Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Trigger for the World to Change is Surprisingly Trivial. (6)
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Exhausted as I was, I somehow wrung out the last of my stamina and raced toward the village.
They say desperate people can draw out strength beyond their limits, and right now, it felt a little like that.
Have I ever run like this in my life?
Thinking about it, probably not.
After all, aside from my very early childhood, my days were ones where I could just sit still and read books without issue.
I never had to rush to the front lines myself like this—everyone had accepted my instruction from the start.
The marquess's private soldiers did so because of Marquis Harkur's orders.
The academy students had Jenny as a go-between.
But things are different now.
Ugh, my head's spinning.
As my consciousness blurs, all sorts of thoughts flood in.
My dazed mind blocks out everything around me—I can't see or hear a thing.
I must have run that hard...
With the outside world gone, I turn inward more sharply.
I can see deep inside myself.
...The me at my core is a bit arrogant.
And sulky.
At first, I was frustrated that these people wouldn't trust me.
I honestly thought if I came to the scene myself and explained, they'd listen.
I figured this approach would work.
Maybe it's because things have been too easy up until now.
I must have gotten cocky.
Thinking about it, these people have no reason to trust me.
From their perspective, I'm just a nobody—a sudden burden clinging to them.
Yeah, I shouldn't be the frustrated one.
My approach was wrong from the start.
I tagged along on the marquess's soldiers' monster subjugations.
I even went to the academy as a practical exam supervisor.
But really, aside from watching from behind, I didn't do a thing.
And yet, without ever truly experiencing the front lines myself,
I waltzed into the real thing, spouting off about harmonizing theory and practice.
Armed only with knowledge, utterly unprepared physically—no stamina, no combat ability.
I thought my knowledge alone would carry me through.
How arrogant.
Is this the same me who went around claiming to be just an ordinary guy?
While secretly thinking my knowledge made me special?
Of course it ended up like this.
I was too complacent.
Stamina... I need to build stamina first.
As an 'adventurer instructor,' I need to experience way more front lines.
This time, just walking and running wore me out completely—I get it now.
I'll build my stamina and show the adventurers I can at least take care of myself.
Then, indirectly experience real combat on the front lines.
Learn things that pure knowledge can't teach.
Only then can I stand tall as an 'instructor.'
As I resolved myself, my guilt toward the Black Axe Party grew even stronger.
If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have been this late.
Their forces wouldn't have split like this.
I resolve myself once more.
Build stamina.
And... learn some martial arts, even though I gave up on it.
Maybe I dismissed it too quickly because of my aptitude.
At least enough to protect myself would be fine.
I might be the one discriminating the most based on aptitude stats.
Even against myself.
...When I first awakened this ability, I swore I never would.
"Kal!"
Lost in a daze, churning through every thought imaginable,
I snapped back to reality thanks to Loen calling out to Kal beside me.
"Kuhack?! Hahk... hahk...!"
Suddenly, the pain in my chest I'd forgotten surged back.
Out of breath, but the pain was so bad I couldn't even breathe properly.
I felt like I'd collapse any second.
Forcing myself to focus, I looked around.
I could make out the village ahead and Kal facing off against the Silver Wolves.
Hard to see through the sweat, but the villagers seemed to have retreated far back, except for a few burly men.
"Sorry we're late!"
"No, you're faster than I expected."
Loen and Tir hurried to Kal's side.
The three of them began battling the pack of Silver Wolves.
"......"
Catching my breath, I slowly scanned the surroundings.
No bodies, so no villagers dead.
The two downed Silver Wolves must be Kal's work.
But he'd taken wounds for it.
A big gash on his arm.
Thanks to Loen and Tir joining, he had breathing room to slather it with herbs.
The Silver Wolf pack numbered eight in total.
...That's a lot.
Even maxed out, a typical pack is five—this is huge.
Meaning there were ten before two died...
No way a single D-rank adventurer could handle that.
Kal must be seriously skilled.
No, not just Kal.
The whole party is top-notch.
"Hrah!"
Led by Kal swinging his massive axe.
Pheew—Kwachik!
"Kyak!!"
Loen's arrow piercing the Silver Wolf lunging at Kal perfectly.
"Orbs of flame that burn enemies, Fireball!"
Kwaang! Fwoosh—
And Tir's spell, boasting serious power.
They're pros who could handle Silver Wolves without breaking a sweat.
...But the numbers are high.
"Ngh...!"
With only one frontline holding the front, attacks naturally pile up there.
Plus, Kal's not a defense-focused tank—he's a dealer fighting up close with raw power.
He can't block that many hits.
