Chapter 3: Meeting in the Haunt
『Here too, it's been a while.』
「Nn! Lots of meat!」
「Woof woof!」
『You guys remember this place, huh?』
After the cooking contest, we had taken on a request at the Bulbora Adventurer's Guild.
In reality, we wanted to hurry to Ulmutt to fulfill the request from the Belioth Kingdom. However, once we heard the details of the request, we couldn't ignore it.
The request was an investigation of a borderland area known as the "Crystal Cage," located near Bulbora. This place was managed by the Adventurer's Guild, but there had been some unusual incidents in the past few days.
Surprisingly, a black catkin woman had been frequently sighted, and it was reported that she was responsible for over-hunting magical beasts. She had even snatched magical beasts targeted by other adventurers, displaying bad manners. Furthermore, a few adventurers had reported narrowly avoiding her offensive magic attacks. Although it seemed like she was merely using them as intimidation tactics, it was still a violent act.
Initially, Fran was suspected because she had arrived in Bulbora around the same time as the incidents occurred.
Guildmaster Gamudo and the adventurers who had become friendly with Fran didn't believe she was involved. However, there were a few adventurers who continued to harbor suspicions. Well, it's understandable if you consider the possibility that Fran hunted magical beasts just for the cooking contest.
So, Fran had decided to investigate in order to clear her name.
Honestly, it was hard to imagine that there were many skilled black catkin like Fran who could steal the prey of high-level adventurers. Most likely, some adventurers mistook other catkin or beastkin with dark-colored equipment for black catkin. Given Fran's reputation, many adventurers probably associated catkin or beastkin with black catkin.
Additionally, we had another objective. It seemed that a acquaintance we planned to meet later had entered the Crystal Cage. We hoped to locate and contact that person.
As we passed a massive crystal tree towering at the center of the borderland, we began our investigation from the shallower layers.
Around here, there were many magical beasts that were reasonably strong and suitable for consumption, serving as a source of income for lower-ranked Bulbora adventurers. We had also hunted Swamp Pigs in this area before.
This time, hunting wasn't our goal, so we didn't actively engage in it.
「I found it! Meat!」
「Woof!」
We didn't intend to hunt, but Fran and the others took them down in an instant. So, let's store them away for now.
The one we just defeated was a bird-type magical beast called Bigleg, which couldn't fly. It was somewhat similar to a Dodo, but with extremely thick legs. However, unlike Earth's Dodo, it was quite fast and aggressive.
Its rank was F, so it wasn't an enemy for Fran and the others.
Fran's sword and Urushi's claws accurately severed its long neck, taking it down cleanly. They seemed to be conscious of minimizing damage to edible parts. I felt that when it came to food-related matters, Fran and Urushi both had enhanced thinking and judgment abilities. It must be the power of their foodie nature.
『Both of you, remember we're here for an investigation this time. Don't get carried away with hunting.』
「Nn...」
「Woof...」
Fran and the others looked dejected. In a hunting ground with plenty of meat, not taking anything felt like a wasted opportunity.
However, they had come here to dispel suspicions of over-hunting, so it would be counterproductive to go on a hunting spree.
『For now, let's search for adventurers. We might get some eyewitness information.』
「Understood. Urushi, can you do it?」
「Woof woof!」
Urushi let out a bark as if to say, "Leave it to me," and began sniffing the ground.
Within less than ten seconds, he pointed in a certain direction.
「Woof!」
「It seems like they're over there.」
『All right, let's go check it out then.』
We approached quietly, making sure not to disturb the adventurers' hunting activities.
After walking for a few minutes, we saw several figures beyond the trees.
It seemed they were on their way to hunt magical beasts. They were moving silently through the forest, clearly trying not to make any noise.
Though they believed they were stealthy, to me, it looked like they were going on a casual hike in the woods.
Fran didn't seem to think they were hiding either.
We approached, and I called out to them normally.
「Hey.」
「Aaah!」
「Eek!」
「Hiiie!」
Startled, the three young men screamed simultaneously when I suddenly addressed them from behind.
Fran thought she was walking normally, but it seemed they couldn't sense her presence. I mean, we were in the forest, and she was subtly suppressing her presence, but still... Not noticing this was a sign of seriously low scouting abilities!
Feeling bad, I couldn't help but use Appraisal on them.
As a result, it turned out that the three young men were indeed beginners. Both their levels and skills were at the minimum. Honestly, I thought they were a bit early to be in this forest. Well, they were adventurers, so it was their own responsibility, but still.
「Na-na-na-na-na-na-na!」
「Ooooh!」
「W-who are you?」
Ignoring the two who were scared out of their wits, I spoke to the green-haired guy who seemed just barely able to hold a conversation. He was larger in build compared to the other two and had a rebellious-looking hairstyle resembling a pompadour.
「I'm Fran. Are you guys adventurers too?」
「Y-yeah! Obviously! Can't you tell we're adventurers just by looking?」
「?」
It seemed that Fran had trouble discerning whether they were adventurers or regular people. She tilted her head. But telling them the truth here would only hurt their pride and not get us anywhere.
『Fran, just nod for now.』
「Nn. Got it.」
「Fine, if you understand. H-hey, are you an adventurer too?」
「Nn. I came here to investigate this forest.」
「This place is super dangerous, you know! It's not a place for kids to come alone!」
It appeared they didn't know about Fran.
Though their words sounded like "don't come here," they were definitely worried about Fran. Amidst all the idiots who would attack if they saw an opportunity, their concern increased my favorability. Well, it was favorability towards me, not Fran!
「But honestly, coming here is still too early for you. Both stealth and scouting are severely lacking.」
「W-what did you say! I was the strongest in the village! There's no problem here! Don't get all uppity, kid!」
Ah, that type, huh? The kind who defeats goblins or something in their village and then mistakenly thinks they're the strongest. Probably doesn't understand the importance of gathering information beforehand either.
「I see.」
Fran lightly tilted her head, then moved behind the young men.
Though she couldn't have moved that quickly, the young men seemed to have lost sight of Fran.
「Eh? W-where is she?」
「She disappeared!」
「Eh? Huh?」
「Over here.」
「「「Uwaaaaah!」」」
When Fran called out, this time, all of them screamed in unison.
It's entertaining to watch, but they really shouldn't be in this labyrinth just yet. Yelling like this basically means they're asking the magical beasts to find them. One of the Biglegs that heard the noise is approaching as we speak.
「When did...?」
「How did this happen?」
「Teleportation!」
「No, she just ran around to flank them.」
As they exchanged words, the Biglegs burst through the thickets.
「「「Kkkeeeeh!」」」
「Oh crap! Three Biglegs...!」
「Let's run!」
「It's hopeless if they get this close!」
They seemed to have a rough idea that they couldn't handle three Biglegs simultaneously with their current abilities. What was their plan for hunting in this labyrinth with the weakest-tier Biglegs? Unless they got lucky and found a single Bigleg to hunt, they wouldn't have any prey!
However, they didn't abandon Fran and were trying to escape with her.
Reaching out as if to drag Fran along, but Fran dodged that hand and stepped forward. They were surprised again at losing sight of Fran's movements.
Ignoring the three young men, who were now looking around nervously, Fran swiftly attacked the approaching Biglegs.
「Ha!」
「Kkkeeeh?」
All three Biglegs were instantly slain. They had their heads severed without even realizing they'd lost their lives. The three heads fell simultaneously, and blood spurted from the necks.
The startled young men finally noticed the abnormal scene and let out astonished voices.
「Eh?」
「Huh?」
「Eeeh?」
These guys aren't doing this on purpose, right? Fran, with a smug look on her face, made it clear to the three young men who were giving such good reactions. She proudly raised her chest and snorted.
「These guys need to be taken down in an instant, or this forest is dangerous.」
「「「...」」」
The young men couldn't even speak anymore. It would probably be better to explain to them who Fran really was.
『Fran, show them your adventurer card.』
「Nn. Here.」
「T-that's...! B-rank?」
「Oh! It's the Black Cat Tribe!」
「Senpai mentioned this! Was it... true?」
Finally, it seemed like they understood who Fran was. Even though they were beginners, they must have heard something about it.
「Did you see any other Black Cat Tribe members around here, apart from me?」
「No! We haven't seen any!」
「Or anyone suspicious?」
Both the rumored Black Cat Tribe member and the acquaintance we were looking for were considered suspicious. This question could cover both.
「We haven't seen any suspicious people either!」
In the first place, they had just arrived in Bulbora and only had some information they heard at the tavern the night before. In their current situation, they wouldn't know if someone was suspicious or not. However, we did manage to get an interesting piece of information.
Not long ago, there was a loud noise coming from deep within the labyrinth. It was described as a thunderous, rumbling sound that felt like it could tear through the air, similar to the sound of lightning striking. Most likely, it was a battle between the Thunderbird that inhabits the deepest part of this labyrinth and someone else. The Thunderbird is known to wield thunder magic, so it could produce quite a deafening roar under certain circumstances.
『There shouldn't be anyone in the depths.』
（Could someone have infiltrated, after all?）
『That's a possibility.』
While it's relatively easy to enter the shallower levels, if one intends to venture into the depths, they need to apply to the Adventurer's Guild. It was strange that we hadn't received this information.
However, there's a need to investigate who engaged in the battle, as it could be that reckless adventurers ventured too far in and encountered the Thunderbird. We managed to get some information.
「Thanks for the information. Here's your information fee.」
「What? No, you don't have to give us anything!」
「Alright. You played the decoy role, after all.」
At parting, Fran left one of the Biglegs with the young men.
Although she called it an information fee, she was probably trying to send the young men away by giving them a significant piece of prey. Simply telling them to leave might not have worked because they might not have gone back obediently. If their belongings are filled with prey, they'd probably return on their own.
