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The arrow, filled with the swirling wind, shot forth at high speed from the sliding release of my bow.

‘An arrow draws the most satisfying trajectory when its master believes in it unwaveringly.’

Just as I had said on the day I first taught Shione how to draw a bow.

The arrow, packed with my deep confidence and conviction, flew straight as I desired.

Whoosh─!

The sound of the arrow cutting through the air echoed as it sped forth with ferocity.

“Yaaak…!”

The sound of the wind and the immense spider’s shriek intertwined.

Before long, the arrow lodged itself right between what one could call the creature’s eyebrows.

Simultaneously, a cyclone burst forth, shaking its head violently.

“Princess Shione, back away!”

“Ah, understood…!”

The giant spider, its head blown apart by a single arrow, began to lose control and slump down.

That massive body that had risen to pounce on Diolia fell helplessly to the ground.

Boom!

Dense clouds of dust billowed up as the corpse slid closer.

The body of the spider, headless and drooping, finally reached where Diolia had pulled back with Shione.

“Now that was quite a clean shot.”

“Indeed… once again, I managed to smack right between its eyes.”

With a hint of admiration for me, who had easily sent one monster to its end, Diolia observed, as Shione took in how my arrow had pierced the enemy right before her eyes.

Diolia, stealing a glance at me while preparing for action, and Shione, pondering whether to draw her sword or her bow, retrieved an arrow from her quiver.

[Engaging in battle alongside Shione Shianella.]

[Significant power is being unlocked.]

The moment Shione embraced her intent to engage in combat, the status window that had been so familiar during those days when monsters littered the castle walls reappeared.

Feeling the sharpened senses and increased mana, I approached the enemies and thought.

‘This level of opposition is child’s play now.’

Was it nostalgia I felt?

Last year, catching a spider in the Beltlin Mountain resulted in my left arm getting bitten. I lost consciousness and, for days, I couldn’t even use my left arm, which seemed a world away from my current abilities.

I was pleased to think that such a large spider could be handled alone even without this unveiled portion of my power.

Yet, there was no time to indulge in my remarkable growth.

‘Then, on to the next one.’

This spider was not the only enemy we faced.

Where had all these little monsters been hiding? Why were there suddenly so many of them crawling out?

As fiendish creatures went wild, shooting arrows and swinging swords to slice through flesh and skin, their numbers did not seem to dwindle.

I took three arrows from my quiver and spoke.

“Diolia, I’ll leave Shione to you.”

I didn’t expect a response. In fact, it was more accurate to say I wouldn’t be able to hear it.

With monsters closing in on Diolia, she must have been too engaged in combat to catch my words.

Instead, I merely moved my body, taking Shione’s subtle nod as agreement.

‘Orna. Assist Shione.’

─Myaaaan!

The large cotton puff also flapped its wings, eager to help Shione.

Those two would manage well together.

Now, I only needed to focus on myself.

“Phew.”

I took a breath. It was time for me to move a bit busier.

“Tania. Just so you know—”

“Hmph, of course I know? How could I forget after all the times we’ve fought together in this forest?”

…No, not that.

“…Your mana is lower than you’re thinking, so please control the fire you make.”

Even though the fire created by the spirit I made is less powerful than the one the spirit creates, a fire consuming a large amount of mana was too risky.

As I said that, Tania, who had been confidently crossing her arms, looked at me with a disdainful expression, as if to say, “Why should it matter?”

“Hmph. I’ll handle that much myself, you know?”

Tania floated up into the air and began to glance around, surveying the surroundings.

“Just worry about yourself. It’s been a while since we’ve fought in a forest like this, hasn’t it?”

“No need to worry about that.”

This forest is one of my favorite environments.

“Let’s get started.”

I started to move my feet.

With a powerful push off the ground, I threw myself forward without hesitation, swiftly weaving between wooden columns.

One to the right, two to the left. The closer entity was on the left.

However, the one approaching from the right was hidden behind a wooden pillar.

“Gulp!”

