Despite the massive trees surrounding the building, the fresh morning light still managed to stream in clearly. Because it was early morning, the surrounding air felt incredibly crisp and clean. If someone wanted to take a relaxing stroll through a forest, this would be the perfect place. ……Assuming they could actually get here, that is.

Rei and Set took a step out of the building to check their surroundings.

「According to Zephyr’s knowledge, the barrier should extend about 100m from the centre of the building……probably.」
「Gururu~」

Set nodded in response to Rei’s words.

「If we take even a single step outside the barrier, it’s going to be a monster paradise. ……Are we ready for this?」

He had rested the Death Scythe on his shoulder, ready to shift it to his right hand at a moment’s notice.

「Gurururu~!」

Set let out a cry full of fighting spirit. Relying on each other, the lone boy and Griffon advanced. After walking for about three minutes, a thin, shimmering film enclosing the estate came into view.

「So this is the barrier. It’s definitely nerve-wracking to step outside……but the alternative is starving to death.」

Yes, the food that was supposed to last him ten days was completely gone after this morning’s breakfast. Ten days’ worth of rations had been exhausted in just two meals. Rei remained highly wary of his surroundings, while Set stayed alert, ready to protect Rei at any time.

Originally, Rei had planned to save a few pieces of bread to eat later in the forest. However, he had been utterly defeated by Set’s sad, hungry, pleading eyes. The last scraps of bread were currently sitting in Set’s stomach.

「……Well, look at it this way. I need to find a job as soon as possible to earn money for our future food expenses anyway. I wonder if there are adventurers or something like that around here?」

According to Zephyr’s memories, adventurer guilds definitely existed, but they didn’t establish branch offices in small towns. In other words, to earn enough money for Set’s food, they had to leave the forest and reach a major city as quickly as possible.

「If we’re only worried about Set’s meals, I wonder if we could just hunt monsters and eat their meat. Fortunately, since Set is a magic creature, everything he eats is converted directly into magic power rather than passing through his body, so we don’t even have to worry about him needing to use the toilet.」

However, that still left Rei’s own living expenses. He supposed he could sell the claws, pelts, and other monster materials that Set didn’t eat at a local market stall. Even so, the best long-term solution was still to leave the forest, find a town with an adventurer’s guild, and work actively as an adventurer.

Rei reaffirmed his resolve, and together with Set, took a step outside the ward.

「Whoa, seriously?」

The moment they crossed the barrier, they were hit by an overwhelmingly dense presence of living creatures. Rei had lived in a rural town in Tohoku, where there were mountains and a river nearby. Rabbits, squirrels, deer, monkeys, foxes, and tanukis were common, and it wasn’t unusual to see wild boars either. If you went deep enough into the mountains, you might even spot a bear. But compared to that, the sheer density of life here was completely overwhelming.

「What can I say? This truly is a different world.」

Thick trees, dense undergrowth, and strange plants immediately surrounded the periphery of the barrier. The difference in the environment was as stark as someone seeing a mountain for the very first time.

Drawing in a deep breath of the fresh morning air, he began to walk through the forest with Set.

As expected of a place left untouched for several hundred years, whatever road had once existed here was completely gone. Thankfully, there was a decent amount of space between the massive trees, so walking wasn’t too difficult. However, for Set, who was over 2m large, the gaps felt narrow and restrictive, prompting him to let out a low, frustrated growl.

「Gururu~」

Set lightly rubbed his beak against his folded wings. It was obvious he wanted to soar through the open sky rather than struggle through the obstructed ground.

Rei scratched his head, trying to persuade him.

「Calm down. I know I mentioned it yesterday, but there are actual dragon species living in this forest. If you fly up into the sky right now, they’ll just treat you like a flying breakfast delivery.」
「Guru~」

Set dejectedly dropped his shoulders at Rei’s words. Though his body was large and powerful, he clearly lacked patience, which made sense considering it was only the second day since his birth.

They had been walking outside the barrier for about 30 minutes. With Rei wearing the Shoes of Sleipnir to boost his speed, and Set naturally being a fast Griffon, they were making excellent time through the forest. During their trek, Rei spotted a tree bearing what looked like red fruit. He walked over and reached up to pluck one from the branches.

「I wonder, Set. Do you think this is safe to eat?」

He held out the apple-like, fist-sized red fruit and asked his partner.

「Guru~?」

Set didn’t know either, merely tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Rei and Set both stared at the red fruit. Then, an idea struck Rei, and a smile spread across his face.

「This is the perfect time to use Zephyr’s knowledge.」

He mentally searched Zephyr’s memories for information about the apple-like fruit in his hand.

『Clara Fruit』

A common type of fruit found in forests. Its flesh is delicious, possessing a perfect sweet-and-sour taste. However, extreme caution is required when a Clara Fruit is found. Because it is so delicious, many monsters and wild beasts are drawn to it.

As he read the description in his mind, Rei’s face twitched.

「Dangerous. Set, let’s get out of here for now. This fruit is a……」
「Gurururururururu~!」

Before Rei could finish his sentence or move away, Set turned toward the forest on their right and began emitting a low, threatening growl.

