"Aim for the wings, both of you!"
"Right!"
"I'm on it!"
Almost the exact moment we stepped into the Kafka Forest, we encountered a Huge Bee. Their sizes varied, but this specimen was roughly the size of a human, perhaps a bit larger. Fortunately, it was alone.
No... considering the ecology of monsters, it was unlikely to be acting independently. I surmised that this was an intentional placement.
The academy likely wanted to gauge the students' abilities. They were forcing us to demonstrate everything we had learned since enrollment.
Amelia and Evi charged toward the Huge Bee, utilizing Quick Magic as they took the front line. However, the monster’s flight was so erratic and swift that they struggled to land a decisive blow.
"Elisa."
"Y—Yes!"
"When I give the signal, I need you to use your magic."
"I can do that... but what should I cast?"
"That would be..."
I whispered the specific spell to Elisa, and she gripped her hands tight in a silent nod. Though her fingers trembled slightly, her eyes held a firm, unmistakable resolve.
"...Amelia, Evi! I’m moving in!"
As I shouted, I let the code race through my mind.
Prima Materia = Encoding = Material Code Material Code = Decoding Material Code = Processing Embodiment = Inside Code
What I invoked wasn't standard magic. As Evi had previously noted, there were spells designed for physical reinforcement. These techniques pushed the physical capabilities of a human beyond their natural limits; some focused on raw power, while others specialized in speed.
Using Inside Code, I drew out my physical potential in a balanced ratio. I wasn't entirely certain I would be fine, but I had a sense I could pull it off. Even if I couldn't manage external interference, I felt that applying the code internally was well within my reach.
The Prima Materia coursing through my veins reinforced my body in an instant. Maintaining a low posture, I braced my feet against the earth and lunged.
"—Haa!"
I exhaled every bit of air from my lungs and kicked off the ground. I launched myself toward the Huge Bee as it zipped through the air and delivered a single, sharp flash of my blade. It wasn't a fatal wound, but I succeeded in severing one of its legs.
—I see. It’s been a while, but my synchronization with the code isn't bad.
"...Gieeeeeeeee!"
The Huge Bee shrieked, its balance faltering with the loss of its leg.
I landed nimbly and watched the creature as its movements grew increasingly frantic.
"Ray! What's the plan?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, we're following your lead. Looks like I wasn't wrong about you," Evi added with a grin.
"For now, the three of us will box it in and keep up the pressure. If we can just clip those wings, we win. Also, watch the abdomen. It doesn't just sting; it can spray poison. It's highly acidic and will melt human skin into a slurry."
"Roger!"
The three of us closed the distance again, hounding the Huge Bee to keep it distracted. Growing desperate, its movements became sloppy. While it had been looking for an opening to counterattack earlier, it now looked like it had its hands full just trying to flee.
—Now.
Making the call, I shouted back to Elisa.
"Elisa! Now!"
"...Right!!"
In that instant, the air erupted with a violent roar. I had asked Elisa to construct her code with meticulous care, generating as much wind as she possibly could.
The spell Elisa chose was the Mid-tier Magic, Storm. It was a notoriously difficult spell to process, but she executed it with staggering power.
"...Gieeeeeeeee!"
Even a Huge Bee couldn't maintain flight in the middle of a localized gale.
As it wobbled in the air, I didn't let the opportunity slip by. I kicked off the earth and leapt, carrying my momentum straight into the strike.
A single flash.
Unlike my previous strike, I brought my sword down in a vertical arc, splitting the Huge Bee's crown clean open. Following the momentum, I spun in mid-air and delivered a heavy heel drop, slamming the carcass into the dirt.
"...There. That should do it."
The Huge Bee hit the ground with a heavy thud. Obeying the pull of gravity, I touched down beside it.
Bodily fluids pulsed out of the wound. With its head split, the Huge Bee was already dead. I calmly sheathed my sword and looked down at the remains.
"Ray! That was amazing!" Amelia cried.
"Yeah! I saw flashes of it before, but man, you're something else!" Evi slapped my shoulder.
"Well... I ran into monsters quite often in the countryside forest back home. I'm used to this sort of thing. It's basically just pest control."
"Hmm... 'the countryside forest,' huh?" Amelia's eyes narrowed playfully.
"Yeah. Must have been one hell of a dangerous forest..." Evi added with a smirk.
They were both grinning at me.
Guh... damn it. Is the 'Omnipotent Countryside Forest Theory' already failing me?!
That's not what you told me, Master!
Cursing my mentor in my head, I crouched down by the carcass.
"Anyway, what do we do? Technically, there are parts of this thing that are edible."
"Eww... you can eat that?"
"Amelia, I'd usually say everything is a learning experience, but we have rations for now. Besides, a person can survive for about two weeks without food, and as for water... two or three days is manageable. Since we can generate water with magic, we don't need to resort to this. If it grosses you out, we'll pass. This isn't a survival course, after all. Amelia, could you burn it?"
"Understood."
I dragged the carcass to a clearing so the fire wouldn't spread to the trees, and she used her magic to incinerate the remains.
As I watched the smoke rise, Elisa came to stand behind me. She was fidgeting, looking like she wanted to say something, but she finally found her voice.
"Um... so... Ray-kun. That was incredible!"
"Hm? No, that’s just how I usually handle things. But Elisa, that was your first real battle, wasn't it? I noticed you were shaking."
"...Um... I was so scared. A monster that big... I'd read about them, but seeing one in person... I was terrified! But, because you told me what to do, Ray-kun..."
"I see... you mentioned you weren't good with magic, right?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"But your spell today was magnificent. Right, guys?"
"Absolutely. It was wonderful, Elisa," Amelia agreed.
"Yeah! I couldn't pull off a Storm like that if I tried!" Evi added.
I wasn't just saying that because we were teammates or friends. Elisa's magic truly was impressive. Magic isn't something that anyone can fire off with high intensity just by taking their time.
The processing stage requires a caster to weave incredibly complex codes together. If your concentration wavers for a second, the Code Theory collapses.
But under that immense pressure, Elisa had followed through. I felt she deserved honest praise, so I gave it to her.
"Th—Thank you, everyone..."
"Elisa, did that give you a little more confidence?" I asked.
"...Y-Yes! Just a little, but I think... I'm starting to understand how to use my magic!"
"I see. That is excellent progress."
When I gave her a warm smile, Elisa turned bright red and stared at her boots.
Seeing her face flush so suddenly, a specific instinct triggered in my mind.
"What's wrong? Did something happen? Don't tell me... did you get hit by the poison?! I need to call the medical team! Is there a medic nearby?! Mediiiiiic!!"
"I—I'm fine! That's not it at all!"
"Honestly, Ray. Elisa is just happy and embarrassed," Amelia sighed.
"Amelia-chan!" Elisa squeaked.
"Fufu... sorry, Elisa. But it seems like Ray won't understand unless someone spells it out for him."
"No kidding. This guy is strangely dense sometimes," Evi remarked.
"Mu... my apologies. If that's the case, then I'm glad. I was only speaking the truth. Let's keep working hard together, Elisa."
"...Y-Yes!"
For now, we had successfully cleared the first hurdle by defeating a monster.
However, the real problem—or rather, the true nature of this forest—likely wasn't the monsters. We had already discussed this, but the issue was that this forest distorted one's sense of direction. Heading straight for the center would likely get us nowhere.
Unless we figured out how to navigate or break the magic permeating this forest, we would never reach the goal.
"Well, shall we keep moving?"
"Yes, let's."
"Yeah."
"U—Um, right!"
The four of us set off once more.
Straight into the eerie depths of the forest, where the light was thin and the shadows of the trees stretched long and ominous.