On my way out of the city I decided I might as well stop by the Adventurers Guild and pick up some of the general long term harvesting requests.

Such requests don’t have limits or end dates, you just have to be careful with them as the requestor may not need or want what you have by the time you finish. I just grabbed some random second ring requests from companies that are always stocking up on materials. It will be a good way to raise my reputation and acquire a bit of pocket change while I am out here.

Stepping on to the platform I relax in the chair of the magic tram that heads towards the forest entrance. Finally out of the city I feel like I can breathe again. Ever since I was hit in the face with all the human supremacy I have been so tense that if I had not advanced in Class then I would likely have damaged my teeth from clenching them so hard. I was constantly on the edge between lashing out and the fear of people noticing my pro demi-human sentiments.

Letting the wind that is mostly blocked by the barrier around the tram rustle my hair I send a message to Alice who is still sitting on my shoulder.

[ You know, it was nearly a whole year I was stuck in the forest. I really need a haircut. ]

I feel a little kick to my shoulder as the tram stops.

[ You are going to need a lot more than a haircut, you wild child. Besides, I think it might look nice longer. You should try growing it out a bit. ]

I feel a little bit embarrassed at my current state as even the shower at the clan dorm couldn’t truly fix the forest girl look.

[ Your hair is likely to be the only part of your body that ever grows again. ]

I nearly stumble off the platform after that incredibly rude comment from Alice.

I want to swat at her but I can’t give away that she is on my shoulder so I have to hold it in.

[ I will get you back for that comment later. ]

Feeling a little twitch in her position, I smile thinking about her punishment.

Looking up at the sun I get one last good look for a while before the open sky vanishes under the endless canopy.

“Hey, fancy seeing you here. You just made it out of the forest and now you are already heading back in?”

I look up to notice a blonde and silver streaked head heading towards me. My attention had been too focused elsewhere that I had not been watching my surroundings well enough. Agera waves at me as I make my way out of the station and towards the forest entrance.

“Hey, I um… I just feel like I am too weak right now to be messing around in the city.”

Stumbling out an excuse I try to hold back from letting myself get angry at him for his doubtlessly human supremacist views.

“Hey, since you kicked my ass does that mean you are calling me weak too?”

He stands up straight and takes on a rather serious look.

I panic at that and try to think of a better way to phrase it as I don’t want to cause a scene, but he speaks up before I can.

“Nah, just kidding with ya. I am sure anyone would feel weak after seeing the crap that happens at those fighting arenas.”

Calming down after realizing it was a joke I ask something that has been bothering me.

“Why does everyone know I went to that?”

He chuckles at my question, a grin forming on his face as he recalls what happened.

“The whole damn clan heard after Rose started shouting at Jen for quote: ‘taking a kid to such a dangerous and seedy environment’ end quote.”

I can feel a scowl forming on my face for her choice of words, still treating me like a kid. Though I do feel better knowing Jen got called out on it. Even if I know Rose was mad at the gambling and illegal fights and not the enslaved demi-humans.

Agera examines my face with a hand on his chin. I feel myself leaning back at the rather pointed stare from him.

“Hey, what are you-”

“You are not a fan of the way those demi-humans were treated, weren’t you?”

“Wha-?”

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Stumbling back a bit I put myself on guard. Shit I really need to work on my thoughts showing on my face. I thought no one would be able to guess my pro demi-human sentiments at the very least.

“woah, woah, woah. Calm down. I won’t tell anyone… I am like you after all.”

This whole conversation has had me unable to take a break for a second! I keep my guard up just in case he is lying.

“And why should I believe you?”

Not seeing any point in denying it as he is obviously certain of my feelings on the matter I look for escape routes.

“Well, I can’t really prove it, but saying it aloud should be enough to give me a bit of credibility. After all, none of those assholes would ever even pretend to care about demi-humans. Even for a joke.”

He says gesturing at the people getting on and off the tram.

We are off to the side near one of the alleys, and are currently whispering, but I still don’t feel safe talking about this.

He shrugs to me and starts to walk away before turning around and whispering one last thing.

“No need to believe me. But when you get back if you are interested, there is a group of people like us that get together to discuss how to change all the hate and violence against the other races. You are welcome to join if you want.”

Looking down I want to be hopeful. Believe that there are still good people out there. I would feel a whole lot better If I could take him at his word.

“I will think about it.”

I whisper before turning around myself and heading into the forest.

…

..

.

I have been traveling through the first ring for a few days in an attempt to get away from prying eyes. I noticed someone tailing me since I left the clan building with my aerial vision. I had been tracking them all the way to the forest which is what distracted me from noticing Agera at the station.

The one following me must be using some form of mental magic because I can feel mana being pressed against me but it is not doing a damn thing. Nor do I notice it affecting Alice for some reason, something I find curious.

Normally people will have countermeasures against the different kinds of perception when stalking others like this. but no one knows about my kind of perception.

That and the usual mental manipulation that often comes alongside such concealment skills has no effect on me.

So in the end the guy following me is clear as day in his approach.

They are still following me even now that I have been traveling in the forest for a few days. Keeping a steady distance. Something that is impressive considering I remade my horse golem and have been riding it the whole way.

My demon monkey golems never made it that far so I called them back as soon as I decided to leave for the forest. They are now surrounding me and carefully moving into a flanking position around the stalker.

I don’t know how much this person knows, or what they are after. They didn’t make any moves while I slept, always keeping a set distance. However I am not a fan of being followed.

Using light magic I conceal some golem cores that I drop on to the ground in my straight path. Doing my best to lead the mental magic user into the kill zone.

The second he steps foot into the golemfied forest floor I activate the trap. I order all the golems to do everything they can to skewer the stalker while also leading them to a single point.

Just as things start to get chaotic I conceal myself with light magic and shift the war horse into a more spider-like form. The modified golem leaping into the trees with me aboard while the monkey golems circle around invisibly with their spears raised.

Watching everything through the shared vision of one of my demons I can see the person struggling against the onslaught. Sure, they can react quicker than the spikes can stab at them. But they are lacking in attack abilities to damage my golems.

Mental magic is a bit useless when facing piles of dirt.

They may be Class 3 but if you can’t use those abilities to fight, then all you have are your physical abilities. Something most people neglect.

I make a note to examine Qi techniques so I don’t make the same mistake. I rely heavily on golem cores and the environment for attacks at the moment. I could very well end up in a similarly bad position if I were attacked away from my supplies.

I can see getting frustrated as their mental attacks do nothing to the ever growing number of dirt spears flying at them. I take that as the moment to have the demon monkey golems move in.

Sneaking up into the chaos the invisible demons ready their golem spears and all at once stab out into the path that the man had jumped into.

Blood flies everywhere as the spears lodge themselves inside him. I can still see him struggling, weakly, but still trying to fight back.

“Damn, evolution really does make you hard to kill.”

“Yeah, you would be dead in an instant if you had that many spears inside you.”

Alice and I watch on as the struggles peter out. The man finally going limp as another spear goes straight through his skull.

…

..

.

Huh, I just killed someone.

That is a first for me. I mean I did fight and kill Agera in the arena but I knew he would come back after. This is different however, this is permanent.

Normally a person would feel something doing that for the first time, but all I feel is curiosity at what I might be able to do with that Class 3 mana core.

I wonder if the Demon Lord Title is affecting me. Or if this is who I always was.

I always thought I could kill someone. The thought never scaring me in the least. But you never know until you try.

I have my golem take me down to the man's corpse. The demon monkey golems already digging the mana core out of his neck.

Time to take my prize.