Chapter 400 - Beastboy’s School Life, The Depths of the North Forest

Chapter 400 – Beastboy’s School Life, The Depths of the North Forest

It was dusky in the forest.

However, there’s no problem with that.

We’ve hunted here many times already.

It is dusky but it won’t slow us down.

Let’s go to the place from the information.

The military troops that Uncle Glatts asked had left guideposts so we will not make a wrong turn.

I, Gol, and Bron are moving together but they are not next to me.

Gol and Bron are moving on the trees.

This is our formation when we are dealing with rabbits in the village.

I’m the decoy while the other two are attacker and scout.

In times like this, a scout is more important.

When you are against a rabbit, the scariest thing that can happen is to be attacked by another monster or demon beast.

The three of us have identical swords as weapons.

These swords were made by Uncle Gutt before we go to school.

Uncle Gutt made elaborate decorations on these swords so that we can sell them in the unlikely event that we really need some money.

I like it so I won’t sell it.

As I advanced while holding the sword with one of my hands, Gol issued a signal to stop from the top of a tree.

We talked using our eyes.

There seems to be something suspicious in a place ahead.

After waiting for Bron to get into position, I went straight.

In the suspicious place….there’s a person.

It seems like he escaped from the demon beast and hid.

「A-a boy…..not from a rescue squad, damn it.」

Judging from his appearance, he’s probably one of the adventurers hired by the students of our school.

His arm is injured.

「That’s right. My bad that I’m not here to help you. My purpose is the students who hired you. You are an adult so help yourself.」

We have already exterminated the monsters and demon beasts that we encountered on our way here.

Now it’s relatively safe to return.

I told him that and move on.

「Wa-wait…..」

「What?」

「Take this.」

「Hnn?」

Bell?

「Our employer had a number of magic tools.」

「Magic tools?」

「Ah, one of them is a hiding magic tool. Instead of being invisible, using it hides you but makes both inside and outside not know what’s happening on each side. 」

「You mean they can’t even hear voices of the rescue squad? That’s a problem. 」

「Yes, however, they can hear the sound of this bell. The signal of safety is three short rings. Please take care of it. 」

「Alright. I’ll do what I can….aside from this, what other magic tools do they have? 」

「Eh? All that I’ve seen are one that can set up fire and one that temporarily seals off an enemy’s movement. They had three other things but I don’t know their uses. I have never seen them use them.」

「Temporary seals an enemy’s movement? How long can it seal the enemy?」

「The employer said that it can for a dozen counts but from my experience, it can only seal the enemy’s movement for three. It was like an instant. A garbage tool.」

No, no. I feel like I can beat anyone as long as they stop moving for three counts.

Isn’t that a terrible magic tool?

Maa, let’s not let it pull our legs.

「Thank you for the information. Goodbye.」

「Ah. I’m sorry for saying that you’re a boy. Please, save our employers.」

「I don’t mind. No matter how you look at me, I am indeed a boy. Even if you don’t ask me, I’ll save your employer but….how about your friends? 」

「The employers are our priority. If you have some leeway, then please save my friends. And please tell my greetings to your friends on the trees. 」

「All right. If you go through the forest, you will find the army so follow the path. 」

「Yeah. Ah, that’s right. I’m Kokusu. What are your names? 」

「Sil. Those on the trees are Gol and Bron. See you later. 」

30 minutes after parting with the adventurer.

We approached the place from the information.

There are traces of a big monster rampaging.

There, we encountered another party.

It was the advance party of Uncle Glatts.

They are wearing light equipment for mobility. Their weapons are swords and hatchets.

It looks like most of them prefer hatchets.

40 or so people are scattered in the forest.

「Oh, food lad. 」

I thought they would be warry but it seems like we’ve met an acquaintance.

But stop calling me food lad.

You just come to me when it’s time to eat, aren’t you?

「Great. It’s reassuring if food lad is here. How about the other two? 」

「Up 」

「Hnn? Ah, I see. My bad but stay alert.」

Our soldier acquaintance was the commander of the four units that entered the forest.

「I’m just a temporary commander since this is just a temporary unit. But still pretty neat.」

After he said that, he briefed me about the current situation.

「We found traces made by amateurs. They are probably the students of the school and the number matches too. The professional traces are probably the employed adventurers….」

「Ah, wait. I’ve already got the information from one of the hired adventurers we met on the way.」

I showed him the bell and told him about the existence of the hiding magic tool.

「Children these days have convenient things.」

「I don’t have one. I’ll leave this bell to you. Look for suspicious places and ring it there.」

「All right. How about food lads?」

「We’ll follow the traces of the demon beast. If we encounter it…we’ll do something about it.」

「Are you going to be okay?」

「If we don’t, we’ll just run away.」

「Prioritize running away. You don’t have to think about buying time.」

「Ahaha. Alright.」

We parted with the commander and moved.

