His mastery in both the Magic Sword Summoning Arts and the Wooden Magic Sword had increased by two points.
"……So it really does have to be a magic stone from a monster I defeated personally."
Even with his prediction proven correct, he found it hard to be truly happy about the discovery. He would have much preferred to confirm this while Roy was healthy, perhaps out in the forest with his father watching over him as he took down a Little Boar.
Ren adjusted the weight of the carcass on his shoulder, a faint trace of satisfaction finally mingling with his sigh.
"……I should test the Wooden Magic Sword properly soon."
But since he was heading back to the estate for the day, that would have to wait until tomorrow. As he thought about the real work beginning the next morning, Ren felt his resolve tighten.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
He woke up earlier than usual the following morning, finishing his preparations and heading straight for the woods.
"If you look for Sword Rock, you’ll always know your way."
That had been the helpful advice Mireille gave him before he left the house. Sword Rock was the massive, blade-like spire Roy had described. It was located about ninety minutes deep into the forest. Recalling its location, Ren reconfirmed his plan for the day.
I’ll stick to hunting within thirty minutes of the bridge, he told himself.
Steeling his nerves, he stepped into the trees. Branches swayed and leaves rustled in the wind. The only other sounds were the chirping of birds and the distant rush of the river.
"Whoa……"
His foot sank into a patch of mud, and sludge seeped into his shoe. His cheek twitched at the cold, squelching sensation. While he was busy trying to scrape it off, a creature resembling a leech began crawling up his arm. It wasn't an unusual sight in a place like this, but the feel of it against his skin was revolting.
Fortunately, it hadn't bitten him yet, so he was able to flick it away with a quick snap of his fingers.
"A real 'leech' climb, huh……"
He winced at his own lame joke and looked up at the sky, feeling embarrassed. Once he finished cleaning off the mud, he began walking again, his gait heavier than before—not from fatigue, but from the self-reproach of making puns at a time like this.
Suddenly, the bushes ahead shook violently, and a mud-caked Little Boar burst into the clearing.
"Bruu!"
"Another sudden one!?"
Wild beasts were supposed to be cautious, but this Little Boar was anything but. Perhaps monsters shouldn't be compared to normal animals, given how fearlessly this one charged him. Ren didn't flinch. He raised his Wooden Magic Sword and—
"Buh-wah!?"
—delivered a sharp, decisive strike directly to the crown of its head.
"The first fight of the day ended pretty quickly."
He hoisted the boar onto his shoulder. Just like the day before, he felt a warm sensation flow from the creature's chest into his arm. A quick glance at his bracelet confirmed that his mastery for both the Magic Sword Summoning Arts and the Wooden Magic Sword had increased by one point each.
"Right, she did say they were empty."
Yesterday, when he had brought back the boars, Mireille had noted while butchering them that the magic stones were "empty." A magic stone was a crystal of mana that grew alongside a monster. If the mana vanished, the stone turned a milky, translucent white, becoming worthless as a trade good.
Mireille had found it strange, but Ren didn't need to worry about that anymore. From now on, those magic stones were his.
"…………And now what?"
Reminiscing was all well and good, but he couldn't fight properly while carrying a carcass. He didn't want to leave it behind where scavengers could get to it, either. Reluctantly, he began walking back toward the suspension bridge to drop it off.
"Whoa……"
Two more Little Boars appeared, as if waiting to ambush him while his hands were full.
"Fine by me."
Ren hurled the dead boar he was carrying straight at the newcomers. They flinched for a split second, and Ren used that opening to close the distance. He dispatched the first with a light blow to the head. The second seemed to finally sense the danger; it backed away and turned to flee.
He wished he had a way to attack from a distance…… then he remembered.
"Wait, I do."
He had been meaning to test it—the Nature Magic (Small) ability attached to the Wooden Magic Sword. He had never used magic before, so he hesitated for a moment, trying to recall the nature spells he had seen in the game. He remembered how the elves used roots and vines to bind their enemies.
He tried to activate it, but nothing happened. Guessing there was a specific trigger, he swung the Wooden Magic Sword toward the fleeing boar's back.
