Chapter 66: Hunting Evaluation (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 66: Hunting Evaluation (3)
The sky bled into the hues of sunset as darkness swallowed Elt Island. I had to reach the heart of the island before the shadows fully settled.
Once night fell, the environment would become a playground for demonic illusions and summoned familiars. Worse, the risk of inhaling hallucinogenic mushroom spores would skyrocket, making it nearly impossible to discern my surroundings.
「Clairvoyance (Neutral Element, ★7)」
‘You’re doing great, Ian!’
I periodically activated [Clairvoyance] to check on Ian and Kaya. Fortunately, the two of them were making steady progress toward the center of Elt Island without any major setbacks.
That’s the spirit. Stay strong, Ian!
‘…Actually, I’m the one who needs to stay strong.’
The moment Hilde reported she had run into a fanged hippopotamus, I gave up on the idea of fighting.
From this point on, my primary concern was not becoming prey. I had wanted to follow the plan and recruit a companion, but I couldn't find a single suitable candidate.
As I neared the center, the demonic illusions of Elt Island began to take notice of me, lunging from the shadows at every opportunity.
To prepare for a crisis, I draped a camouflage cloak I’d purchased from an unmanned shop over my shoulders. If things got hairy, I could pull it up instantly to cover my entire body. The cloak was designed to shift its pattern to match the surrounding environment.
‘It looks as cheap as a beggar’s rag.’
The sight of it triggered unpleasant memories of my military service. I suddenly recalled the annoying sergeant who had tormented me during my enlisted days. I felt a sudden, sharp urge to punch that jerk in the face.
“Ugh!!! I’m starving—!!!”
“Wait, what the hell?!”
Suddenly, a female student came charging through the brush, shrieking at the top of her lungs. Her voice was distinctively husky.
She had an orange ponytail and piercing golden eyes. She wore a modified school uniform with pants instead of a skirt, and her white shirt was completely unbuttoned, fluttering behind her like a war banner.
As she sprinted toward me, she effortlessly swung a bat embedded with mana stones. She was amplifying her rock magic to crush the demonic illusions in her path with terrifying ease.
She was Lisetta Lionheart, a first-year Class A student from the Magic Department.
[Lisetta Lionheart]
Lv: 98
Race: Human
Elements: Rock
Danger: X
Psychology: [Irritated because she is hungry.]
Lisetta hadn't unlocked a second element yet. It was a deliberate choice driven by her desire to specialize exclusively in rock magic.
By the way, where has she been hiding until now…? I remember her being on the same boat as me.
“What’s with all the weird stuff to eat around here?! Argh!!!! I’m hungry!!!!”
My best guess was that she’d fallen asleep somewhere after eating a strange mushroom.
It would have been nice to recruit her as a companion, but her overwhelming aura made me hesitant to even breathe in her direction.
‘Well, I guess I don’t really need to ask her.’
After all, Lisetta was charging straight toward the center, obliterating every demonic illusion and familiar that dared to stand in her way. All I had to do was follow in her wake. We were headed to the same place, anyway.
‘Amazing.’
All aboard the Lisetta Express!
How convenient is it to have your enemies annihilated for you?
“Get out of the way, you wretches!!!!”
It felt incredibly refreshing to be hard-carried.
An abyssal, blue darkness had fully descended. Fortunately, I managed to tail Lisetta all the way to the center of the island, near the volcano.
An artificial, three-meter-tall door was built into the side of the mountain—the entrance to the volcanic cave.
I put as much distance as possible between Lisetta and myself before activating [Clairvoyance]. A mage of her caliber might be able to sense my mana if I stayed too close.
I scanned the other side of the mountain. Ian and Kaya were currently facing a gatekeeper. The tension in the air suggested they were seconds away from an engagement.
The situation on my side was much the same. I deactivated [Clairvoyance] and watched the confrontation between Lisetta and her own gatekeeper.
“Hey, let me ask you something.”
With her Rock Bat slung over her shoulder, Lisetta addressed the six-meter-tall magic beast without a hint of hesitation. It was a blue-skinned giant familiar with a mass of sharp tentacles for a head and blades of flame flowing from its elbows.
“Behind you, in that doorway… is there anything to eat?”
[Kuoooooo──!]
“Damn it! Is there no one on this island I can talk to?!”
「Flame Fist (Fire Element, ★3)」
「Rock Avalanche (Rock Element, ★4)」
As the gatekeeper swung a massive fist wreathed in flames, Lisetta swung her Rock Bat horizontally through a magic circle she’d manifested in mid-air.
