Vol 1 Chapter 17 (2/2)
The students were not paying attention, bur even the knights haven’t noticed.
The shadow aimed for one of the students, slowly creeping closer, and when it was around five to six meters away, it immediately accelerated!
“…Eh?”
At last, the student who was targeted finally noticed the shadow.
An exhausted sound leaked out, and the shadow leapt out as he watched —
— s.h.i.+t, there’s no time!
As soon as he saw the shadow, he had already began to move towards it, but the students in front of him blocked his path.
While the other knights and students haven’t moved–
The vice-captain’s eyes saw a silver light be absorbed by the shadow —
With a loud shriek, the shadow jumped aside, writhing in pain.
With a hair raising scream, the black shadow tumbled to the ground while thras.h.i.+ng about, knocking two students away.
After turning once, then twice … it got up, raising its voice into a howl.
At first glance, it seemed to be a rat.
However, it was the size of a wolf, and was covered in reptilian scales, a grotesque rat-like figure.
— Monster.
“Uwaah…” “Uwaaaaah!?”
Advancing from a thicket n the middle of a treacherous terrain, and a dark, dense forest, while the students’ stamina and spirits were exhausted, was a dreaded encounter with monsters.
The students fell into a panic — “Stop panicking!”
The vice-captain thundered a command.
“Hold up your s.h.i.+elds, draw your swords! Is this how you aim to become the Empire’s knights?”
As if struck by lightning, the galvanized[4] students held up their s.h.i.+elds and drew their swords.
‘Yes, though they are agitated, it should be fine.’
They had somehow pa.s.sed the knight examination.
Once they prepared their stances, they outnumbered it.
‘First off, we won’t lose.’
The vice-captain didn’t attack again, and observed the situation as the students encircled the monster.
His eyes were caught by a youth standing in front of the demonic beasts.
‘That student is the cadet that Aldo paid attention to.’
The silver flash from before was him throwing the short sword, cutting through the air.
The short sword deeply embedded into the rat-like monster’s right eye.
If it weren’t for that attack, the recently targeted student would have had his throat torn to shreds.
While letting out an angry growl, the monster gnashed its fangs menacingly.
However, being completely surrounded on all sides, though agile, the demonic beast had no chance.
Though they had somewhat backed away, the students’ swords wounded the demonic beast’s skin.
“So that’s the cadet called Wynn.”[?4?]
Suddenly, one of his subordinates was standing next to him.
“Ah. It’s merely that Aldo-san has his eyes on him.”
Up until now, the students had a solid advantage.
The student directing the battle, the cadet named Wynn, went around the front of the surrounded monster, to the blind spot created by the short-sword, supporting the other students’ attacks.
Wynn stood in front of the demonic beast, while two people moved to the left and right behind it.
The two people standing in the back specialized in attack magic began to chant magic.
Rather than specialize in fighting against humans, his style specialized in fighting monsters.
Stabbing at an opponent’s weak points, it was an adventurer’s fighting style.
According to Wynn’s instructions, they repaired the formation.
Despite being an ostracized a commoner, they had arrived at this situation due to his directions.
It was to the point that the n.o.bles were able to recognize his judgment.
“That lad, he still has energy to spare in this fight.”
“… It’s regrettable, isn’t it?”
The fact that he was devoted to distracting the monster, while also paying attention to the surroundings, speaks volumes of his experience fighting monsters.
At that age, he might be imitating an adventurer.
“Soon, it will be a good time for our plan. What should we do?”
The vice-captain looked up at the sky.
At the beginning of the plan, the students needed to be occupied for the plan to work.
Therefore, encountering a monster from the beginning was helpful.
However, looking at the battle, it would be good to cast away that plan.
Especially that Cadet Wynn — no — beyond the weapon in his hands, there were many uncertain factors. [?5?]
Though the thick branches and leaves blocked the sunlight, the sun was slowly reaching its zenith.[5]
“How far is the fort, and how far are the other groups?”
“It is as planned.”
Nodding at the subordinate’s report, he would wait and see what the captain did.
As if grading them, he stood behind the students and watched the course of the students’ battle.
The battle was headed towards the end.
The two students finished their chants, and the monster was covered in flames.
Letting out a soft whine, the monster fell to the ground, then the two students stabbed at it with their swords.
The demonic beast’s death cries resounded.
“If we’re doing it, we must do it now.”
Matching the vice commander, his two subordinates also slowly drew their swords.
Displaying his resolution at the beginning was his role as their superior.
He softly crept behind the squad captain, who was proudly looking at the students’ battles…
“Ah… Gah…”
In one motion, the vice-captain’s sword pierced the captain’s back, and exited his chest, and fresh blood spurted out.
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