It's a Flower Bud!

Magical beasts. They're different from monsters. If monsters have even a shred of intelligence, magical beasts are more like wild animals.

But magical beasts suddenly charging in?

I urgently asked Kan.

'How many are there? What kind?'

There had to be different types of magical beasts, after all.

Kan quickly questioned the scouting goblin. The scout nodded gravely and replied.

"Kiee... Kieeek!"

Its voice was full of earnest explanation. Kan relayed it to me.

"There are quite a few of them. And the type of magical beast is..."

Kan paused for a beat before continuing.

"Straw Cicadas, apparently."

...Straw Cicadas?

Those were the ones we'd hunted so hard just recently, weren't they? It had taken real effort to take down even one back then...

A whole swarm of those things coming at us.

Kan furrowed his brow.

"Straw Cicadas don't normally swarm like this... It's strange."

He hefted the stone axe at his waist and added,

"For now, Master, please rest. We can handle Straw Cicadas ourselves."

Then Rin zipped in front of Kan and planted herself there.

-I can't sit this out!

She raised her voice.

-I'll be the most help to my friend!

The spirits flocked behind her in agreement.

-Yeah!

-Rin's the best!

Kan's eyes flashed.

"Then let's make a bet on it."

Rin narrowed her eyes.

-A bet?

"Forgot already? The one where we compete for top subordinate."

-I know! I was just surprised!

Rin puffed out her cheeks, and Kan chuckled.

"Fine. It's on."

Flames sparked in Rin's eyes.

-Great! We'll be the most helpful!

The spirits cheered at her words.

-Yay! Yay!

-Let's show 'em!

-Aja aja!

The spirits' morale soared. Kan raised his stone axe high and shouted,

"We won't lose! We'll be Master's top subordinates!"

"Kieeeek!"

"Kieeeeek!"

The elite goblins roared from behind. Their momentum was no joke.

Whoa...

Watching them, I thought,

At this rate... I might not even need to step in?

Patsutsutsutsu-!

Patsut!

The sound of wings buzzed through the dark forest. A chilling, dry noise. Nearby monsters trembled in fear and fled at the sound.

Dark shapes darted between the trees. There were a lot of them. What stood out was that every single one had rolled-back eyes. Black miasma rose from their bodies—the telltale sign of magi poisoning.

Patsutsutsu-!

Patsutsutsutsutsu-!

They ignored all other trees, flying straight in one direction. As if they had a target.

The moment they burst out of the forest, they hesitated.

Patsut-!

A small tree came into view. A sweet, thick fragrance wafted from it. A scent that tickled their noses. They wanted to taste it. That sap.

As the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desire writhed within them, the swarm of Straw Cicadas charged the tree all at once.

At that instant—

Puoooong-!

Something sliced through the air like a boomerang. A stone axe. It smashed right into the center of the swarm.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The struck ones plummeted. The axe arced back.

Tak.

Kan caught it one-handed.

"Wriggling around, huh."

He muttered low, then leaped into the swarm without hesitation.

I was a bit surprised watching him.

Charging in that recklessly?

Patsutsut-!

Patsuts-!

Straw Cicadas thrust their sharp proboscises from all sides. But contrary to my worry,

Kan's body was already weaving through them. He ducked low, passing under one—

Stab-!

His upward axe swing pierced its belly. Before that one hit the ground, he swung horizontally at two incoming from the side.

Thud-!

Both folded their wings and crashed. Kan didn't stop. With every sweeping arc of his axe, more Straw Cicadas fell.

Effortless movements. No—light, even. Like wielding a well-worn tool.

I watched, entranced by his fluid motions.

Whoa.

I'd half-doubted the talk of his skills, but...

He really is the real deal.

Then—

-Hey! No fair starting without me!

Rin puffed her cheeks and spread her arms wide. Massive water orbs formed in the air. Not just one—easily ten of them.

Transparent spheres slowly filled the sky. Light refracted inside, distorting the surroundings.

Rin thrust her hands forward, and the orbs shot out. Incoming Straw Cicadas got sucked right in.

Flap-!

Flutter-!

They thrashed, but the orbs held. Soon—

Gurgle. Gurgle.

The Straw Cicadas stopped moving inside. Rin pouted.

-No fair!

Kan smashed a flying Straw Cicada mid-air and shot back,

"Should've come out faster then."

Rin hurled a water orb at him—right next to him, precisely.

-You should've signaled!

It engulfed a Straw Cicada's face as it lunged at Kan.

Gurgle.

It dropped. Kan chuckled shortly.

"Pretty fast, though."

-Of course! I'll be the top aide!