Fran not only spoke but also employed this clever trick. You've grown, Fran!
Following Fran's plan, the young men cooperated and dragged the heavy Bigleg back to Bulbora. They said they would have it dismantled at the guild, so they were likely to get a scolding there. It's the result of their recklessness, so they should accept the lecture.
『Now, what should we do? Head straight for the depths?』
「Nn. But we should also look for other people.」
『Well, we do want information from others as well.』
「Woof!」
Afterward, we continued searching for adventurers and attempted to make contact, relying on Urushi's nose. Unfortunately, we couldn't obtain any new information.
There were no witnesses of the Black Cat Tribe, and there was no information about suspicious individuals. However, there were many who heard the thunderous sound like an explosion called "Dogan."
Nevertheless, it wasn't a total loss.
Surprisingly, the adventurers were quite friendly. Fran had become a well-known chef, and many adventurers had come to like her curry. Well, her title as a prize winner in Ulmutt's martial arts tournament probably held more influence. When I heard Fran was suspected of overhunting, I thought she'd be more heavily criticized. However, most adventurers didn't seem to think Fran was the culprit.
Only a small fraction of adventurers, who seemed jealous of Fran, were making a fuss to tarnish her reputation.
Rather, most adventurers were encouraging and cheering for her.
This reaction from the adventurers was probably due to Fran's hard work in Bulbora and Ulmutt. Fran seemed somewhat pleased, and I was also happy!
As we continued deeper into the labyrinth, we finally encountered an adventurer who had the information we were looking for.
「So, you're the Black Cat Tribe that fought against the Thunderbird?」
「Yeah. Though I looked different enough from the Black Lightning Princess to tell we were different individuals.」
Surprisingly, it turned out that there was indeed another Black Cat Tribe member apart from Fran.
Actually, I had thought that they might have mistaken another beastkin tribe and were simply spreading rumors to falsely accuse Fran. Until recently, the conditions for the Black Cat Tribe's evolution were unknown, which resulted in very few exceptionally strong individuals among them compared to other races. I had never heard of anyone apart from Fran being strong enough to fight against a Thunderbird.
However, the adventurer who informed us about this unknown Black Cat Tribe was from the Red Dog Tribe. As fellow beastkin, especially those with keen noses like the canine-types, the probability of them mistaking the other race was low.
After parting ways with the adventurers, Fran walked energetically.
（Master! Let's hurry!）
『Wait, wait! We don't even know what these Black Cat Tribe members are like!』
Fran probably perceived the Black Cat Tribe as her comrades. However, they had intruded into the labyrinth's depths without permission and seemed to be freely hunting.
We couldn't be sure if they were reasonable individuals.
『It's hard to say, but there's a possibility of them being hostile.』
（...Hmm）
Fran looked a bit disheartened, but she didn't outright deny my words. She probably understood it somewhere deep down. It's a dangerous situation, and we need to be cautious.
『We'll hide our presence and proceed quietly.』
（Hmm）
（On!）
Fran activated her stealth skill, and Urushi moved into the shadows.
Suppressing our presence to the fullest, we advanced through the forest labyrinth.
From this point on, the magical beasts grew stronger, and they were not all easy to take down individually. While searching for the Black Cat Tribe was important, we couldn't afford to be solely focused on that.
（Hm?）
『It's a Grinkambi. Stop.』
What we encountered was a magical beast known as the Grinkambi, which resembled a golden rooster. It was huge in size but surprisingly agile. Moreover, it sometimes let out a shrill cry that could attract its companions, so lingering around could result in being surrounded.
Compared to other magical beasts that appeared in the middle layers, such as the Apis, a cow-like creature, or the Grinbluste, a boar-like creature, the Grinkambi had relatively low individual combat capabilities. However, it was responsible for the most adventurer casualties due to the tendency for adventurers to underestimate it, get surrounded, and defeated.
『It seems unusually nervous.』
（Is it looking around?）
It seemed agitated and on edge, not very composed. In that state, it appeared vulnerable to a surprise attack.
『I'll use Wind Magic to muffle the sound. Urushi will restrain it from the shadows, and Fran, be ready to decapitate.』
（Understood.）
（On!）
The battle was over in an instant. As planned, Urushi used Shadow Bind to immobilize its legs, and Fran swiftly approached to decapitate it. It seemed like we were doing a lot of beheading since coming to this labyrinth.
After storing the golden rooster, I scanned the surroundings.
『It seems there are no other companions.』
「Nn. But something felt off.」
『Yeah. We don't know what's happening to the other magical beasts either. Let's be cautious.』
While defeating the magical beasts along the way, Fran silently dashed through the forest. Indeed, the magical beasts seemed restless for some reason. Their awareness was scattered.
As we proceeded, the vegetation began to change, with thicker and larger plants starting to grow. It seemed that the magical energy emanating from the Crystal Tree at the center of the labyrinth promoted the growth of these larger plants.
Although they were big enough to potentially drain nutrients, the Crystal Tree apparently stimulated the enlargement of the surrounding vegetation.
At the heart of this labyrinth, we came to a halt.
A distinct presence of a powerful entity filled the air. If we moved any further, we would undoubtedly be discovered.
Among the source of this presence, we recognized someone.
『It's the Thunderbird's presence.』
（Is it angry?）
（On...）
As Fran mentioned, there was anger mixed in the aura emanating from the Thunderbird. I had observed a Thunderbird from a distance during our battle with Forrund before, and this aura was similar to what I had felt then.
The strange behavior of the magical beasts we encountered along the way was likely due to the fear of the raging aura emitted by the Thunderbird.
The lightning-shrouded giant bird was probing the surroundings near the Crystal Tree, as if searching for something. It was difficult to put into words, but it felt like the Thunderbird's aura was brushing against our surface, creating a peculiar sensation.
『Listen up, don't move at all.』
（...Hmm...）
（Off）
In terms of strength, it wasn't an opponent we absolutely couldn't defeat.
The opponent's threat level was B. We had experience dealing with magical beasts of threat level B.
However, the current Thunderbird was somehow furious, making it even more dangerous. Additionally, Thunderbirds had a tendency to form flocks, so there was a high likelihood of other individuals nearby. They could also command underlings, so it wasn't just a single opponent to contend with.
We stayed still for a while, continuing to monitor the Thunderbird's whereabouts. Suddenly, the lightning emitted by the Thunderbird intensified.
「Kwaaaah!」
（It's loud.）
『It's trying to intimidate us.』
（On）
It seemed like it was using its magical power-infused voice to assert its dominance over someone. The overwhelming presence grew even stronger. It was clear that it had entered combat mode.
Near the entrance to the deep layers, while quietly monitoring the situation, the Thunderbird made its move.
「Kwaaaah!」
Intense flashes streaked right next to the Crystal Tree, followed by thunderbolts being fired into the empty space with deafening roars.
Upon closer examination, there was something in the sky—a small figure darting through the air.
（A person!）
『Yeah. The Thunderbird must have been searching for that person. Urushi, did you notice?』
（Off）
（I didn't either.）
Even though our surroundings were completely enveloped by the Thunderbird's enormous presence, we had not noticed at all. The person battling the Thunderbird must have had incredibly high stealth abilities.
No, perhaps it was due to the effect of the black robe they were wearing?
It appeared that it not only concealed their presence but also prevented appraisal-type effects. We couldn't discern their race or gender.
The Thunderbird continued to unleash consecutive lightning strikes. Each strike, if it hit a magical beast of D-rank or lower, would likely turn it into ashes. However, the dark figure in the black robe effortlessly dodged the Thunderbird's magic attacks and seemed to be throwing something at it mockingly.
It looked like a shuriken-shaped throwing weapon. The magic-infused shuriken seemed to have enough power to harm the Thunderbird, as the Thunderbird could feel it, and it made sure to avoid the thrown shuriken.
Its own lightning strikes were being evaded, and the Thunderbird's anger only escalated as it realized the figure's counterattacks.
「Kukkaaaaaa!」
The Thunderbird, leaping from the branches of the Crystal Tree, began to unleash a chaotic barrage of lightning strikes in the vicinity.
I thought that even the robed figure wouldn't be able to avoid them completely, but to my surprise, they were somehow deflecting the Thunderbird's powerful thunder magic. In fact, it seemed like the lightning strikes were passing right through them, having no apparent effect.
If that was indeed an effect of the robe, it would become an incredibly potent magical tool.
Once it became clear that the thunder magic was ineffective, the Thunderbird quickly changed its attack strategy.
With terrifying speed, it initiated charging attacks. Despite having a wingspan of over twenty meters, its speed was so fast that it was nearly impossible to track. Even without a direct hit from its beak, just a grazing touch would likely turn a person into mincemeat.
However, the robed figure was no ordinary person.
They used a skill akin to mid-air leaps, kicking off the air to evade the charging attacks.
The Thunderbird's charging attacks weren't just fast body blows.
Similar to when Fran used Brilliant Lightning Rush, it could make abrupt, impossible turns at extreme angles during its charges. By briefly electrifying its own body, it could apparently ignore inertia.
Therefore, even if the first charge was evaded, the Thunderbird, with its exceptional speed and the ability to make sharp turns, would immediately launch a second strike.
This was a challenging attack even for high-ranked adventurers. However, the robed figure not only dodged but also counterattacked in response to the charges.
Drawing a longsword that could be recognized as a magic sword even from a distance, they swung it skillfully as they passed by.
（I hit it!）
『No, it did hardly any damage!』
The Thunderbird's feathers were incredibly tough and enhanced with magic. While it may have been cut slightly, it wasn't enough to throw off its balance, and it would recover quickly.
