Chapter 7: Girl
After several months of wandering and occasionally getting lost, Shu finally arrived at Eldera Forest. He used his enhanced magic perception to locate and subdue strong monsters like the Goblin King and the high-ranking pig demon known as High Oak. As a result, he became the lord of the forest and the leader of the oni and pig-oni monsters under his command.
However, Shu had more free time than he anticipated due to the fallout from killing the Holy Knight. He decided to keep a low profile and lay low until the dust settled. In the meantime, he practiced magic control and swung a stick to kill time. Unfortunately, he didn't have a talent for wielding weapons, so he didn't make much progress.
Despite this, Shu spent his days peacefully, arbitrating fights among the monsters and subjugating any strong hagure monsters that entered the forest. He also learned that monsters with physical bodies could convert energy into magical power by eating and storing it. This explained why monsters, who were primarily composed of magic power, needed to eat.
As a spiritual monster, Shu didn't need to eat. He could sustain himself by using his 'life absorption' ability. He learned this recently when he gained the ability to materialize.
One day, Shu received a report from a hobgoblin that humans had invaded the forest and killed an imp goblin. He wasn't surprised by this news and told the hobgoblin to leave. Most monsters couldn't speak and used gestures to communicate, but Shu could have conversations by sending thoughts. This was also a type of magic, just like his absorption ability.
Despite being of a different race, Shu was the master of the village and a respected leader among the monsters in Eldera Forest.
"Again, was it done?" Shu asked the goblin. "But last week, three babies were born, so is that still the case?"
The goblin didn't seem particularly upset when he heard that a human had killed one of their own. The monsters in the settlement were instructed not to venture into the shallow areas of the forest, and if they did and were killed without permission, there was nothing that could be done.
The settlement itself was deep inside the Eldera Forest, and humans rarely ventured that far in. Additionally, there was a large city near the forest that specialized in processing medicinal herbs and had a witch training institution. Magician cadets often came to the Eldera Forest for training, so attacking humans could cause problems for the settlement.
Therefore, Shu decided not to attack humans unless provoked. Of course, he would retaliate if necessary.
"I'll go around and see if there are any Hagure monsters again," Shu said, transforming into a spirit and leaving the village. This was a common occurrence, and the monsters in the village didn't pay much attention. Instead, they waved goodbye to Shu, knowing that he was their protector.
Shu used his magic perception to search for his prey as he ventured deeper into the woods.
◆◆◆
A girl was running through the middle layer of Eldera Forest. Far behind her, a black shadow was chasing her at full speed.
"Haa... haa...!" she gasped for breath while chanting spells and deploying a magic circle, which took shape gradually. However, just before it was activated, the magic formation broke, failing to start.
"Uh... I knew it."
"Gurururu..."
"Wow! I'm going to catch up!" The girl's pursuer was a humanoid monster called a werewolf Kobold, which looked like a wolf walking on two legs. It was a medium-strength rank monster that a D-rank mage could subjugate alone.
From a mage's perspective, it was a normal monster, but to those who were not, it was dangerous. The girl was a mage cadet and a dropout among them. She had no sense of direction and got lost in the forest, entering the middle area without realizing it. She came across the Hagure monster and was chased.
A girl who couldn't even use physical enhancement had no way of escaping from a medium-strength class monster. She was caught up and had her back slashed with sharp claws, feeling a burning pain before falling to the ground.
"Oh!?" Her clothes were torn on her back, and three painful wounds were carved into her skin. Red liquid dripped and wet the ground.
"Grull"
"Uh... it hurts." The fleeing prey stopped, and the werewolf Kobold slowly approached the girl. It had a cruel personality that played with its prey and enjoyed the screams of its cornered prey. She screamed involuntarily when she saw the werewolf Kobold coming closer to her.
"Hi..." Tears pooled in her eyes as she screamed for help.
