I, Momokawa Kyou, am anxious. Arako's ragged breaths make me feel nervous, but it can't be helped, she carried first Rine and then me quite a distance.

This way, those mercenaries won't be able to track us that easily. Alfar don't leave traces when they walk over plants even simple grass, and the grass here is thick, which makes it even harder to track.

We even plastered the ground with stink bombs to mask the smell as good as possible. It might buy us some time. In the meanwhile, Ken will lure the enemies into the wood, while we're heading to the road by the quickest way possible.

Thanks to Arako's good hearing, coupled with the superior farsight of us humans, we were able to avoid some groups of people. Many of these groups numbered more than thirty.

Luckily, those groups were also more about speed than attentiveness.

I really hope that Ken will be able to slip through. He was all confident, saying that he was specialized in being solo, and that he has all the skills he needs to pass those mercenaries.

Still no message found in the backpack.

Rine-chan is composed, but sometimes she looks back, worrying. Arako concentrates on putting one foot after another. She has already received three [Stamina]-spells, but she may need another.

Another check in the backpack. There!

I read through the message. “He's finished with his task and on the way.” Arako gives one of her small smiles, which is more or less the equivalent of Rine-chan's radiant ones.

Even I feel relieved. So finally a plan worked out the way we intended it to.

Since Ken knows where Arako dropped Rine and me, he can pick up our tracks there. Now we only need to get as much distance between us and the mercenaries as possible.

Then Ken can catch up when we stop to rest. We're already hours ahead.

“[Stamina]!” I recover some of Arako’s SP. “Where do we go?” I ask.

“The woods there. I can open up the path for you so that it won't hinder us much.”

That's something Arako just does. She must have learned that back in her world. It's a nice skill, since it makes it possible to travel faster through woodlands.

About an hour later, we are sure that we slipped through the mercenaries. I sigh in relief, but we need to keep going. “[Stamina], [Stamina], [Stamina]!” I recover everyone's SP.

“Momo, Katarine-san.” Arako's ears begin to twitch. “There.” She points to the horizon, and I can hardly figure out what she just heard, but when I turn my head in that direction, I see something strange.

I think, if I concentrate, I can hear them roaring and laughing, how loud they must be.

“Demons.” Rine-chan draws her sword, despite the distance. Maybe it's not a bad idea though, since demons are riding on other demons, four-legged monstrosities, which move fast.

All except one. That one runs with everything she has.

It's a red oni.

Please no.

“Rine-chan, what should we do?” She still is the best one to make this decision.

“We shall fight!” Except when she's determined.

“Remember, we need to survive.” It's only about twenty demons, but they're clearly onto us.

I don't know why, but since the red oni is somehow connected to Correo, she might have a relic, which can find heroes.

Oh no, I'm starting to think like Ken, and I'm also probably right with my guess!

Rine-chan looks at the surroundings. “The woods? Ara is good at fighting in these, right? Maybe the demons aren't. For me, it makes no difference.”

“Good, we'll run into the woods! I'll replenish our SP afterward!” I just pointed to the trees nearest to us, but it won't make much difference.

It doesn't take long, until we're deep into them. I replenish my MP with a potion, or more like cold Aeolferelda tea, after casting [Stamina] on each of us. Arako and I take our cold medicines, and then we wait for them, Arako as a [Druid], me as a [Priest].

As long as I can cast some [Exorcise] on that oni, we should be able to overtake her.

“[Oni Fire]!” A gigantic burst of fire just levels the trees in its way.

“[Watershield]!” Arako casts a spell and pushes me to the ground.

While the fireblast was delayed by the water mass summoned by Arako, Rine-chan cut through it.

It exploded, but the blast was mostly absorbed by the [Watershield], and Rine-chan doesn't seem to be bothered by it much.

The path created by the [Oni Fire] was used by the demons to charge in. Rine-chan is already at it, cutting the demons used for riding left and right, so they disperse in midnight-blue smoke.

The red oni smiles at us, cheerful and mad. “Ah, there you are! You're cutting them like cheese, don't you think that's a bit unfair? I brought them not for you, Katakata, but for them!”

“Why are you calling me Katakata?” Rine-chan, is that your only concern?

“Because you're called Katarine, right? Katarine, the Irregular. We want you, please come with me. But deny it, so I can fight you, then I can crush you, and then take you with me so that we will be friends in the end!” The red oni swings her club.

“What is your name?” Rine-chan just cut more demons apart while she makes that conversation.

Arako shoots the ones that fall by having their mount killed. “[Fountain Gun]! [Fountain Gun]! [Fountain Gun]!”