Following that, the robed figure continued to dodge attacks with astonishing agility. However, they couldn't keep up such superhuman movements indefinitely.
「!」
『We were sent flying!』
Due to their evasion becoming extremely close calls, they ended up taking the brunt of the shockwave. They were blown backward with considerable force. Seizing this opportunity, the Thunderbird launched a counterattack.
Instead of using thunder magic, it fired off blasts of magical energy directly. Quite the impressive decision for a beast.
Countless blasts of magical energy pelted the robed figure like a hailstorm, and explosions lit up the Crystal Tree. Illuminated by the surging magical energy, the Crystal Tree shone with an astonishing beauty that seemed out of place.
While I was momentarily entranced by the Crystal Tree, the robed figure was slammed down onto the ground.
『Hey, hey, are you okay?』
If they died here, we wouldn't be able to ask them for information...
『Fran! I'll divert the Thunderbird's attention!』
（Hmm!）
Fran nodded happily, seemingly eager for the fight. She dashed out to confront the enraged Thunderbird and save the intruder.
「Haaaah!」
「Kukeh?」
Fran's strike failed to catch the Thunderbird's neck!
『They dodged at this timing!』
In the split second when she lunged, they must have sensed the subtle movement of magical power she used to accelerate. With the Thunderbird's speed, it seemed they could react in time.
In that brief moment, I understood the Thunderbird's strength.
The opponent was that massive Thunderbird. We knew we were outmatched in terms of power. However, we thought we had an advantage in terms of speed, especially in maneuverability, where Fran should excel.
However, after witnessing its recent movements, I realized that we were closer to being evenly matched even in terms of maneuverability.
Following that, Fran and the Thunderbird exchanged attacks several times, gaining an understanding of each other's capabilities.
Both of them specialized in thunder magic, but it was completely ineffective. Their attacks were being dodged, resulting in a high-speed dance where they constantly changed positions.
Well, it's not like we weren't doing anything.
『Alright! I managed to pluck some feathers again!』
（On, on!）
Taking advantage of the Thunderbird's distraction with Fran, Urushi and I were launching small-scale attacks.
I used telekinesis to pluck feathers from it. I'd heard that feathers alone were valuable, but the main goal wasn't to obtain materials. It was to disrupt the Thunderbird's concentration even slightly.
If we could pluck feathers while it was moving at high speeds, it would surely be a nuisance.
Urushi, on the other hand, occasionally used magic from the shadows. Not for causing damage but to disrupt its visibility, it seemed.
Our purpose was also to support Fran.
But despite the Thunderbird's incredible speed, there was no significant change in the battle.
You stubborn Thunderbird! Even though you're a magical beast, you're quite patient!
No, are you waiting for reinforcements to arrive? Waiting too long would put you at a disadvantage, you know.
『Fran, we have to get serious, or we won't be able to handle this.』
（Hmm!）
『Urushi, give it your all too.』
（On!）
We couldn't hold back against an opponent like this. Of course, Fran was already awakened and attacking at full power. Nevertheless, I was conserving my magical power, and Fran wasn't pushing her body to the point of breaking. I was also saving Urushi's abilities.
（Full throttle!）
With a fierce grin, Fran gathered her magical power, kicking things up a notch.
However, right after Fran braced herself, something unusual happened at the base of the Crystal Tree.
A surge of strong magical power emitted, and then the presence of the robed figure vanished.
『That was... did they teleport?』
Whether they did it themselves or used a magical tool, it was unclear, but they must have regained consciousness and chosen to escape.
Fran's response to this was swift.
She pretended to cast a spell and then leaped backward.
（Master, I'll disengage.）
『Understood.』
Our goal wasn't to defeat the Thunderbird but to investigate the magical realm. If we pushed ourselves here, that robed figure might escape. That's the conclusion she must have reached.
『You did great, Fran.』
（The target wasn't them.）
『That's right.』
The old Fran would have probably insisted on battling the Thunderbird here. She's grown so much that she can now choose to escape rather than stubbornly engage in a fight with a formidable opponent! It's impressive!
「Kukkee!」
「Someday, I'll come for you again.」
『Goodbye!』
We made a long-distance teleportation to quickly disengage. Once we passed through the Deep Zone, which was their territory, even the formidable Thunderbird wouldn't pursue us.
Fran relaxed her shoulders and let out a sigh.
「Phew. That Thunderbird was strong.」
『Yeah. It's no surprise they call it the ruler of this magical realm.』
「We need to find that person in the robe. Urushi, please.」
「Woof!」
We must have been running around for nearly twenty minutes around the Crystal Tree. The Thunderbird's immense magical power was hardly noticeable anymore, and the presence of lesser magical beasts in the vicinity began to increase. That's when we finally located our target.
『All right! We managed to find them without them escaping!』
（Yeah, Urushi, good job.）
「Woof woof!」
As Fran said, it was thanks to Urushi's keen sense of smell that we were able to locate the person. Once you've caught the scent of someone, you can track them even if they're a bit far away. It was truly an extraordinary tracking ability.
The robed figure remained oblivious to our presence and sat down on a stump, taking a break. We suppressed our presence and quietly closed the distance.
Looking at it like this, there were no signs of severe injuries, and the robe itself seemed to have minimal damage. It was undoubtedly a high-level magical tool. It had endured those powerful attacks without a scratch.
However, we couldn't afford to observe leisurely any longer.
「...I've known for a while that someone's been snooping around here.」
（!）
『Damn. They noticed us!』
I didn't know when they had become aware, but it seemed they had been luring us. We fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
The robed figure—a woman—looked at us and shouted.
「My master told me to blast anyone suspicious, nya!」
『Damn! Teleport!』
Right after I used teleportation, I saw lightning strikes piercing the area where we had been.
『They just fired off a spell out of nowhere!』
Not intended to kill, but it was quite powerful. It didn't seem like we could get away with a light concussion.
「Oh? A kid? Quite agile, nya!」
What's with this way of speaking? Thanks to the robed figure's blockage effect, it wasn't entirely clear, but she was probably a catfolk. However, I'd never seen a catfolk use "nya" at the end of their sentences before.
「Who are you?」
「That's my line!」
「I'm an adventurer. I received a request to find people who have entered the magical realm without permission.」
「Oh, really?」
Right after Fran said that, I noticed the eyes deep within the robe narrowing.
Fran also heightened her vigilance in response to the change in the situation.
「...What are you doing here?」
「What else? Training! I heard there was a powerful magical beast here, so I came!」
「To enter the depths of the magical realm, you need permission.」
「There were no fences or guards! If you say you're managing it yourselves, then you should make sure no one can enter! Besides, why do we need the permission of the Adventurer's Guild in the first place?」
「To prevent weak adventurers from challenging powerful magical beasts and dying.」
「Nyahahaha! Well, that doesn't apply to me! After all, I'm the strongest!」
「But you were running away earlier.」
「Oh, that was just a fluke! Besides, I haven't caused any trouble, so there's no reason to complain, nya!」
The catfolk woman's words were not as simple as she made them sound.
「You made the Thunderbird angry, so the magical beasts are fleeing.」
「What's that got to do with anything, nya?」
It seemed the robed woman was not an adventurer. Her understanding of hunting was rather low. She was probably a wandering martial artist who didn't usually engage in hunting. Her claim of practicing seemed genuine.
If there was a disturbance in the magical beasts' habitat, it could affect the hunting of adventurers. Rather than cute little magical beasts disappearing, some might encounter higher-level magical beasts that wouldn't usually appear in their hunting grounds, potentially leading to casualties.
However, with Fran's lack of words, it was challenging to explain in detail.
In the end, I could only say, "Adventurers are being inconvenienced."
If the other party were perceptive, they might somehow understand. Forrund, our silent companion, was one who could understand.
But the robed woman was completely clueless. She became more aggressive as the conversation went on.
「I don't know anything about adventurers!」
「This place is managed by the Guild. Ignorance isn't an excuse.」
「Guild, guild, you're so annoying! I don't know anything about that! You guild dogs, nya!」
「We're not dogs. We're cats.」
「I didn't mean it that way!」
The robed woman didn't seem to harbor strong hostility or malice, but her fighting spirit was surging. She had entered the magical realm to train, after all. She seemed like a battle enthusiast.
Seeing Fran's strength, she was itching for a fight. Fran felt the same way, so it was uncontrollable. Both were still affected by the aftermath of the battle with the Thunderbird, which seemed to be fueling their combat spirits.
In cases where battle enthusiasts faced off, they might exchange words, but it always ended up as a physical confrontation.
「...If you're a warrior too, prove it. If you win, I'll listen, nya.」
「As you wish.」
There was no helping it. They wouldn't stop now.
『Fran, she's quite skilled. Don't let your guard down.』
「I won't lose.」
「That was my line!」
Fran and the woman readied their weapons and stared each other down.
The woman wielded a strange sword with a hilt, guard, and blade all in a pale bluish hue. It was undoubtedly a magic sword, with a faint hint of ice and snow attributes. The magical power itself felt small, but it likely had some form of concealment ability. By deliberately leaking a faint trace of magical power, she seemed to be luring her opponent into complacency.
「I'll take the initiative, nya!」
「Hmph.」
She swiftly circled around to Fran's rear with incredible agility, delivering rapid strikes.
She probably used aerial leaps to rapidly change direction even at full speed. Fran could do the same, but the woman appeared more experienced.
Well, Fran easily evaded it!
「Nyahahaha! That's more like it!」
「You too.」
Both were impressed with each other's movements.
From there, it was a series of sharp feinting attacks that were almost too intense. Neither side landed a hit, but the intensity continued to rise.
「A cat faster than Nyah, I've never seen that before!」
「Is that Nyah-Nyah's nickname?」
『Fran, she's provoking you!』
Adorable! Incredibly adorable!
