The contents of the request form were as follows.

It was about a certain magical beast hiding in the forest in a mountainous region and attacking passersby.

It was a request from a certain merchant group that had repeatedly lost goods, people, horses, and carriages during transportation.

What a cute little thing.

Seeing that the incidents were repeatedly happening in a specific area, it didn't seem like a mindless wanderer.

And seeing that it waited on the roadside where people passed and then ambushed them, it seemed to have some intelligence.

It leaves no survivors, neither horses nor people.

And it also moves its attack location little by little, whether to avoid being identified or just by chance...

After confirming various other circumstances, the guild had estimated it to be a B-rank magical beast.

In fact, strictly speaking, there was a possibility that it was not a B-rank magical beast.

If not, it would be a little troublesome, but then I could just hunt another one.

Even someone like me or Boris can tell what rank it is just by looking at it.

If it's a C or D-rank magical beast instead of a B-rank, I can just cut it down quickly and go find another one.

It seems Boris has also prepared several other request forms in his file in case of this situation.

In fact, I'm hoping it's an A-rank magical beast.

Because a B-rank magical beast is no longer a match for me.

This is something I was sure of after cutting down a B-rank magical beast with a single blow.

'I'm not the weak me of the past.'

But the possibility of it being an A-rank magical beast was honestly slim.

Because I've only seen an A-rank a few times.

[Are they that rare?]

"That's right. B-ranks are rare, but A-ranks are even harder to see. If A-ranks were easy to see, the Maia Kingdom would have been destroyed long ago."

[Hmm.]

The Heavenly Demon let out a snort, as if he were disappointed.

Like me, it seems he's not satisfied with a B-rank magical beast.

But what can I do?

I can't just summon an A-rank magical beast because I want to.

I glanced back to see if they were following me well...

Schmitt was following me with great ease.

Rather, it was as if he were matching my speed.

He just seemed to be very surprised by my changed appearance.

"Tsk."

Well. Come to think of it, this guy was also particularly fast among the mercenary corps members.

I wonder who is faster, Shushruta or him.

"Ugh..."

Boris was flapping like a cape on Schmitt's back.

It seemed he was holding on with all his might so as not to fall.

I sent him a word of encouragement in my heart.

Good job, Boris.

Hang in there, Boris.

Just a little more, Boris.

"Aaaah..."

Boris's faint scream continued for a while longer.

A little later, we arrived at the scene of the incident.

"Ugh..."

Boris, who had been flapping like a cape on Schmitt's back for a long time, slid down to the ground.

Schmitt, who was investigating the scene, left the fallen cape and approached me, and then moved his hands quickly with wide eyes.

—How did you do it? I didn't feel any mana?

I could feel how surprised he was from his urgent sign language.

I pointed at the wrecked carriage and said.

"I'll tell you later, so let's just catch this guy first."

Schmitt nodded.

It was the most recent scene of the incident among the acts believed to be the work of the beast.

The carriage was literally wrecked, the lid was broken as if it had been roughly torn off, and its contents were spilling out of the carriage.

It seemed that what was being transported was fruit, the box containing the fruit was broken, and it was covered in a sticky green bodily fluid.

It was as if it had stuck its face into the box and eaten it all up.

Flies were buzzing around the rotten fruit.

Other than that, there were no horses or people to be seen.

The strange thing was that there were no particular bloodstains.

Usually, it would be covered in blood.

A normal magical beast would not do this.

Because they are busy just killing and eating without thinking.

It means there was a reason to take them alive and whole.

The apple was just a snack, a little taste.

Then...

Just as Schmitt, who had been looking around the scene, was about to move his hands to look at me.

"No! The examiner can't help."

Boris staggered up and stopped Schmitt, who was about to say something to me.

"The test starts from finding clues at the scene and tracking the magical beast. Golden kid. You just watch."

Schmitt blinked his eyes and looked at me.

I nodded.

"Do that. This is my prey, so don't even think about snatching it."

Schmitt pouted and reluctantly nodded.

I then examined the traces of the wrecked carriage.

The traces on the carriage were sharp. As if a huge blade had attacked it. It was different from claws.

But at the same time, it was rough and violent, like a magical beast.

