During the battle, even maintaining visibility was difficult.
The metallic clank of weapons echoed from all directions. Sparks flew as blades clashed, adding to the chaos along with the countless blood sprays and screams.
Both vision and hearing became muffled at once. Nevertheless, I couldn’t afford to delay my judgment for even a moment.
This place was a battlefield where lives were at stake. Any hesitation would result in the enemy’s blade piercing my throat.
With a crack, my hand axe struck down on the skull of one monkey monster. The sound of shattering bone was accompanied by a geyser of blood shooting into the air.
There was no time to hesitate. Before long, a monkey monster was charging toward the Lady Virgin Saint and Senior Elsi, looking for an opening.
I swiftly pulled my hand axe and hurled it to the side.
With another crack, the axe embedded itself into the side of the monkey’s head. With that, yet another life lost its light.
I had to decide the outcome in one or two strikes; otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to deal with the overwhelming number of monkey monsters flooding in.
Before long, corpses of monkey monsters piled up. While more than half of them had been dispatched by the swordsmen who made up our group, the efforts of the Lady Virgin Saint and Senior Elsi were no small feat either.
“Lord, grant me the shield of faith amid trials and tribulations!”
With the Lady Virgin Saint’s quiet cry, a white radiance enveloped our party. It was a holy armor that could deflect even the deadliest blows a few times.
Moreover, I was filled with an unprecedented vitality. As my strength and reflexes enhanced, dealing with the monkey monsters became much easier.
Senior Elsi assisted us in a more explicit manner.
“…Thirty-two constellations, align the elements upon the principle of the second throne!”
Amid the murmurs of countless astral symbols, magical energy began to boil up around Senior Elsi like a furnace.
The undulating and materialized magic spread beneath our feet. Then, with a crackling sound, the energies began to surge skyward in blinding white light.
“Let the light flood!”
At Senior Elsi’s clear voice as a signal, a tempest of energies swept across the ground.
None of the monsters standing on the soil were spared. The beasts that leaped from the trees screamed as they disappeared in clouds of black smoke.
With a crackle, a radiant light exploded forth. I instinctively shielded my eyes, but relying on my instincts, I managed to take the life of one lucky monkey monster that was flying through the air.
As soon as the monkey monster’s body thudded to the ground, a sizzling sound of electrocution could be heard.
The peculiar, acrid smell of burning corpses made me cough and wipe my eyes. Only then did my vision return to clarity.
The battlefield, ravaged by powerful magic, was horrifyingly desolate. The charred remains of the monster lay in ashes, indistinguishable from its former shape.
They all lay with their tongues out, unable even to close their eyes. It was a death that had come as suddenly as it was brutal.
This is why a mage was necessary.
Not only was it advantageous to face numerous opponents in battle, but the lethal magic claiming dozens of lives at once also hampered the enemy’s momentum.
Of course, this was assuming the mage’s abilities had been verified.
If Senior Elsi’s control over her magic had been even a little clumsy, we would have been the ones burning on the ground with those monkeys.
It was a terrifying scenario to even imagine. Shivers crawled up my spine as I flipped over a charging monkey monster.
With a thud, the ground shook. The momentary hesitation allowed the monkey monsters to rush at me with a deafening roar.
I sprang up like a spring, throwing my sword. The blade plunged deep into a monster’s heart. The creature charging alongside it wore a triumphant expression.
It realized that I had no weapon left in my hands.
However, that smile did not last long.
With a gritty sound, metal ground against bone.
The monster that had jumped to attack me and raised its arms looked down in confusion at its own chest.
The blade that had come from the side had pierced its heart, causing it to rub against its ribs. Unable to withstand the shock, the monkey monster collapsed to the ground.
It was a technique that applied the principle of stillness amid motion.
The hand axe soaring through the air changed its trajectory, instantly eliminating both monsters by redirecting the straight i.e. of the blade.
Unfortunately, my adjustments were still somewhat lacking, as I failed to strike directly at the heart, missing the opening between its ribs.
I retrieved my hand axe and approached the gasping monkey monster. Its life, facing death, struggled to look up at me.
Facing that gaze, I couldn’t help but snicker.
“…What are you looking at, you little brat?”
Of course, I felt no pity.
With a crunch, the hand axe struck, blood and brain matter splattering as I brought it down. That monster was the last one.
