I have people injured behind me, my first thought was luring the monster further than here. The monster sprang upon me, blood dripping from its injured head while it moved. I stood still, gazed at the monster unmoving, I gripped my knife tightly, but I didn't make any indication to use it. Instead, the moment when the monster was going to devour me, an icicle shoot straight at the Nightmare. I can feel my Mana have depleted a bit.

Truly, the monster was fit to be called a C rank monster. In the instant the icicle was moving toward it, the Nightmare shifted its body to the side, barely avoided what would be called as an instant dead. The icicle grazed the monster skin, but my attack didn't stop here. Icicle upon icicle formed unto existence, the instant the monster avoided one, two more icicle attacked the monster, not giving it any moment to rest.

Like this, I managed to goad the monster farther than here. I turned my head to behind me, Gil was staring me with eyes wide open, a shocked expression plastered on his face. Villaren was laying at the ground beside Gil, his face was pale, he must had lost a lot of blood. I think a bit, then I spoke to him about my thought.

"You, stay here and protect this guy. I will deal with the Nightmare."

"Wha-!" Before he managed to say anything more, I already ran toward the monster. Leaving them both behind.

When I join this monster extermination expedition, Tulgan commanded me to use magic only for the bare minimum, like strengthening the knife for example. The purpose is to hone my battle sense and physical ability. But right now, restricting my magic would be stupid. I'm fighting a C Rank monster alone, I don't want to get injured just because I was too stubborn on following someone order.

I will end this quick!!!

With a kick to the ground, my speed doubled and I reached the monster. My knife brandished in front of me and I jumped, evaded the monster scorpion like tail whipping at me. My feet landed at the monster body, the Nightmare immediately screeched and moved its body widely to shake me off. I jab my knife into its squirming flesh and its screech raised a notch. I casted a spell into my short knife and the blade are now glowing with an ominous red.

Then, I ran. With my knife still jabbed deep in its flesh, across its body, drawing a line of bleeding black blood. The wound is deeper than my knife length and the monster screeched in pain. Knowing what will happen when the monster is in desperation, I jumped high into the air with a kick into its wound. As I expected, black spike appeared on its back as I hover in the air. When the gravity was doing its job, I kicked again in the air, as if there is an invisible platform, I jumped higher than before.

In this height, I can saw the whole clearing clearly, I craned my neck to look at the other battle happening right now. Tulgan was busy dealing with one of the Nightmare, with Brey and Tina dealing with the other one. I saw Elva tending to the heavy injured Borgd, who was hauled up by the Nightmare before. I turned my attention back to the monsters I was fighting, it raised its head with its gaping mouth toward me.

Bead of sweats rolled down from my forehead and my heart was beating slightly faster, I squinted my eyes and glared at the monster beneath me, using wind magic, I can prolong my stay in the air for a bit longer. Slowly, the air around me quivered. Chunks of ice appeared into existence and molded into tens to fifty of spikes. Not wasting any more time, the icicles home into the target, falling down like thundering rains.

Of course, the nightmare tried to escape from my attacks, it evaded the icicles with burst of speed. Or so the monster must have thought, the icicles didn't stop and crush to the ground, instead, it follow the monster like a missile. If the monster has facial features, I guess right now a shocked expression would displayed on its face.

The icicles punctured the monster, one by one until all of the icicles jabbed deep into the monster body, like a sea urchin. It screeched a deafening dying cry. I landed back on the ground, my legs wobble a little but I managed to get my balance up. My eyebrow scrunched, panting heavily, I can feel a good chunk of my Mana has gone. Honestly, I wasn't used to casting spell, according to Cirdan, I always dumped to much Mana into a spell when it supposedly didn't need that much.

Well, can't be helped, I just need to practice more, that's all that matter.

I stared at dying monster in front of me, it was still struggling and squirming when it was supposed to be on its dead door. Its gaping mouth threw out a lot of blood, dyeing the green grass and the missed icicles to black. I maintained a healthy distance with the Nightmare.

I formed an icicle hovering beside of me, bigger than the ones stabbed at the monster body. The icicle then moves forward with a blurring speed, jabbed deep on its head, ending the Nightmare life. The monster went limp instantly and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Now...

