The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

After returning Adombraly into the ring of <Demonic Armament Spirit – Ruby Loop>, I grabbed Iglued’s seed.

“Helme, Kisara, I’ll pour mana into this one in front of everyone on the training ground. This seed contains a being that used to be Evil Spirit Spear Iglued. If it develops into a battle, we’ll annihilate her together.”

“Okay.”

“Shall I use my water jail?”

“Rather than that, prepare 18 ice spears.”

“Very well.”

Helme creates ice cocoons on both her hands and feet. Wait, so she can use the cocoons on her feet as well? Her color also changes from an Asiatic dayflower blue to a deep gray-blue, and since it’s bordered by a peacock blue, the blue and its graduations look very pretty.

“…Shuuya-sama, are you sure?” Kisara asks with a warning tone.

I’ve heard about her clash with Iglued. But, it’s worth a try.

“Yep, I plan to pour mana into this seed, stone, or whatever.”

I exchange a look with Rollo.

“N, nya――”

After a short meowing, she gets off my shoulder. As soon as her four paws touch the ground, her figure grows with a poof. In an instant she transforms into something resembling a bobcat. Running while letting her fur flutter, Rollo leaps straight towards the window which Helme and Kisara used to enter, and then jumps out of that window.

Once I tell Lash-san that I’m going downstairs, she nods after tilting her head. She has apparently understood after watching Rollo’s actions. After a quick glance at her chest, I jumped out of the window together with Helme and Kisara.

After landing, “――Yo, Solobo, Quema, we’re heading over to the training ground.”

“Okay!”

“Roger that.”

“Shuuya-dono, I’d like some more of the vegetables, if possible.”

The orcs have finished eating the vegetables from Hekatrail.

“You like vegetables, Quema? But, that has to wait for later.”

“…Alright. I’m looking forward to it. The vegetables on the surface are quite delicious, I must say.”

Thereupon, Solobo, who’s wearing his umbrella while standing next to Quema, says towards Kisara, “――I hope to have a rematch soon, Kisara-dono. I haven’t had an opportunity to show you all of my swordsmanship yet,” while hoisting up his silver sword.

“Solobo, even if you talk to her, I doubt that Kisara understands orcish.”

Upon my retort, Kisara asks, “――Shuuya-sama, what did the orcs say?”

While looking straight into her eyes, I answer, “It looks like you have ignited Solobo’s warrior spirit. He mentioned that he’d like to have a rematch with you.”

“Is that so…? I benefit more from my training with Rotalz, though.”

“Well, humor him if you feel like it.”

“Okay.”

I approach the training ground while talking with the orcs. Without using the wicket gate, I place a hand on the wooden fence surrounding the ground, and nimbly leap across it.

“How smooth, Shuuya!”

“Shuuya-san, thanks for this black sweetwater!”

“Ah, I also like this sweetwater quite a bit. Storing away the snake’s sweetwater was a nifty idea.”

“…” Muu repeatedly bobs her head next to Sarah.

“Your Excellencyyy, those orcs will be quite useful!”

“It’s just as Adomos says! But, I’d love to show you my new Love Shield – Black Bone Cluster Soul technique, Your Excellency!”

“Ah, Emissary-samaa～ The cheese & bread is wonderful～ But Riedel-chan’s sweet with the name apple pie is much more delicious!”

Everyone greets me with various comments. I inform all of them about the contract with Adombraly and Iglued.

“So, as you’ve heard, I’m going to pour mana into Iglued. Be on your toes.”

“Wait a moment. Before that I’d like you to show me the ring that’s connected to the skill <Demonic Armament Spirit – Ruby Loop>…”

“Professor…”

The bearded dwarf draws close to me. His eyes are glittering while fixed on my finger. It looks like he’s curious about Adombraly.

“Is it something similar to a magic tool?”

“I’m also curious about the other ring, or rather, finger protector.”

“You mean Dark Hell Bone Knight? This is――”

“Dwarf, for you to hold such interest in the ring-shaped magic tools of His Excellency…”

“I see you have quite the keen discernment.”

Just when I’m about to explain, Adomos and Zemetas cut in. The Burning Knights step up to me, positioning themselves on my sides as if to protect me from Domidon.

“…Umm, Bone Knights, if you stand there, I can’t see anything…”

“You may examine us instead.”

“Indeed. I heard from Moga-don that you’re a mad professor who tried to cut off Nemus-dono’s arm and leg.”

“That’s why we cannot allow you to get close to His Excellency.”

“You see, that was…”

“Professor, I’m very interested in those beings called Bone Knights, no, Burning Knights. Please look at the smoke in their chests.”

“…I see. This trench…rib cage trench is alive?”

“You can also slightly see what appears to be intestines. Ah, black smoke is…”

“You were called Mie, weren’t you? I’d like you to stop tickling me.”

“Mie-san! They might be Shuuya’s subordinates, but that doesn’t change them being Spirit World Knights! Don’t provoke…them too much.”

“It’s alright, Butch-san.”

The Burning Knights shower him with a glare. But then again, his burning eyeballs look like they’re glaring to begin with…

“I’ll punish Iglued with my Moga Sword Style.”

“I am, Nemus.”

Moga and Nemus are standing along the fence.

“Okay, you done then? Burning Knights, you guys step back a bit as well. However, since it might turn into a battle, you should get ready in advance.”

“Affirmative.”

“Leave it to me!”

“Leave it to me! Emissary-samaa! I’ll beat her black and blue!”

“Catiza-chan sure is lively. Shuuya, we’re here as well, so it’s okay.”

“――nh.”

Muu holds up her wood spear.

“With Red Tiger here, I can feel relieved. Muu as well.”

