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Translator: Barnnn
Ize, Hal, and the three-man guard detail thundered down the mountain path, their feet pounding against the earth as they pushed their bodies to the limit.
“Ize,” the guard leader called out. “You’ve got a skill that lets you sense things over distances, right? I need you to give me the clearest picture you can of what’s happening up ahead.”
“I’m sensing signals of life scattered along the way. Since the Mystic Beast’s attack on the horsebus, two of those traces have… vanished. Right now, I can detect a total of seven — three around the Mystic Beast and four more within the horsebus itself.”
“Got it,” the guard leader responded tersely. “Those three must be the horsebus guards fighting off the Beast.”
Just then, Ize’s eyes widened. “No, wait…! One of the signals is moving away from the Mystic Beast. Someone’s… running?”
“Unbelievable. That bastard’s doing it again…! Now, of all times?” the leader muttered, his expression darkening as he picked up his pace, driving himself even harder. It was a furious sprint, one that made Ize and Hal question if he’d even have the strength to face the Beast once they arrived.
Hal, running a few paces behind, leaned toward Ize, his voice a low murmur.
“So… by ‘that bastard,’ he means HIM, doesn’t he?”
Ize let out a weary sigh. “I thought we’d dropped any flags that might pull in a Mystic Beast or attract more guard troubles…”
“Maybe this is the universe’s way of saying, ‘Better raise that flag again.'”
“The Goddess wouldn’t set us up like this…” She paused just long enough to glance at Hal. “Anyway, get on my back. Now.”
“Wait, we’re doing THAT again?” Hal’s cheeks turned faintly pink.
“Yes, unless you’d rather risk lives over dignity. Your call, Hal.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll let the guards know,” he sighed, already pulling up beside the guard leader.
Hal proceeded to propose their plan: they would go on ahead and try to buy you some time.
“That’s too risky for just the two of you.”
“We’re aware, but time’s not on our side. I’ve got my water and wind magic, and Ize’s speed will be enough to keep the enemy off-balance. That could be what saves everyone.”
After a moment of contemplation, the leader gave a firm nod. “Fine. I owe you one for this.” He handed Hal a small pouch. “Here — Potions for wounds. Use them on any guards or passengers who need them.”
“Thank you. We’ll make ourselves useful.” Hal turned to Ize. “All right, bro, let’s go!”
“Right,” she replied, giving the guard leader a quick nod. “See you soon, mister guard.”
In a swift motion, Ize hoisted Hal onto her back, and with a fierce surge of energy, a gust swirled up around them, propelling them forward in a blur.
The mountain path became a streak of earthy browns and fiery autumn hues as Ize pushed through the terrain, the scenery around them transforming into a green haze as they drew closer to the mountain’s base.
Ize’s mental map was leading them to their target. As the signals converged over a massive shadow looming in the distance, she realized they were close now. She had covered the distance in under a minute when an ordinary adult would have taken ten.
“There! Hal, up ahead — a bear! A guard is holding it off, but another’s already down!”
“Gahhh… everything’s bouncing! I can barely see!” Hal shouted.
“Then hold tight! I’m putting you down!” Ize skidded to a stop, lowering Hal to the ground beside the fallen guard. “Take care of him!”
“G-got it!” Hal replied, shaking off his dizziness.
With the guard taken care of, Ize was off in an instant, zeroing in on the massive Mystic Beast as it grappled with the other guard.
She barreled forward, striking it with such force that the Beast was sent tumbling, crashing through trees.
“This should give us a few moments!” she shouted. “Hal, the Potions!”
“Already used one!”
The downed guard, though battered, was spared from severe injury, merely knocked unconscious by the Mystic Beast’s brutal blows.
With a quick dose of the Potion, his eyes fluttered open, and he sat up, alert and able to speak without issue.
