The hero, arrives

    Since the olden days, it’s said that the scene of training is plain and not interesting

    Therefore, I shouldn’t talk too detailed about my training process either

    In the first year

    The first year was the year of studying the basics

    In order to learn Holy Wisdom Art, firstly you must have the reasoning power which will not waver in any time

    Every day, I practiced meditation to calm my heart and tried not to be agitated。

    Even when the rain fell, the wind blew, the thunder struck or a roaring sound resounded, I was able to not get agitated

    It was the second year when I achieved that result

    From the second year, I did nothing but reading books

    The theme was to accumulate knowledge

    『For wisdom, intelligence and knowledge are like two revolving wheels-tanu. Idiots whose knowledge wheel revolves but the intelligence one doesn’t won’t be able to make the best use of it-tanu, but even so it’s not a bad thing to have knowledge-tanu』 (summary: wisdom = intelligence + knowledge, having knowledge but no intelligence = can’t use wisdom art, but it’s still better to accumulate knowledge even if you don’t have intelligence to make use of it)

    Those are the words of the sage

    Through day and night, even forgetting to eat or sleep, at the end of the second year, I finished reading the library of thousands books hidden inside the mountain by the sage

    Third year

    『Finally it’s the actually training-tanu. You can hit me with everything you have accumulated so far-tanu』

    The training in the third year is combat training at last

    I challenged the 『tanu-sage』 himself and was beaten within 10 seconds

    Damn it

    The tanuki is strong after all

    As expected of a sage, even with the appearance of a small tanuki, his power and speed are unimaginable

    I was easily overwhelmed

    『Tanuki mode change! Winter fur form-tanu!』

    「The tanuki’s body becomes fluffy and his defense increases!?」

    『Tanuki mode change! Summer fur form-tanu！』

    「This time it’s the swift, agile type!」

    But after being beaten over and over, I was able to hold on, little by little……。

    At the second half of the third year, I was able to fight equality against the 『Tanu-sage』

    『It’s wrong-tanu! Right-tanu! My body was heavy as I stuffed myself for winter-tanu, that’s why-tanu!』

    The tanuki made up some unsightly excuses

    However, I could feel that I have become stronger

    Leaving my hometown, begging a tanuki to teach me, everything is proved to be worthwhile

    In the third year, I was convinced

    Then in the next year

    ◆

    It was the fourth year

    The ninety five year of the empire

    I chanted

    「Riama Hestia」

    Instantly, a huge flame bursts out from my hand and flies toward the sky

    The power is amazing

    If I aimed at the ground instead of the sky, it probably wouldn’t just end up in a big fire

    I’m sure it would become a sea of fire spreading to the horizon

    In 『Beast Fantasy』 series, this is the skill higher than the highest grade of fire magic riama

    The maximum fire magic Riama Hestia

    『I’m surprised-tanu. It has been 3 full years since when you came to my place for training, but you have become this strong in such a short time-tanu』

    「It’s all thanks to master’s guidance」

    After 3 years, we have gotten used to this teacher-student relationship

    In fact, the guidance of 『Tanu-sage』 was more thorough than I expected

    Not only I have learned Holy Wisdom Art, my magical power also increased as you can see

    By the way, the magic in 『Beast Fantasy』 series is different from Holy Wisdom Art and Evil Beast Art

    The source of magic was based on the spirit who organize the world

    Holy Wisdom Art or Evil Beast Art are the so-called skills

    『To tell the truth, I already had nothing to teach you anymore-tanu. Even so, you are continuing to train here-tanu?』

    「If you are fine with it……」

    When I left, the time limit was 5 years

    In my hometown, the Behemoth Empire, all 15-year-old males must join the army

    I was 10 years old when I left, so 5 years until 15

    My training will end at that time

    Then I will return and join the army……that’s the gist of it

    3 full years has passed since I started studying under 『Tanu-sage』

    The remaining time is 2 years

    As I already received the approval stamp of master, the training can be considered finished and I can return to the empire earlier, but I’m not yet satisfied

    I still want to continue training, there is a secret I want to master

    A secret that right now, no one in this world knows……。

    『Beast Fantasy』 series’s strongest technique……。

    I will master it within the remaining 2 years

    ◆

    『…………tanu？』

    「What’s wrong, master？」

    During the training, the 『Tanu-sage』 was distracted

    Did this omnivorous tanuki spot a flying grasshopper?

    『The wild sense of the sage just informed me-tanu. Someone has entered this mountain-tanu』

    Isnt the wild sense of the sage too inconsistent?

    Without answering my retort, 『Tanu-sage』 started running

    『Hurry up-tanu！ This presence is not hostile but it’s extremely weak-tanu! It would be serious if it is attacked by the bears in the forest-tanu!』

    「Please wait, master! Master!?」

    I hurriedly chased after him

    Let’s run

    However, can I win against the animal’s leg strength!?

    He is four-legged but I only have two!

    The chance of being separated and getting lost is high!!

    ◆

    『That direction-tanu！ Hurry up-tanu！』

    「Fine!!」 (あいさー)

    But I didn’t get lost

    Instead, the『Tanu-sage』 was running out of steam on the way, so I had to carry him on my shoulder

    「Show me your guts, you wild animal!」

    『I am a sage-tanu! The wildness is replaced by intelligence-tanu! Excessive exercise may make me lose intelligence-tanu!』

    You just mentioned your wild sense a while ago!

    Stop using intelligence and wildness for your convenience!

    Meanwhile, I run through the mountain, following 『Tanu-sage』 instruction

    As the scenery changed, making me afraid and think “we didn’t get lost, right?”, suddenly……！

    『Found it-tanu! Over there-tanu！』

    It was here

    A human collapsed in the middle of the mountain

    From the appearance, he’s surely a survivor

    Lightly dressed, not even a single equipment for mountain climbing

    Even if this world is a middle age-ish fantasy world, going to the mountain with such light equipment is a suicidal act

    ……well, I don’t know the real situation

    Let’s try waking him up

    The survivor is a small child

    About 9 or 10 years old from his look

    As expected, he used up all of his stamina to force his way through the mountain, and is unconscious

    If master’s wild sense didn’t spot him, he would have been dead here

    「Why is there a small child here……!?」

    No, no need to pry into it now

    Right now I must take care of this child first

    「Shall we leave the mountain? This child’s parents must be worried. We should bring him there as fast as possible……！」

    『No, bring him to the hermitage-tanu』

    Said master

    『There is no village nearby-tanu. Therefore searching for people related to this kid is a waste of time-tanu. Also, this kid is greatly exhausted-tanu. We must nurse him immediately-tanu』

    The only establishment nearby that can be used is master’s hermitage

    「I understand」

    Carrying the unconscious child, I turn back to the way we came from

    The child’s body was surprisingly light, I couldn’t feel any burden on my back

    「How did he become this thin……!?」

    Who is this kid？

    Master said there is no village nearby

    Then, where did this child come from？

    With this small body。

    ◆

    At that time, I was careless and forgot about the most important thing

    Why did I become 『Tanu-sage』’s apprentice？

    It was because the protagonist of 『Beast Fantasy 4』 studied under this beast sage

    And today, this kid, who came under the tanuki after me……。

    The protagonist of 『Beast Fantasy 4』

    The hero of wisdom, Sero!?