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After I heard the broadcast, I ran out of the tournament arena. Luckily Clarissa was nearby, so I got to be with her to fight the Rufus. Sadly Natalia wasn’t nearby, but I’m sure she can handle herself.

One Rufu is trying to snatch a fleeing girl, so I quickly rush between them and use Sparkling Lightning Discharge on its wings. The bolts of electricity coming from my fist are effective, completely stopping the monster.

“Awooooo!” Clarissa leaps forward and calls down a rain of light bullets, which needle down the large monster onto the ground. Then she climbs on its back and bites into its neck. But not even Clarissa’s sharp fangs make it through the Rufu’s resilient feathers.

“Squeee!” The Rufu starts flapping its wings, trying to get back in the air, but I’m faster.

“Claire, dodge!” I jump up as I say that, and Clarissa instantly moves away so I can attack with all my might.

“Sparkling Lightning Shock!” My fist strikes the monster’s brow, which has few feathers, sending electricity straight into its skull and frying its brain. Not even a resilient monster like a Rufu can survive that.

“Are you okay?!” I turn around to the girl who was under attack, who staggers on her feet and just nods quickly before running indoors. I think she should be safe now.

“Boss. I turn wolf, good?” Clarissa also lands and asks me if she should go back into wolf form.

In werewolf form she gains agility, but loses a lot of weight making it a bad match against large enemies like Rufus.

But Comet Wolves are rank B monsters, which is higher than Rufus. Those ranks are given out by the adventurers’ guild criteria, but I’m sure Clarissa should be alright.

“Hmm, being a wolf might make it easier to fight, so maybe-”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.”

Someone interrupts me before I can finish. I turn to the voice and see a man getting closer, who’s wearing what look like expensive clothes. I guess he’s a noble.

“If another monster appears, it’ll only cause more panic to spread. Even if she’s wearing a Servant’s Brooch, no one will really notice it at first sight.”

He’s right. Everyone is already busy running away from the Rufus, if a Comet Wolf also appears out of nowhere it’ll just make things worse. It’ll take a bit longer, but it’s better if we keep fighting with Clarissa as a werewolf.

“Oh, sorry I didn’t introduce myself sooner. I’m Otis, I actually met Clarissa and Natalia earlier, and I was watching the tournament with them.”
“Woof!”

Clarissa nods too, so I guess he’s actually telling the truth.

“I see. I’m Olivia Eto Gardeland, thank you very much for your advice, Mister Otis.”
“You’re welcome. Also I’d appreciate it if you could loosen up a little and maybe call me Uncle Otis instead.”
“Alright, Uncle Otis.”

I call him the way he told me to, and he smiles happily.

“Squeee!”
“Squeee!”

More Rufus gathered while screeching loudly.

There’s still people who haven’t taken refuge yet either, so that’s enough chatting for now. I have to focus on fighting. I turn to face one of the Rufus and aim my magic at the sky.

“Ignis Drake!”
“Awoooooo!”

The dragon of fire I shoot hits my mark and explodes, which is followed by Clarissa’s Nebula Breath tearing it apart. But that’s just one less out of many.

“Well, I guess I’ll give you a hand too.”

I hear Otis say that behind me, then a bright lightning flash nearly blinds me before the Rufus are engulfed in a blaze. They quickly turn to ashes and fall dead. I don’t even know how to react to that.

He just took down four of them at once.

“I used the middle level lightning magic Thunder Storm and middle level fire magic Savage Burst, but maybe I went a bit overboard?”

Wait, he used two middle level spells simultaneously without chanting?! Only a handful of teachers can use middle level spells without even having to say their names. And I’ve only seen my mother use two simultaneously like that before.

“Incredible…”
“Hahah, showing off in front of the new generation isn’t so bad either though. Let’s keep going.”

He hears what I muttered to myself and replies. He doesn’t seem to be exhausted at all after doing that, so that really shows how skilled he is. While I’m amazed, I’m also filled with motivation.

My parents had been powerful like that, and that’s why I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I also have to become strong like that. I have to get stronger!

There’s a thunderous sound as the magic bullet shoots forward, vanishing far into the sky. I missed completely, just like my first shot. I readjust my aim and this time I hit the enemy’s wings. The blow sends it crashing down to the ground where it grovels for a bit, so I shoot its head and end its misery.

