- Orion's POV -

It's the middle of the afternoon and I was walking through the village in a good mood..

With a cart full of [Demon Boar] corpses at my back, with both hands pulling it. Today I think we caught twenty, no thirty demonic beasts in the forest. I hope it doesn't cause any problems with the forest's ecology but I didn't really care that much about it, much less know about its effects, so I left it at that.

At my sides were my hunting companions. At my right, my new protege, the beaming and energetic Jin-kun. At my left side was Lena-san, the trap expert, and her friend, Sharl, the healing cleric. Finally, the ones limping behind the cart as if their life force was taken out of them was the two guys, Dale-san and Kizu-san.

Dale-san had a [Warrior] class, so I had him lure the enemies with his skill, [Warrior's Taunt] as to make hunting easier for me. Since if I went out in the open, all lesser beasts I meet will run scared, and I could find myself going back empty-handed. I don't know why he was tired though, I only made him use his skill and run around for hours on end. No big deal really..

While Dale-san was baiting the enemies, I made Kizu-san, the archer of the two, shoot the enemies from afar. At first he was failing to get a clean strike, and had to shoot multiple times just to kill one of the [Demon Boars]. It was tiring to look at, so I gave him pointers from my time studying archery back when I was frequenting martial arts classes in Japan. Though, after every session he seemed to have improved slightly. But one time he somehow collapsed, was it that tiring to jump on tree branches while having weights on you while shooting? I had no problem before though..

In contrast with the two who were moving at faster speeds whilst fearing for their lives if they make a single mistake, Lena-san and Sharl-san were just quite frankly, spectators. Since Sharl-san had the job of a healer, she would stay at the back, and only when there was an injury would she step up. Though Lena-san only placed a few traps that caught some beasts here and there, she did not move that much.

Meanwhile, Jin-kun was the main damage dealer, slashing with his weapon when an opening presented itself. Until those moments came, I told him to meld into the surroundings to erase his presence. Since I used it as a way of practically applying his newly learned sword skills I taught him, directly from Master's "Purgatory Sword Style". Although he couldn't master it fully, he learned it quickly, he might have been even faster than me.

I could see the potential of this kid was very high compared to a normal child. He had a body that could withstand intense training, and absorb all the techniques given to him like a sponge sucking up moisture. Though I didn't train him in a spartan way like Master, his movements grew more refined each day. I'm not a sadist you know?

After weeks of teaching, he has attained the level of decapitating beast's heads without a sound. The main style I taught him was very fitting. A combination of Master's swordsmanship and the "Iai Swordplay" from Japan, which I called "Silent Sword Style". It focused on pure speed and grace. The way the unsheathed katana displays its radiance when unsheathed and at the same time swung, was honestly awe-inspiring to look at each time you see it.

The best part was that it made close to no sound, except for the clinking of the sheath. If more time was given to develop this style, it could break the sound barrier with just how fast the sword draw was. There would be no time to react if you couldn't see nor hear the katana slicing through your body. I know it sounds dreadful to some but this was the most suited for Jin-kun's personality. 

With the gap from his cute and lovable demeanor, and the silent killing intent that dazzled appealed so much to me that I chose this specific style. No, I didn't do it for my own purposes, honest..

Oh, what about me? I was laying back, giving out orders while cooking meals for the team. Can't fight a battle with an empty stomach. I was a very important asset. No, honest! Even if I did fight, I would only make them all scatter, so I decided to only move in when someone's life was in danger. You could call me their insurance. 

Even though I essentially did nothing, they had no complaints because the meals I made brought them to tears every single time they ate it after a tiring ordeal of hunting monsters.

Well, that was the gist of what we did twice a week. Most of the time, Jun would make windows and glass items with the blacksmith's assistance and give them away to the villagers while directing renovations for the entire village. For free. Not that I have a problem with it, since we had money that could buy an entire country if I felt like it, maybe. But it still wouldn't hurt to be more frugal with it since we don't know if it could suddenly disappear someday..

Meanwhile every morning, I would take over and train Jin-kun then make breakfast. Okay, all the meals. Every time it was time to prepare the meals, Jun would forcibly switch me even if I was watching cute cats playing with balls on the internet, that lazy bum. Even now, he got hooked on an anime I recommended him and said to let me handle the hunting from now on.

"Oi, Orion-san! Everyone, good work out there today!"

