This time there's either others besides me going to gather latex. Four squires and four young men from the village who are on duty this me. The squires and I are equipping the the newly adopted standard of rubber protectors and the gathering members are wearing the older version which used to be the most up to date. However, the only ones armed are the squires and I. The squires all have a sword on their waist and I'm equipped with the bayonet I made.
The work is going smoothly as we gather at our usual pace while remaining vigilant. After we had finished gathering half of what is planned it was just before noon so while it was a little fast we decided to have lunch while taking a break. The meal is black bread, vegetables, and a chicken sandwich. There isn't much of dressing or sauce so to be honest it's not very good but the gathering members can only eat meat every couple of days so everyone is biting into it joyfully.
The gathering job is both forced labor and dangerous but since the chicken sandwich is always provided it's considerably popular. Normally there's no food given for forced labor like farming so that's the secret to its popularity. I take a bite out of one while talking to the squires.
"Is it fine to not have a lookout while one break?"
"Yeah, there hasn't been an attack since then, so I'm sure it's fine. If we quickly finish eating and start being cautious of the surroundings there will be no problem."
Jad's son Whitney who just became an official squire a bit ago says.
"Though, don't monsters target these sort of chances?"
I'm saying these sorts of things but it's not like I'm saying it out of fear. It's just because I know the importance of being careful.
"Al-sama is careful. However, I understand. I'll start keeping lookout right away. Hey, Jamie, you stand on the opposite side from me. Take care of the Southwest."
Whitney says that puts the last bite of the sandwich into his mouth and heads to the Northeast to stand guard. Jamie heads off the same as Whitney to the opposite Southwest direction. They should alternate every 10 minutes.
I feel slightly relieved and return to chewing the not very good sandwich. Black bread is hard so if you don't seriously bite into it you can't tear it apart. Come to think of it in my past life I think the black bread sold at the bakery near my house was somewhat soft inside and not as sour as this. I suddenly remember that I sometimes ate it with my wife on O-bon and new years when we got our hands on good ham or smoked salmon. I can still remember my wife's face. It's fine as long as she's still living in good health.
Around the time I was finishing up getting rid of the sandwich the squires who were on break discretely started talking to me.
"Al-sama, excuse me but could I please ask for some hot water?"
I guess it's for after meal tea. Even if I were to say tea, that's just what I'm calling and it's not the real thing. There's herbs that are grown in the village like mint which give off a good scent when you add hot water and calm you down. I was just thinking about drinking some myself so I turn the water in the canteen handed to me into hot water. The reason I don't create the hot water from scratch is because while water created with magic isn't bad for you it's most likely pure water so it tastes bad. Everyone knows that so they've brought their canteens. The canteens are made from trees and use a rubber cork. I open the rubber cork and use fire magic on the water inside the canteen. If it was water created with magic then it would only take one use of level 2 fire magic to bring this amount of water to nearly boiling but since it's not water I made it uses almost 10 times the MP.
Since I'm casually heating up the water of everyone else with no problem it seems rather than thinking I have a lot of MP they just think I'm skilled at using magic. It's not like there's particularly anything to talk about though so I've never talked to them about that sort of thing.
I change the water in everyone's canteen to hot water and return them. Then put the herb leaves in and boil it for one minute or so and it becomes tea, herb tea, or rather hot herb water. Slowly sip away at it being careful of burns. It has a good smell and once you get used to it, it gives you a refreshed feeling so it feels like it tastes good.
Just like that we had a relaxing break.
During that time I heard Whitney's scream.
"It's a monster!!!"
.........
It finally came huh? The squires and I stand up and inspect our equipment. One of the squires runs towards the village for reinforcements. During these times we had already decided beforehand who has what role so there's no hesitation. I sent Jamie to go call the remaining one then I hurry at full speed to Whitney.
Whitney should be around 200m or so away. While there may not be much underbrush it's in the middle of a forest with uneven ground. You can't get as much speed as running in a field. It'll probably take about 30 seconds. I want to get there as fast as possible but I have to be careful not to trip. If I were to trip then it would take even more time and in my case I have magic so as long as I get within sight range I can attack or anything else without having to get close to Whitney.
