FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

There were twin brothers on the northern land.

The older brother was a weak but smart, and the younger brother was impulsive but warm-hearted.

They were living frugally with their father.

One day, the father said.

"Let's move somewhere far away. There are many sad memories here."

They left the familiar land and headed for new home.

There was a deer dead in the grass. It was young male.

It turn neck in a strange way, was quietly leaving itself in one corner of the dense forest. In its half-open mouth, its mollusk-like tongue stretched weakly.

The black eyes were looking into the air as if hesitating at the sudden death.

Maju, a beast of evil, pulled its belly. It was small, like wine canisters, short limbs, and large enough to reach the body of the mouth,

Its red eyes flank the snout. The fur covering its whole body was a dark red light, like blood splattered, and it dithered as if it has its own will.

Even if you look at it roughly, it was so ugly that you wouldn't even think it was a creature. Maju pulled out the deer's guts and savors it.

With the sound of the heart pounding, the deer was crushed, and the mouth and the ground were colored in new red with blood and flesh splattered everywhere.

Izumo was still watching from the shade of a tree at the scene of the disastrous meal.

"It's Oochoko. A Maju of a wild boar."

Izumo frowned.

"I can eat it when it's cooked, but the question is how to stop its breath."

The man's eyes are sharpening. The body of Oochoko can be a weapon. The huge body that is rushing is like a runaway small truck, so if you are properly hit, you can not avoid fractures or broken intestines. Furthermore, the protruding fangs are as sharp as blades and if you stabbed, there is only massive bleeding.

The mouse-man was no match for it.

Izumo slowly exhaled and took the position of shooting.

It was a magic gun modified from a assault rifle.

The barrel was cut short, and the black barrel was embedded with a bent magazine.

The barrel integrated with the barrel was wiped yellow with wood.

Beyond the sight, Maju was still craving meat. He would never have imagined himself being targeted for dinner. Thought a little, and aimed at Maju's head.

'I'll have to leave as much meat as possible.'

He held his breath and prays.

'The flesh of the beginning shooting a faceless beast.'

A muttered word in his heart creates waved deep in his heart like throwing a stone on a calm surface. Emotions that are hard to explain spread with a murmur. he held, amplified, and polished the impossible-to-name sensation that rises next to the wave.

'Arms are bows, wishes are arrows.'

Overlapping words, stones were thrown in my mind one after the other,

The waves in the arms drew complex shapes.

They soon emerged as a sense and become a prayer.

Maju was only looking at the meat, and he was scattering blood from the edge.

The magic weapon woven into the gun reacts. The pray was converted into meaning and magic unfolds in the conceptual space. Composition, direction, and power were determined to build a bullet.

"Pierce through, Komadori!"

He pulled the trigger. The mana stone in the chamber connected with the spell structure, combining the sealed magical power and the incantation. It was the 42nd feather of Izumo's magic 'Bird Shooting', Komadori'. It is the magical power interferes with the real world, altering the laws of physics. The bullet materializes.

And he shooted.

Suddenly, the wind shakes the trees, and the great beast lifts its head.

"What!?"

He shout without realizing it, but it was too late. The bullet that emerged from the muzzle rushes through the forest, crossing the space where the beast's head had just been, and reached the thick trunk of a tree inside.

A loud bang.

The trunk, so thick that even an adult cannot bend their arms around it, is deeply dented, scattering fragments everywhere. The beast screamed leaving the deer behind, ran deeper into the forest. Izumo could only stare blankly at the retreating figure, it caused a cloud of dust as it disappears. The mana stone that was used in the chamber rolled on the ground.

"This is much worse than I thought.“

If the shot had aimed closer to the heart, it might have been fatal, even with some movement.

However, that approach would have blown apart the upper body, leaving less meat to eat.

Trying to preserve as much edible meat as possible had led to this result.

What kind of face would his master make if he realized this botched shot was the result of yielding to hunger?

He already felt ashamed enough without adding another reason.