Those dozens of monsters had lost their lives right here. Even with a force of seven members, it was a notable accomplishment.
However, the expressions of my companions, despite such a splendid victory, were far from bright.
With a sigh, Celin slumped to the ground. The area around her was unnaturally scorched. It meant her blade had blown apart with each direct hit.
Exuding fatigue, Celin breathed out a sigh of relief.
“It’s finally over…”
Aside from the previous Hunting Festival, it had been her first real combat. Despite Senior Delphine’s help, holding on until the end was admirable in itself.
Senior Delphine seemed somewhat satisfied with Celin’s efforts, nodding her head in agreement.
“Well done, Haster.”
“…I merely became a burden.”
Regardless, Celin seemed a bit down, but Senior Delphine offered no further comfort.
It seemed she viewed it as a process that had to be endured alone. That wasn’t an incorrect assessment, so I refrained from adding anything.
I simply collected my breath and stated in a lowered voice.
“It’s not over yet; there’s still the cave.”
At my words, the tense atmosphere among the group tightened once more.
It was quite literal. The battle we had just faced was merely a skirmish.
A secret that required mobilizing so many monsters remained hidden within the cave.
Our purpose today was to investigate what was happening in that cave. There was no time to indulge in the afterglow of victory now.
My gaze shifted toward the edge of the forest. An open space appeared, and the shape of a cave, looking pale, stood out there.
We were nearly there. Just as I thought to continue moving, I heard.
“…I-I-an!”
With bright, sparkling eyes, a young girl bounced up before me, her eyes shining.
It was Senior Elsi. Her sudden formality caused the rest of our party, excluding Senior Delphine, to widen their eyes.
My face, resolute before, crumbled in an instant, replaced by a flustered expression.
Regardless of her demeanor, Senior Elsi was ready to wag her tail like a puppy meeting its owner. With her tiny fists tightly clenched, she flooded me with praises.
“Y-You were amazing! The cruelty of smashing a monkey monster’s skull without hesitation! Even throwing away your weapon just to see blood! It was incredible…”
“…Senior Elsi.”
At my quiet call, Senior Elsi seemed to regain her senses.
Startled, she looked around. All gazes filled with shock were directed at her and me. Senior Elsi’s complexion turned pale.
After a moment, she cleared her throat and straightened her posture. Though her cheeks were flushed, she attempted to regain her composure by fanning herself while wearing a haughty smile.
With a huff, a smug chuckle escaped her lips as Senior Elsi tried to recover.
“Of course, without the efforts of Elsi Rainelle, there would have been no victory. Th-That is… I did well, didn’t I? Right?”
As she said this, Senior Elsi gazed up at me with sparkling eyes full of expectation. Unable to resist that shimmering gaze, I sighed heavily and placed my hand on her head.
As I began to pet Senior Elsi, she immediately lit up with a beaming expression.
“…You did well, Senior Elsi. I look forward to working with you from now on.”
“Ehheh… Yes!”
It was a loyal response.
When my eyes returned to the party, everyone but Senior Delphine was looking at me. Senior Delphine was shaking her head with a sigh as if she had anticipated this.
My mouth shut tight. I pondered for a while over how to explain it, but ultimately I chose to escape.
“We’re busy now, so let’s talk about it later.”
The expressions of my companions instantly turned sour.
But what could they do about it? I was the one leading the group, and it was no lie that we were in a critical situation.
Ultimately, the party had no choice but to prepare to leave again, grumbling or wearing expressions of dissatisfaction and suspicion.
Thus, we finally entered the cave.
It was not a naturally formed cave. What kind of natural cave leads directly underground in the middle of a clearing in the forest?
It meant it was artificially constructed. That made it even more dangerous.
We couldn’t be sure what had been installed there or what kind of structure it held.
We had to progress with utmost caution.
Leading our party were myself and Senior Delphine, the strongest in the field. We slowly made our way into the cave. The damp, cold air thickly soaked our chests.
The cave wasn’t very deep.
Surprisingly, there were no traps, and we had only ventured a little over ten minutes in when the end was already in sight.
Constructing a cave of this level would not have been easy. Whether through magic or labor, it would have been strenuous.
It seemed that they thought it too inefficient to burrow any deeper.
However, the sight that lay at the end of that short passage was profoundly bizarre.
A stillness enveloped all of us, who had stiffened.