「……Too late. Ah well, it can’t be helped. There’s no other way around this. Just quietly turn into food for Set and me.」

Rei’s mindset shifted instantly, rendering him perfectly calm. He tossed the Clara Fruit into his Misty Ring and readied the Death Scythe.

Though Rei himself didn’t fully realise it yet, there was absolutely no excess fear or hesitation regarding the impending battle in his mind.

「Now then, what’s going to come out? I’d be thrilled if it was just a wild boar, or at least something that isn’t a monster.」

It was a completely futile hope. The creature that emerged from the brush was a bear that looked to be roughly 2m tall. However, its fur was constantly dripping and coated in a thick layer of water, a clear sign that it was a monster and not a normal wild animal.

「……」
「……」
「……」

For a few tense seconds, Rei, Set, and the bear stared at each other in total silence.

While the bear was roughly 2m tall, it felt physically larger and more imposing than Set when it stood on its hind legs. It possessed a visibly powerful build, and the water coating its fur seemed to flow unnaturally. Adding to its sinister appearance were the 30cm long, razor-sharp claws extending from its paws. Rei briefly wondered why the water didn’t just drip off the top of its head. The Water Bear, Rei’s provisional name for it, was the one to break the silence.

「Gaaaaaaaaaaaa~!」

Raising a deafening roar that echoed through the forest, it dropped onto all fours and charged straight at Rei and Set.

「Tch, we have no choice. Set, let’s do this!」
「Gururu~!」

Understood, Set seemed to say as he let out a sharp cry and bounded forward to intercept the Water Bear. Rei quickly followed close behind, his grip tightening on the Death Scythe.

「Gaaa~!」

Realising its prey was charging instead of running away, the Water Bear bared its 10cm long fangs and swung its massive claws directly at Set.

「Gururu~!」

Set easily avoided the blow by leaping to the side. Kicking off the trunk of a nearby tree, he launched himself into a triangular jump, swinging his sharp claws at the Water Bear’s flank.

Hearing a loud crack, Rei confirmed that the tree Set had used as a springboard had actually splintered. Rei smiled wryly at his partner’s sheer physical strength as he readied the Death Scythe. ……However, he held the scythe with the blade facing outward, gripping the long shaft. There was simply no room to properly swing a 2m long scythe blade in this dense forest. Therefore, he planned to use the bottom half of the handle like a spear.

「Gaa~!」

The Water Bear took the hit, Set’s claws slashing deeply into its side. Roaring in agony, it instantly retaliated, swinging its claws down at Set once again.

Set dodged the counterattack by leaping backwards. Missing its target, the Water Bear lost its balance and staggered forward. ……Seizing the opening, Rei aimed at the Water Bear’s exposed side and thrust the butt of the Death Scythe forward with all his might.

With a dull, heavy thud, the blunt handle of the Death Scythe penetrated deep into the monster’s flank, completely ignoring the protective layer of water and thick fur.

「Gaaaaa~!」

While Rei grimaced at the sickening feeling of tearing through flesh, the Water Bear used its powerful left arm to try and rip the Death Scythe away while simultaneously swiping at Rei with its right claws. The moment the handle was pulled free, a torrent of blood poured from the Water Bear’s wound, staining the surrounding grass. Ignoring the gruesome injury entirely, the Water Bear continued its relentless, sinister assault.

「Gaaaaaa~!」

The Water Bear roared in a mix of surprise and irritation at being wounded by such a small creature. The injury was severe, but given the innate vitality of monsters, it was far from fatal.

While carefully observing the Water Bear’s movements, Rei couldn’t hide his surprise at his own physical capabilities. He had literally just stabbed a monster with the blunt handle of a scythe. He hadn’t expected his thrust to possess enough power to punch through the Water Bear’s thick body like a hot knife through butter.

(The physical specs of this body are way higher than I thought.)

Mentally noting that fact, he checked the condition of the Water Bear.

「……What?」

This time, the Water Bear was the one to surprise Rei. The monster’s flank had been deeply punctured by the handle, yet the wound was regenerating at a visible rate. Rei finally understood the purpose of the water coating its body. To his absolute astonishment, after the water flowed into and over the wound for about ten seconds, the bleeding stopped completely, and the injury vanished without a trace.

「As expected of a monster. ……In other words, the only way to kill it is to deal massive, fatal damage in a single blow so it doesn’t have time to recover. Or something along those lines.」

Glancing down at the Death Scythe, a sudden realisation hit him.

(Oops. I completely forgot about the Death Scythe’s ability to increase its power when supplied with magic. I guess this is just the tension of my first real battle……wait, am I even tense?)

Thinking about it, he finally noticed his own mental state. He was certainly focused and alert, but he wasn’t paralysed by fear or unable to move his body properly, unlike the amateur recruits often depicted in novels.

(This calm mindset must be another result of the fusion.)

While analysing himself, he kept a close eye on the Water Bear, which seemed to be at a loss as to whether it should attack Set or Rei next.

(Even though the Death Scythe has incredible offensive power, it’s practically impossible to swing properly with no room in this forest. But at the same time, using my fire magic in here is a terrible idea.)