"Well, still… I got the deer, right? So, it's fine... probably?“

There was no point in lamenting what was already done.

At least there was some result to be happy about for now.

Izumo slung the pouch lying at his feet over his shoulder and approached the deer with a spring in his step.

"Anyway, now I finally get some meat to ea—“

Just then, an ominous noise interrupted Izumo's words.

The creaking sound of wood grew louder and louder.

Turning to the source, he saw the very tree whose trunk he'd just shot leaning toward him.

The cracking grew sharper, and the massive canopy and trunk cast a dark shadow over Izumo.

"This can't be happening!“

Clutching his bag and gun, he leapt to the side.

A violent impact shook the ground, rattling his insides and drowning his ears in deafening noise.

Crouching low, he braced himself, waiting for the tremors to subside before cautiously standing.

In front of him lay a colossal branch, felled and unmoving.

"T-the deer…!“

He scanned his surroundings but couldn't even see the deer's hooves.

It seemed the animal had been crushed beneath the tree.

Despite knowing it was futile, he tried pushing against the fallen branch.

It didn't budge an inch.

"You've got to be kidding me… my meal..."

Izumo sank to his knees, collapsing forward onto the forest floor.

"I'm so hungry...“

As if agreeing with him, his stomach growled in protest.

Vast trees covered in ivy towered overhead, their dense canopies blocking out the sunlight and enveloping the sky.

The ground was buried under layers of leaves and vegetation, swallowing his legs with each step.

This ancient forest, a witness to life's eternal cycle since time immemorial, teemed with countless forms of life.

If his map was correct, this nameless forest lay near the southeastern border of the Kingdom of Valgriff, close to the Etrosha Federal Republic.

From Kwanse City, Izumo's home base, it was a remote frontier region, a full day's walk after taking the nearest railway stop.

Now, Izumo lay sprawled on his back in that forest, gazing blankly at the slivers of sky visible through the foliage.

The loss of his prey had hit him so hard that he doubted he'd be able to get up anytime soon.

He reached into his bag and pulled out a metal water flask, tipping it over.

Only a single drop touched his tongue. No matter how hard he shook it, no more came out.

"So, I'm out of water too, huh?“

As he tried to put the empty canteen back into his bag, his reflection on its side caught his eye.

Green eyes, a pointed nose, rounded ears, and coarse brown fur. it was just an ordinary rat-man face that could be seen anywhere. The only distinctive feature, if any, was the hunting hat pressed deep onto his head. There was nothing else remarkable about him. How had someone as thoroughly unremarkable as himself ended up in this situation?

"This is all Gallant's fault. Who in their right mind would think there'd be people in a forest like this?“

Muttering curses under his breath, he conjured up the image of his boss, a red-furred cow-man.

Gallant Armstrong. He was the head of Garland's Magician Agency, where Izumo worked, and a broker of vast information networks, seemingly omniscient.

Gallant was also the owner of a popular tavern in town called The Red Ox, a place where he enjoyed a fair reputation as a magician. However, he had a competitive streak that refused to lose to anyone, and once he had made up his mind about something, it was impossible to convince him otherwise.

This tendency to jump to conclusions was a recurring problem both as a broker and as someone's boss.

On top of that, he had a habit of taking on dubious requests. This latest job was no exception. Gallant had pitched it as follows:

“Some magician dragged a child into the outskirts of the wilderness, an area teeming with dangerous beasts, and likely made a run for it. Go find them. No sane person would go near that place unless they had survival training and a death wish."

It was absurd, to say the least. And yet, Izumo, blinded by the tempting reward on offer, had agreed without thinking it through.

"I'll admit I should've been more careful, but why am I the one stuck getting lost?"

It had been almost a week since Izumo entered the forest.

The job contract stipulated that the search would take no more than three days. Izumo's role was strictly to gather clues, and regardless of whether he succeeded, as long as he fulfilled the task within the time limit, he would be paid.

