Action Again (4)

The howling wolf spat blood and collapsed.

As the commotion settled down, the group of hunters formed ranks while guarding the surroundings. Some personnel approached the fallen hunter to check his body.

“…Can you tend to him?”

“Yes. No problem. It’s not a serious injury.”

Erica calmly spoke.

That’s a shame. Should I have done it more forcefully?

While I was momentarily regretting, Erica grasped the hunter’s wounded area. Light briefly emanated.

“Are you really okay?”

The tall woman next to her asked again anxiously.

“Yes. This uniform has high blood resistance, right?”

“That’s correct.”

Iris responded.

“Ah! So that’s why you tipped me off about it back then!”

I was about to open my mouth to lower the mood further but stopped.

I should have made it hit a bit harder after all.

As I clicked my tongue without realizing, after a while the gathered hunters dispersed, leaving only Erica behind, so I casually approached.

“As expected, even your actions are cool, Erica. Did you include blood resistance in case I might do something?”

“No. It was made to match the standard elemental criteria. Blood stats just happened to fit the criteria.”

“Really? I didn’t know that. I thought you despised me so much that you did that.”

Erica glared at me for a moment before straightening her posture.

“Hah.”

Watching her turn her back coldly after a sigh, I followed with a smile.

Leaving behind a small number of personnel for the patient, we roughly cleaned up the field and entered the forest. We moved forward, dealing with large numbers of high-tier magical beasts.

“Mine! It’s mine! This is all mine!”

“Sheesh! Stop making a fuss. Is this a playground?”

I glanced at a few hunters who seemed half-crazed. Are magic stones that good?

If it’s about wanting to pocket money, it’s not incomprehensible.

I turned my gaze forward. There was one huge magical beast crouching. A long blue, seemingly transparent body. Clean water currents were circulating inside its body.

The outer part seemed tough, with faint armor-like shapes visible. Crystal spikes protruded from its back.

Iris stroked her chin.

“It’s an Adore.”

Erica spoke while fixing her gaze.

“Did it originally inhabit this area?”

“It seems to have naturally appeared as the forest rapidly formed. The humid climate is also suitable for its habitat.”

As some hunters busily took out their weapons, Iris stopped them.

“It’s fine. It’s fine. We’ll handle this. You might get hurt if you’re not careful. Erica, is that okay?”

“Ah, yes. It’s good to gain experience too.”

Erica smiled slightly.

Something boiled inside me.

That face should only be shown to me.

“How friendly.”

I finally opened my mouth after keeping it shut for a while. The two turned their gaze towards me, and Iris frowned.

“Hey, you. Stay qui-…!”

I threw a few red droplets towards the Adore. Its eyes flashed red for a moment before it opened its mouth wide and swallowed the droplets in one gulp.

In an instant, a terrible roar erupted and the Adore raised its massive body. Some of the surrounding ground cracked, and broken debris took on armor-like shapes and attached to its body.

Its body turned black, and the spikes on its back became sharper and rose higher. A huge axe appeared in its hand.

Its tail swung. A fierce wind blew, and the surrounding hunters were flung away, rolling on the ground from the aftermath.

“I’ll take the front, Erica!”

Rain fell.

Amidst the orderly situation, the smoke rising from the ground was a bonus.

So, with the damp scent as the atmosphere, I opened my mouth.

“That’s why you shouldn’t have friendly conversations.”

The black axe swung. The shield Erica quickly constructed shattered into pieces against the axe, and debris scattered.

The two of them faltered.

“Instead of thinking it would be peaceful, you should have kept watching me. What’s this situation? You’ll both get hurt.”

The Adore expanded the crystal spikes embedded in its back. The crystal spikes darkened, and space vibrated.

Along with the smoke filling the area, spikes protruded from thin air. Iris raised her rifle and shouted.

“Can’t you just stay put? Erica treats you so well! Why don’t you listen?”

Bullets rained down, piercing through the spikes and penetrating the Adore. The directly hit areas exploded once more, and the Adore staggered.

“The word ‘obedient’ doesn’t suit me at all. What are you saying now? You might think I’ve gotten better because I acted a bit more sensibly, but that’s not the case at all.”

