“This is the way, only the way,” I said to myself. ”And, this time I won’t miss it.”

After leaving the auburn haired girl named Elaine behind, I went to the opposite side of them, looking for a spot, to launch an ambush attack from behind. I waited behind a big single tree, while my eyes traced against the battlefield.

Just like I’d predicted there was still no big change from before, both of the parties were afraid. It would be led for another several minutes before something crucial happened. Though, before any of those could happen, I would break that stalemate myself and plunge it into chaos.

“...Soon,” I whispered softly to myself.

A smile curled up in my mouth before I even realized, perhaps it was delight that I felt right now, jumping in and out in my heart. For the time had come, the time when my dearest wish would soon come fruitious.

I let my body slumber against the tree. The grazing rough texture of the bark against my thin fabrics that separated my body and the bark eased me a little bit, perhaps I had grown used to it, for how many times I’d lean my body against them. Truly how amazing it was the power of mother nature.

“It won’t be long anymore,” I said, closing my eyes and my mind pondering back to the conversation that I’d had with Elaine before.

–

“So, here’s the plan,” I said to Elaine. “But, before that you know what is the most important thing in this situation, right?”

“It’s to rescue my dad, isn't it no?”

“Yes, and no. While, It is easy to save your father, but by no means they would let us run away without chasing us. It's not an easy task to outrun them with their tails behind us all along the forest.”

And I emphasized her on one thing. “Especially more so with your father being wounded.”

“That’s certainly true, but what do you think we should do?”

“Well, the easiest one is to just beat them all.”

“But, will that be easy, though?”

“You remembered what I was talking about earlier?”

“You mean when you said about them as D-rank monsters as such, and about the thing about the leader?”

“Yes, like I’ve said before, our priority right now is to crush the leader first so the other could crumble, so here is a question, what do you think we should do?”

“Hmmm,” she thought for a moment before giving up. “Uhm, I know you’re trying to help, but it’s really necessary to go all around like this, I think we’ve haven’t much time,” she said, as she let her eyes wander, looking at the battlefield, repeatedly.

“There’s no reason for us to rush things out, from my years of experiences nothing good will come from it either. Besides, I believe we should have enough time.”

“B-but!?”.

“I know, I know you want to rush in so badly, but what I want you to know is the importance of this plan, because the success of this plan would be up to you.”

“M-me?” she asked, unsure.

“Yes,” I said to her.

“...But, do you believe I could do it?” she asked, unsure.

She tried to look like her usual, but it was plain as day to me that she wasn’t the moment I mentioned her about being the center of the plan. Was it stemmed from the lack of confidence in herself? Not only that, but she looked a bit shaken too, her blue eyes were wavering.

Had I misjudged her character, perhaps? I thought for sure she was the type of person who can do it, when they put their effort into it. And, would happily receive such a task.

But did it matter to me? Perhaps, not. Of course the percentage of the success of the plan would be significantly lower but nothing that needed to worry about. After all, as long as I could save her father, everything would be alright, no matter what the method that I used.

Still, I could just exclude her entirely from the plan when I realized this fact, but no, I rather not. The reason was nothing special.

I just hated it, hated it, when people were asking for help, hoping for some hero to save the day. Unfortunately there was no such hero always ready to save their day, in the end people only needed their own skin to solve their own problems. So, here I was to teach her about that lesson. To let her learn in case such an event would arise once again.

But, was that really what I believed? I have no idea, but that sound of reasoning is good enough to me, for now.

“I believe you could. So, let’s get back to it. What do you think we should do to kill the leader first?”

“Um, I don’t know. I have no idea.”

“Take a deep breath, and please think thoroughly.”

She knew from my gaze alone, I wouldn’t relent even if she begged. So, she did as I advised, taking a deep breath, and began to think.

“...What to do? …what to do?” she murmured to herself.

“M-may-,” she stammered. “...Maybe we could sneak in from behind and kill the leader, you know like catching them out of suprise…but that sounds too dangerous isnt' it? Um, then what if we attack them from a distance, it sounds safer with some weapon, like bows…” she added a moment later after spotting a dagger at my belt. “ Or throwing a dagger at them for example?

“That doesn’t sound bad, but throwing a dagger would do a little damage. Instead, there is something more powerful, Magic.”

“Magic, is it?”

“Yes magic, have you seen one before?”

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“I think I have, but isn’t that just some fancy and sparkly thing, I don’t think it would do much.”

“That is definitely one way to put in. But, there is more than that, have you seen a member from the church using a healing technique before, where a light particle blanket their hand?”

“But I think, as I recalled it is called a miracle, not a magic.”

“No, that definitely is a magic, but it is just called differently, miracles come from the higher beings which are often worshiped such as gods for example, but it is not much different from the usual magic. After all, the one that is categorized as magic is a sort of power that is borrowed from the higher form, either it is from gods or spirit kings. In the end, miracle or magic it's all the same,”

As I finished, she was just staring at me not knowing what to say.

“Ahem, I think I’ve let myself get distracted,” I said. “Just like what you said before, we should attack them from behind, to give us a full surprise attack as I launch my magic.”

“I know that was my suggestion. But, isn’t that dangerous?”

“Yes, it’s your suggestion. But, I also have been thinking about this too. Besides, it's just half the plan..”

“Half?”

“Yes. At the same time I want you to reach your father’s side, and inform him about the attack, ask him to coordinate an attack as I flank them from behind.”

“B-but will that be easy?...”

“Well, not really. That’s why I will give you the opening, the moment I struck them with my magic, they would be confused from the attack, and at that heat of moment it should give you plenty of time to do that.”

