"Renji, it's really you! This is brilliant! " An exhilarated voice called out, and a lanky youth began to run towards them at top speed. This young man was Motaro, the gangly warrior Renji had encountered en route to the Mountain of Magical Monsters. Of the two others he encountered there, his classmate Derato and the hulking Karusa, both had died. Back then, when facing the wind-style magus-archer, Renji had used the earth-style spell 'Rockspike Array'. Motaro, the fifth rank warrior, had grasped the opportunity to run away instantly. But Renji didn't really mind that he had run away. After all, he and Motaro didn't have any special relationship. Honestly, of the three people he had encountered, the only one Renji truly felt friendly towards was his own classmate, Derato. That tall guy, Karusa, gave a good impression to Renji, too.
Renji didn't have any special feeling for Motaro. "Oh, it's Motaro. I didn't expect that the two of us would meet again in the Mountain of Magical Monsters after a month had passed." Renji was still very calm. To the contrary, Motaro looked excited. "This is great. This month, several times I was almost overwhelmed by the magical beasts here. Fortunately, my luck was not too poor. Whoah - is that a Bloodthirsty Battleswine? Renji, you were able to kill a Bloodthirsty Battleswine? You really are formidable! " Renji smiled. "I'm getting a bit hungry. I had heard from rumors that the meat of both the Bloodthirsty Battleswine and the Vampiric Iron Bull were extremely tasty, and have a wonderfully chewy texture. I have not eaten lunch until now. You would not be too stingy to share some Battleswine meat with me, right?"
" Motaro joked.
The Bloodthirsty Battleswine was big in size, and its corpse was at least several hundred kilograms heavy. It would not be finished even if ten lives were used. "Of course not." Renji retrieved his knife and began cutting slices of the Battleswine. "Renji, you really don't have to trouble yourself. This Bloodthirsty Battleswine corpse is part of your spoils of war. How can I burden you to butcher it as well? Let me do it.
My roasting abilities are quite formidable." Motaro immediately went over to the Battleswine corpse and retrieved a knife from his side. Fiddling with the knife, Motaro began expertly butchering the Battleswine - though he only managed to cut off the four legs, tongue, and tail. He then began washing these pieces in the nearby spring. "Boss, he's quite skilled. Doesn't appear to be any weaker than you in that respect." The little Umbramouse, Echo, leapt onto Renji's shoulders and mentally spoke to Renji.
Glancing at the little black Umbramouse sitting on his shoulders, Renji couldn't help but sigh in gratitude. Perhaps this little black mouse only looked to others like an ordinary little Umbramouse-not very dangerous-but actually. He could still remember how terrifying the sight was when enraged Echo had slaughtered that dark assassin and that 'kind' young girl as if it were child's play. "Can't judge a man by his looks, same with magical beasts, too." Renji sighed to himself. Motaro promptly began setting up his roasting apparatus and pulled out some rough cooking salts and seasonings from his pouch. "Renji, these Battleswine legs will be super delicious. Its tongue is soft, as well, and fragrant.
The flavor of a Battleswine tail is quite good, too." With the last words, Motaro cut both tail and tongue into several pieces. Renji only watched as Motaro rummaged around for flints to create a fire, not offering to help even though he had fire-style Magic force. He watched Motaro roast each piece quickly and constantly. After some time, "It's about time. Have a taste." Motaro said exuberantly as he passed on a large piece of Battleswine leg meat to Renji. But Renji flipped the Battleswine meat around and passed it to Echo.
Echo was so thrilled by this offering and started to chomp down with real seriousness. But the Battleswine leg was perhaps three or four times bigger than Echo himself, yet he ate all of the meat in a short amount of time. This vision had Motaro gaping in total astonishment. "He really is a magical beast. Even a little black Umbramouse can eat so much." Motaro said, frowning, as he offered a slice of roasted Battleswine tongue to Renji. "Renji, try some of my skills." Renji smiled and politely declined. "No need. I am not used to eating tongue. Some of that leg meat will do." Renji took one of the other legs and began to eat it with abandon. Beside him, Motaro laughed. "Then I won't force you.
If you won't eat it, I will.
Haha." Enjoying himself immensely, Motaro started to eat the roasted Battleswine tongue and tail.