After addressing Sarah and Muu with a smile, I walk up to the center of the training ground. On the way, I summon Baldok. And while repeatedly summoning and erasing Ganghis in my left, I also invoke <Magic Hand guided by Thought>.

<Magic Hand guided by Thought> is a crooked hand consisting of fine mana streams. I play around by having it move high above my head as if to check it out. Rollo and her squad are lured in by the movements of the mana hand. They intently gaze at it.

Anyway, no time for cats now. Currently Iglued is up.

I stare at the seed and erase the light-based wood surrounding Iglue at the same time. At this stage I could already communicate with Adombraly-kun, but…Iglued’s seed doesn’t show a single response.

There is a mark of a small lute and trees on the surface of the seed. Still, the pretty seed doesn’t move at all as it lays on my palm. Has she died after all? I mean, I’ve enveloped this seed with the light-based trees of <Tail of the Crushing Evil Spirit Tree> after pumping quite a bit of mana into it…

Her not moving like this like a dead rock means…it might not have bore much meaning. <Tail of the Crushing Evil Spirit Tree> can generate light-based trees despite them originating from Hellrhone. It’s a skill I acquired after multiple Extra Skills had a chain reaction.

Well, the proof is in the pudding. I amass my mana in my right hand, and drive a great amount of it into Iglued.

“…W-What terrific mana… Various spirits are congregating around His Excellency’s right hand…”

“Spirit-sama? Sure, I can sense mana pressure, but…”

Helme and Kisara mutter.

“I can’t tell much more than the fact that he’s gathering mana in his right hand either.” Sarah adds.

“I cannot even tell that much, but…the needle of this “Precise Magic Examinator Prele” is reacting quite intensely.”

“…Professor, this value…is similar to the ancient ruins.”

The professor holds one of the book-like items that are hanging from his waist. It looks like a bound book, but upon closer look, it’s more like a small, square box, I guess.

“…Yeah, it’s a mana value I haven’t seen often. It resembles that of the people who caused a dispute inside the ruin. I’d love to recruit Shuuya-dono for my exploration party by all means…”

𝑓𝚛𝚎ℯ𝘸𝙚𝘣𝚗𝘰νeƖ.c𝒐𝐦

“I think you’d need to pay twice the amount of gold coins of Red Tiger Storm’s wage to hire Shuuya-san…”

Professor Domidon and his assistant Mie-san chat.

“If you’re going to hire Shuuya, you have to pass it through Günther Moga who’s in charge of negotiations in his clan, you know?”

“I am, Nemus!”

Moga, just when did you become the one in charge of negotiations!?

Nemus expresses her intent by loosely moving an arm, as if asking me to forgive Moga, but…in the end I’m not quite sure what she wants to tell me.

“Mie-san, please leave the persuasion of Shuuya to me. If we have Shuuya with us, the success of the ruin exploration party is as good as guaranteed. After all, he’s the sole adventurer who contributed to the Evil Dragon King subjugation as a solo adventurer, you know? Leader also mentioned that he killed it in fact all by himself. I’ve personally seen him coming out of the dragon king’s mouth with my own two eyes. Back then I was deeply moved, or rather, trembling in excitement…”

“Okay, thank you, Butch-san. Our research of the ancient letters is still only at its beginning.”

“Butch, if you manage to persuade him…”

The professor and Butch reveal weird smiles. Exactly because Butch’s mustache and goatee are connected, it makes his face look weird.

An exploration party, huh? I do have interest in that, but…

“Just like the ring of <Demonic Armament Spirit – Ruby Loop>, this mass here also…”

“Quema-sama, our lord…”

“…I know. It’s shaking your belief in the Eight Greater Orc Gods, isn’t it?”

“Yes. To be honest, I didn’t give much of a damn about the many, many gods of the outside world, but…that and the existence of Spirit-sama…I…”

“Solobo, let’s watch Shuuya-dono for now.”

“Understood.”

I can’t see their expression, but it sounds like they’ve been shaken in their beliefs.

A pause opens up…everyone is standing around, stirring, as they sense my mana with their bodies…

As time passes on, they begin to sigh.

Is it a lost case after all?

The instant I think that, Iglued’s seed bounces. Leaving my palm, it floats up into the air. Its shape deforms audibly and becomes bigger by one full size. Having said that, it’s still small.

But, it appears that it’s not floating. Rather, Iglued’s seed falls towards the ground thanks to gravity. As soon as it lands…eh?

It ends up digging underground while rotating.

“Your Excellency, this is…”

“So it means it was a seed after all?”

“How mysterious.”

“…”

Muu hops up and down, trying to approach it.

“Muu, stay away. We don’t know what might happen next.”

Once I warn her with a stern look, Muu almost starts crying, but returns behind Sarah. There she sniffles Sarah’s red muffler. Without me noticing, she’s become attached to Sarah, it seems.

Is it because Kisara and Helme, who have been training her, are as strict as Master? Then again, it might be simply because she was happy over receiving black sweetwater from Sarah.

Just like Muu, the others around me are noisy as well.

Suddenly, the ground, where Iglued had dug itself in, bulges unnaturally.

“Don’t tell me…”

But it was just that.

A green leaf suddenly pops out of the ground. Apparently it has started to bud…for it to really have been a seed and not a stone…

“The leaves are growing in number. The stalk is getting thicker too. That goes way beyond 『Dormancy Breaking』, doesn’t it?

The stalk has exceeded 30 cm by now, I think. Since it’s obvious that my mana would become a trigger, I could have anticipated as much, but…the roots are also spreading while rising to the surface…

There’s a handprint in the center of the stalk. A depression for my hand?

Still, if it grows this quickly…

Oh? The growth has halted.

Its appearance is similar to a miniature version of a banyan tree, but it’s quite thick. I guess it was a tree that was previously reflected in Iglued’s eyes.