2-9. The Next Step

Today, I was dropped off at a place slightly farther away than yesterday.

Thinking about the distance increasing day by day makes me feel a bit dizzy.

I still can’t sense any presence around me.

There’s no noticeable presence at the moment, and I wonder if I can really return to the Oni Castle from this forest?

…I can’t imagine it!

Come to think of it, I asked Uchikage-Ojichan about Amariaz’s uncle, but he didn’t know anything.

Well, he shouldn’t easily forget someone who calls himself a former god, so maybe he really doesn’t know.

But when he asked, “Why do you ask such a thing?” I had a little problem… I didn’t mention Amariaz at that time, so I was safe, but I almost got him to notice Amariaz.

Keeping secrets is difficult.

“Hey? Amariaz~! Are you there?”

“I’m here.”

Amariaz, who popped out, quickly walked towards me.

Yeah, I captured his presence perfectly.

I’ve only met Amariaz for a few days, but maybe because he’s helping with training, I can sense his presence strongly. So, I knew where he was before calling him.

“Well then, shall we move on to the next step?”

“Huh? Do we have to do the same thing as yesterday?”

“I sensed a faint killing intent. We don’t need to do the same thing anymore. The next thing to do is training to sense dangerous auras.”

“Dangerous auras?”

“This.”

Saying that, Amariaz clasped his hands.

Then, a wind was generated, and something gathered in his hands.

“Oh, is that the technique you used to catch fish?”

“Correct!”

“…Wait a minute? How are you going to use that now?”

“Throw it.”

“…Towards what?”

“Isn’t it obvious!”

Suddenly, a danger signal flowed through my whole body, telling me to escape from that location immediately.

Instinctively, I leaped to the side, and something passed right beside my face.

After a while, a small explosion sounded from behind.

I alternated between the direction of the sound and Amariaz.

The magnitude of the explosion seemed to be set weaker than when he used “Air Compression” to catch fish, but judging from the sound, it was clear that it was dangerous.

If that hits, I would probably be blown away.

“What the hell!”

“Avoided. See, you’re getting the hang of it!”

“Huh!? Is that so!?”

“Then let’s improve that accuracy today!”

“Haah!?”

Amariaz already had ‘Air Compression’ in both hands.

This is a small bomb with low power. Even if it hits, it shouldn’t do much, but I don’t want to be blown away by it!

Then a dangerous aura approached directly in front.

Dodging to the side, the same dangerous aura came again from the same direction.

Using “Explosive Fist” to fly in the air, I managed to land far away while looking at Amariaz.

Bang!!

The sound of explosions came twice from the direction I had avoided.

Wait, wait a minute? Are we going to do this all day today!?

You’re already preparing the next one, run away!!!

“Bhuagh!?”

I tried to dash away, but I collided with a tree and bounced back.

It didn’t hurt, but now I’m more vulnerable to attacks.

I felt some noise near me.

Even though I couldn’t see, I could understand what it was.

Bang!!

“Ow!”

The air compression exploded, easily blowing me away.

Even though it was supposed to be a small explosion, why is it so powerful?

What is that!?

Certainly, Amariaz mentioned “Air Compression,” right!?

Why can he throw that around so easily!?

And I’m at a disadvantage because I don’t know the terrain around here!

I hit a tree earlier!

No, this is impossible; I definitely can’t avoid this!

“Why!! Why are Uchikage-Ojichan and Amariaz always making me do such training!”

“Let’s go to the next one!”

“Whooa!”

Amariaz, who had approached without me noticing, mercilessly threw “Air Compression.”

I have no idea what’s happening around me, but for now, I have to run.

As soon as I escaped from the shrubs, I felt a strange presence.

Amariaz seemed to feel the same, stopping his attack and turning his gaze towards that presence.

Thump, thud…

Thump, thud, thud…

Generally, beasts and monsters reduce their footsteps as much as possible when walking.

It’s a necessary skill to protect oneself from stronger creatures.

The technique of hiding is something they are very good at.

However, the beast or monster that is approaching with hostility is not like that.

It walks with deliberate footsteps, and its weight makes its feet sink slightly into the ground.

Even though I can’t see, I could feel the presence that the creature… or monster is emitting.

It was killing intent.

It was the same feeling of killing intent I had been practicing with Amariaz yesterday.

But the killing intent from Amariaz is completely different.

It’s not a shiver-inducing presence; it’s an unsettling feeling that clings to the body, accompanied by a slight chill.

As a result, my feet feel very heavy.

The creature currently facing me sees us as nothing more than “food.”

That’s the kind of presence that came across.

“Wow… Why are they here in a place like this?”

“Ah, Amariaz… What is that?”

“It’s a monster from the Devil Territory. It’s called Bechinu.”

The monster called Bechinu chirped as if in response to its own name.

“Kyuaaa…”