Chapter 59 - Chapter 58: True First Quest
The second month of Water, the third week, Tuesday.
Afternoon physical education time.
At first, it was just time spent walking, but now we are made to do various menus every day.
Walking, jogging, running.
Competitions at the athletic field.
We also do pairs practicing "forms," "strikes," and "blocks" holding a staff.
And, since entering the second year, a few new things have been added.
Tag in the forest within the academy grounds.
This is the reason for the existence of the forest where I always trained with Rimliche.
We are made to play tag in the forest, sometimes hindered by trees, sometimes using them.
I suppose it's to get us used to moving in forest terrain, but since the content is tag, everyone seems to be enjoying it.
However, if you slack off, merciless shouts from Dagny or Naporo will fly at you, but since they say "Play with full force and seriousness," this menu seems to be a favorite of everyone.
And, we have started being made to do training such as saluting and lining up.
The salute in this world is close to the salute in my previous world, but it feels like you need to tighten your stance a bit more.
We are lined up in a single row with almost no gaps, and we salute in that state.
If you stick your elbows out too much, you'll bump into the person next to you.
We are also training in parallel on how to line up with gaps and how to line up tightly, and finally, content that makes us conscious of action within a "group" like an army is being incorporated.
Finally, a separate menu has appeared for those who can use [Physical Enhancement].
The content is mainly athletics, but we are made to go back and forth endlessly using [Physical Enhancement].
Currently, only four people can manifest [Physical Enhancement]: Mika, Polnard, Charl, and Messerite, who recently became able to do it.
Murt seems to be quite anxious that he is the only boy among the boys who cannot do it, and he is praying desperately to the gods.
Though I wish he would stop shouting spells loudly.
Cecilia also seems to be feeling anxious that she cannot do it while Charl and Polnard can.
She even came to ask me, who usually acts like a fighting buddy, for tips.
"Hey, there must be some trick, right? Mika manifested it out of nowhere, and you seem used to using it. Here, take this. Teach me quickly."
Saying that, Cecilia, who sat opposite, placed a tray of baked polenta from her own meal onto Mika's tray.
"I don't need it! And anyway, if you ask the Cafeteria Lady, you can get as much as you want!"
"Stop being stingy and teach me!"
Even if told that, Mika manifests it on its own even if he has no intention of doing so.
It's a problem even if told there's a trick.
"Ah... maybe it's easier to manifest if the magic power inside you moves easily? I don't know."
If it moves on its own like that, doesn't it manifest on its own?
"Magic power... moving easily..."
Mika said it casually, but Cecilia started thinking seriously.
No, I just said it casually, so I hope you don't take it so seriously.
So, currently, Cecilia is intensively training to move her magic power.
...A little guilt.
Rimliche also hasn't been able to manifest [Physical Enhancement] yet, but she isn't too anxious.
Rimliche, whose magic power training is lagging behind everyone else's, is currently working on moving magic power.
Rimliche, who has become able to sense the magic power inside her, seems to find it very difficult to move that magic power.
Probably, I think Rimliche has too much magic power.
She is struggling to move the magic power, packed full to the brim, right and left as she wishes.
Like Mika at first, Rimliche seems to move her body unconsciously while moving magic power, so she sways left and right from time to time.
For Rimliche, who is often next to Mika, I try to pay attention to her as much as possible when I notice.
"Rimliche, you're swaying again."
"Huh? I moved again? I was being careful."
Saying that, she smiles innocently with a giggle.
What is this cute creature!
Mika feels like he has been approached by a puppy and is giving Rimliche various advice.
Even if she struggles a bit at the start, she has abundant magic power that no one else can follow.
Perhaps, at some point, she will suddenly grow rapidly and open her talent to the point of surpassing even Mika.
While looking forward to that day, I watch Rimliche's slow progress.
...Could this be the realm of a grandfather watching his grandson grow?
"There will be a field trip for everyone in autumn. Please work seriously on [Physical Enhancement] training."
At the end of afternoon physical education, Dagny and Naporo said such things.
It's unusual because it usually ends with "Dismissed!"
Everyone looks puzzled, saying "Field trip?" "What's a field trip?"
I see, they don't know about field trips themselves.
When Naporo explains the field trip simply, everyone's faces light up.
However, there is one point that really caught Mika's attention in this story.
(...Why does having a field trip mean we have to work hard on [Physical Enhancement]?)
To be honest, I only have a bad feeling.
