"We ...... wonder why we're in the woods. There's good food at the encampment. ......
"I don't know!　If you have a problem with that, take it up with a Sumptroll!
I don't know! If you want to complain, go talk to a Sumptroll!" "That guy from Zwait was right when he said Sumptrolls were naive. The food is emergency rations. Are they really coming?　Killers. ......

　The bloodline youths had taken a detour off the road on their way to the Rahmah forest and set up base on the other side of the academy camp.
　They were in charge of guiding the [Hydra] assassins, but they acted haphazardly and unprepared, and had not brought food or the necessary equipment for the encampment.
　Fortunately, we had a tent and emergency rations, but they were not going to last long. It would have been too foolish and unthinking to feel any sympathy.
　But it was the SumTrolls who had chosen the rendezvous point, and they had only followed them, not thinking deeply about why they were following the SumTrolls' words.
　The Blemite's magic had implanted a suggestion in their minds that they did not question. However, this kind of spell must be cast regularly, or the effect will fade and eventually be broken.
　Fortunately or not, their spell was not going to break for a while.

"Here they come: ...... They're here, too, what the hell?

　They saw a girl in a pink Eastern costume and a boy in knight armor. And a flamboyant woman in a black cloak and evening gown of the same color, wearing ornaments that showed her taste for money, was coming towards them side by side.
　They looked completely colored. Not the attire of an assassin.

"Hey, Sumptroll, ...... are you sure you're okay with that?
I don't know. ....... I don't know, but I've heard they're pretty good.

　The woman in the black dress comes over to us with a friendly smile on her face.

Thanks for waiting. Honestly, I'm lost. I have to admit, I was a little lost. I mean, what kind of man wouldn't want to meet up with a woman in a place where the grass is so thick?
"Shut up!　You guys do what you're told. But ......, what are you two doing here?
They're my bodyguards. Reinhardt and Nameless, nice to meet you.
Are you kidding me?　You're not going to stand out with these three flashy guys!
But they're strong.　They're strong enough to kill all of you. Huh.

　They immediately paled when they heard that I was skilled, despite my appearance.
　It's true that the three of them are colored, but all of their equipment is top-notch, too much for a poor backroom faction like the Bloodline to afford. In addition, they also wear a lot of what looks like magic tools, and if they sell two or three of them, they can live happily for several years.

"Hey, Miss Sharanra, ........ They're all around my age, and they're asking me to do a bunch of unthinking work for them?　It's annoying. Well, I'm free to go, so that's good.
Yeah, right.　They are stupid kids who can only say 'kill' without thinking of a plan. Pity the idiot who doesn't understand that if he kills the duke's sergeant, it'll be his own head. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
"...... trouble. I'll do it if it means I get to eat. ......
It's so easy to get murdered. ....... Well, if it pays the bills, I'll do it. So?　What's the status of the target?　How many guards do we have?

　Shallanra asks the Sumtrolls about the security of the target, Zveit.
　But the Sumptrolls all had complicated looks on their faces and clammed up as if something was stuck in the back of their throats.

What's going on?　I'm asking how many guards do you have?　Don't tell me you haven't checked?
"That's the thing, ......, there's something strange going on. There are only two guards hired by the academy, and they're surrounded by ...... nasty creatures. It's terribly strong.
"Troublesome creatures?
Oh, ...... believe it or not, it's a wild cockatoo. ......
"Huh?

　Wild Cocco is a relatively weak demon. If they become stronger, it will only be when they evolve, and they are not something to be trifled with.
　However, the Sumptrolls looked quite serious and all of them were holding their heads in their hands.

You ...... can't even beat those chickens? It's pathetic!
"Shut up!　You can easily kill a mere wild cockerel with me!　But ...... that thing is crazy!
I've slaughtered half the bandits I've hired. ......
It's definitely a subspecies or mutant!　It's strength is on a whole other level. ......
It's a monster. ....... That's definitely not a cock!

　I'm not sure what to make of this. I don't understand more and more.


　In contrast to the frightened students of the bloodline school, the pink shinobi girl had a glint in her eye.

If you think I'm lying, I'll show you with this magic tool.

　I'm not sure if you've heard of it or not, but I'm sure you've heard of it.
It's called the Pearl of the Time Seal, and it's a magical tool that looks like a digital camera. Of course, it is a relic from the old days.
　Seeing the image, Shallanra and Reinhardt couldn't keep their mouths shut.
　What they saw were three chickens ruthlessly destroying bandits. They are so fast that you can't keep track of their movements, and the moment you take your eyes off them, countless bandits are flying through the air, slaughtered, and killed in a single blow.

