Volume 1 - CH 18

Chapter 18: Digging Expert

The sun rose.

We are digging holes behind the Cultivating Centre, as practice for making traps.

Don’t look at me like that, I can dig holes very well.

Because I had accumulated a lot of experience, I clearly know the skills on how to dig a deep hole in a short time. Everyone can call me a hole digging expert.

As digging holes requires clothes that are more suited for physical activities, hence I asked everyone to change to the gym clothes stored in the Cultivating Centre’s storage room, and then gather at the back door. These are old-styled gym clothes that was supposed to be phased-out, but perhaps due to some error, they are kept in the innermost part of the storage room.

The bottom that they are wearing are not comfy shorts, but bloomers that adhere tightly. Just how long ago was it? These bloomers that were abolished due to pressure from the Parents’ Society. Well it seems to be in good conditions……

Arisu had a shy look, and looked up at me.

「Erm, are you happy?」

「Huh, happy about what?」

「I heard that all guys like bloomers.」

「Who said that?」

「Tamaki did.」

Tamaki escaped from the scene quickly like a rabbit. That fellow, don’t you dare escape.

The other girls looked at us, and revealed their smirk smile. Damn.

「Then when using the metal shovel, so it is better to wear jackets. All of you do not wish to get injured right?」

「If we get injured, Arisu will heal us.」

Shiki-san said so, her face also have that smirk smile. That damn fellow.

「Next we are going to have to fight with orcs.」

「Is there any relation, today’s weather should also be very hot.」

Shiki-san combed her hair, shaking her head.

「Moreover, just a jacket will not be able to block the orc’s axe. Since so, don’t you think that wearing a bit lighter might be better?」

Listening to her say so, me who pushed Arisu and the familiars to the frontline does not have the right to say much.

「Anyway, everyone please take care not to get injured.」

Since saying anymore will not help, I can only shrug my shoulders.

I cast 《Mighty Arm》 on everyone, increasing their arm strength. Now me who is level 5 after casting 《Mighty Arm》 on 11 people, only need to rest for about 20mins, then my MP will be completely recovered. The effect of the magic will last about 1 hour to 1.5hour, so as to say, I can cast it limitlessly.

Everyone is armed with a shovel, this is also found in the basement of the Cultivating Centre. Initially I dug an ideal trap as a demonstration, then they followed.

I instructed them while beside them on how to dig to be more efficient. The hole that was finished first, was extremely ugly. Ah, but this is only practice. As a grave, it is more than enough.

That‘s right, this is a grave. We will be using it to bury the 5 people that the orcs killed in this building yesterday.

After we buried the corpses in the graves, we made a mound, and lastly put a branch in front of the grave as a marker.

We lightly clasped our hands together(TL note: the act of praying). After that we may need to dig a hole for disposal of waste, but because we found an emergency toilet in the storage, so we just have to install it in the lounge, saving the trouble.

As for why we didn’t install the toilet outside, is because we do not know when the orcs will attack, so it is too dangerous.

Until now, 1.5hours have passed, and it is 7.30am now.

Now we are about to do the main thing. I told them to dig a real deep hole in a slightly more hidden place in the forest. Through everyone’s cooperation, or perhaps everyone is getting used to it, hence the digging speed is faster than I expected.

I summoned a Puppet Golem, and let it stay guard when we are digging.

Other than that, I also summoned a crow. I don’t know if it’s me, but this crow seems fiercer than yesterday.

No, this fellow is really different from yesterday. Its beak is sharper than the original, and its round eyes is filled with a conqueror’s aura…… No it isn’t that exaggerated, it is just obvious that it is stronger than yesterday’s crow…… Why?

Ah, right! I realised it. Just like Support Magic will become stronger with ranking up, Summon Magic will also be strengthened with its rank being raised.

So as to say, the summoned familiar, will become stronger as the rank rises.

Ah, but it shouldn’t have any drastic changes……

I noted it down. In the future when considering to rank up Support Magic or Summoning Magi, it can serve as a base for judging.

I decided to send Arisu to investigate, and sent my crow familiar to accompany her. If Arisu has anything that she want to communicate with me, she can let the crow bite a piece of paper to return, replacing emails.

Not a messaging pigeon, but a messaging crow.

I asked her to observe from the forest, the middle school section’s main school building, boys and girls dormitories, staff room, gymnasium, tracks and the tennis field etc. Just roughly and safely observe awhile will be fine.

There is another thing that I must sternly command Arisu.

「Even if you see someone in a bad situation, you cannot dash out to save them.」

「B..but~」

「If you die, then I will also lose my hope to live on. If you are not around, I may follow you.」

I don’t know whether to use shameful or cowardly to describe this command….. This should be considered as begging. Because I felt that if I don’t say it, Arisu will display her sense of justice again.

To ensure that it is under control, then I must use something of similar importance to chain her up.

If that can be me, then I will gladly become her chains.

I do not wish to lose Arisu. Yesterday Arisu told me that, if she dies, then she will leave Tamaki to me. That means that even if she dies, there is someone to replace her?

That is too naive. And such naivety is very dangerous.

