The afternoon sun cast dappled patterns of light across the forest floor.
An Occult Rat scurried along a branch, clutching a seed of unknown origin and nibbling contentedly. It paused occasionally, twitching its whiskers as it curiously observed the four humans passing beneath its tree.
"You say we're letting them be the vanguard, but really, you just wanted to drink more ale before we left, didn't you?"
Garlan shot a sideways glance at Glenn, who was walking ahead. As if to hide his guilt, Glenn unconsciously scratched his backside twice.
Beside them, Theresia covered her mouth and giggled. Her crimson hair danced in the light breeze, releasing a pleasant scent of sandalwood. Reno followed at the rear of the group, aimlessly surveying the surrounding environment.
"When did you become such an old drunkard? If you actually drink yourself sick, don't expect me to come save you. I'll let you learn your lesson," Garlan teased.
Glenn turned back with a mock-aggrieved expression. "Ever since that incident, alcohol has become my spiritual pillar. I'm not a family man; you've got to let me have something to look forward to! Heh, look at you, though—not only are you talking more lately, but you're getting more aggressive too."
Am I talking more?
Garlan blinked, momentarily stunned. He thought back to when he first met Glenn. While they had been on good terms then, the times he'd felt comfortable enough to banter like this were few and far between. Somewhere along the way, he really had become more talkative.
I guess I'm being influenced... Faces of Lia and Denken flickered in his mind. At this hour, Lia was likely being forced by Denken to transcribe important passages from The History of Magic. Even though she usually read it diligently, Denken insisted that copying key sections helped deepen the impression and was excellent for tempering one's character.
"What was Mr. Garlan like before?" Theresia asked, leaning in with eyes sparkling with curiosity for gossip.
Seeing the girl's interest, Glenn enthusiastically dove into the topic. "Heh! This brat used to be a real 'silent jar.' Kept everything mysterious and was a total closet eccentric. When I first met him, he was wandering around the city like a headless fly. I felt sorry for him, so I lent him a hand." He let out a dramatic sigh. "Who knew he'd become such a celebrity? Pharmacist Garlan—ho ho, I really didn't see that talent coming back then."
"Ahem..."
Embarrassed by Glenn's appraisal, Garlan looked away toward the woods lining the road. He had indeed received a lot of help from Glenn at the start. Without him, Garlan might not have adapted to this world so quickly after his reincarnation, let alone played his role so effectively.
But that was exactly why he had risked taking this job. He hated trouble, but "returning favors" was a core principle of his life. If he had sat idly by and watched Glenn lose an arm and live out the rest of his life in gloom, Garlan would never have forgiven his own inaction.
Aside from the sounds of their own footsteps, the road was silent. This was the main highway from Rohguri to Windmill Village, but since the news of the monster occupation broke, no one dared travel this way. Even merchant caravans preferred the long detour.
"Mr. Reno, have you never had a permanent party of your own?" Garlan looked back at Reno. The man's presence was incredibly faint; throughout the walk, he had remained silent, simply observing the scenery.
"No," Reno explained with a smile. "I only join adventurer parties occasionally to earn some extra pocket money. I actually prefer the quiet life at the church."
"So you're a priest from the local church?" Garlan frowned. He had visited the church twice before but didn't recall seeing Reno's face.
"You really—"
"Mr. Garlan, I seem to have... a bad feeling." Reno interrupted Garlan's question, his expression suddenly turning solemn. For a while now, he had felt eyes on them, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't pinpoint the direction of the gaze.
"Oh?" Glenn stopped in his tracks, his hand moving alertly to the hilt of his Black Sword. He felt it too—the road was too quiet. Eerily quiet.
"Theresia."
"Something is approaching fast!" Theresia whipped out her staff—an elegant piece set with a ruby that matched her hair. "My mana perception is picking up monsters... no, they've been around us the whole time. They were suppressing their mana; I didn't even notice them until now!"
A cold arrow hissed from the woods, aimed straight for Theresia's head.
CLANG!
Her reaction was lightning-fast. A defensive barrier flickered into existence, deflecting the arrow. But immediately after, a rain of arrows followed like a violent squall, pelting down on the four of them. Theresia expanded the barrier, enveloping the group in a protective dome.
"[Three Spears of the Goddess]!"
Seeing the arrows drumming against the shield, Reno expertly flipped open his scripture. On the pages of the Chapter of the Great Fire of Condemnation, a white light pulsed, coalescing into three holy spears by his side.
Swish!
The spears shot outward, plunging into the forest where the arrows originated. A moment later, a series of guttural, agonizing shrieks rang out. Several creatures with human bodies and wolf heads snarled as they stepped out from the shadows. They weren't just wild beasts; they wore armor and carried shields and blades.
"Werewolves?" Garlan blurted out, staring at the wolfish heads.
"No, true werewolves wouldn't appear at this hour. These are just sub-species with partial werewolf genes," Glenn explained, drawing his massive black sword and taking a combat stance. "Though it looks like they've learned human combat formations."
Looking at a dozen or so monsters assuming offensive and defensive positions, Glenn found it troublesome. "Intelligent monsters are always the most annoying to deal with."
As the last arrow fell, Theresia deactivated the large-scale barrier and exhaled sharply. Maintaining a full-coverage shield was a heavy drain on a mage's mana. Luckily, there was only one volley; if there were more, she wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Glenn lunged forward. This was his "Way of the Warrior"—no matter the enemy, just swing your weapon and charge. Fully armored and moving at high velocity, his sheer momentum was a weapon in itself.
The wolf-headed monsters were actually only about half Glenn's height. Seeing the giant human barreling toward them, they didn't retreat. Instead, they raised their shields, bracing for the impact. The back row leveled their spears, hoping to impale the charging human.
"Heh! I gave you too much credit; you aren't that smart after all!"
To everyone's surprise, the charging Glenn suddenly vaulted into the air, soaring over the front line. Garlan was stunned—how could a man that size move so lightly? Was he really forty years old? Though he'd heard Glenn brag over drinks, this was the first time Garlan had seen him in actual combat.
"Open wide, you animals!"
The black greatsword was raised high, catching the glint of the noon sun. Glenn descended like a falling meteor, the air whistling around his blade. He slammed into the center of the formation, cleaving through three monsters and their shields from head to toe in a single, devastating blow.
___
There's a few advance chapters on my P@treon
Usually upload 2 Chapters a day in there, except Saturday and Sunday
43 Chapters Ahead, and will continue to increase
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