What did it mean to say that being too competent could also be a problem? Unlike other times, it was difficult to ask this question outright. However, they were not afforded the leisure of further conversation. From behind, a new scream echoed again, and Kishiar readied his sword once more. A vivid blue energy slid down the silvery sword.
"We have no time now, let's talk later."
As Yuder nodded, Kishiar turned away. But after a few steps, he seemed to remember something and changed his direction, striding back to stand before Yuder.
“...”
There was no time to ask what was happening. From a distance close enough to touch with just one more step, a fleeting red gaze flickered below the horizon.
What was he trying to say? It wasn’t the time for standing idly, facing each other like this, but still, he couldn’t shatter this brief, peculiar tension that arose.
The screams that had been echoing faded away to a dull hum. The acrid smell, the smoke that made one's eyes sting, and even the senses that had been keenly alert to any sign of monsters—everything relaxed. His senses, which had been widely spread out, all closed, leaving only the man before his eyes.
It was then that Kishiar, with his free hand, reached out to touch Yuder's chin. His thumb moved gently, stroking the skin beneath his cheek. A moment later, he pulled his hand away. His white fingers were smeared with a bit of blood and a dark stain.
'...Is that my blood?'
He hadn't felt any pain, hadn't realized he was injured, but now his skin stung a little. It must have happened while dodging the monster’s attack earlier.
"You can't afford to get hurt anymore. Can you promise me that?"
Yuder lifted his gaze from Kishiar's fingers to look at him again.
That strange feeling he’d experienced several times when facing Kishiar returned. An odd heat, ill-fitting for the situation, flowed from his heart to his fingertips and toes, then seemed to creep up to his eyes.
Unable to withstand this unbearable heat, Yuder evaded Kishiar's gaze and voiced his dry agreement.
"…Yes."
Only after the distant-sounding reply flowed out did Kishiar turn away. The slow and quiet world Yuder had been sensing then regained its proper speed.
"Yuder!"
His comrades' voices calling him echoed from afar. Yuder took a deep breath and swiftly moved forward.
Not long after, having cleared all the surrounding monsters and finding a brief respite, the group gathered together to assess their current situation and briefly discuss their next course of action.
"I think we all agree that the frequency of the monster appearances is beyond normal. If we continue like this, we will surely be surrounded. Therefore, we should reduce the time spent dealing with the monsters, cut down the obstructing trees, and move quickly. What do you think?"
The Cavalry quickly agreed with Yuder's proposal, discussed in tandem with Kishiar. However, the mages couldn't shake off their anxious expressions.
"That's true. But how are we to quickly deal with the creatures that could appear from anywhere, and how are we supposed to cut down the trees? Unless we start a fire like before, it will be hard to cut down so many trees while avoiding injuring our own."
"We've almost run out of the offensive magic tools we brought too…"
Yuder listened to the murmuring voices of the concerned mages with a troubled look on his face, before opening his mouth briefly.
"I will handle cutting the trees. All I need is one of you to guide me. There's no need to worry."
"You're saying... you'll do it all by yourself?"
The mages asked with a shocked expression on their faces.
"Yes."
"Are you joking?"
"Yuder isn't one to jest."
"Seems like they still can't believe it even after what they've seen."
The Eldore siblings, who were sitting in the back like overstuffed little beasts, chuckled and whispered to each other. Hearing their words, a mage flinched and stiffened his shoulders. Lorna, her face smeared with soot, stepped forward to speak.
"To be honest... if it had been someone else saying this, I would have told them not to overextend themselves. But after what we just witnessed, I can't help but believe. If it weren't for you, we would have been wiped out earlier."
Her voice was raspy from inhaling smoke during the battle.
"In a situation where our attack magic tools are almost depleted and we can't offer much help, sticking with us is impressive in itself. It speaks volumes about your confidence in your skills."
Her gaze alternated between her worn-out colleagues and the still-vibrant members of the Cavalry. The other mages, having gauged the disparity in their abilities from the recent battle, bowed their heads in defeat.
