The battle has finished and corpses are littered everywhere in sight. It was all clear that the battle was a one-sided massacre.

That time, I subconsciously turned off my ears, and now I could hear their howls, cries, and agony in the air. It was uncomfortable and I felt sorry for them—their end was entertainment for these guys.

Possessing this ability of mine to sense others' feelings makes me more emotional than ever. Without it, I'm going to be an ignorant, arrogant, and self-centered person.

Undoubtedly, a double-edged sword causes detrimental effects to one's mental health and capability to make friends.

These guys certainly care for themselves. I wonder what will happen to them when the time comes?

"Hm..."

As I contemplated some things to consider, Jonas came in my direction, followed by his companions.

"Vampire kid... Come to think of it, are you used to this already?"

Jonas asked me after they had finished cleaning up themselves. Jonas, this person is dangerous.

"What do you mean?"

Fortunately, they can't sense my uneasiness behind this cloak.

"That was quite a number of monsters, you see. Even if they were being protected, an inexperienced person in the face of higher-ranked monsters would feel uneasy, but you didn’t seem that way at all, Miss Maria. Not to mention a kid. That’s why I thought that maybe you’re used to seeing Blood Steel Wolves. "

He got me.

"Interesting. So you were watching me? "

Even when fighting a large number of the same monsters, Jonas appears to have had the liberty to observe me—which freaked me out if he peeked at my status or simply knew what I was doing at the moment.

There were times when the individual being protected did something unneeded that made things more difficult, but observing that person was no easy task either in the face of hordes.

His thoroughness in his job impressed me, which I deemed dangerous, just like how he called me after I popped out at that time. Did he already know?

This person is the hardest for me to read. Did he have some mental barrier or permanent spell under his sleeves? Or did he master the philosophy of stoicism?

Nevertheless, I must keep my guard all the time.

"... In the future, I intend to live independently and become an adventurer as well. That is why, no matter what, I am always prepared physically and mentally. “

Even though I didn’t lie, the words I used were insufficient, prompting him to respond to me with a cold-sounding

"I see."

Even though they weren’t going to think of me as a person who was a liar with such a short interaction, I picked the safest manner.

“You've decided to become an adventurer?We thought you were one of us already, vampire kid. If you go into it with nothing but your guts and that cursed weapon of yours, you’ll die as soon as you pass the exam evn though you have the potential. And it’s not like you can stay an adventurer for very long if you just undertake low-risk jobs. "

When he heard me declare I wanted to be an adventurer, this annoying man—Elmo—instantly began to argue my stance as usual, just because I was a kid.

But this time, though, it wasn’t because he was looking for something to criticize my endeavor; rather, he was offering advice as an older brother.

Wait... what? Pass the exam?

I, on the other hand, was much more interested in a different aspect of his advice.

What in the world does "passing the exam" mean? Is that the same as those final exams in schools? Oh, mathematics and science, here we go!

* PLAAAACKKKK! *

He slapped him! Is he gay?

Jonas admonished him, and it shocked me. Is it normal for males here?

"Stop it, Elmo."

"You stay out of this, Leader Jonas. I’m not going to relax until I give this girl, who is underestimating the adventurers, what she needs. "

Underestimating, you say?"

Elmo’s off-the-mark comments made me feel a little embarrassed about myself because he had already experienced the hardships and difficulties of being an adventurer, while I am just one day old in this world when it comes to experiences.

Arguing with him is pointless, and doing so will show narrowmindedness.

When a very young girl with nothing but a dangerous sword says something like that, it’s only natural that she's likely to be dead regardless of how powerful the sword she currently has is.

When I put myself in Elmo’s position, I realized how rational his words were.

It was just that harsh in the world of adventurers. Not to mention, I encountered anomalous individuals and had nightmares along the way. Against all the odds, I survived on just a single day.

It was much more uncommon to find someone like Jonas who would simply let go, like me.

