Nozomu's POV

When all the lessons were over and the closing bell rang, even though the closing bell hasn't stopped, the students in the class left their seats and began to return home with their peers and friends.

Mars and I also went out into the corridor with our bag in one hand.

"Hey Nozomu, what are you going to do today?"

“………….. Why is that?”

"If you don't mind, why don't we train at the outer edge of the city? Iris and the others will come too, so can you go out with us today?"

"... Umm ..."

Mars invited me, but I still remember what happened yesterday, and I hesitate to accept the invitation.

The truth was told by Ken and the things he has been doing since then.

My hatred and anger towards Ken exploded. Annihilating many lives in front of me just as that “Guy” incited.

And the misery that remained after that.

The red dream I had this morning, the ground was dyed red with the blood I sprinkled and the remains of the demon beasts that were still warm. Rust-like odor and smell of death floating around.

" !! "

It was as if that "Guy" was saying, "You are the same as me,". The discomfort and disgust in my stomach swelled violently, trying to push out what was inside. But I gritted my teeth and swallowed my saliva to hold it in.

"...Nozomu, are you okay? You've been weird since morning."

Mars spoke anxiously, but I didn't speak anything and desperately tried to fix my expression. When I desperately swallowed the feeling of nausea and tried to say "it's nothing" to Mars, however, I opened my eyes to the figure that came into my sight.

"Anyway, Ken. What about the meeting place and time?"

"Why don't we meet at Central Park around 10 o'clock?"

What I saw was Lisa and Ken walking side by side.

Perhaps she had promised a date for tomorrow's holiday, she smiled happily and Ken smiled next to her as well.

The moment I saw it, the flame of fury that had been stored in the depth of my chest lit up again and began to rage.

I tried to contain my anger by clenching my fists, but the flame that I was about to get rid of started to ignite and engulf my self-control in the blink of an eye.

At least I tried not to show it on my face, but when I was desperately trying to make my face expressionless, they noticed me.

"!!!!!!"

Lisa's facial expression that noticed me became stiff at once. She hit me with her gaze full of hatred. But, for the current me, it was just an act of pouring oil on the flame I was desperately trying to suppress.

Still, I desperately clenched my teeth so as not to make my anger explode like yesterday.

The nails pierced the skin of my clenched palms and pierced into the flesh, and the pain became a wedge for me to desperately hold back my reasoning.

However, the wedge blew when Ken's expression appeared behind her.

(So unsightly !!)

………… he sneered at me.

He sneered at me from behind Lisa so that she wouldn't notice.

His facial expression hadn't changed at all, it was the same as when I was made fun of yesterday.

"!!!"

The moment I saw it, my expressionless face I was desperately kept up collapsed.

My flat eyebrows were lifted at once, my cheeks were pulled and my canines teeth were exposed.

I hit back Lisa's hateful gaze, and Lisa's expression changed to one of a surprised expression.

I was so angry that I tried to jump in anger, but...

"Ah……"

I stopped at the last minute.

Yesterday's sight flashed through my head.

My ugly self was about to come out again.

I desperately tried to hide it, I forcefully looked away and turned my heels.

"O, oi Nozomu !!"

"Sorry, Mars. I just remembered an errand ..."

I ignored Mars' voice from my back and started walking.

The presence of that "guy" in the depths of my chest grew stronger. I didn't know what I would do if I stayed here, and I have to get out of here.

The legs that should have walked naturally became faster, and before I knew it, I was running with all my might.

I was desperate to suppress my anger. I couldn't hear the voice from behind anymore and just kept running as if to shake it off. 

As I continued to run, I was in the forest again like yesterday.

The sun shining in the sky gradually begins to fall, and in about an hour the sky will turn bright red as the sun sets.

When I arrived, I was out of breath and worn out for a while, but as my breath was getting better, my disgust for myself began to rise.

I was desperately trying to behave as usual, but I couldn't do it after all.

I feel sorry for Mars and others, but to be honest, I didn't know what the current me was going to do, and I was scared to be with everyone.

