v1.1.7

The girl pulled down the loading lever on the Gundo’s mechanism, drawing it back and returning it, with a clank the memory cylinder was loaded. Simultaneously, the spring-loaded amplification spell cylinder began to rotate, emitting a faint, crisp chiri chiri sound.

“Nnn… ” 

Finally, the girl slipped her right hand through her long hair, searching for the nape of her neck. To be precise it was actually the emblem tattooed there.

Confirming its presence with the subtle touch of her fingertips, the girl took the connection cable drawn from the Gundo and fastened it around her neck with a click, like a collar. She felt the emblem on the cable align with the one on her neck, her consciousness linking to the Gundo.

“ …<The Slasher>”

As if confirming to herself, the girl muttered the chosen spell which was one of the simplest magics, but for that reason, its chant was quick and versatile.

After taking a deep breath the girl holding her Gundo began her spell chant.

“…Korukto…Erumu…”

The activated spell unfolded a magic circle around the girl and the Gundo, intricate blue patterns appeared in the air, layered multiple times—and in multiple arrays.

“…Naikuto…Inte…Nainto…Wamu..Ee..”

Carefully selecting her incantations, the girl continued chanting.

When projecting a spell’s effect to a distance, fine adjustments based on the surroundings were essential. Temperature, humidity, even the stars and ley lines...all had to be accounted for to optimize the magic. Thus, the same spell’s activation could vary slightly in content depending on time and place.

“Wamu…Miruta…Ru…”

Around the girl, pale blue magic circles rotated.

The many patterns that had floated began to interlock, forming new shapes. The complex, chaotic impression of the magic circles, under the girl’s words, was organized, reduced in number, and converged into a single, simple yet distinct form.

As if scattered parts were clicking into place and then—

The first to give way—unexpectedly—was Toru’s machete.

“—!”

With a sharp sound, the blade was crushed.

The abandoned beast shook its head, spitting out the fragments, and began a loud chant of its spell. With Toru still clinging to its neck, the Unicorn kicked off the water’s surface and soared high into the air.

Gagagagagagagagagagagaga!

The Unicorn’s legs kicked the air, climbing higher and higher. Weaving through the branches, it burst out from the forest and then abruptly twisted its body.

“…!”

In the next instant, it was charging toward the ground with ferocious speed. With the fall’s velocity, combined with the Unicorn’s magic, further accelerated its massive frame.

—Now it’s a test of endurance.

It felt as if the Unicorn had said as much.

If Toru carelessly let go in midair, the Unicorn would bite him to death in that instant. Without wings or magic, Toru had no means to dodge its attacks in the air. Nor did he have a weapon to parry. The moment he separated from the Unicorn, he’d be killed but instead if he clung on—he’d crash into the ground with the Unicorn. Likely, both Toru and the Unicorn would be torn to pieces, scattered in all directions.

(—This is bad.)

Toru and the Unicorn plummeted headlong.

In his combat-heightened perception, accelerated manifold, Toru assessed the situation. Unless the Unicorn intended to die, it would inevitably kick the air to slow its descent, reducing momentum. That would be the moment to break away. By leaping in the opposite direction of its movement, he could gain some distance and time.

And then—

“—!”

His legs slipped with a zuru.

(…Hitting my limit, huh.)

Toru bit his lip as he’d thought he could hold on a bit longer but the loss of body heat and blood from the water had sapped his stamina far more than expected. The physical enhancement of <Iron-Blood Transformation> couldn’t compensate for fundamental stamina depletion. If anything, it consumed energy faster than usual.

Peeling away limply, Toru separated from the Unicorn in midair other side, seizing the moment, the Unicorn kicked the air, decelerating—adjusting its posture.

With no magic or weapon, Toru had no means to defend against the next attack.

At that moment—

“……Now.”

Suddenly.

“Manifest, <The Slasher>!”

The girl’s voice rang out.

The next instant—

(—!)

In real time, it was but a fleeting moment.

But …in his enhanced state, Toru could vividly perceive every detail.

A magic circle seeped from the void, wrapping around the airborne Unicorn in multiple layers. Spinning, it converged instantaneously, vanishing into the beast’s body.

And then.

GyouraAAAAAA!?

A thunderous roar and a scream echoed through the forest, when as if sliced by an invisible giant blade, the Unicorn’s body was severed more than halfway—split apart, it was blown away.

A rain of fresh blood poured down showering.

The two halves of the abandoned beast’s body, instead of hitting the ground directly, crashed into the trunks of nearby trees—sliding down, leaving trails of copious blood.

“……!”

Mustering his willpower, Toru extended his arm.

