Volume 1 Chapter 19 – The Demon Lord and the Hero.
The following day, we started our journey back to the city. I was walking joining Dawn’s Battleaxe party. Before the departure I was caught by Elizabeth. “Because you’re my pupil, you have to follow your master!” is what she said. Having received the instructors permission, I was walking behind Elizabeth, but that’s not the reason I wanted to. It’s the chance to get experience! is what I thought, however because we were returning through the same route we came, the monsters were already completely exterminated. Even if they appear the leading party, Wings of Twilight, ends up defeating them. There was time to spare, but keeping in mind we were marching even Elizabeth didn’t talk to me too much. In the middle of a break she came looking if there was anything troubling me. Looks like she’s very happy to have acquired a pupil.
Seems like she’s already a veteran, being an adventurer for 4 years. She became an adventurer at 14 and she’s 17 years old now. She already has gone through quite a lot of scenes of carnage. Even when fighting the dragon she didn’t have a sliver of fear. It appears her goal is becoming an S rank adventurer. When I asked if S rank is such a big thing, she replied with a “Are you stupid?!”. In other words, a hero. Vast riches and prestige. Becoming a n.o.ble and receiving territory, promoted to serve the country. It’s the aspiration of everybody. After becoming an adventurer, if you’re not aiming for that, what else are you doing? “But it’s a dangerous job, isn’t it?” is what I was thinking but couldn’t say. She might get angry again.
Right now my priorities are:
1.- Survive for 20 years.
2.- Create my harem.
3.- Prevent the destruction of the world.
These three points. Being an adventurer or being a S rank is inconsequential. If the world is destroyed, surviving or having a harem couldn’t be possible is what I thought, but I think I’ll be able to manage somehow. If I make free use of the cheats I think I can survive at least. When push comes to shove, it’s okay if I abandon just about everything and run away. For the time being it’s earning skills points while ensuring my safety however much. I wonder if there isn’t a hunting ground where metallic, quick to run away monsters appear. [TL Note: A reference to the metal slimes and liquid metal slimes from Dragon Quest ] Anyways, currently I want to refuse any dragon subjugation, being dangerous work. That I earnestly wish.
Doing throwing knife practice during the midday break, Elizabeth came to tell me she’d show me something interesting.
“This knife, will it be okay even if I broke it?”
I have 20 throwing knives. Elizabeth turns towards the nearest tree, prepares the knife, packs it with magic power and throws it. From me, who possess throwing technique, it didn’t look unskilled, however it hit the tree and the blade sank down to the handle.
“?!”
No matter how you look at that now, the knife didn’t have the momentum to pierce the tree down to the base of the blade. Looking at me surprised, Elizabeth felt satisfied. I show her I can extract the knife stuck to the tree. The blade became ragged.
“That just now was a Wind Magic Sword. As you see, if you do it to a normal weapon, it’ll break just like that. However, it becomes a trump card for a mage weak at close combat.”
Because I have fencing level 4, close combat is one of my strong points, but that now looks like I can use.
“Is it possible with fire magic?”
“I think you could. Show me how you do it without throwing it. That way is due form.”
I charge Magic Power into the knife with the damaged blade. Be clad in flames, cut! It completely cut the tree like b.u.t.ter and the remaining cut end was burnt. The blade was even more ragged, however this is good. I can use it!
“That’s sloppy. If you charge it with Magic Power like that, if is a normal size sword you’d run out of Magic Power in the blink of an eye.”
This time carefully in order not to put in too much magic power. I swing the knife. With a ‘Crack’ the knife breaks. This is with only 3 swings?
“The metals you can use magic sword with are Mythril and Hihiirokane, Orichalc.u.m is somewhat famous too. However they’re really expensive. A small knife might be upwards of ten thousand, I think. If you’re gonna do it prepare a disposable weapon, ok?”
Magic Blade? What a technique overflowing with a taste of chuunibyou! Without fail, let’s practice until I master it. [TL Note: For those that don’t know what chuunibyou means. ]
“As expected from master. It’s a magnificent magic.”
Elizabeth has a self-satisfied look as if saying “That’s right, that’s right.”
We arrive at the camp site uneventfully. After dinner it’s magic lecture with master Elizabeth.
Without knowing why, Kreuk and Silver are mingling with us. Looks like they want to be taught magic. Elizabeth said she doesn’t mind so we’re learning wind magic together. Wind magic doesn’t differ from the other kinds of magic. The point is the mental image. Soon, I reach the point where I’m able to use wind magic. It’s a soft wind faster than air from a fan, still for now it’s a success.
“Uhahaha. Look, this is wind magic!”
Kreuk and Silver are agreeing with a ‘uh-huh’ while I blow them with a soft wind. In no way I’m making light of my friends that are having troubles, I’m just kindly showing them the wind magic.
“Hey, Masaru you’re not the one to talk. That power isn’t even enough to kill a mosquito.”
Certainly. Water magic was that way too, however raising it to a practical level is difficult.
“I want to learn Fly, though.”
I tried to state my wish to master.
“That, its level is a bit high, you know? Learn Air Hammer first.”
Is that the wind version of Water Ball? First Elizabeth performs it for me. The target is my body. She first hit the tree, however I didn’t quite understand since the wind wasn’t visible. When I told Elizabeth that, she said it’s better if it’s tested on my body.
“Mind you? Could you absolutely go easy on me? Really, please.
“It’s alright, leave it to me.”
Elizabeth is grinning and doesn’t sound very convincing. She starts casting.
