As soon as the city gates opened, I returned to Roxanne and headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild.
Several adventurers were already setting out to earn money. Most appeared to be lower-ranked, since veteran parties usually remained in the field for several days at a time. Some looked pale with hangovers but were being dragged along by their companions anyway.
The guild’s cafeteria was packed with adventurers grabbing cheap breakfasts. Most were gulping down a 500-dara stew and rushing back out.
At this hour, finding someone willing to work as a guide would be difficult. I could simply explore beside the roads. Getting lost wasn’t a concern, but I wanted to avoid areas with too few monsters—or ones that were dangerously strong. Fortunately, I no longer had to earn money desperately.
I had traveled east from Werner through Folka to Roxanne along the southern side of the Blange Highway, so I decided to explore westward along its northern side.
Birds brought in good money, so I left small animals and goblins for lower-ranked adventurers.
Birds and any beasts foolish enough to attack me would provide more than enough income.
As I left the road and approached the forest edge, I practiced my neglected Herb Appraisal skill.
Detection picked up a mixture of more than ten people and beasts. I couldn’t tell exactly what was happening, but it felt like a battle.
Detection and Presence Sense were often treated as similar skills, but they worked quite differently. Detection revealed that something existed within range, regardless of its condition, but only while I consciously searched. Presence Sense reacted instinctively to hostility or killing intent, even when I wasn’t looking for it.
If it’s other adventurers fighting, I should probably detour…
“Hang in there!”
“Don’t lose to mere goblins!”
The voices carried on the wind. It sounded as though low-ranked adventurers were struggling against goblins, so I went to see whether they needed help.
Six adventurers were fighting a large group of goblins. The goblins held the advantage; several adventurers were bleeding or had injured arms and could do little more than defend themselves.
I couldn’t leave them to die, but the melee was too close for [Bullet!].
I couldn’t use [Bullet!] safely in such a close melee, so I decided to disrupt the goblins with [Whirlwind!]. I caught those in the rear in spinning air currents, releasing each spell once its victim was thoroughly dizzy.
By the fifth one, they noticed—but too late.
The dizzy goblins stumbled into one another, squealing in confusion. I caught a sixth in [Whirlwind!] and flung it into another cluster, knocking several down before releasing the spell.
The goblins’ coordination collapsed and their attacks weakened, though for some reason the adventurers were beginning to sway as well.
Sighing, I stepped in from behind and skewered one of the goblins with my short spear. With their momentum gone, the remaining goblins broke and fled.
The goblins I had spun sat slumped on the ground or vomited, completely incapacitated. I approached silently and slit their throats.
The adventurers, relieved that the goblins had fled, stared curiously at me killing the stragglers.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah… looks like you saved us.”
“I thought we were goners.”
“Didn’t expect that many of them.”
“Hey! Those were our kills!”
“Don’t worry—I’m not trying to steal your loot.”
“Nathan, that’s no way to speak to someone who just rescued us. Forgive him. I’m Gilling, leader of a small party called Rats of Roxanne. Are you traveling without companions?”
“Name’s Leon. I work solo. Anyway, you’d better extract those magic stones and move out before more show up.”
The man who had complained glared at me like a dog guarding its food, so I turned away. Thirteen goblins lay dead between their kills and mine; including those that fled, the pack must have numbered more than twenty.
They should have retreated earlier. This didn’t look like a party destined for a long career.
“He works alone? He doesn’t look that strong.”
“Still, what was that? The goblins suddenly began spinning and fell over.”
“They were only goblins. He shouldn’t get cocky.”
“Idiot. We were struggling against those same goblins. Talking like that after he saved us makes me want to crawl into a hole.”
“Enough. Collect the magic stones and let’s leave.”
Detection next revealed Horned Rabbits, Hedgehogs, and the occasional Jumping Mouse—a small, kangaroo-like rodent.
The shallow grasslands mostly had herbivores: sheep and elk… and—ah, a pack of dogs.
I had planned to relax inside my dome with a cup of tea, but one of the dogs spotted me and began barking.
I had become careless while practicing concealment.
The dogs surrounded me, barking furiously but unable to reach me through the invisible barrier. Their frustration made them even louder.
