats right, empty space. Just as I thought. Having confirmed my suspicions, I turned to look towards the ground. Found you. There was only one part of the ground that was a different hue. I aimed my hand at it and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash, Black Crash and Green Crash. Triple Fusion: Volcanon Crash. The mass of magic lava began to pour out of my hand and cover the area. Well then, what will you do Silverie? You got me. I give up. The ground around the spot with a different hue began to rise up, and from within the ground Silverie showed herself. The first Black Coat had been used as a fake. She had done it to deceive me into believing she had hidden herself with her magic when, in fact, she had buried herself inside a hole in the earth. It seems like you were able to keep your cool and come up with a solution. Does that mean I passed the test, master? Hmph. Silverie just snorted without saying anything, however, I could see a smile creep up her face. She then placed her hand on my head so as to congratulate me and left. Finally, its my turn. Milly said with her arms folded. She was looking at me with a creepy smile on her face. I wont hold back. This time Ill be the one that will win! So dont hold anything back as well, okay Zeph? Sounds good to me. As soon as I said that, Millys magic power began to rise up just like a tornado. To avoid being left behind, I tightened my grip around Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. Id fought her numerous times before, and I hadnt lost a single one of them. Since it would have been disrespectful towards her I hadnt held back at all, which led to her being beaten to a pulp every single time. However, no matter how many times she lost, she never gave up Her desire to win is quite strong this time. This confidence of hers, is there some reason behind it? Come to think of it, she did do some kind of special training with Yera on our way back from the Outer World. This is going to be fun. Let me test how strong youve gotten then Milly. I lowered my body and prepared to launch myself forward when it happened. Behind me, I sensed the presence of magic power. As I launched myself forward a water vortex appeared at the location where I had just been. Following it, another one appeared right next to me. Countless Blue Spheres appeared one after another, trying to catch me. Blue Sphere Chain! So youve figured out how to deploy them in specific places? Furthermore, she was also casting them in a chain. It was quite the difficult move to pull off, however, with Millys talent and Yeras teaching it wasnt impossible. Theres still more where that came from! I leaped back in order to try and escape the range of the Blue Spheres. However, just as I did that an explosion of magic power occurred behind me. ARGH?!!! A Blue Sphere had been placed at the place where I fled to and it exploded just as I landed. Fufufu. Youre like an open book to me Zeph! To think that Milly would be able to read my movements To be honest, Im quite shocked. I suppose Ive softened after spending so much time with her. Youre just casting them in the locations Yera-san indicated Claude murmured. H-Hey! The spectators should shut up! Milly yelled back at her. I see, so Yera managed to read through my movement pattern. To be honest, whenever Im in a tight place, I have a habit of attempting to create distance. Bertram will probably immediately grasp it as well and try to use it against me. This training turned out to be quite useful after all. I know your other habits too, Zeph! Milly said as she activated another spell that she had set up. Millys brawl and Yeras brains, huh Millys magic power was unquestionably comparable to that of the five Heavenly Mages. She would turn out to be a perfect training partner before my fight with Bertram. Kuku, Im getting fired up. As I continued to run around the Isolated Space a shock once again ran through my back. Urgh! Fufun, your movements become dull when you think. So be it then. I wiped the blood flowing down from my lips and cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash. Double Fusion: Pyro Crash. However, just before I could fire off the spell a mass of water appeared before me. Damn it! So she read this as well I somehow managed to dodge, but it also caused my Pyro Crash to miss its target. The fire storm flew somewhere far away and disappeared. That impudent How about this then! I spun my prosthetic arm and set up Red Bullet Double inside of it. As my arm spun around I dashed towards Milly. Hyaaa?! U-Ugh, Yera told me that if he comes running at me I should cast Blue Wall! A wall of ice appeared in front of Milly. Calm down. All shes doing is casting stuff with my actions in mind. Normally I would try to force my way through that wall and Milly is probably waiting for me to do that as well So if I do just the opposite then I continued dashing straight at the wall just as I Milly thought I would. In that case EAT THIS! Milly yelled out, and an enormous water tornado burst forth from the middle of the Blue Wall. It was Blue Gale. So she had this set up as well. That makes three spells already. However, it appears that she misjudged the timing and cast it before I was within range. Urg, after this Im supposed to cast this, then this, arghhh The inside of Millys head had already turned into a steaming mess. Because she had been forced to set up and activate various spells at different places and different times, her brain had reached its limit. She probably wouldnt be able to keep it up for much longer. She would probably self-destruct if I were to just leave her like this, however, in order to prepare myself for my battle against Bertram I had no choice but to dash straight in. Im coming Milly! Do your best until the end! U-Urgh! After avoiding the Blue Gale and arriving in front of the ice wall, I immediately cast Red Crash to melt it. I got you! As soon as I melted the wall, water magic balls appeared around me. It was Blue Sphere. So she read the exact timing that I would melt the wall and set up the spell, huh. Still, shes not the only one who can read ahead. I swung my prosthetic arm and cast Red Bullet Double. Thats right, with the help of my training in the Other World I was currently able to store spells in my prosthetic arm and then cast them later. The countless flaming bullets shot forth, colliding with the spheres of water, creating a devastating explosion. That wont work! You cant take them down with just that! Im perfectly aware. I dashed at the place where I had shot off the fire bullets. It was hard to completely destroy all of those Blue Spheres, however, forcing my way through them was a completely different story. If I were to weaken the Blue Spheres just a bit, I would easily be able to break through them. HYAAA! I broke through the water mass and appeared right before Milly. When she saw me, she was completely taken aback, but she quickly regained her calm and extended both of her hands towards me. NOT YET!!! she yelled out and the remaining water spheres began to gather around