CHAPTER 48: SPEAR OF FLAME

　I deploy void attribute magic in front of the Bronze Wolf that is about to jump.

“[Shield]! [Airbag]!” (Nyango)

　For the third time, Bronze Wolf learned our attacking habits.

　First, it bites, and then immediately after, it cleaves with its right front leg.

　The shield on its nose and the airbag on the cleave sealed the deal, but to my surprise, Teodoro was trying to use his companion next to him as a shield.

“[Rubber Ring]! [Lance]!” (Nyango)

　The Bronze Wolf, who had stopped moving, was immediately restrained by the [Rubber Ring].

　At the same time, I placed [Lance] under its chest and groin, preventing its body from crouching in preparation for a leap.

　Following close behind, Laius and Jill thrust their swords into the hard fur.

“Gruuuaaaa!” (Bronze Wolf)

　Bronze Wolf flailed furiously, but it could not escape the [Rubber Ring]’s restraints because the [Lance] was in its way and it could not put any force into it.

　The Bronze Wolf’s resistance is weakened as it tries to swing its legs around but if its body sinks down, the tip of the [Lance] bites into its body.

“Now! I’ll kill you now!” (Laius)

　Laius thrusts his sword into its left flank and pulls out the internal organs of the Bronze Wolf.

　Jill slammed the great sword with all his might into the back of the knee of the right hind leg.

“Gyauuuu…” (Bronze Wolf)

　The Bronze Wolf leaps up with a scream, but it cannot escape the restraints of the [Rubber Ring] because it cannot sink its body down to create momentum.

　Instead, it was pulled back by the recoil of the [Rubber Ring], and the tip of the lance pierced even deeper.

　Serge continues to shoot arrows, using the guidance of wind magic to gouge the vital spot on the neck from behind.

　The rain that fell on Bronze Wolf turned bright red as it ran down his body and fell to the ground.

　The accumulation of damage had obviously weakened Bronze Wolf.

　Teodoro, who had been sitting hunched over with his friends as shields, also grabbed his spear and stood up.

　He was in a position to aim right down the Bronze Wolf’s throat.

　Seeing an opportunity, Teodoro smiled broadly.

“I’ll let you do it! [Flame Lance]!” (Nyango)

　Before letting Teodoro take credit, while not rushing to aid his companions in danger and using them as shields, I activated my special move.

　By stacking five layers of fire magic tools and five layers of wind magic tools each, and squeezing the spewing flames into a thin tube, a high-temperature and high-pressure, blue spear of flame with a length of more than three meters appeared.

　The [Flame Lance], which was activated just below the Bronze Wolf’s jaw, pierced even its skull and glowed blue in the pouring rain.

　The Bronze Wolf stopped moving without even a scream as it was engulfed in flames from within its head.

　The rain that hit it turned into steam and rose up, and flames spewed out from its eye sockets and jaw.

　The Bronze Wolf’s head was burned black, and even after releasing the [Flame Lance], it did not move even a twitch as it was restrained by the [Rubber Ring].

“Yippee! I defeated the Bronze Wolf!” (Nyango)

“Amazing, Nyango! You’re the best!” (Serge)

　I jumped down from the tree and Serge picked me up.

　Normally I don’t like being drenched in the rain because I don’t want my fur to get wet, but today I didn’t mind.

“I thought you weren’t an ordinary person, but you almost single-handedly defeated the Bronze Wolf, what kind of magic did you use?” (Serge)

“I’ll explain when we get back to the village…” (Nyango)

“We beat it! We Raging defeated the Bronze Wolf!” (Teodoro)

　Unbelievable words jumped into my ears, which were in a state of high, due to Serge.

　Raising his voice is the leader of Raging, Teodoro.

“Well done, Nicholas. As expected of Raging’s magic swordsman. The Bronze Wolf’s head looks like charcoal!” (Teodoro)

　The adventurer being patted on the shoulder by Teodoro and praised is the one who was almost used as a shield when he was attacked by the Bronze Wolf.

　Under the pouring rain, Teodoro is raising his voice, but Chariot, Bored Men, and even the members of the Raging are not in sync with him.

“What’s wrong, you guys, it’s a big victory for Raging, get more excited. Look, look!” (Teodoro)

　Teodoro seems to be intimidating the members of the Raging by turning his back on Laius, Jill, and the others, but still, no one agreed.

