CH 201

“You guys must have really been working out! Haha, that’s awesome!”

“No, no, no. We just killed two Treants and a goblin, so there’s no need to exaggerate.”

“So you’re a martial artist, Makina-chan. I was fooled by the sword on your hip.”

“I also use a sword, but my main skill is my fists.”

(T/N: Changed Fighter to Martial Artist.)

We were surrounded by several adventurers who asked us a lot of questions about the fight we had just had. They seemed to be amused that the couple they thought were rookies had instantly killed a goblin and given the Treants a hole in its body.

“You said your name is Lars, right? What’s your skill?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s [Jack-of-all-Trades].”

“Oh, really ……?”

The people around me gasped as I simply said it. The rumor of Jack-of-all-Trades is really spreading. I wonder if It was shunned that much? When I think about it, Makina speaks for me.

“It’s true! The harder he works, the stronger he gets. I also do mock battles with him, but I’m not really his match.”

“Yes. I wonder if Makina is attracted to such strength?”

“Yes, well, I-I guess so!”

“I like Makina’s strength and energy, too, you know?”

“Lars …… j-jeez ……”

“You’re so young!”

Makina blushes, grabs the hem of my clothes, and walks in silence. Sifol-san smiles and walks away from us. Fox also stepped in front of us, so I slowed down a bit and whispered to Makina.

“…… Do you see anyone suspicious among the adventurers?”

“Hmm, though the most suspicious one is leading the way.”

“Haha, true. However, Conrad and his team have a good position around the suspicious one, so if he tries anything, Conrad and his team will be able to suppress him.”

But we don’t know what that man’s abilities are, so if he’s stronger than Conrad and his team, there’s a good chance he’ll be able to escape.

In the meantime, if anyone doesn’t want the Treants’ source to be destroyed, they’ll show their tail, so I went deeper into the forest and saw the usual giant bees, slime, rampaging boars, and of course the Treants.

It wasn’t so bad at the entrance of the forest, but as we got closer to the back, the encounter rate increased and we started getting slowed down more and more.

“!”

“Geeeeee ……”

“Grrrrr!”

The fire lance burned through the two Treants. In my field of vision, I can see Makina closing the gap between Trent’s swinging branch and the razor-sharp leaf that strikes her head, avoiding it in a circular motion. 

“[Kaiser Knuckle]! I got it!”

“You’re right, Makina! Blade of Wind! !”

When Makina’s fist pierced the center of the Treant, it broke him in half and he died, and she quickly crushed the other one with a straight kick. Then Sifol-san’s Wind Thrust cut off the branches and leaves, leaving him naked.

“Deryaaaaa!”

Cave was slashing down diagonally. The two of them had a very good combination. It’s like Sifol-san used her magic to restraint the opponent, and Cave finishes him off while it’s flinching.

“Fuh~ …… Isn’t it time about time we arrive. We’ve been walking for about three hours now, haven’t we?”

Cave wiped the sweat from his forehead as he muttered this, and I nodded in reply. I think I’ve killed fifty torrents in three hours? It’s not tough, but the sheer number of them is depressing as hell.

The original request was to kill them, but if we didn’t do it all at once, a party of two would probably end up surrounded.

Then there was a figure in front of us, with his sword drawn, looking at his surroundings and calling out to me.

“You newcomers seem to be doing great.”

“Yes.”

Conrad slows down a bit and walks up next to me. Borzov and the others were still holding their ground, perhaps wary of Croix. Then, in a whisper, Conrad speaks to me. Makina was talking to Sifol a little while ago.

“Hey, don’t you have any techniques, Makina?”

“Yes. I’ve never seen anyone like that in the town I lived in.”

“Hmm, since you’re a martial artist, don’t you want one? I heard there’s a guy in the Royal Capital who has one.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. I’d like to know how to use a hand knife or something.”

“Conrad, do you notice any strange movements in that bandage?”

“No. Kelbrem was looking at Croix, thinking it was black, almost gray, but there was no sign of suspicion. You’re not going to exterminate him, are you ……?”

“That’s fine, then. My guess is that he’s suspicious …… Hm?”

As I walked along, looking up at the sky, I noticed that the adventurers and Croix in front of me had stopped, and when we caught up with them, we saw that it was an open space, like a resting place in the forest.

“……”

“Have we arrived?”

Borzov asked, and Croix slowly turned around and nodded. Samo, who was walking nearby, made a suggestion.

“Want to take a break for a minute? I want to eat lunch and I’m thirsty. What do you think?”

“……”

Croix nodded that it would be no problem, and they began to relax in groups in the open. In any case, the break was appreciated, and Makina and I also used a suitable stone as a chair to talk.

“It’s getting pretty dark now.”

“We’re thinking of camping today, but we’d like to get this over with quickly if possible.”

“Yeah. But this forest is really full of Treants.”

“The further back we go, the less normal monsters appear, which is eerie. Oh, Makina, water.”

“Thank you, Lars …… Ngu, fuh~ ……”

I handed the water to Makina and took another look at my surroundings. The forest is dark, not just dim, but dark as night. We can’t let our guard from the Treants who can mimic trees. The adventurer was hit from behind by a mimicking torrent earlier.

“……? Where is he going?”

The next thing I know, Croix is disappearing behind a tree by himself. What a suspicious man …… Just when I was about to chase after him with my Invisible–

Rustle, rustle, rustle: ……

“Hmm? ……!?”

“Oh no …… Makina, get behind me! Everybody! Get up, it’s Treant!”

“What is it, Lars-kun!”

“This open area is a trap! We’re surrounded by Treant!”

Yes, I noticed that there were too many gaps in the trees. It would certainly be dark if the trees were so dense.

Shortly after, the Treants attacked us, trying to feed off of us. ……!

Whoa, It’s almost midnight as I write this, but I’m too sleepy ……

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“Gugo-! Guga-!!”

This guy ……!