v1.1.6

It was likely only a matter of seconds that he had been unconscious otherwise, Toru and the girl would surely have drowned.

“Nua……!”

The moment his consciousness returned, the first thing Toru did was confirm whether his hands were still securely holding the girl.

She was thrashing her limbs, bubbles gushing from her mouth, but for now, she was alive and seemed conscious.

Fortunately the coffin, which the girl had clung to for dear life, had served as a float. The dragging sound had half-suggested it, but as expected, it was either empty or nearly so. With ample buoyancy, it had supported Toru and the others.

“Ku...…o…”

Toru mustered his strength and extended his other arm.

On either side of the river, several trees grew, their branches stretching out, but none were within Toru’s reach. However the riverbank, eroded by soil during heavy rains or floods, often left tree roots exposed. Struggling against the unexpectedly swift current, Toru managed to grasp a root on his third attempt, successfully pulling himself, the girl, and the coffin ashore.

“Ha…haa……haa……”

Lying on his back on a moss-covered rock by the riverbank, Toru breathed heavily.

The fatigue was intense. It felt as if most of his stamina had been drained.

Glancing to the side, he saw the girl in a similar state, coughing violently—keho keho. Even so, rather than herself or Toru she first checked the coffin’s condition—it was clearly of utmost importance to her—before finally turning to Toru.

“Sudden. Forceful. Reckless—”

She got that far before—

“Mu……!?”

Her eyes widened, and she froze.

“…What’s wrong?”

“Blood……!?”

Where the girl pointed. Though it felt like a chore, Toru sat up and looked down at the rock he’d been lying on.

It……was stained a light brown.

It was Blood. The water dripping from Toru’s clothes and the blood flowing from the wound on his back had mixed, staining the rock light brown. Unlike mere pigment, blood when mixed with water doesn’t simply turn pale pink but it takes on a slightly brownish hue.

“Ah—” Toru responded languidly after noticing. “Screwed up.”

“Screwed…?”

The girl approached, closely inspecting Toru’s back.

“ …Me. Protected. Because?”

“Ah…well…yeah.”

Toru couldn’t see his own back, of course, but he could imagine its state. It likely wasn’t deep enough to reach bone, but he could feel a gash running straight across his back as if sliced by a sharp sword or something similar.

“What to do.”

“Urgent. Treatment.”

Responding to Toru she frantically started searching her soaked clothes’ pockets as if looking for something, the girl sent water droplets flying with her movements…but it seemed pointless as she found nothing useful.

“ …None.”

She muttered dejectedly.

“Nah, it’s probably fine.”

Toru said, sounding exasperated.

It was his own body, after all. Had he remained submerged in the current, he might have faced death by blood loss or hypothermia but the wound wasn’t deep enough to cut into bone or muscle, and he could tell the bleeding was already slowing.

Still…

“Malnutrition’s catching up, huh.”

His stamina was lacking.

The excessive blood loss and prolonged exposure to the cold ravine water had sapped his strength, weighing on his body like a heavy blanket of fatigue. His recent meager diet was likely a contributing factor.

“No way we’re outrunning it like this...impossible, huh.”

Toru spoke in a tone as if it were someone else’s problem.

In a life-threatening situation he was but yet his tone and expression lacked urgency. It wasn’t optimism, just his personality.

“It is an abandoned beast and that's a Unicorn, no less.”

……

The girl remained silent.

Despite her haughty demeanor and somewhat airheaded nature, she seemed to grasp how utterly hopeless it was to be chased by an abandoned beast in the mountains.

“No good. I’m done. Checkmate.”

Shrugging and wincing slightly at the pain from his back wound Toru said.

“It was a …Lousy life, wasn’t it.”

With that casual judgment, Toru muttered.

“Lousy, life?” The girl blinked, speaking as if she’d heard something incomprehensible. “Giving up?”

“…Yeah.” Toru nodded with a wry smile.

“Die?”

“Probably.”

“Trouble.”

“That’s how life goes.”

Toru shrugged.

“Death. Not afraid?”

Pointing at Toru, the girl asked.

“Huh? Well...wouldn’t say I’m not scared, but—”

As he spoke, Toru averted his gaze from the girl.

He wasn’t sure why.

“Originally… …I didn’t really know what I was living for.”