However, when the time came to leave, a problem arose.

He couldn't get out of the forest.

The map wasn't wrong, and the terrain wasn't confusing. In fact, Izumo had grown up in the mountains and was no stranger to navigating through forests.

Even so, he couldn't find his way out. Instead, the further he walked, the deeper into the forest he seemed to go.

To make matters worse, the magical communication device crafted by Garland himself had stopped working for no apparent reason. Now, there was no way to call for help.

"My magic reserves aren't depleted. Is there something unusual about this forest?“

Thinking back, he realized that he'd felt something off from the moment he entered the forest.

It was as though he had trespassed into someone else's home uninvited, a gnawing sense of discomfort.

He felt some sort of discomfort. It was like entering someone else's house,

not even being invited.

He didn't feel anyone's gaze or hostility, but he felt uneasy as if someone was peeking at me somewhere. If he had gone back then, he wouldn't have been like this.

However, the pride of a magician didn't allowed to run away after being swallowed by the atmosphere of the forest, and above all, there was no pay. He was forced to go inside, repeating to himself that it was just his mood. And that's how luck ended.

On the fifth day, even the food that was saved ran out.

Whenever he tried to catch a prey, he lost it as soon as he found. It's as if it's telling him of a danger. After all, He haven't eaten anything since yesterday.

Today, he had thought he could finally get some meat, but it disappeared under the trees. Luck truly had its limits.

“Should I start by looking for water?"

He grew tired of lamenting and turned his attention to reality. The immediate task was survival. As long as there was water, he could hold out for a few more days. If he couldn't get meat, he could make do with grass or insects. If he managed to endure that way, a solution might present itself in the meantime. Despair could wait until after that.

Just as he steeled himself with this resolve, a sound reached him from far away.

He hurried to his feet, pricking his ears. Holding his breath, he focused all his senses. The rustling of the wind, the brushing of leaves, the chirping of birds.

Eliminating unnecessary noises, he strained to catch the anomaly. But nothing came to him.

Just as he thought it must have been his imagination…

A scream. And a roar.

He adjusted his hat and sprinted off, his rifle at the ready. He dashed between the trees, weaving through them. He batted away obstructing branches with his rifle barrel and kicked through clinging weeds.

He paid attention to his surroundings as he ran toward the source of the sound.

As he drew closer, the voices grew clearer. There were men. Multiple voices.

Their tones were thick with fear and tension. An ominous feeling welled up in him.

But he didn't stop. If he let this chance slip away, there wouldn't be another. His instincts told him so.

When he leapt over a large rock, he saw movement up ahead.

Diving into the shadow of a tree, he concealed himself. He waited for a few seconds, then partially emerged to survey the situation.

'A field of flowers?'

Deep within the dense forest lay an unexpectedly open space. Warm sunlight poured down radiantly, and countless vibrant flowers filled the ground as if to blanket it.

It was a place that seemed to belong to a different world from the dark, shadowy forest.

Amid this surreal scenery, he spotted a few figures.

'There are People! I'm saved!'

What he saw were tiger-men.

There were five of them in total. Their bright yellow fur, streaked with black stripes, resembled scars slashing across their bodies.

Judging from the sheen of their fur, they appeared to be in their late teens to early twenties.

Even from his position, he could tell they were powerfully built.

Their chests seemed ready to burst with muscle, and their solid abdomens were divided into six distinct segments.

Their arms were as thick as his legs, and their broad shoulders resembled massive fruits.

Their thighs, pressing against the ground, were laden with bulging muscle, with thick veins coursing across the surface.

They stood like living boulders—strong and lean, yet without excess bulk. Their lithe forms reminded him of wild predators.

'But wait, what's with their outfits?'

Setting aside his relief, he tilted his head in confusion.

To put it bluntly, they were nearly naked. They wore nothing above or below, with only a crimson cloth draped around their waists to modestly cover their groins. The rest of their adornments consisted of simple accessories on their necks or arms. They didn't even wear shoes.

