the intense sunshine that is quite different from the impression that it is still autumn sunshine
　As long as the seasons have just shifted to autumn, what we call lingering heat is a relentless drain on the strength of those who move in the courtyard.

`Ah, oh, oh, oh, my God!
"You're going to get that blow.

　Larger than normal claymore is swung down as if it were breaking air.
　Luzzi's face is full of leeway. All the confident attacks have been averted since the training began.
　It's a blow on the premise that we're going to stop short, as we were told before we started the mock war. Therefore, it would not be interesting for me to continue to avoid all attacks, although I cannot say that I really did my best.
　But this time, Claymore's blow, delivered with a sense of "nice," cuts the sky without even touching the opponent.
　Perhaps it was because my head was bleeding, but after the blow, there was a gap."
　The next moment, when you see the point of a long sword sticking out of your opponent's neck, you look back at him in disbelief.
　... yes, Rodos with a long sword in his hand.

"Wow... I can't believe Luzzi has been taken in so much trouble." and the oaks have the strength to cut them in two."

　Vaicul, watching such a conversation, muttered, raking his hair up in disbelief.
　Luzzi is one of the most aggressive of the fangs. That's why I trusted him in terms of his offensive power, and I thought he wouldn't lose to most of his opponents.
　Regardless of Ray, who asked us to train this time, we were trained by him... it was completely unexpected that Rodos, who was in the same position as us, was so powerful.

"There's chemistry, too. Luzzi, who is good at killing one blow, is certainly strong when dealing with monsters. That's definitely better than Rodos in the sense of purely dealing with monsters. However, when dealing with a person like in this competition, one blow is not enough. That's what it takes to have the ability to avoid or hit an attack."

　When Ray mutters as he watches the current battle near Vaicur, Morst, who was listening nearby, spoke in wonder.

"It is true that our chief enemy was monsters, but we are fighting against robbers in our own way."
"A thief? Surely there is a good chance that some of the thieves will be as good as Rodos, who has been playing mock battles with me?"
"That's... no, it's certainly our pride."
"Well, and I think it's good that you noticed it before you actually noticed it at the competition, anyway. Ruzzi alone seems to be difficult because of his compatibility, so it's a mock match between Vicul and Ruzzi and Rodos next."

　Ray's words startle me.
　The source of the voice is Rodos.

"Wait a minute," As expected, dealing with two people at any price..."
"You need training to deal with a large number of people, don't you?" Especially, the preliminary round is like a battle royal, so it's even more difficult."
"That's..."

　He probably admitted that Ray's words were reasonable. I'm going to say something, but I'm going to stop the word halfway.

"You've got it. Then I'll train with Most, and start a mock battle."
"... All right,"
`I won't lose next time!'
"I'm going to go between them? I'm worried about a lot of course.

　Each muttered and watched the mock battle begin at a distance, and then Ray turned his eyes to Morst, who was beside him.

"That's why we, the Wizards, should be trained by the Wizards."
"Wizard, sir. Come to think of it, it seems that the name crimson became famous because it caused enormous damage to the Westian Empire by creating a huge tornado of flames in the war. But you don't seem to have a magic engine?"

　He must be quite confident in his cane. Morst caresses the cane and asks Ray.
　In fact, Most's cane was made from a Trent branch that had lived for nearly 50 years, and his performance as a magician was guaranteed.
　But Ray shakes his head at such a ghost.

"As long as you're a wizard, it's only natural that you put magic first. ...well, in my case, I'm wearing a robe, but I'm actually a magician who is good at fighting between medium and short distances. And there is something I can give you advice because I am like that."
"What?"
First of all, it can be said not only for wizards but also for those who use bows, but those who attack mainly from a long distance are basically weak when approached. I don't need to say that you know it best, do you?"
"... well, that's not true,"

　Morst's nodding physique is not much different from Ray's. I wonder if it's a little big.
　He must have read such a feeling from his expression. Hold out your right hand wrapped in dragon robes.
　Morst responds to the gesture of calling for a handshake, bowing inwardly.
　And the pain of running.

"Oops!"

　A shriek of pain breaks out of Morst's mouth, as if his palm were to be crushed.
　Ray confirms it and immediately releases it.

"Do you understand? Even if this is an extreme case, you can't use magic immediately if you have pain. And even if you're going to use magic, you'll need to recitation. Well, in the case of Furyu's tusks, they are well-balanced with the avant-garde, the center-garde, and the rear-garde, so there should be no problem under normal circumstances... but when you enter a competition, you have to deal with them when they approach you."

　Waving his still painful hand, he casts a reproachful glance at Ray's words.

"I understand, that much." If you put it in words, it would be easy to understand..."
"You have to experience it in person." Seeing is believing, and seeing is believing."
"What is that?"
"It is more certain to see it with your own eyes than to hear it a hundred times, and to touch it directly than to see it a hundred times." ...and I'll get back to you. Can you use a bow or something like a bow?"
"No. That's not the case at all. Or is it a way to deal with it when the opponent approaches you?"

　Ray shrugs his shoulders slightly at the expression of disapproval.

"I won't tell you to use a bow in close proximity." But it is quite convenient for a wizard to be able to use a bow, because it simply doubles the means of attack."

