On the appointed day sister’s request started and everyone had participated.
However there were other adventurers already, and apparently we both were the last ones. So there are lots of damn diligent people.
Moreover, the equipments and weapons are also varied. Various sorts of adventurers have gathered here, from ones using dagger to longsword……there are also people with bow and whip.
And among them……there were 2 people I knew.
One was……Zari wearing light armor and short sword as equipments, and seemed to have noticed us just now. After all his orange hair is somehow or other too impressive, so I immediately recognized it.
He looks flashy and frivolous as always, but what might he be thinking in his mind, this secret intelligence adventurer.
……Should I say as expected, or what.
「Howdy, we meet again『Black Lion』-kun♪」
There stood, Sherry-san, the dark elf in same attire as the other day, while showing a cheerful and friendly smile.
Ah, even Zari.
Indeed……it is limited-time offer request and can help change the mood for taking mental breaks.
Shortly after the meeting time, we exchanged some words of greeting with the person in charge of this time’s Trader Group, after that boarded the carriage for escorts use and departed from the city.
And while the groups were being decided on, it was decided that coordination would be great if acquaintance and familiar people are near, so I, Elk, Zari and Sherry-san boarded the same carriage.
At this rate, both of them would soon become friendly, especially Zari who strong point is having wide relationship connects due to his occupation (?).
Anyhow, it didn’t turn into a dangerous gloomy atmosphere, after doing the self-introductions, while talking for killing time; we left the driving to coachman and were enjoying the journey of carriage.
Sherry-san’s age was, indeed above me……she was 20 years old, like a college student.
Considering the normal standards this can already be said to be quite fast success pace, especially when she became B ranker in just a year and little, there was uproar in the base point city she was present in at that time.
And I don’t even have to say, that one year after that, in other words previous year, she reached A Rank and again there was uproar……this time she got fed-up dealing with the lingering effects of uproar, so she came to City of Volka.
Moreover, the city Sherry-san had chosen as her base point before was quite small compared to Volka, so the appearance of an adventurer with this much talent was a really great news and relative importance weight was also great.
And another thing was that I surprised to know that Sherry-san too had a『Second Name』just like me or Zari.
That is……『Red Tiger』. She also had various other names just like me, but among them this one was particularly famous, apparently.
Well the naming sense is pretty logical if you think about it. Sherry-san’s hair and clothes both are red. Even the light armor she is wearing is red……or rather crimson.
……But recently, let it be Elk (green) or Suura-san (blue), I’ve been meeting people who seem to have a sense of unity with their hair color and equipments, is it a coincidence?
Sherry-san seemed happy upon knowing our names of lion and tiger, though different, were quite similar.
「Huh? Did I not tell you, Sherry-san that day?」
「Well in Minato-kun’s case……he was already strong before registering and was blessed with chances to appeal about it frankly. I also don’t know the details, though」
It’s not like I fucking wanted to fight an ancient big serpent or a crowd of giant grasshoppers.
Then, Zari moved his stare to Sherry-san maybe because he sensed my actions.
「Is that true?」
「Ah, that, well it’s true……but it was just a normal dog gone big」
From what I heard from Elk, that『Hellhound』, the『Normal dog gone big』according to Sherry-san is a black haired-fox demon with total length crossing 3 meters, and runs around quite nimbly as if it’s large body is a lie.
I see, if those actually appear near human habitat, it would be troublesome.
Most probably, if four or five of them gather up, then a small village or city would be exterminated in the blink of an eye.
「……Well as for me, being in this carriage is more than enough safe, so I’m grateful for that……」
「1 B ranker and 2 A rankers……most probably it is more reliable than being escorted by the guards」
No wonder when in『Crimson Forest』he said he was able to take on two of the exceed hopper……he can even use magic, truly he is strong.
「Well though the Trader Group of『Malras』hires good quality escorts every year, but this year they are quite extravagant. As for safety, without any sarcasm, is surely more than enough」
「Yeah. Before getting on the carriage I surveyed the people, there were some famous ones, and the total average rank of escort in all can be said to B near C rather than A」
「Yeah, we three are without a doubt the Top 3. If taking us out……the average rank would get low by 1」
Elk is seemingly self-destructive from before. On her head, Alva is tapping his feet as if saying『Cheer up!』.
However in the end Elk still remains depressed. She’s sure a busy girl.
……At that moment,
SFX: ——BIBIBIBIbibibibiBIBIBIBI——!
Suddenly an noisy sound resounded in the carriage……no, crying voice.
