Chapter 99

A few minutes to be chased by a flock of monsters .

The hordes of monsters are still aiming at us, and it seems that the number isn’t decreasing the least .

Probably, monsters from all over the area are gathering here, but … It’s nothing but a nuisance for us being chased .

However, it is not without a solution .

If we continue to run as it is, we should eventually reach the lake where Mia Rak is located . If we go there, we can take a boat and cross the lake . The monsters will not enter the lake .

“The number of trees is decreasing! It’s coming soon !! Usato-san, are you okay !?”

“Don’t worry about me!”

“Wait, isn’t it strange that you are running side by side with Bluerin and the horse?”

Ignoring Neah muttering on my shoulder, I confirmed the safety of Amako on my back and Bluerin running next to us .

For the time being, I’m relieved that everyone doesn’t seem to be injured .

“Usato, something pops out from the front … !!”

“A monster …!”

I was relieved for a while until Amako put her hand around my neck and told me that she had predicted the situation in a few seconds .

Maybe Neah was also listening as she activated magic on my shoulder and sent a restraint spell to my right hand . I also immediately create a healing magic bullet in my right palm and throw it so that the healing restraint bullet is released at the same time .

There is no time to stop, if they try to block us,we’ll just force it open .

“Ooooo !! Uoo !? Ooooo !?”

“…”

It was a humanoid monster that was hit directly by the healing restraint bullet at the same time as it jumped out of the bush about 15 meters away .

A large body of 2 . 5 meters .

The ferocious monster looks like a human with muscular bones to the side, but from the reddish skin and the big club held in its hand, it can be seen that it is not a human but a monster .

It received a healing restraint bullet, and as I could clearly see the rigid figure, I felt a strange feeling about the monster in front of me .

Muscle ripped from every body .

A savage weapon .

A scary face like a demon .

That? …… Wait a minute, maybe this one …… .

“Ogre !? Why is this guy — Usato !?”

“Did you just equate that thing to me …!?”

I was told that I was like this guy !?

This is a rather strong monster then !?

I haven’t seen the appearance of a monster called an ogre until now, but I had an indescribable unreasonableness and clenched my fist .

“Uoo, oh oh !!”

“Usato! The restraint has been released !? This isn’t your average opponent —“

“This cheeky little !! Amako!”

“You can leave it as it is, the ogre cannot react . ”

When I heard Amako’s prediction, I left Bluerin and the horse in a momentary manner, slipped into the ogre’s side at once, and pushed out a powerful healing punch .

“Wait, are you just going to attack as is!?”

“I’m not so barbaric !! Eat this !!”

“Listen to me for a moment !?”

The ogre leaked a moaning voice after being pierced by my fist without sound, and white eyes showed .

When its movement slowed down, I grabbed the right arm of the ogre, turned around and at the same time and threw it at the hordes of monsters approaching me .

The ogre crushed the monster at the front, which slowed down the speed of the flock .

Looking at that scene, I brushed up my bangs and smiled .

“… Seriously, aren’t you a little rude to me . Treating me like that monster …”

“Yeah my bad … You’re not an ogre . You’re something more than an ogre . ”

“E-Eh? The ore was supposed to be as dangerous as Bluerin, but … am I the weird one?”

Ignoring the voices on my shoulder and back, I started running again .

But … well, the ogre was pretty strong, but not as much as Rose . There is no feeling of intimidation, and above all, if it sinks with a single blow of a fist, the latter one is scarier, yup .

If they weren’t good enough, they would be stronger than me, a healing magician .

However, there are some things that are of concern .

“Neah, do Ogres come near where people live?”

“Well, of course not . Normally, it should only stick to places with a lot of monsters . I think it came out of its home under the influence of that roar, but it’s obviously not normal . ”

After all, this may also be related to the previous roar .

For the time being, once we enter Mia Rak and secure our safety, let’s tell the Queen of Mia Rak about this . If there were any strong influences on the monsters around Mia Rak, it could have a negative effect not only on us but also on the citizens .

“I can see Mia Rak!”

“Oh . ”

I heard Ark-san’s voice as I looked up ahead .

The trees are gone and the white city can be seen in front of the open scenery . It’s not as big as Samaria, but it’s still a big city .

“… Usato”

“Hmm? Amako, it’s okay . we’ll be able to board the ship soon . ”

“No, it’s not that …”

Amako, who put her hand on me and set out to look into the distance, opened her eyes as if she was looking at something incredible .

I also turned to the front and watched the direction she was looking at, but I could see Mia Rak in the lake and the lake that reflected the sunlight shone white .

“Wait a minute”

It looks beautiful in white .

However, why is the surface of the lake not moving?

In the lake that had solidified as if time had stopped, I moved at a stretch to grasp the situation and moved to a place where I could see the entire lake .

As I approached the lake, the first thing I felt was chilly .

I felt that the temperature had dropped at once as if the season had changed only in that place, I looked around while being confused .

“What’s going on …!”

“It’s frozen !?”

