Chapter 5: Great Black Bird
That day, Uruk and I came outside the city.
After setting several traps, we waited and observed the surroundings.
“Are we really hunting it?
It’s a B-rank monster…”
“It’s fine.
I’ve hunted one before.”
“Just what exactly are you…?
Even I’ve never done that before.”
The monster we came to hunt was called the Great Black Bird Kurobird.
As the name implied, it was a massive black bird with sturdy feathers that only appeared on sunny days.
“The Great Black Bird Kurobird loves eating boar-type monsters called Moss, so we’ll use this as bait.”
“Y-Yeah…
I know that much, but don’t we need some sort of trap?
If it escapes into the sky, even I won’t be able to do anything.”
“That’s not a problem either.
The Great Black Bird Kurobird has a habit of never letting go once it bites its prey.
So if we secure the bait to the ground, it won’t be able to fly away.”
“I-I see…”
The important part of this monster was its feathers.
Those hard yet flexible feathers were processed by adventurers and used as excellent armor materials.
That was why the monster was considered extremely troublesome to subjugate.
(If you attack directly, it blocks with its feathers…)
“To think we’re using those feathers as bed materials…
The Great Black Bird Kurobird’s feathers are so hard they’re practically useless…
No, I should trust Alto.”
Uruk muttered quietly.
Right on cue, the Great Black Bird Kurobird appeared.
Its enormous body was easily the size of two grown adults, and it possessed a sharp, menacing beak.
According to the plan, Uruk leapt down from the tree and aimed for the Great Black Bird Kurobird’s only weak point────its neck.
The monster twisted its body instinctively and spread its wings.
“Bwagh!?”
“…!!
Sorry!
It blocked me with its feathers at the last second!”
The Great Black Bird Kurobird flapped its wings and attempted to attack Uruk using the acid sac inside its body.
That acid was highly concentrated.
If it hit directly, it could melt an arm.
I won’t let it attack Uruk────.
As the Great Black Bird Kurobird faced Uruk, I threw a knife at it from behind.
“[Enchant Magic] Instant Paralysis.”
The knife pierced the Great Black Bird Kurobird’s neck.
At the same time, I dashed forward.
Reacting to the sharp pain, the Great Black Bird Kurobird turned toward me.
“It’s dangerous, Alto!!
Don’t get so close!!”
I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and waited for the right timing.
The acid it had intended to fire at Uruk was redirected toward me instead.
Maintaining a low stance, I steadied my breathing.
“Fuu────…!!”
I accurately dodged the acid the instant it was fired.
“He vanished!?”
However, the Great Black Bird Kurobird still tracked my movements.
Iaido────
The moment I unleashed my technique, the Great Black Bird Kurobird attempted to spread its wings again.
But the paralysis halted its movements.
Without missing that opening, I severed its neck.
“Uruk, are you alright?”
I flicked the blood from my sword.
A clean trail of blood spread across the ground.
“Y-Yeah…
W-What was that just now!?
I couldn’t even see your sword swing…”
“I’m really nothing special.
Blood still got on my sword.
Apparently truly incredible people can cut things down without getting blood on their blades.”
“I think those are called heroes…”
“Honestly, if I could’ve used more magic, this would’ve been easier…
But [Enchant Magic] was all I could use.
If I collapsed from magical energy depletion again, it’d be a disaster.”
“You used [Enchant Magic]!?”
“Eh…?
I thought it’d make things easier…”
Uruk lowered her shoulders, her silver hair swaying messily.
When fighting monsters, this level of skill was necessary to stay alive.
I thought all adventurers could do things like this, but judging by Uruk’s reaction, apparently not.
I didn’t think it was that impressive though…
I heard magic could be used through imagination, and I had studied every type of beginner magic.
“It’s a good thing I was the only one here…
Not only can you use Laundry Wash, but you can also use [Enchant Magic], a spell only a handful of people in the kingdom can use…
And your swordsmanship is exceptional too.
If people find out, you won’t be able to live a peaceful life anymore…”
“A peaceful life… gone…”
In other words, it’d become like living in my previous mansion again, with every day turning into hell!?
No way.
Absolutely not!
Seeing my reaction, Uruk gave a bitter smile and gently patted my head.
“Relax.
No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.
I won’t let you suffer anymore.”
Being comforted by a girl my own age made me feel embarrassed.
“L-Let’s hurry up and dismantle this monster!”
“R-Right…
Yeah.
Maybe I said something unlike myself just now…”
(W-What am I even saying…?
‘I’ll protect you’…)
Though Uruk herself hadn’t realized it, she unconsciously felt that if she didn’t protect Alto, he looked like the kind of person who might easily die.
That was why those words came out naturally.
“A-Alright!
Leave the dismantling to me!
I do this all the time, so it’ll be easy────”
The moment Uruk drove her dismantling knife into the monster, blood burst out from inside.
Her hair and clothes were instantly dyed bright red.
“…Uruk, could it be that the reason you’re always covered in blood is…”
“Please don’t tell anyone that I’m actually terrible at dismantling monsters…”
And just like that, I learned a truth nobody else knew.