Especially the way the carriage lid was opened, it looked as if the carriage had been crushed by two sharp blades.

It was as if it had been grabbed from above with something like a large pair of scissors.

"Hmm."

The established theory is that a magical beast is the result of a creature, such as an animal or an insect, being exposed to contaminated mana and undergoing a mutation.

The identity of the beast began to be vaguely drawn in my mind.

I then followed the traces into the forest.

Schmitt and Boris followed me quietly.

I instructed Schmitt.

"Schmitt. Don't worry about me, just take care of that pathetic guy."

"Pathetic guy?"

"You saw me run, right? I'm not the me I used to be."

Schmitt moved his hands.

—But...

"I've been through worse things than this in the Blake Kingdom. Don't worry about useless things."

Schmitt, who had been hesitating, lowered his hands and looked at Boris next to him as if he were a piece of luggage.

The piece of luggage replied.

"What are you looking at?"

"...."

I left the two of them and focused on following the traces.

As I followed the traces of green bodily fluid scattered here and there, and the broken branches, I found a sparkling necklace among the bushes.

When I picked it up, it was a pendant with a picture of a happy family.

"...."

I put it in my pocket for now and continued the chase.

As I followed the traces...

"Sniff, sniff. What's this terrible smell?"

A swarm of flies was buzzing and enjoying a happy feast in one place.

"You've left quite a pile."

It was the magical beast's droppings.

"Ugh...!"

Boris, who has a weak stomach, is retching as soon as he smells it.

I picked up a long branch and poked the droppings.

It's not hard, and it's warm.

It seemed that it had left it here as a territorial marking.

The beast is nearby.

It seems I can just follow the smell of the droppings.

I threw the stick I had used to poke the droppings over the bushes and muttered.

"Alright, I've come to a conclusion."

I looked back at Schmitt.

"Would you like to hear it, Mr. Examiner?"

Schmitt, who was staring at the magical beast's droppings, looked at me.

"After examining various circumstances... the beast is presumed to be a large mantis-type magical beast. The fact that it takes its prey without eating it right away means that there is another entity nearby that will eat that prey. What does that mean? There's a high probability that there's a nest."

At the word 'nest', Boris, who had been retching, was startled and looked this way.

"What? A nest? Damn it, then we're in big trouble."

I nodded.

"It's one of two things. Either it's feeding its young, or it's feeding a female that is laying or about to lay eggs."

It's rare, but sometimes there are such things. Magical beasts that are capable of reproduction.

I heard that the possibility increases when a male and female of the same species are contaminated at the same time.

There are many things about the ecology of magical beasts that cannot be defined by common sense, so it's better to keep various possibilities open to deal with them.

In fact, although I said eggs, it's possible that an insect-like creature could give birth to live young like a mammal.

Conversely, a beast-type magical beast could lay eggs.

Because they are guys who have grown up as they please.

"Or it could be an individual that can reproduce on its own. It might have taken it gently to eat it later while laying eggs."

"Crazy. Is it a hermaphrodite?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

Boris muttered in a serious tone.

"...If it's really a nest, things will get serious. I don't think this is the time to be taking a promotion test."

"What's the problem? We have the best problem solver, Ashuban of the Half-Sword, here."

Boris looked at me with very untrusting eyes.

"What's the problem? We have the self-proclaimed and publicly recognized platinum-rank golden martial artist, Schmitt."

Only then did Boris relax.

You rotten bastard.

I declared solemnly.

"I'm changing the objective. This hunt is not only to kill the magical beast, but also to destroy its nest."

Schmitt nodded.

He probably already guessed this much.

Of course. Who taught him?

I watched Boris busily writing down my important declaration on the file and then asked.

"Are you done writing?"

Boris nodded.

"Then from now on, we will begin the tracking and annihilation operation in earnest. Follow me well."

The droppings are warm.

That means the pooper is not far away.

If the droppings are warm, the story is over.

I closed my eyes and spread my ki sense wide.

As I followed the smell of the droppings for a while...

"Found it."

I immediately ran in that direction.

I could feel Schmitt, carrying Boris, hurriedly following me.