Waiting for us to arrive at the floating city of Mia Rak was―――,

It was not a beautiful city of water surrounded by lakes, but a silver world that was dominated by ice and changed without the shadow of a floating city .

The lake is frozen .

It is also in a fairly wide range .

I was completely familiar with the world of fantasy, but I couldn’t help but admire such a scene .

“Then, there can’t be a ship out there …! Ark-san !! I’ll run instead . Ark-san should go directly to Mia Rak with Amako and Bluerin !!”

Ark’s horse would be overtaken if he was running normally .

It cannot be said that there is no possibility that some of the monsters could fly or something, so I have to stop them first .

“… I will believe in Usato …!”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll leave as soon as I get the chance!”

“… I understand! Don’t overdo it!”

Ark-san nodded with a bitter expression .

I also nodded to him, lowered Amako on my back, and put her on the back of Bluerin by my side .

“Bluerin, take care of Amako . ”

“Grrr”

“… I’m not worried, but please come back safely . ”

“Yeah!”

I saw the horses on which Bluerin and Ark-san were riding running toward Mia Rak, and I caught Neah who was about to follow them and turned to the front .

“Neah, you stick with me . ”

“Eh, no way! Who would like to fight in that place !? Go get along with the monsters on your own!?”

Getting along well with the monster…… .

I keep a smile while being a little irritated .

“It’s okay, I’ll protect you”

“If you want to protect me then leave me!? You know how crazy you are for saying such a line right now!?”

“What~, it’s only a minute or two . It’s just a matter of punching and disturbing them . ”

“I’m not worried about that !?”

This is the end of our talk .

I spread my legs half a step and hold my fist so that I can start running at any time .

First, let’s hit the Ogre to gather hostility .

Because if I poke another monster, it’ll keep a distance and try to avoid it . Let’s sink the one that can be sunk by hit & away .

“OK —“

At that time, a terrible plosive sound was heard from behind .

“!?”

“What is it this time !?”

I thought something was wrong, and when I turned around, I found two people in a frozen lake — about 30 meters away from me . One is a tall, shirtless man with long hair that has no shame . The other is wearing cracked armor and its gender is unknown .

The man has a large double-edged ax gives off a silver-white shine in his hand, and he lowers his arms so as to loosely weaken and stares at the person wearing armor .

The person in the armor was glaring at the long-haired man, perhaps slamming into the surface of the frozen lake with some tremendous force, cracking the center of the crushed ice .

From the situation, the people who were making the battle sound that Amako was saying can be seen as these two people ―――,

“… The movement of the monsters has stopped …?”

When I saw the monsters, their bodies shook and ran away .

As if they didn’t want to be noticed by a terrifying existence, I felt an unpleasant premonition of the monster escaping to the forest, and I lightly poke Neah stuck on my shoulder .

“Are you okay, Neah”

“Hmm, yeah . I don’t know what that is, but let’s chase Ark soon . At the speed of horses and Burlin, we’ll get to Miarak soon, and there’s no reason to be here anymore . …… “

She’s shaking .

Does she not learn from experience?

It’s true that Ark-san’s horse and Bluerin will soon reach Miarak, but I’ve never seen something make her so scared .

“Uh, uh …”

“—“

A long-haired man who slowly walks up to the person in armor who is struck by ice and cannot move . Lightly swing up the ax held in his hand —,

“This is bad !?”

“Usato !?”

I reflexively jumped forward .

By all means, that long-haired man doesn’t look normal . I don’t know if the person in that armor is also an ally, but I’m not going to be so stupid to get hit by him .

I lit the healing magic on my fist and immediately narrowed the distance, and at the same time, I hit the abdomen of the long-haired man who swung up his ax with a moderately healing punch .

At that time, there was a strange feeling in my fist .

“…”

Why is it hard?

Even if it was blocked by muscles, it didn’t feel like hitting a zombie .

While being puzzled by the feeling of hitting a hard scale like that Wicked dragon or that snake, he looks back and calls out to the person in armor who looks up at me in a daze .

“I’ve been hit …? Lightly hit by him …”

“Can you move !?”

“Ah, ah … ouch, pain”

A person in armor holding his legs . …… It’s a higher voice than I imagined .

I can’t see his facial expression, but it seems that he is injured everywhere .

I have to heal his injuries with healing magic immediately .

Thinking so, when I rushed to him (?) And tried to apply healing magic, he grabbed my hand .

“Run now …! No matter how successful the surprise attack, he will get up immediately …!”

“What do you mean he’ll get up?”

“Usato! Behind !!”

When I hear the voice of Neah and the sound of something breaking behind me, it seems that he was approaching us by cutting the wind . Immediately, I turned around and saw the long-haired man trying to slam his fist here .

I stick out my right palm in front of me and catch the man’s fist .

“—!”

“Hmmph …!”

The impact penetrates the fist .

While being surprised at the unexpected power, I put my strength into my legs and endured the impact, and on the contrary, caught his fist .

The long-haired man opened his eyes with no expression .

“―――― !?”

“Kidding me … he stopped it …?”