Ah, a pleasantly plump uncle called out to us. Though he was wearing the winter clothes which was a fur jacket, fur pants, and boots made of [Snow Wind Demon] leather, he still appeared twice as big as a normal person. Though it would be rude if I said that out loud so I refrain from bringing down his impression of me..

If I remember correctly, this man was called Xant-san, and he was responsible for skinning, tanning, and dismantling the monster materials from all the game we caught. He kind of owns a butcher shop at the center of town so many people know him, including Jun who seemed to get along with him for some unknown reason.

For now, let's greet him so I can pass the beasts we hunted over to be dismantled. I wasn't going to get any compensation but I get my ingredients from his shop so it's fine..

"Ah, we just got back. I think there was about twenty to thirty [Demon Boars] today, along with some [Snow Sparrows], [Frigid Hawks], and a [Winter Bear] we accidentally woke up. I entrust them all to your shop so please distribute some of them to the villagers okay?"

"A-a [Winter Bear]!? You subjugated a B-class demonic beast?"

When he exclaimed after hearing my words, he hurriedly went to look at the back of the cart, filled with beast corpses and confirmed that what I said was nothing but the truth. He then went back towards us and said..

"Amazing, usually it takes an A-rank party of adventurers to kill a lone [Winter Bear]. Since before it dies, it would issue a death cry and call the other [Winter Bears] to its location, making it a dangerous quest to take. I'm just glad that none of you got hurt because those beasts usually get stronger in the winter season. Thank you for this, I'm sure the villagers would be glad to know that a demonic beast like this was killed."

"Haha, alright then, give my regards to your wife and kids! Let's go guys, leave the cart here.."

When I heard his spiel, I sweated unconsciously and could only wryly smile giving a half-hearted answer. The reason for this was that I just found out that what happened earlier wasn't my overwhelmingly negative luck stat coming into play after all. Maybe, just a bit though..

"Ah, will do! Thanks as always you guys!"

While waving towards the butcher with a large build, we walk towards the other's homes on the path to the chief's house. The villagers who knew me as the kind person who had healed their children and was a benefactor to all, for making them windows free of charge, were bowing towards me when I passed by their houses. It only made me embarrassed since I wasn't the one who helped them, but it was really Jun's idea. Also, I didn't like people revering me as a special person. By the way, they were wearing different sets of winter clothing tailor-made for them.

I want to make friends but I didn't want to be worshiped. So my reply was of course, my trusty [Poker Face]. I don't know why I said it as a skill but I guess it could be called that, since it was useful in daily life. Still, I had nothing else to do except watch Jin-kun practice his footwork techniques while strolling, I recall the events that happened after we subjugated the [Winter Bear] earlier today..

After they surrounded the beast, with its dwindling health, it roared out a voice that shook the trees for the reason that I just found out now. In that moment, an opening appeared when it let its guard down, and Jin-kun quickly used [Shadow Step], the skill he learned from hiding his presence coupled with quick turns of his feet, and decapitated the bear's entire head with eyes as calm as the ocean.

As the large beast's head fell and rolled onto the pure white snow, with its torso spraying a fountain of blood, I quickly confirmed the bear's aura dissipating. But immediately after, I sensed multiple presences instead, moving towards our location. They had the same aura as the bear they just killed so I guessed it was its friends smelling the blood. 

Though I was wrong in guessing that my luck drew them here, it still didn't change what I was going to do. I couldn't let them get killed, nor could I make them scared of me if they watch me fight, so I quickly made an excuse that I had to go do my business in the forest up ahead. Which was embarrassing if you haven't noticed. 

They all displayed different reactions. The girls were turning their heads away saying "Idiot!" towards me with red faces whilst the dead tired guys were indifferent and kept munching on the meal like they haven't eaten food for days. Only Jin-kun was still meditating in silence, training his inner strength after eating his share in the span of a minute.

While they were preoccupied, I disappear into the thickets and used [Stealth Aura]. When I confirmed that no one could see me, I sprinted towards the attackers to intercept them instead. With a grin on my face, I said..

"The best defense, is a great offense!"

Spouting a line from a sports anime I used to love, my chuunibyou side reared its ugly head. I now realized that I would've died of shame if anyone could hear me back then. Thank heavens there wasn't..

When I arrived, I quickly dealt with the sleuth of bears numbering thirteen, and unlucky sign if you'd ask me. But, it made no difference that they quickly became my experience points. Though, I didn't level up my status nor my job level after all this time. It's to be expected of the high level but why didn't [Slayer] class level up? Did it have specific requirements or something? Anyway, I thought that it would be weird if I suddenly brought a large number of bears so I left them there for the other predators of the forest instead.

