The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet

Chapter 395: The race begins!

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

The dawn breaks, and morning arrives.

Though, being inside the dungeon, it's impossible to tell if the sun has actually risen.

My sense of time feels like it’s about to go haywire.

Regardless, it’s the next day.

A race to deepen the friendship between the Fangwolf Clan and the Phoenix Clan is about to take place.

In a large room, many Fangwolves and Phoenixes have gathered.

Among them are Kanade and Chiffon, who had been acting separately as hostages.

Good, it looks like they haven’t been harmed.

At the center of it all are me, Sakura, Elfin, and Finia.

"Go for it, Sakura! Show them the strength of us Fangwolves!"

"Big bro, we’re counting on you! Do your best as our representative!"

The Fangwolf Clan members are cheering enthusiastically.

Thanks to the trial from the other day, it seems like they’ve fully acknowledged me.

On the other hand, the Phoenix Clan’s attitude is…

"Tch… Why is a human in a place like this? Elfin-sama, can’t we just burn him?"

"A human stepping foot in our village… Finia-chan, burn him to ashes and clean it all up! Don’t worry, I’ll approve!"

The hostility is palpable. Sharp glares and venomous words come at me from all directions.

Not even when I visited the Spirit Tribe’s village, where humans are disliked, did I face this level of animosity.

This time, it’s entirely different.

I feel genuine danger, like they might actually try to kill me. The tension is exhausting, even though I haven’t done anything.

Can I really win the favor of the Phoenix Clan under these circumstances?

...No.

I can’t afford to be weak.

It’s not about whether I can or can’t.

I will make it happen.

Not for myself, but for Iris.

"I’ll serve as the referee," Shigure says, stepping forward.

"This dungeon has ten layers in total. We’re on the third layer now. The fourth and beyond haven’t been touched, so there are monsters and traps."

Living above layers full of monsters… The Phoenix Clan really is something.

It’s unimaginable under normal circumstances.

I suppose this is something only the strongest species could manage.

"Somewhere within the ten layers, there’s a treasure. The team that retrieves it and returns here first wins. Interfering with the opposing team is allowed, and stealing the treasure from them is fair game. Basically, don’t let your guard down until the very end."

"Excuse me, but under those rules, wouldn’t it turn into an all-out brawl right from the start?"

"Don’t worry. To prevent that, each team will take separate paths initially. Being a dungeon, there are plenty of entrances and exits."

I see.

That way, the chance of an immediate brawl is reduced.

It’s clear a lot of thought has gone into this race, given how many times it’s been held.

"Any other questions?"

"What exactly is the extent of interference allowed against the opposing team?"

"We leave that to each team’s discretion."

"That’s… quite vague."

Her open-ended response makes me grimace.

Shigure says she’s trusting everyone’s sense of decency, but I doubt the Phoenix Clan, with their hostility toward humans, will hold back.

On the contrary, they’ll likely seize this opportunity to go all out.

For me—well, for us—this is a major disadvantage.

Even if they come at us with everything they’ve got, we’re here to earn their cooperation, so we can’t go overboard in retaliation.

Because of this dynamic, there’s a real risk of being completely overwhelmed.

But… maybe this is exactly why it’s worth it.

Even if I won under favorable conditions, the Phoenix Clan wouldn’t recognize my strength.

Only by overcoming adversity and showing resilience will they start to reconsider their views on humans.

I suspect Shigure designed these rules with that in mind.

It’s harsh—extremely so. But if this is the only way forward, then I’ll take it on.

"Any other questions?"

"I don’t have any."

"Woof!"

I nod to indicate I have no further concerns.

"May I ask a question?"

Elfin speaks up.

After glancing at me briefly, she smirks and says

"Interference with the opposing team is allowed, but… what happens if someone ends up killing their opponent?"

"I told you—it’s up to each person’s discretion."

"Is that really your answer?"

"Yes, it is."

"…I see. Understood. Heh."

Elfin finishes with a laugh.

It’s a sinister smile, one that sends chills down my spine.

This is… definitely not going to be a simple case of interference during the race.

No, she’s going to attack.

And not just ordinary attacks—something lethal.

If I’m not careful, she’ll genuinely aim for my life.

I’m prepared for that, so it’s fine for me… but what about Sakura?

I’ve completely dragged her into my circumstances, forcing her to go along with this.

I feel a pang of guilt over it…

"Grrrr…"

"Ow!"

Sakura growls in displeasure and lightly bites my foot.

When I look down, I see her staring up at me intently.

Her eyes seem to say, Don’t entertain such pointless thoughts.

It might be rude to compare her to a dog, but…

Dogs are known for their sharp intuition and ability to sense human emotions.

Maybe that’s why Sakura could see through my hesitation.

And maybe, she’s angry, thinking, Don’t underestimate me. We promised yesterday that we’d face this together.

Why does Sakura trust me so much?

That part remains a mystery…

But if she believes in me, then I need to work hard to meet her expectations.

"I’m sorry about that."

"Woof…"

"Let’s do this together."

"Arf!"

Good.

Now our hearts are in sync.

I have no more doubts.

No matter what challenges lie ahead, Sakura and I will face them head-on with everything we’ve got.

"Any more questions?"

"No, I’m fine."

"Same here."

"Alright then, let’s begin the race."

Shigure raises her hand, holding it in the air for a moment.

Then, with a swift motion, she swings it down.

"Begin!"

And so, the race starts.

TL Note- Sorry for the long delay, had to attend wedding and even the site went down due to some misunderstandings but we are back......

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