"At the field trip, we will walk more than 50 kilometers to the national border defense wall in one day."
Fi-fifty?!
"Children who cannot master [Physical Enhancement] by that day cannot participate. Everyone, please master [Physical Enhancement] properly."
I was speechless.
The children in the class suddenly started making noise.
Rimliche's face turned pale, and she looked like she was about to cry.
Naporo drove the nail in further for such noisy children.
"Teachers will judge, and if we think you can't keep up, you will stay behind. Every year, some children stay behind, but everyone should try to participate. Children who cannot participate tend to be excluded from the group after the field trip every year. It is natural that those who shared the hardship are distinguished from those who didn't."
I don't think about getting along with everyone at all.
They affirmed the distinction between comrades and non-comrades.
(I suppose as the culmination of the Magic Academy here in Sarbengeal, they want to add a final trial and a sense of solidarity. But the method is too ruthless.)
The breakdown of the 50 kilometers is,
2 kilometers From the dormitory to the main street
4 kilometers Crossing Sarbengeal
45 kilometers From Sarbengeal to the border
That seems to be it.
Well, actually, movement within the city of Sarbengeal will be in a shape close to the hypotenuse, so maybe it's a little less than 5 kilometers?
Even so, against children, isn't this too cruel?
Everyone says they can use [Physical Enhancement], but they cannot enhance it several times like Mika.
It's at most 10% to 20%.
I think so, but they say it will be ruthlessly carried out this year as an annual tradition.
Everyone returned to the dormitory with faces full of despair.
■■■■■■
The second month of Water, the fourth week, Sunday.
The sky was clear, and green grass and flowers spread along the road.
Walking while gazing at the green mountains in the distance and the blue sky, the mood was like a picnic.
On such an early morning road, Mika was walking with a grin.
He had a steel knife he bought just yesterday tucked into his waist, and he couldn't stop grinning because finally his equipment was complete.
Yesterday, I was just looking at the newly bought knife and grinning to myself, and Messerite found it creepy.
(Well, if there was someone grinning while looking at a knife, even I would definitely not approach them, yeah.)
I bought the knife for now, but I can't use it properly yet.
The early morning road was still chilly, and only horse-drawn carriages heading to Sarbengeal passed by from time to time.
It gets quite warm during the day, but it gets quite cold at night and in the morning.
Spring and autumn, isn't it a period that really makes you worry about whether to wear thick clothes or thin clothes?
Today, Mika intends to challenge a quest for the first time. Not the usual fixed-fee quest, but a quest where a request sheet is posted.
On the way back from buying the knife, I stopped by the guild and looked at the request sheets, and I noticed a request sheet that had been posted for quite some time.
It was a request sheet I had seen before, but it was a request from a village about 10 kilometers away from Sarbengeal.
Until now, I hadn't paid much attention because it was "too far," but Mika now has [Physical Enhancement].
Going back and forth 20 kilometers is quite tough, but it's not impossible.
If I make [Physical Enhancement] about 3 to 4 times stronger and hurry a bit, I can probably arrive in about an hour.
Mika, who has gotten used to walking and running during a year of academy life, can say it is well within range.
By the way, even if you make [Physical Enhancement] 4 times stronger, your walking speed doesn't become 4 times faster.
You could do it if you wanted to, but it might be more accurate to say you are using the ability to reduce the burden.
If you think of it as something that used to take 10 units of effort now being done with 2 or 3, it should be easy to imagine.
Of course, you can also use the strength in a way where what was previously limited to lifting 25 kilograms can now be lifted 100 kilograms.
Since the ability is raised, there are more options for distributing that strength, that's the idea.
The content of the quest Mika chose this time was to hunt a swarm of harmful birds. 100,000 Rats. A request for one gold coin.
The request is targeted from D-rank, but if it is one rank lower, accepting the order itself is OK.
The rank is just a guideline, so it seems flexible in that regard.
Even super powerful people start from F-rank at first, so making the framework too rigid would just rot their skills.
If so, if you think you can do it, go ahead and try, and let them challenge it wildly so they can quickly rise to higher ranks.
Under that kind of thinking, it seems the rule became that you can accept requests one rank lower.
There are several reasons why Mika chose this request.
One.
There is some distance, but there is no problem with the movement itself.
Two.
Since it has not been resolved for over two months, I thought there would be little collision with other adventurers.
It is technically a "first come, first served" request, but if other adventurers could easily resolve it, it should have been finished long ago.
Three.