The girl starts running again, surprising even the werewolf Kobold. Despite the pain from her back injury, she runs as fast as she can. If you look closely, you'll notice that the blood has already stopped flowing from her back.
"Gurururu!" the werewolf Kobold growls in response, feeling pleased that the hunt will last longer. It picks up a fallen stone and throws it at the girl, hitting her left arm directly and causing her to cry out in pain.
The girl falls to the ground again, but quickly gets up and starts running once more. The werewolf Kobold demonstrates its superior physical ability and gives chase, knowing that the girl cannot escape due to the vast difference between humans and monsters.
At least...if I can use strengthening magic... the girl thinks to herself, but unfortunately she is unable to use such magic. When faced with a monster, the only option is to rely on one's raw physical ability, even if the odds of winning are slim.
The werewolf Kobold catches up to the girl and grabs her arm with great force. The girl loses her balance and nearly falls, but the werewolf Kobold supports her by holding onto her arm.
"Pain!" the girl cries out, and the werewolf Kobold seems to take pleasure in seeing her suffer. It puts even more effort into gripping her arm tightly, causing her expression to distort in agony.
The girl's arm breaks easily, and she feels a sharp pain and hears an unpleasant sound. She tries to run away, but the werewolf Kobold's grip is too strong, causing the pain to increase.
Furthermore, the werewolf Kobold bit the girl's shoulder with its sharp fangs.
"Ah, Kuu... Uuuuuuu!"
The werewolf Kobold wanted to hurt her more, but if it overdoes it, the girl will faint. It's not funny when she's like that. With that in mind, the werewolf Kobold left the girl. With its fang removed from her shoulder and her arm freed, the girl falls to the ground. The werewolf Kobold looks on with glee at the figure of her desperately enduring her severe pain.
Then something amazing happens to the girl's body. The girl's broken and swollen arm healed quickly, and the wound on her shoulder, which was bleeding heavily, was also beautifully repaired.
The werewolf Kobold was surprised and delighted at the same time. It got an unbreakable toy. This is worth playing. Seeing that crazy smile, the girl's face cramped with fear.
"No... help me..."
There is no one who will respond to such a voice. The girl entered the forest alone, and from the beginning, there were no companions to help her. And she knew that very few people would come to the middle layer of the Eldera Forest, and it would be a waste to expect.
However, in this world, good luck and bad luck are surprisingly balanced. Lost in the woods, fortune visited her as if to dispel the bad luck she had met.
"I found prey"
"Gigya!?"
Along with that voice, something fell from the sky, the werewolf Kobold trampled.
"Okay, magic absorption complete."
Shu Arklight, who was hunting Hagure monsters that came to Eldera Forest, appeared by chance. Shu stepped on and stunned the werewolf Kobold. He takes away the life force from "Absorption", converts it into magical power, and accumulates it in himself. The werewolf Kobold will dissipate into magical power in a few days.
Having made it that far, Shu noticed a girl sitting behind him.
"..."
"..."
"... Hi."
"... hello."
Shu didn't know what to say, so he just gave a short greeting. She waited for a while before returning the greeting, but her confusion was strong.
(I didn't realize there was a human... because it looked like one with magic detection. I didn't notice it.)
Actually, Shu's magic perception is still inaccurate. With a girl who was quite close, Shu didn't notice the girl's existence because the magical power of the girl was perceived overlapping.
However, Shu has no intention of harming humans.
"Well then, goodbye."
Shu decided to return to the depths of the forest while still materialized. If he becomes a ghost when the girl is not looking, he can float back home. However, the girl immediately recovered and stopped Shu.
"Wait, please."
"...what?"
"Please let me thank you! Also, please tell me your name!"
Shu pauses, thinking that's enough. Then the girl stood up, straightened her slightly torn and disheveled clothes, and bowed her head.
"Thank you for your help."
"Oh, okay. I'm Shu Arklight."
This was the meeting between Shu Arklight and the girl.