【... Is that true?】

【Yes. Fortunately, they don't seem to have found our location thanks to the barrier, but... they likely followed the traces of the envoy.】

【... Pointlessly sharp bastards.】

【We had the hunters erase most of the tracks, so they won't find it right away.】

'A quest smell is a quest smell, and not understanding the situation is just that. Seeing the Archmage's serious expression, something has definitely gone horribly wrong.'

【Is it impossible to send out warriors to handle them?】

【Their numbers are too great. If we aim for annihilation rather than repelling them, we would have to send out most of the village's warriors.】

【... The guest currently with us is the Chief of Bigabol. If we pull out most of our warriors, he will definitely notice. We must make sure he does not find out about this.】

【Then what should we do...】

【Does the Chief know about this?】

【Since he is conversing with the guest, we reported to the Priestess first.】

【I see. I will relay it to the Chief myself. Gather the hunters in the village. Only summon the warriors to the extent that the guest won't notice.】

【Yes!】

'Ah, I don't know, hehe. She'll explain it to me when they finish talking anyway, so I might as well be happy right now.'

I calmly sipped my tea. Was it the aroma that was good, or the taste? Either way, it was delicious. If they offer to share some, I kind of want to accept.

"Zatab. It seems things have gone horribly wrong."

Just as my second cup of tea was almost empty, the Archmage whispered quietly. Naturally, an unfamiliar proper noun came up—since it didn't sound like a verb.

"Zatab is a tribe as powerful as Bigabol. They are also the tribe that has elected the most Great Chiefs. From what I know, they are the reason why the denizens of the Great Forest show such isolationist tendencies."

It really is a relief that the Archmage adds an explanation every time. Unable to ask for a refill, I blankly crammed the background knowledge into my brain.

"But for them to be found near the village at this timing. Whether their intention is to reduce their influence or interfere with the alliance, they are definitely mindful of Katina."

'So, whether they figured it out or not, they're using force... to interfere? This power struggle is fierce.'

"We really should have left the village earlier."

I agreed with that sentiment. I had no regrets about saving those people, but the aftermath was too much of a hassle. It wasn't that I didn't pity them, but I also had no desire to meddle in someone else's power struggle.

"However, the biggest problem is..."

"...?"

Left staring at the Archmage, who was quietly observing me, I just glared back without knowing why.

'What, why, what. What did I even do? Don't give me crap for saving people. Don't give me crap for saving people!'

"Drink some more."

'Oh, thanks.'

I gratefully accepted and drank the extra tea I had been too self-conscious to pour for myself. It was delicious.

"Those who came from the outside."

Just then, the Priestess, who had been conversing with the person outside for a while, turned back to us. 'The quest is here.' Having experienced this all too often, I waited for her next words with a stoic heart.

"Please, help us."

A desperate yet unservile plea flowed out along with the Priestess's bowed waist.

"I understand how you feel, but that is impossible."

"I know it is a shameless request. However, Warrior who slew the Green River, we desperately need your strength."

"We are outsiders. If outsiders intervene in Katina, what kind of things would people say?"

Thank the heavens, the Archmage defended against it all. The Priestess gnawed on her lower lip with her white teeth. I wanted to believe she was doing that out of anxiety rather than annoyance with us.

"That is..."

【Priestess, those Zatab bastards have mobilized Jahukayas!】

"...!"

Another person burst in and shouted. The Priestess's tan skin turned as pale as white rice cake.

"A snake that eats light...?"

The Archmage's expression also grew subtle. It wasn't a face that had just heard of something dangerous, but rather a 'what is that?' kind of face. It seemed even she had things she didn't know.

"I will take my leave first. Please forget my request and rest comfortably here. 【Makaka, stay here and attend to our guests.】"

The Priestess hurriedly withdrew alongside the hunters. The young girl who had been assisting the Priestess flustered about, looking between the teacups spread out before us and the bundle of tea leaves set in the corner.

"U-Um, would you like more tea?"

'You knew how to speak our language too?'

"What is a Jahukaya?"

While I received more tea in my half-empty cup, the Archmage asked a question. The girl's eyes widened before she scratched her head with her free hand.

"Um, I am, not used to, this language."

