Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Fixing the Dantian (5)
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Suppressing the sound of my footsteps and erasing my presence, I tracked the baby Great Eagle.
Even if it had hidden itself in the thicket, getting any closer would surely alert its instincts, so I maintained a distance of about three meters and followed slowly.
A few minutes later, the Great Eagle stopped walking.
Where it had stopped was a small puddle formed by rainwater pooling in a depression in the ground.
'It's here to get some water.'
The Great Eagle scanned its surroundings warily in front of the puddle.
It was checking for predators.
I gripped the hilt of my longsword tightly and held my breath.
How much time passed?
Sensing no presence, the Great Eagle finally relaxed and plunged its beak into the puddle, gulping down the water.
-Chug, chug, chug, chug!
It seemed to be drinking hastily, leaving itself completely defenseless while it did.
'Now! If not now, then when?!'
The perfect moment for a surprise attack.
I slowly drew in a breath.
In one burst, I'd charge forward and pierce the Great Eagle's neck with the longsword in my hand.
Even as a baby, a Great Eagle's feathers were as tough as copper. So, the neck was the target.
What I needed was the first form of the Thunder Sword Arts—a swift thrust using one of the Three Fundamental Sword Techniques.
'Just like Iris taught me.'
I raised the balls of my rear feet, ready to spring forward.
It would stop drinking soon, so I had to act even faster.
I counted down in my head.
5 seconds.
4 seconds.
3 seconds.
The closer it got to 1, the faster my heart pounded.
...2 seconds.
Finally.
1 second...!
'Now!'
Using the tension from my raised heels, I charged ferociously at the baby Great Eagle.
"......!"
The Great Eagle seemed to spot me sooner than expected.
In a panic, I spun to the left, using the momentum to thrust my sword out like a fencer.
-Shiiiing!
-Slash!
"Kieeeek-!"
"Damn it!"
The baby Great Eagle jerked its head just in time to dodge.
'Because of this sluggish body...!'
I should've dieted more before coming.
Thanks to that, the sword tip only grazed the base of its wing lightly.
The Great Eagle, with damage to its wing muscle, let out pained cries and flapped wildly in agony.
"Kiek! Kieeek!"
"Uwaaaah! Stop moving, damn it!"
The Great Eagle flapped desperately to shake off the embedded sword.
Blood sprayed everywhere from the bleeding wound.
Unable to match its strength, I gripped the lodged sword with both hands and was flung around.
"Uwaaah! F-Fuck!"
I yanked the sword free with all my might.
And in the same motion, swung it at the Great Eagle's neck.
A vertical slash.
For this moment, I'd practiced basic swordsmanship 10,000 times a day. No room for error.
-Whoosh!
-Slash!
"......!"
"Kiek!"
It missed. The sword struck the ground emptily.
'Fuck! Because of this damn flesh...!'
Despite its injured wing, the thing was incredibly nimble.
"Kieeeeek!"
The Great Eagle fled deeper into the forest, screeching.
'Calling for its friends...!'
This wouldn't do. The other Great Eagles from the deer carcass would join in.
Then I'd be in real danger...!
'Can't let that happen! I've waited so long for this day... Let's see who wins!'
Like a madman, I chased after the Great Eagle.
"Huff, huff-!"
"Kiek!"
Being a baby, even at full speed, its pace matched my fat body's.
But because of that, the distance didn't close.
"Kiek!"
"Kiek! Kieek!"
Then, dozens of Great Eagles began appearing behind me, chasing.
Crisis.
'No choice...!'
Even if I caught it, I'd be surrounded by the flock.
Better to kill it quick and run.
Hacking through branches at full speed, I reached into my pouch.
And pulled out a Strengthening Herb.
I'd wanted to save it for peak condition before entering the academy...
But just as I was about to stuff it in my mouth.
"Huh?"
"Kieek! Kieeee!"
The fleeing baby Great Eagle U-turned and charged back at me.
'...What the hell?'
I didn't know what was happening, but it was the perfect chance.
I pocketed the herb again and gripped my longsword with both hands, assuming a stance.
'Hoo...'
I inhaled slowly and held my breath.
No failure this time. Eyes wide, I locked onto the approaching Great Eagle.
And spotted its pitiful neck from afar.
Bent my elbows at right angles, raising the sword overhead at a slight angle.
"Hooo..."
When it was right in front of me.
I exhaled the held breath in one go and unleashed the slash.
Vertical slash.
-Whoosh!
-Schluck!
"Kie..."
-Thud. Roll, roll.
The cleanly severed head of the baby Great Eagle tumbled across the grassy dirt.
Blood from the stump dyed the blade of my gripped sword red.
-Splash!
I flicked my wrist to shake off the blood.
'No time to dawdle. Grab the corpse and run!'
Just as I turned to bolt again.
Something strange happened.
"...? What? Why aren't they chasing?"
The dozens of pursuing Great Eagles stared blankly at me from about ten meters away.
"......?"
...A chill of foreboding crept in.
