Episode 25: Ash Wolf
Autumn.
It’s the season of harvest. As the lord, I can collect taxes, and it’s a season when the pockets of my people grow warm.
Most people probably like autumn. There are things like harvest festivals, after all.
But I was starting to hate autumn.
“Six Ash Wolves! Here they come!”
Six gray wolves, Ash Wolves, burst out from the forest. A total of six of us—myself, Cornelia, and four regular soldiers including Achim—lay in wait for them.
FWOOSH!
An arrow flew, its sound cutting through the air.
“KYAN!?”
The arrow splendidly struck an Ash Wolf’s shoulder, but it wasn’t enough to take it down.
“GAUGAUGAU!”
The Ash Wolves, forming a proper formation, rapidly closed in. The one to meet them at the very front was me.
“Protection! Regeneration! Haste!”
Gripping the Small Shield tightly in my left hand, I used my skills in rapid succession. I felt my body suddenly become lighter. That was the effect of Haste.
Perhaps seeing me, who had used skills consecutively, as a threat, the two Ash Wolves leading the charge suddenly accelerated and rushed towards me.
The role commonly known as a “tank,” always at the forefront, blocking enemy attacks and taking the most damage. I had volunteered for it.
Normally, someone with a Healing Gift like me would be placed at the rear; that’s the standard theory. But I felt I couldn’t improve that way.
I aim to improve my skills even a little through actual combat. If I don’t—
A small shadow slipped past me, moving forward.
“Ei! Yah!”
It was Cornelia. Cornelia swung her sword at a speed imperceptible to an ordinary person like me, and two Ash Wolves became silent corpses. A high-speed sword strike that didn’t even allow for a death cry. The Ash Wolves that were cut down probably didn’t even understand why they had died.
Admiration can’t catch up, and even jealousy can’t reach. The difference in skill between Cornelia and me is immense. No matter how much I train, the gap only widens.
But! It might be presumptuous for someone like me, but I swore to protect Cornelia!
I don’t want to make excuses for myself and give up!
“GAU!?”
Losing two of their pack in an instant, the Ash Wolves’ pace faltered.
“Haaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!”
Not letting that opening escape, I charged at the leading Ash Wolf, Small Shield raised.
“Un-Limited…!”
“KYAIN!?”
I delivered a shield bash with the Small Shield on my left arm, as if to send the Ash Wolf’s jaw flying upwards.
CRUNCH! SNAP! CRACK!
The wet sound of tearing muscle and the dry sound of breaking bone echoed from my left arm. In an instant, my left arm was mangled. The pain was beyond imagination, tormenting me.
“Guh…!”
I desperately suppressed a scream.
I want to heal it right away. But there’s no time for that.
“Un-Limited!”
An Ash Wolf was trying to slip past me. Pushing my right arm beyond its physical limits as well, I struck the Ash Wolf’s face with my short sword.
Combined with Haste, the skill that allows for quick movement, even a scrawny runt like me can manage to stop a wolf larger than myself.
“GYA!?”
CRUNCH! CRACK!
“Kuh…!”
Pain shot through both my arms like lightning, and I almost lost consciousness.
But, not yet. I can’t lose consciousness here!
By sacrificing both my arms, the Ash Wolves’ advance was halted, and two of them stood stunned. Bach and the others wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
“Burn!”
Bach, his arms wreathed in flames, grabbed an Ash Wolf, and its body was consumed by fire, emitting a foul stench.
“Ei!”
“Zangeki!”
Cornelia and Achim finished off the remaining Ash Wolves, and a momentary silence fell upon the area.
Finally, the pain in my arms began to subside. It must be the auto-recovery effect of the [Regeneration] skill. When I clenched my right hand, the feel of the sword hilt returned. I’m okay now.
Truthfully, I could have recovered instantly with the [Heal] skill. However, I didn’t use [Heal] because I wanted to train myself to endure pain.
However, to think that just stopping two Ash Wolves would wreck both my arms… It’s not worth it at all, but for someone as small as me to fight monsters, the [Un-Limited] skill is necessary.
The skill [Un-Limited] isn’t precisely a skill from my Healing Gift. It’s just a fancy way of saying “Last Stand.”
By consciously verbalizing the part of my body I want to use, I’ve become able to intentionally draw out power beyond my limits. However, I can still only use it on parts of my body like my right or left arm, and I can’t control the amount of power.
It’s true that using [Un-Limited] allows me to deliver a powerful blow that surpasses my body’s limits.
But that’s all. As a price, the part of the body used breaks, and unimaginable pain shoots through it.
My goal is to eventually be able to use [Un-Limited] with my whole body, but… good grief, who knows when that will be…
“How was that, Onii-sama? I defeated three of them!”
“That’s amazing, Ria.”
Cornelia, beaming and looking like she wanted praise, thrust her head out as if demanding to be petted.
I gave a wry smile and gently patted Cornelia’s head.
“Amazing, amazing.”
“Ehh? That sounds kind of half-hearted?”
You really are amazing. So much so that I can’t even see your back.
Even someone like me wants to stand by your side.