Are you done with your consultation?

　What awaited us as we left the guild was Mist standing on what looked like a transition camp.
　There were no other adventurers or Sieg-san, not to mention Hanzam, around him, and for a moment I thought about the possibility that Mist was the enemy.

The other adventurers are already just fighting outside the walls. Can you not be so hostile?

...... reflect on your own conduct before you say it.

　Narsena slapped Mist's words away quickly.
　As if to show that Narsena's words are the same thing as mine, I also glare at Mist.

'In the first place, why did Zeke-san and the others go outside ...... the city walls without permission?

Yeah, I transferred him out of the maze.

'Nah!'

　Mist tells me as if it's nothing.
　It's the attitude that makes me more astonished.
　...... To this elf, even the transfer team, which was said to be the only lost technology in the labyrinth city, is just a convenient tool?
　It is true that Mist was an enemy, but there was no doubt that he was a capable presence.
　Even so, he couldn't allow himself to be arbitrary.

'I know it's an excellent idea until you use the transition team to get in and out. But why did you use it without telling your masters?

　The city walls covering the labyrinth city were built in such a way that the direction where the labyrinth was located just opened up, so it wouldn't be impossible to get out.
　Nevertheless, it is certain that the transition camp is much more convenient.
　Hence, you can never be blamed for getting in and out of the transition camp.

''...... Besides, you did something like sending Sieg-san and the others out of the labyrinth city without permission?''

　But everything else was too much.

'I don't think it's up to you guys to forgive or anything else.

　No matter how much I glared at him, Mist's smile didn't change.

'In the first place, I'm not convinced you can blame me for this decision.

...... What do you mean by that?

''I know that even if I don't hide it. I suppose it's better to reduce the number of demonic beasts as much as possible in order to reduce the burden on Larma as much as possible.

　Mist piles on the words, as if to say that he's seeing something in perspective.
　...... But the meaning of those words didn't make sense to me at all.

'So what are you talking about?'

　It was then that the smile that Mist had plastered on his face like a mask froze.

'...... that idiot,'

　The moment he spat that out, the smile had disappeared from Mist.
　Until now, no matter what, Mist had been wearing a smile, but this was a different expression.
　Both me and Narcena were blindsided by it.

''Well, we don't have time to worry about that right now, do we?''

　It only took a moment for Mist to show that expression.
　With just one word, Mist changed his mind and plastered the same smile on his face as usual.
　Narsena and I stand dumbfounded at the change so much.
　I doubt if the change in Mist's expression just now was even real.

''Roust.''

　But the heavy echoes in the next words Mist told him proved that he hadn't misjudged his earlier expression.

'You had better keep an eye on Larma. If you wish to save your master's life,'

...... Huh?

What's that all about: ......

　Me and Narcena try to listen back to Myst's meaningful words.
　But there was no more time for that.

　The shifting formation shines and the scene in front of me changes.
　In the next moment, there was no mist in front of us, and the battlefield spread out in front of us.
　Looking behind me, I check the large city walls and realize that I've transitioned outside the walls.

'd*mn it, at least give me some more explanation: ......!

　I let out a grudge against Mist, who only says meaningful things to me.
　I look around, but Mist is nowhere to be seen.
　Considering that Mist will move Ronald-san and the others outside the city walls in the transfer team, it's not surprising.
　If we waited, Mist would eventually show up, but I understood that if we had the time to do that, we needed to defeat as many demonic beasts as possible.
　While looking at the fighting adventurers, Narsena, whose face was twisted in bitterness, opened her mouth.

''It's ...... an abomination, but for now, let's give priority to the demonic beasts.

'Right. Now we have to cover Mr. Zeke.

　After checking the surroundings and confirming that Siege-san is nowhere in sight, Narsena and I strengthen our bodies and start running.
　We ducked through the adventurers fighting the demonic beasts and headed to the back where Zeke-san would be.

''Fight the orcs with more than one party!

　In the middle of it all, I hear a voice that sounds like Marnell, and I smile at the corners of my mouth.
　The adventurers are currently an indispensable force that can keep the orcs at bay.
　I've been thinking about covering them if they were being pushed, but the adventurers were fighting a good battle at a level that showed there was no need for that.
　The fact that Marnell and his team were probably involved in that reason makes me happy.

''We can't afford to lose either, can we?''

...... Yeah, yeah.

　I nodded and stepped even faster to Narsena, who told me that I hadn't said anything, but she told me that she had set her mind to it.
　It wasn't long after that that I saw Zeke-san in the distance.

''Whoa!''

　Zeke was in a grassy field some distance from the adventurers' battlefield.
　There, Zeke-san was crossing two ogres and about three orcs.
　The scene showed that Zeke-san's strength as a warrior was quite high.

'...... awesome.'

　When Rich arrived, Mr. Zeke was taking a long time to eradicate the ogre.
　I know that's something that Zeke-san, a warrior by nature, is not good at.

''Even so, I didn't expect it to make this much of a difference.

　I couldn't help but admire Zeke-san's appearance, who still looked comfortable while dealing with two ogres and three orcs.

　As for stalling the monster beasts, Zeke-san was showing an extraordinary amount of ability in that regard.