「What's with you?」
「This is a habit of mine! It won't change!」
「A habit? What do you mean?」
「Once upon a time, I got used to saying it, nyaa!」
While exchanging blows at high speed, they still managed to talk quite normally. Even though both were seriously attacking.
However, as they raised their gears against each other, it seemed they had lost the ability to converse.
They roared with fighting spirit, striking at each other.
「Haaaaa!」
「Nyan-nyan-nyan-nyaaa!」
A battle that lasted for dozens of exchanges.
In the end, the balance finally shifted.
「Nyunya!」
「Hush!」
Fran deftly parried the woman's high slash and, with a counter-strike, cut through her robe.
The woman hastily distanced herself.
Fran didn't pursue her. No, it wasn't that she didn't want to; she was probably too surprised.
「Black Cat Tribe?」
「Nya? Nyanya! My anti-identity-reveal robe!」
From beneath the robe appeared black cat ears. The woman was indeed a member of the Black Cat Tribe, as rumored.
Fran probably hadn't thought she was truly from the Black Cat Tribe.
Despite the somewhat silly name, the anti-identity-reveal robe was incredibly effective. Even though they knew she was a cat-type beastkin, she had concealed her true form and species.
Her physique was similar to Fran's, but she was significantly taller. Their facial features were somewhat alike, but their auras were completely different. There was something distinctly cat-like about her. It might be due to her almond-shaped cat eyes or the fangs visible at the corners of her mouth.
Her hair was longer than Fran's, tied up in a ponytail. In times like these, it was still cute.
Beneath the robe, she wore a white one-piece-style cloth armor. It had strange embroidery patterns and somewhat resembled ethnic clothing. It had a similarity to the Ainu style found in games and manga.
Appraisal was now partially working. It seemed that damaging the robe had reduced its abilities. It hadn't completely lifted the concealment, but some of the robe's abilities, the woman's name, and a few skills were now visible.
That robe was seriously impressive, though. It had Appraisal Block, Presence Block, Species Concealment, and Auto-Repair. A parade of valuable skills.
Both Fran and I had thought she was just a cat-type beastkin, not a member of the Black Cat Tribe. After all, we hadn't heard even a fragment of information about a talented Black Cat Tribe member in this area.
However, Fran quickly got over her surprise and seemed more pleased. She repositioned herself, appearing somewhat smug.
「Grr, I lost in swordsmanship, nya!」
「Heh.」
「Such an annoyingly smug expression, nya! It's the first time I've lost to a little fellow from the same tribe, nya!」
「I'm not little.」
「You're not even an adult yet, so you're plenty little, nya!」
「I'm already thirteen.」
「Nyahahaha! I'm already twenty-four, nya! A super-adult with oozing sexiness, nya!」
「Adult?」
Fran glanced at the woman's body and then tilted her head.
「Nya, nya, what's with those eyes? Wait, hold back a bit, nya! I'll grow up nice and busty in a bit, nya!」
The woman covered her chest with both hands and raised her voice in anger.
No, Fran wasn't making fun of her or anything. It's just that, given the many adult women we've met so far, there was a perception that adults were supposed to be well-endowed. And, well, I like slender figures too!
「Bu-but you, you're good, nya! Introduce yourself, nya.」
「Fran.」
「Nya is Kune, nyah!」
「Kune-nyah?」
「Not like that, Kune! Nyah!」
Kune threw a childlike tantrum. Where's the adulthood in that? She looks like she's still in middle school!
「Even though I'm like this, I've been wielding a sword for over twenty years, nya! Are you a genius to surpass someone like me who's undergone rigorous training since childhood, nya?」
「Twenty years ago? You were a child then.」
「That's right, nya! But back then, I was sold to some underworld organization and raised to become an assassin, nya! It was intense training, nya.」
She was talking about quite a tragic past, but maybe it was because of Kune's cheerful demeanor that it didn't sound pitiable at all.
However, Fran was different. She asked with a serious expression.
「...You were a slave?」
「That's right, nya. I've been a slave from the moment I was born up until now, nya.」
Kune readily shared her life story.
Kune was born as an illegal underground slave. She was born as a child of underworld slaves, with the aim of becoming an assassin, and from the age of four, she endured hellish training where surviving one out of a hundred would be considered lucky. Her speech patterns, including her distinctive tone, had apparently been ingrained in her due to the organization's influence.
She had developed this cute-sounding tone in order to infiltrate her targets' affections as a pet-like slave, and she took it quite seriously.
However, the organization that had raised Kune was defeated in a conflict with another group, and they were sold off as underworld slaves to another country.
Even during this period, the organization that acquired them continued their training, raising them as warriors. Their current master, despite being the kind of person who would buy underworld slaves, wasn't the type to keep them bound. He granted them freedom of action and allowed them to move about as they pleased. Perhaps he had bought them to free them from the status of underworld slaves? But then again, he hadn't exactly freed them. He even gave them a magical sword; I don't understand what he wants.
「...Aren't you interested in being free?」
With an expression that showed she found Kune's upbringing quite shocking, Fran asked. Especially when Kune talked about her current master, Fran could sense a hint of admiration.
Fran believed that the most valuable thing in this world was freedom, so she couldn't comprehend it.
「My current master lets me do as I please, nya! I'm still in this state as a slave to make it clear that my master has a strong backer, nya! I'm actually really grateful, nya! For my master's sake, I'm going to become stronger, nya! I can't afford to lose to a younger member of the same tribe in a place like this, nya!」
Kune shouted that and readied herself.
「I lost with just a sword, nya! Then how about using magic, nya!」
「If that's what you want.」
Fran also prepared herself.
In the end, their differing values made conversing a hassle, so it seemed they decided it was quicker to express themselves through their fists. Both of them seemed to think so.
「Here I go, nya!」
「Nn!」
While moving at high speed, Kune activated her magic. She must have already gathered her mana.
「Take this, nya! Fire Javelin!」
「Hm.」
Multiple incantations produced ten flames in total, raining down upon Fran.
Fran effortlessly evaded the attack, but there were follow-up projectiles. She anticipated the direction of the evasion and fired a few shots in that direction.
「Nyahahaha! I got really good at my flame magic because I've been using it to stay warm for so long, nya! What do you think of my flame magic, nya?」
The lie detector didn't react, which meant she wasn't lying. She had actually evolved her flame magic over time while using it to keep warm. This girl is a genius!
「Hah!」
「Nyowaaa! M-Magic without an incantation, nya!」
Fran clashed her flame magic with Kune's, neutralizing each other.
「Heh!」
「You're being smug again, nya! Grrrr!」
Kune growled in frustration as Fran released another spell.
This time it was also a Fire Javelin. She must have wanted to show that she wouldn't lose in magic either. However, Fran quickly displayed a surprised expression.
「Moon Shield, nya!」
Fran's flame magic was blocked by a hemisphere-like dome. Moreover, in the next moment, it rebounded and attacked Fran.
「!」
She managed to dodge it, but it was a close call.
「What was that just now?」
「Hehehe. Something, nya?」
「Then, how about this?」
「It's useless, nya! Moon Shield!」
Once again, the thunder magic was bounced back. Fran cut through the returned spell with her sword.
While it didn't deal any damage, her face showed frustration. This time, Kune was the one grinning smugly.
「Nyahahaha! It's pointless, pointless, pointless, nya!」
「Ugh...」
『Fran, that's Moonlight Magic. It might not just reflect magic, but physical attacks too. Don't let your guard down.』
（Mmm.）
I had seen Royce, one of the Beast King's aides, use it in a martial arts tournament before. He had several spells that could reflect or nullify attacks.
I had obtained it as well, but I hadn't trained it. I heard it was difficult to use even though it could be powerful when mastered. I had other magic I wanted to develop, so I kept postponing it.
「Hey, what's wrong, nya!」
「Ugh...」
While deploying the Moon Shield to reflect magic, Kune provocatively wiggled her rear toward us.
Seeing Fran getting frustrated, she held back her emotions and suddenly leaped forward.
「Nyah? Well, do you admit defeat in magic, nya!」
「Earlier, I said using both magic and the sword was fine.」
「Oh yeah, you're right, nya!」
「Shh!」
「Kuh!」
From there, an intense battle began, mixing swordsmanship and magic. With both of them moving at high speed while casting spells, the surroundings were in chaos due to the flying projectiles. Even if I wanted to interfere, I would need to be considerably skilled to get close.
Fran had the advantage in swordsmanship, but due to the Moonlight Magic's reflective nature, she couldn't seize the opportunity to strike at critical moments.
Neither of them could land a decisive blow, and both of their mental states were gradually wearing thin.
Then, Kune experienced a subtle change.
「Nyahnya! To lose to a fellow tribe member's child in a place like this... What's the meaning of being the strongest, nya!」
At first, Kune muttered something under her breath, but gradually, it turned into shouts.
「I won't lose, nya! I'll become the strongest and get praised by my master, nya! Nyanya-nya-nyaaa!」
「!」
Kune's demeanor underwent a significant change. No, it wasn't just her demeanor; even the quality of her mana was noticeably changing—stronger and faster.
Was her determination not to lose pushing her to awaken dormant powers?
「Nya!」
Her movements became sharper, and even Fran was taken aback by her newfound precision. Moreover, I understood what Kune was aiming for.
I could predict Kune's next move. This was bad!
『This is... Fran! She's coming! Dodge it!』
「!」
Kune, who had clearly been out of reach until then, suddenly appeared right in front of Fran in the next moment.
Their swords clashed, and they both recoiled from the impact.
「Quick!」
「Nyaa!」
『Next, she's coming from above!』
Fran managed to evade her attack, which came crashing down from above like a meteor, and countered with a powerful kick to Kune.