【Your language is fine too.】

【Then I shall tell you. A Jahukaya is a snake true to its name. It eats light.】

【Light? Are you saying it lives by doing something like photosynthesis?】

【No, not that kind of light...】

The girl spread her free hand wide and laid her palm flat, parallel to the ground. Soon, a cluster of light twinkled into view above her palm.

【It eats this kind of light, meaning mana.】

The Archmage sprang to her feet.

"Demon Knight, you must hunt them!"

'What is she saying, after whispering in a language only they know. She must think I'm a polyglot like her. I'm not.'

From what I heard, the Zatab bastards breed snakes that eat mana.

It hasn't been long, only a few months, and though I don't know how they started breeding such snakes, it was practically a windfall for us.

Since we found a substitute for the snake we killed.

"Catch just one, no, five of them."

'Excuse me. Doesn't two usually follow one? Can you really inflate it by five times?'

Even as I thought that, I wondered if this was the right thing to do.

'Is it right to sneak around catching mana snakes after saying we wouldn't meddle in their power struggle? And assigning it to me, a specialist in frontal assaults, instead of DeB, who specializes in stealth and thievery?'

"They say Zatab values the Jahukayas greatly. If we miss this chance, we might have to go all the way to Zatab's main base."

However, it wasn't like I didn't understand why the Archmage was acting like that.

And honestly, it was easier to handle things physically than to participate in a conversation.

In the end, I took off my coat and threw on the leather poncho and hood handed to me by Makaka—the girl the Priestess left behind.

The racial difference in the number of arms was bound to be discovered anyway, but there was no need to go out of my way to show my face.

I even set aside all my weapons for fear of being identified. The machete provided here would be my only weapon. Though I wasn't used to it, so I wondered if I'd even use it.

"U-Um, it is the P-Priestess's clothes, so please be careful with them if possible..."

Makaka, who handed over the clothes, pleaded with a face on the verge of tears. Even though the Priestess herself had gladly given them up just at the mention that I would handle the snakes.

'Since she serves her, I guess she has a lot to worry about.'

"I leave it to you."

'The kid asked me to be careful with it, so I should be.'

I walked past the warriors standing by near the outer wall.

Because their movements could inversely give away the village's location, they were the ones preparing for the worst-case scenario from within the barrier concealing the village.

The hunters? I heard the hunters were slipping out through the back paths. To act as a decoy or something.

This also carried the risk of exposing their location, but it couldn't be helped. It was a foolish act to miss the present while only considering the future.

【If you go out there, the barrier will—!】

But that was their problem. After endlessly pondering what I could do, I made a decision.

And when I was about 10 meters away from the boundary line, I put strength into my legs.

Mana gathered in my legs.

【What are you trying to—!】

BANG!

The earth let out a slight cry as my body soared into the air. The dark-colored poncho spread left and right like the wings of a hawk.

【...!】

For reference, it was a few days ago, but the Inquisitor wasn't the only one who got an idea from the Archmage's special lecture on the differences between divine power and mana.

I had also gained quite a few ideas. Even if it was more about realizing why my existing skills took the form they did, rather than practical applications.

That didn't mean it was meaningless. Once I firmly understood it, I found it much easier to create.

【A black... trajectory in the air...】

Thanks to that, I was even able to attempt something like this.

For example, not just spreading mana over my body, but casting a spiral of mana around me?

【Hey, don't you think you hear a sound from somewhere?】

【Then Serhang's base really is near—】

【What is that!】

Was this a good way to use it? Well, I don't think so.

Even though it had gotten easier, something of this scale still required headache-inducing calculations, and projecting mana externally didn't actually affect my practical physical abilities. Meaning, if I wanted to boost my physical abilities, I had to use mana again.

Furthermore, it didn't output attack power equivalent to the mana used. The mana consumption was on the level of Bombard, but the power wasn't much different from Stinger—that probably explains it well enough.

However... it was still fine. Beyond just reinforcing my body with mana, didn't I discover a way to wrap it around the outside of my body?

I hadn't tested its defensive capabilities yet, but I had created something that looked like a shield. And one that could be used offensively at that.

It was far better than when I had tried to do it once before, couldn't make it work—because I didn't know how hard it was to create a surface and tried to make it as a surface back then—and just gave up.

As long as you managed to create something, there was always room for improvement.