The path the baby Great Eagle had fled in panic.
I slowly turned my head the opposite way.
And before I could fully turn.
"Kirururururururu-!"
A piercing, high-pitched screech assaulted my eardrums from the direction I was turning toward.
"Urk!"
Clutching both ears, I squinted painfully toward the source.
"Uh..."
And realized.
The baby Great Eagle's desperate U-turn wasn't madness—there was a damn good reason.
A magic beast.
The pursuing Great Eagles had fled at the sound of its cry long ago.
I turned to face the beast.
Muscular, straight legs like a horse's.
Yellow bird toes with five talons, mismatched to the legs.
Horns on its head, a hawk-like upper body covered in white feathers, connected to a brown mammalian torso that didn't fit at all.
And on its back, massive wings like an angel's, big enough to cover the entire body.
"...We're truly fucked."
It was a Griffon.
*
'My mistake! Chasing it led me deeper into the territory?!'
The baby Great Eagle's behavior made sense now.
No one wants to die—they flee invaded territory.
Between the Griffon and me.
Which was scarier? Obviously the Griffon.
That's why it ran toward me.
I let out a bitter chuckle and, on reflex, gripped my sword and took a stance toward the Griffon.
Truly fucked.
What now?
Just as the Griffon prepared to attack.
Strangely, it wasn't looking at me.
Its gaze was elsewhere.
'...What now?'
I'd clearly invaded its territory.
Yet it ignored me?
Bushes blocked my view, showing only the Griffon's legs and torso.
Curious, I peeked out slowly to see exactly what it was staring at.
'......!'
A woman lay collapsed beside the Griffon.
She glared at it fiercely, battered and broken.
"Ugh...!"
Long black ponytail like fine silk, ice-crystal blue eyes, a mature beauty unbelievable for fifteen, and an aloof impression.
...A very familiar face. I knew her.
'Sword Maniac Aria?!'
Aria Silvesta.
One of the protagonist's capture targets.
Early in the story, she interacts with the protagonist seeking to learn from his genius sword talent, gradually realizing she's fallen for him.
'Why the hell is she here?!'
She looked deep in crisis.
She should be at the academy...
I'd never cleared her route, so I didn't know what she did on break.
Her obsession with swords—I figured she trained during vacation...
'Doing a one-on-one with a Griffon out here?!'
How obsessed with swordsmanship and strength do you have to be to hunt a Griffon at fifteen?
"Huff..., huff..."
Aria could barely stand, struggling even to breathe.
She propped herself up with her sword.
Clothes torn by Griffon claws everywhere.
Her beautiful face marred by shocking scratches.
No matter how you looked, it was dire.
"Kirururururu-!"
The enraged Griffon advanced slowly on Aria.
'...What to do?'
Should I help?
Her life was in danger. But...
Helping might put me in danger too.
Just moments ago, dozens of Great Eagles had me fearing for my life.
Would going in change anything?
Better to grab the Great Eagle corpse and slip away.
As I pondered.
"...Damn it!"
Aria struggled to her feet, gripping her sword. Trying to face the Griffon closing in.
"Kiruru..."
The Griffon mockingly raised a sharp foreleg.
Beak and horns aside, it swatted lightly at Aria with its muscular paw.
A "light" swat from the Griffon was like a bear's mauling to her—fatal.
-Slash!
"Gaaah!"
'......!'
Blood poured from the gashes on Aria's arms.
-Clang! Claaang!
Aria collapsed again, her sword clattering across the ground.
'Ah... fuck...'
Can't ignore this anymore.
I could've just fixed my dantian and lived quietly.
As I pulled a Strengthening Herb from my pouch, I thought.
...This damn nosiness.
Why am I always like this?
Because of my dead little sister?
Girls in trouble always overlap with her image—thoughts lag behind actions.
"We need to eat and live, so big bro has to work hard for money. Can't you understand a little?"
What did that money matter? Parents gone, she only had me, waiting at home, and I couldn't spare her even a few hours a day—the regret welled up.
"Oppa! When you make lots of money, let's travel together! I wanna go to Japan! Japanese ramen! Japanese tonkatsu!"
My middle-school sister, obsessed with Japanese culture.
I busted my ass working to send her there, climbed to deputy manager somehow.
She died of cancer, and I'm possessed in this game world, messing around.
"Kiruru?"
"...Huh?"
I stuffed all my saved Strengthening Herbs into my mouth and chewed.
-Crunch!
I felt my blood surging explosively through my dantian.
-Thump!
Hot steam rose throughout my body from the herbs.
I slowly advanced on the Griffon.
"Kirururururu!"
Furious at the second intruder, the Griffon flapped its wings sharply.
I gripped my sword and took stance.
Body overload would come soon.
I didn't know the backlash from eating them all, but...
Right now, I might buy enough time to escape.
"Debauched Young Master...? No, the build doesn't quite... or does it?"
Ignoring her words from the ground, I approached the Griffon, slowly aiming my sword.