It was an outfit so revealing it might have suited a summer beach, but it was entirely out of place in a forest prowled by monsters.

Who were these people? Could he ask them for help?

These doubts thickened like a heavy cloud, smothering his thoughts.

"That's not the kind of thing to worry about right now."

Many thoughts crossed his mind, but the presence of people was what mattered. Compared to that, their peculiar clothing was trivial. He pushed his personal feelings to the corner of his mind.

"Then... was that scream earlier from them?"

Looking closer, he realized something was off about the men. They stood in a fan-shaped formation, gripping stone spears twice their height, all focused intently in the same direction. Their fur bristled as their tails stood rigid, exuding a clear sense of hostility. They were unmistakably prepared for combat. The tension in the air was palpable, even reaching him.

"Is there something in the forest?"

He followed their gaze into the dark depths of the woods. There, he noticed something lurking in the shadows. Judging by its size, it was likely a beast of some kind. Yet, despite the animosity radiating from the men, it remained still. If it wasn't moving, it probably wasn't an easy opponent.

The man in the center of the formation crouched low, nearly crawling on the ground. He bared his fangs in a menacing snarl, his piercing gaze locked onto the creature. This man was notably larger than the others, his body adorned with countless scars and a massive necklace of fangs around his neck. His stature was that of a seasoned warrior who had endured countless battles. He seemed to be their leader.

Suddenly, the man roared, his voice reverberating in Izumo's chest even from a distance. The next instant, the man charged forward. Without straightening his posture, he thrust his spear forward, closing the gap between himself and the darkness with astonishing speed for someone his size.

Just before he collided with the shadows, the man's figure vanished. Izumo understood he must have sidestepped, just as the man feigned another thrust but instead leaped back with a powerful bound.

A split second later, something silvery slashed through the space the man had just occupied. The man had retreated to put distance between himself and the darkness, then returned to his original position.

A long gash stretched from his chest to his side, as though he had been slashed by a sharp blade. Blood trickled from the wound, staining his fur crimson. The men around him spoke to him, but he ignored them, keeping his gaze fixed forward. He gave sharp instructions, and the tiger-men retreated to the center of the clearing.

As if responding, the shadows stirred. Whatever had been lurking there finally emerged into the light.

The first thing to appear was its front legs. They resembled those of a carnivorous beast, but their girth matched that of tree trunks. The claws, jutting out like blades, gleamed wetly with the man's blood.

Next came its face and body. Its form was dog-like, but its muzzle was slightly elongated, and its ears were small and pointed. Its height matched that of the tiger-men, and its glowing red eyes, set against jet-black pupils, looked like gaping holes in a crimson abyss, as though leading to the swamps of hell.

Its unnaturally gaunt body was covered in dull black fur, a stark contrast to the vibrant surroundings, giving it an air of haunting desolation.

Unintentionally, a shiver ran through his entire body.

"Could that be... Ma-ro?"

He clamped his mouth shut, fearing he might cry out. Ma-ro, The Maju of a Wolf, was known for its unparalleled ferocity among magical beasts, a creature so dangerous that even seasoned sorcerers were advised to flee on sight.

The claws and fangs of its massive body could tear through human flesh like paper. Its fiery magic was likened to the flames of hell, with tales of entire towns reduced to ashes etched across the land.

Moreover, its nature was cruel and cunning. Said to possess intelligence rivaling that of humans, it was notorious for ambushes and traps, even capturing hostages to toy with its prey and erode their resolve.

It was an opponent one should never encounter.

“Why is it here? This is bad!"

He frantically scanned his surroundings. Like most wolves, Ma-ro hunted with its pack, centering around its family. There was a high chance this one was just bait, with the others lying in wait.

“Looks like there's no trace of others nearby. Did it stray from the pack?"

Though it was a small relief, optimism felt out of reach. He wanted to run immediately, but he couldn't abandon the Tiger men. he had worked so hard to find. Reluctantly, he decided to watch.

