The day of the Hunting Competition had finally arrived. The streets of Rigforresia were teeming with people, far more than the night before; the entire city was practically vibrating with the festive spirit.
"Come to think of it, Rei-san. How is the winner of the Hunting Competition actually decided?"
"It’s based on both quantity and quality," he explained. "The forest is home to a vast variety of animals and Monsters, and points are assigned to each species. The participants compete based on their total score. Of course, more powerful Monsters yield higher points, but the danger increases accordingly. Still, with so many people participating every year, even if things get dicey, there’s usually another participant nearby to step in and help."
"I see... Speaking of which, what’s the strongest Monster out there?"
As we strolled through the city together, I continued to pick Rei-san's brain about the event. It seemed the rankings were decided on a point system, meaning it was up to the individual's discretion whether to hunt a large number of weak animals or focus on subjugating a single powerful Monster.
I wasn't quite sure how they tallied the points... perhaps they had to bring back a specific part of the beast as proof of subjugation?
"The top prize is the Black Bear," Rei-san answered.
"A Black Bear? I've heard of Red Bears before. Are they similar?"
"No, Red Bears and Black Bears are similar in name only. Red Bears have high-quality meat and fur, making them very popular prey. But Black Bears? Their meat is toxic and inedible, and their fur is incredibly difficult to process. They're essentially pests with no real benefits."
"I see."
"More importantly, their strength is on a different level entirely. A Red Bear is just a wild beast; anyone capable of using Magic can hunt one easily enough. However, a Black Bear is strong enough to rival a Wyvern. They’re slow and ponderous, but their power is terrifying, and their fur is as hard as iron. Mediocre skill won't even leave a scratch on them."
My only real impression of Wyverns involved them being slaughtered instantly by Kuro, but apparently, that was just because Kuro was ridiculously powerful. In reality, Wyverns were incredibly dangerous. Supposedly, any human capable of subjugating a Wyvern solo possessed the highest class of Combat Power for Humankind.
"Most participants will go out of their way to avoid them, but Lilia-chan, Lunamaria-chan, and Sieg should be more than capable of taking one down alone. If they’re aiming for the top spot, the key will be how many Black Bears they can bag."
"Are you going after them too, Rei-san?"
"No, I’ve been retired as a Mage for a long time now. Dealing with a Black Bear at my age would be a bit of a struggle. I'd rather earn my points elsewhere."
"Do you think Lilia-san and the others can win?"
Rei-san had participated in the Hunting Competition many times in the past and was well-versed in the details. I decided to ask him if he thought Lilia-san's group had a real shot at victory.
"...To be honest, it’s going to be tough."
"What!?"
"I won't say it's impossible, but... perhaps because of the prize, there are far more participants this year than usual. It seems the captain of the Elves' Security Force is joining in. But more than that... I looked around a bit this morning, and there were two people who were clearly in a different league."
"In a different league? People that strong?"
"Yeah. One is a pink-haired girl from the Fairy Race. Fairies don't usually possess much raw power, but her Magic Power was far greater than mine... She might even be High Fairy class."
Wait, that description... it sounded awfully familiar.
"And the other is a knight in Jet-black armor. Their movements, the atmosphere they project, their Magic Power—everything about them was staggering. They might even have power on par with a High-ranking Demon."
"..."
That had to be Raz-san and Noin-san. It made sense; Noin-san was the First Hero, powerful enough to have defeated the Demon King. And while I didn't know the extent of Raz-san's power, Acht had called her "Big Sis" and even Noin-san treated her with deference. She was likely a legend even among the Fairy Race.
So, in Rei-san's estimation, Raz-san and Noin-san were the favorites to win. If either of them did, I should probably try talking to them to see if they’d be willing to part with the Fruit of the World Tree. They were both kind people; they might understand if I explained Lilia-san’s situation.
Of course, the best-case scenario would still be for Lilia-san and her group to win on their own.
"Whoa, Miyama-senpai! Kusunoki-san! Look at all these stalls!"
"It really is impressive."
"Yes, it’s quite a massive festival."
We had seen Lilia-san and the others off to the starting line, but since we couldn't follow them into a forest crawling with monsters, we were left with quite a bit of time on our hands. The three of us ended up browsing the festival stalls instead.
Yuzuki-san was frolicking about with genuine excitement—she clearly loved festivals—and Kusunoki-san and I watched her with matching wry smiles.
"Speaking of which, Miyama-san. I happened to see them yesterday, but are you acquainted with that Fairy and the person in armor?"
"Yeah. I think I mentioned them before, but they’re Razulia-san and Noin-san. They're part of Kuro's family."
"Oh? Then the person in armor was the one who gave us the rice? I really should have thanked them."
"There's still tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll have a chance to talk, so you can tell them then. More importantly, we'd better hurry or we'll lose sight of Yuzuki-san."
"...Honestly, Hina-chan is just too hyper."
If Raz-san or Noin-san won, I intended to visit them to negotiate, and while I knew I had a lot to think about, I decided to set aside the competition and Lilia-san’s group for the moment. The only thing I could really do was cheer for them. So, while wishing them luck in my heart, I focused on enjoying the Treasure Tree Festival.