"Not a chance."

Kan's axe sped up, leaving afterimages. Ruthless swings felled Straw Cicadas one after another.

"Top aide is mine!"

Then waves of water surged from Rin's hands.

Shoooaaa-!

Incoming cicadas got swept away in a mass.

-No way!

Sparks flew from their eyes. Tssstsu...

The Straw Cicadas faltered, facing their momentum head-on. Then the goblins and spirits joined in.

-Over here!

-Can you catch it?

Lower spirits lured the cicadas, drawing them down. Elite goblins struck the baited ones.

A seamless flow. And the rest—Totori without combat power—gathered around me. In case things went south.

Still...

I watched Kan. Quick movements. Pinpoint strikes on weak points. Even to my untrained eye, it was chillingly clean. Minimal motion, purely to kill.

Impressive...

If I had hands, I'd clap. Not just him, though. The elite goblins moved like a well-oiled unit, striking and retreating.

Rin's holding her own too.

I'd thought a water spirit might struggle in combat, but no. She exploited water's fluidity masterfully.

Which led to...

I'm not needed at all?

They were too strong; nothing reached me. Occasionally one slipped through—

Shaaak-!

My Spirit Force Enchant-infused roots pierced it instantly. Too easy.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Means I've gotten stronger too.

The impaled cicada writhed feebly on the ground.

Tssstsu-.

Still alive?

Should I finish it? Then Tori sneaked a glance and crept toward it.

Tori?

Where you going? Tori stopped before it, hefted a huge rock—

Thud.

And smashed its head. Patsut... Dead.

"Kkwoong..!"

Tori puffed up proudly. Clearly thrilled with itself. But...

"Kkwooung!! Kkung!!"

Mom Totori grabbed it and scolded. Classic ending.

Cute.

By then, the swarm was cleared. Amid the corpses, Kan lowered his axe.

"Looks like I came out on top."

He had. His strikes stood out—fluid, multi-kills per swing. Hard to match. Rin, not combat-specialized, had fewer.

Rin grumbled.

-Nngh... Still...

Kan's lip curled.

"Can't be helped. I'll take top spot."

-Ughhh..!

Rin trembled. Kan's teasing made me chuckle inwardly. He hadn't seemed this sly at first... Was he getting cheekier? Nah.

Then Kan smirked.

"But today's a void."

-Huh? Really?

Rin's eyes widened. Kan sheathed his axe.

"Yeah. I started first, and the bet didn't suit you."

He eyed her.

"We should compete where we're both strong."

-For real?

Her voice pitched up.

"What, don't want to?"

-No! Love it!

Rin laughed and flew up. I rustled my branches warmly. They'd gotten close. They'd deny it, of course.

Kan spoke quietly to me.

"But."

Lower voice now.

"It's definitely weird. A whole swarm of Straw Cicadas like that."

-Yeah. All magi-poisoned too.

I didn't know their traits well, but it felt off. They'd beelined for me from the start. Sure, I'd used Fallen Queen's Pheromone just in case, but that didn't explain it all.

Strengthen defenses for now.

Caution never hurt till we figured it out. Kan nodded.

"Understood. But..."

He glanced down.

"What about these?"

The scattered Straw Cicada corpses.

'Leave 'em.'

"...Pardon?"

Kan blinked, shocked. Obviously.

'I'm gonna eat 'em.'

Corpses everywhere. EXP galore for me. No way I'd waste it!

I extended roots ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and started Predation. Spicy-sweet flavor flooded in.

Ooh~!

Delicious! Like spicy noodles!

As I chowed down, Kan marveled.

"Absorbing so many magical beasts and magi at once... Truly my master."

Rin nodded proudly.

-Yeah! My friend's special!

Hm. Special at eating? Whatever, I tuned it out and kept feasting. Then—

Jackpot! Three levels in a row. And it didn't stop there. Skills leveled too!

I checked my status window right away.

Magi shot up a ton. Spirit Power too. Not bad at all?

No—pretty great!

Then...

Hmm...

Something had been bugging me.

Why does one branch feel itchy?

Like something growing, tickling. Wanted to scratch, but it's a branch.

What? What's there?

Then Tori's eyes went wide.

"Kkwoong! Kkwoong!!"

Huh? What's up?

The spirits freaked out hearing Tori.

-Whoa!

-It's real! For real!

They flew to one spot.

What!! What's going on!

Curious, I sent mana to check. And—

Whaaaat?!

Something small hung from a branch tip. Pink, beautiful hue. Round shape. Delicately attached...

It's a flower bud!

On my branch. A flower bud had formed.