Side: Rex
During Yamato and Prim’s mock battle, the Holy Grave and the Orders were stunned. I understood how they felt perfectly.
“Hey, Burks. Do you know what those two are doing?”
“I have no idea… Also, where are we now?”
Gram and Burks were looking for the two, which was understandable. They had been running all over the training ground just moments ago, but now their battlefield was the sky. I couldn’t even see their movements clearly myself, and what’s more, the training ground was in ruins because of them. In a way, it might have been inevitable. If this was what happened during a mock battle, what would happen in a real fight?
“So this is what an Ancient Class is like…”
“Even in a mock battle, they’re going all out…”
“The terrain has changed completely.”
“Right. How are we going to fix this?”
Athena and Ludia had looks of exasperation on their faces, but unlike us, the Wing Crest members weren’t surprised at all. I heard that Wing Crest had conquered Solpreza Labyrinth, the most difficult dungeon in Valentia, so perhaps they had seen them fight seriously before. Ah, Fina’s two younger sisters look bewildered, as if they don’t know what happened. Surprisingly, those two are single digits in level. They’re apparently crafters, but they can’t even do their work in their current state. There are definitely many problems, so I heard today they were brought here without doing any craftsman work.
“Yamato will probably handle it.”
“Or rather, this is too much, isn’t it?”
I wanted to agree completely with my sister Meena’s opinion. The aftermath of Yamato and Prim’s fight was terrifyingly scorched in some places and frozen in others. The ground wasn’t just cracked; there were also depressions from something falling from above, not just one or two. Given that they had done all this, it didn’t seem like a big deal that the wooden swords and spears lent out for the mock battle were shattered into pieces.
“Ugh, I lost again.”
“No, it was dangerous this time too, just like last time, right?”
Although it was a mock battle, Yamato seemed to have won, just like in their previous duel. He took advantage of a moment when Prim landed to cause the ground to cave in and approached at full acceleration. However, Prim counterattacked with a spear from an unstable stance. But that was an illusion Yamato had shown, and the real him had appeared behind Prim and was pointing his sword at his neck. He said that the magic that caused the ground to collapse and the illusion were both created with Engraving Magic.
“I want to say ‘good job,’ but what are we going to do about this mess?”
“Ah, if I use Yotsunheim, we can probably fix it…”
Yamato, who was being pestered by Ludia, used an Engraving Magic called Yotsunheim and, astonishingly, repaired the training ground in about ten minutes. I know that I can’t afford to be surprised by everything he does, but considering his mock battle and how easily he repaired the training ground, I’m reminded that he truly is beyond the norm.
“Alright, all good. Next, High Hunter and High Order will team up for a mock battle against me. After that, it’ll be all Normal Classes.”
At Yamato’s words, not only Holy Grave but also the Orders let out voices of despair. After witnessing that mock battle, I don’t think even all the High Classes combined could leave a scratch on him. No, more than half of the High Classes here participated in the Alliance, so they probably don’t have any such thoughts at all.
“Alright, High Classes, prepare yourselves. Faris, who will take command?”
“Leave it to Rex. That’s how it is in the Alliance, and he has the track record.”
In the Alliance, knights and soldiers are appointed as leaders. This is because the participants are not necessarily affiliated with the same country. In fact, in the past, when the highest-level individuals were hunters from other countries, they had retreated despite minor damage. The Alliance is a crucial mission that affects the fate of nations, and such actions would lead to greater overall damage, so this is understandable. That’s why I was the leader in the last Alliance. Holy Grave also participated, so there’s no dissatisfaction with me taking command.
“Alright. Prim, please be the judge.”
“Yes. Good luck.”
This time, the participating High Orders are myself, Rosemary, Muse, Iris, Gram, Elena, Kazham, and Rasla, a total of eight people. Kazham is a male from High Aldy at level 45, and Rasla is a female Hydragonewt at level 46. These two, along with Rosemary, were assigned to defend Feel instead of participating in the Alliance. However, when His Majesty visited the other day, they accompanied him on a survey of Mylight and gained two levels. Karidina, who participated in the Alliance, is currently dispatched to Prada Village and is not in Feel. These eight, along with seven High Hunters from Holy Grave, making a total of fifteen people, will face Yamato. Honestly, I think it was far easier when I was fighting the Orc Queen. However, this is training, and more importantly, it’s an opportunity to spar with an Ancient Human, so I intend to go all out.
“Alright, begin!”
At Prim’s signal, the mock battle began. Since I can’t possibly withstand his attacks by myself, Muse and I will take on the defensive, and I’ll instruct the others to attack from behind. I wonder how far we can go against Yamato?
Side: Prim
“That’s enough. Good work.”
“I’m really tired!”
“I… I can’t move anymore…”
After the mock battle against the High Classes, Yamato faced over 50 Normal Classes, but the result was that he didn’t even get a scratch and wasn’t even out of breath. In contrast, all the Normal Classes were slumped on the ground, breathing heavily. Lyra the Harpy and Lucas the Tigari, who are complaining, are still doing alright.