us. Hmph, just as I thought. She was planning to gather the water spheres as soon as I got close. Too bad I already expected that. I had also set up my own Red Spheres to counteract her. The Red Spheres offset the Blue Sphere and the remains of magic power scattered around us. What Well then, do you have something else up your sleeve, Milly? H-How As she was still trying to comprehend what was going on, I placed my hand on her chest. Even as I began to cast my spell, Milly didnt move at all. LIKE HELL I DO!!! she yelled out. At that same moment I cast Red Zero. Millys chest was pierced by the sword of flame, draining her of her remaining magic power. Phew, one more down. Milly sank helplessly to the ground as soon as she lost all of her magic power. Her brawl combined with Yeras brains had really transformed her into a tough opponent. However, even so I had still managed to overwhelm her. I guess this means Ill be able to easily hold my own against Bertram. Auch Youre already awake? Youre quite the tough one, Milly. I have a sliver of magic power left. To think that shed still have some after casting so many spells and even taking my Red Zero head on. Her magic power storage always amazes me. Whats up with that look?! Its nothing. I just thought that youve really grown. Youre lying! Im not. When I first met you I never imagined that youd grow this much. I said, nodding her head. Hmph. Milly just snorted and turned around. Milly wasnt the only one thatd grown. Claude, Lydia, Silverie and Shirushu as well, all of them had grown so much since the first time wed met. Everyone, youve really done great to get up to this point. That goes for you too Zeph-chi. Youve gotten really powerful as well! Lydia said, hugging me and nodding my head. Urgh, I guess I cant win against her when it comes to praising. Everyone, thank you. Thanks to you I think that Ill be able to give it my best at the Title Match. Of course you will! Give it everything youve got Zeph! Milly exclaimed. I wont tell you not to push yourself. Just make sure you dont leave behind any regrets. Claude said. Zeph-san! Well be cheering for you!!! Shirushu said, looking a bit worried. Bertram is strong. Do not let your guard down Zeph. Silverie said in her usual cold tone. However, despite sounding cold I could still feel a hint of warmth in her words. I could feel my strength rising as a result of everyones words of encouragement. It was a type of strength which I hadnt felt when I was alone. I suppose the most important thing Ive gained since resurrecting is the strength Ive gained as a result of having my companions. CH 179.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama And so we continued our special training till the night before the Title Match. As the moonlight streamed over us, Milly and I were both lying down, our breaths ragged. Haa Ha H-Hey, Zeph. Is it really okay to do this the day before the Title Match? Milly asked. Its fine. You dont mind it as well, right? W-Well youre not wrong there. In that case, lets do it once more. Again?!!! How much strength have you got left!!! Lets stop it, I give, I give! This is it for todays special training! Milly protested, twisting around and lying face down. Sheesh, I wanted to go for a bit longer though. Well I guess if we continue it will have an impact on my fight tomorrow. I guess Ill listen to her this once and stop here. I mimicked Milly and turned around to lie down as well, gazing at the sky. Its beautiful. I whispered as the light of the countless stars made its way into my eyes. Milly was completely taken aback when she overheard my unintentional remark. WHAAAT?!W-Whats beautiful?! She quickly got up, her hair a total mess. Good grief, what in the world is going on in that head of hers. When she looked at me, she realized that I was looking somewhere else, not at her, which made her understand that she had misinterpreted my intention. Oh, yea the stars. They really are beautiful. Youre beautiful as well Milly. Yea, yea, Im beautiful as we *cough*?! She started her sentence with a slightly dissatisfied expression on her face, but when she heard me, she was utterly taken aback. She really is quite the restless one. Those pure eyes of hers, which had looked at me without a speck of doubt since the first time I met her, had not changed at all. They were still as lovely as they were back then. Her pure gaze was enough to make me fall for her. We continued gazing at each other for a while. U-Um, urgh, y-you s-see Milly, youre beautiful. Ughh As I said that while stroking her head, Millys face turned bright red. After some time passed, Milly twisted her body around and hugged me. She then proceeded to bury her face in my chest. Whats wrong. Youre acting way needier than usual. Zeph. L-Lets stay together forever The two of us Hm? You see I Ive always Ive always liked you, Zeph! Thats why I want to stay with you forever! As she said that she tightened her grip around me. Her pure, beautiful eyes were locked onto me as well. Her expression seemed somewhat desperate at that moment. What happened? Why did you say that all of a sudden? Its just that I feel like youve shifted all of your attention to the Flame of Flame title. To me it feels like that title is your reason to keep on living Thats why Im afraid that youll end up going somewhere after the battle Milly said, her eyes beginning to tear up. Hm, I guess its correct to say that Im doing everything I have to prepare for this match. And it looks like that has made Milly worry. In order to try and calm her down I hugged her back. Do not worry. Im not going anywhere. Really? Really. As soon as she heard me say that, Milly let out a sigh of relief. And with tears still in her eyes, she buried her head in my chest once more. Ehehe! You said it! You cant go anywhere!!! Hey, stop it! My clothes will get wet Zeph. Well be together forever and ever! Sheesh, okay, okay. While I let out a sigh I stretched my hand to stroke Millys head once again. 9 Countless gunshots boomed around the Fire Tower. The number of spectators in the region was in the thousands. A hole appeared in the centre of the stage and from the inside the announcer appeared. It looks like the Title Match evolved while we were gone. CHACHACHACHA! EVERYONE! SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING FOR SO LONG! IT IS FINALLY TIME FOR THE TITLEMATCH TO BEGIN!!! Despite the fact that everything else had changed, the announcer remained the same. As I was letting myself be absorbed in her nostalgic voice, she turned towards me and waved her right hand at me. Everyone, Im assuming you remember this man? He was the one that faced Urohime in the previous Title Match and even came close to defeating her! However, you may not know that he then left for a different continent in order to train, and is now finally back! He is the contender who comes the closest to the Heavenly Mage title! His name is Zeph Einsteinnnnn!!! As soon as she finished her speech, I waved my hand at the onlooking crowd. It appeared like the numerous adventures that wed embarked on since our arrival in Prolea had spread my name far and wide. The one facing Zeph Einstein today is no other than this man! The man known as the Heavenly Mage of Fire entered the arena from the opposite side, clad in a scarlet cloak. It was none other than Bertram Cabel. Despite his placid demeanour, he exuded a powerful aura. It was powerful enough to give me goosebumps. It goes without saying that seeing the Fire Heavenly Mage fight is a rare occurrence given his character! But once he does, he always comes out on top! He has an unblemished record! Amongst the Five Heavenly Mages he is known as the strongest! