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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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Elisha, catching her breath, looked back and forth between the downed beast and the larger one that had attacked her. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead.
“This… isn’t good.”
Her whisper was lost in the rustling of leaves.
The larger beast’s eyes were bloodshot, its gaze fixed on her, the ground trembling with each heavy stomp of its paws.
Elisha stepped back, gathering magic power in her fingertips, flames flickering to life.
“Take it slow, and it’ll be fine.”
She took a deep breath, trying to reassure herself.
“Goddess of Fire, cleanse this place with your flames!”
Her voice was firm and resolute. A fiery blast erupted from her hand, a massive fireball hurtling towards the beast.
The flames engulfed the beast, burning fiercely. It shrieked in pain and thrashed about, but Elisha’s eyes remained wary.
“It can’t still be alive after that, right?”
She muttered to herself. The beast’s shadow within the flames grew larger.
“What?”
Her expression hardened, her previous confidence replaced by alarm.
“Graaaaa!”
The beast, instead of succumbing to the flames, charged towards her with even greater ferocity, the fire clinging to its muscular form but failing to slow its advance.
Elisha quickly dodged, the beast’s claws tearing into the ground where she had been standing a moment before, sending up a cloud of dust and dirt.
“That wasn’t enough?”
She clicked her tongue, her mind racing, focusing her magic power, trying to formulate a new plan.
“Roar!”
The beast, emerging from the dust cloud, swiped at her again. Elisha instinctively chanted a spell.
“Pure crystal of cold ice, eternal ice that never melts, protect me-”
She managed to create an ice barrier, but the incantation was incomplete, the barrier unstable, and it failed to protect her completely.
She barely dodged the claws that pierced through the ice, but the beast’s heavy blow grazed her shoulder.
“Kuh!”
Blood welled up from the wound. Elisha clutched her shoulder and leaped back. The situation was deteriorating rapidly.
If this continued, she would face dire consequences.
“Calm down…”
But Elisha maintained her composure, her mind racing, trying to think clearly amidst the escalating chaos.
“Yes, this should work.”
A possibility flashed through her mind.
“Pure crystal of cold ice, eternal ice that never melts, protect me!”
She created another ice barrier, an opaque wall of ice separating her from the beast.
“Raaaaaar –!!”
The beast slammed into the ice wall with all its might. But something was wrong.
Even though she had completed the incantation this time, the barrier shattered more easily than before.
“Grr?!”
“Gotcha.”
But this was all part of Elisha’s plan. The ice wall wasn’t meant for defense.
Crack – Crack –
As the ice shattered, it emitted a bright flash of light, and the ground beneath the beast’s feet instantly froze over. It was a trap.
The ice wall was designed to freeze the surrounding area upon breaking.
“Now I’ll finish you off.”
The beast struggled, trying to break free, but the pure ice held it firmly in place.
“Oh Goddess who created and embraced fire, grant me the miracle of purification-”
She began to draw a magic circle, her resolve firm, aiming it at the giant beast. A crimson glow appeared in the air, the flames growing more intense.
“With the primordial flame, the beginning of all things, I shall wield your power and elevate your glory.”
“Initial Fire!!”
With her final words, the magic circle erupted in a blinding flash of light, engulfing the beast.
“Raaaaaaaaar —”
A deafening roar echoed through the forest, a powerful gust of wind whipping through her hair.
“…….”
When the light subsided, the beast lay motionless, a charred husk, no longer recognizable as a living creature.
“Huu -”
The flames slowly died down, and Elisha breathed a sigh of relief. Silence returned to the forest, and she knew she had won.
“Good. I won. Now let’s collect the spoils.”
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The Cyclops thrashed about, trying to reach Eilly, its massive club smashing trees indiscriminately, turning the surrounding area into a wasteland. But Eilly remained unfazed amidst the tremors and flying debris.
“It’s putting up quite a fight.”
Eilly narrowed her eyes, quickly assessing the terrain, her mind calculating endlessly.
She considered every possible option, determined to win, to claim her master for herself.
“…….”
Eilly focused on the Cyclops’s right ankle. Her initial attack had been a solid hit, and the already slow Cyclops was now hampered even further, slow as a turtle.
“And its movements are so sluggish that it’s easy to find openings.”
She moved cautiously, observing the Cyclops’s slow, lumbering movements.
“Whoa!”