The men seemed to recognize their failed initial strategy and understood the creature's strength. They retreated cautiously, their spears still trained on the beast. Ma-ro, seemingly aware of their fear, advanced slowly, savoring the intimidation it exuded.

When the men reached the center of the flower field, one of them, positioned to the leader's left, appeared to trip and fall backward. All eyes turned toward him.

The moment Ma-ro raised its arm, the leader moved in sync. He dove toward the fallen man, rolling him out of harm's way just as Ma-ro's arm came crashing down. The leader swiftly got back to his feet, grabbing the fallen man by the scruff of his neck and tossing him backward. The hefty figure flew lightly through the air before landing out of harm's reach.

In that brief opening, Ma-ro swung its arm down again. The leader and three nearby men raised their spears, bracing against the creature's massive weight. Blood sprayed from the spear tips, staining the men as Ma-ro twisted its face in pain and pulled its arm back. The men scattered immediately, regrouping to encircle the beast.

“Are they planning to fight it?"

It wasn't surprise, frustration, or anger that colored Izumo's muttering. The Tiger men had already moved on to their next maneuver.

The men began to circle Ma-ro, maintaining their spacing as they moved. What started as a slow pace quickened into a sprint, until their movements blurred into an almost yellow whirlwind. The tiger men, now a whirlwind of fury, charged at Ma-ro from all directions.

From its front, two men lunged at its eyes with their spears. Ma-ro caught the spear aimed at its right eye in its jaws, jerking it aside to bash into the man targeting its left eye. The two men collided mid-air, tumbling to the ground in a heap and falling silent.

From the right rear, another man aimed an upward thrust at Ma-ro's exposed flank. The beast rolled to its left, narrowly evading the strike, and delivered a savage kick to the man's torso. Though he attempted to block with his arms, the sound of breaking bones rang out as his body crumpled and was sent flying.

The leader seized the opportunity, lunging at Ma-ro's unprotected belly. Just as the spear tip was about to pierce its heart, Ma-ro's maw gleamed. A ball of fire burst forth, slamming into the leader's chest. The massive figure arced through the air like a discarded rag and crashed to the ground. He tumbled a few times before coming to a halt, motionless.

"What's going on?"

The men's movements exceeded Izumo's expectations. Individual skill was quite high, and the instant connection was not bad. It was that of a first-class warrior in terms of body movement. If the opponent was a different, for example, Oochoko, they would have easily knocked it down. Izumo became increasingly confused by the gap between poor equipment and high combat capabilities. If this was a movie shooting, it's understandable but the camera was nowhere to be found, and Ma-ro was real. It stood up and quietly stared down at the men groaning in pain.

"Is it going to eat them?"

No matter how strong and cruel Ma-ro is, it does not attack people without any reason.It has an intelligence that understands that hurting a human could lead to retaliation. Judging from it's skinny appearance, he thought he was aiming to prey on the benevolent, but what if he is wrong? Maybe it just won't let them go. He looked at Ma-ro with faint expectations. However, He find hatred bubbling in it's eyes and Izumo's spine froze. Ma-ro was mad.

As if it's not enough to just eat men.

"Why is it so angry?"

There was no way of knowing why Ma-ro was enraged, but at this rate, the Tiger men will surely die.

The worst way to eat it alive is to eat it alive. He didn't want to help them, but the situation was still too bad. Ma-ro has a high ability to recognize magic, so he is likely to avoid it even if he shoots it. Interference will add fuel to the fire, and the anger will surely be directed at Izumo. There was no loyalty to fight for others with a low chance of winning.

"Should I run away?"

To be honest, there was no more business for the tiger men. Their presence means that there are villages or villages around here. It's not hard to find if you know there are here.

If they are in trouble because they are dead, they cannot ask for directions.

"I feel sorry for you guys, but..."

