kscans

Chapter 22 - From Slime to Helkaarn, A One-Kilometer Battlefield Beneath the Tower

After finishing lunch, Mireille took out the dagger she had received.

"How should I use this for gathering?"

The dagger was meant for encounters with monsters, not for gathering plants. Leonhard raised an eyebrow slightly.

"From now on, can you stick close to me without ringing the monster-repelling bell?"

"Yes."

Leonhard spoke with a sigh.

"I'd rather not create a situation where you have to use that sword. It's for fighting monsters, not for gathering. But it would be a problem if you were suddenly faced with a life-or-death situation."

"I understand. So it's finally time."

Mireille's expression grew firm.

This was good. It would be practice for his own sword skills too. He wanted to avoid encountering monsters, but he decided to accept it.

As the bell's effect wore off, small monsters began to appear. For small magical beasts, Leonhard's sword didn't even need to make direct contact. The wind and fire attribute magic stones attached to it would react, instantly turning them to cinders. A light swing was all it took, so there was no recoil.

"Your first enemy is a slime, Mireille. It's easy to attack because it just splits and has no will of its own."

Leonhard dispatched the bouncing slimes, leaving only one.

"Give it a try."

First, she tried to stab the slime without using a magic stone. But it kept hopping away, and touching it caused a burn. She was completely being toyed with.

(Yeah, she lacks the talent for this...)

He applied medicine to Mireille's burn and adjusted the dagger's settings.

"The attribute... let's see. To ensure a kill, let's try fire for now."

With the water attribute, one wrong move could make it grow enormous. This was the safe option.

Mireille touched the magic stone, imbuing the dagger with the fire attribute. Then she stabbed. Unfortunately, she missed.

But at the same time, a flame shot out, and with a jyuu sound, the slime turned into a hard, jelly-like substance.

"I, I did it!!"

"Good job."

For a moment, the memory of his father praising him when he defeated his first monster as a child came flooding back to Leonhard.

"Wow! It's slime jelly! If I melt it down and let it set again, it can be a cold compress, and it can also be used to cool things!"

Leonhard gave a wry smile as she came over to show him the slime jelly with a triumphant look on her face.

...But in that instant, he felt a murderous intent from behind.

"Something's here!"

He ordered her to hide behind a tree, and before him appeared...

A monster standing two meters tall, with horns like tree branches, the giant body of an ox, and six eyes.

What... a Helkaarn!?

Even during a monster stampede, this was a dangerous species that took several people to defeat. There was no way to get away unscathed.

To think something this dangerous would appear within a kilometer of the tower. Sweat trickled down his back.

The Helkaarn charged at blinding speed.

He drew the sword he'd received and met the attack.

When it struck his primarily fire-attribute sword, the Helkaarn's mana was neutralized, suppressing its power. But his attacks were definitely hitting the Helkaarn's body. He could see blood slowly trickling out.

Moreover, with each attack, the sword seemed to absorb the Helkaarn's mana, gradually draining its power.

Mana scattered from the Helkaarn's body with every strike.

But...

(Even with it bleeding and its mana being drained, it's completely unfazed... This thing is a true monster.)

It periodically spewed flames, launching a continuous assault.

After trading several blows, Leonhard's sword got caught on the Helkaarn's horn. He was sent flying through the air and slammed into the ground.

He wasn't wearing any armor today. In his defenseless state, he couldn't even manage to get up.

Damn it...

The Helkaarn pawed at the ground and took a great leap. This was the end.

Just as he resigned himself to his fate, he was enveloped in thick smoke, and his consciousness faded...

--When he next awoke, Leonhard was inside a tent, wrapped tightly in bandages.