Cruel? No, no I'm not a heartless bastard. I at least let their blood drip to the ground by hanging their corpses on tree branches so that others would have a hard time getting them..

Oh, we've reached the bar where it seemed that the hunting party was going to be drinking tonight. They invited me to join in but I don't like the taste of alcohol that much. So I decline with an expression of humility, making an excuse that I was tired from hunting. Though I didn't get to do much except get a slight warm up from the bears.

Lena-san seemed to have wanted me to join but she reluctantly understands my position while saying..

"Maybe next time then. See you Orion-san!"

"Ah, see ya"

After saying our goodbyes, me and Jin-kun walked along the dazzling white snow roads, leaving footprints while staring at the falling snowflakes touching our clothes for a moment, and ultimately melting into moisture.

This scenery has grown on me, since back in Japan, I could barely see snowfall as pure as this. Because it was a city filled with tall buildings and a large amount of busy people, you couldn't appreciate the little things such as now..

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When we made it back to Germundo-san's house, we were greeted by him and Sharon-chan at the door. She told me all about how she built a snowman that I once spoke about when telling stories based on the movies and fairy tales from my past life. After, I made sukiyaki which they haven't had before, but it was perfect considering the climate outside so they were once again grateful. Finally, the kids went to bed. I found out Jin-kun can't live by himself in his house anymore since he was still a kid so Germundo-san took him in and treated him like a son.

After talking with the chief some more, I went to my room as well and laid down on my fur bed thinking about how another peaceful day has ended. It had been almost a month since I came here, well, when Jun came here..

Speaking about that, when I asked him why he was moving west, he said that it was because Anna and Lute was alive. I was moved to tears when I had heard this, because it meant that they were saved somehow. He couldn't tell who it was that took them but he found the remains of a mask, and could sense their auras due west, towards Neriad, the Elven Continent. The mask looked slightly familiar but I couldn't remember the one who wore it for some reason.

He also said that the spell the person used was a type of "Teleportation" spell..

When I gathered all the information I could from the main persona, I decided that I had to save them before anything bad happened to them, the moment I could travel again. I will not lose them again like last time. This time I would protect them properly.

Naturally, he said that he decided to do this from the start except that tracing their location would be hard in the winter so that's why he thought to stay here..

I keep forgetting that this guy thinks ahead instead of rushing into everything like yours truly. I am somehow thankful for that but I still hope that nothing had happened to them yet. Based on those novels I used to read, those types who were suddenly teleported to a different country, would get treated like a spy and questioned thoroughly. Or worse, thrown in jail and be killed at a later date. I didn't want to imagine the cruel fate that should await them so I prepared various countermeasures along with Jun all this while.

With my renewed determination to save my first companions, I drift off to sleep..

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- Jun's POV -

"Okay, and done! This looks better than before, very much so!"

I was currently looking at the finished product held in front of me. Looking over it once more, I check for any mistakes in the reproduction, like uneven balance, weight reduction, and color scheme..

What was held in my hands were the new leather jacket I reproduced with my skills. It had a matching contrast of colors present on it, and various details were added with the influence from the new "anime" I just binged. At first I thought that anime was just moving pictures with a plot just like a movie but oh was I wrong.

To put it simply, anime is an art form. Detailed characters and dark pasts, killing and mental decisions to add to the spice of the story. It had made me a believer of true story telling. Just in picture form and with voices. Ah, but I digress, going back to the cloth I reproduced, based on the anime's design of uniforms, making the already powerful equipment teacher made, and further improving its attributes, bonuses, and overall look.

It had a sleek, black with purple shades, and futuristic design. I spent about a week perfecting every detail there is to be made after finishing the whole six seasons. It wasn't an impulse, let me tell you. I can frankly say that this will make my power, double, no even triple my current strength by folds if it was made in perfection. Of which I did..

I recreated the fiber of the cloth used in the middle-ages into something modern like leather and cotton mixed with polyester and other durable and at the same time comfortable cloth from Earth. How did I do this you ask? I simply rearranged the structure of [Aura Weapon Creation] and made an entirely new skill called [Aura Armor Creation] which by far exceeds the realm of human comprehension. 