I thought that even if the harmful birds flew, "Air Cutter" could handle it.
Four.
The condition for completing the request is not total extermination.
Since the opponent is birds, there might be individuals flying away somewhere right now.
These harmful birds are a species found everywhere, and they have increased too rapidly, so they want them hunted.
I took it to the guild counter and heard the details, but it seems that no matter how many harmful birds there are, using a bow to knock them down or using [God's Miracle] to kill them won't work.
So, I thought Mika, who can overwhelm them with abundant magic power, might have a chance.
In my previous world, I remember seeing news about being troubled by too many birds, but it seems the same in this world.
And so, I arrived at the village of the client.
I got hot walking, so I put the robe I was wearing into my backpack.
This time, there is nothing special to carry, but I did bring an empty backpack just in case.
The impression of this village might be quite close to Rish Village.
Well, it's not as desolate as Rish Village.
The population density of that village is abnormal.
For now, I'll take a quick look around the village.
The client's village is a farming village, and if they don't do something about the harmful birds, the seeds will be eaten up as soon as they are sown.
Fields and paddies spread out surrounding the village, and a black mountain can be seen a little distance away.
Are the trees around the black mountain all dead trees? Among the distant mountains dyed green, the exposed brown is either dead trees or the color of the soil.
I can see small birds flying in the sky, but I can't find the so-called harmful birds.
Mika decided to enter the village.
For now, the Village Head is supposed to be the client, so I head for the Village Head's house.
I greeted the villagers I passed energetically and was told where the Village Head's house was.
The Village Head's house was at the very back of the village.
It is larger than other houses, but it is old and dilapidated, just like the surrounding houses.
It is near a large city like Sarbengeal, but the economic situation doesn't seem very good.
Mika stood in front of the door of the Village Head's house.
"Good morning. I came from the Adventurer's Guild."
Come to think of it, I wasn't told what to say in this kind of situation.
Well, as long as it gets across that I came to see the request, there shouldn't be a problem.
When Mika spoke, the door opened immediately.
Coming out from inside was a Cafeteria Lady.
The Cafeteria Lady's gaze initially passed over Mika, but after a while, it was directed downward.
Maybe she was checking if there was anyone else.
"Oh, good morning, young lady. It seems an adventurer was just here... Young lady, did you not see them?"
At the Cafeteria Lady's question, Mika pointed to himself.
"I came from the Adventurer's Guild. I want to hear the details of the harmful bird extermination. Is the Village Head here? Also, I am not a young lady."
"..."
It took a full 3 minutes for the Cafeteria Lady to reboot.
Being surprised this much is, as expected, the first time.
Mika was outside the village with the Village Head's uncle.
It was difficult to make the Cafeteria Lady believe me, but the Village Head came out while talking about something at the entrance, and I was finally able to explain the details of the request.
The Village Head points to the black mountain a little away from the village.
"Do you see that black mountain over there?"
"Yes."
"That is the harmful birds."
"Huh?"
Eh, that huge thing?
That's a bit unexpected, or rather, the request content is different.
"There are so many harmful birds that you can't even count how many flocks are resting in the trees of that mountain. That's why it looks black. Don't you see that there isn't a single leaf on the trees of the surrounding mountains? The harmful birds eat them as soon as buds appear, and for that reason, it has become like a mountain of dead trees."
That whole black mountain is a flock of harmful birds?
Does that mean tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands?
No wonder you can't exterminate them by knocking them down with a bow or using a little [God's Miracle].
No matter how you look at it, there are too many.
"It wasn't this bad when we posted the request. The number suddenly increased in the last month. So, we are currently consulting with the guild. Honestly, they said that with the current reward and current rank, it's impossible..."
Saying that, the Village Head slumped his shoulders.
"But, in this village that isn't particularly rich, it's difficult to offer a higher reward. If we don't sow seeds, there will be no harvest, but if we sow seeds, it will only become food for the harmful birds... We are stuck."
The Village Head shook his head and muttered as if giving up.
"For that reason, I'm sorry you came, but it's better not to overdo it. The harmful birds are not magic birds, but if you attack, they will counterattack in a group. Just recently, a C-rank adventurer saw that black mountain and gave up and went back. They said there were too many."
Well, it's impossible to do normally with this number.
If there were no counterattacks, magic spam would handle it, but with counterattacks, it might be a bit tough.
Still, using "Fire Breath" would be a deterrent.
It's unlikely that normal birds would charge at "Fire Breath."
"For now, I'll try everything I can."
