Hiraheishi wa Kako o Yumemiru

Chapter 4 (Battle against a demonic monster)

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There was a wonderful subtle fragrance in the air while walking through the dusky viridian forest. 

It seemed as though we had better trust and solidarity from before as if there was a different atmosphere flowing between the three of us.

However, between Ted and me――there was still a communication barrier. Ted did not seem to mind anything, but I began to feel nervous toward what Ted had said.

――No way, I didn’t think I was being watched.

Ted said

“You can use magic right?”

He continued saying

“I didn’t tell anybody……don’t pull out such a face.”

My face must have become quite serious. Ted laughed.

“Teach me magic next time.”

“Ah, sure. But, this is secret.”

“I do understand that.”

Even though I was somewhat surprised, I still managed to come up with such an answer.

Magic was a hidden technique in this era.

In regard to handling mana, although people with a certain degree of mana could learn how to use it just like how people naturally learned how to walk, but further systemic or advanced magic——Restoration·Purfication, attack magic in practical use——You wouldn’t be able to use it unless you have understood the theoretical knowledge and had many combat experience.

For that reason, I hid the fact that I could use such magic while worked on training, I wasn’t sure where and how, but apparently Ted had figured it.

For a moment,ーーI thought I was in trouble, but carefully considering all over again, my goal was to raise the strength of mankind in every sense for the future.

Taking this into account, teaching Ted magic might not be a bad choice. I also knew that he was not a man who would break his promise he made.

Originally, I planned to accumulate achievements at the magic academy, and then promote my advanced magic knowledge and combat techniques.

However, my knowledge and skills were advantageous enough to destroy the international power balance in this era.  I wouldn’t say I could do anything to the world alone, but with my knowledge, conquering the world wasn’t an impossible task if I ever allianced with a nation. That was only natural. These technologies and pieces of skills were developed during the time when all human kinds united and revealed all the research and pieces of knowledge to fight against the demon army. Even with just the mass production of healing magic holders alone, if you used them for war, you could minimize the casualties by healing the collapsed soldiers repeatedly. If a country with such technology and knowledge existed in this era, then people might not end up fighting with demons.  There was a possibility that humankind would turn against each other and create an internal conflict.
In that case, demon army would await an opportunity and annihilate mankind all at once. Unification like what happened in my previous life would not exist. Humans would be too exhausted after having fought with each other, there was no way to stand against demons in that situation.

That was why I had to choose my targets carefully.

Taking this into account, teaching Ted magic might not be a bad choice. I also knew that he was not a man who would break his promise he made. Since he was still a kid, there was a lot of potentials for him. Increasing mana pool was the best option to start off with. So, once I got back to the village, I would reconfirm whether he wanted to learn magic or not. Also to properly tell him about the risks.
The problem was Ted’s underlings, I decided to discuss this matter with Ted later on.

I thought about many different ideas on the way through the forest, suddenly my father yelled.

“It’s coming!!!”

Apparently, it seems that the monster appeared.

My line of sight went toward Ted. Ted was showing a surprising amount of courage for someone at this age. Normally,  a kid would put out a pale and fearful facial expression in such a situation, but Ted seemed quite calm. Perhaps he might be frightened in his mind, but he decided not to put it out on the table. He became cautious of the surrounding as he held a short bow that was pulled out from his shoulder. I also lowered my waist and unsheathed my short sword.

Of course, Ted and I would not be using our weapons. If we ever needed to fight that only meant it was a monster even my father couldn’t overcome, there was no way Ted and I could win against something like that.  There might be hope if I was in my previous form, but my current physical and other abilities were much lower than I was in the past.

So, all we could do was to believe in my father’s capability, and watch how he was going to fight a monster.
That said, the reason Ted and I were brought to the forest was to see the existence of a monster with our own eyes.

Then, from the very end of the forest where the enormous trees stand, an earthling sound vibrated. I directed my line of sight toward where my father was watching, a loud noise that pounded over clouds of dust and trees was heard.

Although its magnitude was only imaginable from a distance over here, but it was obvious that the monster had an advantage of height and bulk over humans.

A person would normally think that there was no way a human could win against such being.

Even so, my father muttered after calculating the size of the monster from his experience and tried to identify its appearance.

“…..Well, if it’s just that level.”

The tone was nothing like a bluff but confirming the fact.

My father pulled out the great sword behind his back and positioned his self without a shield.  He was an aggressive warrior who fought with a single sword.

Then, I saw mana rose from my father’s body. Most of it flew directly from my father’s body to the great sword as he performed the mana enhancement.

——Force warrior.

That was the name symbolizing my father’s ability.

Those who transferred mana into their weapon and body to deal with the enemy with physical strength.

That was the force warrior.

There were a lot of people who could fight with their weapon while releasing magic at the same time.

However, there were only a few that were capable of transferring mana into their weapons or armors, instead, most people needed some kind of magical tool built into their battle-gear by the blacksmith to activate such skill, not to mention, using body strengthening at the same time, it’s rare among rare.

My father was one of the few. That was why he was on the guard duty around the devil forest which was said to be one of the largest danger zones in the nation.

Then, the monster came into my view.

It had an unimaginable large body. Six meters, no, was there seven meters? Even four or five adults stacked together may not reach its physique. The four legs had blade-like sharp wolf claws that were seizing the ground strongly.  The head was similar to a wolf, but its teeth were translucent, with two crystal-like horns extending at the top of the head. Its body hair was silver white and looked very smooth. But I knew that those furs had anti-magical power.

