"Claud's still alive! We have to go down there!"
"Lady Sophie! Be rational! Master Claud would never want you to follow him into treacherous territory!"
Why? Why didn't we plunge down there together? Why did the trains separate? Claud's alone in that dangerous place... What if he's hurt... What if he needs help?
If... if I wasn't crying. If I was aware enough to realize the mana was building. If he didn't need to call for the butler to help me... He could have made it to the 2nd carriage on time!
"Now, now stay calm everybody. You're safe now. The situation is under control. We are from the Imperial Magic Tower. We were the ones who slowed the train down. We had to disconnect the engine and first class carriage in order to slow down enough to avoid derailing."
No... it wasn't my fault... They're the ones that did it. They made the train speed up on purpose! It has to be them! Because of them, Claud is...
[R1
Personality: Calculative, Cautious, Steady
Skills: Alchemy Lv4, Assassinate Lv4, Disguise Lv4, Mana Mastery Lv4, Sneak Lv4...]
[R2
Personality: Calculative, Meticulous, Precise
Skills: Assassinate Lv4, Disguise Lv4, Mana Mastery Lv4, Sense Lv4, Sneak Lv4...]
Assassins..! Their names are just a letter and number... is my skill broken? Can those really be their actual skills? That's impossible... Our Swordsman instructor in the capital only had one level 4 skill... Even though I've seen so many people's statuses, they're the strongest!
I'm so mad... even though I'm the Hero, I can't fight back. I know they're bad people but all I can do is watch.
I wish I was stronger...
Claud...
No. I can't cry.
I can still feel your link through Ally Empower. You're still alive...
Please survive. If you can't escape, please wait. I'll definitely save you.
The ground rumbled.
W-what was that?
Outside the window, a giant tree and on top of it was a pretty flower.
The area around the tree lit up.
It bloomed.
A few moments after we saw it, the sound came.
Everyone winced. The train swayed slightly.
White feathers fell from the sky.
"T-that's... a Blostmfell..."
Blossoming Death.
Whatever its falling feathers touch, it drains away lifeforce to create a lush forest.
It appears in fairy tales as a caution against war and fighting but it's real...
Everyone is panicking. Is there anywhere we can go? The train won't move anymore and the feathers are already above us. Claud... is there a way he can hide from this? What if he's unconscious?
Why is this happening right when Claud is down there?
A mythical creature which appears as a part of nature and spreads towards places with unnaturally high concentrations of death and mana.
But there's nothing of that sort in the strait. What is happening? Claud, you're smart. Why aren't you here to tell me..?
I'm the Hero. I'm supposed to stop disasters like this.
But then... Why am I only thinking about Claud right now? But I can't help it.
Claud's my friend. He may be tough but that doesn't mean he's not scared-
"Everyone! Please remain calm as we put up a wide scale mana barrier! The Blostmfell's feathers won't be able to get past."
How dare they. Pretending to be good guys after what they did.
I must control my feelings. Claud would tell me to be careful too. They're dangerous people... I can't let them notice me.
I can only wait for now.
----------------------------------------
Damn. How long are these tendrils going to grow... The blanket got chewed up but I can't see outside with all this crap growing.
Wait. My arm. It's feels... off.
The tumbleweed must have managed to score a lick on me through an opening in my mana. I can barely spare mana blocking the wriggling tendrils outside... Can I afford to protect my insides with mana?
But despite all this, somehow I'm still doing better than I expected. Even though my Willpower has hit zero, I'm still functional. This must be the result of Sophie's skill, Ally Empower.
Sophie, please don't let your buff drop. Otherwise I'm seriously going to croak.
Ah... my mana is starting to thin out.
I wish I had a shield. After this, I'm bringing a shield wherever I go. A big ass one which covers my head till my toes.
If I get out, I'm going home straight away with Sophie. We're going to level up together safely at school. We won't do anything dangerous at all.
If? I used if.
I recognized there's a possibility I don't escape from this...
Sigh.
I want to see Sophie's silly face again.
I wonder how she'll react when I return. Yeah... She would look all funny then start crying. She would run to hug me probably and I would reciprocate it. An emotional reunion with lots of people cheering. Then we are going to Eindell to get married. Beat up her parents, make them realize how stupid they are. Force them to love her so she won't cry anymore. Go home to the academy... level up our stats carefully... lazily read books together on the bed... I'd bully her gently along the way to get her more Hero skills... make her crybaby trait legendary... grow up into adults... elite exam... Demon King... Save the world... Main quest completed...
