Chapter 30
“Surena!”
What came into view as I was forced to stop moving was the highest-ranked Black-Rank adventurer who had accompanied us on this training mission.
Somehow, she’d climbed up there and was attacking from far above Zeno Grayble, driving both blades into its eyes.
With a wet slither.
Perhaps her twin swords had interfered somehow, because the feel of my longsword changed. It seemed I could pull it free now. Thank goodness.
“G... Grr... gah...!”
“...You’re stubborn...!”
Even with a sword driven through its mouth and throat, and both eyes pierced, Zeno Grayble still hadn’t died.
In that case, the best thing to do was pull my sword out and finish it off.
“Hyaaah!”
But before I could pull my sword free, Surena made another move.
With a broad-bladed sword in each hand, she kept the tips embedded in Zeno Grayble’s eyeballs, then spun around and used the centrifugal force to slash sideways.
The vibrations of flesh, bone, and all manner of things being cut apart traveled through my hands.
What strength and skill. Black Rank really is on another level. Even if I’d stabbed my sword in under the same circumstances, I probably couldn’t have transferred the force so deftly.
I was reminded all over again of Surena’s strength. Maybe I really hadn’t been needed after all.
“...Phew.”
I sank down without thinking, holding my longsword, which had come free from the impact.
Its eyes had been pierced deep, then slashed clean across from there. Even a Specially Designated Subjugation Target (Named) was a living creature, and so couldn’t escape death.
In that case, the best thing to do was pull out this sword and finish it off.
“You bought me time, Sensei, which let me get above it easily. Thank you.”
“No, no, there’s no need to thank me. I couldn’t finish it off, after all.”
Surena thanked me as she sheathed her twin swords.
Honestly, I was the one who wanted to thank her. Stabbing my sword into it was all well and good, but I couldn’t pull it back out. I genuinely thought I was going to die.
“...Hm?”
Just as I was about to sheath my own sword,
I noticed the weight in my hand felt strangely light, and the balance was off.
“...Ah...”
It was broken. Snapped clean in two.
My longsword had broken neatly in half.
At the same time, I understood. The blade must have broken off inside Zeno Grayble, which was why the feel had changed and I could pull it free.
“I-I’m sorry, Sensei! I must have caught your sword in the swing...!”
“No, you don’t need to apologize. What you did was the best move, Surena.”
My sword had probably been caught in the path of her broadsword and simply lost.
My longsword wasn’t poor quality, exactly, but it was an ordinary sword with no special name or distinction. Surena’s weapons, on the other hand, were clearly masterworks. And with that kind of power behind the impact, it was no surprise mine had broken.
“Forget about my sword. More importantly, how’s Porta?”
I turned my gaze from Zeno Grayble, whose face was a mangled mess and no longer moving, toward the cave.
There, I saw Nidly and Salikatz staring at us in shock. Beyond them, Porta was leaning against the cave wall.
“Porta survived. With some rest after we get back, recovery should follow.”
“That’s good. That’s what matters.”
Being an adventurer always comes with risks.
So the best outcome for an adventurer is to make it home alive. At least, that’s what I think. Though I’m not an adventurer.
Nobody wants to trade their life for honor. In an unprecedented crisis or uncharted land, the most important thing is to make it back alive.
In that sense, those three were both terribly unlucky and incredibly fortunate.
“At any rate, we made it through. Thank you, Surena.”
Man, I’m really glad you were here, Surena.
I don’t know if I could have won on my own, and if I’d lost, those three would surely have died too. Three young people with bright futures. Just protecting them was a tremendous achievement.
“No, not at all. More importantly, your sword...”
“It’s fine. This sword’s grave was here. That’s all there is to it.”
Her usually confident expression drooped, and Surena spoke hesitantly.
Surena’s bothered by it, too. She really doesn’t need to be.
“G-Gardenant-san! Lisandera-san!”
The threat seemed to have passed. Nidly, apparently having reached the same conclusion, ran toward us, calling out.
Salikatz-kun looked like he was getting ready to carry Porta on his back. Well, we couldn’t leave him here.
“Nidly. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“N-no! Um, th-thank you very much...!”
“Haha, you’re welcome.”
Nidly still seemed unable to stop shaking as he stammered out his thanks.
I hadn’t protected them because I wanted to be thanked, but it still felt good.
Well, Surena was the one who did the hard work, not me.
Still, it wouldn’t be good to keep them on edge for too long. They were probably exhausted mentally, too. I wanted to get back to Baltrain as soon as possible.
“All right, then. Let’s head back. ...Surena?”
I called out as we were about to leave the Azalamia Forest, but Surena seemed to be searching Zeno Grayble’s corpse for something.
“Since it’s a Specially Designated Subjugation Target, we need to bring back proof that we defeated it. Some fur and... this claw should do.”
“I see.”
Now that she mentioned it, she was right. The Adventurers’ Guild had specifically designated this target, so it made sense that verbal testimony alone wouldn’t be enough to confirm its defeat.
“Hah!”
With a short cry, Surena brought her weapon down on the base of Zeno Grayble’s claw.
After a sharp, hard sound rang out, the severed claw, cut off at what looked like the base of a finger, fell to the ground.
“...It’s quite hard. It could make good material, too.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
I’d only heard about it, but apparently some adventurers used materials from the monsters they defeated to make their own weapons.
I had almost nothing to do with that kind of lifestyle, so I used a sword made from ordinary ore. Though that sword just snapped clean in half during the fight.
Hmm, not having a sword at my side just doesn’t feel right as a swordsman.
I’ll have to get a new one once we return to Baltrain. Maybe I’ll visit that blacksmith’s shop Allucia and I went to before.
“Maybe I could make a sword for you from Zeno Grayble’s claw, Sensei.”
“No, no, that belongs to you, Surena. I’ll pass.”
I regretfully declined her offer.
I wasn’t the one who killed it, after all. Besides, it seemed like something incredible might come out of it, so I’ll pass. I’m fine with an ordinary sword. Just an ordinary sword.
Anyway, how do you even make a sword out of a claw? I can understand a spear, but...
“I see... Then, shall we head back? Sensei, once we reach Baltrain, we’ll need to report the Specially Designated Subjugation Target as well. Would you accompany me?”
“Sure, that’s fine.”
Either way, we’d have to report that the rookie team’s training was over, too, and this shouldn’t take that long.
“Hehe, this is Sensei’s triumphant return. I’m proud of you, too.”
“Cut it out. Surena’s the one who defeated it.”
I was able to deal a decent amount of damage because I happened to get my sword into it, but Surena was unquestionably the one who landed the decisive blow. Thinking about it, it still felt like things would’ve gone more smoothly if I’d rescued Porta while Surena fought Zeno Grayble.
Well, we did defeat it in the end, so it’s fine.
I’m just glad nobody died. I could easily have died, too.
“All right, then. Let’s head home. To Baltrain.”
“Yes!”
And so, the rookie adventurers’ practical training—which had stirred up far more than a little trouble—came to an end.