Ma-ro moved when Izumo's rationalism began to tilt to extermination. It did not even give a glance to the men rolling the ground and leisurely crossed the flower garden.

He thought it's weird, and he moved to another tree shade so that he don't make a sound.

"....!“

Where Ma-ro was headed, where Izumo located, there was another tiger man in the blind spot.

Like other men, he was wearing a red robe and holding a spear, but his body was smaller and his face remained innocent. He was old enough to call himself a boy a few steps before an adult. Compared to the men, neither the thickness of the body nor the thickness of the limbs are reliable, but the large scar on the chest suggested that the boy had passed through the chaos.

The boy had no sign of stepping back with a spear in front of Ma-ro. His face was full of determination that did not match his age.

"Latif...!"

The leader, who was lying on his stomach, shouts at the boy. Latif would be the boy's name. He couldn't understand what he said later, but from the situation, it was clear to run away.

"You fools! It will notice!"

Ma-ro used profanity in its heart. It doesn't know what human beings are saying, but it can see through the relationship between her words and actions. Sure enough, Ma-ro's mouth is raised and its fangs like blades are visible. It was Ma-ro's smile that looked like a torn wound. It was the worst smile that a highly intelligent creature can have when it comes to being hurt by others

It was so dreary that even Izumo, who was used to the scene, was scared.

The flame of hell ignited in Ma-ro's mouth.

Latif had never seen such creature before. It was similar to a dog, but its body was large enough to look up, its fur was black enough to doubt what had happened to his eyes, they were looks like burning with hatred, and its mouth was breathing out fire. Even if adults come at it all at once, it is no match.

It was strange to say Maju. The black dog approaches Latif.

Slowly, step by step. As it knew that fuels the opponent's fear.

"Latif! Run away!"

Bari shouts behind Maju. They seemed to be no energy left to get up. Nevertheless, he was desperately moving his hands and feet, leaving a red line on the ground, perhaps because he couldn't bear the sight he sees. He knew that he had to obey Bari. There was nothing he could do against Maju, which even adults were no match for. Latif himself knew it best.

'But I can't run away.'

Latif turned his consciousness behind his back, looking ahead. Karim shows no sign of getting up. If anything happens to Karim, the village is over. You must avoid that. It was helpless, but he could not retreat. Seeing Latif not running away, Maju opened his mouth. A red crescent moon in the dark. That was the laughter of Maju, Latif's intuition was saying. It was a smile with overwhelming flesh that seemed to be flowing malice. It was painful to breathe and his heart beated at an abnormal speed. He felt his body shaking.

He wanted to throw the spear right now and run away.

"I can't do that."

Somehow, he mustered up the courage and applied strength to his hand that holding the spear. He put strength on his stomach and was conscious of his legs strongly. He held his teeth and glared at Maju. And Latif and Maju's eyes engaged.

Maju's eyes narrow down. The smiling mouth closed and lowered the posture.

It put strength on the back foot. The air tightened. Latif even forgot to breathe and focused his nerves. Tension reached its limit. Maju's ears wriggled and it moved.

"It's coming!"

As soon as he thought so, Maju jumped back. The ground where Maju stood exploded.

It flies high in the sky like a puddle of soil winding up with flowers and roots.

A loud voice hits my ears. Binge drinking accompanied by a shock that seemed to split the sky.

A storm stroke and he endured it with his arms as a shield. He heard the sound of soil sand pouring down the ground and trees in the distance. Around the time of the tremor and storm, He opened his eyes in fear. There was a big hole where the Maju was. It was big enough for an adult.

"Where's Maju?"

When he looked in a panic, Maju was staring at Latif's left from the other side of the hole.

Consciousness seemed to have completely fallen on that side, forgetting about Latif.

He turned his eyes accordingly.

“…?"

Beside the tree surrounding the flower bed, there was something with a peculiar appearance. Based on Latif's knowledge, the closest thing to it was a mouse.