As I slid forward, I drew my bowstring.

Squeezing the mana from my heart, I shaped the cyclone and found the perfect angle to aim for its head.

A long snout and sharp fangs suited to crush the neck of its prey.

Fwoosh─!

The moment I released the arrow, I rolled forward without waiting to check if it hit.

“Grrrroar!”

A creature, resembling a bear, was now lunging at me from my left, its vicious claw raised to tear me apart.

Feeling the cold earth beneath me, I quickly drew one of the two remaining arrows onto my string.

I unleashed a mana-free arrow with a sliding release.

“……!”

As the arrow struck its right eye, the monster’s head jerked back.

Seizing the moment, I readied another arrow and gathered mana for it.

This time, I aimed for fire capable of melting through that tough hide, hoping to ultimately topple that giant beast.

Tania, noticing what I intended to do, hastily added her flames.

Whoosh!

A brilliant red fire erupted, heating up the arrowhead.

Fwoosh─!

As the arrow pierced deep into the bear’s head, its form collapsed.

Seeing this, I quickly slung my bow across my shoulder and said to Tania.

“Tania, I’m counting on you.”

“Got it!”

As the mana quietly slipped away, a barrier of fire conjured by Tania rose up.

Finally, a creature in the shape of a wolf charged towards me from the distance. Its gaze became entranced by the blaze.

Yet the thing seemed to be proving it was under the influence of magic, throwing itself into the wall of fire like a mad dog.

Normally, it would have charged right at me, hungry to tear into my flesh and blood.

But sadly, I was already prepared, waiting to strike just a little further back.

“Gulp!”

The flames conjured by Tania began to gather.

In an instant, they danced toward the blade of my sword.

As soon as they had wrapped around my sword, I knew the time was right.

With the blade piercing the heavens, I slashed down diagonally to the left.

Sssss!

The sound of flesh burning filled the air.

The creature, its neck pierced by my sword, was consumed by the flames conjured by Tania and lost its life.

Once I verified that the creature had breathed its last, I retrieved my sword and surveyed the surroundings.

‘Friel─’

As expected, she was engaged in battle alongside Piel.

She seemed to prefer swords over bows, utilizing a longer cold weapon than my dagger to subdue monsters.

‘And Airine.’

Not far from Friel, Airine, the eldest daughter of the Ianette family, was also keeping the situation in check through her spirits.

However, unlike Friel, she managed three spirits simultaneously and provided support using her bow.

I yanked the arrow lodged into the bear monster’s eye, then raced through the forest like it was my home again.

“Tania, I’m heading back.”

It seems I still had a bit more fighting to do before this battle ended.

*

“Finally, those bothersome demons have come this far, huh?”

A cultist, standing alone against a woman, spoke quietly, bowing their head.

“…Yes, we confirmed it directly from our sister. They are wandering within this forest right now.”

“Hmph…”

The woman, deeply cloaked in black robes, closed her eyes tightly.

The heavy scent of blood emanating from the woman left me dizzy with the overwhelming aura of magic emanating from her.

She had no choice but to do her best to keep her mind from slipping.

This woman, the one who led one of their most formidable plans that the public considered a cultist, stood right before me.

To avoid crossing this woman with those crimson eyes, pulsing with blood, and to avoid showing any weakness or losing my life foolishly like her subordinates before her—I had to hold myself together.

“What a hassle. But now that they’re here, what’s going to change, really?”

The woman, her red glowing eyes and small lips visible amidst her robe, smirked playfully.

“Our preparations are almost complete, you see.”

Rising from her chair, the thick scent of blood and magic began to fill the room even more.

“Would the cold flesh and souls of the elves suffice as final sacrifices?”

“…If we offer elves along with the spirits they made contracts with, we might hasten the appearance of our master.”

“Perfect, then… let’s summon our brothers and sisters.”

With a voice full of mischief.

She flexed her limbs, almost sluggishly, and stood with effort.

“Better to give a warm welcome to the foolish elves who wandered right into our grasp.”

 

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