Preparing for the Hunt
Joseph immediately began preparing for the extermination.
He confidently told Folmers and Zalier that he would join the extermination team, but he had no intention of recklessly fighting monsters.
'Prepare thoroughly.'
From rumors, the monster was said to be a mutated bear.
It was said that there were cases where beasts became mutated monsters due to unknown causes, and the northern one appeared to be such a case.
Since it was a very important route, they had attempted subjugation several times, but only increased the number of victims, so they hadn't tried for a while.
“How strong is the monster?”
“The skin is very hard, apparently swords don't penetrate well.”
“Fire or... didn't try anything else?”
“Ordinary magic doesn't work either, they said.”
Synthesizing the monster information from before leaving the viscount's castle, it was a tough guy who used great power like a bear but had very hard skin.
Especially in the part where magic doesn't work, Folmers looked at Zalier.
Zalier nodded calmly with a composed expression.
'...He tried to trick me but got beaten in the end.'
Thinking about it now, it was a bit forced, but since it was already accepted, it couldn't be helped.
Anyway, Joseph summarized the conditions for hunting the monster.
'First, strong firepower is needed.'
This was something he planned to supplement with his own magic.
Recently, Joseph had been training his mana orbs whenever he had time.
Not only practicing to put more mana into the orbs, but also practicing to make them larger or smaller.
'Definitely the mana orb has become stronger. Now I need to use it in real combat.'
He planned to clearly see how much stronger it had become this time.
Next was strong troops to protect Joseph.
'Actually, this is the biggest problem.'
He needed troops that could hold while he used magic, like when fighting the ogre.
When Joseph said he would join the extermination team, Auger was overjoyed, but honestly, his soldiers probably wouldn't hold up for long.
It would be lucky if they didn't get swept away in one hit and die.
“Soldiers are receiving very harsh training right now. Looking at them, the viscount's soldiers seem to be at quite a high level.”
While speaking, Auger smiled awkwardly.
The words 'What about you?' rose to his throat, but he barely held them back.
Anyway, they were working hard, but it couldn't be helped that credit didn't transfer.
'Need to think of another way.'
He considered asking Folmers for iron armor, but Joseph shook his head.
One claw swing from the monster would tear a person apart.
Unless he set up an iron shield to block, wearing armor wouldn't make him safe.
Rather, the weight would only reduce mobility.
'If necessary, using Return might be better.'
Joseph, after considering the method, headed to the monastery.
He planned to receive some help with a few confirmations.
“Ah, you're here.”
When Joseph visited, Rekor was already packing bags with several priests.
They wore cloth armor stuffed with ambo over their priest robes, sharpening their weapons.
“Um... is there no combat priest among you?”
Among them, none wore the same outfit as the previous combat priests.
When asked, Rekor shook his head as if he was also in trouble.
“The combat priests of the Valois fief are currently all away...”
This was unexpected.
He had planned to check how strong the combat priests were since he couldn't trust the soldiers...
He had no choice but to find another way.
First, Joseph informed Rekor that he would join the extermination team with his private soldiers.
Rekor nodded as if he had known it, saying he would positively consider the suggestion, but hadn't given a definite answer.
But Rekor nodded as if he knew that, and then prayed to the sky again.
“...”
Anyway, he answered that he would provide help through rear support.
“What is this 'rear support' that I was curious about?”
“It assists the attacks heading towards the monster with holy power.”
Rekor explained that the monster basically flows with demonic energy.
Demonic energy.
It's a kind of poisonous aura flowing in the body of monsters or, on a larger scale, in places like dungeons.
Conversely, holy power is the force that suppresses or eliminates this demonic energy, and to monsters, it's like poison.
Rekor explained that normally priests grant holy power to allies' swords or magic through holy magic.
'Wait, dungeons?'
He was momentarily confused by the sudden information, but soon shook his head.
It wasn't important right now.
“It grants temporary holy power to make attacks on the monster effective.”
“Exactly.”
Joseph recalled his staff.
'Then, it won't be useful for me.'
“And it can also treat the injured.”
“Treating injuries, you say?”
“Yes.”
However, it couldn't treat severe wounds like severed arms, and the holy magic itself was limited to about four uses per priest at best.
Joseph naturally thought of one strategy.
'If the soldiers get injured, I need to keep healing them to turn them into meat shields.'
It was a crude and ruthless strategy, but for Joseph, it was the most reasonable choice.
After all, it didn't seem like the soldiers' swords or spears would land meaningful blows on the monster.
The best way seemed to be to buy time by receiving healing from the priests in between.
“...”
“...”
When he told this strategy to Auger and Rekor, their expressions instantly hardened.
They seemed to want to say something, but soon nodded.
'That's the way.'
Right now, Joseph was the only firepower of the extermination team.
If Joseph did it, he had to do it.
'What if not?'
So, Joseph spent some time at the monastery.
There was also the purpose of saving on lodging costs, and to check his current level, a training ground was needed.
And luckily, the empty lot next to the monastery was suitable.
Joseph asked Auger to pile up a lot of stone piles in the empty lot behind the monastery.
“No problem!”
Contrary to Auger's answer, the soldiers' expressions were like they wanted to die from the hard labor in the harsh training situation.
Fundamentally rural guys, so the priestesses coaxed and comforted them, making them obediently lower their heads and work hard.
“Hoo...”
In the empty lot filled with stones, Joseph slowly took deep breaths.