Catching his fingers on the densely packed tree branches, they snapped, and he fell, hooking another branch—slowing his descent, Toru managed to hang onto a particularly thick branch just before hitting the ground.

……

Breathing heavily, Toru checked the distance to the ground and jumped down to the damp, moldering soil which made a soft bosori sound as it caught his body. Just to be sure that it hit the monster, Toru glanced back at the Unicorn, now cleaved in two, but as expected, it showed no signs of movement.

Dead.

They were able to kill the abandoned beast.

“…Did it, huh.” Toru muttered. “‘I herald the end of battle.’” Reciting the ‘key phrase’ to shift himself back. “‘I am human’…”

His normal senses and consciousness returned—and he felt the contents of himself, frozen in the form of steel, being reassembled into that of a human. The half-numbed emotions slowly spread within Toru.

Honestly, there was neither joy in surviving nor simple exhilaration in victory to him.

But just…

……

What was this?

This strange sense of fulfillment.

As he savored the unfamiliar sensation stirring within him…the girl called out from the other side of the river.

“Alright?”

“—Yeah.”

Nodding, Toru dragged his fatigue-heavy body across the river, returning to the girl’s side. As she lowered her long rifle to the ground, the girl said, sounding slightly surprised.

“Shock.”

“What?”

“Strong.”

Her finger pointed at the tip of Toru’s nose.

“……Ah……”

Toru sighed before speaking.

It wasn’t something to broadcast but there was no point hiding it from this girl.

“Well, that’s ‘cause I’m a former saboteur.”

That was the collective term for the specialized soldiers who once thrived on the battlefield. Unlike knights or warriors who valued formality and honor, they handled the dirty work of war such as assassination, disruption, reconnaissance, and various other tasks. Thus, many of them didn’t belong to nations, instead being hired by various countries as mercenaries. It was more convenient for employers to have such operatives detachable when necessary. As a result, saboteurs formed their own groups, lending their skills to make a living.

But—

“Once the battlefield’s gone, we’re useless.”

Toru said self-deprecatingly.

Exactly.

Saboteurs were valued only during wartime. In times of peace, their skills suddenly became a nuisance to those in power. Saboteurs were the most effective force for rebellion or conspiracy.

As a result…the saboteur villages, including the Acura clan where Toru was raised, were mostly dismantled by the kings of various nations. Toru and his kin were meant to be slaughtered, but the Acura saboteurs, having obtained information early, scattered and that led to the present.

Raised from birth to become a saboteur and living to fight as a saboteur, burning everything in that purpose. But even that was taken from Toru just before his first battle.

There were no battlefields left on this continent, and no one sought the Acura saboteurs. Only a handful of select saboteurs were retained by certain lords, the rest had no choice but to abandon their lives as saboteurs.

Born to fight.

Raised to fight.

To die fighting.

That was supposed to be the fate and pride of the Acura clan.

Only through fighting could the Acura connect with the world.

Toru knew nothing else. No one had taught him otherwise.

And yet, now—

“Useful.”

The girl’s voice snapped Toru back to reality.

“……Huh?”

“Saved. Because you were here.”

Arms crossed, the girl spoke with a haughty attitude.

(Is she…trying to encourage me?)

It wasn’t flattery or politeness—he could tell she meant it sincerely. She wasn’t the type of cunning person to spin convenient little lies.

“…Well, stuff like this doesn’t happen often.”

“Strongly agree.”

The girl nodded, laughing.

And then—

“Request again.”

“Hm?”

“Guide.”

“…Oh.”

Come to think of it, Toru himself had suggested that.

“Pleased to ask. Um—”

There, the girl tilted her head.

“…Toru.”

Realizing she was asking his name, Toru replied.

“Toru Acura. You?”

“Chaika Ga……” Shaking her head vigorously, the girl said from the start, “No. Chaika Trabant.”

Saboteur Toru Acura.

Mage Chaika Trabant.

Brought together by chance unexpectedly—the two, naturally, had no inkling at this moment of what their future held.

 

Translator's Note : This marks the end of Chapter 1. I’m not sure if this translation suits your preferences, but you might notice it’s somewhat similar to Nanodesu's translation style, though earlier volumes had some incorrect terms and names so I ended up cross-checking with Wiki and Fandom sources to maintain consistency, now redoing those volumes from the scratch.

Honestly, I had fun translating this chapter, but I’ve decided not to stick rigidly to the original book’s part breakings anymore. A part-for-part approach would make the chapter too clunky, and frankly, I’m not a fan of that style. Hopefully, I’ll manage to translate the entire series. It’d be a wonderful, slow journey if everything goes smoothly.

Also I wish there were a way to add footnotes for translation notes! But sadly I have no idea how to.