Against a pack of eleven Gray Wolves, Strongarm dismantled its field shelter and used the panels as shields. When the wolves rushed between them, the men stabbed through the gaps; when any leapt over the shield wall, they cut them down with swords.
As Bord loosed an arrow into a startled wolf, the rest, realizing the fight had turned against them, turned tail and fled.
In the blink of an eye, five were dead, and two more were finished off as they writhed on the ground, half-dead.
“Well, Leon? We’ve gotten a bit faster, haven’t we?”
“How’s your mana usage holding up?”
“Hmm… feels a little lower, I think. But it’s only the fourth day since your lessons, you know.”
“Leon, what’s your Shield like?”
“Mine is like a dome without a roof, about three meters high. If you alter your Shield slightly, Bord, you could create the same shape with a single cast.”
“That one? How would I do that?”
“If you make it cylindrical, it can be cast as a single spell. Here, I’ll show you slowly.”
After the cleanup was finished, I asked them to clear the space in front of the shields and whispered, “[Ring!]” A ring about three meters in diameter rose slowly from the ground, scattering dust, and stopped at a height of roughly three meters.
I formed an opening and stepped outside. Bord poked curiously at the outer wall.
“I made this version with you in mind, Bord. You can adjust the height, and its diameter is the same as my dome.”
“You can make something this big in one shot?”
“Sure. It uses the same amount of mana as my dome. Once it’s formed, you can make doors or openings for attacks without spending any more mana.”
“Openings for attacks?”
I gestured for him to step inside the sample barrier, then showed him how to press a finger against the wall and open a hole.
“You’re saying you made that without using mana?”
“You’ll understand if you try it with one of your own shields, Bord.”
“Come on, Bord, give it a try. If it works, our hunts will be much safer.”
Urged on by the others, Bord stood before one of his ice shields.
“Touch the Shield, picture where you want the opening, and imagine its size at the same time.”
“A hole, huh…”
He touched the Shield carefully and commanded, “Open a hole the size of a fist.”
At about the same speed the shield had formed, a hole appeared.
“Whoa, amazing!”
“And you didn’t use any mana?”
“Right. I didn’t channel any.”
“You really know a lot about this kind of thing.”
“My grandmother was a mage, and she told my mother many stories. My mother wasn’t granted any magic, but after my Life Magic manifested at nine and my mana measured twenty-eight, she passed those lessons on to me. She said that once you create something, you can reshape it without spending additional mana as long as it’s yours. When you no longer need it, withdraw the mana and it’ll disappear.”
“So… you don’t have to wait for the ice to melt?”
“Try telling the Shield, ‘Release mana.’ Once you’re accustomed to it, merely thinking release will dispel it. You can open and close holes the same way. That’s how I enter and leave my dome.”
I wondered if he’d realize what that implied—no need for shortened chants, no need for spoken commands at all.
As thanks for inviting me along, I’d teach him how to strengthen his ice magic, make it more efficient, and reduce the mana cost of his Ice Lance.
I’d learned plenty myself, after all—basics of moving through the forest, setting up camp, and methods of hunting large beasts that I couldn’t handle alone.
They’d even taught me how to blend into trees to hide my presence, plus fundamentals of short spears and bows.
And I appreciated that they never underestimated me, even though I was just a kid, and were eager to learn anything they could from me.
They also never gossiped about other parties or each other, even when we worked together. I liked that.
We spent nearly ten days in the forest and returned to Roxanne with plenty of game. At the city gate, I caught a glimpse of their guild cards: Olga held a Gold Card, while the other six carried Silver Cards. No wonder they were so capable. They must have had a difficult time looking after an amateur like me, and I was grateful.
As we waited in the crowded guild’s dismantling area, someone yelled,
“Hey, kid! Get to the back of the line!”
I turned to see a scarred, rough-looking man with a nasty glare reaching for my collar.
I stepped aside, and others moved in to take my place.
“Um… please don’t take my spot in line.”
“Hah? You’re that scrawny wind mage, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, the scrawny wind mage they call the Breeze.”
“You make a big face after hunting birds and critters, but here, if you can’t take down real monsters—”
“What business do you have with our companion?”
Olga’s voice was cold, and an unsettling pressure filled the air.
The men mocking me fell silent instantly.
“W–Wait, Strongarm… you’re saying he’s with you?”
“We spent ten days in the forest together. He has enough skill to bring down large prey on his own.”
“Look down on that pretty boy and you’ll be the ones getting hurt.”
“You’re noisy—go drink some ale until the dismantling line opens.”
“Or do you want to test us instead?”