“Right…,” she nodded.

“And, when we finish dealing with the leader, we should be fine, but please be careful. It would be no surprise if they will appoint a new leader immediately. So, to avoid that situation we must wipe them completely before anything else, also in order to prevent any potential reinforcement at all. That’s where your father would come in part, to prevent anyone from escaping.”

“Uhm, before that I have another question.”

–

As I recalled back the plan, I realized how flawed it was, I could see everything could go wrong with all of this. There were too many questions regarding all of the details of the plan that needed to be delved further. But, still what was done would be done. And, I wouldn’t go back from it.

While I felt bad for her to go with this ridiculous plan, but at the very least her father should be safe. Just like what I’d promised.

“Everyone is happy to get what they want.” I smiled again. “And, that’s exactly right. I think it should be time for me to go.”

“I think it should be time for me to go,” I said.

It would be soon when the after-effect of the potion would run out, as I began to feel the pain on my head throbbing again, but it was something that I was accustomed with already. It wouldn’t affect my performance.

In the first place, the reason I drank the health potion was just a facade to convince her to agree to the plan. No one would agree to the plan if the man himself looked like a walking corpse, no? Just like exactly what she pointed to me at the beginning.

Probably about three minutes had passed by then, but the situation didn't seem to change that much. The sun would be sunk not much longer, and that would be pretty hard for us. Just like wolves in general they could see in the dark as well as they are.

“Had she arrived at her spot, yet," I wondered. "No, perhaps it’s better if she hasn’t. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

As I surveyed the area once again, I couldn’t find any sign of that auburn hair, perhaps she really hadn’t arrived, which I hope that would be the best.

I looked at the wide open red lychantes, where their backs looked so vulnerable, even the clumsiest attack could just hit them just fine. But, I’d rather not. I took a deep breath as I pulled out my right hand from the pocket of my cloak to the front of me.

What I saw was this horrible looking hand, where half of the fingers were missing, as well the palm, leaving only three fingers intact. It looked as if it were crudely chopped in half. It made me want to squirm and look away. For adventurers, they often fond to brag over their wound or scar as it reminded them of their achievement. Wearing a patch on the eyes, or going shirtless to show a body full of scars.

But for me this wound was a cowardice, shame, humiliation, everytime I looked at it. This very wound would haunt me, remind me back to the day of my failure. And I would do nothing but to stash it away from the rest of my life. But, this time I would need it.

It would be one thing if my right hand wasn’t my dominant arm, but unfortunately it was. Even though I’ve learned all sorts of things without using it, recently. But, It was still hard for me to aim my magic without it.

And, this time I couldn’t afford to make any careless mistakes to just satisfy my worthless ego. And luckily there was no one nearby to this abomination.

After taking a deep breath one more time to calm myself down.

I concentrated myself, as I accumulated the mana onto the palm of my hand. While inside my mind, I imagined the form of magic that I was about to perform, and began to chant in a low voice.

“O’ The Great Water Spirit King who ruled all over the sunken land, and who is known as the merciful king, please grant me your strength to blast away the enemy in my way.”

“Water Sphere!”

The moment I uttered the spell name, I could feel on the surface my palm, a strong invisible force formed but not strong enough to suck anything, except the air surrounding it. It whirled at the center, and kept sucking, and sucking until it began to take a form as a bubbling liquid of water, which slowly spread out from the inside to the outer until it became a sphere of water as big as my hand. Blob.

It was a Tier 3 : water spell.

The basic of basic water magic, known as water sphere.

I could have take it done here, but I didn’t. I kept my concentration intact, tried to compress the sphere down, down and down, until it became the size of a ping pong ball.

Now, the spell had done, what I needed to do was to aim it at the enemy. After chanting the spell for one time, there was no need to chant once again, except if I changed to a different spell. But, the power of the spell would be reduced by around 10%, which wasn’t a bad thing according to all of the magic users.

And, then I launched the compressed water sphere toward the biggest red lychantes, took it with its head and almost threw the red lychantes to the side, but it still maintained its stance, gripping its claws hard on the ground.

“Water Sphere!”

Once again, a water sphere as big as my hand formed on my palm, and after took exactly two seconds to compress it. I moved to a different spot to launch another attack toward the leader once again, but this time it only struck on its shoulder, dealing not much damage.

And for the third time, I moved to a different spot to launch another water sphere, but this time I missed the target and struck at a tree instead. .

No worries, I could just hit it on the next time. As I watched them I could feel the uneasiness inside the red lychantes as they were desperately looking for me. Looking for the culprit behind the attack.

“Water Sphere!”

I finished my fourth spell, but I could feel the throbbing in my head become prominent as I dropped to my knees, crunched in pain. Probably the mana that I’d had now was too low, and at best I could only make another four or five times before I collapsed.

I compressed the sphere once again, but this time it took much longer than before, a solid 4 seconds. After carefully aiming at the leader to not miss, I sent the sphere flying toward the biggest red lychantes. It hit on its head, as the red lychantes yipped in pain rolled on the ground.

After shaking its head, its red eyes were angry and hungry, searching for the source of the attack and coincidentally they met mine in the forest. Our eyes were locked to each other for a moment.

I didn't need any interpreter to tell me what the stares mean. Just like humans in general, as the top rank of their pack, the leader always had the biggest pride, and ego.

The message was crystal clear, “I’ll hunt you down.”

It broke first the contact let out a long howl in the air, and they began to reorganize themself to go after me.

Even without needing to check, I could tell I had a big grin plastered across my face, while the inside of me was screaming. For them to come at me faster.