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Bertram Cabel!!! The crowd burst in cheers. Well I guess its only natural that hes this popular. Within the crowd, there was also a huge number of magicians. The other Heavenly Mages could be seen as well. Seeing Bertram fight was a really rare occurrence after all. You seem to be quite popular Mr. Flame of Flame. That goes for you as well Zeph Einstein. You won against Uro and even Yera has her eyes on you, you even challenged me There are rumors going around town that youre the closest person to the Heavenly Mages. To be honest, Id really like it if you could take this burden off of my hands. I hate being the centre of attention you see. Luckily for you I quite enjoy it. Kukuku. I said, smiling towards Bertram. Flame of Flame If youre going to receive this title, then you might as well do it in front of a huge crowd, dont you agree? I only hope you wont be frightened to go outside because of the embarrassment afterwards. The roars of the crowd echoed around us as we exchanged words. Sparks could be seen flying between us. Well then everyone! It seems like our contenders are ready to go!!! And I guess that youre all quite bored of waiting! How do I know? Well thats because I cannot wait anymore, as well! Should we have them start?! I guess its about time we do! Both fighters! Are you ready?! We both nodded at the announcers questions. Seeing our response, the announcer raised her hand high up. IN THAT CASE, BEGIN!!! As soon as the start signal went off I charged at Bertram. It would take time for him to set up his barrier of spells. Which meant that the best course of action was to act before he could do anything! Well I guess that was to be expected. Bertram muttered out and cast Red Bullet. He managed to cast a spell while at the same time preparing his spell barrier. However, his ability to do so was well within my calculations. Without stopping my charge, I cast Blue Bullet. The water bullets collided with the fire bullets and a curtain of white smoke enveloped the area. Without stopping for even a moment, I rushed forward in order to break through the curtain of smoke, however, it was then that How naive. A water tornado and wind blades mixed themselves with the fire storm. Bertram had been able to cast Blue Gale and Black Bullet with perfect timing. What frightening casting speed Its like hes able to read my every move. Bertrams expression confirmed my fears. Well, something like this is to be expected. It wouldnt be fun otherwise. Ain. Im here! Divine Greatsword Ainbelle appeared in my hand and I blocked the Blue Gale coming at me. Divine Greatsword Ainbelle absorbed the spell and began to shine with blue light. I swung the blade and chanted the spell immediately after that. How about this. At the same time, I swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle I also cast a spell from the Sky System, namely Black Thunder. Double Fusion: Thunder Gale. Dark clouds appeared within the Isolated Space and from within them a bolts of thunder struck down. Thunder Gale was a spell that caused a storm to rage across a massive area. It couldnt be stopped with half-measures. However, Bertram just glanced at the storm with a bored look on his face and let out a sigh. What a childish spell. When he extended his index finger, the clouds in the sky began to dissipate. I noticed flames flickering over the ceiling when I looked up. He cleared the clouds with Red Inferno?! Weather-based spells had a lot of power, but getting the right conditions to use them wasnt easy either. For example, with Black Thunder, one couldnt use it unless there were dark clouds in the area. The thunder vanished as soon as the clouds parted, leaving only a gentle rain in their wake. He completely blocked it Oh well, that much is to be expected. I managed to get close enough! Powerful magicians such as Bertram were fully aware of a spells flaws. They also knew how powerful they could be as well. It was only logical that he would try to prevent such a spell, but if he had failed, he would have suffered a great deal of damage. To make matters worse, I was also closing in on him. It would have been difficult for him to entirely prevent everything, regardless of how talented he was. As a result, I was able to draw close to him. CH 180.1 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama I lifted my prosthetic arm and pointed it at Bertram. I launched a barrage of attacks at him, but he managed to avoid the majority of them. So I simply upped the attack speed. Just as I thought, close-range combat isnt his forte. WHAT A TURN OF EVENTS ZEPH IS HITTING AND HITTING AND HITTING HIM! Bertram has been pushed back to the point where he can no longer cast spells and must defend!!! Its not ethical to harass your frail elders like this, young man. Frail my ass, dont make me laugh Though, now that I think about it, it wouldnt hurt you to train your body a bit. I really cant wing against you youngsters. Bertram said, swinging his arm. Behind it a line of flames appeared, closely following the movements of his arm. The line grew ticker, covering Bertrams body and beginning to circle around him. Is that a familiar? No, its something else. Bertram didnt miss my slight moment of confusion. The flame circling around him immediately separated from his body and launched itself at me. Wh?! I immediately put up my prosthetic arm to absorb it, however, as soon as my arm was touched by the flames, it grew bright red. Hot, hot! What frightening heat! To reduce the heat, I cast Blue Ball, and steam began to emerge from my arm as I did so. The Isolated Spaces were surrounded by a peculiar barrier that prevented the people inside from taking damage and instead diminished their magical power. However, there were instances where spells were able to breach the barriers tolerance thresholds, causing physical harm rather than reducing the opponents magic power. One type of spells that could do that, were spells specialized in dealing damage. It appears to be relatively simple, yet its power is terrifying He most likely increased the spells damage to this degree by pouring a great deal of magic power into it. Its your first time seeing it I presume? This is my Unique Spell Its name is Flame of Flame. Bertram said, as the Flame of Flame flickered in the area. The flames constantly changed their shape and speed as they launched themselves at me. Tsch I wont be able to dodge this. Still, if I created some