"Hm...? Hmmmm...?"
At first, Rei didn't know where he was.
Still in a half-asleep daze, he checked his surroundings. After about ten minutes passed in that same condition, his mind finally started working again.
"Right, now that I think about it, I'm in the Forest of Magic."
Once he grasped where he was, he slowly accepted his situation.
Normally, if he were in the middle of a request, he'd be ready to spring into action the moment he woke up. But to have time to linger in a groggy state in a place as incredibly dangerous as the Forest of Magic was, honestly, surprising even to Rei.
"I guess that just shows how safe this hidden base feels."
He muttered to himself, gave one last big stretch, and quickly got ready.
His instincts must have accepted that this hidden base was a place where he could feel completely secure.
"As for that black snake, I've more or less figured it out too. It's probably guarding this hidden base, or something along those lines."
He murmured, recalling the conversation he'd had with Grimm through the Paired Orbs yesterday. Grimm was well-versed in the Zephyle Clan's history.
In the end, Grimm hadn't had accurate information about the black snake either. Still, they'd reached the conclusion that it was likely an entity born from experiments conducted during the development of Beast Magic.
Whether that was actually the truth, Rei didn't know.
But considering that none of the Zephyle Clan members who could use Beast Magic had been accompanied by a black snake, Rei had no choice but to accept that this was the most likely explanation.
There was also the possibility that someone before Rei had used Beast Magic to create it, but he dismissed that immediately.
After all, using Beast Magic required an enormous amount of magic power. The very reason Zephyle had sought his successor as far as another world was precisely because no such person existed here.
"An experimental entity, huh. If so, I wonder what kind of abilities that black snake actually has."
Thinking about it logically, if it was a creature born from Beast Magic experiments, it should have the ability to strengthen itself by consuming other monsters' magic stones.
On top of that, as anyone could tell from looking at Set, it should also possess the kind of intelligence to understand human speech.
(Ah, but when it comes to intelligence, couldn't the reason be that Set is an A-Rank gryphon? If that's the case, maybe low-rank monsters aren't as smart as Set.)
He thought about this, but as someone who only knew Set, he decided to set that question aside for now.
"Besides... the biggest question is the magic power. If that black snake is exactly what Grimm theorized, whose magic power was it created with?"
Beast Magic was a sorcery that used the caster's magic power to activate a specialized magic circle, thereby creating a monster.
Given that was the case, the black snake must have also been created by someone's magic power. But according to Grimm, no one within the Zephyle Clan had created a black snake using Beast Magic.
Then, was it someone else?
As one could tell from Grimm himself, the era in which the Zephyle Clan lived had produced many geniuses.
Among them, it wouldn't be strange for someone to possess enough magic power to use Beast Magic.
However, Rei dismissed that possibility as well.
Fundamentally, Beast Magic was the Zephyle Clan's secret art, their most closely guarded technique.
Even if it were for a test, would they really go so far as to let someone outside the clan use Beast Magic?
Rei didn't know the personalities of everyone in the Zephyle Clan, but thinking back on how Zephyle had behaved when they conversed after Rei's accident in Japan, he felt that was out of the question.
"Which means, what I can think of is... ah, it doesn't have to be a single person using Beast Magic, does it? Like, everyone chipping in a little bit of magic power together... something like that."
When considering the nature of Beast Magic, this was essentially an out-of-bounds method, one that could legitimately be called heresy.
But if it was an experiment, it wouldn't be strange for them to have tested it using the combined magic power of multiple people rather than just one.
This was merely a possibility, though.
It was only Rei's speculation. Perhaps it had been created through an entirely different method, or it was entirely possible that the black snake actually had no connection to Beast Magic at all. That possibility couldn't be denied either.
"I can just ask the black snake itself the next time we meet."
Whether it was an experimental subject of Beast Magic or something else entirely.
Regardless of the reason, the fact that the black snake had some connection to the Zephyle Clan and was friendly toward Rei and Set was undeniable.
Given that, it was only natural for Rei to consider interacting with it on friendly terms.
"Anyway, Set's probably getting hungry by now too... what should we have for breakfast?"
Saying that, Rei left the room to go get Set.
"As expected, the black snake isn't here, huh."
Having finished a slightly leisurely breakfast with Set, Rei stepped outside the barrier covering the hidden base, looked around, and muttered to himself.
Since it was right after his conversation with Grimm, he'd thought that perhaps the black snake might be waiting outside the barrier, but unfortunately, things didn't work out that conveniently.
"Grrruu..."
Hearing Rei's words, Set rumbled with apparent disappointment.
During breakfast, Rei had told Set what he'd heard from Grimm along with his own speculation, which led Set to recognize the black snake as a senior of sorts. No, in Set's perception, it seemed to view the black snake more like a grandfather or grandmother.
If the black snake was an entity created by Beast Magic, Set's perception wasn't necessarily wrong.
In that sense, since the black snake was the only other existence close to Set, Set probably wanted to meet it all the more.
Rei stroked the disheartened Set's body.
"Come on, for now we have monsters to hunt. We have to leave this Forest of Magic by tomorrow. ...Although, since the only rule is two nights and three days, we could technically leave at any time tomorrow."
What Worker had told Rei was to stay in the Forest of Magic for two nights and three days and defeat at least two A-Rank monsters.
That was why he had timed his arrival to reach the Forest of Magic early yesterday morning.
The same logic could be applied to when he left.
In other words, with two nights and three days, whether he left early morning on the third day or at night, it would still count as two nights and three days.