"Bwoh!?"
Luminous green particles danced from the blade, settling onto the forest floor. In an instant, thick roots erupted from the earth, coiling around the Little Boar’s neck and pinning it to the ground. The creature struggled, unable to breathe, until it lost consciousness.
"Wow…… that’s incredible."
When he approached to finish it off, the boar was already on the verge of death. To end its suffering quickly, Ren swung the Wooden Magic Sword down hard against its skull.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
When he returned to the estate that evening, Mireille met him with a look of pure shock.
"Ren, did you…… did you hunt all of these yourself!?"
"Yes. They were being unusually aggressive today."
There were twelve in total. Consequently, both the Magic Sword Summoning Arts and the Wooden Magic Sword had gained an equal amount of mastery.
"Even your father rarely brings back this many at once…… Wait, how did you even carry them all?"
"I carried half of them, and for the others, I found some vines in the forest and tied them together to drag them back."
"I see…… that’s impressive."
The part about finding vines in the forest was a lie, though.
In reality, the vines were another product of the Wooden Magic Sword. He had experimented with the magic further on his way back, figuring out how to manifest them. It hadn't been difficult; he just had to swing the sword while focusing on the desire for roots or vines to grow.
Nothing else came out, but I guess that’s the limit of Nature Magic (Small).
Naturally, the vines and roots vanished the moment he dismissed the magic sword.
I just have to be careful not to drain myself.
Using the magic felt similar to the sensation of summoning the sword itself, so he knew it was consuming his mana. He would need to keep training to increase his capacity.
While he was lost in thought, Mireille let out a surprised cry as she inspected the boars.
"This is amazing! These pelts will sell for much more than the ones Roy hunts!"
"Really? Why?"
"There aren't any large wounds! Your father uses a steel sword, so the pelts always get damaged during the hunt. But since you’re using a wooden sword, there’s not a single scratch on them!"
She looked at Ren with a mix of pride and confusion. Ren could only offer a wry smile.
I hope things go this well tomorrow, too.
Ren offered a silent prayer to Lord Elfen and stretched his aching back. The fatigue was starting to set in; hunting in his father's stead was more taxing than he had anticipated.
I have to keep at it tomorrow.
His profile showed a look of grim determination as he prepared for the days ahead.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
On the second day, he matched his previous count. On the third, he surpassed it. With each passing day, his haul grew. By the seventh day, he had avoided any major injuries and was heading home as the sun began to dip below the horizon.
"The young master is truly something else!"
"A worthy heir to the Ashton name!"
"Doing great work again today, kid!"
The villagers called out to him as he walked by. People spoke to him far more often now than they had when he was just a child taking walks, and since it was always praise, it didn't feel bad. However, Ren didn't let the compliments go to his head; his days were still filled with tension.
I really have taken down a lot of them……
Ren waved back to the villagers and checked the bracelet hidden under his bracer.
- Wooden Magic Sword (Level 1: 97/100)
He didn't bother checking the Summoning Arts mastery. He knew it was still a long way from the next level, as each boar only provided a single point of progress. It was a slow process.
However, a level-up for the Wooden Magic Sword promised a new reward.
- Iron Magic Sword (Unlock Conditions: Magic Sword Summoning Arts Level 2, Wooden Magic Sword Level 2)
The prospect of unlocking a new blade kept him motivated. Currently, the text for the Iron Magic Sword provided no description, but he assumed that would change once it was unlocked.
I can't imagine iron has any special powers, but still.
Knowing it would likely unlock tomorrow made him feel light on his feet, almost enough to skip. To the villagers, the sight of a small boy effortlessly dragging a bundle of boars tied with vines was surreal, but Ren's light mood vanished the moment he reached the estate.
"……What’s going on?"
Through the windows, he saw figures rushing frantically through the hallways. Even from a distance, he recognized Mireille and Granny Rigu.
He knew immediately that something was wrong. Ren dropped the boars and sprinted into the house. Mireille was moving so fast she didn't even notice him. He followed her up the stairs.
"Mother! What happened!?"
He caught up to her just as she reached Roy's door, placing his hand over hers on the doorknob.