After parting with Rophen and coming to the castle, he had steadily trained, but had no chance to verify its power properly.
Whoosh.
Joseph swung his staff to create an orb.
Without consciously adding more mana, the orb was a bit larger.
Previously it was just a fist, now it was about the size of two fists.
Whoosh-!
Swinging the staff again, the orb flew quickly towards the stone piles.
Bam-!
When the orb collided, it scattered with a big sound, like bursting stones.
It was almost at the level of a small cannonball colliding.
“...Stronger than I thought.”
Recalling when the ogre shattered the mana orbs like paper, it was a huge development.
Of course, those stones weren't as hard as the ogre, so accurate verification was difficult.
But still, he could tell that the power had clearly become stronger than before.
Whoosh.
Joseph lightly swung his staff to create a new orb.
And shot it at the broken stone piles.
At the same time, he recited on top of it.
“Fire.”
The mana in the orb turned into flickering flames.
'Hmm?'
The fire flared up suddenly larger.
Larger in size than normal fire because it had more mana.
But that was all.
It wasn't like the fire raged fiercely or didn't go out for long.
'The mana for fire is sufficient...'
Even after coming up, the fire mana had been steadily accumulating.
'This won't be enough to confirm.'
He repeated it several times after, but ultimately, fire only produced small flames.
It seemed the magic itself had limits.
It didn't seem possible to find big changes by stuffing a lot of magic into the mana orb.
'That's why new magic is needed.'
Anyway, he decided to postpone this matter.
It seemed like getting the fire magic book would sufficiently solve the problem.
Joseph immediately unfolded another incantation.
“Return.”
The round orb expanded widely in an instant.
This didn't seem to have changed much.
It was only a guess that the durability would be better because more mana was in the orb.
'And one more thing.'
Finally, he made a new orb and poured maximum mana into it this time.
The orb gradually grew larger.
Siiiiiiiiik-!
As the size increased, a loud sound began to come from the orb.
'Huh?'
Eventually, when the orb became as large as Joseph's upper body, it gradually deformed, then began to vibrate with a rattling sound.
Boom-!!
Then, unable to maintain its form, it exploded in the air with a big sound.
A small shockwave spread around.
Whoosh-!
Due to the strong wind from the aftermath, the tree branches swayed for a moment.
Joseph staggered as the mana drained away.
Thanks to holding the gem, he recovered immediately and didn't fall.
'This seems to be the limit for now.'
Joseph looked at the staff.
The strange feeling when making mana orbs with the staff.
'Holy power seeping out.'
Moreover, using the staff was easier to control than making mana orbs with bare hands.
'There is a reason for using the magic staff.'
The holy relic given by the black beast.
The combat priest who completed it.
And Rophen who gave the staff.
By chance, it was the product of the completed trio.
Who knew it would be tied like this.
'The world is unpredictable, that's right.'
Joseph looked at it and smiled faintly.
He thought he would only face crazy people, but it was strange that such a thing ended up in his hands.
Joseph gave a small shrug and summarized the situation.
'Magic has definitely become stronger.'
Plus, with the holy buff, attacks targeting the monster wouldn't be ineffective.
Mana wasn't lacking.
He had trained hard during this time, and most importantly, there was the gem.
The front line was for the soldiers to hold the line desperately.
If they got injured, the priests would heal them immediately.
And then the soldiers would hold again.
In between, his own attacking tactics.
'This should be the best for now.'
What remained was just to repeat training until the extermination team departed.
* * *
A week later, the day the extermination team departed arrived.
Originally, they had planned to take a few more days to prepare, but due to Zalier constantly causing trouble, there was no choice.
The expression “causing trouble” fit perfectly.
He had directly come to tell them to leave immediately.
'Damn old man... why do all mages act like that?'
Annoying, but it was no good to cause friction for nothing.
So, they gathered at the castle gate at dawn as the day broke.
'Still, the composition is quite diverse.'
The composition of the extermination team was more varied than thought.
First, Auger and his soldiers.
Their expressions were a bit subtle. Smiling with their mouths but perhaps eyes crying.
It was happy and scary to be going on the hunt they had longed for.
And the priests of the Silimaf Church.
They all had that unique kind, benevolent smile.
Unlike the soldiers, it seemed they were genuinely happy to go hunting the monster.
Next, a few mercenaries who joined for pay.
Before departure, they were rolling their eyes here and there, checking the atmosphere.
On one side was mage Joseph.
On the other side was noble Auger.
And the rest were fanatic priests.
Either way, the ordinary mercenaries would be tied with people who had nothing to gain, so it made sense.
'...Still, they'll do their part.'
It seemed the mercenary leader was patting the other mercenaries.
Finally, the soldiers of Valois Castle.
When these soldiers approached the castle gate, Auger's soldiers shrank their bodies.
“...”
Looking at them with curious eyes, Auger explained.
“Soldiers who helped with the training of my soldiers.”
Probably they had been harshly treated in the training ground.
Joseph watched this and hung the viscount's flag received from Folmers on the carriage.
The large shield flag had an unknown beast and a large sword drawn on it, giving a somewhat majestic feel.
Since Auger had already hung his own flag, naturally two flags were on the carriage.
“Hoo.”
Auger himself looked very satisfied.
“Then, let's depart now.”
Following Joseph's words, a total of four carriages and dozens of people departed north through the castle gate.