Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer

Chapter 104

Black Keroberos had a black mist swirling inside its mouth in a spherical shape.

Tenji felt a sense of panic recalling that attack he had seen up close before.

[That attack!?]

When Tenji first encountered Black Keroberos, a young man beside him was pierced through the forehead in an instant, as if blinking.

It was a skill that precisely and rapidly launched an attack that was close to a laser attack.

"Mina! Chaewon! Pyne! We must never take that attack head-on! Avoid it at all costs, or try to block it!"

"What!? Tenji, do you know something?"

"I know someone who died after being hit by that attack in the forehead! Be especially careful about the forehead!"

"Understood!"

Mina quickly understood the situation from Tenji's explanation and slightly raised the battle axe, which could also serve as a shield.

Chaewon was probably in the process of concentrating, and although she heard Tenji's voice, she didn't respond. She just closed her eyelids and controlled the flow of MP.

And then... Black Keroberos completed its attack first.

The black mist inside its mouth began to rotate rapidly, showing signs of an impending attack.

Mina quickly shouted, "Here it comes!"

Almost at the same time as her voice, the rotation of the black mist stopped completely for a moment.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!"

A thin laser attack was launched, aimed at Chaewon's forehead as expected.

Mina was impressed that the attack came in the trajectory that Tenji predicted and held the battle axe diagonally to cut off the trajectory of attack.

It seems that she chose to deflect the attack rather than take it head-on.

However...

"Huh!?"

It was just for a moment.

The black laser pierced through Mina's battle axe, completely ignoring it, and flew straight towards Chaewon's forehead.

Mina, who never thought her shield would be penetrated so easily, turned back to Chaewon who was standing behind her, desperately reaching out to her.

"Chaewon!!!!!!"

She reached out her hand but the laser was too fast.

"Eh?"

When Mina's desperate cry was heard, Chaewon opened her eyes for the first time. In her beautiful eyes, she saw the flash of black laser aiming at her forehead.

She knew that attack was meant to kill her.

Perhaps that's why Chaewon smiled at Mina, even though she didn't understand the meaning. She continued to reach out to her desperately but couldn't reach her.

Why couldn't she reach Chaewon? Why couldn't she defend against the attack? Why, why, why... As the feeling of "regret" floated in Mina's mind, the image of a famous hero whom she had pinned her hopes on appeared in her heart.

If the hero were here, would the outcome have been different?

"Red Demon Dagger, Summon!"

A voice was heard from behind Chaewon.

Chaewon couldn't even turn around to face the direction the voice came from. She quietly closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.

Then, a Red Dagger swiftly intervened and protected her forehead.

While surprised by the unfamiliar sword that suddenly entered her field of vision, Chaewon momentarily stopped closing her eyes.

At that moment, the Dagger and the laser collided.

"Huh?"

The laser seemed to have been interfered with and bent.

Tenji, who was watching the moment closely, let out a crazy voice without thinking.

The bent laser pierced through Chaewon's right thigh and left a burn mark on the ground.

"What was that just now?..."

Tenji, who tried to protect Chaewon, was surprised by the laser that bent just before hitting her.

The refractive effect would have no effect on the Red Demon Dagger, so it was clear that someone else had intervened.

"Ugh..."

While Tenji was surprised, Chaewon, who had been shot in the thigh, held her wound with one hand and fell to her knees in pain.

Mina immediately joined her and, while worried about Chaewon's safety, prepared her battle axe towards Black Keroberos.

At that moment...

"Glooaaah!"

The second shot of the black laser was fired.

This time, three shots at short intervals were aimed at Mina, Tenji, and one shot was fired towards Pyne in the opposite direction at high speed.

All of them aimed for the forehead, but just before hitting, they refracted and pierced through Mina's thigh.

From the direction far away, Pyne's voice, who had also been shot in the thigh, could be heard saying "Ouch!"

At that moment, only the thighs of the three students here were shot.

Only Tenji was staring curiously at the Red Demon Dagger, which made a "juuu" sound.

Tenji easily deflected the laser attack with the Red Demon Dagger. Even though it refracted just before hitting, he adjusted the position and angle of the sword flexibly and dealt with it.

As a result, only Tenji was unharmed in this situation.

With three female students who were already unable to fight at 100%, there was only one young man without any external injuries.

Tenji immediately sensed the surrounding situation.

"Hmm, why does it bend just before hitting? I've never met an individual like this before... hmm? Oh, I see."

"I don't know who you are, but I don't need interference! In fact, I'm in trouble!"

"I'm sorry," a female voice replied in Tenji's mind as he spoke loudly to the forest.

Tenji recognized the piano-like voice because he had heard it before, so he quickly realized who was responsible.

"I can't believe that President Limey herself was watching this exam. So, it was a magic-based ability that utilized light refraction. I don't know why she was aiming specifically for the thighs to refract, but..."

Tenji didn't understand what was being asked of the students in this situation.

However, the fact that none of the teachers had shown up even in this situation reminded Tenji of one possibility.

"So, does this mean that I have to defeat Black Keroberos alone?"

Mina and Chaewon, who were in intense pain, were trying to stand up desperately next to Tenji.

Honestly, it would be cruel to count them as combatants. Although they were future first-grade explorers with first-grade callings, they were still sixteen-year-old girls.

It was impossible to use them as combatants, as they were in tears with holes in their thighs.

[And Pyne...]

Pyne seems to be tough against pain as she quickly stands up, but the bleeding from her thigh doesn't seem to stop.

If she engages in any further intense activity, the bleeding will only get worse and she will become unable to move.

Of course, George, who was already incapacitated at the beginning, was no more useful than a puppet.

Tenji quickly analyzed the situation around him and came to understand what President Limey wanted. Well, he didn't want to understand, but he understood it.

Tenji sensed the situation.

He sighed at her cunning and looked back at Black Keroberos.

"... President Limey, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you."

"I still can't use this power in public. I promised Chigo-chan."

"It's okay. I will personally enforce the secrecy."

"Couldn't you wait a few more months? I was so close. It was just a little more. "

"It's okay, it's interesting."

"Fine! Okay! Oh, and... I just want to thank you once."

"What for?"

"Black Keroberos was a wall that I had to overcome someday. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity."

"Well, that's a good thing. Even I didn't even expect Black Keroberos to appear. Alright, do your best."

Then, Tenji felt as if the link with President Limey had been disconnected.

He felt something snap in his head.

"Tenji... Run away."

At that moment, Mina, who was writhing in pain right beside him, clung to Tenji's leg and looked up at him.

She must have judged that she was no longer of any use.

However, Tenji calmly smiled and answered.

"I'm sorry. I've already decided not to run away."

"I am gonna fight." Tenji continued.

He gently said that and shook off Mina's hand before stepping forward.