This day was amazing, and I was happy.
I met a special (Indigo) ranked beast family, played with a baby golden deer, and received a special gift from him before parting ways.
A day that I started with a beautiful view of this large lake and willow tree.
I saw some beautiful creatures and some terrifying beasts.
I was happy that this day was going so well that I almost forgot something important.
‘Hell will always be a hell, even if you see miracles inside it.’
I knew this was a harsh thing to say but, I couldn’t say anything to deny that.
“Fuck you bastard! Why are you even chasing me this!?” I shouted as I ran while clenching my other hand. ｂ𝚍ｎｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏｍ
-Swish. Swish. Swish.
With bloody hands and torn back with a large, deep cross scar, I panted.
Those things would be alright and I could heal them, but the most devastating thing in this situation was that I can’t use any magic right now.
Even though I was running, the surrounding area seemed to have stopped.
I was running with all my might from the large tree chasing after me.
A large tree-like beast that chased after me like I was just the thing he was waiting for all his life.
With a real tree-like body with tree-like limbs and a bright yellow light where eyes should be, it frantically chased after me.
I didn’t know something like that existed, but… it was an anti-magic skill.
This [Tree Ent] was using an anti-magic skill to freeze the surrounding Mana around me.
This thing was the reason I was injured like this.
While searching for a place to rest for tonight, this fellow suddenly came out of nowhere and started attacking me.
Though I detected it because of my heart, its attacks weren’t a joke.
We battled for almost three hours, keeping each other in check and I was barely keeping up against this almost (Green) ranked beast with [Quickstep] and <Perfect Disguise> but then… it started.
The yellow light came out of its eye that surrounded me.
It restricted the surrounding Mana around me.
I can’t regenerate the Mana I had used, and all I had was the existing Mana in my Mana nucleus.
I was trying to run away all this time, knowing this fight was pointless from the start.
There was no way I could win against this unfamiliar (Green) ranked creature.
I ran, ran, and tried to get away from it using [Quickstep] but… It was of no use.
This fellow was dead set on catching me.
I was now feeling dizzy from all the blood that I lost and the fatigue from the fight.
I can’t use any magic spells, but there was still a way to use them if I use the beast cores I had.
But it would take a long time to take it out and channel the energy inside it.
-Thump. Thump.
The goose chase continued the same way it had been.
‘What the hell is this persistence?!’
Like, for real. I hid by changing my form many times to hide, but it never gave up on catching me.
The good day that was going smoothly had turned into a mess.
But… I had this strange feeling from the time I started running.
This Ent attacked, but those attacks weren’t fatal.
Knowing my body, I knew it perfectly aimed them at nonvital points.
Even my injured arm was somewhat useable.
What the hell was this thing trying to do with me?!
Still running, I took out a potion from my storage device and drank it without hesitation.
-Gulp.
It was my second last healing potion.
Now… things would be complicated if I got hurt.
I did find some herbs with healing properties and good Mana that can be turned into a medicine that would work as a potion, but that thing would have to wait.
It would be sunset in a few hours and I had no idea what I would do at night in this condition.
Turning around, I glanced at the Ent.
It was furious, angry, and… sad?
“What the fuck!? It’s sad after making me like this?” I shouted and kept running.
[[ Master. I don’t think it wants to hurt you… ]]
[ “I know that much by now, Celes. But what would you expect me to do when it’s chasing me like this?” ]
What if it attacked me again in a fatal spot and I die?
There was a possibility, and I knew it wasn’t a small one.
And I didn’t even have any way of defending myself without Mana.
‘Or… maybe I have.’ A thought crossed my mind, and it seemed strangely possible.
[ “Celes. Let’s do this…” ]
-Thump!
Jumping up with a rock as support, I took out my bow from my storage device with three arrows.
Finding it wasn’t easy, but I managed to find some (Mana wood) here. A log of wood with high Mana inside them.
With them, I was able to create these test arrows.
I didn’t know if they will work as they were supposed to but… I hoped they did.
Quickly arranging the red, green, and white arrows on my bow, enduring the pain from my still healing hand, I stretched the bowstring.
-Crackl.
Still, in the air, I channeled whatever Mana was remained in me to spare.
‘If this works, there is going to be a problem for sure.’
-Swish! Swish! Swish!
I released the arrows at the Ent in the distance.
A green string appeared between them, and… they joined together.
The white arrow started integrating, red glowed brightly and the green vanished.
The arrow’s spinning increased, but it somewhat slowed down and started falling towards it.
-Sweeeeeeeeeeesh~.
-Boooooooom!
(Small Mana Explosion)
It was something that the military used, but it was an artifact in its full form.
Something that used Mana as a base to create explosions at the level of a missile.
It wasn’t some normal magic and in its complete form, its pure destructiveness was almost at (tier-4) level.
The white arrow was something that was made with materials with super high Mana density.
If I have to put this one arrow into value, it would be as valuable as a (Red) ranked core.
The green arrow created such condensed and sharp winds that it destroyed the wood, so it was partially a failure.
The red arrow condensed all things into a single point.
I wanted this same process with atmospheric Mana particles but… it wasn’t possible until (tier-4).
But this experimental arrow was… a 40% success.
The explosion was… big.
It perfectly hit the Ent, and I knew… it did at least some damage.
A black smoke screen covered the Ent.
The skill that was blocking my Mana supply all this time was canceled, and I was one with Mana once again.
“Huu…”
Taking a deep breath, I walked towards the Ent.
The explosion had scared a nearby small creature as it was great enough to be called a 9XZ missile from my previous world.
A small crater was formed on the ground before the Ent, and the Ent was quite surprised.
It stopped its attacks as I walked before it and asked in a confused tone.
“So? Why this long chase?”