“For starters, what can you even do? What do you intend to do with that terrifying blade of yours? Swing, then swing and dance? Huh! Having a powerful weapon doesn't guarantee your survival! "

"No. I plan to become a supporter. I can heal myself and would offer myself as bait. I can evade most attacks and leave without any scratches at all. If I enter a party, I’m going to function as a supporter. "

“A Supporter?"

"Supporter? Offer as bait? Haha, comedian are we, blood-sucker?"

This annoying Elmo sneered with derision, as if he had behaved like a woman, unlike Jonas, who widened his eyes in astonishment.

Instead of these guys, my attention was drawn to the single female, who had given me a short glance even though she’d been silent all this time. Just like Jonas, I don't know what her hidden desires are, malicious ones or not.

She has this intense passion for one specific thing. What was that? This woman, Moa, is definitely the weirdest one I've met.

"How about...?"

Moa’s stare towards me lasted barely a split second before she resumed her usual behavior, but it was that split-second gaze that caught my attention.

“I’ve heard that healing is even harder than using offensive spell. Even sister Moa can’t use healing spell at all.

“I believe I can. I’m just bad at it. "

"No, I mean..."

"What?"

"I don't have any healing spell to others, but I can heal myself."

"You! Of course, we knew a thing about your blood-sucking race! "

His distrust towards me rose, while I sensed Moa's disagreement.

Then he, on the other hand, moved closer to my side and provoked me through his aura, clearly wanting to assert his dominance over me. I could already tell he has some kind of inferiority complex towards Jonas.

“You may not realize it, but just because your body is capable doesn’t mean you’ll be able to escape infections and fatigue. True, vampires are famed for their regeneration prowess, but healing oneself in a short amount of time is...“

I grabbed a dagger from one of their bags, raised my sleeves, and injured myself. Blood was dripping from the cut, and I showed it to them. I guess it's more or less half an inch deep. It wasn't painful at all, but kind of a weird feeling.

The boastful guy stood frozen as my wound slowly healed itself. The wound closed and healed, leaving my skin unscathed as if nothing had happened, leaving only traces of blood.

"Do you see it for yourself, Brother Elmo?"

Elmo had a tense expression. However, as soon as he was slapped again by Jonas, his look returned to normal, as if he had awoken.

"T-That just now! Even the vampires I know can heal themselves as fast as an hour or two, and you! "

“Brother Elmo. Unfortunately for you, I can heal myself instantly.“

I hadn’t suffered any fatal wounds in the fight inside the trap spell. However, even if there were no flesh wounds, fighting would wear on one’s mind, and it frighten me.

This makes me wonder how deadly this could be. As he said, I can suffer from infections and more so from energy-stamina depletion.

"I-It can’t be... "

“It can be however, no one, not even you guys, would stop me from achieving my ambitions, okay?“

I dramatically said, tapping Elmo on the forehead and then caressing his chin with my fingers. He was utterly frozen from shock.

He shook and shoved my hand away as he took a few steps back. What a shame.

Well, enough joking.

I simply ignored them and resumed walking. On the other hand, Elmo swiftly caught up with me.

"There's no way that was the regeneration speed of a vampire! It can’t be true! It’s nothing like the vampires I knew! "

“Hers is on a different level, Elmo. That just now was one of the rarest physical powers. She may be a titleholder like us. The one title I have is just a simplified version of that. Most practitioners have it. However, it has a weaker effect than her.“

The quiet Moa explained to Elmo.

I heard their discussion quite a distance away. She spoke while staring in my direction with curiosity.

“Vampires are known not only for their spells but also for their fast regenerative abilities. That information and expertise on how to get it, however, is not passed down to us humans. And even if they were, we couldn’t utilize them. "

“Is that so? So the thing we thought was self-recovering all along was something entirely different. Titles are surely mysterious, just like those holy races. "

Jonas exclaimed. And his surprise was nothing out of the ordinary.