While exterminating monsters and demon beasts along the way, we search for the war bear but we can’t find it.

Hold on…..

How many warbears are there?

There are too many traces.

If it is not something that moves around to confuse the pursuer, there should be at least ten of them, right?

But we didn’t encounter even one.

Why?

Something’s wrong.

Gol and Bron on the trees also felt the same but they don’t know what it is.

One hour later.

We met a ten-unit squad.

It seems like they have come to look for them.

「We found four students and the hired adventurers. Some of them are injured but they are safe. We are already escorting them out of the forest.」

「Four students?」

One is missing.

「One of the students left the group.」

「Why aren’t they acting together?」

「It seems like that student was the one who suggested the group to hunt in the forest. The student felt responsible and volunteered to be a decoy. He got some magic tools so there’s still hope for him.」

「Where did he run to?」

「North.」

「At the depths huh. Understood.」

「Do you mind if I accompany you?」

「I don’t mind but will you be okay?」

「I have permission from the commander. We are here to rescue the students after all.」

「Alright. Let’s work together.」

I want to avoid the worst.

We finally found the last student.

Alive.

However, there are five warbears on his right side.

And there are three lovers beasts on the left side.

…..

He seemed to have survived because the warbears and lovers beast were glaring at each other.

Quite lucky.

Ah, or maybe it is the effect of the magic tool in his hand.

The student noticed us.

This is bad!

Don’t let your guard down!

The warbears and lovers beasts that are glaring at each other became excited and rushed to kill the student.

It seems like they don’t want their food to escape.

I started running.

Gol and Bron on the trees moved almost the same time as I.

As expected.

I’m charging to the lovers beasts.

Gol and Bron are heading for the warbears.

With this strategy, I’m assigned to buy time.

While I’m doing that, Gol and Bron will take care of the warbears. After that, they’ll help me with the lovers beasts.

Those warbears look tough but Gol and Bron should be fine.

I’m sure even if there are twenty of them, those two can take care of them.

The lovers beasts before me are….aggressive and disgusting.

However, that’s better because they’ll only focus on me.

Before I knew it, the unit leader that came with us was already running away while carrying the student.

Great.

That helps us a lot.

The warbears were taken care of by Gol and Bron.

Two were killed while three were driven away.

After that, they joined me to face the lovers beast….and something unexpected happened.

A black haze-like-monster came from behind the three lovers beasts.

It’s big.

It’s about the size of the village’s inn.

The three lovers beasts were eaten the moment they were wrapped around by the black haze-like-monster.

I think it ate them.

You’re asking why? It’s because the black haze-like-monster became bigger.

What is this?

Danger signals run throughout my body.

This is how I feel when Ursa or Guraru are seriously angry.

No, it is more than that.

I understood that it is an evil existence.

And there’s no way we can win.

If Hakuren-sensei or village chief is here, we can win.

But they are not here.

Immediate withdrawal.

That’s what I decided but I’m already too late.

The three warbears that Gol and Bron drove away are back.

Persistent bastards.

Or so I thought but I was wrong.

The warbears are also being chased by a black haze-like-monster.

Is it another one?

Wrong.

It only stretched itself.

「Sil, sword is useless. They were eaten.」

I know.

One of the warbears tried to counterattack but it was eaten.

The other two tried to escape by climbing trees but they were caught and eaten.

The black haze-like-monster can change its height too.

This is … pretty bad.

We are surrounded by the black haze-like-monster.

「Gol, Bron, do you have any idea on what to do?」

「How about magic?」

「Let’s cast magic at the same time and run away once it made a gap.」

「Okay. Let’s do it. Three, two, one, cast!」

The magics we casted were absorbed by the black haze-like-monster.

Oi oi.

Give me a break.

That black haze-like-monster seemed to extend its hand to me.

Dodge.

However, it has a lot of hands.

Am I going to die like this?

…….

No, I won’t give up.

Fight until the end.

I learned it from the village.

There are many hands.

Dodge them with spirit.

The magic that was absorbed was fire magic.

Let’s try other magic then.

There are still a lot of things we can do.

Don’t give up!

The black haze-like-monster laughed at us who were preparing for another attack.

Or did I just feel that it is laughing at us?

I can’t be sure.

Because the black haze-like-monster was eaten by an intruder.

An intruder.

It is a spider that is about as big as a boulder.

Before I knew it, the spider suddenly jumped at the black haze-like-monster and sucked it with great speed.

The spider is as big as a boulder but the black haze-like-monster is much bigger.

Did it eat it?

Is it that hungry to be able to eat that gigantic black haze-like-monster?

In addition, it just ate warbears and lovers beasts earlier….

I shouldn’t think about the details.

Rather than that, this spider …

It is a spider that I have never seen even in the village.

But I can feel something.

「Are you a spiderling?」

The spider raises one of its legs and waves it left and right.

….

I look at Bron and Gol.

「It is one of the spiderlings that left during the spring.」