“Refreshing. Phew, is that a little better? Honestly, hundreds of Normal Classes combined wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
Eliza, an Elf, uses the Knight Magic Refreshing to recover her stamina, which was depleted in the mock battle with Yamato. It’s true that even High Classes find it difficult to fight Yamato. Even those High Classes would be wiped out if he used wide-area Engraving Magic. He didn’t use Engraving Magic this time because it was a mock battle, but even so, he coolly dodged the onslaught of the High Classes. As for the Normal Classes, they were so overwhelmed by Yamato’s pressure that fewer and fewer people could attack. Eliza, Lyra, and Lucas were among those who could still move.
“But Eliza, you evolved, right?”
“I did.”
Eliza makes a hesitant face, but perhaps because she was at the forefront of the mock battle with Yamato and attacked for the longest, she reached level 44 and also evolved into a High Elf. This training is in preparation for the war with Retisencia, so it was necessary for the participants to become stronger, but I didn’t expect an evolution to a High Class to happen at the very first session.
“Congratulations. Evolving is a happy occasion, so let’s celebrate first.”
“Thank you, H.R.H. Manalease.”
Eliza stands at attention and salutes, but I don’t think she needs to be so formal. She’s facing her own country’s princess, so it can’t be helped that she’d act that way.
“But since Eliza evolved, she’ll be exempt from the upcoming menu, won’t she?”
“That’s right.”
“Is that so?”
Yes, that’s how it is. Originally, after this, we were going to recruit volunteers for Mylight. However, the transportation will be by our Beast Carriage, and Eos will be giving us a ride, so we can’t take too many. Also, many of the Orders are exhausted, so Flamm, Lydia, Ludia, Raus, Rebecca, and Carol will remain in Feel.
“However, since it’s the first time, we didn’t know if volunteers would come forward. So, we’ve decided to prioritize those who have met them.”
“Wha—!?”
“Seriously!?”
Lucas and Lyra, who are not only acquainted with Yamato but can even say they are close, are surprised by Rex’s words. Yes, you two are forced participants. And Gemini, the Vampire, as well.
“Order’s Master, you’re joking, right?”
“It’s the absolute truth. Also, Marie and Gram from High Class are scheduled to participate.”
“Me too!?”
Gram, who had been relieved, thinking he was safe because he was High Class, is shocked by the unexpected words. In the mock battle earlier, he was targeted preferentially along with Burks, so he still has quite a bit of damage. I’m using High Healing for him, but since I’m not a healer, the effect is moderate. Be grateful that I’m even using it for him. In contrast, Rosemary is eagerly participating, her face full of motivation.
“Besides, why isn’t Burks participating!?”
“Well, I was actually planning to abduct him, but Salina and Clarice pleaded with me. Besides, Burks is a Hunter, so taking him would be more efficient if we took all of Holy Grave.”
“No way! Salina, Clarice! Help me too!”
Gram abandons all shame and asks Salina and Clarice for help.
“No way.”
“You went to a brothel with Burks the other day, didn’t you? Since Burks is with us, why did you take him to a place like that?”
“I, I, that’s, uh…”
However, he ends up being cornered by a High Elf and a High Vampire with furious expressions. Besides, you went to a place like that? Of course, Salina and Clarice would be angry.
“It’s tough being single, Gram.”
“Shut up!”
Despite being the heir to a baronet’s family, a male of the G-rank Order, and a High Human, Gram still doesn’t have a single girlfriend. Normally, he’d be a prime catch that women wouldn’t leave alone, but it’s well-known in Feel that his personality is lacking, which is probably the reason.
“Alright, alright, give up. We’ll be departing after lunch, so you’ll have some time to rest.”
“Lyra, you’re being stubborn?”
“Mina… Ugh, I get it. I wanted to evolve into a High Harpy, so I’ll steel myself and do my best!”
Lyra is Mina’s peer and is the same age, but she is said to be the one with the most promising future among them. In fact, her current level is 39. Her partner, Lucas, is level 34, so Yamato seems to want to do something about him. For these reasons, the Orders going to Mylight will be ten in total, including Rosemary and Gram. While Lyra, Lucas, Gemini, and Lucas’s older sister, Mirenna, are acquaintances, the others are Orders who were with us when we went to Prada Village, so it seems he really chose people we know. We went to the opposite shore of Feel this time. It’s far from Feel and would take many days by land, so it was rarely explored. Because of that, there were Orc Princes and Princesses, and even an Orc King, but we couldn’t just leave them, so we hunted them thoroughly. This was likely due to the influence of the Orc Emperor and Empress. We decided to return to Feel after destroying a total of five Orc settlements, and all the participating Orders have leveled up. Rosemary reached level 50, and Gram also reached level 51. Mirenna reached level 40, Lucas reached level 38, and Gemini reached level 33. Lyra, however, reached level 43 and also evolved into a High Harpy. Also, the female Order Freid evolved into a High Tigari and reached level 47. I didn’t expect three people to evolve into High Classes in the first training session, so Princess Mana seemed very satisfied. Normally, one would be troubled by what kind of equipment to get, but since equipment made with Jade Silver has already been distributed to all branches of the Order’s Guild, that’s also a big factor. The next expedition will be after the Orders dispatched to Prada Village return, but if possible, I’d like to see a few more people evolve.