He's deftly dodging aggro toward the backline as best he can... but his wounds just keep growing.
At this rate, Kal collapses before Loen and Tir finish the wolves—and then it's over.
Asking the villagers—who can barely hold off wolves or goblins—for help feels wrong...
"......"
Stay calm in times like this.
What I have: trap rope, herbs, antidote grass, hemostatic, rations, grass-scent spray to mask smells, camouflage cream, simple tent, small fire starter stone for campfires, bait meat, oil...
Urgent situation—rule out anything not immediately effective.
Bait meat won't lure in the heat of battle.
Rope's purely for traps.
Left with grass-scent spray and oil.
...Okay.
This'll do.
If I can just get a brief opening...
"Throw the sticky bombs! Bind their feet and stop the bleeding first!"
That's when Kal shouted.
Loen and Tir hurriedly pulled out sticky potions and tossed them.
But...
"Kyung! Keheung!"
That instant, a few Silver Wolves sniffed, barked sharply,
and
Phabat—
dodged back in perfect unison.
"...!"
The sticky potions hit empty ground, staining nothing but dirt.
...They knew.
Probably a Silver Wolf that's been hit by sticky before—or seen it—smelled it coming.
Remembered the scent.
Big problem.
Our one way to bind their feet is gone.
But... this gap as they retreat and distance opens up.
This is our chance.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Damn...'
Loen cursed inwardly.
The situation was way too dangerous.
The sticky potions, so effective against Silver Wolves, had been sniffed out and dodged in advance.
A few left, but no point—they'd just dodge again.
They were picking them off one by one with Tir's and his attacks, but at this rate, Kal would fall first.
'Something... isn't there something?!'
They needed something to turn this around.
Or they'd all die.
Couldn't retreat with the village and villagers right behind—wolves could loop around.
What to do?
What to do?
He repeated it in his head endlessly, but nothing came.
Just run, or...
They'd prepped plenty and avoided risky jobs, so he hadn't realized.
That even Silver Wolves could put them in peril.
Sticky potions and hemostatics were usually enough—Silver Wolves were no match.
He'd thought it'd be the same this time.
Total oversight.
Run or wipe—nothing else.
But then.
"Kal! Cover your ears and duck!!"
A shout suddenly from behind.
Startled, he glanced back—the instructor, Kane or whatever, holding something, ready to throw.
At first, what the hell? But his form was textbook perfect—better than Loen's or Tir's after hundreds of throws.
He hurled it. Despite probably less strength or eyesight than them, it flew just as fast and accurate as Loen's.
'But what is he throwing...'
Looking closely at the projectile slicing through the air: a grass-scent spray hunters use to mask odors, bundled tight with rope to a glass bottle full of black oil.
And next to it, a dark red stone.
'...Fire starter?'
The moment Loen thought that, it sailed past Kal and plopped right in the Silver Wolves' center.
"Ngh...?!"
Kal instinctively sensed it and ducked low.
But the Silver Wolves didn't dodge until it landed right in their midst.
Odd smell mixed in, but it was just the grass from their usual haunts.
They figured: grass clump or rock toss.
But the instant it hit the ground.
Shatter!
The oil bottle broke, black oil splashing everywhere,
soaking the fire starter beside it.
Sizzle—
The impact sparked flames from the stone,
and
Whoosh—!!
Fire erupted in a flash.
"Kyak!"
"Kyaeng!"
Flames bursting in their midst panicked them into frantic movement,
but it was already too late.
Fwoosh—Boom!!
The volatile contents of the grass-scent spray heated up,
and the metal canister exploded like a bomb.
Kwachik! Pshh! Thunk!
Blast shards—glass and metal—rained out, piercing Silver Wolf flesh.
Those directly oiled had their white fur ignite, burning fiercely.
Kal, ducked low at a distance, took some shockwave and glass nicks—but the blast wasn't huge, just minor scratches.
"Kyaaang!"
"Keheung!"
Post-explosion, Silver Wolves writhed, glass and metal embedded, bodies aflame.
"Kyak?!"
"Kyung kyung!"
Even those out of physical range fell into chaos.
Spray and oil combustion spread volatiles,
and the massive nearby boom deafened and overwhelmed their noses.
For Silver Wolves reliant on sharp hearing and smell in combat, nothing could be more crippling.
"......"
"Wh-what the..."
Stunned by the sudden turn, the Black Axe Party just stared at the suffering wolves.
"Now! Take them out! Kal, your wounds are bad—fall back here!"
"...!!"
The instructor's yell from behind snapped them to action, and the three sprang into motion.