　Passing Ray's mind is the elf's feeling, who took the rank-up exam with him.
　Ray was surprised at the variety of methods of attack that he could use magic with his bow. However, it was not normal magic but spirit magic.

"I certainly understand what you mean. However, it would be absurd to have a bow other than this stick. In the first place, you need to use both hands to shoot a bow, so you need to let go of your cane. As a wizard, I don't want to let go of this cane as long as it is tantamount to suicide."

　Ray can't help nodding to Morst's words.A Ray-like physical ability, or both bow and stick, might do something. However, although he is a pure wizard, and more physically competent as an adventurer than the general public, he is still no match for physical opponents such as Luzzi and Veicur.

(I wish it were a crossbow... I've never seen it before.)

　Having already spent more than a year in this Elgin, Ray has never seen a crossbow, including rare monsters, remote guillems of materials, Emosion, one of the largest harbour towns in the kingdom of Mileana, and Egzil, a labyrinthine city.

(If you load an arrow, you can shoot a powerful arrow. Of course, considering that it's used by someone as small as Most, I think crossbow needs a small one... well, I guess it's not unreasonable. And I certainly didn't see it before, but that doesn't mean I've been looking around Elgin. There's a good chance that it's made somewhere. I could have made it if I knew the structure.)

　This is Ray, who lived in the countryside when he was on Earth. Since they are not part of the Kyudo club -- there was no Kyudo club in the first place -- they never had the opportunity to use Yumiya, and of course they only had the knowledge that crossbows were weapons that appeared in games and novels.
　There were still some opportunities for cooking, which led to udon and okonomiyaki.
　Shake your head slightly, saying it's no use asking for something you don't have.

"You certainly can't use a bow with one hand," Then it's a weapon that can be used with one hand, and it won't take up much space. Then this is it, after all."

　muttered Ray, the dagger he took out of the mystery ring.

"What? What... Is it an item box by any chance.
"Huh? Oh. Didn't you know that?" Yes, it's an item box. More than that, look. I'll do this."

　Apparently, he didn't know about the item box and handed the dagger to the dumbfounded Most.
　Rumors of crimson spread in the Vestian Empire during the battle on the Seremuth plain, mainly in the form of scythe, fire whirlwind, and glyphon, where the Vestian army was badly damaged.
　In that sense, there are probably a lot of biased rumors, unlike Ray's kingdom of Milliana.
　In fact, rumors that Ray himself is quite a giant spread around that area.

"Well, may I... may I have this dagger?"

　Most manages to rebuild, but Ray nods that there is no problem at all.
　In the first place, the dagger he gave to Most is not like Ray's collection of magic items; it is just one of many things he has to rip off monsters' materials.

(Magic items... there must be quite a few items in the capital of the Empire of Bestia.)

　Since alchemy is so active that it is called a "magician," of course the selection of magic items is certain.
　"Ray thought so, but in the current situation, it was problematic in many ways to go out of the inn carelessly."
　people who are hostile to or under the guise of Dusker's bodyguards and the bell of repose of the soul. When I think about them, I'm not going to act like I'm going to cause trouble for myself.
　The aim is to attract the attention of the upper echelon of the Bestian Empire, but if you cause a disturbance here, you may not be able to participate in the competition itself if you are not good at it.
　Would you like me to buy more magic items? Ray thought that way for a moment, but it's fun to choose and buy things by himself, and find bargains.

"Mr. Ray?"

　When I think like that, the voice from Most comes back to me.

"I'm sorry, but I'll give you know. And what was it?"
"So may I receive this dagger?"

　While Ray was thinking, Morst would have fully recovered from the shock of seeing Ray's item box. Ask for the shock, at least without expression.

"Huh? Oh, yes. You don't have to worry about it because it's sold everywhere. For the time being, can you keep this small weapon hidden in your robe, if the enemy approaches you?"

　Quickly throw the dagger out of the mistling again.
　Although the movement stopped when the dagger's point was slightly stuck in the trunk of the tree, which was thrown so lightly, Morst still opened his eyes slightly with surprise.
　Throwing a dagger is not so unusual. If you're a thief, it's not a necessary skill, but most people have it.
　I had actually seen Vaicul use it several times.
　At the same time, there are some who wear them as warriors.
　Luzzi didn't have that skill, but he's seen it several times in his life as an adventurer.
　In this case, throwing does not mean simply throwing a weapon. It's the skill of throwing a dagger so that the point of the dagger sticks right into the opponent.

"It's rare for a wizard to have this kind of skill."
"I suppose so," However, it's because such perception is spreading that it's surprising. You're a wizard, and you're not armed with a dagger or other weapon. "Well, throwing takes some time to master, and above all, if you practice here, you might complain to the inn staff."

　As he says so, Ray pulls a dagger a few inches into the trunk of a tree growing in the courtyard and turns its tip toward Morst.

"I'm not used to teaching people, so all I can do is fight. Look, it's better to get used to it than to learn. Come on."

　In this way, Morst fought a mock battle with Ray, a wizard but also a thief.
　...as for the most part, I should have trained myself in magic.





　Thus, the two days have passed, and the day of the competition has come to an end.