Before I pointed it out to him, I had no idea how to explain immune responses like bloodborne oxygen or macrophages. After all, humans and other races have different biological bodies.

Even though I can't provide any sensible explanation for them, some of the factors utilize supernatural phenomena like magic and spells. My race is fundamentally different, and this world is not Earth.

My body. The white mystic fox's regeneration ability was still several levels stronger when compared to the human body I knew.

“How did you acquire your title? "

Behind them, Moa requested me. I came to a halt and responded after some thought.

“Honestly, I don't know what title you speak of. Asking the same topic, I don't have any ideas. It is pointless. Furthermore, we should refrain from making a lot of noise from here on out.“

"Are we close?"

After I, who was gazing at the opposite end, spoke, Brother Jonas instantly asked me: He came to a complete stop and placed his hand on the sword’s handle while glancing upfront.

Elmo took his stance, and Moa adjusted her headdress with a regretful expression on her face.

And I wonder if that's what they're talking about. Yes, the Magma Wolf King! And the temperature increases as those monsters getting nearer and nearer to us.

“Elmo, Moa! I’m leaving the smaller ones to you! I’ll get the attention of the pack leader and the boss! "

Before the monsters could even move, Jonas gave his orders.

Oh, no... It appears the Magma Wolf King is their leader and is intimidating to look at the same goes to its right hand. Instead of blood, magma overflowed through its bulging nerves, and steam rose through its spiky skin. One could tell it came from the caldera of a volcano or hell.

"Got it!"

"Sure."

Elmo's response was sharp. Moa, on the other hand, responded nonchalantly as usual.

"This group is something else."

I murmured to myself as I stood behind stalagmites, hiding and observing.

Jonas had stated from the beginning that he would only draw its attention. He made it obvious that he had no intention of defeating it.

His orders were to have the two defeat the pack as quickly as possible and then join him.

"Ha!"

Elmo thrust his spear at the superior blood steel wolf, but it evaded the thrust with finesse while flying in the air as if it were swimming. Moa, on the other hand, killed several bloody steel wolves.

Instead of pursuing the opening that Elmo had created, the superior monster moved back and examined him, contrary to Elmo’s expectations. It was a strange response.

"What? You’re not coming? I’ll go after your friends then! "

Elmo switched targets and pounced on a nearby normal monster. The one Elmo charged at, however, flew up into the air as though awaiting him. The tip of a spear, no matter how long it could extend, could not reach a flying opponent.

And the superior monster that had flown up didn’t appear to be planning an attack, as it expanded its claws and simply floated as if defying gravity.

“They’re fighting in an entirely different way from the ones we just fought.“

Elmo said with a perplexed expression as he stared at the flying superior monster, who appeared to be uninterested in fighting. They had easily defeated their companions due to their reckless charge, but now that the superior blood steel wolf had chosen to abuse its ability to fly and its agility, Elmo had no choice but to stand down.

It would be hard to corner the group the way they were acting now.

"Fire Bullets!"

Moa unleashed a surge of fire incarnation from her wrinkled wand, which instantly transformed into a giant flaming bullet that slammed down on the group of monsters, creating a large crater.

Owing to the excessive distance between them, the pack was able to easily avoid the impacts as if they knew their trajectory and then provocatively bare their sharp fangs to Moa. And Moa felt more anxious than ever.

“They’re buying time.“

"What?"

"That."

Moa replied to Elmo, who was completely taken aback, as he pointed to the Magma Wolf King fighting Jonas.

Jonas still struggling against the steaming, ferocious wolf alone.

The Magma Wolf King’s speed and attacks, which were many levels stronger than a normal wolf, were pushing even the skilled Jonas back.

Blood was dripping from his cheeks, forehead, arms, and thighs, and his leather armor was torn in multiple places. His focused look indicated that he was having difficulty dealing with it, and I sensed the aura emanating from his body decreasing gradually.

