Coward

A shape reminiscent of a dinosaur.

An attack boasting such tremendous power.

“Everyone, dodge!”

Using Rina’s shout as a signal flare, the team members including myself scattered around to avoid its arm.

“Gyaaah──!”

‘If you get hit by that, it’s over.’

I sensed it looking at the creature’s body with its muscles that seemed about to burst.

You absolutely must not let it graze your body.

Although we were wearing sturdy armor made with magic stones, I was certain that if we collided with that, we would no longer be able to continue the survival training normally.

And it was as expected.

Crack, crackle─!

Clearly, this monster had a towering height of several meters, but there were even taller trees abundant around.

However, they weren’t obstacles.

The moment they brushed against the creature’s limbs, they fell over, revealing their pure white innards without a moment’s hesitation.

“Is everyone alright?”

As if trying to fulfill her role as team leader thoroughly, Rina shouted loudly with her face covered in dirt.

“Y-Yeah!”

“Of course, what do you take me for.”

“I’m fine.”

I quietly answered as if muttering from behind Erika and Wolf while getting up.

‘Finally met one.’

Meanwhile, I confirmed again the Grade 4 monster, specifically the ‘Langarm-Gynäkus’, belonging to the upper-tier of giant monsters.

At first, I couldn’t observe properly as I hurriedly avoided its body, but now it was different.

I don’t know if it was catching its breath for a moment, but since it was just staring with fierce eyes, I could see it in detail without any particular interference.

So I was surprised.

I didn’t expect to encounter a giant monster already.

I thought there weren’t many giant species…

Even though it’s training. They’re difficult to raise because they have huge appetites and are sensitive to environmental changes. I thought we’d face weaker monsters step by step and meet them later?

Is this what they mean by not knowing the future?

I couldn’t even imagine that I’d be engaging in battle with such a strong one from the start.

That’s why I liked it!

Isn’t it natural that the joy increases as much when fighting a higher-level monster?

Even if not, since the higher the grade of the specimen, the more points given when eliminated, it would also help with the original plan of ‘winning in joint training’.

‘It’s worth running away from.’

At this point, I understood why those unnamed cadets had screamed.

If this was the first thing they encountered, it was enough to be terrified. After all, the thousands of cadets currently filling the forest were just first-years still inexperienced in many things.

But not me.

Thump, thump─!

My heart pounded heavily with anticipation.

I’ll have fun playing with that thing left behind by some cadets who ran away. Of course, together with the team members sprawled around.

“Phew!”

Thinking this, I let out a sigh mixed with excitement.

“Everyone get up quickly, or you’ll get stepped on.”

To rush out as soon as Rina and Erika roughly pulled themselves together.

“Grrrr─!”

I took a preparatory stance to cut off its windpipe as soon as possible and stop the frown-inducing roar.

However,

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Of course.”

“Just do as usual. When the monster approaches like in the monster defense training…”

“No, wait.”

Even though Erika, Rina, and even Wolf had finished preparing and formed a formation, I couldn’t move my feet.

Rather, I stopped them.

I interrupted Rina’s words by blocking her front with my palm as she was about to give orders.

‘Something’s strange.’

Because an uncomfortable feeling enveloped my whole body.

“Are you crazy? What are you going to do if it charges at us now? Haha, is it because you’re a commoner that your intelligence is low…”

“No, be quiet.”

“What?”

I didn’t give a glance to Wolf’s face turning red and pale.

‘Was the cry I heard earlier like this?’

I focused only on the tingling sensation filling my head.

Wasn’t the sound I heard a moment ago ‘Groooo─!’, or ‘Grrrr!’, a thick and blunt voice? Very different from the monster in front of us?

‘And no cadets in sight.’

If that creature was chasing cadets, shouldn’t it be breathing roughly instead of being in such a docile state? It would be normal to see at least one or two children being chased by it.

But I didn’t see anything like that at all.

I was momentarily distracted by the Langarm-Gynäkus’s overwhelming appearance, but when I calmed my mind and judged rationally, such thoughts filled my brain.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“That’s right. Is something wrong?”