I try to move closer to the oni, little by little. My legs are shaking, my stomach hurts, my head is fuzzy, and I need to relieve myself, but I want to [Exorcise] her.

“My name?” The oni asks as if the battle hasn't even begun yet. “Don't know, don't care. I'm an evil red oni, you know? That's all I need. Yes, all I need! Katakata, will you come with me?” She's obviously waiting for a no, but for whatever reason, she still asks that question.

“Wait a moment. [Crescent Moon]!” Rine-chan's skill cut several of the demons down. “[Crescent Moon]!” And another batch. Now she has killed at least twelve of them in total, while Arako finished off six. “Could you ask your demons to stop attacking?” Rine-chan just jump-kicked one from the mount and stabbed the same one with her sword from above.

“Only if you decline my offer.”

“I can't -[Crescent Moon]- decline your offer, when I'm this busy!” The absurdity of the situation made my head hurt, which already doesn't feel all too well with the fuzziness.

“But-”

“Hey, red oni?” I ask her. “Why did you call Rine-chan 'the Irregular'?” This might distract her, and also give me an opportunity to get even closer.

It also interests me.

“Because Katakata is a here-born hero! That has never happened before, Master said, so the Lady wants her since she is unique, and has both.”

“Both what?”

“I don't know, but she's special!”

“And who is the lady?”

“Ah, it's- Eyieargkksbugrbl!” The moment the red oni tried to finish the sentence, she starts convulsing and making strange sounds, slobber comes from her mouth, and her eyes are rolled back. She seems to be in pain.

Splendid. I put my palm in her direction. “[Exorcise]!”

The cone of weak light hits the oni and burns her in white flames, “IIAAARRGH!” She rolls on the ground, completely engulfed in radiant fire. Her form begins to change, again and again. Sometimes she grows, sometimes she shrinks, but she's always covered with a white fireball.

After some seconds, it ends, and she wobbly tries to stand up. She is definitely burned, but the wounds are slowly healing: “I hate you, you-”

“[Exorcise]!” I have no mercy. I'm too afraid to let her do as she wants, and I already have another MP-potion in my hand, to make sure that I can still fire these spells.

“AYAOURGH! SIS, STOP THAT!”

“[Exorcise]!” This time I don't even wait until the flames die. I also drink the potion.

Rine-chan and Arako are almost finished with the demons. I just to need to buy some more time.

“[Exorc-”

“AH!” The oni swings her club wildly in a panic, but the power behind each blow is great and it creates a wind current, which throws me off my feet. “Sis, die!”

The oni, whose burn wounds are already healing, trots towards me while lifting her club.

“[Crescent Moon]!” But she was cut from the side.

Rine-chan's skill is something she learned after her last fight with that oni. Ken assumes that skills are often learned by necessity, and Rine-chan needed a skill, with a bit of range, to fight this oni.

The wound in the oni's side is deep, but it regenerates much quicker than the burns that I made. The oni looks in Rine-chan's direction, who had already finished the last demon off.

Arako points with her staff to a tree. “[Root Lances]!” With this, the roots of these trees shoot out of the ground and pierce the oni from below.

The regenerating wounds want to close, but there is something in the way. So the regenerative abilities of this oni has this kind of limit as well.

“Oh... ah, ah, ah! Why!? I just want to kill sis, take Katakata, and bring her to Master! Why do you interfere as well, you... you... tent-ear! [Oni Fire]!” She breathes at the roots, which are incinerated.

Her own fire doesn't do a thing to the oni. “You bullies!” With this, she runs between the trees.

Is she fleeing?

“Kyou, we should pursue her! We might be able to finish her off!” Rine-chan is already following her, so I can either let her go alone, or come along.

“Arako, we need you in there.” I won't let Rine-chan fight alone!

“Count me in.” Arako's ears are set back close to her head. I guess that means that she's furious.

Well, considering what that oni did in Aroahenn, I can understand it.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Arako and I step into the trees, but we're confronted with one problem. Rine-chan has already gone ahead.

―○●○―

I made a blunder unfitting for a princess of Feuerberg. I lost track of the oni.

But I'm sure that she is still here somewhere, that's what my instincts tell me.

Maybe I should have waited for Kyou and Ara. Going ahead was a bit rash.

Now we're separated, but if I'm quick, I might still at least catch up to the oni and keep her busy; Long enough for Ara and Kyou to follow, though I have to find her first.

I look at the ground, but I can't tell if these little gouges are tracks or not. This is supposed to be a hunter's or a scout's work, and since I never showed any interest in hunting animals, I didn't learn how to track someone.