distance between us Bertram will be able to put up his spell barrier, leaving me without any options. Offense if the defense I guess. Just as I thought that, shivers went down my spine. The saying between the devil and the deep blue sea perfectly describes my current situation. However, despite being faced with a hopeless situation a smile still formed on my lips. How exciting. To think that youd smile in this situation. You really are a strange one. Thank you! I once again dashed at the calm-looking Bertram. The Unique Spell: Flame of Flame. Bertram had obtained that spell after sending Zeph off to the Other World. He had thought that by sending him far away, his daughter, Elise, would eventually forget about him. However, Elise had begun to talk about Zeph even more as a result of his actions. Shed always say things along the lines of I wonder what Zephs doing right now. Im so worried. Father, how could you send him there. Everything had completely backfired on him Which in turn had sent Bertram into a panic. It had been the first time in his life that he had felt these kinds of feelings. Up until now he had been able to achieve anything he desired without exerting too much effort, be it money, honor, or power. Everything hed wanted, hed achieve. That went for his daughter as well. That was until Zeph showed up. If this goes on Elise and that man will end up What can I do to stop this?! He had spent countless nights pondering on what to do, when suddenly a single line of flames had appeared beside him. Despite its placid demeanor, it had been a ferocious and powerful flame. Its strength was so immense that it was able to defy the rules of the Isolated Space. Unique Spells are a reflection of the heart. They are often born due to strong feelings, such as despair Bertram had been a bit apprehensive towards his Unique Spell. That was because it was a depiction of his desire to kill Zeph. His friend and another one of the Heavenly Mages, Rhox, had commented on it, saying that it had been just like him Ferocious, yet calm Bertram had denied it for a long time, however Unique Spells didnt lie. Fufu, so be it then. Ill follow my heart. This had been the first time in his life that Bertram had shown such a creepy smile. Right now, the flames circling him were the sheer representation of his emotions. Flame of Flame! Bertrams Unique Spell named after his title as a Heavenly Mage, huh. It surely lives up to that name. However, that doesnt mean that Im completely out of options. No matter how strong it may be, a flame is still a flame. Its nature is still the same. In order for it to keep burning and maintain its heat it needs air. So how about this? I once again called on Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, and while dodging Bertrams attacks I cast Blue Crash four times. After imbuing them into the sword I proceeded to cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Blue Crash four more times. Octa Fusion: Blue Crash Octa. The mass of water completely engulfed Divine Greatsword Ainbelle, forming a massive water blade. This thick density of water, with this just maybe I blocked the incoming flames with the water blade and upon doing so a booming sound and steam covered the area. Albeit only little, Bertrams flame shrank in size. If it isnt your Unique Spell. I havent seen it since that day. Thats right. Theres more than one way to use it! I can imagine most of them. Bertram said in a bored manner. His face was filled with disappointment. However, I didnt care about it and just swung down Divine Greatsword Ainbelle. The leftover water blade was roughly the size of three Blue Crashes. So in order to power it up a bit more, I cast Black Crash three times. Hexa Fusion: Spiral Crash Triple. The magic power one again surrounded the blade and I thrust it straight at Bertrams chest. However, the blade covered in Spiral Crash Triple, didnt even reach him. Bertram had cast a Red Sphere, which engulfed me and halted my actions before I recognized it. ARGHHHHH!!! The flames exploded sending me flying back. I was careless I was too focused on his Flame of Flame. Bertram didnt appear to be controlling the flames; instead, the flames seemed to attack their foe on their own. And while I had been way too focused on dealing with the Flame of Flame, he had been able to set up a Red Sphere. Each time you activate that spell you create a huge opening; you know? The reason you didnt notice up until now is probably because youve only fought against weaklings Bertram said with a disappointed look. Of course I know about it. However, the opening doesnt even last a second, so its impossible to abuse it during a fight. But I guess that doesnt include him It seems like the Flame of Flame title isnt just for show. I attempted to get up with a crooked smile on my face, but it appeared that I had received more damage than I had anticipated. I placed my hands on my wavering knees and somehow managed to push myself back up. Tsch Just as I finally managed to get close. What should I do now? Just as I was thinking that, Bertram took a step back. The shimmering remnants of magic power were enough to let me know the sheer size of the spell he was preparing. A magic sphere appeared and with each passing moment it grew bigger and bigger. If he launched that I wont be able to stop it! I immediately began to run so as to try and dodge it, however, I didnt know that I was running on top of Bertrams palm. On the path I was running, a slew of spells awaited me. This is bad! Countless explosions rang out and I could feel my body being enveloped in heat. I desperately tried to clutch onto my consciousness as it tried to fly away. The damage is way too big It looks like Ive lost quite a bit of magic power. On the side, Bertram was looking down at me with a cold gaze. Well you could say you did well. Zeph Einstein. So just give up and let it end. As he said that, numerous bullets made out of magic power appeared before me. Following that, I was engulfed in a blinding light. Urgh My eyes. D-Did I lose? No. My body can still move and I can still feel my magic power. It seems like I managed to get out unscathed. Gramps, why are you acting like such a scaredy cat! Standing above me was Ain in her human form. Just now, she had used her body to block all of the incoming attacks. A-Ain? Sheesh. How pathetic of you, gramps. Ain said in a nonchalant manner. However, I could clearly see that her body had been wounded by Bertrams attack. Since Ains body was made of magic power, the damage she suffered in the Isolated Spaces was greater than usual. Which is why she was currently on the verge of disappearing. I promptly stood up and began to scold her. Y-YOU IDIOT! Do you know what you just did?! Sheesh, yea, yea, I know. It hurts like hell after all Then why Because I dont want to see you lose, gramps. Come on now, wipe that sad face and use that on me. The thing you used to make you older. Are you talking about Time Manipulate? Yea, that! CH 180.2 Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama Time Manipulate was a spell