It's a joke, isn't it?　It's not the strength of a cockerel, no matter how you look at it. ......
It's a nuisance. ...... Concealment, long range, striking, swordplay, it's all there, and the bandits are no match for it. ....... What level are you at? ......

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. You never know where you might be attacked from.

You can't even tell where they're coming from. I don't know how strong it would be if it had a tamer. ......
No, I'm pretty sure he's around. Without the tamer, this beast would be unmanageable. ......
...... Coco-chan. So cool!

　I'm not sure if I'd be able to do this if I were you. They are invincible chickens.
　To be honest, they were so annoying that I didn't want to deal with them.

These guys are crazy. ...... It's crazy, no matter how you look at it.
"We'll just have to isolate the target. Fortunately, I have that kind of magical equipment, so we'll just have to draw them away.
"But what if this chicken comes out?　What if this chicken comes out?
The target itself isn't very strong, is it?　Probably as strong as those boys over there. You can kill it with one blow.
I see. ...... The people in this world are very weak for some reason. I'm not sure what to make of it.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　We don't know how strong the cockerels are. And with their owners by their side, we didn't know how strong their opponents would be. It would be strange if they were not at least as strong as the coccoons, but the lack of information makes me uneasy.

After that, if possible, put the others in trouble. Then we'll rescue them.
"Okay, so you want to build up your reputation. But will it work that way?
You'll do what we ask. That's your job!
You're so arrogant! Why don't you just do it yourself? You can't rely on others to do it for you.
You're barking up the wrong tree!　I said just do it!
Don't think you can just yell at him and he'll listen to you, okay?　We don't owe the boy anything, okay?　We don't have a problem killing him here. ......
"Ugh. ......

　There's nothing left for the Sumptrolls to do. He'll never be able to take over the Weasler faction if he doesn't raise his profile here.
　It was typical of him to have a desire for honor at this point, but he didn't think it would lead to anything fatal.
　He doesn't know. He doesn't know that the Lord of the cockerels is a being of insane strength. And he had no way of knowing that it was Zveit's mentor.
　Lack of information can sometimes lead you astray. In some ways, Shallanra and the others had a better eye for information than he did.
　In any case, things were starting to move quietly.

　.

"Mmmmmm, good morning. I've had a really good rest. My back hurts. ......
"Master, ...... have you been asleep since you came home last night?
I was up all night. Your juniors won't be able to move until tomorrow, and I'll be free today. ...... Can I get an escort?
Did you do something crazy to get me to escort you?
No, there was a cocky little boy who was saying lukewarm things. I was just trying to teach him a lesson.
I thought so. I knew it. You've gone back to [the time]. ......
I'm not sure why my mood goes to the abusive side when I enter the ...... forest these days. ......

　The next day after the Zeros returned, the young mages of the academy were too tired to move and were forced to rest for the day.


　In the event that you do not have time to do so, it is the old man who is free, and since he has free time on his hands, he was planning to take a walk in the woods today. Of course, he would stand by to protect Zveit, but it was mentally difficult to maintain a tense situation with an opponent who could attack at any moment.
　He wanted to keep his distance from Tsveit and go for a walk in the forest of Ramahd.

"Do you think Master will try to trick us?
'We have two days of opportunity, today and tomorrow.　If your party goes into the forest today, they'll have to rest tomorrow, and I'm sure he'll try.
"Is there any chance they'll set it up at the academy instead of the actual training?　Or maybe tomorrow when you're stuck at .......
That will be difficult. The academy itself is well equipped to protect its students, using the warding magic of the old days. If you want to break into the academy, you'll need to go through formalities, and above all, you'll be more visible.
"I suppose there's always the possibility that you might dare to take a risk, but what about that?
The people behind the scenes are afraid of having their faces exposed, so they won't take that risk. If they do, they must be very fanatical, don't you think?　I'll put my own safety first, so I doubt they'll try it tomorrow.

　In the dormitory, there were magical devices embedded in the walls that could be called alarms against intruders, and even if they used magic to enter, they would be automatically eliminated.
　If you can get into a room, you can assassinate someone, but it's difficult to get there. An outsider would be conspicuous, and more importantly, the Dukes of Solstair would not be without guards.
　In terms of risk, assassinating him here in the forest would have a higher success rate.

