Starting with the breaking of the jar containing the『Blood Maple』, the situation changed suddenly.
It was a dangerous honey which ceaselessly lures in, each and every type of demon.
It wasn’t even needed to predict, what would happen if one jar containing this highly concentrated honey broke into pieces.
Currently we were running at full speed to get out the forest as soon as possible.
『Leaving from that place』would be a half-assed useless idea, according to Suura-san.
As for the reason, it was scent of『Blood Maple』.
The scent of this honey was so strong, that even if it was put in jar or pot, the scent would leak out of it, that so really easily.
According to Suura-san, normally they would have left the honey, as it would act as a diversion and our safety would increase, but this time these are all smuggling products, so they are needed to be taken back as evidence.
Therefore, the ones that weren’t broken have been packed into carriages of the guards.
The carriage in which the whole honey has been spilled, had strong scent ingrained into it, so let alone the forest, it would be dangerous everywhere, and so we left that carriage behind.
The final blow was that everyone present at that scene had somewhat scent of it stuck to their bodies.
The so-called『lingering scent』. That alone was enough to lure in monsters.
And so currently, we were attempting to run at full speed – at the maximum speed that the carriage could bear/cope with – while intercepting the demons which were attracted by the scent.
The members of squad led by Suura-san too were fighting all-together.
Surrounding the carriage, and with magicians on top of carriage, they were defending it from the demons and were helping the advance of the carriage.
Of course, Elk, Zari, those two delinquents and I, too, were in the frontlines.
If we didn’t then the corpses would only increase, so there was no other choice.
Incidentally, my existence was something like that of an striker, I just needed to eliminate the demons interfering.
It wasn’t like I couldn’t launch long distance attacks, but this way was more of my speciality.
I left the long distance attacks to guards and Suura, and Zari who could use magic,
「Hwochaaaa!!」
While raising a shout resembling to characters in old kung fu movies, I shot out a roundhouse kick towards the front.
With that one attack, I attacked three…four demons who were about to attack the carriage.
With that momentum, I swung my kick towards the rear and got rid of every moving obstacle in my kick’s range.
「Ah Minato-kun! I will do some cleaning over there, step aside a little bit!」
The moment my feet landed on ground, Zari said that to me from the roof of carriage.
I glanced from the edge of my eyes, I could see an orange magical power coiling around his hand.
I was in a quite bad place to avoid it with a side step, so I fixed my centre of gravity and step away from there while doing continuous backflips.
「Thank you……『Sandstorm』!」
In the next instant, including the place I was standing before and the front of Zari, got covered with a sandstorm like magic.
He sweeped out the small demons like insects and all, because it was difficult to go in close-combats with them due to their small size.
The demons with big bodies were the only ones left.
I was dealing with them by directly assaulting them. Suura-san too was dealing with them with her bow and arrow and powerful magic.
The demons who would slip through our line of defense, were left to people riding in carriage or people fighting near the carriages. which was the position Elk was given.
Incidentally, Alva was in carriage because the situation was dangerous.
I told it with a great deal of efforts, and now it was obediently waiting for us. It really is smart.
Even so, the demons were too much……
The numbers couldn’t be compared to before the time the『maple』was spilled in that carriage. In 5-10 mins new flock of demons would come, so we had been fighting all time.
There were no casualties so far, but there had been injured people. All of them were guards.
We had been fighting in rotations, but the fatigue was piling up. At this rate, it wouldn’t be good.
I was having lot of stamina and magical power left, but this situation wasn’t something, I alone would be able to deal with. The thing called as defensive battle had always been a bother.
Furthermore, I was fighting bare-handedly, so compared to Zari who could use magic, the number of demons I could deal at once were lot less. Well for covering it, I was dealing with the big and troublesome opponents.
From that reason, if from here, the numbers of demons didn’t go down then the situation would only get worse without getting chance to improve.
So, the plan to leave the forest as fast as possible could be considered as the ideal one here.
「Suura-san, Zari, Elk, can you three hold on? Don’t you need some rest?」
「I’m fine. Fortunately, I have more magical power compared to normal people. Though, only half of the arrows are left……well, we will have to do something, right」
「I’m also fine. It’s true that I have gotten somewhat tired, but this isn’t the situation to complain for that much of tiredness」
「Keeping it aside, are you alright? You have been fighting since the beginning without taking any rest」
Elk said.
Well, I still had stamina and even my magical power quantity was more, so no problem.
Well, I had still some stamina left, as for my magical power there is a lot left.
And, me getting out right now for rest would……only be bad.
That was because, the situation currently was only made by me fighting without any rest.
Suura-san too knew about it, though faintly.
She said she was fine. but the guards……especially, the ones who were fighting by swinging swords and spears were showing the signs of fatigue reaching its limit. They all needed immediate rest.
Thinking about the fact, that the fatigue would only increase, so I would not leave from here.
Suura-san sent a gaze saying『Please』with an apologetic expression as though she understood the reason I wasn’t taking rest.
I don’t mind that in particular, but, the people taking rest in carriage are in more trouble right now, right?