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Everyone is cheering for us. The Count and Countess. Swordsman instructor, Ms. Carissa. Hildegard and Adelard. Even nanny and everybody from the orphanage. Keith is there too.
We won, Sophie. We won...
Everybody loves us now...
Sophie?
'Claud. Please survive. Please wait. I'll definitely save you.'
Ah... that's right.
Sophie can't be here right now. Otherwise she'll die too.
Dreams are worthless. Focus on the reality in front of you.
Don't die, it'll make Sophie sad after all.
----------------------------------------
How long have I been sleeping? It's daytime already. I can see the light through the cracks in the tendrils.
[Claud Branford
Skills: Heal Lv1, Mana Mastery (Passive) Lv2, Covert Taunt
Willpower: 24/24]
Heh. I got lucky again.
Because my Mana Mastery levelled up I could sleep while maintaining my barrier's duration.
The training with Sophie might've helped after all.
Ugh. My arm is disgusting to look at. There's fungus all over and it has deteriorated into a blackish red color.
Willpower: 23/24
Heal.
Flakes of skin fell off. Nothing changed.
"... the train didn't fully derail."
Huh? Is that a voice?
"Damn Imperial dogs! They must've had elite soldiers on that train!"
Ah... so that's what happened. Thanks for the info, brusque voice. You're clearly hostile so I'm going to stay here in my hole.
And thank you mystery soldiers for saving my golden goose.
Though I'm pissed you didn't save me.
"Now now. Don't get so mad, the Blostmfell emerged to consume the mana engine anyways right?"
A lady's voice. Blostmfell? Emerged... She must be referring to the giant flower monster.
So they derailed the train for that thing to eat the engine.
"Is the team from Eindell arriving soon? They're late."
"We are the ones who are early. Ruvere descended into chaos faster than expected, there was already infighting. We got lucky with our timing. Just wait for the Eindell team to arrive."
Another man's voice. Ruvere's in chaos? Infighting? That might've been my doing. Judging by what they said, they probably incited the people of Ruvere to fight the soldiers stationed there.
Are they trying to start a war?
"With all these deaths, the Blostmfell will manifest its fruit soon..."
Fruit? Why do they want its fruit? Quit walking away! Come on, just exposition dump me!
I need more information, bad guys!
If they're able to walk around outside, either the tumbleweeds have stopped falling or they're wrapping their whole bodies in mana.
I'll wait a bit longer then leave. Lets take some time to assess my situation.
The lump of flesh that used to be my right arm can't be moved anymore...
What's left of the skin either has pus filled boils or is wrinkled with flakes falling off. Some digits are partially missing and there are abnormal indents and growths of hair and nail all over.
Should I cut it off? But the infection doesn't seem to be spreading past my elbow. And I don't think I can handle the blood loss.
Lets just wrap it in gauze for now. I don't want Sophie to see this.
After finishing the wrap, I take a sip of water from my canteen.
I think it's time to get out of here. I don't like having tendrils in my face, trying to grab me through the barrier.
I gather mana and punch through, prying off anything stubborn hanging on my clothes and bag.
Ah this place looks disgusting. At least the charred rocks and muddy water looked better than this. The terrain looks drastically different with the white fungus coated environment, deformed trees and alien plants sprouting everywhere. The white tumbleweeds were now planted in the ground, wriggling in place.
Around the cliff face I was hiding under, the roots of a tree crept in, obscuring my previous hiding spot. These trees sure grow quickly.
I can't even see the mountains from where I am. The canopy overgrowth is too thick. That Blostmfell sure would be helpful for global warming... assuming these white trees take carbon dioxide and give oxygen...
Even the plants are a weird bluish white...
Hey. It just moved didn't it?
Hold up. That plant moved. I'm sure of it.
And it has eyes.
A monster. But it's rooted to the ground... as long as I don't step carelessly, I won't get caught by it.
Unfortunately now the whole environment is suspicious. All the shrubbery and bushes have become potential hazards. The only thing I dare to step on is the white fungus that I'm already standing on. Everything else is an unknown.
If I get lost while walking to Eindell that wouldn't be very funny.