“Yena, what’s the matter?”

The team members who couldn’t know these facts expressed their puzzlement with various reactions, such as anger or frowning.

“Everyone listen carefully.”

And I opened my mouth, glancing at their expressions.

It seemed better to mention these doubts at least… It was an assumption that could be dismissed as a simple delusion, but isn’t there a word ‘just in case’ in the world?

There was no harm in being careful.

“First, the sound earlier…”

For that reason, I carefully started to speak.

“Groooo──!”

And I closed my mouth before saying even a few words.

“H-Help!”

“I never thought something like this would come out right away!”

As if monsters come when you speak of them, from beyond the thicket in front, along with cadets running breathlessly, a new specimen…

“Grrrr─!”

A shape similar to the giant fire bear I had faced before.

But with a body several times larger.

The creature that seemed to be the owner of the cry that had initially led us appeared, stopping our conversation.

“Wh-What is that?”

“How can there be two giant monsters…”

“H-Huh?”

Perhaps because of this.

The team members didn’t get angrier.

Even Wolf, who had been making an expression that wouldn’t be strange if he grabbed someone’s collar at any moment, pointed at the newly appeared monster with trembling hands and a dumbfounded look.

“That’s what I was about to say.”

Thanks to this, I could continue speaking comfortably.

Wolf couldn’t think of opening his mouth like before.

‘The timing of its appearance is just right.’

Judging from the already shaking eyes of the team members, I was certain they understood well what situation we were in.

Hasn’t the need for persuasion lessened?

In a way, it’s beneficial for me as I don’t have to make excuses tediously? I’m not particularly concerned even if one more monster has appeared…

Crunch─!

I licked my lips while pulling at the wrinkled part of the so-called ‘Anti-Monster Gauntlet’, a weapon given just before survival training that amplifies mana, made by mixing magic stones.

Shouldn’t we start preparing now?

“Why are you chasing us!”

“Th-Those guys, let’s send it to them and save ourselves!”

Now that the bear-like monster that the cadets over there were trying to pass off had appeared, there was no reason to wait stupidly anymore.

“Let’s go now.”

“Wh-What? Are you crazy?”

But Wolf didn’t seem to think so.

“You’re saying we should go in when there are two of them?”

“Yeah.”

“Your head must not be working right, thinking we can seriously deal with giant monsters while bringing you and that girl… who are of no help at all?”

“But.”

“Haha, are you insane?”

He glared fiercely.

“You stupid fool who doesn’t seem to understand, let’s just go while they’re fighting? There are two giant monsters, for crying out loud.”

Wolf pointed his thumb towards the front.

“Groooo──!”

“Gyaaah─!”

Of course, his words weren’t wrong.

The two monsters with massive bodies were already engaged in a fierce battle.

Whether their intelligence isn’t very high, or because we’re too weak to even be of concern, they continued their fierce fight while ignoring us.

“Let’s just go, I’m telling you? Rina, you think so too, right?”

“……”

“What was it, Erika… was it? You agree with me too, right? There’s no need to overdo it from the start, I’m telling you?”

Arms and legs that could be called weapons.

A ferocious atmosphere that could be felt implicitly.

Perhaps because of this.

Wolf, biting his lips tightly, shouted with a grim face, shaking his blonde hair, saying we should leave this place right now.

“It’s a tactical retreat.”

“Yeah, as expected, Rina is smart. I’m saying we should retreat for a moment.”

And the team members gave their own answers regarding this.

“…Indeed, that would be better.”

Rina agreed with Wolf’s opinion while rubbing her cheek with one hand.

“I-I’ll follow Yena’s choice completely!”

However, Erika gave a contrasting response.

“My choice?”

“Yeah!”

She opened her mouth in a passive tone while fidgeting with her fingers, but sent a look indicating she would rely entirely on me.

‘I didn’t expect this.’

I thought Erika would also follow Wolf’s suggestion out of fear.

If that happened, even though it would be regrettable to let those two go, I was planning to properly go along with their plan.

I had no intention of losing points for acting alone.

‘If it’s like this.’