The squad was divided in various teams, while one team was taking rest and getting healed by people who can use healing magic, all other teams would be fighting outside, and this was rotated after a fixed time.
However, even with that they wouldn’t be able to recover completely and not be able to able to fight for a long time.
In fact, currently too, the fatigue hadn’t been cleared out completely.
At this rate, the next might be fine but the rotation after that might give us some casualties or severely injured people.
In that case, the fighting spirit and morale would decrease and it would turn into a disaster.
More than anything, the fighting potential which had already decreased would decrease even more. That would be complete shit.
……Only if it came to that.
「Umm, Suura-san」
「What happened?」
「Err, for some time starting from now, I will take take charge of vanguards in the front half, so let them all rest in that time」
from now on ,I will take charge if the vanguards in the front half, so let them all rest for some time.
「Wha……Whaatt!? Just what in the hell are you saying!?」
A second later, not only Suura-san but Elk and Zari, too, were sending a gaze right at my face that meant『What the hell are you saying!?』.
「Ah, I’m sorry, but I can only take front half and that is also my limit, so I will leave the demons coming from behind to someone else. And, for the small demons, I leave to you」
「No, will you……really be fine!? I have seen your strength from before, but taking them all alone will be……」
「Yes, I will be fine. Just……」
「Just?」
「……Fighting bare-handedly was getting tough, so I will be changing my fighting style」
More precisely, I take out a pole from the『storage belt』by wishing『come out』.
Do you remember? This was the one I used to coil『Naga』when taking it out. The black pole which could expand and retract at will.
[AK: always reminds me of Rúyì Jīngū Bàng… for those who do not know what it is, it is the name of the staff of Sūn Wùkōng]
[ET: For those people who are much knowledgeable about it. What AK said is commonly known as Monkey King and its (don’t know if it really was male though it is called as King) staff is an expandable one. Quite convenient when putting clothes]
At that point, new flock of demons came, so I moved some more metres forward the guards fighting in the front.
Then, the point when demons reached to the head of pole, I mowed them down while making a line.
[ET: The raw have one character (一), that can be said as line so there you go]
Using that momentum, I raised the pole from down to above diagonally. In those two rounds, one-third of big demons were taken care of.
Then, I step back, 2 steps, and,
「――Expanddddd!!」
The pole expanded several metres, as though it were agreeing to my will. I used the centrifugal force and while making a semicircle in front with the pole, I blew away the demons.
Then, after killing the left one, two demons with my kicks, I faced Suura-san.
「……Well something like this」
「I-I see…… Try not to overdo it」
Suura got convinced with my current actions, and leaving some guards outside the carriage, she let all others rest in the respective carriages.
「……I will be accepting your offer for now, but tell me the moment it gets tough for you. Most likely, Minato-dono is the strongest person here. If you get injured, that will be more troublesome」
「Roger. Then, I will leave the dealing of small ones to you. Zari you too」
「Yes go it~. Ah, Elk-chan you should rest now. And wake those two who are sleeping soundly in the carriage, it is time for your rotation」
Zari said.
Elk was killing the bird demon which came flying when she heard Zari’s words.
Her movements seemed light, but her shoulders we moving because of breathing, and she was sweating a lot.
「Yeah, understood. I have gotten tired……and resting will really help」
「Hm, Good work Elk……don’t move!」
Immediately after,
A bird demon assaulted Elk when she was about to go inside the carriage.
Immediately, I took out a different weapon in my free hand……and threw it towards that demon.
It flew cutting through the air and struck the glabella of bird demon. It was killed and fell down.
Elk was showing an expression of relief and fear just when the danger coming at her was killed. The demon fell near the carriage, Elk took out the thing I threw while still having that expression and then threw the corpse towards the brushwoods on the side of road.
Seeing that shining thing in Elk’s hand, Zari and Knights send a gaze towards it as though they had seen something strange.
Are they not in this world,『shuriken』I mean.
It was something like throwing knife, but because its surface was like a blade, it could be considered dangerous.
Elk was familiar with it because she had been training with me, but when she first saw it, she too was scared.
Incidentally, this thing was made from the same material as Elk’s armor, which was supported by Noel-neesan.
It was a throwing item, so including the fact it had a peculiar shape too, it costs quite a bit. Who cares about that, it is cool and easy to use too.
「Elk, you alright?」
「Yeah, you saved me. Thank you」
「I see. Ah, but take this, for just in case. Here catch」
I stopped Elk before she entered the carriage, and threw the vials of medicine by taking them out of backpack.
It was the so-called『Potion』. It was a drinking medicine which reduces the fatigue and recovers the magical power.
Elk told me to buy them because they’re useful……but it didn’t had any chance of coming out, so it was one of the items who would’ve passed their expiration date.
「Use that. It will help you recovering faster, right?」
「Really? What about you?」
「I am fine, and I probably won’t need it」
「I see……thanks. Don’t overdo it」
Confirming Elk getting inside the carriage, I, once again faced the flock of demons.
Well~ then, I said something like that in such a grandiose manner, so now, I have to work hard at any cost.
I once again took stance with pole in my right hand, adjusted its length and kicked off the ground.
☆☆☆
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