“Crystal Wolf…..”

“That is…..?”

said Ted, after he heard my mumbling.

“I didn’t think such a big shot was living in this forest. You guys are lucky. Even in the devil forest, you have to go deep inside to find one.”

Hahaha, my father laughed while looking at us.

Ted put on a distorted face as if he was saying which part of this can be considered luck. Unfortunately, I shared the same feeling as Ted, we were not in a situation that could be called lucky.

During the war, these creatures helped but also sometimes killed our kind, they were an indescribable existence.

Demonic monsters and demons weren’t necessarily in a friendly relationship. Especially the more intelligent the monsters were, the more often they took different ways of thinking than the demons. This Crystal Wolf was one of them, they occasionally stepped into the war between mankind and demon army and trampled over both sides or siding with one of them. They were creatures that basically did whatever they wanted.So they had very complicated impressions on them, but in this scenario, it was clear that the Crystal Wolf was our enemy.
Therefore, I wanted to tell my father, let’s quickly beat it down.

“Well……let’s begin.”

Just like that, my father confronted the Crystal Wolf eye to eye, he pushed against the ground using its force to jump up, while using mana as a booster to increase the speed of impact and swayed the great sword glimmering with light.

“Wow, amazing!”

Ted shouted with his eyes opened wide. My father swept the great sword at an unstoppable speed which even eyes couldn’t follow, yet it wasn’t able to cut through crystal wolf’s fur.

“Hoooo……”

The Crystal Wolf was watching my father’s movements with his eyes intellectually, as it avoided my father’s attack at the same time and jumped backward.
By looking at that figure, my father was quite surprised.

“Hey……not bad. This is the first time a Crystal Wolf avoided my first strike!”

I was also surprised at that line.
The reason was because that Crystal Wolf avoided my father’s serious attack.
This never happened even once in my previous life.

Nonetheless, the fight between my father and the Crystal Wolf was intense.
My father waved the great sword violently like a gale, but the Crystal Wolf dodged it liberally.
It was a battle without any time to breathe.
Although my father’s skill was exquisite, but the Crystal Wolf’ physique also couldn’t be estimated.

Then, after several collisions, the situation changed.
Crystal wolf’s body began to be wrapped up by a faint light.
It was a phenomenon only could be seen in demonic monsters and never happened in animals, fluctuations of mana, divergence of magical powers inside the body.
Then the crystal part in Crystal Wolf’s body started shining brilliantly in response to the mana as the body was resonating with the magical power.
That ability what distinguished Crystal Wolf from other demonic monsters.

“Mana rampage Stand Peak!”

It was said that this magic synchronized with all the mana of the surrounding space, and cause a big explosion that would annihilate everything around if you leave it as it was. This was why it’s extremely powerful and dangerous.
However, it was known in later studies that Crystal Wolf must decline its lifespan and weaken its power for the next few months to use this skill. Basically, it was a double-edged sword.

This was why the Crystal Wolf wanted to avoid using this skill but seems like it recognized my father as a worthy fighter.

“This is not good……!”

My father flushed cold sweat as he muttered those words.

“What do we do! Mr.Allen!”

“Dad”

Ted and I were both worried.
The Crystal Wolf’s mana continued to fluctuate.
If this goes on…..

“Just run away, hey John, Ted! Run! Run!….Oh no, let me take you guys”

Even though my father shouted to run, he swung his head and took Ted and me by his armpits and dashed out.

He must have judged that rather than Ted and I running, this way would be much faster.

Crystal Wolf did not chase after us. It seems to know that if we continued to run the skill Stand Peak could still evaporate us with the surrounding area. So, what we could do was to escape from this place as soon as possible.

“……but, that’s not going to work.”

“Huh?!”

My father exclaimed to my muttering. I guess there was no time to listen to the content.
While being held by my father, I saw the Crystal Wolf behind my back.
Magical power was on the verge of explosion, the whole space resonated making a screeching sound.
This is bad. An extremely bad situation.
Crystal Wolf’s mana rampage Stand Peak was a terrifying magic that could turn into a disaster and transform lands within thousand meters into a wilderness.
That’s why,

“I have to take measures to stop it.”

I dropped out of my father’s arm and headed for the Crystal Wolf. My father noticed that my existence had disappeared from his armpit as he looked back and screamed.

“Hey, John! Idiot! Get back right now!”

But as I said I wouldn’t get out of my father’s arm if I wasn’t planning to go back.

I followed the footsteps left on the roots of the large trees and went back from where I came, and confronted that great demonic monster, the Crystal Wolf.

That creature standing in front of me withheld the strength similar to a gigantic tree.
There was a mighty life force in that body.
Congestive eyes.
Sharp pointed claws.
Lighting shining crystal part.

The more terrifying the more you looked at it.

I confronted him many times in my previous life, but a scary thing was still scary.
Truthfully, I really want to scream out loud.
But I can’t do that at the moment.
Because this is the moment of life and death.

Crystal Wolf was indeed a dangerous creature.
A being with high combat ability and an inherent ability Stand Peak. It was a monster no one wanted to fight against.
However, according to my knowledge, that was only the case if the person didn’t understand their ecology.
Why would they activate such ability like Stand Peak?
The reason was testified in the near future.
Before the Crystal Wolf, I said.

“Crystal Wolf! Listen!”