Four massive rock pillars erupted from the ground, slicing through the air before slamming into the gatekeeper.
Crash! Crash! Kwaang!
[Kuooooooooo…!]
A thunderous roar of stone on flesh echoed through the clearing. Without missing a beat, Lisetta unleashed a relentless flurry of follow-up strikes.
Thud! Kwaang! Kwaang! Thud! Thud! Kwaang!
[Rock Avalanche], [Rock Avalanche], [Rock Avalanche]
The gatekeeper eventually lost consciousness, collapsing into a heap under the weight of her brutal assault.
“How boring.”
The Lisetta Express emerges victorious! Everyone applaud!
Lisetta clicked her tongue and marched toward the cave entrance. With a single hand, she shoved the massive door open. It slid aside with such ease it was almost comical.
She smirked in disbelief and stepped inside.
‘The service on the Lisetta Express is top-tier.’
Ah, so this is the sweet taste of a free win.
The final boss lurked deep within that cave. My plan was simple: wait for Lisetta to take him down, then move in. The cave wasn't particularly deep, so she would encounter the boss soon.
I used [Clairvoyance] again to check on Ian and Kaya. They had also managed to defeat their gatekeeper.
Everything was going perfectly. A natural smile spread across my face.
“…”
…Wait. Things are going too smoothly.
It felt wrong. In this world, whenever things started going exactly to plan, something usually went sideways.
‘No. Don’t jinx it. Sometimes things just work out.’
‘Let’s think positively.’
Today is a lucky day. Everything is going to be fine. Let’s just believe that.
There was the Rose variable, but I’d managed that. I’d even taught her a lesson.
I forced a smile, hid behind a tree, and held my breath.
Time passed.
According to my [Clairvoyance], Lisetta had reached the depths of the cave and defeated the final boss—a giant fire lizard. Meanwhile, Ian and Kaya were just about to face their own final boss.
In Act 4, Chapter 3: The Underground Giant of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, Lisetta didn't appear at all. That meant she likely left the cave immediately after defeating the lizard.
‘I’ll just wait for her to come out…’
I shifted my [Clairvoyance] back to Lisetta.
I immediately swallowed a sigh of frustration.
The giant lizard lay unconscious. And sitting atop its carcass, legs spread wide, was the girl with the orange ponytail.
She had her Rock Bat rested on her shoulder, looking for all the world like she was waiting for someone.
It wasn't hard to guess what had happened. Despite the distance I’d kept, Lisetta’s feral instincts must have picked up on my pursuit. She knew I was following her, and she was waiting for me to show my face.
‘Oh, no.’
Strangely enough, my "lucky day" had just hit a massive roadblock. The biggest variable of all was standing right in my path at the most crucial moment.
During the end-of-semester evaluation, I’d had the help of Luce, Kaya, and Ciel. But now? I was on my own.
It wouldn't be long before the Elphelt appeared. If I wanted to make it in time, I had to get past Lisetta right now. Ian and Kaya would defeat their boss, and he would emerge. If I moved now, I could reach them in twenty minutes.
“Haa, what a mess…”
I let out a deep sigh and deactivated [Clairvoyance], leaning my head against the tree.
Lisetta was a battle maniac. If we came face to face, a fight was inevitable. And there was no way I could defeat her. But…
‘I don’t have a choice.’
The fate of the world was at stake. There was no time to whine. I had to face her head-on.
I stepped toward the entrance of the volcanic cave.
The air inside was humid. The walls were a strange mix of clay-colored stone and white stripes. Surprisingly, the interior was well-lit by luminescent lamps installed along the path.
As I moved deeper, the tunnels widened until I reached the spacious chamber where the final boss of the Hunting Evaluation resided.
“You finally showed up.”
From her perch atop the motionless fire lizard, Lisetta Lionheart looked down at me with a mischievous smirk.
[Lisetta Lionheart]
Psychology: [Feels wary of you.]
“Ah, it’s you. That ‘extra’ bastard someone mentioned! Kehehe!”
“…”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you tailing me?”
Lisetta laughed, but her expression suddenly hardened.
Her rock-aspected mana began to flow like a gale, washing over me. It was an overwhelming pressure that served as a stark reminder: this was an opponent I could never hope to beat in a fair fight.
Lisetta leapt off the lizard and landed gracefully, slinging her bat over her shoulder. She shoved her free hand into her pocket. Beneath her open shirt, a form-fitting tank top highlighted her lean, powerful physique.
‘I boarded the wrong bus…’
I didn’t realize this bus was heading straight off a cliff.
“Why were you following me?”