Fine then. If that’s how you want it, I’ll take you seriously.
I caught three of them in [Whirlwind!] and commanded, “Spin! Spin!”
Their howls became pained whimpers as the rotation intensified.
When the whirlwind faded, all three dogs lay limp, blood running from their eyes and mouths.
The intense g-forces inside the two-meter-wide whirlwind must have crushed them internally.
I decided not to take them to the guild; explaining this mess would just invite questions. I dragged the corpses into the tall grass and left them there.
Fighter pilots wearing anti-g suits could withstand about eight or nine g during sharp turns, if I remembered correctly.
Eight g meant eight times their body weight. The force inside my vortex must have been much greater.
They were literally crushed by their own weight.
I’ll need to be more careful with this spell against people.
While I’d been spinning those three, the rest of the pack fled in terror.
The next thing I ran into was a mid-sized horn boar.
I’d already decided not to hunt them, but this one came waddling right up to me anyway.
Too lazy to fight properly, I used a trick spell: [Ring—Horizontal Rotation!]
The boar was caught in the rotating ring of wind, spun like meat on a spit, and then flung away.
It had clearly underestimated a lone human and must have been shocked to find itself whirling helplessly through the air.
Squealing “puhi, puhi,” it staggered away into the distance.
On the evening of the fourth day, I returned to Roxanne and went straight to the Adventurers’ Guild.
The place was packed. When I told the old man at the purchasing counter that I was going to the disassembly hall, he glanced at me and nodded.
A long line of adventurers filled the disassembly hall. I sighed; as an unfamiliar face traveling alone, I naturally drew plenty of curious looks.
“Hey, kid. What’ve you brought in?”
“Mostly birds. Also some wolves and a horn boar.”
“How many people in your party?”
“Birds, wolves, and a horn boar, huh?”
“Hey, listen to that braggart back there.”
“He’s probably talking about little wolves and piglets or something.”
“Quiet! I’m the one asking here — you trying to butt in?”
“Ah—s-sorry, Strongarm.”
The rowdy muscle-bound men immediately backed down and apologized, intimidated by the huge man’s presence.
“Now then, where were we? What party are you with?”
“I’m solo.”
“Hey, kid! Got any runner birds or chikki-chikki birds today?”
“Gregg, I have both, along with some Red Chickens and Green Birds.”
“Oh, perfect. Come with me, then.”
“I’ve also got seven wolves and a horn boar.”
“No problem. I’ve been told to report immediately if any runner birds or chikki-chikki birds come in. I’ll give you a high rate today.”
“Oh? So he’s solo and skilled, huh?”
I nodded politely to the man and followed Gregg to the designated area, where I laid out my kills.
Runner Birds ×7
Chikki-Chikki Birds ×9
Green Birds ×11
Red Chickens ×15
Black Wolves ×7
Horn Boar ×1
“Hmm. You killed the Black Wolves with one strike each, and the Horn Boar doesn’t have a single wound.”
So the huge man had followed me. I hadn’t noticed him at all—impressive, considering his size.
“I shot them in the head with [Bullet!].”
“[Bullet!]? Then are you an earth or ice mage? Either way, that’s impressive aim.”
“Olga, this boy is actually a wind mage. He keeps bringing in bird monsters, so the merchants have been pestering me to report whenever he delivers more.”
“A wind mage, huh…? And you shoot bullets with that?”
“Wind magic can propel more than just pebbles, depending on how you use it.”
The appraisal results were:
Runner Birds: 7 × 40,000 = 280,000 dara
Chikki-Chikki Birds: 9 × 66,000 = 594,000 dara
Green Birds: 11 × 31,000 = 341,000 dara
Red Chickens: 15 × 24,000 = 360,000 dara
Black Wolves: 7 × 32,000 = 224,000 dara
Horn Boar: 1 × 65,000 = 65,000 dara
Total: 1,864,000 dara.
While the huge man carefully examined the Horn Boar, Gregg completed the appraisal form and handed it to me.
I thanked him and accepted it.
We don’t use ads!
If you enjoyed our translation, please consider buying us a cup…
Thanks!!!
Become a Patron!
We don’t use ads!
If you enjoyed our translation, please consider buying us a cup…
Thanks!!!
Become a Patron!