「Fgyah!」
Kune screamed like a crushed cat as she was sent flying. Well, she was a cat after all.
She somehow managed to twist her body and land on her feet, but her face displayed pure astonishment.
「Y-You're an idiot, nya... Dodging that attack perfectly on the first try...! Then, take this! Triple Moonlight, nya!」
『I know about that too! Behind you, Fran!』
「Nn!」
Once again, their swords clashed vigorously, and sparks flew.
As their crossing blades locked them in a fierce struggle, Fran's expression remained emotionless, while Kune was filled with astonishment.
Then, both of them separated and retreated to create some distance.
「Can you block this too? Seriously, who are you...? Grr!」
Kune groaned and clutched her right leg. It seemed her body couldn't keep up with the ultra-high-speed movements.
The secret behind her instantaneous teleportation-like movements was Moonlight Magic. She used a physical reflection barrier to propel herself. The Triple Moonlight technique, as its name suggested, involved three consecutive jumps to get behind the opponent. To perfectly execute such a high-level technique in the heat of battle was remarkable.
It could have been dangerous if it had been a surprise, but since Fran had seen it once, she could adapt.
（…? Master?）
『What's wro—』
「Nyaaa... In that case!」
『Uh-oh! We don't have time for conversations!』
Kune sheathed her magic sword at her waist. Did she give up on swordplay?
No, it was the act of sheathing her sword to unleash the power of her magic sword.
『Fran! It's Ice Blades! Watch out for invisible icy blades!』
Just after I issued the warning, something unusual happened. The culprit, however, wasn't Kune.
A sinister mana, neither Fran's nor Kune's, covered the battlefield.
「Nya!」
「!」
Both Kune and Fran simultaneously looked up into the sky.
「Hehehe! With this net in place, two tasty little girls got caught, didn't they!」
Floating in the air was a small, black figure. Her complexion was pale, almost lifeless, with numerous surgical scars running both vertically and horizontally, resembling a jigsaw puzzle. Something about her face seemed off, too, upon closer inspection.
The shapes of the right eye and left eye were distinctly different. The skin around the right eye was black, clearly from a different race. Furthermore, the nose and mouth on both sides also had different shapes, divided by scars running vertically down the middle of the face. It looked as if various human facial features had been collected and stitched together.
Even the hair color peeking out from under the hood was different on the left and right sides, with the right side being silver and the left side red.
At first, I thought it was a girl, but their appearance was androgynous—or rather, their gender was difficult to discern. They might not even have a gender.
They were adorned in a black robe with golden accents. It didn't have the typical bagginess of mage robes; instead, it exuded a sense of sophistication even in its intricate details. The fabric was thin, like a camisole, and the hem resembled that of a flared skirt, giving it an elegant and cute look. However, even the white legs peeking out from beneath that skirt-like hem bore numerous scars.
Although they had a hood on their head, something on the inside pushed the fabric upward, making it look like black cat ears.
I couldn't determine their gender or purpose, but their true identity was apparent at a glance.
（Undead!）
『Ah, that emblem on their chest... Black Corpse Battalion.』
「Hehehe! Your flesh looks so tender!」
Despite their cute outfit, their voice was raspy, and their speech was coarse. It might be expected for an undead, but they exuded a disturbingly mad aura.
In every way, they appeared to be nothing but an enemy. Right?
「Hey, hey? There are two Black Catkin here! Which one is it? Which one's the target?」
Target? Could it be that they're targeting Fran or Kune?
「Hey! Did Belioth send you? No use playing dumb! People's mouths can't be completely sealed unless they're killed! The information is out there! Hand over the letter or whatever it was that was given at that time! If you do, I might let you go!」
Their aim was the letter entrusted to Belioth!
However, it seemed they didn't know the exact contents. Perhaps they just intended to seize an important document from an enemy nation.
Naturally, Fran and Kune remained silent. Kune was clueless, so she looked bewildered, and Fran didn't possess a light tongue that would carelessly divulge information.
「Tch! Fine, then! I can't take it anymore!」
The undead alternated their gaze between Fran and Kune but suddenly shouted in excitement.
「Aaaah! I can't stand it anymore! I'll just kill both of you and take it afterward! I wasn't planning on letting either of you escape anyway! Gyahahaha!」
And then, the undead began a rapid descent from the sky, aiming straight for us.
Fran and Kune exchanged a brief glance, and then they exhibited contrasting movements.
Kune stood her ground in place, while Fran leaped backward significantly.
「Hyahahaha! You're up first!」
「No use, nya! Teya!」
As expected, the undead locked onto Kune and charged, brandishing a grotesque scythe that they had pulled from somewhere.
The scythe had a form that appeared to be assembled from the remnants of various weapons. Broken sword and spear tips, shattered axe blades, and other pieces seemed to have been gathered together and constructed into the shape of a scythe. It was a patchwork of weapons.
However, the magical power emanating from this patched-up scythe was overwhelmingly powerful, overshadowing regular magic swords and the like.
Added to the naturally overwhelming magical power of the scythe was the force of the high-speed descent, creating an attack of tremendous power aimed at Kune. If it were to hit directly, even a human would likely be shattered into pieces.
However, Kune had already prepared her Moonlight Magic.
The great scythe was deflected by a shield that shone faintly like moonlight.
「What the hell is that!」
The undead lost their balance considerably. To reflect an attack of that magnitude, Moonlight Magic must be quite formidable.
Then, without a moment's pause, Fran unleashed her magic.
「Flare Explode!」
「Guh!」
Successive explosions of multi-layered flames enveloped the undead. Seeing this, Kune cheered enthusiastically.
「Nice one, nya!」
These two, fellow members of the same race and battle enthusiasts, decided to join forces against this new enemy.
Though they were enemies, they weren't hated adversaries. In the battle just moments ago, there hadn't been a trace of murderous intent.
They didn't plan on holding back, but they had likely intended to stop just short of killing. Accidents could still happen, but between warriors, there was an unspoken understanding.
In contrast, that undead was intent on killing both Kune and Fran. No, perhaps even devouring them.
A mix of killing intent, hunger, and malice created an aura of extreme malevolence.
For Fran and company, the priority was clearly to defeat the undead.
「Gyahahaha!」
The flames surrounding the undead were extinguished in an instant. It seemed they had swiped it away with their large scythe.
Even though it had been directly hit by the flames of flame magic, the undead remained unharmed. It appeared that their robe was a potent magical item. Both Kune and the undead had incredibly strong equipment. Fran couldn't say much either!
「Well done! It's great! Stronger opponents make it all the more satisfying when you devour them! I've been starving these past few days, letting those adventurer losers run away!」
The undead's words were insane, but there was something that caught my attention.
Had they been lurking in this magical wasteland for the past few days? Furthermore, they mentioned letting adventurer prey escape. Could it be that this undead was the Black Catkin that had been sighted recently? From a distance, their hood did look somewhat like that of a black cat.
「Kune, how long have you been in the magical wasteland?」
「Nya? Since today, nya.」
「...Have you stolen anything from adventurers?」
「Nya! I'd never do something so shameless, nya!」
As expected, Kune wasn't the Black Catkin rumored to have done such things.
Fran glared sharply at the undead and spoke up.
「You! Did you pretend to be a Black Catkin and cause trouble?」
「Buhuhu! You noticed? That's right! The word was that the target was the Black Catkin! So, I pretended to be one and stirred up a commotion here, thinking they'd definitely come! If there weren't those annoying restrictions like 'Don't attack in town,' I could've saved myself from this convoluted charade!」
To be honest, I thought this plan had more holes than Swiss cheese. If you think about it normally, the success rate would be quite low.
Well, we fell for it hook, line, and sinker!
「I don't care anymore! I'm gonna eat both of you! I'll search for that letter thingy from the mashed-up corpses! But, if they die too quickly, it won't be fun! Struggle more, and let Al-Ajif-sama here starve even more!」
The undead—Al-Ajif—kicked off into the sky and descended rapidly towards Fran.
It seemed that the high-speed descent slash attack was their main tactic.
Fran assumed a defensive posture to deflect the attack. However, this wouldn't work.
『Fran! Dodge widely!』
「!」
In response to my shout, Fran quickly leaped backward. Immediately afterward, a deep gash appeared where Fran had been standing. The scythe had missed its target.
『It's an invisible blade. Moreover, it's difficult to defend against due to its temporal attribute.』
（I see!）
「Die!」
「I won't!」
「Die, die, die, die!」
Al-Ajif swung their scythe in pursuit, but Fran skillfully evaded the attacks. Despite being invisible, we could sense the magical power with our perception abilities. Fran could anticipate Al-Ajif's feints and attacks, even if they used the unseen blade.
「You damn cats! You're doing well! Keep running and dodging more!」
「Hmph!」
「Kyahahaha! It's futile!」
Fran cast a thunder magic spell, but Al-Ajif effortlessly dispelled it with a single swing of their scythe. They must have used magical power to create a sort of armor.
「There's an opening, nya!」
「There's no opening!」
「Nya, nya!」
It appeared that Moonlight Magic had a technique to conceal one's presence. Using this, Kune launched an attack from behind, but Al-Ajif effortlessly intercepted her with the scythe. Despite the awkward position of swinging the scythe over the shoulder, Kune was deflected. Al-Ajif's strength seemed immense.
Then, Al-Ajif spun around while swinging the scythe.
Invisible slashes radiated in all directions, attacking Fran and Kune. Fran ducked to the ground to evade, but Kune attempted to intercept the attack and failed. Attacks with temporal attributes could bypass defenses.
