After leaving the A rank party, I aim for the deep part of the labyrinth with my former students
"The vanguard Dark Elves are in combat!"
Nene climbed down from the tree with a slightly flustered expression, pointing beyond the dense forest.
"Let's hurry! What’s the enemy?"
"Some kind of lizard I’ve never seen before. About five feet or so in size. There are six of them!"
"Big and numerous, huh!"
Rather than a lizard, they were closer in size to crocodiles.
Before anyone got injured, we needed to regroup with Tymus and his team.
"This way!"
Following Nene's lead, we sprinted through the forest. However, the unfamiliar terrain and poor footing made it difficult to move swiftly.
"Ah!"
"Rain!"
Rain stumbled, but just before she fell, I caught and lifted her up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. No problem… but, um, this is a little embarrassing."
"Just bear with it for a bit."
Smiling wryly, I cast several Physical Enhancement spells on my comrades.
Since a chaotic battle was inevitable upon regrouping, strengthening them in advance was crucial.
"I see them!"
Silk used her momentum from sprinting to leap into the air, releasing several arrows mid-jump.
As expected from someone in her home territory, Silk's arrows found their mark, despite the obstructing branches and leaves, striking the giant lizards accurately.
"Rain, heal Tymus’ squad! Jamie, cover the frontline!"
"Got it!"
"Understood!"
I set Rain down while issuing commands, then moved my fingers to prepare my own spells.
Lizard or not, they were still just lizards.
Their resistance to weakening magic shouldn’t be too strong.
"Slow! Paralyze! Hold!"
I quickly fired off several spells, halting the giant lizard just as it was about to lunge at Tymus.
The Clover squad’s vanguard wouldn’t let that opportunity slip away.
"Hyaaah!"
With a battle cry, the thick-bodied lizard was cleaved cleanly in two.
"Are you okay, Taromus—san?"
"It’s Tymus! And don’t butt in!"
Shoving Marina aside, Tymus raised his machete-like weapon.
He didn’t seem to have any major injuries, but he was clearly exhausted, breathing heavily.
"One down!"
"Me too! How about you, Silk?"
"No problem! Took mine down!"
As we exchanged reassuring reports, the remaining giant lizards turned and began to flee.
If they were running away, it was best to let them go.
"Status report! I’m unharmed."
"Same here!"
"Lost three iron arrows, but no big deal."
"Minimal mana loss. Natural recovery will suffice."
"I lost… a little mana."
I cast Refresh Mana on Rain, who was still treating an injured guard, while assessing the situation.
"You alright, Tymus?"
"I didn’t need your help."
"Even in this situation, you’re still saying that!?"
Silk stepped beside me, radiating hostility.
Tymus, making no effort to hide his displeasure, spoke up.
"We were just caught off guard by an unfamiliar monster."
"And that resulted in your allies getting injured, didn’t it?"
"It was their own carelessness and lack of training. It won’t happen again."
Tymus remained stubbornly unwilling to listen.
It wouldn’t be wise to lecture him about adventuring here, but this young man was reckless.
"All the more reason to be careful next time."
"What did you say!?"
Before he could find the words to reply, Marina stepped forward.
"Since we’re getting closer to the 'Achromatic Darkness,' it’s only natural that we’d encounter unfamiliar monsters. The only reason we made it through just now was pure luck, you know?"
"…!"
"Getting angry won’t change anything. If we got caught off guard, that just means we need to be even more cautious. We should rely on Nene’s skills too."
Tymus’s face grew increasingly tense, veins beginning to bulge.
Seriously. This is exactly why I was trying to choose my words carefully.
But then again… This isn’t some safe zone or anything. Maybe it’s for the best that he gets straight to the point and understands the real issue.
"Tymus, Marina is right. We should cooperate and stay on high alert. The fact that you just encountered a monster you didn’t recognize might mean that the Overflow is getting worse."
"You outsiders sure like to act all high and mighty!"
Tymus, still seething, lashed out. Silk let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Understood. Do as you please."
"Silk?"
Her unexpected response caught me off guard.
More than that, I wasn’t used to seeing Silk this cold. It was… unsettling.
"You’re dissatisfied with the decision made by the elders of the Amber Forest Clan, aren’t you?"
"That’s not what I—"
"Then what is it? You put your comrades in danger with reckless actions, mock me—the one recognized by the clan chief—and respond to advice with nothing but insults. Why are you even here?"
"I… It’s for the clan. For our safety and peace…"
Tymus’s voice grew quieter with each word.
I hope Silk hasn’t forgotten that this is being live-streamed.
"So you alone will save the clan? Just you? You, who got caught off guard by a monster and fell flat on your back?"
"……"
"S-Silk… That’s enough. For now, let’s just focus on reaching the designated checkpoint before sundown, alright?"
I glanced back, noticing that Rain had just finished treating the injured guards.
After nodding at her, I gave Nene a hand signal.
"I’ll start scouting ahead. It’d be great if someone could come with me to confirm the route."
Without saying a word, Tymus simply nodded and followed along.
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