　On the contrary, the magic swordsman, who was lifted up as the killer of Bronze Wolf, roughly shook off Teodoro’s arm from his shoulder.

“Come on, Teodoro. You’re taking this too far.” (Nicholas)

“Hey, I can’t really use you, you guys are useless… It’s a great chance to sell our name. Oh, I’ll take my share of the subjugation. Don’t try to fool us. Mr. Jill.” (Teodoro)

“Ah, Yeah, I’ll let the guild know you were of no help.” (Jill)

“What? What are you talking about? If I hadn’t insisted on continuing with the subjugation, you wouldn’t have encountered the Bronze Wolf, and you wouldn’t have been able to defeat it. I’m the one who did the most! Right?!” (Teodoro)

　When Teodoro asked for agreement, none of Raging’s members responded.

“Huh? You guys, why are you silent? I’m the leader of Raging.” (Teodoro)

“Leaders don’t use party members as shields.” (Nicholas)

“Yes, I saw it too. You were trying to use Nicholas as a shield, weren’t you?” (Raging Member)

“Bah, you idiot! That was trying to protect Nicholas…” (Teodoro)

“That’s a lie! I was right behind you when you pulled Nicholas, who was out of reach of the Bronze Wolf’s fangs.” (Raging Member)

“N-No… I really want to protect him… Who the hell did you think you are…” (Teodoro)

　Teodoro had probably been leading the party hand and fist, but the members were steadfast that the others were also angry, and they didn’t show any signs of obeying even if they were intimidated.

“I’m out of the Raging as of today.” (Raging Member)

“Huh…” (Teodoro)

“Me too!” (Raging Member)

“I’m out too.” (Raging Member)

　When all of the members said they are leaving, Teodoro seemed stunned for a moment, but then he raised his spear and slammed it down on the ground with all his might.

“Hey, do whatever you want! Everyone is fired!” (Teodoro)

　With a spitting cry, Teodoro walked off with indignant stomps.

　After a few moments of watching Teodoro’s rain-swept back, the rest of the group began to move.

　The Bored Men led by Jill suffered only one wounded man, but Kirtland, who had his party attacked by the Bronze Wolf yesterday and had his comrades killed, also became a casualty.

“Even though he survived…” (Jill)

　Kirtland’s body, which was reduced to only the lower half of his body, was buried along with the internal organs removed from the Bronze Wolf.

　The body of the three adventurers who had disappeared on the first day and the one who had been sacrificed yesterday, a total of four adventurers, the organs might contain parts of their bodies.

　Laius offered me the magic stone he had removed along with the entrails, but I offered to split it with us as well as the prize money.

“Is it okay? It’s almost like Nyango subjugated it alone.” (Laius)

“I alone wouldn’t even be able to enter the mountain by myself in the first place.” (Nyango)

“Well… but as the one who ended its life, I’ll be happy to report Nyango’s name.” (Laius)

“That’s fine, but if the people who heard the rumor find out that I’m Nyango, they’ll either be disappointed or they won’t believe it.” (Nyango)

　It’s unthinkable for a catkin to defeat a B-rank monster, Bronze Wolf.

　I’m a little worried that idiots like Miguel who are thinking of trying their hand at killing one will get involved.

　The corpse of the bronze wolf was to be brought back to the village to prove that it had been defeated.

　It was much bigger than a bull, so we hung a rope on it and all of us pulled it.

　I thought about revealing my void attribute and carrying it on [Cart], but since I used much of my magic in a battle with the Bronze Wolf, I wasn’t confident that I would be able to keep it until the village.

　Besides, I don’t think I’ll be antagonizing the people here, but I also want to keep my hands to myself, so I watched everyone work.

　Thanks to the fact that it was downhill to the village from the place where we had killed it and that it was raining, the Bronze Wolf’s corpse was half-slipping away on its own.

　Still, we were all covered in mud by the time we ran into the knights on the outskirts of the village.

　Finding us dragging Bronze Wolf, the knights and soldiers who had been on guard gather around.

　It seems that one of the knights jumped on his horse and went to the village chief’s house to inform him.

“Well done! You did it!” (Soldiers)

“Ah, now I’m free from being a guard under the rain.” (Soldier)

　The soldiers’ words, which were not false, made everyone laugh.

　We were drenched by the deepening cold autumn rain, and with the help of the soldiers, we made our way triumphantly back to the encampment.