Even so, the time of the day gave me some time to calm down.

I am aware that I am running away and impatient. That's why I thought I had to think in the calmest place, so I was heading to that hut where I spent the longest time in this Arcazam ...

"? It's kind of strange ..."

The state of the forest is a little strange, there are no signs of animals.

There are many demon beasts in this forest, but there are also many harmless animals in proportion to it.

There are many kinds of rabbits, mice, birds, etc., and although there are some diversities in the forest so far, I could feel their presence. When I was left in the forest as training by shishō, their meat was useful as a valuable protein source at such times.

“…………….”

My accumulated experience rang warning bells for the abnormality of the forest, my consciousness naturally alerting me to the surroundings.

My heart beats slightly and blood is distributed throughout my body so that my body is ready to fight at any moment.

The sound of the rustling of tree branches fluttering in the wind could be heard all around me, and the other sound I could hear is only my own heartbeat

"Shi ………… .…………"

“……….. that …………, behind …………………”

Then, I heard the voices of multiple people mixed with the sound of the branches fluttering in the wind, and I also heard the sound of some metal hitting. However, I don't know what they're talking about, I think it's pretty far.

I don't know if it's related to this forest anomaly or not. Anyway, I started walking towards the source of the voices, and I always ready to pull my katana out, just to make sure. 

"Mimu ...! From the left ......... ! Attract it ...!"

"Minute ...! Shi ... support ..............."

"Don't be reckless.... medicine ..............."

After walking for a while, the voices gradually became louder, and the light shining through the gaps between the trees gradually increased.

Along with that, the content of their conversation became audible, albeit a little. It seemed someone was fighting a demon beast.

When I went further, the overgrown trees were cut down, and beyond that, it looked like an open square.

I hid my body in the bushes growing at the boundary.

"They are ........."

There, three Solminati Academy students are fighting with about ten demihumans with green dwarf-like body. Goblins, they are wearing dirty rags on their bodies. And in their hands, they have weapons such as rusty knives, swords, and clubs.

Goblins are demihumans found all over the continent, but they have low intelligence and attack people indiscriminately, so they are a race that is targeted for subjugation like demon beasts.

What caught my attention more than that was the three students who were fighting. A petite male student wielding a hatchet-like knife while chanting his magic, a wildcat girl who is slaughtering goblins, and an elf girl shooting arrows one after another.

"Shīna Yuliel ..." 

She healed my injuries yesterday, shortly after, I was angry and was the one who hit her with bloodlust with all my might.

The three defeated the goblins one after another with accurate movements.

Eventually, the three of them defeated all the goblins without difficulty, but because I was too distracted, my slightly moving body shook the bushes I hide in.

The next moment, a flash of light crossed in front of me.

***

"This is the end!"

Mimuru used the knife to tear the remaining goblin and stabbed it.

She looked around to see if there were any goblins left, but there didn't seem to be any goblins alive.

"Tom, are the things you collected alright?"

"Yeah. No problem."

Tom tapped the bag hanging from his shoulder.

They had finished gathering and encountered the goblins on their way back to the city.

That's right, they "encountered" them.

A little while ago, when the three who had finished collecting and were on their way home came to this open place, about 10 goblins suddenly appeared from the bush in front of them.

At first, the three of them thought they were ambushed, but it was rather the goblins who were taken aback by the sudden encounter, and after somehow speaking with "Gyaagyaa", they suddenly attacked with their weapons.

Of course, the three who were attacked counterattacked. As a result, all the goblins were defeated.

"But what was that? They didn't seem to ambush us, nor did they seem to be chasing their prey ..."

At that moment, they heard a rattling noise. Shīna quickly nocked an arrow in her bow, and she immediately shot an arrow at the bush.

The arrow that was released disappeared into the bush, but she nocked her arrow again and glared at the point where it had disappeared.

"... Come out. I know you're still there."

After she called out, silence flowed for a while, but soon a male student, Nozomu, appeared from the bush.

"……you!!"

Shīna's expression that confirmed the appearance of the other party intensified. She leaked out a slightly strong voice.