I ran back toward Gil and Villaren, running past the now dead Nightmare. I found them at a nearby trees, Gil was standing beside Villaren who was laying on the ground, and a stone was placed on top of Villaren body. When I reached them, I could saw a thin film of sphere enveloping the injured adventurer. Gil turned his head towards me, and then to the defeated monster behind me. He sighed.

"...You really are something else, casting those spell chantlessly, and killing a C rank monster alone in a mere ten minutes." His face taken aback by my display of magic, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened in front of him. I only shrugged my shoulder as a response.

"Maybe it was fast, but it takes almost half of my Mana to defeat it. I will go and help the other now, what would you do?" I stared at armless Villaren on the ground, more exactly at the stone placed on top of him. The stone was round in shape and a glowing word scribed in it. I tilted my head.

This is a barrier rune isn't it?

"I will join you, I placed a barrier and it should function even without me, leaving Villaren here should be fine." Gil confirmed my thought and nodded at me, then he turned his body and ran toward the other battle ongoing right now. I followed closely behind him.

When we were nearing the battle, shouts and sword clashing could be heard. My sight lays on Tulgan, who was punching the life out of the monster, it was a matter of time for the Nightmare to drop dead. I turned my head to the group, which was having trouble with fighting the other monster. It was Brey, TIna and Elva, they are dealing with two Nightmare.

Wait, did the monster increased?

From the two Nightmare, one of them is heavily injured, it still screeched and whipping its scorpion tail at us even it had a hole in its abdomen. It was immobilized from the lack of leg, one can see that this monster is the first nightmare we fought. The other one only has light injury, a few slashes wound and broken spikes on its back. I increased my speed and ran past Gil, and towards the heavy injured monster.

I jumped and making a full spin on the air, before slashing down my weapon at the Nightmare. The knife blade shone with a green glow, and a wind slash born into existence. The wind slash grows wider and stronger as it travelled from the air, down to the immobile monster and completely decapitated its head. The other monster noticed its comrade demise and attacked me as I landed back to the ground.

A thin film of barrier sprang into existence and stopped the Nightmare from its track. It screeched from annoyance for failing to attack its prey. I jumped back and maintained a healthy distance from the new monster. Gil, Brey, Tina and Elva ran towards me. Their body was battered, and with the lack of a healer they can only endure it.

"Thanks for the barrier." I uttered a short gratitude to the pale faced Gil when he stood beside me, he seems tired from the lack of Mana.

Well...even if he didn't do it, I can deploy my own barrier though

"Please don't just ran out on your own like that next time." He sighed and glared at the screeching Nightmare. Brey, Tina and Elva too arrived to where we stood, their face was grave, a serious expression plastered on their faces.

"You, if had that power, why didn't you immediately use it before?" Elva stared at the decapitated monster and glared at me. He seems dissatisfied with me hiding my own power.

"Stop it, if you want to talk then do it after we kill this monster." Brey stopped Elva from interrogating me, which I silently thanked him in my heart. Elva clicked his tongue but didn't say anything more, he turned his body and faced the monster in front of us.

"Uhh, Hiiro, Gil, are you guys alright? What about the other monster?" Tina tilted her head, wondering about the monster which was supposed to attack Gil and Villaren.

"He killed it, alone." Gil pointed his finger at me like I'm guilty of something.

"What?! Really?! Are you serious? Wow..." Tina looked at me strangely, in her eyes gleamed admiration and... longing? Somehow her eyes now reminded me of Mira. I shuddered.

"Never mind about me, what about Bordg?" Feeling slightly uncomfortable with the stare, I directed the conservation topic to else. Tina face instantly darkened and she bit her lower lips.

"Bordg...he was injured pretty bad, also..." Her mouth was quivering when she was talking, but before she can say anything more, a shout cut her word short.

"Stop talking and move now!" The monster moved as Brey shout out loud to us. The Nightmare hit the barrier with its tail, making a few cracks with each hit.