"Senpa~i! Hurry up, come here!"
"Yeah, I'm coming!"
Pushing my worries aside, I followed Kusunoki-san toward Yuzuki-san.
The three of us had a great time browsing the stalls, and before we knew it, noon was approaching.
"Oh? The stalls are starting to thin out, aren't they?"
"Yeah. Look, you can see a wall over there. This might be the end of the line."
"I see! In that case, I'll go touch that wall and then we can head back!"
We had walked quite a distance. The stalls were becoming sparse, and a wooden wall surrounding the city of Rigforresia had come into view just ahead. It seemed we’d reached the edge of the festival area, and Yuzuki-san ran toward the wall with a playful grin.
"She’s certainly got energy."
"She’s been a festival nut since middle school. She used to go all out for the school cultural festivals, too."
"Ahaha, that sounds like Yuzuki-san. Oh, it's almost noon. If I recall, the Hunting Competition was supposed to end at 14:00?"
"Yes, I believe that’s correct. What should we do for lunch? Should we wait until Lilia-san and the others get back?"
"Hmm. Let's ask Yuzuki-san what she—!?"
"Wh-What was that!?"
Just as I was talking to Kusunoki-san about lunch, a thunderous crash like a building collapsing tore through the air. I whipped my head toward the sound—where Yuzuki-san had just run—to see a massive plume of dust rising from the city's wooden perimeter.
"Yuzuki-san!"
"Hina-chan!"
Kusunoki-san and I both screamed her name. Almost simultaneously, the dust began to settle. Just as I was about to heave a sigh of relief at seeing Yuzuki-san still standing, I froze. I couldn't believe my eyes.
There, just ahead of Yuzuki-san, a Jet-black bear easily exceeding four meters in height pushed through the settling dust of the shattered wall.
"It... It’s a Black Bear!!"
"Was the Barrier Magic broken!?"
The moment we realized what it was, screams erupted from the people around us. How had I not noticed it? Had the city's Barrier Magic been masking its presence from my Sympathy Magic? Regardless of why, the situation was catastrophic.
The Black Bear fixed its gaze on Yuzuki-san and began to lumber slowly toward her.
"Hina-chan! Run!!" Kusunoki-san shrieked.
It’ll be okay... it’ll be okay. Yuzuki-san can use incredible Physical Enhancement Magic. Rei-san said Black Bears are slow, and there’s still several meters between them. She can easily escape if she just—
"...H-hic... ah..."
"Damn it!"
"Miyama-san!?"
A strangled, trembling sob leaked from Yuzuki-san's throat, and I immediately sprinted toward her.
What was I thinking? Having the power to handle a situation and actually being mentally capable of using it are two entirely different things! She’s only a sixteen-year-old girl. There was no way she could remain calm and take the optimal course of action with a monster like that suddenly appearing before her.
As I ran straight toward her, a Magic Circle surfaced on my hand. In response, Magic Power began to leak from my body as if a restraint had been snapped, and I began the preparations to use the Magic Kuro had taught me.
I'm no saint or hero. I wouldn't risk my life for a total stranger. But... once I’ve made a friend, I can't just walk away. I'm a coward—a coward so profound that I don't even have the courage to abandon someone I care about. I couldn't just stand there and let Yuzuki-san die!
In a matter of seconds, I reached her. I grabbed her frozen shoulder and pulled with all my might, interposing myself between Yuzuki-san and the Black Bear. As Yuzuki-san tumbled back onto the ground, the Black Bear saw me intervene and picked up its pace, closing the distance.
I wasn't some battle-manga protagonist or a legendary Hero. I’d never been in a real fight, and my athleticism was slightly below average for my age. If you asked what my chances were against a Black Bear that even a Former Court Mage like Rei-san found daunting, the answer was zero.
Even if I held a sword capable of killing the beast in a single blow, I didn't think I could even land the hit. There was no way a person who’d never been in a fight could move effectively in their first real combat. I couldn't even throw a proper punch. That’s why, when I’d asked Kuro to teach me combat Magic, that was the first thing I’d considered.
If I couldn't fight properly, I just needed a way to protect myself by force.
My only weapon was the sensing ability granted by my Sympathy Magic. With this alone, I had been able to detect a Wyvern's approach almost at the same time as Kuro, one of the Six Kings. I had asked her to come up with a spell that could maximize that one advantage.
Kuro had told me not to use it unless I had no other choice. Well, right now, I had no other choice.
My preparations clicked into place. Magic Power erupted from my body in a sudden surge, and the Magic Circle on my hand flared with a brilliant light. As the Black Bear reached me and swung a paw the size of a tree trunk, I drew my only double-edged sword.
"Auto-counter!"
The moment I spoke the name of the Magic, my body moved entirely beyond my conscious control. Leaving only my thoughts behind, I became a passenger in my own skin. My body reacted with supernatural precision to the hostile intent detected by my Sympathy Magic, which had been vastly sharpened by the surging mana.
Dear Mother, Father—wasn't it your favorite saying, Dad? That "there are times when a man has to step up even if it's impossible"? I don't know if this is one of those times, but amidst the chaos... I stood before the giant beast.