#472 The Students’ Unity

It’s easy to beat them, so people tend to think that square boars are weak monsters...

But that’s not true.

They have the most ferocious tackling power. Only a few monsters are said to surpass their speed.

One direct hit from the heaviest boar and you wouldn’t stand a chance.

Many adventurers have fallen victim to their sharp tusks and horns and had their bodies torn to shreds by them in the past.

Silver Wolf, an S-class adventurer, invited to give a guest lecture some time ago, told us that square boars are not only famous for their delicious meat but are even more famous for the danger they pose.

Why is he the only one who tells us about the dangers of monsters? 

To the people back at the farm, they may be like walking food, but they’re still dangerous to us civilians.

“This is bad...! Walkina, what do we do?!”

Rhatil appears calm, but his voice is trembling.

The square boars still have their eyes on us.

As soon as they realize that we are easy to kill, they will attack without hesitation. That’s how beasts are.

“Walkina, I’ll use my magic to distract them, then we’ll use that opening to escape. We can’t go against this many boars.”

“You’re right...!”

Their number is the biggest problem.

No matter how much physical enhancement I do to my body, I’m not confident I’ll survive a boar tackle.

As I said earlier, the amount of biomana possessed by the human race is, on average, 1.5 to 1.7 times that of other races. Similarly, any enhancements made are within that range.

Unfortunately, we have to leave behind the square boar I killed.

Our lives are more important!

“Keep calm...! If they start chasing after us, we’ll never get away!”

First of all, a person can never beat a square boar in terms of speed.

Even more so when it comes to mountain trails.

That’s what Silver Wolf told us!

“We’ll have to find an opening somehow and run away. I think some sort of magic smokescreen should work. I’m counting on you, Rhatil!”

“O-Okay...!”  he replies courageously, voice still trembling.  

Fear permeated his entire body.

Perhaps our enemies noticed that and decided to attack before Rhatil could complete the spell!

“Ahhhh! Eeek!”

He stopped his chants and started swinging his sword around haphazardly out of terror.

“Idiot! Don’t just swing it around recklessly like that...!”

The sword broke upon hitting a tree trunk, boar still closing in on Rhatil.

“Damn it!”

I hurled my hatchet as quickly as possible and luckily hit the square boar right in the head before it could attack Rhatil. 

“No way, it really hit?!”

I didn’t think it would.

But if it hadn’t hit, my partner would have been seriously injured.

“Rhatil! Leave this to me. Focus on getting away!”

“But... But...!”

“No buts! Just go!”

I hurriedly retrieve my hatchet.

I was able to kill one, but dozens of them still remain.

They’re shocked to see their friend killed, but seeing as they’re beasts to the core, I’m sure they’ll attack in no time again.

“While I’m holding out, call for help! That’s the only way we’ll survive!”

“How can there be anyone so conveniently close by...?!”

“If there’s no one around, our fate is as good as sealed...!”

Wait, no.

At the very least, he’ll survive if he escapes while calling for help.

Uooooooh!

The rest of the square boars have made their move as a group.

“Targeting me for killing your friend, huh? That’s just perfect!”

Don’t go to where Rhatil is, please.

The physical enhancement method Sensei taught us is by no means limitless or universal.

It cannot beat several square boars in an instant.

It is also impossible to evade being slashed and stabbed with their tusks and horns.

I won’t be able to survive for that long.

I’m sorry, Lady Sera...!

“Walkina, get down!”

“Huh?!”

I simply obeyed orders before I could process what they said.

As I remained flat on the ground, a tremendous amount of wind pressure rushed over my head, blowing away the square boars in front of me.

They took damage from hitting tree trunks and being knocked to the ground.

“Was that magic?!”

Wind magic?

But who cast this...?

“Rhatil? I thought you ran away!”

“I’m not leaving you here alone! I have my pride too!”

Pride wouldn’t mean shit if you died, idiot!

“I was able to have enough time to cast my spell thanks to you acting as bait! Now let’s get out of here while we still can!”

“G-Gotcha!”

Oddly enough, our initial plan succeeded.

Let’s use this opportunity to run away while the spell still dazes them out! 

Or so we thought...

“We won’t make itttttttttt!!!”

The boars quickly regained their stance!

“I’m going to cast another spell! Walkina! Protect me until the spell is ready!”

“Roger!”

Rhatil is not a man of courage, to be honest.

He cowers before danger and tends to mess up out of fear.

But if I can act as his wall and block out all interferences, he’ll be able to cast his spells with peace of mind.

That’s the role of a muscle brain like me.

I won’t last for long, though!

“Be sure to dodge when I fire! Hollow Whirlwind Cannon!”

“Warn me a little earlier! Ahh!”

Even then, I got down at the perfect timing and witnessed the boars get blown away by the gale.

Nonetheless, they’re tough.

They still managed to get back up despite that strong wind.

“Don’t you have any stronger spells? We won’t be able to get rid of them with this!”

“I can’t cast fire spells! We’d start a forest fire! This is the most extensive, environment-friendly offensive spell I have!”

Darn it!

At least, it’s showing gradual effects.

If we keep sending them flying, the damage will eventually accumulate until they cannot move.

I should be able to kill a few of them using my attacks by then.

“I’ll go as far as I can! Rhatil, cover me!”

“Roger that! Don’t let any of them through!”

I’m in the vanguard, and Rhatil is in the rear.

See if you can break through our formidable formation, you boars!

But the moment I thought that... 

The square boars were annihilated in an instant. 

“What are you two doing?”

“ORKRA!”

With a single hit from Orkra’s battleax, the boars—enemies we had risked our lives to fight—were blown away en masse.

I knew the farm’s inhabitants were nothing but monsters...!