With a self-deprecating smile, Toru continued.

“In a world… …like this.”

He didn’t know what to aim for.

He didn’t know what to seek.

There was nothing he wanted to do. It had all vanished.

There was nothing he wanted to become anymore.

With no clear desires or hopes, he’d realized he was just drifting through endless days, living aimlessly.

Get a proper job?

What would that change?

Work for daily bread, marry at some appropriate age, settle in a small house on the edge of town, and repeat the same days until old age and death—monotonously burning through a finite lifespan?

How meaningful was that?

How was it different from dying here?

What was the point of his existence?

Such useless and pointless thoughts consumed him. Effort didn’t guarantee reward. A single person’s actions amounted to little. Living and dying in a corner of the world, leaving no impact.

Unable to do anything. Unable to leave anything behind.

Like the life of an insect or beast.

A purpose for living.

A goal to aim for.

He’d once had those, once when Toru had believed without doubt that they were his reason for being born. But one day, they were suddenly stolen away.

And so, for the past year, Toru had lived aimlessly, wallowing in self-indulgence.

You could say he’d been sulking.

“I used to have things I wanted to do.”

Toru shrugged.

“But not anymore. They’re gone. Since then, I’ve just been living on inertia.”

……

The girl tilted her head, staring at Toru for a while.

“Rediscover.”

Pointing sharply at Toru, she declared, as if issuing a command.

“Huh?”

“Find again. From now. Once more.”

As if stating an obvious truth, she said.

But—

“It's too late for that.”

“Why?”

“Honestly, I’ve got no other talents.”

The goal he’d once lived for.

The days spent pursuing it.

There’d been no room to learn other skills or perspectives. Toru thought of himself like clay baked into a plate. Wishing to become a teacup now was too late. Even if told to envision a different life, it wouldn’t work.

But—

……

The girl—

“Ow!?”

Suddenly, she slapped Toru’s back repeatedly—ban ban.

“What the hell are you doing!?”

“Ah. Apologize. Regret.”

“Regret, my ass!”

Even if shallow, getting a wound slapped hurt like hell.

“—Same.”

Abruptly, the girl pointed at herself and said.

“What’s that?”

“No talents. Same. Can do—this alone.”

Saying that…the girl reached for the coffin beside her and deliberately opened it. As evident from its buoyancy in the river, it was mostly empty but....

“—That.”

Toru’s eyes widened as he spoke.

What the girl pulled out was a steel device.

For a moment, its length made Toru think it was a cavalry lance…but no.

A long, long iron barrel.

A mechanism screwed into its base.

A rangefinder for aiming.

A wooden grip and bipod attached for stability.

It was...a Gundo.

A tool used by mages to cast magic. Just as knights wield swords and archers use bows, mages use Gundo. A Gundo was, in essence, a mage’s proof.

“You…you’re a mage?”

“Affirmative.”

The girl smiled slightly, a touch smug and briskly began assembling the Gundo.

It was clear from the disassembled parts, but…it was an enormous piece, larger than her own height. The cold black steel contrasted strangely with the warm brown wood.

“This alone. No other talents. But.”

Opening the bipod, the girl placed it on the coffin.

“This. Many. Possibilities.”

“For example—”

Toru narrowed his eyes.

He wasn’t a mage himself, so the details were beyond him. But he’d heard plenty about the power mages could wield. Magic, due to the Gundo’s size, weight, and complex operation, was ill-suited for mobile use casting while moving. It was typically used stationary, with the mage firmly grounded.

But if once activated, magic’s power far surpassed that of swords or spears.

With a vast range and given enough time and effort, even an individual could unleash a blast capable of obliterating a castle in a single strike. The ‘Demon King’—the great mage of the Gaz Empire, Arthur Gaz, dubbed the <Forbidden Emperor>, who was killed years ago, marking the end of the war and was said to have leveled mountains and dried rivers with a single spell.

Thus—

“Instead of escaping the Unicorn…kill it you mean?”

“Probably.”

With a fearless grin, the girl nodded.

She likely had confidence in her magecraft.

“But. During spell activation—cannot move.”

“…Figures.”

Naturally given their immense power, mages were deployed in wars, but they rarely fought on the front lines. They were typically rear support. Using heavy, cumbersome Gundo, adjusting it meticulously on-site, mages were almost entirely unsuited for close combat.