I hurriedly run wielding my bayonet. During that time I use Identify to try and ascertain what in the world appeared even a bit faster. Before long the monster that Whitney is fighting against entered my sight. It's a Kobold.
【】
【Male/20/7/7435 · Dog Person Race · Bozo Tribe】
【Condition: Good】
【Age:3 Years Old】
【Level: 2】
【HP: 16(16) MP: 1(1)】
【Strength: 3】
【Speed: 3】
【Dexterity: 1】
【Endurance: 2】
There's four of those. Kobold's are like if you were to have a dog take on the appearance of a human, they're a monster that wanders around on two feet. They're skilled with their hands like humans and have enough intelligence to use weapons and tools. They have small scales all along the surfaces of their bodies but the head is a dog itself. No, is it a dog person or a hyena, or maybe it's a wolf? Well, since it's not a wolf person race or werewolf so I'm sure it's not a wolf. It's a pretty common monster around here. It's not nocturnal so I've never run into them when hunting at night but I've seen them several times during the day. Normally if we have greater numbers they have enough intelligence to run away based on the situation so while I've seen them I've never fought them. I guess they attacked this time because Whitney was alone.
They're aren't a particularly strong monster. They aren't even worth using magic so I should quickly head over to Whitney and join in the melee. I...
"Hyaaaaa!!!"
I let out that sort of battle cry while charging at the Kobold with the end of my bayonet. I stab my bayonet into the center of it's chest and use the inertia from my charge to kick off and remove the bayonet. Since Whitney was fighting against four at once it seems he was gaining time by going on the defense. Just from a glance it seems he's not wounded so far.
In any case with this it's gone from 1v4 to 2v3. Since the opponents are Kobolds we should be fine. I'm sure it's just a matter of time to finish them off. In the first place if Whitney was resolved to go through a bit of danger I'm sure he could have managed them all himself. After this we just need to wait for Jamie and the other squire to come and it'll be 4v3, then we can just all rush in for the kill at once.
We focus on avoiding and parrying the swords and clubs of the Kobolds. It was at that moment.
"Grrrrooaaaaaa!!!"
A Roar reached us.
For a moment our bodies stiffen up. This is...Is it that? A Horned Bear?
The three Kobold's crouch down in a panicked state.
Whitney's probably in a panicked state as well but not as much as the Kobolds.
I quickly fix my posture, I have to prepare for the appearance of the Horned Bear.
I'll quickly defeat it with magic.
Is what I was thinking but I found the Horned Bear several 10s of meters away on the other side of Whitney.
It's charging here a tremendous speed.
This is bad.
Whitney's in the way so I can't use water or dirt. It's probably no good even if I use void magic to fire it off after creating it.
Close range combat against this thing!?
No way, this is no joke.
But, what should I do!?
If I were to retreat from here it would be abandoning Whitney to die.
I can't do something like that.
It can't be helped.
I stand on guard in front of the panicked Whitney with my bayonet. There's already no more than 10m of distance. I point my bayonet like a spear. The Horned Bear which was running on all fours was surprisingly quick and dodged my attack aimed at it's head while moving to body slam me. The shoulder of it's large body hits my chest and sends me flying. If I didn't have the rubber protector I might have broken some ribs. It was that level of force.
After being sent flying about 10m and rolling on the ground I cough while trying to stand but can't get up well. It's not like I received any external damage but it feels like I leaked all of the air in my lungs so the best I can do in my state is glare at the Horned Bear. However, if I don't do something fast, Whitney will be killed. The Horned Bear seems to be aiming to kill off the Kobolds that are crouched down first. It faces the Kobolds and swings its right paw.
I don't know if it's because I'm looking up from the ground but the Horned Bear looks awfully large. The 10cm or so horn on its forehead is sparkling as it reflects the light of the sun.
The Horned Bear continues to swing its right paw just like that and lands a direct hit on the Kobolds crouched and shivering. Along with a sound like gushatt or guchott the Kobold's head disappearances in a mist of blood.
I can't just keep watching absentmindedly like this. It could target Whitney at any moment and I still can't breathe properly as well. I somehow manage to stand up on one knee and let go of the bayonet with my left hand and face it towards the Horned Bear. I use magic while being amazed at myself for not letting go of the bayonet.