"Alright. We'll follow your plan. And I'll guide you. But what about the monsters we'll encounter along the way? How do we deal with them quickly? Are you planning to handle that too?"
"Of course not. I will take care of that."
Kishiar, who was standing behind Yuder, slowly raised his hand to interject.
"Leave the monster handling to me. You all just focus on moving."
"So you're the one who killed the most monsters earlier. I didn't realize you still had the energy to step in."
"I have plenty of energy. Do you need proof?"
The mages gaped at his cheerful voice, momentarily forgetting the situation.
'What's with him? We just had a fierce battle, and he acts like he's been out for a leisurely stroll.'
'He was charging around so much earlier, yet he doesn't look winded, and there's not a single speck of grime on him.'
'How come we've never heard of such a powerhouse being in the Cavalry before?'
Amid the flurry of thoughts, Lorna, regaining her composure, nodded her head as if to make a decision.
"No, no proof is needed. We'll follow your plan, then. Let's get moving."
"Understood."
The party reorganized. Yuder and Lorna were at the front, followed by the mages bunched together, and the Cavalry members stood in a protective circle around them.
At the very end stood Kishiar, casually holding his drawn sword.
Yuder, surveying the aftermath of the battle before they set off, asked Lorna a question.
"Is the relic site, your destination, still far from here? Assuming we move in a straight line."
"Not far. If we hadn't been attacked by monsters, we would have arrived by now."
"Understood. Let's move."
Lorna, looking off into the distance of the forest, promptly pointed in one direction.
"The research site is in that direction. The distant white-leafed tree... huh?"
"What's the matter?"
As Lorna asked in an unusual tone, she looked back at Yuder with trembling eyes.
"...I can't see it."
"What?"
"The Western Mage Union made some of the leaves of the trees near the research site change color so only the mages could see them using a special method. They did this to find the research site from anywhere quickly. The thing that was visible just a moment ago... I can't see it now."
Both Lorna and Yuder could immediately guess what this meant.
"Something must have happened."
"My goodness. This has never happened before. How could something like this..."
Yuder immediately turned around. He raised his hand towards the mages and Cavalry members who, like Lorna, seemed to be late in realizing the situation, their faces turning pale.
"Please remain calm, especially in situations like these. Let's get moving. Kanna."
"Yeah, don't worry about this end. I'll follow you well."
To guide the panic-stricken mages without error, the Cavalry members protecting them had to stay even more vigilant. After a silent exchange of looks with Kanna, indicating she was to take up this task, Yuder patted Lorna's shoulder and moved forward without hesitation.
"Let's go."
—---
The research site in the Great Sarain Forest created by the Western Mage Union was in complete chaos, looking like a typhoon had just passed. Shattered remnants of the magic circle, unable to withstand the attacks of numerous monsters, flickered sporadically in many places. Beneath the ruins of the destroyed buildings, the occasional fallen figure was seen.
While Yuder, who had cut down the last tree to get closer to the research site, was scrutinizing the scene with a furrowed brow, Lorna ran ahead, staggering and panting, unable to make a sound.
"Leader! Leader!"
"It's dangerous."
Before Yuder could stop her, a few monsters that had been crouched between the buildings raised their heads sharply.
"Screech!"
However, before the monsters could approach Lorna and Yuder, they were sliced by a light that came flying from behind, and their heads flew off instantly. It was the power of Kishiar, who had arrived a little later with the rest of the group.
"Ah..."
The mages collectively looked around with stunned faces.
"What, what is this..."
"It's not all destroyed! Over there, a building is still standing!"
Ignoring the fallen monsters, Lorna, who had been running, pointed in a direction and yelled. Yuder saw the building she was pointing to. Monsters surrounded it and were attacking, but a defensive barrier flashing around the building was barely holding them off.
Suddenly, a flame burst from inside, blasting a monster's head off. Seeing this, the mages cried out in relief.
"Let's go! We need to help them, quickly!"