"Ren!? Y-yes…… it was already time for you to be home……!"
She was acting strange. It wasn't that she was being cold, but she seemed desperate to pull her hand away and disappear into the room, her eyes darting around nervously.
"Is he——"
Ren started to ask, but Granny Rigu appeared behind them.
"Young master! Out of the way!"
With a terrifyingly grim expression, she shoved Ren aside and pushed her way into the room. She was clutching a wooden bucket filled with a steaming herbal decoction.
"Madam, stay outside for now! You'll only be in the way! Don't come in!"
Granny Rigu slammed the door shut with a heavy thud.
Ren stood there, stunned. Mireille reached out to him, her knees giving out as she sank to the floor and pulled him into a trembling embrace.
"Something happened to Father, didn't it?"
Mireille’s grip tightened. Her shaking grew worse.
"Mother, is there anything I can do?"
"……Nothing."
"Anything at all. If there’s something I can do——"
"There isn't. Not for me, and not even for Granny Rigu."
"——What do you mean?"
Mireille looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears that spilled over and dampened the floor.
"……Right after Granny Rigu came to check on him this evening, your father's condition took a sudden turn for the worse."
She explained that Roy had deteriorated in an instant. He was only alive now because they were using up their remaining stores of precious medicinal herbs, and those were expected to run out by morning.
"Madam! Fetch the apothecary box from my house! My husband will know which one it is! Go, quickly!"
Granny Rigu barked the order as she peeked her head out the door.
"Ren, don't get in Granny Rigu's way. Just stay quietly in your room, okay?" Mireille said bravely. She gave Ren one last squeeze and then sprinted out of the estate.
Once she was gone and Granny Rigu had returned to the sickroom, Ren ignored the instructions and stepped inside. He had to know.
"Granny Rigu! Is there really nowhere nearby to find those herbs!?"
"There’s nowhere left! They used to grow at the base of Sword Rock, but the frost killed them all off ten years ago!"
Her voice was sharp with irritation. She was doing everything she could to save Roy, and a child’s questions felt like an unwelcome distraction.
What do the herbs look like……?
Ren looked at the herbs Granny Rigu was preparing. Fortunately, there were some unprocessed samples nearby. They were easy to recognize, with leaves shaped like a five-pointed star.
——Rondo Grass. It was Rondo Grass all along.
In the Legend of the Seven Heroes, Rondo Grass was a common medicinal herb. Even a protagonist starting in a rural village could buy it easily. But this village wasn't just rural; it was a frontier outpost at the edge of the world where merchants rarely ventured. The village had stores, but apparently not enough for a crisis like this.
I’ve used this item a thousand times. I can't be mistaken.
He couldn't accept that it was extinct until he saw it for himself. He couldn't just sit here and wait.
But he was afraid. Heading into the forest at this hour with a predator on the loose was suicide. Going all the way to Sword Rock…… any sane person would be terrified.
……But if I don't do anything, he dies.
Ren clenched his fists, summoned every ounce of courage he possessed, and made a choice. He left the room without a word and saw his mother running toward the village through the window.
"……I’m sorry, Mother."
He whispered the apology to the empty air and looked toward the dark treeline. He nodded to himself, fixed his gaze on the distant shadow of Sword Rock, and bolted out of the house.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
After he had been running through the forest for a while, the dense canopy began to thin, and the path opened up. Fortunately, he hadn't encountered any Little Boars. Ren was radiating such a palpable sense of focused aggression that the local wildlife seemed to be giving him a wide berth.
Several dozen minutes later, he reached his destination.
"Finally."
He emerged from the trees into an open plain. A small lake sat in the center, and within it stood Sword Rock, rising like an icy spire from the water. Night had fallen completely, but under the brilliant starlight, his visibility was surprisingly good.
The base of the rock was surrounded by water. It wasn't deep enough to drown an adult, but it was deep enough to go over Ren's head. Normally, you'd need a boat.
Ren summoned his Wooden Magic Sword and swung it, creating a bridge of thick roots that stretched across the water to the base of the rock. He crossed the makeshift path and began searching the ground for Rondo Grass.
