My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

"What the hell is going on?"

I muttered as I looked around the place we’d reached.

The markers I’d tied to the tree trunks were unchanged.

Even without the markers, I remembered the characteristics of the trees we’d passed and was certain I’d been moving accurately.

If we went back in the reverse order of the markers, we should have returned to the meeting spot.

And yet, the place we’d arrived at wasn’t the slightly open area that had been our rendezvous.

"W-what the hell is this!!"

Kazuki barked.

He spun his head around and glared at me.

"Did you trick us, Asahina?!"

Kazuki, who had been walking at the front and following the markers, ought to understand better than anyone.

I figured he must be confused.

But confusion in this situation could get someone killed.

I stayed alert to my surroundings and drew the white sword at my waist, "White Dragon."

"Kazuki-kun, calm down. We’re surrounded."

Kazuki opened his mouth to say something more but froze at Hosoyama’s calm voice.

I couldn’t help being surprised that Hosoyama had noticed we were surrounded. Her detection range was wider than I’d expected.

Between the fact she can break down poisons in her body and other traits, she’s pretty capable for a healer.

"Both of you, don’t leave my range."

I moved my eyes left and right quickly, scanning.

A thick aura of death, far denser than any of the monsters we’d fought so far, began to gather.

This might be bad.

"They’re coming!"

At Hosoyama’s voice I swung White Dragon.

It was barely fast enough to follow with my eyes.

At this speed, protecting the two behind me while fighting might be a bit difficult.

And I still couldn’t see the enemy.

They looked like tree branches; were they tree demonic beasts?

"...I’m not good at fighting while defending."

I muttered under my breath so the two behind wouldn’t hear.

My job isn’t knight — I’m a samurai.

My specialty is cutting down opponents, not protecting people.

In other words, my defensive capability is pretty low.

Until now, Tsuda had been protecting the three who weren’t front-line fighters and the backline healer Nanase, so Sato and I could focus on fighting. But with Tsuda gone, I’m the only one left to protect the two.

You only notice how much someone helped when they’re gone.

"They should show themselves any moment now..."

Hosoyama murmured behind me.

Indeed, the enemy’s killing intent and presence were gradually closing in, but their form still hadn’t appeared.

No, wait...

"Damn it!"

I turned and cut down a tree demonic beast that had crept up behind the two of them.

Its branch had come dangerously close to them.

"Tree demonic beasts! Watch the branches!"

Even knowing what the enemy was, trees are everywhere. Distinguishing monster from real tree was nearly impossible.

Perhaps because we were surrounded, their presence was scattered everywhere.

"Fine. I’ll just cut them all down."

I drew the other sword at my waist.

This one had been given to me at Reytis Castle when my class was assigned jobs.

One sword in each hand: the 'dual wielding' skill.

I’d been practicing every night, though I hadn’t fully mastered it yet.

Still, wielding two swords was definitely more attacks than swinging one with both hands.

Don’t think about defense — defeat everything before it can strike.

"This isn’t the time to say it, but Asahina, were you always this brainless?"

"U-uh?"

The two behind were saying something, but I was too focused to hear.

"Dual wielding — 'cherry blossom blizzard.'"

A great wind blew, a flurry like fully bloomed cherry blossoms scattering, and I slashed from all directions and angles.

The branches reaching toward us were sliced into pieces.

Even so, I probably hadn’t reached the monsters’ main bodies yet.

From all around came the pained cries of tree demonic beasts whose branches had been cut.

So, while there were no obstructing branches, I decided to finish it.

"Dual wielding — 'sickle weasel.'"

A gust of wind raged.

I heard a small scream from Hosoyama and a surprised shout from Kazuki behind me.