I didn't bother answering. I knew the outcome would be the same whether I told the truth or lied. So, I stayed silent.
“Ha! Not even going to talk? Fine. What’s your name, then?”
“…Isaac.”
“I’m Lisetta Lionheart! And I’ve been personally interested in you for a while!”
Lisetta’s booming voice and her transparent thirst for combat reminded me of a gladiator.
“I was wondering why the top-seat, the second-seat, and the third-seat were all tangled up with an extra brat like you. Especially that top-seat bitch—she’s so smitten with you she can’t even think straight!”
Lisetta tilted her head, a grin spreading across her face.
“Well, whatever. I wanted to see what the fuss was about for myself.”
A swirling magic circle of rock magic manifested around her.
Here we go again. Lisetta watched me like a hawk, and I could feel the tension reaching a breaking point. A cold sweat trickled down my cheek as I stared at her battle-hardened form.
Well, I didn’t come here without a plan.
My plan was simple: throw a Xerom mushroom to temporarily disrupt her mana circuits and see what happened. I knew the effect wouldn't be as dramatic on someone as strong as Lisetta, but if it made her spellcasting even slightly uncomfortable, it might give me an opening.
Focus.
I held my breath and conjured a pale blue magic circle, preparing for the clash. I would use magic to divert her attention, then find the gap to throw the mushroom.
The air grew heavy. A sense of impending doom weighed on my chest.
And then—
“…That’s enough.”
Suddenly, Lisetta dispelled her magic circle, a look of pure boredom washing over her face.
“That measly amount of mana… it makes me want to die of boredom.”
What the hell…?
“Just by looking at you, there’s no way those first-rate bitches are interested in your combat skills. Is it something else? Tsk. I got my hopes up for nothing. Next time, bring some friends. You alone aren't worth the effort.”
Lisetta shredded my pride without mercy. My forehead throbbed, burning with a mix of irritation and relief.
“Ah! Do you have anything to eat? I’m starving to death.”
“…”
“You got anything? Why aren't you answering?”
“…Yes, I do.”
…To prevent a bad ending, I have to do whatever it takes.
Since Lisetta was prone to changing her mind, I had to take the initiative.
“Oh, really? Give it here!”
Lisetta looked delighted, a wide smile returning to her face.
I let out a long sigh.
When Lisetta frowned and snapped, “Did you just sigh at me?” I hastily pulled a bundle from my pocket.
“Here.”
I handed the bundle to her. She snatched it eagerly and peered inside. It contained ‘Frostbloom flowers’ I’d picked along the way—edible flowers that constantly emitted ice mana. I had already pre-cooked the petals by searing them with a 1-star fire magic scroll.
“Looks weird. You try it first.”
Lisetta plucked a Frostbloom petal that looked like a piece of candy and shoved it into my mouth.
…I had no choice. I chewed the petal. It had a soft, slightly salty texture, not unlike pickled vegetables. It was definitely edible.
Relieved, Lisetta popped a petal into her own mouth.
“It’s not exactly a delicacy, but it’ll do…”
Just then.
Rumbleee────!
“Ugh!!!”
The ground began to heave! Dirt and dust rained from the ceiling, and the luminescent lamps were suddenly doused by a strange influx of rainwater, plunging the cave into darkness.
The Underground Giant. This was the precursor phenomenon to the appearance of the Elphelt. That bastard was about to wake up!
I shouted urgently, “Lisetta, run!”
“Huh? What?”
“I told you to run, you idiot!”
“What did you just call me…?”
Lisetta stared at me, completely perplexed.
There was no time to explain. I had to get to Ian immediately!
I bolted toward the inner passage of the cave. If I kept going this way, I would reach Ian and Kaya.
I checked the situation with [Clairvoyance]. Ian and Kaya were looking around in a panic. If I pushed my muscles to the limit, could I make it in ten minutes? I wasn't sure… but I had to try!
“Hey!!! What’s going on?!!”
No, why is Lisetta chasing me?!
“You! Do you even know what an earthquake is?!!”
“I told you to run!”
You’re just getting in the way!
“What?! Why do you keep giving me orders?! Do you want to die?!”
There was no time to convince her to turn back. At any moment, the giant’s maw would swallow Kaya, and Ian would dive in after her.
Lisetta and I sprinted toward Ian’s location.
I hoped she wouldn't follow me all the way to the end. If she did, I’d be forced to show her how I actually fought against demons. The last thing I needed was more people—especially people I wasn't close with—knowing my true identity.
…Then again, she was the type of girl who refused to take orders from anyone she deemed weaker than herself.
‘Ugh.’
My head throbbed.