By the time Renji finally finished the Battleswine leg, Motaro hadn't even taken one bit of it. "You are done already? Haha, fine then. I'm half-full now anyhow. I'll save this Battleswine leg for when I am hungry." Motaro pulled out an oilcloth from his satchel and put the Battleswine leg into it, before putting the cloth back into his satchel. Renji looked down at Motaro, and from his bearing, he would've appeared to want to travel with him. "Motaro, here at the Mountain of Magical Monsters, I'm fine training by myself. Let's part ways here." Renji said straightforwardly. Motaro immediately furrowed his brow. "Renji, this place is extremely dangerous. It'd be much safer if we traveled together. Honestly speaking, during this past month, every combat encounter has made me scared. I'm not even able to sleep well." "Then do as you like." Renji didn't waste words. He started off immediately further into the mountains, while Motaro smiled to himself as he followed him. However, as his eyes landed on the backpack Renji was wearing, there was a faintly sinister glow within them. "This is different from the one Renji was carrying a month ago. And it also seems a lot fuller, too." Motaro sneered to himself but smiled in a very friendly manner. Motaro is different from Renji. He used to prepare himself in a number of other places before entering these mountains. Motaro fastened his pace. Smiling, he said, "Renji, you are really a great fellow. When I am going with you, I feel so much secure. After all, two persons together are much stronger than two people separate.
During the night, both of us can sleep by turn.
There is no need for the both of us to be in full alert throughout the night." Renji said nothing. His gaze was always focused on his surroundings, carefully keeping a lookout for any magical beasts in these mountains. They slowly traveled their way north; because now, Renji dared not go further east. If they went further to the east, they would be well into the dangerous parts of the Mountain of Magical Monsters. Now, in this area, Renji would encounter only magical beasts of the fifth and sixth rank. All this time, Motaro followed by his side, seemingly quite happy. Two days later, it was late at night. The world was dark as Renji and Motaro moved forward in a single file. "Renji, is it about time we go back yet? Honestly speaking, we have spent about enough time here in Mountain of Magical Monsters." Motaro said in a soft voice while he followed Renji's trail. Renji calmly shook his head without uttering a word. A flash of anger crossed Motaro's face.
"This Renji is ultra cautious every night. He is not giving me any chance at all." Of course, Motaro didn't hold any confidence in killing Renji. Of course, being able to survive here for so long proved the other's abilities. "Hrm? " Renji seemed to have sensed something special. He suddenly turned around, staring at a copse not far away.
In that copse, an obscure, well-hidden shadow lay in wait.
Motaro stood beside Renji but suddenly saw him turn his head to face away from Motaro.
A greedy look appeared in Motaro's eyes; excitement also welled up. Smoothly, Motaro suddenly drew his dagger and without any hesitation whatsoever stabbed towards Renji's back. "." Renji suddenly turned and grabbed Motaro by the wrist of his right hand, which was holding the dagger. At the same time, he stared coldly at Motaro. His voice even colder, he asked, "What do you think you are doing? "You!" Motaro was in shock. He couldn't fathom how his sneak attack had apparently been noticed and blocked. Motaro smiled immediately at Renji instead. "What do I think I'm doing?
O mighty genius magus, let me tell you…I am going to kill you." Motaro totally confident in self.
With the both of them so close, how could he, a warrior of the fifth rank, not kill a magus of the fifth rank?
Motaro suddenly relieved a bit of his strength with his right hand, and he burst out in battle-qi, directly breaking away from Renji's hold.
"Die!
" Motaro looked at Renji, stabbing again at Renji with his dagger.
"Rawr!!!!" A sound mural of horror! "What?!" Motaro heard the noise and shuddered involuntarily. Then he saw a very small black shadow appear before him. "What…what is this?" Motaro could tell that the black shadow was actually the little Umbramouse, Echo, which spent every day on Renji's shoulders. The little Umbramouse opened its mouth wide, revealing a mouth filled with a horrifying number of sharp teeth, and directly chomped down towards Motaro's face. "Nooo-!" Motaro immediately tried to retreat at high speed, jerking his head away. Crunch!" The little Umbramouse was much quicker compared to Motaro's imagination. How can Motaro dodge? The little Umbramouse lifted its right paw and waved a few sharp, knife-like talons at Motaro's head. In one swipe half of Motaro's neck was removed from his body and the blood spurted out wildly.
"Urk…gurgle…" Clasping a hand to what remained of his neck, Motaro's eyes were as wide as an ox.
His disbelieving, horrified eyes were stuck upon the little Umbramouse, and within his heart, he was absolutely appalled. "Umbramouse?undefinedIs this an Umbramouse?undefined" As he fell into death, and his consciousness dissipated, Motaro was still filled with terror and disbelief. He had prepared so long to make this move, but he hadn't figured the little Umbramouse into his plans. Dark-colored Umbramouse was the weakest level of Umbramouse. But in that instant, when he died, Motaro finally realized that the cute little Umbramouse was actually a terrifying monster."Thud!" Motaro's hands fell lifelessly from his throat down to his sides, and then he himself collapsed as well. His fresh blood stained his clothes and stained the ground.