which could speed up or slow down a persons time. I had used it in the fight against Grain to speed up my own time, forcing my body to grow. However, its drawback had been great, leaving me in a three-year coma. Since then I had decided not to use it again. Even though I had grown a lot since then it was still way too risky to use it. As I was pondering on what to do, Ain looked at me and nodded. Its gonna be fine. Just trust me! Im your partner arent I? Weve been together for how many years now? Ain said, winking at me. Hearing her say that I could only let out a sigh. Shes right. She really is my trustworthy partner. I guess I have no choice but to trust her. Okay. I dont know what youre planning, but Ill trust you. YEAH! Okay then, come on now. Come on! I placed my hand on Ains back, as she jumped up and down in excitement and cast Time Manipulate. The time and space around Ain began to twist as I struggled to squeeze out the last of my magic power. Time Manipulate! I dont know what youre planning but I wont let you! Bertram began casting spells in order to try and stop me. The light burst forth in front of me, who had no spells to defend myself with. Suddenly I noticed white feather fluttering inside the torrent of dazzling light. The winged girl standing in the centre of those white feathers smiled softly. I wont let you lay a hand on my gramps! Ain said as she swung her right hand down. Along with that, a slew of explosions erupted. Wind, water, and fire My vision was assailed by explosions of all seven colors, and I spotted Bertram standing with his jaw dropped as well. Y-You destroyed my spell barrier? Bertram, who usually always kept his poker face, was now completely dumbstruck. To clarify, a spell barrier was a strategy in which a magician would set up numerous spells in a certain region. Those spells, however, would remain in a stasis-like state until activated. To think that she actually destroyed them Gramps, youre quite exhausted I presume Let me help ya with that. Ain said and raised her hand. As she did, her hand started to glow and I could feel my magic power returning. True, a magician and his familiar were connected by something akin to a channel, which the magician used to transfer magic power to the familiar, but that channel normally only went one way. She just shattered Bertrams spell barrier, and is now even funnelling magic power back to me. It just goes to show the level of control she has over her magic power. And thats not all It feels like my magic power lines are awakening as well! Power that I hadnt felt before was surging through my body. In addition, Ains accumulated EXP was being transferred to me. As such, my level suddenly rose. Zeph Einstein Level 99 Magic Level: Red: 99 / 99 Blue: 92 / 92 Green: 99 / 99 Sky: 93 / 93 Soul: 97 / 97 Magic Power: 6759 / 6759 Gramps, Im giving back everything Ive received from you up until now. Youd like to finish this yourself, isnt that right? Ain said, winking at me. Her body immediately disintegrated into light particles, and she began to vanish. Ain! Y-You! Shh, its all right. You dont have to say anything. Just make sure you win. Thank you. Fufu. Well then, see ya gramps. Ain said, completely disappearing after that. Because Ain was composed entirely of magic power, it was only natural for her to vanish in the Isolated Space, where damage was turned into magic power loss. Nonetheless, the power she left behind was still raging inside my body. You bastard Hmph? Was that your familiars last trump card? Ain was undoubtedly gone. However, her presence was still here. She was still alive inside of me. She had turned into a fire that was burning bright inside my heart. I gave Bertram a disgusted look. Thats right. And now its my turn. I cast Time Square. While time was stopped I cast Red Sphere five times. Penta Fusion: Red Sphere Circle. It was as simple as casting a Penta Fusion of primary spells. Even the burden that was normally placed on my magic power lines when performing Penta Fusion had almost completely vanished. This is amazing. Without any repercussions whatsoever, an enormous flame appeared and launched itself at Bertram. Bertram was taken aback by the spells speed and was struck head-on without being able to react. The feeling I got from the spell was unmatched by any of my prior spells. IM NOT DONE YET! I immediately followed it up with a Black Sphere Circle. Blades of black wind took shape and launched themselves at Bertram. However, I wasnt finished just yet. Pyro Crash Double, Gravity Sphere Triple, Marble Crash Double. I cast numerous spells in rapid succession. To think that Id be able to do this so easily. Even Im shocked by myself. This is more than I ever imagined. When Ain transferred her magic power to me, she also transferred her knowledge and skills. In other words, the power that I was exhibiting right now was the combined power of Ain and I. Hmph?! After successfully escaping from the magic storm, Bertram immediately took some steps back. I guess thats to be expected. He managed to offset that many spells and has hardly taken any damage. However, I suspect he doesnt expect my next move. I promptly increased my speed and circled around Bertrams back, placing my hand on him. After which I cast Green Crash Circle. Bertrams body contorted and he was blown away. He flew until he collided with the walls, which caved in and cracks began to form. A CLEAN HIT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! BERTRAM IS SENT FLYING!!! WAS EVERYTHING AN ACT UP UNTIL NOW?! HES NOT ABLE TO REACT TO ZEPHs ATTACKS AT ALL! WHATS WRONG FLAME OF FLAME?!! the announcer shouted out. Bertram scowled at her as he slowly rose to his feet. However, it was clear that he had taken a considerable amount of damage. He leaned against the boulders to help him maintain his balance. I finally did some damage. Good grief Your movements are quite different compared to the start. Kuku. You seem like youre just about to get serious as well. Hmph. Bertram only snorted and brushed his hair up, his magical power rising inside his feeble body. Tsch. I thought that it would have caused more damage than that It seems like he still has a lot left in the tank. Youre the first. The first opponent that has made me go all out. Bertram said. As the words left his mouth the ground shook and the air began to twist as well. The quality of the magic power surrounding Bertram changed once more. That bastard, hes raring to go, isnt he? It doesnt seem like youre putting on airs Whats the point of me doing that? Tsch, you sure are creepy. It felt like it was just Bertram and I. The flames surrounding both of us roared up into the sky, showing their might. Flames burst forth everywhere. Each time the flames collided sparks flew everywhere and the crowd cheered. Hmph, to think that thered be someone capable of matching my full strength. The world sure is huge. You took the words out of my mouth. The way I was now I could definitely say that I was more powerful than anyone I had ever met. And even so, Bertram was still able to go toe to toe with