【A s-snake!】

Above all else, just looking at it was cool.

With pitch-black energy engulfing my charging body, forming a spiral that was sharp at the front and trailed long at the back, how could it not look badass? It even masked my face and entire body with mana.

【S-Spare me!】

【Uwaaaagh!】

'Ah, if it's like this, was there no need for me to change clothes? Hmm. Guess it doesn't really matter. But speaking of clothes, it feels like I forgot something... ah!'

'I forgot to mention the seal. I need to bring it up again when I get back. Absolutely do not forget this time!'

But I could only mention the seal once my task was done anyway. I darted among the warriors positioned less than 100 meters away from the village.

Thanks to the red mud smeared on them, they were easy to distinguish, and they scattered in all directions screaming the moment I appeared.

Though I had no idea where that damned 'Jahukaya' snake was.

【Come back, shhh! Shh-shh!】

However, I was able to find the Jahukayas surprisingly fast. Even without knowing what a Jahukaya looked like, the tamers who bred the snakes were easy to spot.

Especially since they were hurrying to retrieve their snakes in order to flee. I easily pinpointed their locations and charged right at them.

【Keugh!】

As I said earlier, this skill has abysmal attack power relative to the mana used.

On a direct hit, grass or thin branches would be torn to shreds, but against a tree trunk or a human body, it practically only left sweeping scratches. Well, those scratches were a bit deep and numerous, but anyway.

Rather than that kind of attack power, its knockback—the force that pushed things away—seemed much stronger. The tamer was blasted sideways.

The snake almost got blasted away too, but I managed to grab it. The poor thing's skin got a little... um, tattered, but it was still alive, so wasn't it fine? Haha.

I dashed all over the place with a tight grip on the snakes' necks so they couldn't bite me. It was a real relief that my hands were on the larger side relative to my height. I could hold two snakes in one hand.

【Retreat! I said retreat!】

【It's a black, a black snake. A black snake...! A snake that flies in like the wind!】

Just like that, I caught a total of four snakes, and my mana was down to less than a fifth.

I ran toward an empty area, avoiding the scattering Zatab warriors—I intentionally drove them away from the village, but I was worried it might have been too obvious.

With one application of physical reinforcement, my body bounded several meters into the air, tracing a parabola before landing dozens of meters away.

The remnants of the mana I had clad myself in lingered in the air like a long tail before fading away.

BANG!

Of course, that wasn't all.

Was it because I intentionally used Ground Crash upon landing? The earth roared loudly and violently.

Nearby trees snapped slightly, bushes were ripped apart, and the ground cracked open—anyway, it was something like that.

For the record, I intentionally left this trace quite a distance away from Serhang's base. So even if the Zatab warriors came back later to investigate, no harm would come to that side, right...?

I was careful not to leave any traces at the starting point, too.

'They won't go there, right?'

Well, what's done is done. 'Did I inadvertently cause more damage? At least I drove the warriors away without seeing blood.' With such thoughts, I returned.

It was all forest in every direction, so I got a bit confused about the path, but by getting my bearings based on the traces of my rampage, I vaguely figured it out.

【Our benefactor...!】

And on top of that, some of the village hunters and the Priestess had personally run out to meet me.

I tossed the snakes toward the Archmage, who was standing off to the side.

Miraculously, they hadn't fainted, but the snakes staggered in a near-dead or dizzy state. With the hunters around, there was no chance they would escape.

【J-Just now...】

'Ah, if I had known it would turn out like this, I should have just gone without wearing the clothes. It just ruined my persona for nothing.'

【How on earth did you do that just now...】

I undid the button on the poncho hood with one hand. If it had been a hole cut into the fabric without a button, it would have been hard to take off, so it was a huge relief that I could just unbutton it.

SWISH.

Thanks to that, I was able to toss it off like this.

I returned the hood I had borrowed from the Priestess and picked up the machete I hadn't even drawn. That, too, flew with a whoosh and landed safely in the hands of a hunter standing in formation elsewhere.

The hunter, who had been spacing out, flinched in surprise and grabbed the machete. If I hadn't thrown it along with its sheath, his hand would likely have been cut.

Anyway, I made eye contact with the Archmage for the finale and asked.

"Is it lacking?"

"No, it's fine."

'Great, the finale was perfect.'