But it's tiring to be wary of someone you don't know what they're going to do. I need a break. ......
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. If you encounter one, please send out a distress signal immediately.
"Alright. I don't want to be reckless either, but I might have to fight to protect myself. ......
Your priority is to survive. If you can't escape, you'd better concentrate on buying time. I'll take care of the rest. I won't let you leave alive. ......
"Scary!

　The old man used to be ruthless against PKs.
　He would retaliate with even more inhumanity against those who used despicable means to kill others and take their equipment.
　And the nasty grimoire he used at that time is still in his inventory.

I wonder if I'll ever use it. ....... I'd love to see how it works, but ...... hmm...
Master?　I don't suppose you're thinking of using a bad magic tool, are you?
I'm not sure what to make of this.　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's had it.　I mean, why does it look so fun?
If you're going to use it for experimentation, it's better to go rogue so your conscience doesn't hurt. ......
I'm sorry to hear about your douchebag ...... partner.

　The old man was already in annihilation mode.
　It's a bit of a no-brainer, since you haven't seen him yet, but I don't think he can take on a Zeroth that's over 1000 levels.
　Since there is an overwhelming difference in simple physical ability, an ordinary opponent would be easily defeated. The problem is that the old man himself doesn't know his own strength, and even a light attack can kill him instantly.
　The problem is that he doesn't know his own strength and can be easily killed by light attacks. This was a very troublesome problem.

Even if you take it easy on them, they can kill you instantly, depending on the opponent. ....... It's a good idea to take it easy on them from the start, tie them up, let them recover, and force them to equip various prototypes. ...... I miss those days.
"Master ......, you're not saying it out loud, but you look really bad, okay?
What?　Really?　That's not good. ...... Poker face, poker face ......

　He was a man who had no mercy for bad guys, but he didn't realize that he was even more of a bad guy.
　The only thing on his mind now was how to neutralize and "punish" them. The old man seems to be enjoying himself so much that Zveit is surprised.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation.
I'm going back to being an annihilator.

　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

　Zveit and his party went into the forest again.
　As an event of the academy, upgrading is a necessary task in order to train talented people. In the event that you're not sure what to do, you'll be able to find out by yourself.
　In any case, only the high achievers and their opposite, the low achievers, participate in this event, while the middle achievers are left to their own free will.
　The inferior students were desperate to earn credits, while the superior students needed to be nurtured as future cadets of the Mage Order. Normally, it would be more effective to have excellent instructors give lectures and divide the class into separate classes with their own caligulum, but most of the instructors were middle-class mages, and in some cases, the top performers were better than the rest.
　This is the result of being caught between the faction leaders and requests from the nobility, and not knowing what to do, I fled in a safe direction. It's not that I don't like it, but it's not that I don't like it.

　But I can't blame the instructors. They are constantly forced by their superiors to do unreasonable things, and not a few of them suffer from stomach problems due to stress.
　If they were stared at, they would be manipulated behind the scenes, and there was a fear that they would not be able to lead even a normal life, so the lecturers' camp had no choice but to cross factions, join hands with each other, and keep searching for a compromise.
　I don't know if I should say it's a blessing or not, but for now, the academy has been able to keep up appearances without any problems, and it's true that the academy has been effective in training mages with at least a modicum of ability.
　Unfortunately, the students of the academy are unaware of such internal conditions and are occupied with accepting and attending lectures and events as a matter of course. In other words, there is no change, but since the academy has been run like this without any problems, it is understandable that they would think that they should just leave it to the mercenary guild this time as well.


　Educational institutions are always under pressure from the outside to educate other people's children, and this is no different even though the world has changed. But there is no guarantee that it will end well this time.

Huh~...... is the big day. It's going to be a depressing day.
I'm not sure I can help you.　I don't know if I can help you, but I'd be happy to talk to you about it.
Oh, I'm just wondering how that ...... Sam Troll idiot is going to work out. I know he's working behind the scenes with the Bloodline Faction, but I don't know what he's up to.
"Bloodliners, huh? They have a strong sense of elitism. They're so elitist that they think they're just genetically predisposed to use magic, even though it's not that effective.
"Some of them can, but most of them belong to institutions under the king's direct control. They are idiots who think their achievements are their own, and the ones who are growing are out of control.
I don't know why they can't just say that they own the achievements of others.　They've earned it. It's theirs, isn't it?
Because they'd be miserable if they didn't cling to the achievements of others. What good is faulty magic?