me. Bertram managed to counterattack after consistently dodging, repelling, and offsetting my spells. And that was even after I had almost completely covered up the opening that appeared when I used Spell Fusion. Hes most likely reading subtle changes in magic power in space and reacting to them by dodging and counter attacking. He was performing superhuman reactions that wouldnt normally be possible. I can only describe it as crazy. So this is his real power. However, Bertram, you must be quite panicked, to go all out in this manner Still, it seems like hes enjoying himself quite a bit. Bertrams poker face was usually unwavering, but he had a huge smile on his face right now. And how could I know it? That was because it was the same for me. Kuku. What are you laughing at? Dont play dumb. Youre also having a lot of fun arent you? Having finally met an opponent that you could go all out against, and all? Hmph. Even though he tried to act disappointed, the corners of his mouth showed otherwise. Before I could notice I was completely sucked in his pace as well. As time passed, our laughter grew louder and louder. Kukuku. Fufufu. HAHAHAHAHA!!! In the midst of our laughter, our battle continued. As Bertram and I danced, a plethora of fire flowers blossomed in the surrounding area. Bertram! Isnt this fun?! I cannot disagree. Our flames intersected, creating an enormous flower of flames. The petals of the flower began to fall to the ground, causing smoke to rise. Both Bertram and I didnt want this to end. However, the end was drawing near. That feeling crept up into my heart as our fires became stronger. All of the spells we cast had been intended to foretell it. Behind our charade, our last attack was beginning to unveil itself. Both Bertram and I knew it. Hmph.! Bertram swung his arm, casting a Red Bullet. As the bullets made their way towards me I cast Blue Sphere Triple in order to offset them, and immediately after that I launched the Red Crash Square that I had set up inside my prosthetic arm. Naive. Bertram, on the other hand, stopped it with his fiercely blazing fist. Suddenly, many cracks appeared on my prosthetic arm, shattering it into pieces. After absorbing innumerable spells during all of the battles up until now, the metal it was composed of finally reached its breaking point and shattered. However, that was all within my calculations. Immediately after my arm shattered I cast Double Fusion: Burst Crash. A booming sound echoed in the area, followed by a burst of light. What?! The fragments of my arm burst out, stabbing my and Bertrams bodies. Unlike I, who was anticipating this, Bertram completely froze. Despite this, he was able to remain conscious. Regardless, I didnt let the opportunity pass me by and cast Time Square right away. While time was stopped I cast CH 181.1 When I came to I was met with Milly crying her eyes out. Zeph! Thank god! You finally woke up! What in the world happened? As I began to organize the thoughts in my tried I slowly raised up my aching body. It seemed like I was currently in our Guild House. Urgh, my body feels so heavy. And this pain coursing through my whole body. There were numerous burns covering my whole body. Milly whispered gently as she stroked each one of them. You really did your best out there Zeph. You suffered so much yet you still Everyone was there cheering for you. As I looked around, standing next to Milly Claude, Lydia, Silverie and Shirushu were all there. They had serene expressions on their faces as they stared down at me. Zeph-kun Zeph-chi! Both of them exclaimed. After nodding at both of them I asked the thing that was bothering me the most right now. What happened with the match? When Silverie heard me ask that, she showed a wry smile. Good grief, youre more concerned about the match than with your own body. You truly are a one-of-a-kind. Tell him Silverie-san! Shirushu laughed as she wiped away her tears. After that Milly opened her mouth and spoke. Well As the words left her mouth the memories slowly began flowing in. Thats right, thats what happened Time Square! While time was stopped I cast Red Inferno. He wont be able to dodge a flame as huge as this. As I thought that I noticed a blue flame appear on top of Bertrams hand. Lydia had told me about it before. According to her, a flames hue changed from red to blue as its heat increased. Did he create that by compressing the Flame of Flames magic power? If thats the case, then this is bad. It was general knowledge that when two spells of the same system collided, the stronger one would win. I wont be able to win with this! Despite the fact that I had realized the danger I was in, Time Squares time limit was approaching, forcing my brain to go into overdrive. Thanks to that I managed to think of something. With this, just maybe! Immediately after that time began to flow again. Triple Fusion: Red Inferno Triple. The flame that burst forth was weaker than Bertrams just as I had expected. In that case, I just have to incorporate even more spells. Ill cast Time Manipulate on the flame! Without launching the spell, I cast Time Manipulate on it. As the flames time sped up, its color began to gradually change from red to blue. The more time passed the stronger the flame got. If it continued it would grow infinitely powerful. NOT YET! I wont be able to win against Bertram with just this! My magic power lines began to tear apart as they approached their limit. While that was happening the flame turned white, and then it took on a silver color. This is my flame!!! My ultimate flame collided with Bertrams ultimate flame. The flames collided with one another as sparks flew everywhere, causing an explosion that consumed both of us. Both flames pushed against each other, yet neither came out on top. However, the seemingly endless power battle began to draw to a close. Bertrams flame managed to overpower mine, consuming it. Bertrams lips curled into a smile when he saw that, as he knew he had won. However, his face suddenly froze the next moment That was because the silver flame was still burning inside of Bertrams blue flame. What the?! Bertram was completely dumbstruck. A bright light erupted, engulfing the entire region. What in the world happened? My body wont move. This had been my final attack. It had completely drained me, leaving me in a state where I couldnt even move a finger. I couldnt even figure out whether I was standing or not. Good grief As the light faded, I noticed Bertrams silhouette standing within it. Then, his body suddenly tilted to one side and he fell down. As the audience became utterly quiet, I managed to wring out the last of my power and raised my right hand. B-BERTRAM IS DOWN!