「Nyagu!」
「Kyahuhuhu! Your magic swords won't be able to defend against my slashes!」
「Grrr... This is a troublesome attack, nya.」
「Hehehe! Where should I cut next?」
While applying a potion to her wounded arm, Kune growled in frustration. Not only had she taken damage, but it was also vexing that Fran had perfectly avoided the same attack.
In that moment, Al-Ajif's attention turned to Kune. Fran had likely waited for the instant when Al-Ajif's interest shifted toward Kune. She darted into their blind spot and launched a swift thrust.
「Grrr! You did it! But it's futile!」
「Hmph. The wound disappeared.」
『It's instant regeneration.』
Al-Ajif used their rapid regenerative abilities to employ a strategy of trading blows with a high-damage scythe. This fighting style was more reminiscent of a magical beast than a human.
「Hahaha! Offer that life to me!」
「I won't give it to the likes of you, nya!」
「Nn!」
Fran and Kune simultaneously unleashed their magic. They hadn't coordinated their actions, but the timing was perfect. It seemed that being of the same kind made them compatible.
However, both of their magic attacks were easily nullified. Al-Ajif didn't even attempt to defend this time. They had enveloped themselves in a powerful magical barrier, canceling out our magic.
「Haha! That won't even serve as a distraction!」
「We're well aware of that!」
「Huh—」
With an air of triumph, Al-Ajif's head was cleaved in a straight line. Countless slashes followed, tearing their body apart and completely severing their limbs.
「Let's call it 'Moonlight Flurry,' nya.」
Kune had deployed multiple reflective shields around Al-Ajif, using the recoil to move at super-high speed and deliver a continuous flurry of slashes. Nearly ten slash lines appeared in an instant, an advanced application of the Moonlight Three-Stage technique. Even while engaged in combat, Kune's concentration on preparing Moonlight Magic was remarkable.
However, Al-Ajif's regenerative abilities were abnormal as well. The wounds healed in an instant, so much so that it seemed as if the scythe had merely passed through them.
「Nya, nya! That's cheating, nya!」
「Is there such a thing as cheating during a battle? Come on!」
「Nyaow!」
Kune managed to evade the swung scythe, but her arm was slashed again. Kune wasn't slow; she, like us, could sense magical power. However, Al-Ajif extended the invisible blade at the moment of the slash, making it difficult to evade.
「Hehehe, it tastes great. Such a rich aroma!」
Al-Ajif licked Kune's blood from the scythe, a blissful expression on their face. Kune showed an expression of disgust, swaying her tail.
「G-Gross, nya!」
「Hehehehe! Bring me more blood!」
Whether it was due to their heightened mental state or not, Al-Ajif shouted even louder than before, heading straight for Kune. However, the scythe aimed at Kune was deflected by an attack from Fran, launched from the side.
「Kune!」
「Nya!」
Kune's kick sent Al-Ajif flying. While the damage wasn't significant, it successfully created some distance between them.
「It's quite the impromptu cooperation you two have there! I'm picking up the pace! Let's see how much you can keep up!」
Al-Ajif readied the scythe once more and advanced. Their movements resembled those from before, but this time they were more attentive to both Fran and Kune.
From there, it descended into chaos.
All three engaged in a melee, with exchanges of sword strikes and magic spells.
In terms of damage, Al-Ajif took the most hits, but they showed no lasting injuries. Well, the existing stitches were there, so it was challenging to tell. More importantly, Kune was gradually getting cornered. Her skin was punctured bit by bit, and her healing couldn't keep up. Nevertheless, she continued to fight out of her determination to stand against Fran and Al-Ajif.
All three of them were beginning to feel the slow build-up of frustration.
Kune, accumulating damage, Al-Ajif, whose deadly attacks were mostly ineffective, and the worry Fran felt for Kune. The growing anxiety was palpable for all of them.
Everyone was hesitating about whether to use their trump cards. They had the means to win; each of them possessed such a level of ace up their sleeves.
Tension was mounting. It had turned into a game of chicken, with everyone wondering who would make the first move.
Perhaps unable to endure such tension, it was the monstrous undead that moved first. Well, it was a disadvantageous situation for one against two, so they moved to break the stalemate.
「I'll devour that life of yours! 'Ravenous Scythe'!」
At first glance, it appeared as though they were desperately throwing out a powerful technique. However, that technique was incredibly dangerous.
『Fran! That scythe will keep pursuing us! Just keep evading!』
「Got it!」
I tried to hold it down with telekinesis, but it was still futile. Thanks to its spatial-transparency ability, it completely ignored our attacks and relentlessly pursued us. Since it could still attack us, it was utterly unfair.
Moreover, no matter where Fran tried to escape, it seemed to change its trajectory intentionally to follow her.
『Even grazing it won't work! It erodes the body with curses!』
（...I see.）
Al-Ajif fired magic bullets to hinder Fran's evasion, but she dodged them with an emergency maneuver that utilized teleportation and magical discharges. Fran managed to avoid the flying scythe after a significant amount of time had passed, although it probably only lasted about a minute.
In the end, the scythe itself seemed to give up and returned to Al-Ajif's hand.
「Tch! Couldn't even graze her! This is ridiculous!」
Clicking their tongue, Al-Ajif glared at Fran. However, Fran seemed to be more concerned about something other than the undead's murderous intent.
『That was close...』
（...What is it?）
『What's wrong, Fran?』
Fran, looking up at me, wore a somewhat dissatisfied expression. She seemed to sense something odd, a feeling of discomfort or suspicion.
（Master, how did you know about Al-Ajif's attack?）
『Huh?』
（This is our first time fihgting Al-Ajif, but you knew about the scythe and stuff. Why?）
『Eh?』
How did I know? Well, because we've...
『Huh?』
Never fought before? We were meeting Al-Ajif for the first time. So why did I know about it? Yes, I did know. I knew what kind of attack Al-Ajif was going to make. Even without looking, I knew. Why?
Perplexed, I looked back at Fran, and she continued.
（The same with Kune too, Master seemed to know something.）
『Well, that's...』
That's right. Kune's attacks, not all of them, but some of them, I knew about. The invisible icy blades that could perform invisible attacks by enveloping them in a chilling aura. The ultra-fast Moonlight Three-Stage using Moonlight Magic. Both of these, I knew about before they were used.
Why?
While I had just realized it, Fran seemed to have felt a sense of discomfort for a while now.
In fact, during the fierce battles in the Kingdom of Belioth, I had apparently done something similar.
『Where...?』
（When you were fighting Zelyse. Master mentioned things like magic stone weapons and having used them before.）
『Magic stone weapon... because that is...』
（I heard that for the first time.）
It seemed that there was no opportunity to ask further questions because they were in the middle of the battle. Moreover, Fran didn't voice her doubts because she seemed to have complete trust in me, thinking that it wouldn't be strange for me to know even if she didn't.
But apparently, the repeated occurrences of the same situation made Fran unable to ignore her suspicions any longer.
（Master, why did you know?）
『I... I...』
（Master?）
Recalling what happened in the Kingdom of Belioth, I knew about magic stone weapons. I remembered fighting with them and having the Divine Favor of the Thief God stolen by the magic stone weapon... It was a memory of something precious being taken away.
（Master! What's wrong?）
Fran probably didn't think it was such a serious question. She was simply asking something she had wondered about casually.
However, Fran's words had a greater impact on me than I had anticipated.
Fran's face was filled with an astonishingly anxious expression. It was the kind of expression that a lost child might have, appearing helpless and on the verge of tears. It might be similar to when I spoke with tears in my eyes as I transformed into a sword.
〈Anomaly detected in Master's psyche. Please remain calm.〉
『Ah, Announcer-san... Why am I...』
〈Examining surface memories...〉
Announcer-san's words continued, but we didn't have the luxury of listening to them.
「Hey! What's going on?」
「!」
Al-Ajif, who had her combo evaded by Kune, was attacking Fran again.
「Huhuhu! What's happening? All of a sudden, your movements have gotten sluggish!」
「Kuh!」
Fran couldn't avoid the lightning-fast consecutive strikes that didn't seem possible with a scythe.
Several shallow wounds were etched onto her arms and abdomen, blood spurting out.
「This time, just die!」
I needed to concentrate, but my thoughts were in disarray.
Once I understood the attacks Al-Ajif was unleashing, it only led to more confusion. Was this just a prediction using magic sense? Or did she know from the beginning? How did she know? Whose memory was it? No, it was my memory. It was my memory, but...
（Master!）
I could hear Fran's voice, a cry-like voice.
Oh, I had to fight.
But my thoughts, which were scattered all over the place, didn't return to their original state. Instead, panic induced more panic, and the confusion accelerated.
Fight! You have to fight!
That's what I thought, but I was panicking too much to know what to do.
I activated magic and barriers for starters, but they had little effect. My magic was easily evaded, and the hastily cast barrier was nothing more than paper armor in the face of the scythe. In a further panic, I unleashed flame magic, but this too was swept aside by the scythe.
I could objectively observe the battlefield.
But it didn't translate into action.
It was as if I had become something other than my own body, a feeling of unease and fear. It wasn't just me who was scared.
Fran seemed like she was about to cry. No, large tears had welled up in the corners of her eyes.
It's clear that Fran is also on the verge of panic due to my abnormality.
『Kuh... Urushi! Urushi, can you hear me? I'm sorry! Fran, I'm counting on you!』
「Woof!」
In response to my words, Urushi leaped into action.
Al-Ajif let out a surprised cry at the sudden appearance of the magic wolf.
「Grrr!」
「Tch! A summoned beast? Annoying!」
A fierce battle between Urushi and Al-Ajif began. Urushi's typical fighting style involved hit-and-run tactics using dark magic. He would lurk in the shadows, immobilize his opponent with long-range attacks, and occasionally get in close to bite with his fangs.