With the last whip, the barrier broken to pieces and we moved with the same timing. Tina ran towards the monster, her fist was glowing red and her speed had taken the monster by surprise. With a shout, she punched the Nightmare head with a heavy blow and the monster was stunned by her attack.

"Nice one Tina!" Brey used this chance and make a dash toward the monster, his sword slashed with blurring speed. Of course, I didn't sit back while watching them fight, the air beside me is getting colder, and chunks of ice molded into an ice javelin shaped, the javelin was hovering beside me, eager to move as I command.

"Gil, can you cast a long-distance healing spells?" I turned my head and stared at him.

"Well, yes, I can, although I could only cast the basic one though, the potency isn't as great as Villaren spell." Gil raised an eyebrow and a bemused expression appeared on his face.

"Then I will leave the healing to you, please use it only when we required and don't cast anything else. I will be the substitute as magical support." I uttered these word to him and focused back to the monster. The javelin beside me instantly shot straight towards the monster.

The Javelin only grazed the monster body and missed its target, it shot past the monster for a few meters, before coming into a standstill and turned back to its target. I clicked my tongue in annoyance. My accuracy still need improvement and with these people here I can't just bombard the monster with icicles. I also need to save my Mana, who knows if the monsters will continue to increase.

Elva shoot arrows and more arrows to the monster, each strike was with pinpoint accuracy and attacked at the monster most vulnerable places. I deployed barrier with perfect timing as the monster attacked at the combatants. The monster screeched in annoyance, unable to do anything as its life was slowly chipped away by us.

Then, the monster suddenly stopped attacking us. It turned its body to the left, even with Brey blade slicing through its flesh, it ignored us and scuttered away. When we thought it was going to ran away, the monster did something that no one here would expected it. The Nightmare ran and hauled its dead comrade body. It munched on its flesh with a sick squelching sound. We are too shocked to comprehend what had just happened.

"Di, Did the Nightmare just ate its own kind?" Tina was flabbergasted by the situation. I frowned.

Something was not right.

I shot my ice javelin towards the monster, when the javelin was just an inch away from the monster, it evaded with speed different from before. I widened my eyes, the monster should have getting slower with the wound accumulated in his body. What happened? What changed?

Before I could make sense of what is happening, Brey already ran toward the monster with his sword brandished in front of him and Tina was closely following from behind. The monster didn't make any indication to move or take any action, its body was squirming and pulsating, as if something was going to burst out. I focused my eyes on the Nightmare and prepared my barrier spell.

As I thought, the monsters screeched and something burst out from its body. Two black claws appeared from its upper body and it was dripping with thick black liquid. Three horns appeared on its head and its body was getting bigger. I could see Brey was faltered for a second, but didn't stop running toward the monsters.

The monster instinct seemed have gotten stronger than before. Just as I manipulated the Mana to cast my spell, the monster immediately moved away from its position, it was running toward my direction. Ignoring Brey and Tina which was closer to it.

Did the monster think I should be dealt first?

"Not so fast!!" Tina stomped at the ground causing crack to appear on it and sprang to the monster as she relentlessly punching at the monster.

The Nightmare dodged and screeched. Using its brand-new claw, it swoops down to Tina direction. She turned her body to the side and the claw grazed her face, drawing blood on it. Tina immediately continued her attack, this time Brey joined in too. I scrutinized the monster in front of me. My Ice Javelin shoot forward, leaving after image behind it. The monster raised its claw and caught the Javelin, then crushed it to bits.

I squinted my eyes, I wasn't surprised anymore when it managed to evade my spell with ease. I bite my upper lips in annoyance. I want to end this battle already, and Tulgan seem hasn't finished with his opponent. Elva keep attacking the monster with its bow and the monster seem to be getting hang of evading it. And more importantly, the monster wound actually started to close, it was regenerating!

If it like this, then!!!

The air around me changed, my heart was beating fast as if it was going to burst out. My pale skin is getting paler within seconds. The air around me quivered and chunks of ice appeared into existence, tens, hundreds of them formed above me, the icicles were mismatched in shape, but all of them had pointy end on it, sharp enough to serve my purpose.