The other guard, too, bore only minor injuries — he’d managed to parry his way against the Mystic Beast’s relentless onslaught. Gasping for breath, he reached for a Potion to tend to himself, gratitude shining in his eyes as he glanced at Hal and Ize.
“Thank you… you saved us,” he said.
“Glad we made it in time,” Hal replied. “We’re adventurers who were on the northbound horsebus. My brother’s got a speed boost, so we decided to run ahead and help protect your group. The others will be here soon, so let’s hold out until then.”
The guard’s expression softened with appreciation. “Ah! Truly, thank you! I thought for sure we were done for…”
“What about the third guard?”
“That coward… ran off the moment he got the chance.”
“I had a bad feeling when he volunteered for the rear guard,” the second guard added. “It seems he was just waiting for the right moment to bolt.”
“Hal, the bear’s coming!” Ize shouted. “Get ready!”
“Got it! …Sorry, we’ll have to talk later. For now, you two need to rest. What about the passengers, Ize?”
“I hid them in my barrier!”
“Good work!”
A roar shattered the air, reverberating through their very bones. The sound was followed by the thunderous pounding of the Mystic Beast charging toward them.
Name: Blood Bear
Rank: A
Attacks: Claw, Bite, Tackle
Feeling the ground tremble beneath him as the Beast drew closer, Hal clenched his jaw, his focus narrowing as he activated his Eye of Appraisal, desperate for information about their adversary.
“…All right! Ize! Its weakness is endurance! If we can buy ourselves some time, it will start to tire out!”
“Yes! Understood!”
With no need to worry about the passengers, both guards unharmed, and the remaining trio nearing their position, Hal and Ize understood the singular task that lay before them: they needed to stall the Mystic Beast, holding their ground until reinforcements arrived.
They exchanged a quick glance, grinning at each other before turning to face the hulking figure barreling toward them.
Ize circled the Mystic Beast, crouching low to evade its ferocious attacks while keeping it in one place.
She sidestepped as its massive arm came crashing down, narrowly avoiding the force of its blow. When it lunged to bite her, she leaped over its head, and when it sought to crush her beneath its bulk, she weaved between its legs.
Her movements were quick and precise, ducking and dodging like a skilled fighter would.
[Back then, I couldn’t defend myself..]
[Back then, I was thrown across the ground…]
[…But now, I won’t even take a single hit!]
The nightmares of July faded in the wake of her resolve.
No longer the powerless Ichikawa Izumi, she had transformed into Ize Turquia, capable of facing this threat with confidence and strength.
After all, she knew wasn’t alone in this fight.
“All right, guess I should go all out too…” Hal muttered to himself.
He placed his left hand against his outstretched right arm, recalling the words of his mentor, Fieda, from their training sessions: “Learn with your body the reach of your sword skills, the weight of your attacks, and the speed of your swings. Focus on the enemy.” The teachings echoed in his mind, reminding him that if he couldn’t grasp these concepts during training, he wouldn’t stand a chance in a real fight. Conversely, mastering them in practice would allow his body to respond instinctively when it mattered most.
“Dammit, Fieda… don’t be so ridiculous! I can’t learn all of this in such a short time — I’ve hardly ever fought before in my life!” he lamented inwardly, a wry smile creeping onto his face despite the tension.
Determined, Hal took aim.
He unleashed a flurry of spells, water magic swirling around the creature’s face, blinding it and cutting off its breath.
Following swiftly, he cast wind magic, slashing at the Beast’s limbs, hindering its mobility.
Noticing Hal’s supportive presence, Ize turned her body halfway around, a bright grin breaking across her face, lifting the corners of his mouth in response.
“You’re supposed to chant!” she exclaimed, her voice laced with playful admonishment.
“Dude, my eyes and head can barely keep up as is! Honestly, I’m scared as all hell! I’m just trying to concentrate on the enemy!”
“GRRRRRR!!”