There’s no reason to maintain a passive stance, is there? Isn’t one of the team members supporting me? Rina doesn’t seem to have made up her mind clearly either.

“Tsk, hurry up and say some…”

I silently looked at Wolf, who clicked his tongue as if annoyed that Erika didn’t agree with his assertion.

“No.”

Then I opened my mouth.

“We’ll see this through with those monsters.”

As I tidied my tied hair and adjusted my clothes, I spoke confidently with a smile mixed on my face.

“I knew you’d say that… Wait, what?”

“Yena, are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Of course, the team members reacted passionately.

“Are you crazy? Trying to get us eliminated?”

“No.”

“Ha, haha. Do you have some idea that we can beat those two monsters… no, not just monsters. Giant species, if we combine our strength?”

“Very accurate.”

Especially Wolf.

“If we demonstrate good teamwork, it’s not impossible to catch them. There shouldn’t be any specimens in the training that are impossible to hunt, so they might just be big in size, their physical abilities are probably reduced compared to what’s known.”

Wolf, who looked like he might throw a punch at any moment, Rina maintaining silence while twisting her white hair, and finally Erika blankly staring at my face…

I explained while facing them one by one.

I continued speaking carefully, without the previous lightness.

‘I can’t waste this precious opportunity.’

My true feelings were that I couldn’t leave those delicious-looking creatures, but.

It’s a chance I’ve caught by coincidence.

A good environment has been set up to verify abilities, and a chance has been formed to appeal myself to the instructors, how could I let it go?

“You mean if we attack together, we can catch them, right?”

“You understood perfectly.”

I nodded with a grin at Rina’s question.

I had to persuade them somehow.

I had already made up my mind to act even if it meant breaking my past resolve to move in unity with the team members if even this didn’t work.

‘How can I pass by seeing that.’

With two monsters, there would be that much more thrill, it was clear that a more bloody battle would form.

“Gyaaah──!”

“Grrrr!”

Just imagining entering between those two fighting hard made my heart pound, my cheeks flush red, and my lips dry.

“I’m fine if Yena says so! I’ve been training hard so far, so mo-mo-monsters aren’t that scary… anymore!”

“Hmm.”

“Hahaha─! Hey, how about knowing your place when you speak?”

Fortunately, it seemed my urging had some effect.

Except for one cadet who could be called the problem.

“Don’t you know that you’ve been able to come this far thanks to me and Rina? Like yesterday’s monster elimination training. A commoner girl should know her place!”

Wolf, at close range,

Boom, boom─!

As if forgetting the reality that monsters were fighting fiercely enough to shake the earth, or forgetting the risk of being discovered, he shouted loudly while glaring fiercely.

And usually, there’s only one reason for getting so angry.

“Wolf.”

“Don’t call my name, you filthy…”

“You’re scared, aren’t you?”

“Wh-What?”

I looked up at him, who was blinking his eyes violently, with a sneer.

The mouth that had been spewing such malice-filled voices suddenly stopping could only be seen as hitting the mark.

‘There’s no other reason.’

It’s just joint training after all.

The instructors don’t have brains the size of monkeys, do you think they couldn’t prepare safety measures? From the start, we’re even wrapped in magic stone alloy armor that feels solid just from tapping, tap tap-.

Rina didn’t show much emotion either.

The delicate and fragile Erika was no different.

The only one raising issues with the current situation was Wolf… I was certain he was intimidated by the giant monster’s build and got scared preemptively.

“Wh-What.”

“You’re a disgrace to the military academy’s standards.”

“Huh?”

“You, coward.”

A cadet completely violating the officer’s virtue of needing to be brave and know how to sacrifice one’s life.

‘Just wasted time.’

Having confirmed that he had no particular grounds for opposing the battle with the monsters, there was no more value in continuing the conversation. Now it’s about time to go taste the sensation of fists.

“Erika.”

I turned my head towards Erika, who was hesitating, scared by the fierce conversation just now.

“Please cover me.”

“Uh. Okay?”

Then after leaving brief words that could be called a notification, I charged forward.

Patter patter─!

Towards the front where a scene of huge masses of flesh entangling was unfolding.