For some reason, the person in armor was also surprised, but now let’s concentrate in front of us .

Though he looks at me with deadpan eyes, but I can feel hostility . ――― There’s no mistake, he’s an enemy .

Then —,

“I’ll heal you, so fly a little further !!”

I pulled the fist that I grabbed and released a roundhouse kick with my left foot that was pulled far back .

However, the long-haired man catches the kick with his arm holding the ax . Although I tried to kick off his defense, my kick was completely stopped by the man’s tremendous strength .

―――― He stopped my kick just like that !?

The long-haired man puts his strength into his fist held by me . Again, he stabs his foot into the ice and tries to compete with me, but the ice, which is the scaffolding, gets a big crack .

“… Ugh …!?”

What power …!

If I stop focusing for a second, I’ll lose !?

He’s equivalent to me …… no, maybe a little more stronger .

“Someone can compete with Usato’s stupid power !?”

“Please support me while just complaining!”

Neah activates magic and pours a restraint spell from my fist to stop his movement for a moment .

“―――― !?”

“Hmm!”

With that little gap, I used a healing restraint fist in the form of pushing up from below into his chest, hit it more than before, and forcibly took a distance .

It’s good that I got off from him, but he looks like he didn’t take much damage from the feel of the fist .

While waving my left hand that I hit, I raised my voice .

“What is that person, that’s not some humane power …?”

“Oi, are you really saying that? Do you understand that the words will come back to you?”

…… .

“As expected, there’s someone who can compete with my strength …! Kuu … I should have trained more in this case …!”

“Kuu, my ass! Isn’t it strange that someone can compete with you . ”

I can’t hear Neah’s words because I have an expression of biting a bitter gourd .

If you can’t hear it, you can’t hear it .

‥ …… He might get up soon, so I don’t have time to heal the person in armor .

While being wary of the attack of the long-haired man, I put my hand on the back and knees of the person in armor and lifted it .

“What …”

“Time to leave . ”

“Y-You should be leaving instead !! I’m wearing armor … he’s not sweet enough to leave me!”

Does this person know who that long-haired man is?

Then I have to ask about the situation later .

“Don’t worry, it’s something I’m used to . ”

“What do you mean … Uwa !?”

While holding the person in armor, I leave the place at full speed .

Moving with people is my main business for I’m under the rescue squad . It doesn’t change even if you wear armor . Rather, at the time of the battle of the Demon King’s army, all the knights wore armor, so it’s no problem .

Besides, there is no reason for me, a healing magician, to leave the injured and run away …!

“It’s a little pain, but … this is recovery magic, isn’t it?”

“It’s healing magic . Injuries aren’t a big deal, so they’ll heal quickly!”

“Wait, you’re a healing magician !? And yet you were dealing with him !?”

“Yes … . . !”

I can hear a loud noise behind me and I can hear something approaching while crushing the ice .

So he is going to chase after me, I don’t know what kind of existence the other person is, but to try and chase up with me …! The signs are getting farther away as I accelerate my feet .

The person in the armor holding it could see the back, it was breathtaking .

“Who are you …”

“I’m Usato . A messenger from the Kingdom of Lingle, and your “average “healing magician . I came to give Mia Rak an important letter … how about you?”

Neah on the shoulder whispered, “He’s not normal …”, but I ignore it and ask the person in armor who has relaxed .

Then, the helmet trembles as if to stagnate .

“I’m Leo — !? Get away!”

I reflexively jumped away from the place in response to the panicked voice of the person in armor .

The next moment, a big icicle pierced the place where I was from the sky . The icicles disperse tremendous cold air and burst like a shot .

I was surprised to see the long-haired man approaching me while swinging a double-edged ax when I turned my eyes to the direction in which the icicle would have flown . And — many icicles came falling from the sky —,

“Tsk, Neah, a magic of resistance !!”

“I’m already doing it !?”

If I ate such an icicle like a shotgun, I would put Neah and the person in armor in danger!?

He’s probably resistant to ice and wrapped in magic, I concentrate on avoiding the falling icicles .

“… What is it! He’s beyond the scope of magic !!”

“I feel a great power from that axe, but … it’s not your average power !?”

While supporting the person in armor with only one hand, I knock off the shot with the other hand .

By the time all the icicles had fallen, the long-haired man who should have separated was quite close .

“Sorry, I got you involved in our battle …”

The person in the armor said so weakly .

On the other hand, when the long-haired man pierces the ice ground with an ax vigorously, he takes a deep breath and raises a loud voice that cannot be imagined from an expressionless guy like him .

“Ooooooooooooooooo !!”

“… This guy”

Was this person the one who made the monster run away …!

And looking at the ice from before, was he the reason that this lake was frozen !?

Be ready to move at any time .

“His name is Karon”

The person in armor trembled and muttered in a voice that only I could hear, as if he was looking at something horrid .

“He was originally a human … a man who was supposed to be a hero . ”

“Originally” a human being .

He was supposed to be a hero .

The words made me realize that this situation was endlessly bad .