A bush rustles, and my head turns that way, but it's only a red bunny. It has yellowish eyes, small white horns on its nose and the ears are kinked down. Looks like a genuine bunny to me.

Kenta told me once that animals at his home look different, but I can't even imagine a bunny with straight ears.

However, since I met Kenta, some things have changed. I'm a hero now, and I can somehow speak with animals.

It's more or less me talking to them, while they make gestures that tell me what they answered. It's called [Whisperer].

I can simply ask the bunny about the oni!

Oh, it seems to be hurt. It has scratches all over its fur, maybe it has to do with the oni? “Excuse me, dear bunny? I'm looking for a great, red demon. Did you see it?”

The bunny cocks its head and then scampers back into the bush. It wants me to follow it.

I work myself through the bush and just behind it there is something lying on the ground. It's a spiky club, the same one the oni was wielding.

Did she drop her weapon, since it was hindering her?

Danger from behind.

―○●○―

Arako and I realize that we’ve caught up, but we're already too late. The warning I want to give Rine-chan isn't able to leave my throat in time. The oni punches her with so much strength that my friend is thrown against a tree.

How did that oni hide in that bush despite its size?

An ugly sound is coming from Rine-chan's direction, that might be the sound of breaking bones. “uuurgrghhh...” She clenches her teeth and, while tears are dropping from her cheeks, the fire in her eyes is still lit. Her right hand is grasping her sword so hard that her knuckles turn white, but her left arm is bent at a strange angle.

Then the oni: “AAAAAAAAAARGH!” Her left shoulder section opens up, blood spills in every direction and even though her eyes aren't tearing up, she squirms with pain, while her left arm plus part of the chest is dropping down, only connected to the body by some flesh. The cut itself goes down to her stomach. “Crazy! How crazy! How!?” She kicks the ground and grabs her left shoulder with her right hand and puts it back where it belongs.

What should we do!? Rine-chan seems to be in great pain, but somehow only got her arm broken. Did she sacrifice it to absorb the impact of her flight, so that she can still fight?

If that's true, then this girl is crazy.

Yet it may save us. “Arako, keep her busy.” Rine-chan seems to be unable to move; the pain's too great. Her conditions are [Broken Bone: Arm] and [Stunned], but I can at least take her pain and give her painkillers.

Arako opens her mouth, but after her ears move in a confusing pattern, she closes it again and lifts her staff. “[Fountain Gun]!” With her spell, she staggers the oni.

I run up to Rine-chan and begin my treatment. I change to [Priest] and start with the obvious choice: “[Heal]!” Then I get a poultice from my backpack and put it on her broken arm. I use the [Check-up]-skill I usually ignore, since everything so far could be healed either by magic or medicine.

It's because we're heroes, but I already know about broken bones. They don't heal as easily.

When Ken cracked his ribs in the fight of Aroahenn, he needed several hours to heal completely, which shows how fast heroes regain their health, but it's still too long to get them right into battle again.

Rine-chan's arm is cleanly broken; it will heal after one week of rest, but she'll be able to fight after some first aid measures.

Everything is relying on Arako now.

She is doing fine. “Agh! [Oni Fire]!” The oni is raging at Arako, her raw strength broke through Arako's spells, so Arako has changed to [Acrobat] and concentrates on evading the attacks, using high jumps, swift rolls, and other moves.

Now she jumps on a branch above her, then her little muscles as an [Acrobat] subside, she is a [Druid] again: “[Icicle Knives]!” She throws blades made of ice towards the oni, who shatters them with her left fist.

It seems that, while the oni can't use her left arm, her shoulder reattached again. Luckily, the regeneration of that oni has sure slowed down.

I need a minute, then I can bring Rine-chan back into the fight.

The oni shoots a fireblast at Arako, but she has already switched back to [Acrobat] again and jumped on another tree.

Her ears are trembling. Maybe Arako's is angry at the oni for burning the trees, or maybe at herself since she has to use such a strategy, but it works.

Arako might be a bit rusted, but I can see how she is a hero with almost a hundred years of experience. Use magic to attack from a distance, evade the counterattack, change the position on another tree, it's fluent!

“Stay still, lynxy! [Oni Fire]!” The oni continues her fireblasting, even if it has no effect.

Arako jumps from the branch she was standing on, right to the next tree but- “...?”. Instead of landing on that branch, she loses height and smashes into it, falls to the ground and groans.

What just happened!? I check her status. Condition... [Worn Out]. The condition that happens, if you don't rest enough, only relying on potions, magic, and other means.

Arako... did too much. She is the one with the weakest constitution in the first place, she is sick, which is only suppressed by the medicine, she walked great distances over a long time, she carried Rine-chan and me quite a distance. and now she is fighting with the oni. It's just too much!