In other words—

“First, use detection magic to locate the abandoned beast. Then attack……”

He got that far before.

……

……

The girl froze.

Toru sighed.

There No need to turn around.

The girl’s wide-open eyes clearly reflected the scene behind Toru where the black monster horse, the unicorn emerging from between the trees.

And—

Moruzerun moruzerun erumun

The ‘horn’ on the Unicorn’s head which is an organ called such for convenience suddenly lit up.

As its horse-like face twitched, the light left a trailing afterimage…yet it didn’t fade, lingering and even extending, beginning to weave complex patterns.

Seburun wamurun tourun

Shunerun horun yarun

It was a magic circle.

An Abandoned beast.

A general term for creatures that wield magic.

Humans typically require a Gundo to cast magic or rather, without one, the process is so impractical as to be nearly impossible but abandoned beasts cast magic with their bodies alone. Their very forms are equipped with the means to weave and activate spells. In the Unicorn’s case, the horn on its forehead served that purpose.

Thus...

“—Hey.” Without turning, Toru fixed his gaze on the girl and said. “If I buy time, that’s enough, right?”

“—Mui?”

“If I buy time, you can use magic, yeah?”

“…Affirmative.” The girl nodded.

For a mage, distance was merely a ‘shield’ to avoid enemy attacks, it wasn’t that magic couldn’t be used without it. So, In other words if Toru could buy enough time for the girl to activate her magic, they could survive.

“Taking on an abandoned beast with a tool like this is a tall order, though.”

As he spoke, Toru drew a large machete from the sheath at his waist.

Of course, it was a blade, but meant for clearing obstructive vegetation in the forest and definitely not for combat or hunting.

However …this wasn’t actually the time to be picky. He had to use whatever was available.

Be it a machete—or the skills he’d honed.

“—‘I am steel.’”

Toru muttered softly.

“ …Mu?”

The girl reflexively asked, but Toru didn’t respond. He was already in a state of extreme mental focus, her voice reaching his ears but not his consciousness.

“‘As steel, I do not fear’……‘As steel, I do not waver’……”

Honestly…he wasn’t sure if he remembered it all, but once he began, the words flowed smoothly from the depths of his throat. The incantation, etched into his subconscious through countless repetitions, hadn’t faded despite years of disuse.

Whether that was something to celebrate or mourn.

Honestly, Toru didn’t know right now.

“‘Once I face the enemy, I cast aside all hesitation.’”

It was a kind of ‘key.’

For unlocking a weapon usually kept sealed.

With each phrase, he felt something within him shift.

“‘I am the weapon to strike and destroy them.’—”

Thoroughly trained to the core to fight, a human became a weapon itself. It wasn’t merely a matter of physical strength or speed but it was redefining the entire body nerves, physiological functions, everything to be optimized for combat.

A being that breathed for battle, pulsed for battle, thought for battle—it was no longer human.

Truly, it was a weapon in human form and function. With every aspect of existence, every resource, aligned for a single purpose—a tool of singular function.

But…that made living as a human inconvenient. Specializing in combat meant falling short in every other aspect, becoming less capable than an ordinary person.

A tool was a tool. No humanity remained.

Thus, it was dangerous if it fell into enemy hands. If reason, loyalty, or honor were required—the being still had to be human.

Hence the need for a switch.

A method to toggle between human and weapon.

Long ago, some had conceived of this and they had refined it into a practical technique that passed down through a clan, especially known as—the secret art <Iron-Blood Transformation>.

“Fuu……”

His entire body bristled.

Dormant muscles awoke, nerves surged with battle fervor as if burning themselves. In that moment, Toru was Toru, yet no longer Toru.

He was a single blade.

Every breath, every heartbeat, every thought was devoted solely to slaying the enemy before him.

All expression vanished from his face.

No…to the Unicorn or the girl, it might have seemed as if his appearance underwent a sudden color shift.

As a result of activating his body’s energy channels, tattoo-like patterns emerged on his skin. Simultaneously, the high-pressure energy circulating through his surface altered light refraction, giving his body a phosphorescent glow. His hair and eyes, most affected by the energy channels, appeared to change color.