They’re flying enemies so it’s harder to aim, but my 20% accuracy rate is still abysmal. That also makes it hard to hit headshots to kill them instantly.

Not to mention that their feathers are really tough too, and my skills aren’t good enough to hit them in the head. I guess it was expected, but I can’t shoot like Simo Häyhä. I need to train more.

Either way, there’s a lot of them so I’ll just have to take them down as best as I can.

Then I notice a flash behind me, followed by a bright explosion. I quickly turn there and see Olivia, Clarissa, and Otis next to the tournament arena. Was it Olivia, Clarissa, or Otis who caused that?

Either way, from the way the teachers reacted I guess Rufus aren’t exactly weak monsters, but Olivia and Clarissa can deal with them without issue. I don’t know how strong Otis is, but he should be alright with them too.

As I peer into the scope again, I notice two girls being chased by a Rufu in the corner of my eye. I’ve seen them before, they’re also staying at the second dorm, and are first year students.

One of them is pulling the other along by her hand to get away faster, but the Rufu is too fast. This is bad! And they’re really close!

I was so distracted looking through the scope that I didn’t notice they’re already really close to me! They’re on the opposite side to where Olivia is though, so they’re still far.

But for me, it’s too close to use Blue Hound.

I instantly stash Blue Hound in my magic storage and jump over the fence to help them. Then I shoot my arm forward to take hold of the Rufu’s feathers and my body is swung around.

I take out White Viper from my magic storage, aim at the Rufu’s head, and pull the trigger. My weight and the bullets throw it off balance and it topples on the ground.

The impact tears off the feather I was holding onto, so I get thrown onto the ground too. But I can’t afford to rest, I quickly roll onto my feet and pull the trigger again.

“Screee!”

It squeals as I push the barrel onto its head, emptying a magazine. I doubt even a Rufu can survive after that.

“Run!”
“Natalia, behind you!”

For some reason they’re telling me to run or look around, shouting at me with their faces pale. At the same time, a dark shadow falls on me.

“Huh?”
“Natalia!”

Olivia also starts to run at me, her face drained of color. I should go meet with her. Thinking that I try to move, but my body goes nowhere. I look up and see plenty of black plumage, dark like the night.

What’s happening?
I barely have time to think that as my body is hoisted into the air.

“Squeeeeeeeeeeee!”

I also hear a lower pitched squeal. Only then I realize that I’ve been captured by this big and black Rufu.

“Full Divine Wind!”

Olivia activates one of her Magical Arts to run faster and holds her hand out, and I reach out for it by instinct. We firmly hold onto each other.

I felt relief wash over me, but the black Rufu would not stop rising up. Thinking about it calmly, that makes sense. I’m way heavier than a human, and Olivia might be tall, but the black Rufu is also bigger than the others. Lifting both of us is no sweat for it.

What should we do? Should I attack so it drops us?

No, we’re already higher than the roof of the four story school building. If we try attacking now, by the time we deal enough damage to be dropped we’ll be much higher. I might be able to survive a fall like that, but I doubt Olivia could. And I can’t count on some manga trope like using the Rufu’s body as a cushion to work.

Then what else can we do? I already know that, I don’t have time to keep hesitating.

“Clarissa! Catch her!”

I shout as loudly as I can, feeling like I’m tearing my throat apart. I watch Clarissa turn into a wolf and start running, and Olivia looking at me with despair. Both had already guessed what I was about to do.

Amy had told me not to make Olivia angry again earlier, but I didn’t have any option now.

“I’m sorry.”
“No! Natalia!”

I mutter as I let go of her hand.

“Nataliaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

She desperately tries to reach for me again, but I’m already too far for that. Gravity and the black Rufu pull us apart. Clarissa jumps and manages to catch Olivia on her back, safely breaking her fall, and I just get carried further into the sky.

“Please don’t worry… I promise I’ll be back…”

I’m fully aware she can’t hear me, but I had to tell her that.

I don’t think I made a mistake. I can’t allow my master to get in danger trying to save her magic automaton maid. But the sight of Olivia’s terrified face before she fell is still burned in my eyes.