What did it mean to say that being too competent could also be a problem? Unlike other times, it was difficult to ask this question outright. However, they were not afforded the leisure of further conversation. From behind, a new scream echoed again, and Kishiar readied his sword once more. A vivid blue energy slid down the silvery sword.
"We have no time now, let's talk later."
As Yuder nodded, Kishiar turned away. But after a few steps, he seemed to remember something and changed his direction, striding back to stand before Yuder.
“...”
There was no time to ask what was happening. From a distance close enough to touch with just one more step, a fleeting red gaze flickered below the horizon.
What was he trying to say? It wasn’t the time for standing idly, facing each other like this, but still, he couldn’t shatter this brief, peculiar tension that arose.
The screams that had been echoing faded away to a dull hum. The acrid smell, the smoke that made one's eyes sting, and even the senses that had been keenly alert to any sign of monsters—everything relaxed. His senses, which had been widely spread out, all closed, leaving only the man before his eyes.
It was then that Kishiar, with his free hand, reached out to touch Yuder's chin. His thumb moved gently, stroking the skin beneath his cheek. A moment later, he pulled his hand away. His white fingers were smeared with a bit of blood and a dark stain.
'...Is that my blood?'
He hadn't felt any pain, hadn't realized he was injured, but now his skin stung a little. It must have happened while dodging the monster’s attack earlier.
"You can't afford to get hurt anymore. Can you promise me that?"
Yuder lifted his gaze from Kishiar's fingers to look at him again.
That strange feeling he’d experienced several times when facing Kishiar returned. An odd heat, ill-fitting for the situation, flowed from his heart to his fingertips and toes, then seemed to creep up to his eyes.
Unable to withstand this unbearable heat, Yuder evaded Kishiar's gaze and voiced his dry agreement.
"…Yes."
Only after the distant-sounding reply flowed out did Kishiar turn away. The slow and quiet world Yuder had been sensing then regained its proper speed.
"Yuder!"
His comrades' voices calling him echoed from afar. Yuder took a deep breath and swiftly moved forward.
Not long after, having cleared all the surrounding monsters and finding a brief respite, the group gathered together to assess their current situation and briefly discuss their next course of action.
"I think we all agree that the frequency of the monster appearances is beyond normal. If we continue like this, we will surely be surrounded. Therefore, we should reduce the time spent dealing with the monsters, cut down the obstructing trees, and move quickly. What do you think?"
The Cavalry quickly agreed with Yuder's proposal, discussed in tandem with Kishiar. However, the mages couldn't shake off their anxious expressions.
"That's true. But how are we to quickly deal with the creatures that could appear from anywhere, and how are we supposed to cut down the trees? Unless we start a fire like before, it will be hard to cut down so many trees while avoiding injuring our own."
"We've almost run out of the offensive magic tools we brought too…"
Yuder listened to the murmuring voices of the concerned mages with a troubled look on his face, before opening his mouth briefly.
"I will handle cutting the trees. All I need is one of you to guide me. There's no need to worry."
"You're saying... you'll do it all by yourself?"
The mages asked with a shocked expression on their faces.
"Yes."
"Are you joking?"
"Yuder isn't one to jest."
"Seems like they still can't believe it even after what they've seen."
The Eldore siblings, who were sitting in the back like overstuffed little beasts, chuckled and whispered to each other. Hearing their words, a mage flinched and stiffened his shoulders. Lorna, her face smeared with soot, stepped forward to speak.
"To be honest... if it had been someone else saying this, I would have told them not to overextend themselves. But after what we just witnessed, I can't help but believe. If it weren't for you, we would have been wiped out earlier."
Her voice was raspy from inhaling smoke during the battle.
"In a situation where our attack magic tools are almost depleted and we can't offer much help, sticking with us is impressive in itself. It speaks volumes about your confidence in your skills."
Her gaze alternated between her worn-out colleagues and the still-vibrant members of the Cavalry. The other mages, having gauged the disparity in their abilities from the recent battle, bowed their heads in defeat.
