Volume 2 Chapter 26

Volume 2 Chapter 26: Carrier that Supports

I wonder what kind of monster those rabbits are?」

I said while looking at the monsters that were approaching us.

The answer came from Axel, who stood behind us—

「Oh, they are jackalopes.」

「Jackalopes… Surely, they were mentioned in the demon beasts manual we had in the dojo……Axel-san, you heard of them?」

「Well, more or less. I’ve seen them several times. It’s a bunch that tends to inflict quite a few injuries.」

「……I thought you’d say that. It was written in the manual, and with those fangs and claws it’s pretty understandable.」

Before our eyes were fanged rabbits, they are low-level magical beasts that are a bit under one meter tall.

In the manual, it was written that they have two horns on their heads and look pretty cute from a distance but—

「Where are the horns?」

Although they indeed look cute, I don’t see any horns. The distance had shrunk to a few meters, but I still don’t see anything like that.

So I tried to ask if these really are jackalopes as Axel-san stated. At that moment—

「——!」

A jackalope suddenly accelerated and leaped at us.

Moreover, while growing two sharp horns from it’s head. Aiming to gouge out my side.

「……The horns were retractable……?!」

But I managed to respond to the sudden movement.

While sweeping away the horns that were aimed at my side, with the handle of my spear, I took a big backstep.

「——Cecile! Are you okay?」

「Of course, George.」

Since Axel managed to identify them correctly, I was able to make the minimum preparation to deal with the horns.

「——This is just a scratch……!」

The only damage was to my clothes in the abdominal area. While confirming this with a glance, I rotated the spear following my previous sweeping motion—

「【Skull Splitter]……!」

And while activating the skill, I swung it down at the Jackalope’s head with great momentum.

The blow that had the power of the skill behind it, smashed the Jackalopes head along with its horns.

「Yeah, it works on this monster as well. How about you, George?」

After seeing the Jackalope fall spilling blood from its head, I looked towards George. There, by his own means, he also dispatched a Jackalope, splendidly sending its torso flying with his big sword.

「I’m good as well. Since they are low tier, they are weak.」

He sighed looking pretty confident.

「You are right. Then…… Since there are only six of them left, let’s clean them up quickly and check if there is a magic stone attracting monsters nearby.」

As she was saying that, Cecile took a step forward. As soon as the Jackalopes saw that—

「——」

They turned around and ran off towards the woods.

「They are fleeing……?」

「What a drag…… But they aren’t that fast, let’s chase, Cecile.」

「…Right. We are going that way anyway, so it’s better to get rid of them.」

The speed of the Jackalopes hopping and jumping away wasn’t that high.

Judging that it would be troublesome if we got attacked again, I decided to get rid of them right here together with George and we went to dash after them.

「——Ah, wait, wait. It’s dangerous to fight those guys while chasing after them.」

Axel’s voice could be heard coming behind us.

「Haha, you are worrying too much, Carrier-san.」

George replied with a smile.

「You saw our moves right now, didn’t you? With our Grand Arble style, we will defeat them in the blink of an eye.」

「Right. Just wait for a bit here, Axel-san. If in that short while you see another monster, then just chase after us.」

After saying so, I rushed forward with the serious speed of a combat job, so he wouldn’t have to wait for more than necessary.

The jackalopes were still at a distance where they could be seen. At this rate, in a few seconds we can catch up with them, and after a swipe it will be over.

While thinking so, I, together with George, ran deeper into the forest.

「——Here we go, caught up already!」

As expected, it took less than 10 seconds for George, who ran ahead, to catch up. He swung his big sword at a jackalope that was running at the back. However—

——*Bonk*

Came sound from where the sword landed.

「Eh……Branches got it in way……」

Looks like George’s sword hit thick branches above his head. Nonetheless, the sword that was swung vigorously crashed into the Jackalope’s head and drew blood.

「Whatever. It felt like I cracked the skull, so it’s one down. Five more to go——」

And the moment George was about to lift his sword once again.

「——Guh?!」

「George?!」

He suddenly fell to one knee.

Looking closely, at his feet i there was a small hole.

A jackalope that was hiding there pierced his foot with a horn.

「When did they dig up such a hole……?!」

「You little…!」

Right away, I tried to smack the hole with the spear. But—

——*Whack!*

Like it had previously happened with the sword, the trajectory of my spear was blocked by vegetation and one of the big boulders lying there.

「Kuh……The surroundings are in the way…!」

Looking around, not only the big trees were growing there, but also large rocks were standing here and there.

It’s a cramped location with many obstacles to wielding a weapon. In such an environment—

「Cecile! On your right!」

「——!」

The jackalopes commenced their attack.

In response to George’s shout, I immediately passed the spear into my right hand and took a stance. Then, I saw a rabbit attempting to pierce my shoulder with its sharp horn.

「——Shaa!」

With a shriek, the rabbit penetrated the armor and slightly dug into my shoulder with it horn.

「——!!」

The leather armor was torn, clothing ripped, and skin scraped, only a minor injury since I had my spear ready. But the attack was not over.

They rushed at us from behind the trees and rocks. Not only at me. But they also repeatedly charged at George.

「ch……I trained for this at the dojo, but I never fought in such a place……!」

George said after he somehow managed to get up while fending off attacks from the rabbits.

Just as he said.

We trained for fights in a confined space.

But it was the first time we fought in such a disorderly and unstable environment. In fact, with the bad visibility, this place has, in every action we take we end up one step behind the jackalopes charging from the shadows. Furthermore—

……Our movements are also delayed by one tempo……!

On the other hand, our opponents are clearly comfortable and confident in their actions.

Skillfully using the rough terrain, big trees, and rocks to their advantage, they kept attacking from angles that would make the use of our weapons more difficult.

「No way, did they lure us here…?!」

The moment I uttered that—

「Nee-chan! Above!」

George shouted once again. Never before has his voice lacked composure this much.

When I promptly looked above I spotted a jackalope.

Its trajectory is aimed at my neck with its horns and fangs.

「Ah…！」

「Don’t underestimate me……!」

Though the spear was in a low position, with this speed, moving as fast as possible I could manage to respond in time. Thinking so, I turned my spear to intercept. But—

——*Thud*

A part of the handle hit the trunk of a tree and the spear stopped.

「No way……」

However, the jackalope’s charge did not stop.

As I imagined the sight of the horn piercing me from the neck all the way to the chest, I reflexively froze. That moment—

「Taking big swings here won’t do you any good.」

Along with the voice, power was applied to the spear.

Drawn by the mighty strength, the spear handle was pulled away from the trunk.

And with that flow, making only half of the rotation, the spearhead struck the head of the jackalope.

「——」

The sharp-horned rabbit had its body smashed by the spear without even a chance to resist and fell to the ground.

「Eh…?」

What kind of movements just moved the spear in my hand.

I could not understand for a moment.

After all, my arms and limbs stiffened and could hardly move by my own will.

Still, I could feel a very peaceful and reassuring warmth at my back.

「At such places with many obstacles, you should, first of all, align your movements with surroundings and either poke at will or swing upwards, in this case, you should have a much easier time. Like this.」

When I heard such a voice, my arms and legs moved on their own again, like they were pulled by the spear.

And then, with a high-speed thrush from the low stance, the spear struck a jackalope that was about to harm George.

Those movements were the most elegant and most efficient movements that I have ever performed thus far.

「I’m sorry if I got in the way of the style of your school.」

「Eh……Ah……」

Amazed by the movements I was performing, I carefully looked behind me by moving only my head. There…

「Aa…Axel…san?」

At my back was Axel, with his hands on the spear which he moved as if to guide the movements of my arms and legs.