　His skill in handling the attacks of magical beasts with his large sword, his armor with high defensive power, and his offensive power to strike the magical beasts with a single blow if they were exposed to an opening.
　His lack of quickness was a disadvantage, but other than that, everything else was at a high level of ability for Sieg-san.

　He thought he had learned from the Phoenix battle that Zeke-san was a capable warrior.
　But Zeke-san is a warrior that exceeds my expectations.
　He's different from Margurus, who can only attack and can't attract hexenbiests, and me, who can only attract hexenbiests imperfectly.

　Zeke was a warrior who had the ability to call himself a disciple of Ronald-san.
　What I should regret is that Zeke-san's fighting style is not suited for a labyrinth runaway.
　No matter how long Zeke-san had the ability to attract two ogres for a long time, it didn't matter here and now.
　This is because what is needed now that the monster beasts are pouring out one after another is not the ability to attract ogres, but how fast can you defeat them?

　No matter how much Zeke, he won't be able to deal with more ogres if there are more ogres.

"A new player from the labyrinth!　Probably a couple of ogres or so!

　It was then that Narsena raised a warning voice against the swarm of demonic beasts that appeared as if she had seen it coming.
　I reacted to Narsena's voice and looked towards the demonic beasts, and I immediately made a decision.
　It would be impossible for Sieg-san to defeat the two ogres before that swarm of demonic beasts could reach us.
　However, Narsena and I are fully capable of handling them.

　When I judged that, Narsena and I had already closed the distance between us until we were close to where Zeke was fighting.
　A few more steps and I was at a point where I could close the distance.

　Even then, the three orcs didn't seem to notice us as if they hadn't noticed us.
　Single-mindedly, they were punching their fists at Zeke-san.

'...... Arateka.'

　However, the ogre was different.
　Even though it was in the middle of launching a fierce attack against Sieg, one of them suddenly turned to face our direction.
　And then, as if to protect the ogre, another one stands in front of Zeke.

　...... The monster beast in front of me is different from the ogre I've been fighting at the lower levels.
　It was then that I clearly understood that.

　The intelligence in the ogre's eyes and above all the overflowing strength.
　It's true that the ogre in front of me was an existence that Zeke-san would only call comparable to a super-difficult monster beast.
　Even so, I never felt any fear or threat from the ogre.

''Narsena, leave the ogre to me.

Gahhhh!

　With that said, I stepped forward at the same time as the ogre swung his fist down at me with all his might.

　A fist as big as my head is swung down with a force that could easily shatter a rock.
　I easily brushed it off.

......!

　I'm convinced once again as I meet the ogre's gaze, which is filled with astonishment and impatience.

''After all, it's easy to pass up a humanoid attack.

　Even if they were to mutate, the ogre would not be a threat to them.

　It's true that ogres are just as powerful as super-difficult monster beasts.
　Just like the super-difficult monster beasts, they are an existence that other adventurers would never be able to defeat.

　However, I know the Hydra, Phoenix and other super-difficult monster beasts that I've dealt with.

　The ogre in front of me is comparable to super-difficult monster beasts in some abilities, but that's all.
　Other abilities are far inferior to those of the super-difficult monster beasts, so they are easy to control.

　And most importantly, I'm more compatible with it than ogre.

''Gaaaaaah!　Gahhhh!

　I reinforce that thought as I handle the ogre's rush with ease.
　The strength of an ogre lies in its monstrous power.
　As for the Ogre that has mutated, it can display extraordinary power comparable to a super-difficult monster.
　You have to admit that this is indeed a threat.

　If you're an adventurer other than me.

''Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

　It may be that the ogre has decided that this is not going to get us anywhere, and with a yell, the ogre is grabbing at me.
　But this time I didn't avoid the attack.
　I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

'Apparently, I'm better than you in the contest of strength.

　And then, he shook off the ogre's arm with ease.

　That was a scene that was inherently impossible.
　It is possible only because I am able to handle the two powers of qi and magic, the ability to strengthen my body in an abnormal way.
　The Ogre in front of me was standing there dumbfounded, as if to say that he couldn't believe what I was doing.
　As I look at that ogre, I recognize it clearly.

　I am stronger than the ogre in front of me.

　The fact that this was the case made me feel a hot feeling in my chest.
　It's different from the time before when I had to desperately tame the attack.

''Gaaaaaah!''

　I guess the ogre judged my attitude, which seemed to be buoyed by the heat, to be spare, and with a yell, it struck at me.
　However, its fist was nothing more than a ravaged one.

　I shrug off the attack and pierce the ogre's heart, which has lost its poise, with an exploration.

''Gah!''

　Still not dying, the ogre with hatred in its eyes reaches out to me, but that's as far as the resistance goes.
　Just before grabbing my body, my arms stop and I realize that the ogre is doomed.

'If it's only an ogre, I'm not going to lose?

　Ronaldo is enough for Fenrir.

　Before the battle, the words that Master told us before the battle come back to me.
　Those words were probably meant to make us focus on defeating the ogre.
　However, it seems that dealing with ogres is not as difficult as I had thought.
　If that's the case, it would be better to participate in the defeat of Fenrir.
　Thinking about this, I mutter.

'Let's take out the ogre quickly and help Ronald-san with it.

　...... I had no way of knowing that I am now fighting far beyond the expectations of my masters.