　Among the mages who inherit bloodline magic, there are some who possess powerful magic.
　They are assigned to intelligence agencies under the king's direct control or to units that perform special missions. They are treated well, but there are those who cling to the achievements of these successful people and expand their faction.
　It was annoying to the successful people, and they kept their distance from those who were doing stupid things, but they were annoyed because their names were being used without their permission.
　The unreasonable common sense that people's achievements are their own is prevalent, and I often ask the Mages, "Please do something about it, no seriously!　They're using my name without permission.　I don't know why, but I got a bill from an unknown tavern. There are several ...... requests that could be considered complaints or petitions.
　They were thick-skinned and brazen, despite their lack of ability.

In a way, it's the perfect faction for Sumptrolls. ....... The Bloodline Faction is not an official faction, but ......
"Well. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea. It's not good for the bloodline mages who worked hard to become successful.
They treat successful people like traitors. And they're harassing us, aren't they?　They're like flies, aren't they?
Exactly. Even if you get rid of them, they'll keep coming back. ....... It's annoying to serious people.

　The bloodline faction is a sort of terrorist reserve army.
　They believe that they are the legitimate bloodline of mages, and they look at others obliquely and belittle them. They have a pompous attitude even though they have no ability, and they are willing to humiliate others to get their point across.
　They are even willing to kill those who oppose them, and they have connections in the underworld, making them a troublesome group indeed. The trouble is that they have ties to foreign bloodthirsty groups, and although they are a small faction, they are a large organization.

They say that they will eventually 'restore the glory of the old days', but according to old documents, they are the descendants of criminals who were born as a result of failed magical experiments.
"You don't believe that, do you?　You don't believe that, do you? They say they're from a noble family from an old magical civilization.
Yeah, well, the old civilization was a democracy, and they didn't have royalty or nobility.
You're not learning enough and you're delusional. It's still annoying, though. I can see why Sumptrolls go there. ......
"I can't believe you're getting good grades with that. I've heard rumors that they're working behind the scenes to falsify grades, but there's no proof.

　The government of the old magical civilization is known to be a democracy from old documents. However, the bloodline faction refused to admit it and thought that the current royalty and nobility had fabricated it.
　The trouble is that one of the four gods seems to have given an oracle to the blood magic users, and this has caused the blood mages to grow, which has contributed to this confusion. After that, the bloodline mages rebelled once every hundred years, and each time the tragic history was repeated.

"Hey, Zveit ......, I don't care what you do, but you need to be careful of your surroundings.
Oh, sorry. I got carried away.
I don't think I can do anything about those thumbtroll idiots, but if you worry too much you'll end up more than just hurt.

　Having been warned by his companions, Zveit turned his attention to his surroundings.
　There are no demons in sight, but this is a place where wild creatures compete for survival. The slightest carelessness could lead to a fatal mistake.
　Wild beasts sometimes hide and sometimes use scent to keep their distance. Even now, they may see us as their prey and be watching vigilantly for an opening.

I'm not sure.　I'm not sure what you're talking about.　It smells sweet .......
What are you talking about?　Dio. I don't really smell anything. ......
No, there's a faint sweet smell on the wind. ...... What is it?
Don't be nervous about the smell. We're after demons, remember?

　Dio noticed the smell on the wind, and his friends denied it. Zveit also looked into the wind to see if he could smell it, and sure enough, there was a slight sweet scent coming from it.
　He didn't feel the need to be alarmed by the smell, but something stuck in the corner of his mind. There are several types of sweet scents to be wary of in the forest, but they are generally those that attract fascination or demons.

I'm sure Master ...... said something about this before. I'm sure you've heard of some of the sweeter scents that are more effective at attracting and charming prey. ......?　The man-eater's companion has a similar ability: ......Man-eater!

　That's when Zveit remembered. I'm not sure if you'll be able to find the right one for you.



Oh, shit!　You guys, let's get as far away from here as possible!
"Hmm?　What are you talking about, Zveit? ......
It's just a sweet smell.　What are you in such a hurry for?
Idiot!　It could be an evil perfume. It's that thing that attracts demons!
「「「「! 」」」」

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation. The evil perfume made from its petals was a powerful magic potion that, when sprinkled, would attract most demons, except for a few.
　Naturally, due to its danger, permission was required to use it, and if it was spread everywhere without permission, it would separate the head from the body. It was a dangerous potion that was strictly enforced in every country.