“Air Hammer!”
A heavy impact comes to my abdomen. Suddenly I’m on my knees involuntarily moaning. It hurts even with the armor… Did she really go easy on me?! Why do the women of this world, while teaching me magic, each and every time they have to torment my body? Just in case, I use a [Heal (small)].
“If I had been serious it wouldn’t have ended only with that. You would be blown off and cracked your ribcage, ok?”
This magic is more brutal than I thought. Because it can’t be seen, it can’t be avoided.
“What’s the best way to defend from magic?”
“To block the casting, avoid it or defensive magic? There’s a mean to endure it with a shield and be heavily armored like Luvenn.”
By Luvenn she means the tank. Iron Wall Luvenn. That’s cool!
“It can be avoided? However the Air Hammer couldn’t be seen.”
“Although it’s impossible for me, it looks like it can be avoided. By watching the magic power and execution, seems it can be estimated. Our leader predicting it can casually evade it, heh.”
“And by means of defensive magic?”
“That is. Try attacking me with a bit of a weak fire magic.”
Elizabeth is preparing something while pointing her wand this way. I could vaguely feel her invoking magic power. I try shooting a cautiously weak Fire Arrow and right in front of her something obstructed it.
“It’s Air Shield. If it’s against a petty attack, it can be defended with this, ok? But when it comes to the level of that dragon’s breath it’s doubtful it can be defended with it.
“With fire magic…”
“Well, it’s impossible.”
It was quickly denied.
“Because Fire Magic is specialized in attack, defense is not something ever heard of. At the most, isn’t it limited to Fire Wall?”
Despite having Wall in its name, it’s not something that can defend against any thing.
“If it’s defense then it’s Earth Magic, right? In the case of Stone Wall, it’s defense power is really high.”
This one too is shown by Elizabeth. Due to her casting she was able to erect an approximately 1 meter high mud wall.
“Earth is not really my forte, so it’s only to this extent, ok? However if you give it your best you can make one more st.u.r.dy.”
So, it’s Earth Magic? As expected she’s complete with all types of magic.
“Still, I recommend you don’t go fooling around. Even though I can use 4 types, I can only use Wind at an advanced level. If you use the variety of them you’ll become a jack of all trades and master of none.”
“Don’t you know any other types? Like spirit or summoning, light and dark?”
Let’s not ask about spatial magic. I’m sure that will be stirring the hornet’s nest.
“Spirit is the magic used by elves. I don’t know about it. Summoning and dark is a kind of magic not well understood, I tell you. There are few doc.u.ments remaining, I think. Light is a type used by the heroes, seemingly it’s effective against undead and demons. I wonder if the priest at the temple knows anything about it.”
Right now some stirring words came out. Heroes and Demons. Could it be there’s also such thing as a Demon Lord? For the purpose of saving the world from destruction, something like defeating the Demon Lord is too unpleasant.
“Ermm, about Heroes and Demons…”
“Those are old legends. There was a Demon Lord and the hero defeated him. It’s a story from hundreds of years ago, eh? There’s no longer a Demon Lord and demons don’t come out from their land. The hero’s adventures became a legend. It’s really interesting. When I was a child I read it many times.”
What a relief, there was no Demon Lord. Still, I hope it hasn’t revived, could he? I became anxious.
“There isn’t a Demon Lord anymore?”
“Yeah, the majority of the Hero’s tale has been verified as true, however what happened in the demon’s land and the fall of the Demon Lord, only the Hero and his comrades know. Therefore, no one besides them saw it. Due to that there are also people that hold in doubt the existence of the Demon Lord, you know? However, I believe it.”
That’s awfully detailed!
“I, became an adventurer because I admired the Hero! The wizard among the Hero’s comrades was a Wind Mage. I wanted to go on adventures like in the stories. I wonder if the Demon Lord will appear again?”
Don’t say such disturbing things! That day around that point the lectures came to a close.
At any rate Spirit, Summoning, Light and Dark and such are rare? I was thinking of acquiring them sooner or later, but never thought of this. Even if they’re useful, I don’t want the be conspicuous. The points expenditure looks to be high and it’s the 4 basic types of magic that comes first. I have 36 skill points, should I at least finish acquiring Earth magic? But there will be times like what happened yesterday, to a certain extent I ought to leave some points just in case. And I can only use Skill Reset once a month.
Skill Points 36
Fencing Level 4, Physical Enhancement Level 2, Skill Reset, Razgrad World Standard Language
Life Magic, Clock, Fire Magic Level 4
Shield Level 2, Evasion Level 1, Spearmanship Level 1, Hand-to-Hand Combat Level 1, Stamina Recovery Enhancement, Guts
Archery Level 1, Throwing Technique Level 2, Stealth Level 3, Presence Detection Level 2
Magic Power Sensing Level 1, Healing Magic Level 3, Common Magic, High Speed Casting Level 5
Skill Reset is blacked out. It means it can’t be used, isn’t it? Raising Fencing to level 5 is 10 points. Allocating points to Fencing and Physical Enhancement would be quick and easy, but looking at today’s fight with the dragon, I couldn’t think of becoming a vanguard. I guess, here I should continue on the way of the rear guard.
Fire Magic level 5 takes 20 Points. And how about something like Agility Up? It looks to me if I can move faster I can evade better. I want to reacquire Ninja Walk. And also Earth Magic. If it’s up to level 3 it’ll take 10 points. Don’t lose sight on each and every thing. Let’s think it over once I return. It’s okay if you leave for tomorrow what can be done tomorrow.