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE OUR WINNER! ZEPH EINSTEINNNNNNN!!! Following the announcers announcement, the whole crowd went wild. Kuku This sure feels great I whispered, after which I felt my consciousness beginning to fade away. Thats right. I won. The memories of winning slowly started to come back to me. I won against Bertram. Against the Flame of Flame! Congratulations, Zeph! Fufufu. I couldnt hold back my joy as I heard Milly congratulate me. Kukuku Zeph-kun? Whats wrong Zeph-chi? Hahahahaha! I did it! I DID IT!!! HAHAHAHA! Everything was left completely dumbstruck at seeing me this happy. But even so I couldnt hold back my joy. The Flame of Flame, which I had yearned for since my previous life, was finally within my grasp. This is terrible! What should we do?! Zeph-san has gone crazy! Dont worry about it Shirushu. Sometimes hes like that. Silverie said, trying to calm her down. I wiped off the tears that were running down my face and turned towards everyone. Everyone, thank you. I wouldnt have gotten here if it wasnt for everyone. That was the unmistakable reality. My thanks were also loaded with all of my feelings of thankfulness toward everyone. You really are acting strange Zeph Milly said as she looked at me. Tsch, youre not cute at all. You deserve to be punished because of this. I grabbed a hold of Milly and hugged her with all of my strength. HYAA?! Zeph! W-What are you doing?! Tsch, youre noise, you idiot. I squeezed her even tighter after that. And tighter, and tighter. Stop it! It hurts!!! Even though you say that, youre actually enjoying this, arent you? What?! Thats not true Kukuku. Urgh! Stop teasing me!!! Good grief. Youre such an idiot, Zeph! Millys ecstatic voice reverberated throughout the room. Her lively voice brought both laughs and tears to everyones eyes. Now its time to talk about what happened afterwards. After obtaining the Flame of Flame title from Bertram I moved to the Flame Tower and began to lead a fulfilling life over there. While flipping through some documents, I was currently enjoying a calm cup of tea. Ahh, what a nice, peaceful afternoon. As I sank deeper into the chair, allowing myself to be immersed by the peace, I heard a creaking noise. Zeph! You have a visitor! The one who broke my peace was my mother. Some time ago I had invited her here to live with me. She would assist me with things while she was in the tower, and she was currently in charge of carrying some items to the Guild House. Despite my repeated warnings to her not to bother herself, she continued to ignore me. I closed the documents I was reading with a grumpy frown. Ill be right there, mom. You dont want to keep them waiting now! Yea, yea. After descending the long, twisting staircase, I found myself in the midst of the garden. I came to a door after traveling through the garden. When I opened the door, I saw Yera standing on the other side. Her long sleeves fluttered and she smiled as she waved her hand at me. Hey. Its been a while, Zeph. So its you Yera. What do you need? Do I need to have a reason to come? Youre so cold. You only come when you need something though Just tell me what youre here for. Sheesh, youre no fun Here you go. Yera said and spread out a poster for the Heavenly Mage Festival. Come to think of it, its that time of the year already. Thats right. Im so looking forward to it! Yera said with a wide smile. It really will be fun to see how far the challengers will get this year. I know right, fufufufu. Kukuku. My mother merely stood there, perplexed, while Yera and I laughed in a strange manner. I got ahead of myself there. I cleared my throat and changed the topic. By the way, how is Silverie? Hmph? Oh, that thing Well you could say shes doing okay. Yera said as she gazed off towards the Wind Tower with a complex look on her face. Silverie had inherited the Wind of Wind title from Yera and was currently teaching magicians and Dispatch Magicians magic. You see, shes quite bad at teaching people. All of her students are having a hard time. Hahaha. Well I guess thats to be expected. Shes the type that learns with experience after all. Still, to think that Silverie would have students under her. I was aware of her struggles. After all, she would often come to me to complain. However, whenever we talked about training her eyes would suddenly begin to sparkle. Which was a testament that she was actually enjoying it. Can you try to keep quiet?! As I turned around, I spotted Elise sipping her coffee at a table in the garden. She shamelessly tagged along with me and settled at the Flame Tower once I took on the Flame of Flame title. At first I didnt want her to come, however, Bertram forcefully pushed her on to me. Along with the words Take care of my daughter. To top it off, Milly even decided to invite her to the guild, so Elise was now one of our guild members as well. My tea time is ruined because of you. Why didnt you just drink it in your room With this nice weather, it would be a waste to lock myself in my room. Elise said as she raised her cup in an extravagant manner. Good grief, why do all the troublesome ones join our guild Ah, Zeph-chi I finally found you! Lydia exclaimed, waving her hand. Her tall frame and buoyant chest, as usual, carried a strong presence even from a distance. After my match, Lydia ended up going around to many different countries in order to learn their crafts and was currently a really successful blacksmith. However, she would often refuse the orders that came in and was still living together with us. Personally it seemed like a waste, however, Lydia said that it was way more fun to be with everyone. Is it that time already? Thats right. Its perfect that both Yera-san and Elise-chan are here as well. We must go soon. Youre right. We wouldnt want to be late. Thats right. Its such a big moment after all. Lydia replied as she sexily positioned her index finger in front of her lips. Shes gotten even more voluptuous. There must be a lot of guys lining up for her. As those thoughts ran through my mind Lydia suddenly turned around and smiled. You dont need to worry I only have eyes for you Zeph-chi. Dont misunderstand, Im not worried. Ahaha, well I guess its all right then. Tsch, she always does this. I really cant win against her. Hurry up, lets go! You two also! Okay, okay. CH 181.2 People passing by all glanced at us and bowed as Lydia pulled my hand as we walked across the city. If someone called out to us, we would reply. After all, it was a gathering of celebrities. Lydia abruptly came to a halt. We had found ourselves in front of a big church. Hey ya, I came to get Shiru-chi. Lydia said. Of course! Ill go call her! After a while Shirushu came around from the back of the church, accompanied by a lot of kids. With the money he earned during our expedition, Shirushu had been able to construct a church here. Shed also moved the children from her previous church here, and she was also taking in orphans from the capital. She walked towards us, surrounded by numerous kids. Shiru-nee, where are you going? Its not fair Shiru-nee, we want to go as well! Come on now everyone, you shouldnt be selfish. A voice came from behind the children. It was Ryu, the child who had been in charge of the orphans back at the church in Port Town Izu. As Ryu looked menacingly at the children all of them grew quiet. Hes doing a great job as always I see. Zeph-nii, its been a while. I see youve gotten used to being the big