Aug and Kreutz are veteran adventurers who go by the nickname 'Blade of the Gale'.
　Despite being a small party of two people, they have accomplished numerous requests with little to no failure.
　They have traveled to many places without settling in one place.

　He had a lot of experience and knowledge.
　Although he was now a C-rank, he could be comparable to a B-rank, couldn't he?　That being said.
　That's true, and if they take the promotion test, there's a high probability they'll climb to a B grade.
　The only reason they didn't is because they simply didn't have the time and timing.

　The duo of Aug and Kreuz were, without a doubt, two adventurers who could be called veterans.

　They had steadily climbed to their current position without experiencing any setbacks until now.
　They understand that this is due to their own abilities.
　Hence, they have a lot of pride.

　Only a month after becoming an adventurer, a child - from the point of view of the Augs - has risen to the same C rank as us.
　If you listen to the story carefully, he didn't do it on his own.
　It's because of the fellowship of the strongest species.

　Aren't they cheating?

　I can't help but think about that.

"You gotta knock some sense into a brat like that, you know.
Yes.
'A month to get to the C rating we've spent years getting to?　There's no way that's possible. The power of the most powerful species will do that to you.
'We don't like the idea of more people like that, either. It might make us feel that the quality of our adventurers has diminished.
Yeah. I'm not gonna accept that.
I don't mean to sound harsh, but I guess we'll just have to teach you about reality.
Haha, she's gonna cry.
Or you could just retire.
That's all right. If you were to show the difference between a top-notch job and a forgery like ours, you'd lose your mind.
Shall I show the world what a real adventurer looks like?

　Aug and Kreutz laugh, but they don't seem to notice.
　Which one of them is more naive than the other.



----------



Come on, come on, Rain!　We need to catch the poachers as soon as possible.

　Kanade gingerly pulled my hand away.

'Oh, calm down. You may be in a hurry, but does Kanade know where the poachers are?
Oh.
You have no idea.
Nah I just didn't want to let them win.
Kanade.....
Nyght?

　Nina's non-offensive words stabbed into Kanade's chest.

'You have a tendency to go in line when you make assumptions, don't you?
I suggest you act a little more calmly and intelligently.
'I know you don't want Luna to tell you this, but...'
I'm always thinking and acting in depth, aren't I?
"Soudesne.
'What's the answer to that barb?
Come on. Calm down.

　The conversation keeps getting sidetracked.
　They all have such lively personalities.

I'm not going to let them beat me, either.
Hmmm Rain, that's unusually uninspiring.
How can you not feel bad about that? I'll do it when I have to.
That's what's so cool about it, isn't it?
Yeah?
Hey, it's nothing.
Really?　If that's okay then let's get started.
Meow?　What?
Of course we're looking for poachers.

　I made a tentative agreement with a rabbit that passed by.
　I asked for a companion and also made tentative agreements with dozens of rabbits.

'Rabbits ... a lot ...'

　Nina had a twinkle in her eye.
　Does she like rabbits?
　Kids like cute things, you know.

Okay, go.

　At my signal, the rabbits scatter in unison.


I've never seen it before, so I'm surprised.
If you're this surprised, you're going to be even more surprised down the road?
'Don't make people sound like a surprise box.
But you're not afraid to let the rabbits find it?　I wonder if you can tell the killer from the people involved?

　Tania's question is a fair one.

　The orders I gave the rabbit are simple: 'Find people and tell them where they are.
　There are other people in this forest besides us, the two guys from earlier.
　Some of them will still be here for a normal hunt.
　The rabbit doesn't have the ability to distinguish between those people and the poachers.
　Or rather, it's impossible to give such complicated orders.
　First of all, I don't know what a poacher looks like either.

　As it is now, it's hard to find the poachers.
　So we're going to make one more move.

I'll take care of that.
What are you going to do?
"When you find a person, you remotely assimilate the rabbit. Then we'll determine if the person we find is a poacher or not. We'll have to check each one of them individually, but this will be a sure thing.
Naturally.
''I mean, how could you assimilate remotely...?　I've never heard of such a thing before, but...
Hmm?　We can do this with no problem, okay?　Didn't I tell you that?
I'm not listening to you!
Rain....amazing, you know...
It happens so many times, you know. I'm sure it will happen again and again in the future. You shouldn't be surprised every time you hear something like this.
Hmmm.

　So, people, below.

'So I think we're going to be assimilating in rapid succession, so please be vigilant about your surroundings, just in case.
I love you.
By the way, I've got a question for you.
Yeah?

　Is there something I haven't explained to you?
　Wondering, Tania asks an unexpected question.

'Rain is able to assimilate with the person she signed a contract with, right?
Yeah?
So you'll be able to assimilate us too?
What?
'Oh, if you ask me, I might be able to do that...'
'Rain's assimilation of Sora and the others... it's kind of...'
... um, you're embarrassing me.

　Everyone blushes, as if they are imagining something strange.
　I wave my hands to the side in a hurry.

'No, no, no, no. I can't do that.'
But....
''The only ones who can assimilate are small animals like rabbits, because they can't, or rather can't, deal with someone who has a proper ego. And even if you could do that, how could you take on everyone?
Well, that's just as well.

　Tania laughs, looking convinced.

'If he had the guts, Rain would be doing something about us by now.
Nyaha, Lane can't do that!

　Do they trust you?
　Or is he being belittled for not having the guts?
　It's a delicate decision.

Anyway. You'll keep a lookout. If they react, you'll have to assimilate the rabbit.
I'll take care of it. Rain is not going to be able to lay a finger on you.
Hmmm... I'll do my best.
'Whoa ... while I was saying that, I got a quick reaction. Then I asked for it!

　I'll be safe with everyone else.
　I sat down on a nearby rocky area and slowly closed my eyes.

''.........''

　When I opened my eyes again, my gaze was fixed on the ground-threshold......low.
　It must be the perspective of a rabbit.

　Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the pair of adventurers who had separated earlier.
　They seemed to have reacted to these two.
　It's an outlier this time.
　Next.



----------



　After several rounds of assimilation with the rabbit, you search for the poachers.
　Adventurers, hunters, merchants... I found all sorts of people, but the all-important poachers were gone.
　Are they not in the forest now?
　Or did I miss it?

　When I became slightly impatient...

What?

　As he assimilated another rabbit, he found a group of suspicious men.
　The four men had bows and arrows and demolition knives in their hands.
　If that was all they were doing, it would seem that they were just hunting...

　They were after the Hornwolf.
　There's no doubt about it.
　These are the poachers.