Nothing.
He had clung to a sliver of hope, but Granny Rigu had been right. It wasn't here. Ren looked up at the nearly vertical face of Sword Rock. He swung the sword again, this time manifesting vines that climbed the stone wall.
"This really is convenient."
Thankful for his Physical Ability Up (Small) buff, he began to climb. He felt no fear of the height. Scaling a rock face as tall as a ten-story building with his bare hands would have been impossible in his previous life, but he felt a strange sense of ease.
Halfway up, he stopped to catch his breath. He found a small ledge to perch on and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Is that——"
Looking further up, near the summit, he saw something swaying in the night wind.
"It’s still there, Granny Rigu."
The star-shaped leaves were dancing in the breeze. Renewed with energy, Ren lunged for the vines and continued his ascent, moving faster than before. His lungs were burning by the time he reached the top.
"——Yes! Rondo Grass!"
It hadn't been wiped out. A lush cluster of the herbs grew on the flat plateau at the summit. He didn't know exactly how much he needed, but there was plenty here.
As he gathered the herbs, he noticed something else. A short distance away, animal bones were scattered across the rock. When he looked closer, he realized they were from Little Boars. But there was more—jewelry and various trinkets lay glinting in the starlight among the remains.
"…………"
His palms grew sweaty. A Little Boar couldn't climb this rock, and he’d never heard of flying monsters in this area. The jewelry was the final clue. A name from the game's bestiary flashed through his mind.
I have to get out of here.
The worst possible premonition gripped him. He finished gathering the herbs and used the vines to slide back down the rock face. Once he hit the bottom, he crossed the lake again using his root bridge. He tried to steady his ragged breathing as he stepped onto the shore.
I have to get clear of the trees……!
He took a single, cautious step forward.
"Hmph!"
"Bruuu……!"
"Gaaaaah!"
Three Little Boars burst out in front of him. They looked terrified, but they launched a desperate charge all the same.
"Not now!"
Ren was confused by their fear but frustrated by the noise they were making. He swung the Wooden Magic Sword. He couldn't afford a long fight. In an instant, the three were dead, but as he turned to leave, the night wind suddenly died down.
A massive shadow fell over the grass in front of him, cast from somewhere behind his back. The silhouette in the moonlight confirmed everything.
"……I see. They weren't hunting me. They were running from you."
Four tails swayed ominously in the shadow as the creature lifted its head.
"So you’re the monster everyone's been talking about…… the Thief Wolfen."
Ren steeled himself and turned around. It was exactly as he remembered from the game. A wolf-like beast with pure white fur, four tails, and six glowing eyes. It was as long as three grown men.
The Thief Wolfen had two defining traits: incredible speed and the ability to use wind magic like invisible hands to "steal" items or tear apart enemies. It was a rare encounter even in the game.
I knew something was wrong when I saw that jewelry on the rock.
The Thief Wolfen was a D-rank monster, but it was a Unique Monster—a special individual far stronger than its rank suggested.
"Dammit……!"
He was outmatched. Ren turned and bolted, desperate to get back to the safety of the village.
"Awooooooooooooooo!"
The roar vibrated in his very marrow. It was the sound of a predator claiming its prey.
"Hah…… hah……!"
Ren pushed his legs until they felt like they would snap. He didn't look back. But within seconds, the trees on either side of him were mowed down by a violent gale. The Thief Wolfen, wreathed in a localized cyclone, was suddenly running right alongside him.
"——!?"
Ren dodged by a hair’s breadth as the beast lunged, the force of the near-miss knocking him to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, eyes narrowed as the wolf skidded to a halt in front of him.
"My bad. I won't go near your nest again, okay?"
Up close, the beast was staggering. Its silver-white fur radiated a majestic yet terrifying pressure. All six of its crimson eyes were locked onto him, making his heart hammer against his ribs.
"There are plenty of Little Boars around. Go eat them."
"…………"
He gripped his Wooden Magic Sword, trying to talk himself into a state of calm. The Thief Wolfen didn't respond. It bared its fangs and took a slow, predatory step forward.
"Get out of the way."