However, the Urushi now was directly facing off against Al-Ajif. He constantly maintained his position in front of Al-Ajif, attacking with his claws and fangs.
Despite being repeatedly slashed by the scythe with a red aura, with blood spattering, Urushi did not attempt to flee.
He was serving as our shield. To protect me and Fran, who were in a bad state, he deliberately exposed his large body and continued to fight.
Of course, he was also using dark magic, but it seemed that Al-Ajif had a high resistance to it. Without even bothering to defend, it didn't inflict significant damage.
Despite fighting valiantly and enduring many wounds against the undead wielding a gigantic scythe, Urushi didn't retreat.
Seeing his form, I couldn't help but feel frustrated by the emotional and mental turmoil within me. Urushi's fur had been stained with the color of flowing blood. While Urushi possessed high regenerative abilities, Al-Ajif's scythe with a red aura had a regeneration-inhibiting effect.
『...I know this too.』
Once again, it wasn't my memory...! No, it's different, this is my memory. It's my memory, but I don't remember it. Yet, I felt like it was my own memory.
I became confused again. What had happened to me...?
「Nya, nya! What's wrong all of a sudden?」
Kune noticed Fran's change and joined the fight, but Al-Ajif didn't stop. Her movements had clearly improved. Was it some kind of special ability? About this, I had no idea. There were things I knew and things I didn't, and that was what confused me.
「Gnyaaah!」
Kune suffered a severe wound! It was because she shielded Fran!
The tip of the scythe was deeply embedded in her abdomen, with the blade protruding from her back. Kune coughed up blood and struggled in excruciating pain. She tried to grab the blade to prevent it from going further, but it was already approaching a fatal wound.
「Release Kune!」
「Shut up! You're in the way!」
Fran attempted to intervene, but Al-Ajif turned around and kicked her forcefully, sending her flying. Just a moment ago, she had been evenly matched, if not superior, in her fight against her opponent.
In her mentally shaken state, Fran's movements were sluggish, and Al-Ajif's movements had evidently become faster.
「Kune!」
「Ugh... Nya.」
Fran let out a cry of anguish.
Even though she had been fighting with Kune, it seemed that during their cooperation, a strange sense of camaraderie had developed.
「Grrrr!」
Urushi leaped at Al-Ajif again, but just as Al-Ajif's form seemed to waver, she disappeared from that spot. Immediately afterward, her figure reappeared about ten meters away. She had escaped through teleportation.
「Huhuhuhu! I'll suck you dry just like this!」
「Kuh...」
Kune, who had lost the ability to add "nya" to her words, had become sluggish and slow in her movements. Her magical and life energy were being drained by the scythe.
At this rate, Kune might really...
However, a new character appeared on the battlefield, easily shattering the overwhelming tension and despair that hung in the air.
「Hahaha! What a tremendous clash of magical powers is happening here, isn't it? Fran-kun!」
「Jean!」
The one who appeared was a suspicious-looking male demon, adorned with numerous skull-like accessories and a purple robe.
He was our other search target—a sinister-looking but actually benevolent necromancer named Jean Duvie.
We had been searching for him to convey important information, and he had come to us!
His presence was reassuring, especially in this dire situation.
「Help Kune!」
「Kune? Ah, that girl. Very well!」
Jean casually nodded as if taking it lightly, but he immediately took action. Although his attitude seemed nonchalant, his actions were dependable.
「Grasp the arms of the undead! Summon Hollow Hand!」
「Huh? Dammit!」
As Jean chanted the spell, nearly a hundred semi-transparent arms sprouted from the ground and attacked Al-Ajif.
This time, Al-Ajif managed to escape with a teleportation, but the destination was filled with ethereal arms, which immediately latched onto her body.
These arms didn't possess significant strength, and Al-Ajif easily destroyed them with the swinging motion of her scythe. However, due to their sheer numbers, even when defeated, they continued to cling to Al-Ajif.
Then, before Al-Ajif could teleport again, countless arms detached Kune from the scythe and swiftly carried her to Jean as if lifting her.
「Kune! Heal! Heal, heal!」
「Nya... I'm saved, nya.」
She seemed quite exhausted, but they managed to make it in time. Fran continuously used healing magic to mend Kune's wounds. Some color began to return to Kune's pale face, which had turned completely blue. It seemed that she had narrowly escaped a dangerous situation.
Al-Ajif, who had lost her hold on Kune, shouted in frustration.
「Damn, damn, damn! Who the hell are you!」
「Hahaha! If you're curious, then I suppose I should introduce myself! I am Jean Duvie, the ruler of the undead born in the twilight!」
「Uh, yeah, sure.」
Even Al-Ajif, who was furious just moments ago, seemed taken aback by Jean's high spirits. Perhaps she was unexpectedly susceptible to this type of approach.
「Huh? Jean Duvie? The eccentric-looking necromancer with the eccentric appearance...! Are you that Jean Duvie?」
「Oh? You know me?」
「Hah! As a representative of the Raydoss Kingdom, who wouldn't know you? In fact, you're our top priority for elimination!」
Jean had become famous for his remarkable achievements in the war with the Raydoss Kingdom. He was the target of their grudge and fear, and various methods were considered to deal with him.
We had also been searching for Jean because of this.
「Jean! Their boss is targeting you!」
「Oh? That emblem on your chest. It's from the Black Corpse Brigade, a special unit of the Raydoss Kingdom, isn't it? I've heard they've been operating covertly within the Kranzel Kingdom. To think that a secret unit of a whole nation is targeting me, I'm honored!」
I didn't expect him to react with such enthusiasm; I thought he'd be scared.
「Nameless is a secret weapon created to fight Jean.」
Fran shared information about Nameless, but it only seemed to increase Jean's excitement.
「Hahaha! When it comes to fighting undead, there's no way I can lose! First, let's defeat that undead weapon among your subordinates!」
「Undead weapon?」
「Yes. The real body of that undead is in the scythe! Its soul resides only there! You can think of it as a subtype of the Living Mail. The humanoid figure is just a doll made to resemble the real body!」
「Tch. You've already figured it out, huh!」
Surprisingly, it seemed that Al-Ajif's real body was in the scythe. That's why it appeared as though the damage we were inflicting had no effect!
In a sense, she was an Intelligence Weapon, but her true nature seemed to be that of an undead.
「Undead... Isn't that a discarded Divine Sword?」
「What? Who's calling me a discarded Divine Sword! I'm not a failure! Damn it! I'll make you realize that I'm not a failure!」
「Fran-kun, Urushi-kun, protect that girl. I'll handle this.」
「...Nn. Thank you.」
「No problem. It seems you're experiencing various issues.」
Jean's gaze was fixed on me. I suddenly remembered that Jean had a magical eye called the Soul-Sight Eye. It allowed him to see the form of souls. It appeared as if he were looking at Fran, but he was actually gazing directly at me.
（Master-kun's soul is wavering. It's quite subtle, but in his soul—no, not that deep. Perhaps it's related to his memories or his mind? Something seems mixed in.）
Wow, he can just tell by looking!
It seemed that not only me but also Announcer-san found something in Jean's words.
〈I have succeeded in identifying the place to search due to individual Jean's advice.〉
『Announcer-san... You found something?』
〈Detected memories that do not belong to individual Master.〉
Announcer-san seems to have found the cause of my trouble.
『W-What does that mean?』
〈During the information exchange with the other Master, there was a 96% probability of memory leakage. Because the two entities are 99.9% identical, I didn't notice any abnormalities in the established memories.〉
The other Master! Right, this must be the memories of the other me!
But something felt a little off. I had sensed that I knew about magic stone weapons before I even interacted with Zelyse, and that was before our counterparts from that side contacted us.
〈Although we only exchanged words directly at that time, once we arrived at the lake, the connection between both sides was established, and the communication lines were linked.〉
『Just being around the lake was enough to create such a connection that even Announcer-san didn't notice?』
〈Yes. With Romeo, Zelos Reed, Zelyse, and Rhyn coming together around the lake, a slight connection had likely formed between here and there. As a result, some information flowed into the individual named Master's memory and got mixed up.〉
It appeared that Announcer-san hadn't felt any discomfort because the other me was still me.
〈Memory selection and isolation will be performed. Remaining time: 348 seconds.〉
Now that I understood, it seemed like I could do something about it. Announcer-san was truly impressive! Five minutes and a little bit might feel long in the current situation, but in normal circumstances, it would be quite short.
『Sorry, Jean. Thanks.』
（No problem.）
Jean smiled slyly at us and then slowly approached Al-Ajif.
For a weirdo, he was quite cool. I felt a slight flutter in my heart.
「What will you do? The indestructible seed has already been cracked. If you want to be defeated without suffering, I can send you off painlessly.」
「Don't talk nonsense! Just because you've exposed that my real body is over here, it's not that much of a handicap! Rather, you should just let yourself be killed quietly! I hate those damn rotten demons! I'll make you suffer as much as possible!」
Jean and Al-Ajif engaged in a verbal exchange, though Jean might not have intended to provoke her. Anyway, after the verbal battle, it turned into a direct exchange of attacks.
「Hyahahaha! Die! 'Blade That Pierces and Devours'!」
Al-Ajif swung her scythe downward as if striking from above, and the blade extended to nearly twice its original length. It was a simple but effective attack to deceive the opponent's range.
However, Jean moved like a warrior and effortlessly evaded the extended slash. He dodged the scythe with minimal movement, resembling a nimble fighter skilled in evasion, and swiftly closed the distance. He held a spear in his hand, an unusual weapon made from assembled bones. Its visual impact was quite impressive, matching that of Al-Ajif's true form.
His thrusting motion was like that of a powerful warrior. Still, it couldn't be said to be as refined as his evasion skills.
