A normal mole, of course, will not respond.

However, the creature then responds.

“Mokyuk!”

and, holding its hand above its head, it squealed a single word.

Then, a black mist appears above the mole.

And then…

Something starts to form in the mist.

“Seriously… the mole is using magic?!”

It is a surprise to Yuto, who widens his eyes.

For the first time in his life, he is witnessing magic in the midst of its formation.

In addition, he is doubly surprised to learn that magic can be created with a single cry, and that the chanting is shortened!

The mist gradually grows larger, and is also starting to form into a stone.

After forming, the stone also appears to be growing in the air, rather than being scooped up from the ground.

And for about five seconds…

The stone, now the size of a tennis ball, was launched silently at Yuto.

It came straight at Yuto’s face with the speed of a grown man throwing a stone.

“Hyah!!!?”

Yuto reflexively hid his face with his bag.

However…

*Bogoh!!!! 

*Gong!!!! 

“Bwah!!!?”

It is just a coincidence that Yuto put his bag, a duralumin case, in front of him and covers his face.

He did this action not because he can read the line of fire, but just because he intuitively felt that if it hit him on the head.

Although the reaction was a reflex, it hit the duralumin case, but the impact has not been stopped, and the recoil sent the case to hit Yuto’s face, mainly on the nose.

The result was a nosebleed and a twinge of pain that he had not felt since he was a student.

***

(Oh no, oh no, oh no… this mole is really trying to kill me!)

I crouch down and hold my nose with teary eyes, but unlike the Horned Rabbit and the Goblin, I can’t think of a way to deal with it.

The first magic I encounter, a phenomenon so far out of the norm, has instilled unnecessary confusion and fear in Yuto.

And the mole is not sitting idly by and watching the scene either.

“Mockyuu!”

Again, a cry which should be adorable but instill fear is heard.

“Ugh, Uooooh!!!!.”

Yuto quickly runs toward the mole.

(I have no confidence in avoiding that stone even if I could see it! It’s pretty bad if it flies at anything other than my face! Then…I must kill it before it shoots me!)

It can be said that my action was the right one.

The distance from the mole is about 10 meters.

The magic is likely to fly at the exact spot where it is aimed.

The duralumin case is the only shield currently available to protect me from it.

If our distance is far apart, the place to be protected will be narrow and expose many unprotected places, but if the distance from the magic firing is close, the area that the duralumin case can protect will be bigger.

For the mole, if there is a target 10 meters away, it can aim at any place other than the shield, but if the shield is put out in front of it, it can only hit the shield.

(Damn…can I make it in time before it fires?!?)

Because of his loose shoes, he can’t run as fast as he wants to, and with only a few minutes to spare, Yuto worries.

Should he kick it before it fires?

Or should he first hold out his bag at the front and protect himself from the magic with all his might?

(In the previous launch, it took a good amount of time from formation to launch. If the size of the stone is that big, it will take a few more seconds to launch. If it fires midway while I approach, I will have no choice but to endure it! I must protect my head!!!!)

When I was close enough, I drop my bag, cover my face with my arms, and glare at the mole.

“Go ahead and shoot me if you can! Damn mole!!!”

Before it can shoot the magic, my kick that has been launched at the mole connected.

The attack sent the mole rolling on the ground.

[Level increased to 2.]

“Haa…haa…”

Is this a projection on my eyes, or is it a signal being sent to the brain?

I look at the status display icon flashing, and with it, the level-up announcement is shown from right to left in my field of vision…

“Hahaha… this world is seriously too hard…”

I mutter to myself from the bottom of my heart.