Ren's voice was cold now, filled with hostility. He didn't have time for this. The fear of facing a Unique Monster was being eclipsed by the fear that he wouldn't get the medicine to his father in time.
"Gauu……"
The wolf let out an intimidating huff, and a chaotic flow of wind began to swirl around Ren.
Wind magic!
The invisible hands of the gale struck. Ren twisted his body and rolled away, but he felt a sharp sting on his cheek. He touched it; his fingers came away red.
This isn't something I can beat.
Running was nearly impossible, but fighting seemed suicidal. Then, he noticed something. The Thief Wolfen was favoring one of its front legs. There was a deep, jagged gash there.
Father…… you really did fulfill your duty.
Roy had managed to wound the beast. That was why he had escaped, and why the wolf hadn't attacked the village yet—it had been nursing its pride and its injury.
But it’s not going to let me walk away.
If he turned his back now, it would be over. He had to use his Nature Magic to slow it down and hope he could make it to the village. But his only weapon was a wooden sword.
How do I……?
Under the extreme pressure, Ren’s mind became preternaturally clear. He remembered the elf boss from the game and the way it used the forest to its advantage. Ren only had Nature Magic (Small), which meant roots and vines, but he had to make them count.
"I’m not giving up!"
"Gruu!?"
Ren summoned roots to snag the wolf's paws. In that split second of immobility, Ren closed the distance and swung the Wooden Magic Sword with everything he had at the creature's skull.
Crunch.
"Guh—it’s like hitting a rock!"
The shock of the impact vibrated up Ren's arms. The Thief Wolfen let out a pained yelp, its six eyes now burning with pure homicidal rage. Ren tried to follow up, but as he put strength into his grip—
"What!?"
The Wooden Magic Sword shattered, the blade turning into splinters while the hilt dissolved into mist. The roots and vines holding the wolf vanished instantly.
It couldn't take the impact…… but I can just summon it again!
He focused, and the sword reappeared in his hand. But a sharp headache spiked through his skull.
Re-summoning a broken blade…… the mana cost is huge.
He didn't have time to recover. The Thief Wolfen lunged, its massive jaws snapping at his head. Ren threw himself to the side, rolling through the damp dirt. He scrambled up, spitting grit and raising his sword again.
I can't just keep hitting its head. It won't work.
He was burning through mana just to keep the wolf at bay with roots while the beast's wind magic tore at his clothes and skin. This couldn't go on.
"Gruuu——Gaaaaaa!"
The wolf charged again, its speed blurring into a white streak. It caught Ren in a moment of exhaustion, its fangs sinking deep into his flank.
"Gwah…… ah……!?"
The leather armor was useless. The teeth sank into his side, and Ren felt a hot, searing pain as he twisted away to keep from being disemboweled. Blood sprayed the grass.
Use the herb——no, I can't.
He didn't know if he had enough for Roy. He couldn't waste even one leaf on himself. But he was losing blood fast. He needed a way out. He needed power.
His eyes fell on the crystal in his bracelet.
- Wooden Magic Sword (Level 1: 97/100)
And more importantly:
- Iron Magic Sword (Unlock Conditions: Magic Sword Summoning Arts Level 2, Wooden Magic Sword Level 2)
He had killed three Little Boars just minutes ago. He hadn't had the chance to absorb their stones yet.
"Gaaaaaaa!"
The wolf roared, preparing for the kill. Ren ignored the burning pain in his side and ran.
"Hah…… hah…… just stay still!"
He cast one more set of vines to entangle the wolf, buying himself a few precious seconds to reach the spot where the three boars lay. His vision was starting to tunnel from blood loss, but he reached them.
He slammed his hand onto the carcasses.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
One. Two. Three. The bracelet absorbed the mana, and the crystal began to pulse with a low, steady light.
- Iron Magic Sword (Level 1: 0/1000) Sharpness increases with level.
It didn't mention any special powers, but Ren didn't care. He just needed a blade that wouldn't break.
"Gwooo……"
Ren threw his Wooden Magic Sword at the wolf as it tore through the vines. The wolf dodged easily, and the sword landed behind it.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The Thief Wolfen lunged for Ren's throat, its claws glowing with the lethal edge of wind magic. Behind the beast, the discarded Wooden Magic Sword pulsed, and dozens of vines erupted from it, binding the wolf from behind mid-leap.