"Jonas!"

Elmo raced in to assist Jonas, but he instantly turned around with his spear as I also sensed a killing intent coming from behind him.

As he did so, the superior monster running at him swiftly put some distance between them. Despite this, it made it obvious that if he attempted to rush to Jonas' aid, it would pursue him again.

Rather, it was a dire situation for all of them. As much as I don't want to help them, if it comes down to this, they'll attack me next.

"Argh! You’re so annoying! "

I followed my gaze to where the voice came from. It seems Elmo yelled, his gaze falling on the pack, who were battling in a sly, uncharacteristic manner for a fiend.

"Elmo, go help, Jonas. I’ll hold this group back. "

"Moa... Thank you!"

Elmo hesitated for a split second when he heard Moa say that, but he couldn’t just abandon Jonas like that.

I admit, I gained a good impression of her.

"Waaaamm!"

One of the superior blood steel wolves suddenly pounced on her from behind.

“Fire Shots!“

"WAAH!"

Moa hurled a flaming sharp beam at the easy target, was penetrated by the hot piercing object, burst into flames, and died. It was as if she had detonated a bomb. What a spectacular view.

"You’re not getting past me."

As the pack saw Elmo joining Jonas' side, they also tried to rush in to help the Magma Wolf King.

Moa, on the other hand, firmly pointed her wrinkled wand, restraining them. The superior blood steel wolf couldn’t approach her without caution after witnessing the power of her spell. After all, I could tell the Magma Wolf King had ordered them to stall for time.

They wouldn’t be able to execute their order if they charged recklessly towards Moa and died.

And it was most likely such thoughts that compelled the pack to behave in such a rigorous manner. The same goes for those tsunami waves of monsters coordinating as one to kill me.

"Jonas, I’ll help! but Moa... no, she’ll be fine. Thank you. I wouldn’t have lasted any longer by myself.“

The two boys began to push down the boss once they met up.

"WAAAAARRGHH!"

The Magma Wolf King opened its mouth wide and spat a lot of viscous lava. While Jonas quickly moved to a safe place with his sword to strike the boss, Elmo emerged behind him and plunged his spear. The Magma Wolf King, on the other hand, deftly avoided it with ease.

It quickly devolved into a series of back-and-forth exchanges.

The Magma Wolf King suddenly leaped back, creating some distance between the two of them, and spread his burning molten wings wide. Countless flame feathers formed from its wings and dropped like volcanic eruptions towards the two.

"Wow…"

It was like I was witnessing an awesome action fantasy movie!

"Tsk! There are too many. "

Both of them couldn’t handle the molten feathers, which numbered in the thousands, even with their exceptional prowess.

"Water Wall!"

Jonas flung his sword to the ground and stretched his arms forward, causing a wall of water to emerge in front of him. The feathers, made of lava, collided with the wall and cooled, becoming obsidian stones before they could reach the three.

They’d managed to get through it somehow, which fascinated me the most!

“Nice! Nice! "

Even if the compatibility was perfect, I was surprised that a spell could block those feathers. I assessed that Jonas' best element was probably water, based on the speed and accuracy with which he cast it.

"It doesn't make sense at all."

In my opinion, it appeared unfitting for Meteor Impact’s leader.

Maybe that’s why Jonas was chosen as the party’s leader, or why the name was chosen in the first place. A trap to fool their enemies.

At any rate, they’re having a harder time than I thought they would. It’s shocking to assume that the high-ranking and superior-rank monsters would employ such refined tactics.

Due to Moa's relentless magic attacks, the pack and the superior monster were unable to move as they desired. However, if they were able to defeat Moa and join with their boss, the winning table would undoubtedly shift. It all hinged on their ability to defeat the biggest one before that occurred.

In any case, I would try these new babies of mine. Hehe...

Information Broker—

Even though there was no one else nearby, I couldn’t say those things out loud.