Now the hero-system strikes back after all that physical abuse.

“Uhhh...” Arako's fingers have slipped from her staff. She tries to reclaim it, and while her face is having a slight expression of discomfort, her ears are going crazy. She must be in great pain, but her body just doesn't seem to be able to move much.

“Haha! Finally!” The oni kicks her. “Take this!” Another kick into Arako's side.

“...uhhh...” A single tear drips from Arako's cheek. I've never seen an alfr's tear before...

“Ara...” Rine-chan beside me tries to stand up, but her legs give in. “Ara!” Her voice is coarse. She crawls on her healthy arm closer to the fight, slow but steady.

But that isn't necessary.

“LET HER GO!” These words escape my mouth, while I dash towards the oni.

Anger, frustration, the wish to save, every single moment of despair, fear, and irritation I felt since I came into this world are flaring up just behind my stomach.

How dare she!?

Arako might be unable to take care of herself, but she is earnestly doing everything that interests her. She keeps up with me, despite the fact that we're two totally different species, and that she originally didn't even want to become my friend.

Now she is, and nobody does something like that to my friends. “[EXORCISE]!” The light engulfs the oni, the white flames appear.

“...UUUUARGHHHH!” With that not being enough, I draw my knife, switch to [Herbalist], and stab her. “Stop, that doesn't hurt! Ouch! Stop that, it doesn't hurt, I say! Ouch!” Without even knowing what exactly I'm stabbing, I repeatedly drive my dagger-sized knife into that ball of white flames.

Rine-chan is a stupid girl, but she is always trying her best. She's so stupid that she still doesn't notice that I am manipulating her. Without even caring about herself, she always tries to do what is right. Yet this oni hurt her bad!

I want to hurt her back!

Then the oni sweeps her arms, throwing me back. The white flames die out, and the distorted face of the oni is a visage of anger.

She rushes to her club, which has lain abandoned on the ground until now. “I will kill you, sis! I'll kill you, then I'll break some of Katakata's bones, then I will kill the lynxy, and then I'm finally through with you! I like fights, you know, but whenever you're involved you spoil the party, sis!”

She lifts the club with her left hand. So she's left-handed; a useless thought. I know that even if I'm able to evade the real attack, the air it moves will get me, and then I will be on the ground, so the attack afterward is sure to hit.

I touch my scarf with my hand. There is a reason, why I wear a scarf. It gives me the feeling of really being a hero. Now I need it to get courage.

The last [Exorcise] was too much; I don't have enough MP left to do another, the potions are far away inside my backpack. My only weapon is my knife, and I'm facing an enemy that is way above me.

With just a little bit of courage, I clench my knife. Sorry, Arako, Rine-chan. I won't be able to buy you much time.

Something enlivens me, gives me a bit of strength. It's not much, but I'm glad to have this boost.

I'm about to charge the oni, but the moment I move, I see red.

Literally.

Blood splashes all over my face and clothes, and I see something coming out of the oni's throat. A curvy spearhead made out of bone.

Something appears right on the back of the oni, something red, something hooded and- “A white mage is the party's lifeline,” -a very familiar voice giving an eerie calm threat into the oni's ear.

It's Ken. Even though he should be still far away, he's here,and he's babbling about some stupid game stuff.

White mage? Lifeline? Is he talking about me?

The oni, unable to say anything, swings at Ken, but he already jumped down her back. Then a small explosion comes from the oni's neck, it's a fire bomb. Did he put it in the hole he pierced through her throat? “Don't. Fuck. With. My. Whitemage.”

Instead of a throat, a gaping hole is under the oni's chin. She coughs up great amounts of blood, then her hands wander to the front and back of her neck, covering the holes while moving the flesh. “Huuuuaaaah!” She inhales deeply. Her face is in pain. "Hyrak, kakarhn!" Her coughing brings up some gouts of blood.

You gain 5 WP. Your husband saved your life! How dramatic! What timing!

Seriously, even if his timing was perfect, Ken just doesn't have the air of something like a hero. Instead of someone who saves the day, it's like he's more like a villain.

A hero would have kicked the oni away, but instead, he went so far as piercing her throat from behind and putting a bomb inside.

But even I can't deny how effective it was, and how glad I am that he's here now.

If you are coming, then don't make me wait so long, you idiot! I was about to die!

The oni's club is in the crook of her arm, so she kicks at Ken, who jumps backward. “Kyou-san, just patch up the others.” His voice is still creepy, his eyes focused on the oni. His muscles grow, he is changing to [Pikeman].