「……What was that just now?」
Alva, who had been on Elk’s head till now, perched on my extended hand……and like that face another way making『PiiIIIiiii!』sound, I see so that side.
「Ah, sorry. I was free recently so tried to teach it」
「Don’t go teaching weird stuff to him……」
Recently Alva grew up a lot, but living together for past one month I’ve come to understand many things.
A little after being born……right, around the time in『Crimson Forest』the ability it showed a part of has now turned into a sensor for searching enemies within a large area. It even disregards obstacles like walls and others……maybe he can use this sort of magic because of inherent comprehension.
Well, I will apologize Elk later, for the time being I got out of the carriage, and looked in the direction was pointing towards……
It’s the smell of blood and iron rust. And then smell of sweat and body odor of people. This isn’t a demon. This is most probably……
「「「Bandits?」」」
「Minato, how many are there?」
「……Upfront is, a hilly area with long grass growing. That terrain is ideal for surprise attacks, so they might be thinking of attacking us there」
「But, it’s nothing to be scared of if we know about that from earlier. If we know they are hiding then we can create countermeasures for it」
Saying that Elk came down from the carriage, and ran off to inform other people.
While preparing, I decided the plans easily.
I will leave the ones who get past us to the escorts near the carriages like Zari, Elk and others.
……Her growth speed is really too good compared to me.
And, though I know her, Sherry-san’s rank, but her ability is still of unknown variable……
……Or maybe it’s my imagination.
And, we approach the problematic hilly area, and the grass in surroundings grow taller.
Of course I can clearly see them with my eyes, and even before that I can sense their exact locations due to scent. From the time point we noticed this, their surprise attack would no more have any surprise element in it. Elk, Zari and Sheery-san have got their weapons in hand and are in battle posture already.
「Like that, Alva」
「Burn ‘em down!」
……Sorry.
Maybe it also understood the roar of Elk, Alva flew from my shoulder and donned a pale blue magical energy around its body. Ice magical energy it is.
「Moda Fucka!?」
「Wtf!? Ice!?」
And not letting this gap they’re showing upon getting hurt let away, everyone moved on. As if to say offense is the best defense, all the adventurers and guards move in before letting bandits gather themselves up.
From the peripheral vision of mine, who was running in front……something red went past by at the speed of an arrow.
And there, Sherry-san who just now shook her sword……and didn’t get even a single drop of blood on her –her clothes are red so it’s hard to tell- stood.
The bandit in front of her tried to take up the weapon in panic……but he had his head and torso already separated, torso cut up diagonally with his stomach torn into pieces, he met his end without even having to react much.
……A part of allies are also getting scared though.
「……Oh, you don’t wanna come? Then……wait for me」
And the next moment, she kicked the ground with force, and started killing all the bandits overawed by her intimidation, with just a single-strike single-kill.
I have seen those eyes many times. In older day, when I was taken by mom for bandit subjugation, I’ve met other bandits with similar eyes.
Maybe this was reason, often I felt concerned by her stare whenever she saw me, since I first met her……
I see, Sherry-san is……
(Battle maniac, eh……?)
Battle Maniac.
Normal people would frown hard upon knowing the appearance of enemies, but these people would grab their weapon and go ahead to fight with a smile or while laughing, they think battle as the best sports game out there.
They are distinguished as those who find bliss when fighting or who find bliss upon cornering the opponent and then sensing the feel of killing the opponent……
Her severity is something that I can even nod reading her second name as『Red Tiger』. I now understand why and where she got that『Tiger』from.
While watching her from my peripheral vision, I take care of bandits coming in my way –there are many who are deliberately coming to me avoiding Sherry-san- with my fist or by my elbow.
While doing that, from Sherry-san’s side, I felt stare not that of bandits……but intentionally ignored it and worked in putting down the bandits while trying my utmost to not look in her direction.
However there are also some bandits who try to take a detour and attack the carriages, slipping through the hands of me and Sherry-san and other vanguard adventurers.
Especially, the ones going near the carriage Elk and Zari are stationed at are more pitiable, they both fast, so without getting even a scratch they are insta-killing them bandits.
Not only fireball or wind blade, but red, blue, yellow, green etc, other magic are also being fired, which happened to be in different colors. Looks just fantastically beautiful.
It’s already an impregnable fort. No it can fly so it will be more like locomotive fort or a fighter aircraft.
……Damn I’m jealous, fucking shit!
While I fight with those feelings filled in my fists –venting out my anger, fucking bring it on!!!!- within some minutes the several tens of bandits were all taken down.