The her now, could possibly die for me. So I deliberately said that 「If you die, I will also die with you.」

Arisu opened her eyes widely and stared at me.

「This…… Perhaps I may change my mind, and viciously betray Kazu-senpai?」

I smiled. What kind of foolish words are those.

I clearly knew that she is those serious type, so it is impossible. Even me who is full of doubts towards people, also trusted her completely.

「Then I will leave a note cursing you, and commit suicide. The idea of taking Tamaki as a hostage, and bring her with me, seems good too.」

「Ah, Ka.. kazu-senpai.」

「No, sorry, I am just joking.」

「I mean to say, if I betray you, I should have some sort of realisation?」

「No, please do not betray me.」

She nodded with a stern expression. It should be fine…… I think it should be.

I don’t know if it is because it is still early, but we can’t see any signs of orcs. Perhaps they are still sleeping? If so then its great. I hope they will keep sleeping until we are ready.

I took the chance to use 《Repair》on the weapons left by the defeated orcs, to remove the rust on the weapons.

Although there are spears, axe and swords, but I hope that everyone will use spears. Using weapons that have a long reach to attack is definitely safer, and it may more or less decrease the fear emotion.

Before long, the crow following Arisu returned, with a slip of paper in its beak.

That was Arisu’s message. it wrote:「Can I bring orcs over? One.」

I wrote OK on the paper, and let the crow bite it, before flying back to Arisu.

「The orc will becoming in a while, this time we will not use traps, so everyone please back away, and hide behind the trees.」

I summoned another Puppet Golem, and cast the 3 magic《Keen Weapon》,《Physical Up》,《Mighty Arm》on both Puppet Golems.

Arisu is running in the woods, approaching us.

Tightly behind her, are 2 orcs holding axes.

This is different from what is said? Ah, Arisu suddenly turned and give it a strike. One of the orcs had its throat pierced through by the spear, and it fell, becoming paler and then disappeared. After the orc disappeared, a gem is left on the ground.

The other orc is nearing Arisu, and raised its axe high. Arisu dodged it with quick step, and ran again.

I see, now it is like what she said, she brought 1 orc back. How should I say this, I should not underestimate her.

「Sorry, there was one more hiding under the tree… What should I do now, Kazu-senpai!」

Arisu shouted to us, while running towards us.

「Ah, I wish to immobilise it.」

「Then I will attack its legs.」

Arisu quickly turned in front of me, and aimed her spear at that orc. That orc did not mind even when seeing its comrade getting killed, and still rushed towards Arisu.

Arisu stepped forward, and attacked the kneecap of the orc with the spear.

But her blow is too powerful, shattering the entire kneecap of the orc. The pig-man then rolled onto the ground.

Arisu did not hesitate to strike again, attacking the other kneecap.

Next she striked twice, and sounds of bone shattering sounded out from the left and right shoulder of the orc.

「Is this fine?」

「Yes, it is fine… You are so strong.」

The orc is struggling on the ground, and I order the 2 Puppet Golem to hold down the orc’s hands.

Looking behind, I only saw that the people hiding behind the trees are so scared that they stepped back.

「Th..this is too much.」

Shiki-san gave a forced smile.

Is this sort of thinking too naive— I mumbled to myself in my heart. She had just suffered such a tragedy yesterday, and now she is still concerned about the methods?

I looked at the orc that has fallen onto the ground again.

……Wah, this is bad. Who did such a thing?

Arisu.

Hmph, enough fooling around. The truth is that, both of us are pretty unscrupulous. But this is all for the future, for the sake of survival.

「Okay, who wants to be the first to level up?」

2 person raised their hands— Tamaki and the Middle School Year 1, Mia.

Mia is slightly faster. Hmm— is it because she is Year 1? No, forget it, it’s fine.

「Mia, I will leave this to you.」

「Okay.」

I gave the bamboo spear to the most petite girl in the group. Although she is pretty silent, and does not have much expression, but she should still be nervous, seeing that her hands are shaking when she is holding the bamboo spear.

Other than that, the reason why I gave her the bamboo spear and not the metal spear, is because I feel that the metal spear is too heavy, she may not be able to use it.

「Being able to stab the throat is good, but as long as you keep stabbing, it will die.」

「Okay.」

Arisu cast 《Flower Coat》of Healing Magic Rank 2 on Mia. This is magic that use pink mist to surround the person who is being cast on, and hence absorb the impact of attacks. Through actual experiments, once Arisu uses her spear to attack lightly, this magic will lose its effect.

In a game’s point of view, this is like increasing 5 HP. No, actually I do not even know how much is 5 HP, and said it for the sake of saying. Even so, it should ease the worries for the people.

Mia followed my instructions and kept stabbing at the orc. She concentrated on her strikes, as though she is cursing. In the process, the struggling orc kick her foot, and she gave a 「ouch」 sound, losing her balance. But thanks to《Flower Coat》, she remains full of energy.

After stabbing about 20 times, she luckily stabbed the orc’s eye.

The orc’s figure finally disappeared, and Mia’s action suddenly stopped.

「I leveled up.」

She turned to me and said.

「As I said, I obtained Earth and Wind Magic.」