"ALL OF YOU!! MOVE OUT!!" I shouted out loudly, loud enough for the combatants to hear, they turned their head and shocked to find the numerous icicles floating above my head. They immediately moved away. The Nightmare was staring at the magic I displayed.

With a command, the icicles fall down to the monster like shooting stars. It managed to evaded few of the icicle, but couldn’t keep up with numerous icicles I have created. It shrieked in agony as one by one of them stabbing through its body.

The ground trembled, when all of the icicles had done their job, a dying nightmare appeared on my vision. My feet wobbled and gravity take over my body. When I was falling down to the ground, someone managed to catch me in a nick of time. I looked up and found it was Gil.

"You really managed to surprise me over and over again, Hiiro." He looked down and stared at me, a wry smile appeared on his face. Then he raised his head and stared at the dead monster, he muttered something under his breath, but I was too tired to make sure what he had said.

A loud rumble makes us turned our head to the same direction. Tulgan has finished his opponent with the same timing as us. The monster body was battered beyond recognition, it was lying dead at a group of broken trees. Tulgan turned his body and walked back toward us. He stared at the dead monster then at me.

"You can't defeat it without magic after all." Tulgan snorted at me, and an annoyed feeling bubbled within my heart.

"...If I didn't use magic, more people will be injured." I pushed Gil hand which was supporting my body gently and sat down to the ground, a tired sigh came out from my mouth. Suddenly, a force pushed my tired body down to the grass.

"Hiiro!!! You are soo awesome!! What's that magic? You end it with one strike!!!" Tina squealed and hugged me excitedly. She squeezed my body tightly to her chest which was making me hard to breath. Fortunately, someone came to my rescue.

"You brawn-headed idiot, he is in Mana deficiency state now, don't put burden on his body anymore." Gil grabbed Tina clothes from behind and pulled her up. A short disappointed 'aah' could be heard from her mouth. I slowly stood up and sheer away from Tina, walking to Brey side.

"I'm just glad it's over, I will complain to the guild later. Where is Villaren and Bordg?" Brey sighed tiredly and looked around us, looking for the missing member from his party.

"Villaren is over there, although he is unconscious from the shock of losing his arm, he isn't in life threatening condition, so he should be alright." Gil pointed at Villaren which was laying down near a tree. A sigh of relief came out from Tina. Brey nodded his head and looked at Elva.

"Bordg is dead." Elva told us simply with three words, and silent cascaded into us.

"Wha...what, why, he drank the potion, wasn't he?" Tina face immediately frowned, her hand was gripping tightly at her arm. Her eyes were misty.

"...it was not enough, his heart was bitten through and his left arm and leg was bleeding profusely, a mere basic potion can't heal that kind of injuries. I'm sorry, I should have brought a more potent potion, then he wouldn't....." Elva titled his head down and a shadow cascaded around his face. He left his word hanging and full of regrets. Brey only stared at him then sighed, then tilted his head up to the sky.

"Stop it, all of us has done their best. Remember it, we are adventurer, death always living near us. Where is his body?" Brey patted Elva shoulder and he only nodded as a response. Then Brey and Elva walked away to fetch Bordg dead body.

I only stared at their back, a sob then entered my ears. I looked at the source and found it was Tina. Tears rolled down to her cheeks, she was clearly trying hard to hold back her tears, but failed to do so. Gil stared at her and raised his hand up to her direction. But before he reached her, his hand fell down back to the side of his body and gripped his palm tightly, his nail was digging on his palm and blood dropped down from his hand.

The atmosphere has become cold and dry. I turned my head to Tulgan and his stern face didn't change even with the sad news. As for myself, I didn't feel sad nor happy. My time with them is too short to force a reaction out from me.

"...I will get the Mana crystal." Gil said solemnly and walked away toward the monster I killed. But when he walked a few steps, something happened. The dead monster moved.

I was startled and instantly opened my mouth to warn him. But I was late. The supposed dead monster shot something out in a blurring speed from its bloody mouth, even when its body was stabbed with tons of icicles. I tried to cast a barrier but I was to drained to do that.

Red blood filled my vision.