The Cyclops, oblivious to her careful analysis, swung its club wildly at the air, as if swatting at flies.
“……!”
As the club whooshed through the air, Eilly dodged with a swift, agile movement.
“Now!”
She steadied her breathing, preparing for her next move. Her sword gleamed.
Just as the Cyclops raised its club for another strike, she dashed forward, aiming for its eye.
“Wooooooooo –!!!”
“Ugh!”
A deafening roar echoed through the forest. Just as she was about to deliver the final blow, Eilly faltered.
“Ugh?!”
She was forced to retreat as the Cyclops followed up with another attack.
She was frustrated that she hadn’t been able to finish it off but was also impressed by the Cyclops’s surprisingly clever response.
“Grrrr…!!”
The Cyclops’s eye was bloodshot with rage, as if smoke was about to erupt from its head.
“Whoa!”
Its attacks became increasingly ferocious, the ground shaking with each swing of its club, sending up clouds of dust.
“This is more troublesome than I thought…”
The Cyclops was more persistent than she had anticipated.
It groaned in pain and frustration, swinging its massive arm, trying to swat her away. But its attacks were too slow for Eilly, who easily dodged them and retreated to reassess the situation.
“One more time!”
She tightened her grip on her sword and launched another attack, this time aiming for its left arm.
The Cyclops tried to counter, but Eilly flowed around its attack like water and plunged her sword deep into its arm.
“Aoooooo –!”
The Cyclops roared in pain. She could feel its strength waning. Eilly caught her breath and prepared for the final blow.
“It’s over.”
Without hesitation, she swung her sword with all her might, aiming for the Cyclops’s neck.
“G-Guh –!”
A heavy thud echoed through the forest.
The Cyclops collapsed, its massive body hitting the ground with a final, resounding thud.
“Haa, I did it…!”
Eilly lowered her sword, her body relaxing as the tension drained away. The surrounding area was a mess from their battle, but her fight was finally over.
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“No students have returned yet. I hope they’re not pushing themselves too hard.”
A peaceful atmosphere settled over the designated assembly point.
Instructor Adria, along with several other instructors and support staff, was stationed there, ensuring the area’s safety for the returning students.
“If they’ve learned their lessons well, they’ll return safely.”
The assembly point was well-equipped with combat personnel, medical staff for emergencies, ample supplies, large tents, and basic facilities.
Furthermore, a special chemical repellent, harmless to humans but emitting a strong stench to creatures with sensitive noses, had been spread throughout the surrounding area as a protective measure against monster attacks.
Since most of the monsters in this forest were beast-type with heightened senses, it was a wise precaution on the academy’s part.
“And we have carefully selected instructors stationed throughout the forest.”
“Still, we can’t let our guard down.”
Although they appeared relaxed, those at the assembly point remained vigilant, ready to respond to any unforeseen dangers, their faces grim with concern for the students’ safety.
Just then,
“We need assistance over here!”
A desperate cry shattered the peaceful atmosphere. An instructor appeared, drenched in sweat, supporting a student.
“What happened?!”
The atmosphere at the assembly point instantly became tense. Instructor Igría and the medical staff rushed towards the student.
“I found this student collapsed during my patrol. They were unconscious, so I brought them back immediately.”
The student was barely conscious, letting out faint moans. But what shocked everyone was something else.
“…An arrow?”
An arrow was deeply embedded in the student’s thigh. Instructor Adria’s expression hardened as she saw it.
She tried to recall if there were any monsters in the forest intelligent enough to use a bow and arrow.
“Lamias…?”
Clang—! Clang—! Clang—!
Just as she muttered the name, chaos erupted at the assembly point. The alarm bell, installed for emergencies, began to ring.
“We’re under attack! We’re under attack!”
Almost simultaneously, a male instructor’s urgent cry echoed through the assembly point.
Everyone assumed defensive positions, their eyes scanning their surroundings, alert for any sign of danger.
“What the… Lamias?!”
“Where did so many of them come from…!”
“This is a real emergency! Prepare for battle!”
A horde of Lamias, like a swarm of ants, emerged from the darkness of the forest, their flickering tongues darting through the air. As the massive army appeared, panic began to spread through the ranks.
“What’s going on…”
Instructor Adria, without a moment’s hesitation, gritted her teeth and drew her sword.
She could sense it instinctively.
“Hiss… -”
The Lamia attack had begun.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