She certainly has a delicate relationship with Nozomu, and thinking about what happened yesterday, her mood suddenly worsened because he kept going to the forest without hearing her advice even though she had scolded him many times.

"... Um ... Hello ..."

On the other hand, Nozomu had an awkward and subtle expression because of yesterday and this morning incident.

"Hmm~~~. You're that Nozomu Bountis ~~. I saw you this morning, but your face is a bit dull~~"

"Mimuru, knock it off ..."

“……………………….”

Mimuru looked at Nozomu, and Tom told her to stop. Shīna remained silent, folded her arms, and glared at Nozomu.

She doesn't speak because she tends to preach if she opens her mouth, and that's what happened last night.

“…………. Sorry  for saying your face is a bit dull.”

Nozomu was worried about Shīna, but he tried not to look at her.

"Nozomu-kun ... wasn't it? Is it okay for you to enter the forest alone?"

"Eh, well, maybe ..."

“……………………….”

Tom asked Nozomu, but Nozomu was more concerned about Shīna and could only give an ambiguous answer.

When Nozomu glanced at her face, her well-organized eyebrows were further raised.

"By the way, I had something I wanted to ask~~. What did you do to that black-haired princess?"

"Stop it. Mimuru"

Ignoring Shīna's moody appearance, Mimuru asks about Nozomu’s relationship with Irisdina, and Tom stopped her again.

"Eee~~! I'm curious. Why does that princess care so much for such a dull man~~. Eh! Are you two dating !?"

"... No, We are not dating ..."

"Ee ~~ Really ~~? Then !!"

"Mimuru, you should stop doing something stupid every time"

"Eeh ~  It's such a great opportunity~ boring~."

Nozomu isn't dating her is the truth, but Shīna scolds Mimuru, who was trying to pursue further.

Perhaps because she wasn't happy with Nozomu's response.

Mimuru made a dissatisfied voice, but she reluctantly gave in.

However, Shīna's atmosphere had changed from a moody one to a tense one.

"This isn't the time for that. Like I said before, the spirits are strange... It seems they're afraid of something... We need to get out of here right away."

Tom's face tensed up instantly, and Mimuru's playful expression changed completely.

Given that she is an elf who can respond to spirits, she says that there is no presence of animals that should be in the forest. Nozomu also found that the forest is now a much more troublesome place than usual.

When Nozomu decided to leave the place and try to move, he was startled by the sensation of many sharp arrows pierced through his body.

"!!!!!!"

With a dense premonition of death, his body instantly shifts to a combat stance. His muscles tensed up a bit and his heart beat faster, sending thick blood throughout his body.

Nozomu looked at the bushes in the corner of the forest. He felt a tremendous sense of intimidation from the depths of the bushes.

Perhaps Shīna and her friends had noticed his gaze, they were glaring in the same direction as Nozomu.

Eventually, a demon beast emerged from the bush.

However, it was definitely not some kind of ordinary demon beast. Certainly, it has four legs down to the ground like a beast, and its appearance is very similar to that of a wolf or a wild dog, but its size is clearly different, its body length is longer than that of an adult, and its height is also about as high as Nozomu's chest.

Above all, its appearance was covered with something like black sludge, and black smoke was rising with a squelching noise.

There were no eyeballs in the eyes part, only something painted red contained there.

It was a demon beast they had never seen before. At least Nozomu had never seen such a demon beast in this forest, nor had he seen one in books.

"What ... is that ..."

"A, ah ........."

"........."

"U, uwa ........."

A voice leaked from Nozomu's mouth, and Shīna made a groaning voice. Sweat dripped down Mimuru's face, and Tom took a pratfall.

Black Demon Beast.

Nozomu and the others were clearly being shaken by an unknown enemy that couldn't be expressed in any way.

"Vu~ooooooooooon !!!"

The roar reverberated, and the trees in the forest shook as if they were scared by its cry.

In the next moment, the black demon beast lowered its body in an instant. It aimed and rushed towards Nozomu and the others as if they were its prey.