As for our Schmitt, he is a genius among geniuses who got his platinum tag at the young age of sixteen.

Isn't this guy probably the youngest platinum-rank mercenary?

It's not for nothing that I cursed the world.

How can I not feel deprived when there are monsters like this next to me?

Anyway, it means that there's no need to worry about Boris, who is being carried on the back of such a monster.

Screech—

I ran at the beast with my sword drawn.

My heart was pounding just thinking about showing off my skills to my much younger brother.

Can I finally act like a big brother?

I quickly closed the distance and, while contemplating what to use to kill that magical beast, I decided to use ice art.

Because I thought I had heard somewhere that mantises are weak to the cold.

I created the Snow Branch Blue Flame Art while running.

Crack...

Frost bloomed on the sword like a flower, and then it was covered in white.

The half-sword, completely covered in white, grew into the shape of a sword.

Like a tree branch growing.

I looked at the white sword in my hand.

It was truly a Snow Branch, a snow-covered tree branch.

Soon, the beast's huge body began to be seen between the trees.

A monster mantis nearly 5 meters tall was grooming its front legs.

It looked more like a giant monster of unknown identity than a mantis.

Because its whole body was covered in thick black fur, as if it had undergone a mutation. How disgusting.

I lightly kicked off a branch and soared into the air.

The beast moved its antennae and then turned to look this way.

—Kiek?

The moment I met the mantis's characteristic sharp triangular head and its sly, slender eyes, I swung the white-covered branch several times as I fell from the air.

After landing lightly on the ground with several slashes, I watched the beast.

It seemed to stiffen for a moment, and then it froze white from the head down, and then it collapsed in the order it was cut.

Head, neck, front legs, body, abdomen, legs.

The frozen mantis was slaughtered and scattered on the ground.

I looked at the scene for a moment, and then I turned around with the sword that was emitting a cold air.

Schmitt and Boris, who was being carried behind him, were gaping.

I grinned.

"Schmitt, it's your brother."

Putting Boris aside, Schmitt also seemed quite surprised.

Because he still couldn't feel any mana from me.

Until he came here, he must have thought that I had somehow tricked Camus with a lie full of spirit.

But no.

I'm not the me I used to be.

I looked straight ahead with a proud heart.

Behind the beast that had frozen to death, there was a large nest.

It seemed that it had dug into a rock to make a cave and then laid a lot of eggs there.

Each egg was about 50 cm in size, and there seemed to be dozens of them.

If they had hatched as they were, a disaster would have unfolded.

It was terrible just thinking about it.

Just as I was about to approach the cave to destroy the nest right away...

—Kieeeek!!!

With a terrible scream, another mantis magical beast appeared from the left.

My ears felt like they were going to be torn apart by the roar.

It was twice the size of the previous one, and its whole body was covered in red fur.

It was a female.

They say that in insects, the female is often larger than the male. This was a bit extreme.

It seems the male was guarding the nest while the female was away for a moment.

—Kieeeek!

The beast came running with its sharp front legs spread wide to the left and right, as if to threaten.

But its speed was unusual.

My whole body tingled at the momentum, as if a huge carriage were charging.

"Oh!"

I instinctively realized.

"A-rank!"

The Heavenly Demon also smiled.

[Finally, something worth watching.]

"Hehe."

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of clashing my sword with those two sharp front legs.

I got into a stance with my sword held at an angle.

"Finally...!"

At that moment, a golden ray of light flashed and pierced the beast's chest.

—Kiek!

Following that, Schmitt, completely engulfed in a golden light, flew like a cannonball and kicked the beast's head.

Thwack!!

With a sound like a drum bursting, one of the beast's eyes caved in.

Thud!

The magical beast, which had lost its balance, fell, and Schmitt immediately kicked the beast's slender legs, breaking them all.

—Kiek! Kieek!

And then he stomped on the head of the beast, which was struggling and unable to get up, several times, crushing it.

Thwack!

Before I could even lift a finger, the A-rank magical beast was instantly killed before my eyes.

"No..."

[Ah...]

"To do it like that..."

From the mouths of me and the Heavenly Demon, who had watched the scene from beginning to end, only pitiful sighs flowed out.

(End of Chapter)