But I'll just have to keep moving. I don't have much choice. I doubt anyone would come down here to the strait to rescue survivors.
The only people that would be down here are ones up to no good.
I better be careful. I might encounter that team from Eindell. The comrades of those people earlier.
I'm not wearing Imperial clothes right now. Hopefully they won't attack me on sight.
----------------------------------------
How far have I run by now? I can't see the Sun through the forest's canopy but judging by the angle of the light, it's been a while.
Maybe three hours.
With Mana, continuously running 4 minute miles is not a problem.
So about I'm probably almost at Eindell.
Along the way, some fungi monsters and overgrown bugs popped up. The monsters seemed to have adapted to the new environment. The monsters were fungi ridden but they didn't seem to be affected at all. They were no big deal though, just small fry similar to a goblin's level. It was the undead ones I had to circle around. During construction, the undead monsters could withstand an onslaught of high tier fire magic from multiple mages.
I must be close by now. I can see train tracks!
I'm almost home free... Come on...
A shadow. Something had leapt from above.
I was barely able to react in time to draw my sword to parry and hopped backwards. A white scythe almost sliced my head off...
I dump my bag to the side hurriedly.
It's an eight foot tall mantis!
But what happened to its other scythe? There's no slash injury. Is it just naturally one armed?
Hahaha... it's just like me. We're both missing a hand. We're comrades in arms. Heh. That's a good pun. I'll save that one to tell Sophie later.
Ugh! Stop trashing about!
Hey hey mantis sir. We're both missing an arm but aren't you a bit too aggressive with your slashes?
I can't find an opening to attack...
This is hard to deal with. I'm barely avoiding or parrying its scythe.
It's not like its enraged and wildly swinging either... Its measuring the distance and backing up when I try to counter attack after its initial slash.
It's reading my intent so clearly.
But I've been able to keep up too.
Somehow... It's weird to say but our wavelengths feel similar. We're calculative. We're both down one arm and we're both fighting for our lives. It feels like I can connect with this creature... With each clash, our mana had an odd reaction. It simply melded together instead of repelling as usual.
Yeah. Lets try that. Mana exchange... It might throw it off its game. Sophie said my mana was cold and comforting right?
Perhaps it could feel something weird was going on. Its eyes started flicking around. Enjoy my cold mana? It's relaxing, isn't it... Yeah, lower your guard.
The mantis' mana feels calm but focused, like a well trained Swordsman. My mind is clearing up.
I've decided...
On the next engagement. I'm going to do it.
It swings. But I don't dodge or parry this time. If I do, it's just going to run away.
I take the slash, embedding the scythe into my right arm.
Got you.
I swung my sword at its head, tearing through it crudely. It fell with the scythe still in my arm.
I pull my arm out of the scythe and climb out from under the mantis. Piece of shit... made me so tired. But I can't afford to flop down here. It's a dangerous place.
'Wait...'
Huh?
'My power... It is yours to receive.'
Who is...
'Call upon my spirit when you need it.'
-Summon: White Mantis skill acquired-
That's sweet... Thank you mantis. But didn't I use my other arm to win against you? It kind of feels like cheating. I bullied a disabled monster... Haha.
But a summon huh. I've never read about anything like this in the library. Then again most people wouldn't think to try exchanging mana with a monster they're fighting with in the moment.
-Trait acquired: One Armed White Mantis' Will. Increased Strength and Dexterity by 50% while wielding a weapon in only one hand-
And there's even more? Thank you, I'll take it all gratefully!
-Trait acquired: Fungi Symbiosis. Insufficient affinity with White Mantis. Trait inactive-
Ah! I need this one asap. My right arm... hmm. It's hanging by the bone. And the gauze is torn up.
Willpower: 22/24
Heal.
It came together slightly.
Willpower: 21/24
Heal.
It is closer together than before...
Willpower: 15/24
Heal. Heal. Heal. Heal. Heal.
Heal faster damn it...
Finally the wound closed up. Still looks like crap though.
I pick up my bag and begin the trek down the train tracks. I might be ahead of the people on the train... Last night, they probably stayed inside the train to avoid the shower of tumbleweed. And I did run all the way here.
Sophie. I'll be seeing you soon...
...
I can't wait to make you cry when you see the state I'm in! I'll play up my injuries and make you cry a literal ton! Mwahahaha!