Making materials out of nothing is tiring but it was worth it. To see my finished work filled me with a sense of purpose, very much so that I think that I was born to create equipment that was thought to be imaginary..

The jacket had various armor plates infused in it, and so did the other equipment I made like, a  white sleeved vest, dark slacks, finger-less gloves, and black leather boots. What happened to the eye-patch? Oh, I turned it into a colored contact as to not arouse suspicion in the future. 

It was the hardest one by far, to recreate since I had to make it with a hydrogel base with enough water to keep it soft, and at the same time, as least as possible as to not get in the way of my eyesight. All this whilst having to do it so carefully let me fail again and again, redoing it each time. It almost made me break it myself but I was glad I had [Yin-yang Aura] to calm me down sometimes. If not, I would have long run out of patience...

I also wanted to make equipment for Jin but alas, I couldn't find out what suited him. Though I asked Orion since he was the one who watched over his training for the past few weeks, he had no interest in clothing and left me to my devices. But I'd like to think of it as him being lazy again when faced with bothersome work.

The only choice left was to find out more about Jin's fighting style at a later time. In any case, I had to examine all of the finished equipment, so I invoked [Aura Eyes] to scan through the materials..

Regal Slayer Vest{ Mythical Class }The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressureActive: Infuse Aura >> Increases HPPassive: Doubles HP

Regal Slayer Slacks{ Mythical Class }The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressureActive: Infuse Aura >> Increases MPPassive: Doubles MP

Regal Slayer Gloves{ Mythical Class }The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressureActive: Infuse Aura >> Increases STRPassive: Doubles STR

Regal Slayer Jacket{ Mythical Class }The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressureActive: Infuse Aura >> Increases INTPassive: Doubles INT

Regal Slayer Boots{ Mythical Class }The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressureActive: Infuse Aura >> Increases AGIPassive: Doubles AGI

Regal Slayer Contact{ Mythical Class }The versatile accessory that can see through deceptionActive: Infuse Aura >> Change Eye ColorPassive: Enables the user to use [Reflect Magic]

"Alright, it seems there are no problems with the appearance, now to test them out.."

I don the now completed equipment and checked if it was a little tight or loose when I tried it on. I looked in front of the large mirror in my room and examined how I looked when I wore it.

"Umu, perfect fit. Amazing."

It seemed that when I wore it and some aura leaked out when I was excited, the cloth automatically adjusted itself to fit my size. Nothing less from my own work I say. Feeling proud of my workmanship, I test the endurance of my new equipment one by one..

I started off with the contact since it was the easiest to test out first. After infusing aura into my eyes, and thinking about turning my eye color purple, the next second, my left eye changed into a deep purple shade.

Trying it once more to confirm, except I was turning it into red this time to match my natural eye, it seemed there wasn't any dizziness, nausea, or any kind of side effect to changing it.

Then I moved on to the others..

..

........

After all the testing was done, I was lying in my bed sweating all over..

Who knew that every time I infuse aura into the equipment, it would take not little, but huge amounts of magic power at fast intervals. All the while I was infusing aura, my magic power dwindled into the thousands. That was only trying it one by one, imagine if I simultaneously infused every piece at the same time. The only thing that kept me through all of that was the effect of my [Regal Slayer Slacks] which supplemented my magic power by just enough. 

Though, instead of consuming magic power, the slacks consumed aura points or [AP] for short. Due to this, I found out that [AP] was different from the other status because it could also recover like magic power over time. But, it would take so much longer to recover if left alone compared to my magic power. 

Well, it seems that there are still areas to be improved in the future. If only I could find material that could consume less magic power, it would be perfect. Still, the effects were tremendous. After you activated even one of them, that specific status would make you feel like you could do anything.

Even after consuming a large amount of strength, stamina and magic power, I still couldn't see the limits of this equipment's endurance since it didn't tear or anything like that. Which just goes to show that the legendary dragon's scales are not just for show. Immense magic capacity was held between its threads..

Like this, I waited to recover my strength for a while and switched with Orion once again so that he could feel the sluggish feeling I was in right now. It seemed that he recommended me a similar anime, so I was going to go check that out for a while. Even when the winter snowflakes fall and melt onto the warmth of the coming end of winter, spending my days like this with Jin and the people of the village was one of the relaxing parts of my life that I will always remember fondly.

A few weeks later, I would not even remember this time due to the carnage that was about to begin.

Spring is the season of beginnings, and I guess mine has just started..