After stopping by my mansion, we finally arrived at our destination.
It was a forest located far from any human settlements—though "grove" might be a more accurate description. While the footing was a bit uneven, the trees weren't particularly dense, and visibility was quite good.
This was where, under Hapty-san’s guidance, Aoi-chan and Hina-chan would finally get their first taste of real adventurer work.
"Alright, keep what I told you in mind and let's try fighting some monsters for real. You don't need to look so tense; it'll be fine. Since you both know magic, you can use a Magic Power Barrier, right? None of the monsters living around here have enough attack power to pierce through one."
The Magic Power Barrier is the absolute foundation of magic. It was the very first thing Kuro taught me when I started learning how to use mana.
In essence, the Magic Power Barrier is less of a spell and more an application of mana manipulation—a technique where you maintain the magic power surrounding your body at the highest possible density to bolster your defense.
It isn't incredibly sturdy, but since it doesn't require a complex magic formula, one can keep it active indefinitely with enough practice. Since Hapty-san said nothing in this area could break it, it was safe to assume the girls weren't in any real danger of getting hurt.
Hapty-san activated a Wide-area Detection spell to track down some targets, and the practical combat training began. Since I was essentially just an observer, I stood by her side and watched the two of them fight.
They were visibly nervous at first, facing actual monsters for the first time, but Alice had been right—the creatures weren't very strong. In both appearance and ability, they felt like nothing more than oversized dogs.
Of course, a wild dog would be terrifying enough to a normal person, but with magic on the table, they didn't pose any threat at all.
Even I could have won against them without much trouble, so for those two, it was an easy victory. Although their movements were stiff at the start, they adapted quickly and began to handle the combat admirably.
Hina-chan, with her overwhelming physical ability, was practically a one-woman army. On the other hand, Aoi-chan seemed to be struggling a little more, as she had to carefully time her spells to avoid hitting Hina-chan in the fray.
Still, while they were both impressive, I could actually follow their movements with my own eyes. In a world full of monsters and gods, seeing a fight at this level felt strangely refreshing.
"Yeah, you both have a great handle on things. You're doing well. If I were to offer some advice, Hina, today’s terrain isn't a problem, but you should practice for situations where the trees are thicker or the ground is worse—places where your movements are restricted. As for Aoi, magic takes a moment to manifest, so you might want to carry some weapons for immediate self-defense. Throwing knives, for example, would be good to have on hand."
After a few skirmishes, Hapty-san gave the two of them some brief feedback.
"Also, make sure your equipment is up to par. Hina, some leg guards would suit your style. Aoi, a staff with magic-assisting properties would be perfect. It can double as a blunt weapon if things get too close for comfort."
Hapty-san continued to offer practical tips for adventurer life—how to take breaks effectively, ways to stay alert, and how to read topographical features. Aoi-chan and Hina-chan listened intently, scribbling notes as fast as they could.
Once she finished her lecture, Hapty-san turned toward me with a grin.
"Hey, since we’re out here, do you want to try a round, Kaito?"
"Eh? Me? No, I don't really have any way to attack..."
I’ve always been terrible at offensive magic. I don't have a single spell that functions as a proper attack. Auto-pilot is purely defensive, and as the girls often remind me by calling me a monster tamer, my own combat power is basically zero.
There was no way Hapty-san—or rather, Alice, who was controlling her—didn't know that. So why was she suggesting it?
As I was wondering about her motives, Alice herself suddenly appeared before us. She was standing perfectly upright with her arms crossed, wearing a sash over her shoulder that read "Pet No. 3."
Wait, I’ve definitely seen this routine before. While I stared at her with a look of growing exasperation, Alice silently handed me a piece of paper. It was the same "menu" of attack services and prices she had shown me in the past.
Alice-chan Sword: Sold Out Alice-chan Punch: 1 Silver Coin Alice-chan Kick: 1 Gold Coin Five-body Fusion Great Alice-chan Robot: 1 Platinum Coin
Everything was the same as last time, aside from the Alice-chan Sword being sold out. However, I noticed some new text scribbled at the very bottom. Let’s see...
'Defeat it! Giant Kaiju Pheton. The New Power: Neo Great Alice-chan Robot: 2 Platinum Coins'
She actually added a mid-season upgrade event for a successor machine?! Dammit, now I'm genuinely curious.
But if I wanted to see the new version, I’d probably need to see the standard Alice-chan Robot as a prerequisite. In that case, there was only one choice to make. It felt like the most pointless waste of money in history, but my curiosity was winning.
After agonizing over the decision for a moment, I pulled out a Platinum Coin and handed it to Alice.
At that exact moment, Hapty-san’s head snapped toward the forest as if she’d sensed something.
"I’ve got a reaction on the Wide-area Detection. I think... it's a Wyvern? It's all alone, so it must be a stray. That's a rare find."
It seemed the sacrifice for the Great Alice-chan Robot had been chosen.
Serious-senpai: "You moron! Are you so desperate for screen time that you're doing something this reckless?! Stop! Don't do it, Wyvern! Run for your life!"
Terminology Explanation:
Great Alice-chan Robot A robot developed by a brilliant scientist to protect world peace—or something along those lines. It is powered by love, courage, and other similar concepts. It fights against the villainous kaiju that conveniently appear to threaten the world. Special Move: Great Alice-chan Sword.
Giant Kaiju Pheton A kaiju that first appeared in Episode 15, "Lazy Despair." True to the genre’s tropes, it appeared midway through the season specifically to trigger the protagonist's upgrade event. Its power level was clearly several ranks higher than the previous week’s monster. It appeared in the middle of the city and did absolutely nothing, simply lounging around. It wouldn't even enter a combat stance when the Great Alice-chan Robot arrived; it just kept idling. Because of its absurdly high defense, it took zero damage from any of the Great Alice-chan Robot’s attacks. Ultimately, it spent the entire episode being lazy until the broadcast time was almost up, at which point it simply wandered home. It was the worst possible enemy in terms of visual entertainment. The fact that the same animation frames were used repeatedly during its debut wasn't a case of the studio cutting corners; it was simply because Pheton refused to move an inch.