Not only relief is revivifying my body, but also the fact that Ken is within six meters, the distance for the [Attribute]-boost of the wedding-curse to work. It eases the pain of Ara, it gives Rine enough strength to stand up again, and it grants us a second wind.

Ken's here, so everything will be okay.

“Just be sure that you won't end up as a patient as well!” I hurry to Rine and finish up her treatment. Even if I feel sorry for Arako, her status says that she's still stable but [Worn Out], so I have to give Rine-chan the priority, who actually can rejoin the battle.

“[Speedthrust]!” Ken is fighting back the oni, who still has her hands covering up the holes in her neck, he's certainly overpowering her and I couldn't tell if her wounds are still closing or not.

“Thanks, Kyou.” Rine-chan's treatment is finished; another spell, another poultice and a [Set Bone] were enough at this point. “Kenta, here I come! HYAAAAA!” Rine-chan charges at the oni with a battle-cry.

The oni looks with shock at Rine-chan, and jumps at least ten meters backward. Then she runs between the trees.

For some reason, Ken didn't follow her, he just stands still and stares at the point, where the oni was.

Then he falls. I run up to him,and he's still conscious. But how... Wait.

I check his status. He got the condition [Worn Out]. “Rine-chan, stay here with us this time. Treat Arako!” The blonde is about to give chase again, but considering how it worked out last time, I don't want her to, and we need her here for protection.

“OK.” She seems to be a bit dejected, but Arako is important, so she goes over to her and uses magic to heal her.

I will check up Arako myself later as well, but for first aid Rine should be enough.

Something else has precedence. “Ken. How?” I just ask the question, he can surely understand what I mean. How did he get here and is it related to his [Worn Out]-condition.

“I... dashed... the whole... way...” His words came out between short exhausted breaths. “...using... pots...” I check the [Inventory], and yes, our stock of SP-potions have decreased again by quite an amount.

But he seriously ran the whole way? “Why?” Even if he saw our status, he wouldn't be able to get here in time dashing the whole way at that point while gulping down SP-potions.

He had to start dashing after we read his note, more than an hour ago!

“...shut up.” I guess he just got a bad feeling, but Ken likes to think of all of his actions as entirely rational, despite not being so whenever things get complicated.

However this time, it was for the best that he ran all the way to us, pushing his body over his limits.

And then he most likely used a lot of skills to find us and to sneak up the oni in order to get her for good.

Something strange is happening with me. I smile at Ken. Not my usual business smile, but a genuine one.

What an idiot.

He really ran all the way here, after he had some kind of fight himself, then he saved us in the nick of time.

For some stupid reason, I can't help myself but smile at him.

Not that he even looks at me. He's lying on his stomach and looking at the ground, nonetheless, somehow I still feel like smiling.

―○●○―

The oni breaks through the brush and looks back at times. She doesn't feel fear. Despite the intimidating demeanor of bro, an oni is unable to feel fear.

But she can still feel concern, pain, and the wish to live, and, of course, the pain she gets as she was reminded that the Master commanded her to live.

This was close.

She reverts to her true form. In the red giant form she will have trouble regenerating at this point.

This is the first time she ever came that close to dying. This wasn't fun at all!

Now that she's back in her true form, all the youki she uses to maintain her giant form can flow into her natural healing.

She concentrates on her neck. She has some nasty neck wounds, and, for some reason, Katakata was able to cut her while being pummeled from a blind spot. Her whole left side was just loosely attached to her torso.

That lynxy, who just jumped around like a monkey and threw magic at her, was an annoyance. The oni would like to kill her but doesn't need to.

Katakata was fun. The oni wants to fight her again, but she has to bring her back to Master, so he can bring her to the Lady.

Sis was a pain in the ass. Her [Divine Magic] really, really hurts.

Even with the special condition of the oni, it hurts, and is always just two steps away to canceling her shapeshifting. That girl has to die!

Yet bro is even worse! The oni was shocked, when she suddenly started suffocating because a hole appeared in her neck, or more like, that something inside her neck suddenly started to clog her breathing.

She doesn't even know how her breathing functions, but her instincts made her cover up these holes and make some finger movements, and suddenly she was able to breathe again.

She wants to torture bro.

Onis don't feel fear, but maybe the oni felt something as close to it as possible, and she doesn't like it.

She wants bro to feel so much fear, that he does... what do people even do, when they feel so much fear? … She wants him to feel so much fear that she will find out!

Ah, her neck healed. Now that her hands are free, she fishes a small whistle out of her top.

She will blow it!

Even though Master told her to use it at a later point, she will totally use it now! She will make all of them pay, and pick up the beaten down Katakata!