Red eyes. Red pupils. Red patterns.

Bathed in a blood-like hue, Toru’s form looked like a monster in human shape.

And then—

Shunerun horun yarun

The Unicorn’s spell chant concluded.

The magic circle at its horn’s tip rotated slowly, pulsing as if breathing.

As expected of an abandoned beast—it wasn’t fazed by a human whose appearance merely changed color.

“Come on—stupid horse.”

Toru raised his machete and said.

The black horse’s form blurred at the edges.

The next instant—

—Ga. Ga. Gagaga. Gagagagagagaga!

Leaving a trail of afterimages, the Unicorn leapt.

Its massive black body wove a complex, zigzagging path through the trees, closing in on Toru. Such movement should have been impossible, no matter how great its leaping ability. At times, its limbs seemed to kick off thin air.

This was the Unicorn’s magic.

While its magic was active, anything even space itself could serve as a foothold. If needed, it could run or leap on walls or ceilings, bewildering its prey before striking. Its body accelerated with each kick, ultimately reaching speeds surpassing an arrow. Its sharp fangs and, above all, the sheer weight of its massive frame were literally lethal weapons.

The Unicorn’s target was not the girl, but Toru now. As evident from its magic use, abandoned beasts were generally more intelligent than ordinary animals. At the very least, they could understand human speech to an extent. It likely saw Toru as the greater threat, aiming to deal with him first to change his target.

“—!”

Exhaling sharply, Toru raised his machete.

With his left hand steadying it, the thick blade clashed with the Unicorn’s fangs in the next instant.

Fangs and blade grated, sparks flying.

……

Of course, Toru’s weight couldn’t possibly withstand the Unicorn’s charge, and he tumbled into the river, entangled with the black abandoned beast’s massive form but his face showed neither panic nor rage. With an eerily calm expression, he simply processed and analyzed his situation. There was no room for superfluous things like expressions. Even his earlier “stupid horse” remark was merely to provoke the enemy.

The Unicorn had no sharp claws.

Thus, its attacks were either body slams or slashing bites with its fangs.

As a beast that thrived on speed, its aim was a one-hit kill. Knowing it would target his throat, Toru could block it, no matter how fast.

And then—

“I ain’t letting you go.”

Wrapping both legs around the Unicorn’s neck, Toru muttered.

Gyoooooo! The Unicorn roared.

Underwater, it was the Unicorn’s least favorable domain. Its magic-enabled hyperspeed overwhelmed and hunted prey…but the faster it moved, the more water, unlike air, clung to its massive body with incomparable resistance. As a result, its speed was sealed.

Moreover—

“With this, speed doesn’t matter!”

In close quarters, the enemy’s movement speed was irrelevant. Hanging upside-down from the Unicorn’s neck with both legs, Toru raised his machete again.

His target was now the Unicorn’s jaw.

But…

A metallic screech echoed in an instant.

The fangs firmly clamped the machete. The Unicorn, twisting its neck forcibly, had literally caught Toru’s strike which left Toru unable to use his only weapon.

But still…

“Gotcha.”

As if confirming to himself, Toru nodded.

Pushing the machete toward the back of the Unicorn’s mouth with both hands, he said.

“Now you can’t chant spells, can you!”

The ‘core’ for casting magic was indeed the horn, but spell chanting was a prerequisite for activation.

Right now, the Unicorn’s jaw was occupied stopping Toru’s machete. If it carelessly opened its mouth, the blade would slice the upper half of its head from its body. Even for an abandoned beast, severing brain from body meant death.

The Unicorn’s bloodshot eyes glared at Toru. A gaze that is impossible for an ordinary beast which laden with hatred pierced him.

“Now the —it’s a test of endurance.”

In a detached tone, Toru declared.

The Unicorn couldn’t use magic.

Toru couldn’t release the machete.

Like swords locked at the hilt, machete and fangs grinding, Toru and the Unicorn were swept along by the river’s current.

(Even so, I’m really at a disadvantage.)

Calmly, as if it were someone else’s problem, Toru analyzed.

His earlier movements had reopened the wound on his back. Submerged in the current, he’d bleed endlessly, and his body heat would be sapped.

In terms of stamina, the massive, still-uninjured Unicorn was exponentially advantaged.

However…