"Alright. We'll follow your plan. And I'll guide you. But what about the monsters we'll encounter along the way? How do we deal with them quickly? Are you planning to handle that too?"
"Of course not. I will take care of that."
Kishiar, who was standing behind Yuder, slowly raised his hand to interject.
"Leave the monster handling to me. You all just focus on moving."
"So you're the one who killed the most monsters earlier. I didn't realize you still had the energy to step in."
"I have plenty of energy. Do you need proof?"
The mages gaped at his cheerful voice, momentarily forgetting the situation.
'What's with him? We just had a fierce battle, and he acts like he's been out for a leisurely stroll.'
'He was charging around so much earlier, yet he doesn't look winded, and there's not a single speck of grime on him.'
'How come we've never heard of such a powerhouse being in the Cavalry before?'
Amid the flurry of thoughts, Lorna, regaining her composure, nodded her head as if to make a decision.
"No, no proof is needed. We'll follow your plan, then. Let's get moving."
"Understood."
The party reorganized. Yuder and Lorna were at the front, followed by the mages bunched together, and the Cavalry members stood in a protective circle around them.
At the very end stood Kishiar, casually holding his drawn sword.
Yuder, surveying the aftermath of the battle before they set off, asked Lorna a question.
"Is the relic site, your destination, still far from here? Assuming we move in a straight line."
"Not far. If we hadn't been attacked by monsters, we would have arrived by now."
"Understood. Let's move."
Lorna, looking off into the distance of the forest, promptly pointed in one direction.
"The research site is in that direction. The distant white-leafed tree... huh?"
"What's the matter?"
As Lorna asked in an unusual tone, she looked back at Yuder with trembling eyes.
"...I can't see it."
"What?"
"The Western Mage Union made some of the leaves of the trees near the research site change color so only the mages could see them using a special method. They did this to find the research site from anywhere quickly. The thing that was visible just a moment ago... I can't see it now."
Both Lorna and Yuder could immediately guess what this meant.
"Something must have happened."
"My goodness. This has never happened before. How could something like this..."
Yuder immediately turned around. He raised his hand towards the mages and Cavalry members who, like Lorna, seemed to be late in realizing the situation, their faces turning pale.
"Please remain calm, especially in situations like these. Let's get moving. Kanna."
"Yeah, don't worry about this end. I'll follow you well."
To guide the panic-stricken mages without error, the Cavalry members protecting them had to stay even more vigilant. After a silent exchange of looks with Kanna, indicating she was to take up this task, Yuder patted Lorna's shoulder and moved forward without hesitation.
"Let's go."
—---
The research site in the Great Sarain Forest created by the Western Mage Union was in complete chaos, looking like a typhoon had just passed. Shattered remnants of the magic circle, unable to withstand the attacks of numerous monsters, flickered sporadically in many places. Beneath the ruins of the destroyed buildings, the occasional fallen figure was seen.
While Yuder, who had cut down the last tree to get closer to the research site, was scrutinizing the scene with a furrowed brow, Lorna ran ahead, staggering and panting, unable to make a sound.
"Leader! Leader!"
"It's dangerous."
Before Yuder could stop her, a few monsters that had been crouched between the buildings raised their heads sharply.
"Screech!"
However, before the monsters could approach Lorna and Yuder, they were sliced by a light that came flying from behind, and their heads flew off instantly. It was the power of Kishiar, who had arrived a little later with the rest of the group.
"Ah..."
The mages collectively looked around with stunned faces.
"What, what is this..."
"It's not all destroyed! Over there, a building is still standing!"
Ignoring the fallen monsters, Lorna, who had been running, pointed in a direction and yelled. Yuder saw the building she was pointing to. Monsters surrounded it and were attacking, but a defensive barrier flashing around the building was barely holding them off.
Suddenly, a flame burst from inside, blasting a monster's head off. Seeing this, the mages cried out in relief.
"Let's go! We need to help them, quickly!"