A deep, guttural roar erupted from the Mystic Beast, its patience wearing thin as it became increasingly agitated by Ize’s relentless, darting movements. In a split second, Hal summoned a powerful blast of water, directing it forcefully into the creature’s gaping maw. With Ize not having access to any big attacks of her own, he aimed to whittle away at the Beast’s stamina.
As the battle progressed, the two guards, who had been nursing their wounds, were inspired by the tenacity displayed by Ize and Hal. They joined the fray, swords glinting as they closed in on the Mystic Beast, landing direct blows against its formidable bulk.
When the fight became too congested for Ize’s comfort, she withdrew to Hal’s side, offering support only when the creature attempted to reposition itself.
Before long, the three guards from the northbound horsebus finally arrived. By this point, the Mystic Beast lay sprawled on the ground, gasping desperately as it expended the last remnants of its strength.
“…Let’s ensure we finish it off,” the guard leader commanded, his voice steady but firm. “It might still resist, so everyone, be careful as you surround it.”
“Yes, sir!” the guards responded in unison as they took their positions.
At the signal from the leader of the northbound horsebus guard, the leader of the attacked horsebus’s guard plunged his sword deep into the Mystic Beast’s neck. Simultaneously, the other guards thrust their weapons into its massive body.
With a shuddering roar that echoed through the air, the Mystic Beast’s cries dwindled into silence.
Having entrusted the final blow to the guards, Hal and Ize maintained their distance, watching the scene unfold.
Hal murmured softly, a flicker of guilt momentarily crossing his mind as he addressed the fallen creature.
“…Is it dead?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“You know, if you say that in a movie, it’s gonna rise back up most of the time…”
“…Nah, I’m pretty sure it’s just a corpse now. I checked it with Appraisal.”
“Well, I guess that means we’re totally safe now, then,” Ize chuckled. “…Hey, Hal?”
“Yeah?” he answered, turning to meet her gaze.
“Mind if I let my guard down? Just for a bit?”
“Sure, why not?”
“…Thank you.”
As Hal glanced back at her, puzzled by her unusual response, he was taken aback to find Ize silently shedding streams of tears, unable to hold back the flood of emotions any longer.
The relief of their victory washed over her, mingling with the release from the oppressive shadow of death that had loomed so close. The tension of battle poured out all at once.
Reading the turmoil etched on her face, Hal’s voice softened as he addressed her.
“Don’t hold it in,” he urged gently
“I-if I don’t, my Stealth’s gonna…”
“The driver will notice and move the horsebus to a safer place. Don’t worry.”
“I dunno…”
“C’mon, there’s no need to keep it to yourself.”
Hal opened his arms wide, and in an instant, Ize all but flung herself into his embrace, the momentum of her emotions propelling her forward.
“Oof–!”
“I w-was s-so scared…”
“I know. I was, too… You really did great, Ize. Without you, we might have all died here, or at least, the people in this horsebus wouldn’t have made it. So, really — you saved the day, Ize.”
“Th-Thank you for s-staying by me, Hal…” she whispered, a teary, garbled rendition of his name slipping from her lips.
“Heh, you almost got it wrong,” he teased, cracking a wry smile.
In moments like these, he was reminded that, beneath the strong front she presented — behind the walls she had built up to protect herself and her secrets — Ize was still a little girl.
[Guess I’ll wait until she’s calm.]
His gaze shifted to meet that of the guards, who returned his look with a hint of understanding.
Lowering his head slightly in thanks, Hal noticed the leader of the guards signaling toward the damaged horsebus, then to the defeated Mystic Beast, and finally back to the guards. They would likely tend to the people in the carriage, manage the dead, and dispose of the Mystic Beast’s lifeless corpse.
Returning the nod, Hal eased himself down against a tree, Ize still clinging to him.
A cool breeze stirred the leaves overhead, offering a refreshing contrast to the heat of battle that had enveloped them just moments before. Feeling the exhaustion seep into his bones, Hal let his eyelids grow heavy, his senses dulling as he sank into a deep, restful sleep.
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