While Rei ran through the possibilities in his head, Set, the Water Bear, and Rei remained locked in a tense stalemate, none of them willing to make a careless move.

If the Water Bear attacked Set, Rei would stab it. Conversely, if it attacked Rei, Set would slash it to ribbons.

As for Set and Rei, there was no point in launching minor attacks, as the Water Bear would just fully regenerate any non-fatal wound in about ten seconds, just like the puncture to its flank.

In reality, whenever the Water Bear used its water coating to regenerate, it consumed a portion of its magic power. However, since this was Rei’s very first battle, he lacked the experience to notice that detail. If he had realised it, he would have had several other viable tactical options.

「Gaaaa~」
「Gururu~」

The Water Bear and Set growled fiercely at each other, both attempting to intimidate their opponent. Watching the situation unfold, Rei desperately racked his brain for a solution.

(What do I do? Should I just risk it, pour magic into the Death Scythe, and try a sweeping attack? With my physical strength, I might be able to slice right through the bear and the surrounding trees at the same time. ……No, treating it like a lawnmower should be an absolute last resort. What else is there? ……Should I use fire magic and just prepare myself to deal with a forest fire? That won’t work. According to the knowledge I pulled about this forest, starting a fire here is practically a death sentence. ……No, wait. Fire? Fire magic? The Death Scythe’s handle……!? I’ve got it!)

An idea flashed into his mind. Without hesitation, Rei called out to Set, who was still glaring intently at the Water Bear.

「Set, break the Water Bear’s stance just like you did before! If you can do that, I’ll handle the rest!」
「Gururu~!」

Leave it to me, Set cried as he began to circle the Water Bear, focusing the monster’s attention entirely on himself.

「Gaaaaa~」

Unable to ignore the Griffon’s aggressive circling, the Water Bear gradually shifted its full attention away from Rei and onto Set.

How much time passed? Although the tense standoff felt like an eternity to Rei, it had only been a few minutes. Finally, unable to endure the stalemate any longer, the Water Bear let out a deafening roar.

「Gaaaaaaaaa!」

Simultaneous with the roar, a large portion of the water coating the Water Bear’s fur detached and formed into three floating water balls right in front of its eyes. The next instant, the water balls shot directly at Set.

(Here it comes!)

Seeing the Water Bear make its move, Rei judged that this was the turning point of the battle. Gripping the handle of the Death Scythe tightly, he concentrated his mind, preparing to cast a spell the moment an opening presented itself.

The three water balls tore through the air toward Set like cannonballs. Seeing them coming, Set instantly closed the distance to the Water Bear, weaving expertly between the massive trees.

「Gururu!」

One of the water balls slammed into a tree Set had used as a momentary shield, violently gouging out a massive chunk of the trunk.

「Gurururu~!」

Set instantly dove toward the ground, narrowly evading a second water ball aimed straight at his head. The projectile sailed harmlessly over him, smashing into the trees behind.

「Gururururururu~!」

From his low crouch on the ground, Set used his entire body like a coiled spring and launched himself forward. The distance between him and the Water Bear vanished in an instant.

At this speed, Set would land a decisive blow before the third and final water ball could reach him.

「Gaaaa~!」

……Or so the Water Bear had anticipated. Thinking it had trapped the Griffon, the monster raised a roar of victory. However……

「Gururururu~!」

Changing its trajectory in mid-air, the final water ball arced down to strike Set from above. But just before the attack could connect, it abruptly exploded mid-air, as if it had slammed into an invisible wall.

「Gaa~!?」

The Water Bear was completely stunned. Naturally, it had no idea what had just happened. The invisible wall was the effect of the Bracelet of Wind Manipulation Set had equipped, which completely negated a single projectile or magic attack. Of course, the Water Bear didn’t know about the bracelet, nor did it know the ability could only be used once every 10 hours. Because of its confusion……

「Gururururururu~!」

Set dove directly into the Water Bear’s chest and unleashed a devastating slash with his right claws, letting out a fierce cry!

「Gaaaa!?」

Literally lifted off its feet by the sheer force of the blow, the massive Water Bear was sent crashing to the ground. This overwhelming power was thanks to the second item Set had equipped, the Bracelet of Herculean Strength.

Trusting completely in Set’s abilities, Rei had been watching the sequence of events unfold closely. The exact moment the Water Bear was knocked off its feet, Rei sprinted forward, already chanting his spell.

『Fire, you are a serpent. Therefore, burn my enemy as I desire.』

Guided by the magic-infused incantation, reality was rewritten. As a result, intense flames began to gather around the magical core of the Death Scythe……

「Hah!」
「Gaa~!?」

As the incantation finished, Rei violently thrust the blunt handle of the Death Scythe directly into the back of the fallen Water Bear.

『Dancing Fire Snakes』

The instant the spell was completed, a serpent made entirely of concentrated fire shot out from the tip of the Death Scythe’s handle, directly entering the monster’s body. The fiery snake surged violently upward from its back straight toward its head, incinerating the Water Bear from the inside out……

「Gaaaaaaaaaa~!」

Raising a horrific, final roar filled with absolute terror and agonising pain as its brain was instantly boiled, the Water Bear collapsed, dead on the spot.

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