I use my modified version of the "Flamethrower" magic, a long and thin burner like flame and swing that or other control it to coil around the Horned Bear. The fire like a gas burner that's generated from my left hand concentrates together and slowly stretches out. I desperately focus mana in and guide it towards the Horned Bears head from the it's left side I'm facing.
It seems the Horned Bear still hasn't realized I'm using magic. This time it swings it's left paw up. Damn it...The risen left paw is in the way so it's difficult to aim directly for it's head. Like I care, for the time being I'll take that left arm!
The gas burner like "Flamethrower" coils around the left paw that's about to be swung down any moment like a living creature and I quickly tighten it. The Horned Bear can't endure the heat of the flame and raises it's voice.
"Gyaaoooon!"
This time it wasn't the special ability Roar but a voice of anguish. My body didn't stiffen up. I continue to tighten the flame. The "Flamethrower" wrapped around the Horned Bear's left arm burns away the borwn outer fur and mercilessly burns it's skin. The Horned Bear faces me as if it just remembered while it's left arm burns and raises a roar of intimidation again.
"Goooooogaaa!"
My concentration on the magic is cut off at the same time as my body stiffens up. The "Flamethrower" wrapped around it's left arm disappears in no time. The paralysis disappears at the same time as the roar and it's completely set me as the target. Damn, next. My chest hurts so much it can't be helped but I can't afford to fall. Thinking it would be plenty to impede it's vision I make enough dirt to fit in a bath. Then with full force use void and wind magic to scatter it.
After that I make a spear of ice this time. I don't have any time so it's just a big larger than a normal spear. However, I made multiple years surrounding me. A total of 5. There's no time to give them any distance so I just send them flying like that where I last saw the Horned Bears head. I heard a zubut sound just once.
It seems I was able to hit the Horned Bear somewhere. I stick my left hand out again planning to use the magic I specially prepared and start releasing my mana but I remember Whitney is still around there so I had no choice but to give up on the new magic. Damn it, what should I do?
The dirt I had scattered clears up and the Horned Bear appears. It seems that the ice spear destroyed his left eye. The spear is stuck in his left eye. Hm...I remember the one-eye I froze in the past.
While wondering what the Horned Bear will come at me with next, it growls while glaring at me. I glare back just the same. My chest still hurts but I refuse to lose in spirit. I let out multiple spears again. And, of all of things, seeing that the Horned Bear turned around surprisingly quick and ran off at a tremendous speed.
It seems Whitney finally came out of the panic and had fixed his guard with the sword but I guess it was surprising so he couldn't react to the Horned Bears retreat as well. Just in case I use Identify on Whitney to check if he's not injured and unable to bear it any longer I collapsed.
It's not like I lost consciousness so while laying there I Identify myself while my HP was halved my condition is still Good. It doesn't seem like there's a fracture but I guess it hurts because my chest where it body slammed is putting pressure on my lungs. But, I'm sure this will recover soon.
Just in case I use recovery magic on myself but while HP was restored the pain in my chest is still the same. It was then that Jamie and the other squire finally came along. The run up and call out after seeing me on the ground but quickly notice the panicked Kobolds. Jamie stands guard at my side while the other squire finishes off the two remaining Kobolds.
Soon after that I recovered and talked about the series of events. It was four Kobolds that attacked Whitney at first. I charged in and finished one off then went into defense to wait for reinforcements. During that time a Horned Bear appeared all of a sudden and attacked us. I managed to wound it but I couldn't finish the Horned Bear off and it retreated. I talked about it all in order.
The victims from before we're probably done in by that Horned Bear. I forgot to Identify the Horned Bear as it retreats but the sight of looking up at it when it first swung it's paw at the Kobold. The sight of it glaring over here while growling. And the sight of it running away as it retreats. They were all things that left an impression on me. I don't think I'll be able to forget it anytime soon.
What's surprising is the Horned Bear that looked that large wasn't actually all that big at all. I know well since I disassembled the Horned Bear I defeated before but it wasn't as much as that. The one this time was probably still young.
I couldn't think about anything but that Horned Bear that's now one-eyed as we withdrawal and head home. This time we somehow managed to survive but what about next time?
Somehow or other I feel like I won't be able to become a full-fledged adult without defeating that one.
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