「Hahaha! That's it! My body is moving well!」
「Aren't you supposed to be a rear guard with that appearance? Annoying!」
Al-Ajif was surprised by Jean's agility. Jean, who looked like a pure mage in a robe, was demonstrating agile spear handling skills, which was unexpected but should have been natural for a seasoned warrior.
However, despite the surprise, that was all it was.
Jean's bone spear pierced Al-Ajif's humanoid form, but Jean himself had just revealed that her real body was in the scythe. It appeared that he had inflicted damage, but it turned out to be an unnecessary attack.
Or so I thought—
「What?!」
「If she's controlling it, it means there's a connection, right? For a necromancer, something as simple as using that connection to send curses is a piece of cake!」
「Don't mess with me! There's no way just any necromancer could do the same!」
「Hyahahaha! What's the matter? Your movements suddenly got worse!」
「Shut up!」
What was terrifying about Al-Ajif was her ability to instantly regenerate no matter how much damage she took, and her fearless approach even after getting hit. Well, her strategy was possible because her undead body was just a decoy, and she hadn't taken any damage.
However, Jean's attacks with the spear could damage the main body through Al-Ajif's undead body. As a result, her previous strategy of taking hits while countering became impractical.
I, too, could understand this from my sword body. Al-Ajif probably had never felt pain before. After all, she had no sense of pain. However, now, thanks to Jean's magic, she could feel pain.
She must be bewildered by this unprecedented situation.
Not to the point of being scared, but she was definitely cautious.
Once in this state, the battle became completely one-sided. Jean initiated attacks, and Al-Ajif desperately evaded. As the battle turned in Jean's favor, Al-Ajif received more direct hits from the spear, further slowing her movements.
However, I didn't expect Jean to be so proficient in spear combat. I think he couldn't use a spear before...
「Hyahahaha! I feel so light!」
「Ugh! Damn it!」
Jean's lightning-fast thrust pierced through Al-Ajif's giant scythe, which she had extended defensively. It created a hole in Al-Ajif's humanoid form. The technique itself might have been a lower-tier spear move, but due to Jean's high stats in handling it, it was executed at a considerable speed.
There was a hint of panic in Al-Ajif's voice.
Although she had regenerated in an instant, there was no doubt that her main body had taken damage.
「Jean, amazing...」
Fran's murmur sounded somewhat frustrated. She must have felt a sense of regret watching Jean gain the upper hand against her adversary.
『Fran. Announcer-san is working on resolving my condition. Just a little more patience,' I reassured her.』
（Master, are you okay?）
『Yeah, I'm fine.』
（Nn!）
After wiping away her tears, Fran returned to taking care of Kune. While continuously applying healing magic, she kept an eye out for any stray attacks. Her face wore a stern expression, as if trying to hide her frustration at being unable to fight.
Kune seemed to have misunderstood when he saw Fran's tears.
「Nya, is Nya's condition really that bad, nya?」
「Nn?」
「Huh? Is it something else, nya?」
It seemed that Kune had thought his injuries were worse than he imagined. Seeing Fran tilt her head in confusion, Kune did the same.
「Kune is fine.」
「Is that so, nya? I'm glad, nya! But then, why are you crying, nya?」
「There are various reasons.」
「During a battle, that's not good, nya. No matter the circumstances, don't let your heart waver, nya. Whether it's anger, fear, or anything else, you must always maintain the mental state that suits you best, nya.」
「…Nn.」
It wasn't advice to stay calm at all times. Instead, it was a reminder that everyone's mental state during battle could be different, but it was dangerous to deviate from the state that worked best for oneself.
The advice that Fran, who was deeply concerned about my condition and had her composure shaken, received was harsh. However, Fran nodded earnestly. She probably had been thinking the same thing.
『I'm sorry, Fran. I never thought I'd end up like this.』
（I should have tried harder. Even if Master wasn't feeling well, I could have fought.）
Fran clenched her fist tightly.
（Next time, even if the same thing happens, I won't show such a pathetic side.）
Her quiet determination was palpable.
Fran watched Jean and Al-Ajif's battle with a serious expression.
Indeed, Jean's movements were far superior to before. Did he accumulate training as a spearman in such a short time? Compared to the spear user Clad she had met in Alessa, Jean seemed better.
Even now, he was using his spear to push back Al-Ajif's scythe and breaking her arms with the spearhead.
At this rate, the conclusion seemed likely to come even faster than my revival. That's what I thought, but Al-Ajif wasn't such an easy opponent.
「...Aaargh! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! You're getting in my way! I've had enough! I'll stop saving power! I'll kill all of you right here!」
「I won't let you! Undead Domination!」
「It's useless!」
「Ngh.」
Jean had probably been waiting for an opportunity to dominate Al-Ajif through the method of controlling the undead. Weaken her by inflicting damage and then establish control. For a profession that dealt with familiars, it was a natural course of action.
Moreover, in Jean's case, he had the ability to forcibly take control even when someone else was under another's command.
This moment, when he momentarily lost concentration while trying to use his trump card, should have been the right timing, but it seemed that the purple magic released from Jean's hand was effortlessly deflected.
「Hahaha! If you want to control me, even use grand magic! You're too weak for someone like me!」
Jean was a considerably high-ranking necromancer, you know? And yet, to call him weak... That must mean Nameless's magic, which was presumed to be controlling Al-Ajif, was just that formidable.
「Ughhh! Enough! Who cares about the mission anymore! I'll use everything I have to kill you! I'll kill you all! Come out, take my flesh and appear! 'Patchwork Cadavers'!」
With Al-Ajif's scream, the main scythe, which was her true body, emitted a grating metallic sound and released magic. Three enormous magic circles appeared in the air.
From within them emerged even larger undead creatures.
One was a bipedal giant made of assembled bones, wielding a club. Another was a giant lion with reddish-brown mane. The third was a grotesque female figure resembling a centipede version of a lamia.
All three exuded immense magical power.
Their status as undead was evident from their appearances. Of course, the fact that they emitted death attribute magic from their entire bodies also indicated they were undead. However, what made it even clearer was their distinctive feature.
Like Al-Ajif, these undead were covered in patchwork stitches.
Various parts of magical beasts and humans were stitched together to create a single undead entity. This seemed to be how Al-Ajif's humanoid form had been created as well.
However, unlike the humanoid controlled by Al-Ajif, these appeared to have independent thoughts. They seemed capable of fighting on their own.
The abnormal situation with Al-Ajif was far from over. Surprisingly, her main scythe had split into three, emitting a high-pitched metallic sound!
The three divided blades, like serpents with a will of their own, raised their scythe heads and swiftly extended, piercing into the backs of the undead.
The undead didn't show any signs of disturbance and accepted the metallic blades that burrowed into their bodies. Finally, with a snap, the blades broke and became completely embedded within each of the undead.
As a result, the pressure emitted by the undead increased even further.
「With this, it's all or nothing! I've poured out all the power I've stored up, the magic stones, the corpses—everything! Damn it! I will definitely kill you all!」
To create and enhance these three entities, a considerable amount of power must have been used. Although the broken blades were self-repairing and returning to their original forms, the emitted magical power was rapidly diminishing. However, while the main body might have weakened, the three undead entities had a presence that matched the situation.
「Hmm, I can't afford to play around with this anymore.」
「Nya! That guy! He's coming out so confidently, it seems dangerous, nya!」
This is bad, Jean alone might not be enough...
〈Memory isolation completed in 5, 4, 3—〉
Alright! Perfect timing!
〈Adjustments complete. Some memories have been isolated. They have been changed to be accessible and operable by the temporary name, Announcer-san.〉
『So, Announcer-san will provide various guidance in the form of advice?』
〈Yes. Or, it can be provided as information in a way that does not affect the individual name, Master.〉
So, in addition to advice, you can provide information to me as well? Well, since Announcer-san says it won't affect them, it should be fine.
『What about the information on those three undead?』
〈Yes. A minimal amount of information on each individual has been obtained.〉
The me over there seems to have fought them before. However, the details of their appearances are different, and it's unclear if they're exactly the same. Nonetheless, having some information is better than having none.
I instructed Fran and the others based on Announcer-san's information.
『Fran, we're dealing with the one with the club. It seems like they rely on physical abilities.』
（Understood.）
『Jean! I'm counting on you with the lion. It seems like he can summon his subordinates.』
（Alright! Is Master-kun coming back? Understood. A group battle is what I desire. Despite being so confident when you left it to me, this is the situation! This time, leave it to me!）
It might sound like a flag, but with Jean, it should be fine.
『Urushi! I'm leaving the main body of Al-Ajif to you! She's weakened, but be careful, okay?』
「Woof!」
Finally, I told Fran, who in turn gave instructions to Kune.
「Kune! Can I leave that centipede woman to you? She seems to have an ice magic weakness.」
「Sure thing, nya! In that case, it's Nyaa's turn, nya! Huh? Did I tell Fran about Nyaa's magic sword's abilities, nya?」
Oh no! Come to think of it, the information from the other me's memories was about Kune's magic sword having ice and snow abilities! W-What should I do?
As I was pondering how to cover this up, Fran spoke up.
「You can tell just by looking. Because of its icy color.」
「I see, nya!」
Well, not exactly "I see." But it seems like she managed to cover it up nicely. I was saved by Kune's foolishness.
「I don't know what you're discussing, but do your best! Your deaths are already certain the moment they appeared! Go, you patched-up creatures!」
「「「Oooohhhhh!」」」
Under Al-Ajif's orders, the undead referred to as "patched-up" creatures all rushed forward simultaneously. Fran and the others each moved to engage the designated opponent.
「Your opponent is me.」
「Grrraaahhh!」
Fran faced the undead, glaring at them. In response, the club-wielding demon let out a battle cry.
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