Ren looked the monster in its six eyes, his own burning with a fierce light.
"This is it!"
The Wooden Magic Sword vanished. In the space beside Ren's hand, reality seemed to crack, and a new blade emerged—a sword forged of solid, blackened iron.
The vines holding the wolf vanished as the old sword was dismissed, and the beast, suddenly freed, faltered for a heartbeat. Ren didn't waste it. He stepped into the wolf's guard, leveled the Iron Magic Sword, and drove it upward.
"Everything I’ve got——daaaaaaah!"
The blade plunged into the back of the Thief Wolfen's throat. It didn't stop. It tore through the roof of the beast's mouth and pierced through its skull, the tip of the black iron blade emerging from the top of the wolf's head. A faint, ethereal blue trail followed the strike.
"Ga…… a……"
The white wolf gave a pathetic, wheezing whine. The light faded from its eyes, and the massive creature slumped to the ground, dead. Ren felt the massive surge of mana from the Unique Monster’s magic stone being pulled into his bracelet.
"I did it……"
His legs gave out. He collapsed beside the beast, his vision fading to black. He tried to use the Iron Magic Sword as a cane to stand, but his body wouldn't respond. The sword dissolved into mist, and the bracelet vanished.
He lay face-down in the dirt, his eyes fluttering closed.
Father, Mother…… I'm sorry.
With that final thought, Ren lost consciousness.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Minutes later, the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the clearing.
"The roar came from this way——Captain!"
"There! By the lake! Is that…… the monster? And a boy?"
Five knights from House Clausel arrived at the scene. They leapt from their horses and rushed to the fallen boy and the dead Thief Wolfen. The man in charge knelt and gathered Ren into his arms.
"……Thank the gods. He’s still breathing."
But the boy was soaked in blood. The captain pulled a small vial from his cloak and poured a shimmering blue liquid onto Ren's side. The bleeding slowed, but it wasn't enough. The captain tore his own cloak to fashion a bandage, pressing down on the wound.
"Is this…… a Thief Wolfen!?" one of the knights gasped. "Captain, he killed a Unique Monster!"
The captain looked at the beast in shock. "Impossible. A child this young couldn't have done this alone……"
But there was no time for questions. He hoisted the boy up to carry him to his horse. As he did, a bundle of herbs fell from Ren's shirt.
"Captain, wait. Could this be the boy the Commander mentioned?"
The captain’s eyes widened. "Yes. Roy Ashton’s son. Something must have happened to his father. He came out here alone for Rondo Grass."
"Then we didn't arrive a moment too soon."
"Secure the carcass of the wolf! We’re heading to the Ashton estate, now!"
The knights rode hard through the night. They crossed the suspension bridge and raced past the quiet farms until the estate came into view.
The horses skidded to a halt in front of the house.
"We are knights of Clausel! Open up!"
Mireille rushed out, her face pale with dread.
"Who are you——Ren!?"
"No time for talk, Madam! Show us to his room, quickly!"
"Y-yes! This way!"
The knights carried Ren to his bed and immediately began applying field medicine. They were trained to treat combat wounds, and they worked with practiced efficiency. Mireille was ushered into the hallway, where she stood in a daze.
The captain stepped out to join her.
"Forgive me, but we were told Roy Ashton was injured. Has his condition worsened?"
"……Yes. He took a turn for the worse this evening."
The captain nodded grimly and reached into his tunic, pulling out the bundle of Rondo Grass.
"The boy was clutching these. He risked everything for them."
"……Ren, you went all that way……"
Mireille took the herbs, her knees buckling as she began to sob. But the captain's voice was firm.
"Madam. Don't let your son's sacrifice be in vain."
Startled, Mireille looked at the door to Ren's room, then wiped her eyes and stood tall. She squeezed the herbs in her hand.
"Ren…… Mother will be right back. I promise."
She turned and sprinted toward Roy's room, carrying the medicine her son had bled to retrieve.