"N-no, trying... once you lay a hand on them, they will swarm and attack. I'm not saying this to be mean, but it's better to stop."
Mika pushed his backpack at the Village Head who tried to stop him.
Inside the backpack was only the uniform robe. Even if I lose the backpack, there's no problem, but for now, I want to get rid of the troublesome luggage.
"Excuse me, could you hold this for me? I'll come back when I'm done."
"Hey, wait!"
Mika ran towards the black mountain.
There's no time to argue. Or rather, it's troublesome.
Whether I can or can't, I'll show the result.
Just because the Village Head says I can do it doesn't mean I can.
(Well, it's true there are more than I thought. What should I do?)
Mika simulated in his head and headed straight for the black mountain.
For now, I've come to about 50 meters from the black mountain.
Yeah. As they said, it's a flock of birds.
Pitch black, birds resembling crows.
Too many, to the point where just looking at it makes me feel a bit sick.
Gya-gya-gya! Gya-gya-gya-gya! Gya-gya-gya-gya!
A flood of sound to the point where I don't even know what kind of cry it is.
I was about to use the magic I officially named "Big Ear" after upgrading "Hell Ear" (formerly "De〇l Ears")... but I stopped.
This time, sound isn't that important.
If so, I should stop unnecessary magic and focus on the necessary magic.
"Well then, let's give it a try."
There is some distance, but it should be no problem.
No matter how casually I shoot, it's harder to miss because they are so densely packed.
If so, I'll rely on the numbers and just keep shooting.
"Air Cutter!"
I create more than ten "Air Cutters" and keep shooting them.
As soon as I shoot them, I create "Air Cutters" again and shoot those too.
Mika thought about what to use for the first shot, and in the end, he chose "Air Cutter."
With "Fireball," if birds on fire charge at me, Mika will be in danger.
With "Stone Bullet" or "Ice Javelin," if I need to shoot straight up during the counterattack turn later, they might fall and hit Mika.
With "Air Cutter," I can just shoot and forget it; I don't need to think about what happens after shooting.
With one "Air Cutter," many birds fall with their necks or wings cut.
Just shooting "Air Cutters" casually causes dozens or hundreds of birds to fall one after another.
And so, the birds all took flight at once.
Mika ignored them and kept shooting "Air Cutters" at the birds taking flight.
I was almost mesmerized by the flock of birds that seemed to undulate like a pitch-black tornado in the sky.
While thinking "What interesting movement" about the undulating flock of birds, a few birds came towards Mika.
Naturally, I intercept with "Air Cutter."
I knock them down before they get close to Mika.
Then, a few more birds left the flock and came towards Mika.
There are more than before, but this is no problem. Intercepting too.
I repeated such things a few times, and finally, the main body moved.
The undulation like a black tornado spread out once in the upper air, then contracted rapidly and charged at Mika.
Mika tried to launch an intercepting "Fire Breath," ---Emergency Stop.
"Thousand Edge!!!"
I switched magic in a flash.
I expand magic power in a hemispherical shape with a radius of 10 meters.
I continue pouring all the full-power magic power gathered by "Absorb" into "Thousand Edge."
(The momentum charging at me is too strong! It's not on the level of seeing fire and avoiding it!)
I thought birds would avoid fire, but I was wrong.
With this momentum, they will collide with Mika the moment they try to avoid it.
That much momentum.
The flock of giant birds, transformed from a black tornado into black spears, collides with the range of "Thousand Edge" created by Mika.
Zudodododod......
A bright red curtain appears in front of Mika.
The flesh and blood of the birds, chopped up by "Thousand Edge," spreads along the outer edge of the magic power range.
But, ignoring that, the birds continue to collide.
Zudododododod......
Red flesh and blood spread in front, while black birds that passed without touching the magic power spread to the left, right, and rear.
A terrible collision sound, flapping, and the sound of cutting the air mixed together, a noisy trio that makes you want to cover your ears, pierces Mika's eardrums.
"Aaaaaa-It's so loud!"
The concentration is about to break due to the noise, but I desperately hold on.
If "Thousand Edge" breaks now, I will definitely be turned into a honeycomb by the birds' beaks.
Or rather, chopped up.
Zudodododod......
The collision sound was heard not only from the front but also from above.
Looking up, a red curtain has formed on the ceiling.
The birds that passed by go up into the sky once and then dive straight down.
Now, Mika's magic power range has become a bright red hemispherical dome.
Botabotabotabota......