The sensation that rolled over me—I’d never felt it before in the forest.
Was this what killing intent felt like? Cold sweat ran down my back.
The men who’d picked a fight with me were sweating, too.
They backed away, then bolted from the dismantling area.
The oppressive air vanished with them.
“That was scary… what was that just now?”
“What was what?”
“That feeling.”
“That was killing intent. You project the resolve and focus you felt while facing the strongest monster you have ever fought and direct it toward your opponent. It can prevent needless trouble.”
“So that’s all it takes to do that?”
“Well, Leon, you’re nowhere near ready for that yet.”
“And it doesn’t work very well if your opponent’s got similar skill.”
“In your case, you could just tickle their nose with a breeze until they can’t stop sneezing — they’d be too busy for a fight.”
“That actually sounds more my speed. If anyone ever challenges me to a mock battle, I’ll just apologize and run out of town.”
“No. Knowing you, you’d wait outside the gate, spin them until their noses bled, and toss them aside.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something Leon would do.”
I couldn’t help feeling a bit insulted by that, but… best not to think about it.
It’s only a loss if you dwell on it!
When our turn finally came, I explained that my spoils were separate from Strongarm’s. The workers laid the two lots out side by side, then added a Large Horn Boar and the enormous Black Bear to mine as Bord’s thank-you gift.
Strongarm’s side was impressive as well: Brown Bears, Black Bears, several kinds of wolves, and High Orcs. The adventurers waiting behind us murmured in amazement.
After handing over our guild cards, we went to the dining hall.
It had been a while since everyone had a mug of ale, and their faces lit up with satisfaction.
“What about you, Leon? What’s next?”
“I want to build myself a cabin, so I’m planning to earn more hunting birds. If I can get another thirty or so, I should be able to buy something similar to what you guys have.”
“You’ll get it in no time.”
“Guess I’d better train harder so you don’t leave me behind.”
“Bord’s shield comes up fast now, and his Ice Lance packs a punch — that’s a real boost to our strength.”
“Show us your cabin once it’s done.”
The dismantler returned with the appraisal sheet. Because I had spent almost ten days in the forest with Strongarm, the total was enormous.
Breakdown of Earnings:
Chikki-Chikki Birds: 13 × 66,000 = 858,000 dara
Runner Birds: 17 × 42,000 = 714,000 dara
Green Birds: 11 × 29,000 = 319,000 dara
Red Chickens: 22 × 26,000 = 572,000 dara
Black Bear: 1 × 270,000 = 270,000 dara
Large Horn Boar: 1 × 95,000 = 95,000 dara
Medium Horn Boar: 1 × 55,000 = 55,000 dara
High Orcs: 5 × 110,000 = 550,000 dara
Orcs: 7 × 60,000 = 420,000 dara
Large Elk: 1 × 130,000 = 130,000 dara
Gray Wolves: 7 × 42,000 = 294,000 dara
Total: 4,277,000 dara. The birds alone accounted for 2,463,000 dara.
Even though it was mostly for training, I realized the deeper parts of the forest were full of birds and great for earning money.
Still, I think I prefer wandering around the forest’s edge — less stress, more peace.
When I thanked the dismantler, he said,
“Leon, I have a favor to ask. It’s posted on the request board, but could you bring in about twenty more Chikki-Chikki Birds?”
“Twenty more?”
“Yes. It’s a request from the marquis. He wants fifty by the end of March. Even after counting yours and those purchased from other adventurers, we’re still short. Apparently, they’re for a banquet.”
A banquet… So the marquis’s dinner party needed that many. Since it wasn’t a designated request, I could simply hunt them whenever I found them.
“I can’t promise a number, but I’ll try to find as many as I can.”
“Great! I’ll pay top price, so I’m counting on you.”
“You could live entirely off birds.” “Easy money is every adventurer’s dream.” “Think the marquis will issue an escort request soon?” “Probably. Those are difficult to refuse, but if we’re in town, we’ll accept. Spring is the best season for earning, and noble requests have their benefits.”
“The marquis’s request?”
“Yes, escorting herb gatherers.” “The marquis hires skilled gatherers to travel deep into the forest, and we protect them.” “It takes over a month, and beasts become aggressive in spring, especially those with young.”
I waved goodbye to Strongarm after they reminded me to show them my cabin when it was finished, then went to the counter. I withdrew only 77,000 dara for expenses and deposited the remaining 4,200,000 dara with the guild.
That brought my total savings to a little over 8,000,000 dara. A Rank 5–10 Magic Bag cost around 7,000,000, so I decided to save a little more before buying one.
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