"Are you insane?　You Samtrall, you can't even use this stuff!
We'll talk about this later!　Let's get out of here!
Hey!　d*mn it, if we find that bastard at the ...... Academy, we'll beat him to a pulp!

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　It is obvious that if you stay here, you will be surrounded by a pack of demons, and no matter how much you have improved, your life is at stake. The first priority was to flee to a safer place.
　But Zveit was the only one who didn't run away. No, he couldn't escape.

"What?

　His body suddenly became heavy and he fell forward.

"Zveit?

　When I turned around, I noticed that there was something in front of me that was blocked by a wall that looked like it was covered in a white mist.

Is this a ...... barrier?　No, it's not a ...... barrier!
"Dio!　You've got to get out of here!
Zveit!　But what about you?
I can handle it!　I can handle myself! The wards mean that I'm safe.
But ...... I don't know what to think about this.
Don't worry, we've got this covered. But look around you!　There's a bunch of demons coming your way.
...... I'll be back to help you, I promise!　Until then, stay safe!

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.
　As soon as he saw that Dio was moving away, he released the magic of the ring that Xellos had given him. This would tell Zeroth where he was.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. And the weight is still there.
　As if to confirm, Zveit looked behind him, and saw a thin, transparent something appear on his back, where he was supposed to be carrying nothing. The color gradually becomes clearer and clearer, and eventually a girl in an Eastern-style costume appears. 　
　In short, it is as if you are carrying a girl on your back.

"...... Who are you?
"............Ogya......
"......?
"...... Ninpo, Grandpa Crying ............?
No. ...... "No? I don't understand.
".........

　Zveit and the girl look at each other in silence. There is a strange atmosphere in the air.
　In the event that you've got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site.
　But more than that, Zveit wanted something to be done about this strange atmosphere.
　It was a strange atmosphere that he had never experienced before. 　

　I'll go back in time a little.

　Let's go back in time a bit.
　Xellos, who was walking behind Zveit's party on the way, was more ......

I'm lost ...... I was just gathering a few medicinal herbs, what can I do?

　...... I got lost.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends.

Well, what should I do? Well, if it comes down to it, there's always a way. ......?

　When you look at the rocky ground, you find something shiny.


　It seems to be some kind of ore, but we won't know until we dig it out. The old man quickly took out his crane beak and swung it down at the rock.
　The sound of crushing rock echoed in the area.

This is ...... manadite ore. You can use it to make magic tools. ...... This is the Flare Sapphire. If you process it into a magic gem, you can increase the power of flame magic.

　And the old man happily began mining with his crane beak. The blood of a production worker tingled in his veins.
　Once he started, there was no stopping him. The crane beak he wielded became faster and sharper, and as if he was using a rock drill, he drilled a hole in the rock and pushed forward.
　It would not be an exaggeration to call this crushing. When the crushed ore was collected outside by magic and appraised, most of it was iron ore, but rare minerals such as gems and [mana crystal stone] could be found.

You can make artificial spirit crystals by soaking them in mana crystals ...... and compressing them with spirit water. If possible, I'd prefer natural ones, but maybe I'll use them for the ......【Ether Cultivation Fluid】?　Hmm, I'm torn. ......

　In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information on the web. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
　It's also a great way to make sure that you don't end up in a situation where you can't get out of it.

In order to extract the spirit factor from the hair of the maple tree, it would be more effective to use natural products, and although I have never done it before, the same thing can be done from the evil god stone. You'll need at least two large spirit crystals. ......

　In the past, when I mined in the mines, I found a lot of metal ores, but this place seems to produce a lot of medium ores that are used in alchemy. Normally, he would be obligated to report this to the mercenary guild, but the old man has no interest in mercenary work in the first place.

The more materials, the better. Maybe we'll find some natural spirit crystals. Hahahahaha!

　He waved his crane beak in a good mood and resumed his mining work.
　This work continued until the rescue call came from Zveit. Thus, the old man's [harassment plan] progressed little by little.
　The old man's [harassment plan] progressed little by little, and he became absorbed in the mining work, as if he had developed a bad habit from the time of [Sword and Sorcery].