Of course, given the two-night, three-day condition, once the date changed, there was a high probability that the promotion exam would be counted as a failure.
Since he didn't know what other effects the Magic Item gem from Worker might have beyond its GPS-like functionality, it was only prudent to leave the Forest of Magic with some buffer time before the date changed.
"How about we fight the nighttime monsters a little tonight on a trial basis, then fight to our hearts' content tomorrow night before leaving? Sound good to you, Set?"
"Gruu!"
At Rei's words, perhaps deciding to put the black snake out of his mind for now, Set rumbled energetically.
And so, Rei left the barrier together with Set.
After yesterday's incident, having confirmed that he would somehow intuitively know the hidden base's location if he wanted to return, there was no need to carefully track its position while moving.
That was precisely why Rei rode on Set's back and had him run through the Forest of Magic.
"Near the barrier, there's no chance of enemies showing up. So for now, it's better to get as far away as possible. ...If possible, I'd like to take down one more A-Rank monster today."
In the end, the only A-Rank monster he'd defeated yesterday was the giant wolf.
The Queen Bee might have been A-Rank as well, but in Rei's estimation, it probably wasn't.
That was why he wanted to defeat one more A-Rank monster today, fulfilling the remaining condition for his promotion exam.
If he could manage that, tomorrow he wouldn't have to frantically search for the last one, and could instead focus purely on hunting monsters and gathering magic stones.
(Besides, even if it's impossible during the day, it'd be fine if I can hunt an A-Rank monster in tonight's battle.)
Once night fell, the monsters' movements would become more active.
A-Rank monsters would surely be among those actively moving as well.
As far as Rei was concerned, he figured that at the very least, it would be fine if he could defeat an A-Rank monster even under those circumstances.
"Grrrrrrruu!"
About thirty minutes after Set started running through the Forest of Magic.
Set, who had been heading in a different direction than yesterday, rumbled a warning while still running.
"Well now, here they come. What kind of opponent will be the first monster today?"
From atop Set's back, Rei retrieved Death Scythe and the Twilight Spear from his Misty Ring, muttering with a combative smile.
However... even several minutes after Set raised his warning cry, the enemy didn't show itself.
"What? I don't think it's a misjudgment on Set's part, but... no, they're there."
Through the gaps between the trees, or perhaps through the gaps in the underbrush.
From such openings, Rei could catch sight of monsters moving about.
"Wolves? No, that's not right. ...Orthrus!?"
The figure that appeared only for an instant looked like a wolf or a dog.
But upon carefully confirming the creatures' appearance, they weren't wolves but dogs. And not just ordinary dogs, but two-headed dogs with snake tails.
That monster was a very famous one, so Rei recognized it immediately.
Orthrus.
The problem, however, was that there wasn't just one Orthrus.
Their figures, moving so as to surround Rei and Set, indicated they were accustomed to hunting in packs like wild dogs or wolves.
"Troublesome."
The Orthrus that Rei knew of came from knowledge he'd gained through games, manga, anime, and various other sources back in Japan.
According to that, Orthrus were generally treated as boss-level... no, mid-boss-level creatures.
At the very least, they shouldn't have been hunting prey in packs like this.
That was likely why the word "troublesome" had slipped from Rei's mouth.
Even if he intended to defeat them, each individual was undoubtedly a fairly high-rank monster, so it was certain he'd have to put in a considerable amount of effort.
(What was it in the Monster Encyclopedia, again? I feel like it was a B-Rank monster. If they come at us as a group, does that make them A-Rank? But I don't think I can count a pack as an A-Rank monster.)
One of the conditions for the promotion exam was defeating two or more A-Rank monsters.
Considering that condition, monsters that acted in packs and were rated as A-Rank collectively probably wouldn't qualify.
Of course, that was merely Rei's own assumption, and there was a possibility that Worker might judge it as acceptable.
Even so, thinking about worst-case scenarios, he didn't want to count an entity that was only treated as A-Rank as a group toward his A-Rank monster tally.
"Anyway... rather than thinking about that, I need to take them down first."
"Gruu!"
At Rei's words, Set let out a cry of agreement.
Rei recalled the phrase about counting one's chickens before they hatch, but quickly pushed the thought aside.
And then... whether it judged Rei's momentary distraction as an opening, or was simply hot-blooded by nature.
Regardless, one of the Orthrus leaped at Rei and Set from between the nearby trees.
"Don't think you can get away with such an obvious attack!"
He shouted and swung Death Scythe.
That single strike severed one of the leaping Orthrus's heads and slashed halfway through the other.
"Set, we fight them here!"
"Gruu!"
At Rei's words, Set cried out sharply, killing his speed by digging his feet into the ground as if scraping away the earth.
Riding on his back, Rei went along with Set's momentum without resisting, let himself be carried by inertia, and landed on the ground as if tumbling from Set's back.
While doing so, without losing track of the presence bearing down on him, he swung Death Scythe.
"Haaaaah!"
The Death Scythe thus swung severed both necks of the Orthrus that had attacked Rei, who the enemy had likely thought had fallen from Set's back.
The headless Orthrus continued forward as if passing Rei by, then eventually collapsed onto the ground.
"I see you over there too!"
It probably wasn't out of revenge for a comrade, but toward the Orthrus that leaped at him from behind, Rei thrust out the Twilight Spear.
The spear pierced through the gap between its two heads, run clean through its torso as well. Then, Rei hurled the skewered Orthrus toward another one that was observing the situation, charged after it, and cut down both of them together with Death Scythe.