A sword struck down its axe and penetrated the Adore’s body. With a roar, its swung tail was cut off by the blade.

I looked at Erica. She seemed determined not to pay any attention to me. Unlike the excited Iris, her gaze towards the magical beast was calm yet cold.

I glanced at the hunters caught in the aftermath of the battle. They could barely breathe properly.

I deliberately spoke as if addressing Erica.

“It seems you’ve forgotten who I am, so I’m reminding you. Remember this clearly. If you cross the line I’ve drawn, like in this incident, I’ll act even more violently than this.”

After exchanging blows, the Adore seemed to have exhausted its strength. Its roar subsided, the unstable air currents calmed, and the vibrations stopped.

Erica turned her head abruptly to glare at me. Her hair swayed.

Despite her stance, she remained silent. Feeling like something in my heart wasn’t satisfied, I unconsciously opened my mouth.

“Alright. Your gaze alone passes. Keep treating me like that from now on. Like you’re dealing with a beast beyond salvation.”

The Adore coughed up blood and collapsed weakly on the ground. Magic stones scattered and spread around.

“That’s how I should be treated.”

Erica bit her lip hard, still maintaining her gaze.

Seeing that, I smiled slightly.

I think I said the right thing, so there’s no reason for you to make such a face.

My shoulder was pushed hard. Something hit my back, causing a small pain.

Iris dusted off her hands.

“Sheesh, really. Erica. Hit him once.”

“…It’s fine.”

Erica crossed her arms, seeming to want to observe me being bullied.

Iris swept up her red hair once and sighed.

“Hey, you. At least don’t hurt the other hunters.”

“Iris, you must be crazy too. I guess you and Erica aren’t precious to you?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Iris fumed for a moment, then glanced at Erica.

Finding that funny, I chuckled, which made Iris sigh again.

“Really, ha… You were so well-behaved when you came to our building. Why are you acting like this again? What’s the problem?”

“There are many problems. But beyond that number, I’m originally very capricious. Have we only known each other for a day or two?”

“That’s why I’m saying you should try to do something about it.”

Well.

I just wanted to do as I pleased.

Because I was jealous. I frowned for no reason.

“No. Lately, it seems Erica doesn’t listen to me. I thought some strong measures were necessary.”

Erica let out a mirthless laugh. But her cold expression remained, which made me feel a bit depressed.

Regardless, my expression kept smiling.

Iris shook her head a few times, then walked away as if it was hopeless.

I forcibly raised my creaking body. After coughing a few times and dusting off my clothes, it happened.

My body was pushed hard again. Then once more, I hit the back wall.

Groaning in pain, I deliberately smiled.

“Are you inflicting pain on an already hurt area? As expected, you know my body well. Where to press to cause pain and where to press to make me moan.”

“Yes, well. I know well.”

A chilling voice flew in. I thought she was going to bring up something essential, but seeing her stance matching my rhythm, my head tilted involuntarily.

“Why, do you have something to say? Please behave from now on, be careful before I resort to violence. Something like that?”

“No. Coaxing you like that wouldn’t make you bat an eye anyway.”

“That’s unexpected. But until recently, I listened to you well.”

Suddenly, the memory of snuggling up and acting spoiled flashed by.

“That was then, and this is now. I’m used to the capriciousness you love so much.”

I smiled slightly, not showing any reaction to her active, almost joking conversation.

“So what’s the matter? Earlier, it seemed like you didn’t even want to face me.”

“To resolve personal issues, conversation is essential. I thought now was a good opportunity to subdue you, that’s all.”

Erica seemed to ponder for a moment, then met my eyes as I was cornered against the wall.

“Ah, right. You asked what I wanted to say?”

“Yeah. Are you thinking of forcibly subduing me? Because I caused a big incident…”

“You.”

A lowered voice was heard.

“It seems like you’re trying hard to make me hate you.”

My heart raced. Cold sweat ran down, and I hurriedly acted out an expression.

“Do you see me batting an eye?”

A silence fell.

As I forced a smile, Erica smirked as if finding it cute, then walked away.

After staring blankly, this time I let out a genuine chuckle.

Before continuing the extension of the grand plan.

It seems necessary to vent some personal emotions.