Published: August 25, 2025
Today, four chapters are posted simultaneously.
This story is the third chapter.
The day after diligently collecting materials.
While enjoying a leisurely late breakfast, suddenly a thunderous pounding sound echoed from outside.
“It seems the leader rhinos have arrived. Shall we go?”
“A perfect way to work off the meal.”
Together with Mr. Glen, I left the mansion and headed toward the village’s old retention pond site we had heard about. Mr. Glen recalled seeing it when he once circled the village, so we didn’t get lost on the way. However, as we neared the pond, the sounds grew louder, and the rough aura became more intense.
Watching cautiously from about 10 meters away, hidden by my hide’s magic, I spotted an enormous magical beast — about 3 meters tall and nearly 4 meters long — repeatedly charging into the Heat Dissipation Trees around the pond. It had rhinoceros-like horns and long body hair. There was no doubt it was a cannonball rhinos, but its size far exceeded the average in the reference materials.
“So that’s the leader, huh? I heard about it beforehand, but its behavior really is strange.”
“Cannonball rhinos are herbivores, and their charges are supposed to knock leaves and branches off the Heat Dissipation Trees to eat... but this excitement is over the top.”
“It doesn’t look like it’s eating. And it doesn’t seem to be fighting anything either. So what’s it trying to do?”
“Who knows...!?”
Then I noticed a small cannonball rhinos less than 1 meter tall hiding in the grass about 10 meters from the giant. Instinctively, I cast wind magic, and at the same time, Mr. Glen charged forward.
“Kyoon!!!”
That was probably the young rhinos Korumi told us about. It let out a high-pitched cry and recklessly tried to face off against the giant—my magic reached them just as they started moving. But there was no visible effect. I’ve heard the cannonball rhinos are tough, with thick body hair and magical resistance—that must be why.
Even so, if only to draw its attention for a moment, it’s worth it.
“Draah!!”
Mr. Glen struck the leader rhinos’ side with his hammer. The impact shook the beast’s massive body, but it didn’t even let out a scream. Instead, it glared at Mr. Glen with bloodshot eyes.
Fortunately, thanks to the destruction caused by the rampaging leader rhinos, the brush around the pond was trampled down, slightly improving visibility. I used spatial magic to appear next to Mr. Glen.
“Mr. Glen.”
“Yeah, I hit it hard, but it didn’t affect it at all. Just like Korumi said, this village is full of crazy beasts... kinda fun, huh?”
“Fun, huh!”
This guy is reliable all right, but I just can’t get the feeling of enjoying this situation.
“Mind if I take this one for a while?”
“Sure, you handle the little one.”
Saying that, Mr. Glen attacked again. The leader rhinos, annoyed, swung its horns wildly while chasing him. I turned my attention to the young rhinos.
“Kyu!!!”
Suddenly, the young rhinos warned us off. We hadn’t seen it from our previous position, but behind it was an adult cannonball rhinos, presumably the mother Korumi mentioned.
The mother looked alive like the village chief and others in the mansion, but there was a huge hole in her neck, and her hind legs were broken and crushed. Judging by the situation, it was definitely attacked by the leader rhinos. Being undead, her body was gradually regenerating but she probably couldn’t move yet.
That’s why the young rhinos was trying to protect her — and now, it was trying to protect me too.
“Don’t worry, I’m not your enemy... but without Korumi, there’s no way they’d understand that.”
“Kyu!”
“Whoa!”
Just as I was thinking about forming a contract to communicate, the young rhinos charged. It’s a child of a rhino-like magical beast, so I could dodge, but I had to be careful not to get injured. Especially since Mr. Glen was distracting the leader rhinos, but both were nearby.
To keep my promise to Korumi...