brother. Please dont tease me That aside, shouldnt you hurry up? Youre right, its almost time. Ryus right! Lets go already! After exchanging greetings, we left and Shirushu followed after us. As we passed through the main street we eventually arrived at our Guild House, which had gotten way bigger compared to before. Swords clashing with one another could be heard from the now-larger garden. HYA! A loud shout echoed out and a wooden sword fell to the ground. Claude pointed her own wooden sword at a young girl who stumbled over the blade and fell to the ground. Urgh! This is as far as you go. Thank you for your time. Claude was currently in charge of conducting an entry exam for our guild. After all of the members of the Hunters of the Blue Sky became famous, more and more people wished to join the guild. However, we couldnt let in just anyone. Which led to Claude stepping up and volunteering to test the new recruits. She apparently wanted to take on the role of bearing the resentment that would inevitably follow. Claude spoke coldly to the girl still lying on the ground. Unfortunately, the way you are now you are still lacking. I-Im not done yet! Lets just stop here Furthermore. Claude said, shaking her head. She then put out her hand towards the girl. I dont want to hurt you anymore. she said with a smile, as her beautiful blond hair fluttered in the wind. Her smile was beautiful enough to make anyone fall for her. The girls cheeks quickly turned bright red. Come on, Ill help you stand up. T-Thank you The girls energy had vanished and was replaced with obedience as she swiftly jumped up and fled away. She ran away to her friends in the distance and began talking to them Well its great that she had fun. Zeph-kun! Everyone else as well! As soon as Claude noticed us, she began running. Did we make you wait, Claude? Of course not. Since you became one of the Heavenly Mages, Zeph-kun, youve been quite busy, havent you? Yea Im sorry, theres a lot of troublesome stuff to take care of you see. I said, stroking her head. After I became unable to look after the guild, all of the responsibilities had fallen on Claudes shoulders. She must be having a really rough time. With the way Milly is and everything its only natural. Is Milly there already? No. She said shed wait for everyone. That brat! What in the world is she doing? AH?!Z-Zeph-kun?! Claude yelled out trying to stop me, however, I just brushed her off and entered the house. Countless clothing was strewn over the living room, and the sound of rustling clothes as well as footsteps could be heard from the back of the room. The person in the back seemed to have finally noticed that there was someone here, so he quickly ran towards the living room. Hey Claude, what do you think about this?! Milly emerged from the rear of the room, wearing a white one-piece that covered her completely naked body. I assumed she was doing something important, and all shes doing is choosing out clothes As I let out a sigh of disappointment, my eyes met with Millys Ah Dont mind me and just get ready. Everyones waiting. Milly was utterly speechless at first, unable to do anything, and her cheeks gradually flushed. W-W-What are you doing here Zeph?! Dont suddenly appear out of nowhere! You pervert! Idiot! Youre the one who appeared out of nowhere, so why are you yelling at me?! After saying everything she wanted to say Milly quickly ran away to the back once again. What is wrong with her, good grief. Milly, hurry up, okay? B-But I cant pick The one just now was fine. You looked good in it. R-Really?! Then Ill go with it! As soon as she heard me compliment her, she instantly made up her mind. Tsch, she sure is carefree. After a bit I could hear hurried footsteps coming from the back. I just hope she doesnt trip Ta-da! How is it?! Does it look good? Huh? Ah, yea, it does. Urgh! At least look here when you say that! Milly grabbed my head and forcefully turned it towards her. That hurts, you idiot. I just heard something cracking! I looked at Milly while massaging my aching neck. I-Its a little embarrassing when you look at me like that. Arent you the one who told me to look at you?! Milly began to fiddle with her thumbs gently while whispering. H-How is it? Hmph Milly was dressed in a formal gown, which was a contrast from her usual appearance. She gave off a mature vibe. She was just a child when I first met her, but she has grown up a lot since then. What is it? Nothing, I just thought that youre beautiful. ?! Milly went completely numb as soon as she heard me. Immediately after that her cheeks turned bright red. Hmph! You wont get anything even if you compliment me! I really meant what I said. Kuku. With a smile on my face I stroked Millys head. Ah! Youll ruin my hairdo Milly appeared to be content with the current situation, despite what she said. It wouldnt hurt you to be more honest with yourself you know ZEPH-CHII! MILLY-CHAAN! HURRY UP! Ops, I almost forgot. WERE COMING! Zeph, lets go! Yea. Milly grabbed my hand and rushed out. The blinding light, as well as the smiles of everyone waiting for us, flooded my eyes as soon as she opened the door. DD Last year Milly had managed to win the Title Match against the Blue Heavenly Mage. And today was the ceremony of her becoming the Aqua of Aqua. Good grief, she really will trip if she runs like that. I let out a sigh as I followed behind everyone. By the way, dont you think our guild is amazing, having three Heavenly Mages and all?! Milly exclaimed. Dont mention it. There are so many people wanting to join now that I can barely manage. Claude said with a wry smile. Say, how about we get all of the Heavenly Mage seats? Hmph, I guess you could say that Claudes magic falls under the Soul System. If we put in the effort, I can see it working out. Elise said, replying to Millys proposal. In that case Ill aim for the Green System. W-Why are you all looking at me like that?! Ill have you know, but Im Bertram Cabels daughter! Theres nothing I cant do once I put my mind to it! Your group really is a rowdy one Zeph. By the way, I have a request for you all, so how about it? Yera asked. Well do it! Were definitely doing it! Milly exclaimed without even hearing the contents of Yeras request. At the same time Claude quickly tried to stop her. M-Milly-san! Dont just jump into everything Its fine! Milly smiled brightly as she turned to face us all. After all, were the Hunters of the Blue Sky, the strongest guild there is! As we tried to make sense of Millys bizarre reasoning, we were all left speechless. Good grief, the reason were all so busy is because you take on everything, you know?! But even so, it didnt seem like any of us disagreed with her. She really is one hell of a guild master. I let out a sigh as I spoke to Yera. So, what is it this time? If were doing it, lets just get it over with fast. With everyones help, efficiently. After all, we cant stop forging forward. TL/N: This is the end of the Light Novel. Thank you all for reading up to here. May fate guide us to meet each other once again in the future. Thank you once again <3