Chapter 104: Aftermath of a Tragedy (4)

Red Autumn Peak.

It has been an hour since the group started their journey to the coast. Since then, nothing has happened. Not a hair of Zonal Lions was spotted. However, the group didn't relax.

"How much is left?" Oshima looked around the surroundings vigilantly and asked.

"More than three hours if we continue at this speed." Mitsuhara calmly answered. He was a man with experience. Even if a Zonal Lion were to jump on his right now, he wouldn't flinch. That's how important experience is.

"Before everything, I know we aren't going to fight but we should at least know each other's strength," Koshikawa suggested.

"You mean you want us to tell you our POW?" Asuka had second thoughts about the question.

"I don't necessarily want you to tell me your POW. I want everyone to know of everyone's POW."

"I'm not against that." When she thought a bit deeper, she figured it wasn't a bad idea.

"I'm starting. My POW is 7." Koyami raised his hand.

"Mine's 10." Imada followed.

Asuka: "I'm 9."

Aya: "11."

Sakai: "10."

Oshima: "8."

Koshikawa: "15."

Of course, only the students answered. Maki and Mitsuhara didn't because they were genuine Gruer Users and couldn't just disclose their information. There were certain rules and regulations they had to follow for their own safety.

Koshikawa laughed as if he was very pleased. "So I'm the strongest one here."

Others rolled their eyes. 'Well duh, you are a third year. Do you not feel ashamed when you are comparing your POW against us?' 

"Quiet," Mitsuhara said a single word but it was enough to shut everyone's mouth.

Imada went towards Mitsuhara and whispered in his ears. "Is something wrong?"

Mitsuhara didn't reply but seeing his expression was enough to get an answer.

The student group went silent for the next few minutes. Not a single word was raised.

A while later, Mitsuhara stopped the carriage.

"All of you, stay here." Looking at the students, he said in a strict tone. Turning to Maki, he said. "Come with me."

Getting off the carriage, Mitsuhara parked the carriage in a place full of trees. 

"Was it from the top?" Maki's tone was grave.

"It is from the top," Mitsuhara confirmed her suspicions, then jolted towards the top of the peak. His speed was so fast that all the students could see was a shadow.

Maki followed the figure closely.

"Our POW looks nothing compared to them," Koshikawa commented with a dejected expression.

The others nodded.

***

Maki and Mitsuhara were sprinting to the topmost layer of the peak. "Mitsuhara-sensei, what's the plan?" 

"There's no plan," Mitsuhara answered, having a serious look. "We have to kill them head-on."

"Them?" Maki looked as if she had received a shock.

"You heard it right. There are at least three Zonal Lions."

"How are we going to fight them?" Maki's tone suggested that she was a bit afraid.

"Support me from behind," Mitsuhara said before quickening his pace.

A minute later, the duo hid behind trees and kept a close look at the surroundings.

"Are they hiding in the cave?"

Mitsuhara chuckled. "They are living in the cave, not hiding."

"How can you still joke around this time?"

"Can you do <<Suction Blast>>?"

"I can." Maki was a Bronze-ranked Combative Gruer User. <<Suction Blast>> was one of the first ranked skills to learn when one reaches the Bronze rank.

"Good. I'll lure one of the Zonal Lions here and you have to use <<Suction Blast>> in such precision so that the Zonal Lion gets hit by that pointed edge.. Can you do that?" Mitsuhara pointed to a sharp, large boulder.

"I will try." Maki was unsure if she could bring in such precision.

"You can't try, you have to do it." Mitsuhara patted her shoulders.

Maki felt that the responsibility and pressure on her shoulders had increased. Not because Mitsuhara's hand was heavy. "I… I will do it." Forcing herself to convince herself that she could do it, she nodded her head.

"That's better. People find this hard to believe but your rate of success increases when you force yourself to believe something that doesn't follow a logical train of thoughts." 

Mitsuhara inhaled and exhaled air to regulate his breathing and dashed off towards the cave.

When he came near, he hid in a bush and observed. 'No signs of Zonal Lions… here it comes."

A three-feet tall lion, standing on four legs with a single horn on its head came out.

'Where are the others?' Mitsuhara didn't immediately reveal himself. He carefully gauged the surroundings of the Zonal Lion and upon finding that there weren't any other besides the Zonal Lion that came out, he shook the bush.

The Zonal Lion's terrifying gaze went to the gaze and without any signals, it jumped upon the bush.

Mitsuhara came out from the bush and calmly looked at it without making any sound. He had to lure this beast to the particular spot and couldn't fight till then. It's not that he was afraid of a head-on fight with the beast but because he didn't want to alert the other two beasts. His senses told him that the other two Zonal Lions were nearby.

The Zonal Lion didn't immediately pounce on him. It decided to make a move as soon as the other party makes a move.

*Step*

Mitsuhara took a small step back while cautiously looking at the beast.

The Zonal Lion also took another step front.

Slowly and steadily, Mitsuhara took a couple of steps back.

The Zonal Lion still didn't pounce on him. It similarly took a few steps forward, closing the gaps that were made.

Mitsuhara took another step back.

However, this time, as the Zonal Lion was about to take another step forward, Mitsuhara started running.

The Zonal Lion didn't howl and simply chased after the man.

'The beast is convinced that I'm scared of him. That's why it didn't call its familiars.' Mitsuhara's first step of the plan succeeded.

Meanwhile, Maki was sweating bullets while preparing for a <<Suction Blast>>. 'Hopefully, this would be enough.' She stopped pouring her G.C. and turned to look at the cave and immediately got stunned.

'Not so fast. I didn't even prepare myself.' Maki came out of the trees she was hiding behind and concentrated her mind over to the Zonal Lion that was chasing Mitsuhara. 'Can I do it from this distance?' For <<Suction Blast>> to succeed, one needs to be at a reasonable distance from the opponent. The closer your opponent is, the better the chances are that it hits your opponent.

With some hesitation, she sprinted towards the Zonal Lion.

The Zonal Lion, because it was chasing Mitsuhara, failed to notice a figure close to it.

*Boom!*

The Zonal Lion flew off and its back touched the sharp end of the boulder as red blood slipped from its body.

Maki heaved a sigh of relief and smiled as her attack was successful but Mitsuhara didn't relax. He went near Zonal Lion and confirmed whether it was breathing or not.

After a few seconds, he wiped off the sweat from his forehead. "Fortunately, it's dead. Your attack was praiseworthy… however…" His voice slowly turned silent when he noticed two huge figures standing at a distance.