The same kind of mouse that sneaks into homes and steals food. However, this mouse was about the same size as Latif. Moreover, he was entirely wrapped in cloth and stood clearly upright on two legs.

“Could it be a human from outs of the forest?"

The ones Karim had heard about in stories from the “wind," described as people with different appearances. Beings he had thought he would never encounter.

The mouse appeared startled, almost troubled. But then, he shouted something and pointed the black staff he held toward the Maju. His expression instantly tensed, taking on the visage of a warrior. At that moment, the air groaned. A tension sharp enough to singe the tips of his whiskers filled the atmosphere. A chill surged from deep within his chest, carrying waves of emotion.

Izumo didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe what he had done. He hadn't intended to save anyone, but when he saw the beast lunge at the boy, he found himself shooting without thinking. He hadn't even considered whether he would hit or miss.

The Maju's eyes turned toward Izumo. The mere unpleasant expression it wore shifted into one of sheer fury. It radiated intense killing intent. The air grew sharply cold, and an oppressive heaviness settled as if gravity had suddenly increased. Izumo had hoped the noise and shock would cause it to flee, but it seemed it wasn't that simple.

Maju seemed to recognize Izumo as its prey now. It changed direction, loosening its hind legs.

There was no escaping anymore.

“If it's come to this, I'll just make my mind and fight!"

With a loud shout, Izumo aimed his gun once again. Finger on the trigger, he prayed.

He fired. The magic-created bullet shot through the trees and hurtled toward the demon.

But the demon had already moved. Instead, the bullet struck the ground, stirring up a violent blast. He fired Komadori

But Maju zigzagged unpredictably, making it impossible to lock onto the target.

Missed bullets gouged out large holes in the ground and tree branches, scattering lush weeds and splintering wood.

The forest, which had been the epitome of peace, was transformed in an instant into a scene of utter devastation.

“Damn... It's getting used to me!"

While changing the magazine, Izumo gritted his teeth.

This Maju seemed to have experience fighting magicians. Its movements suggested that it had learned how to deal with opponents who used magic. Its mocking combat style and the malice it directed at Izumo made it clear that something must have happened in its past. If it attacked people out of hatred, it was a highly dangerous entity.

Izumo fired his gun while running through the forest. The demon used the trees as shields and rapidly closed the distance.

“The opponent moving at high speed cannot be captured as a single point. Either strip away their mobility or attack them with a wide area."

His mentor's words flashed through his mind.

Regretting not heeding the advice earlier, he shifted his prayer.

'The throne of melting sugar confection. The engraver of gathering screw holes. The molasses of tooth-shaped ecstasy leading the feast of trembling ledgers. Pierce through, Kitsutsuki!'

He turned and unleashed the spell.

Maju reacted instantly, retreating into the shadows of the trees. Moments later, a deafening roar echoed as countless holes punctured the tree trunk, and the surrounding grass was shredded like cut threads.

The 33rd Feather, Kitsutsuki was a magic that fired numerous small projectiles in a radial pattern, much like a shotgun. It boasted overwhelming destructive power over an area and was effective against moving targets.

When Maju peeked slightly out from cover, Izumo fired again. The branches serving as its shield were left in ruins, though not fully pierced. Maju seemed to have realized the nature of the magic, adjusting its behavior to occasionally hide in the shadows of the trees while observing Izumo's moves.

“Impressive how quickly you've figured that out for a Maju!"

Due to its properties, Kitsutsuki had a limited effective range, and its lack of penetration power made it questionable whether it could pierce Maju even at this distance. Izumo aimed for unprotected parts like its eyes, ears, and mouth, but Maju continued using trees as shields to defend itself.

Still, Izumo hadn't expected to defeat it with this alone. Ordinary gunfire wouldn't work against Maju. What he needed was a strategy to deliver a decisive, fatal blow. To achieve that, he had to stop Maju's approach and buy time.

When Maju darted into the shadows of a trellis-like gap, Izumo seized the moment to utter a new prayer.

'The red dream seen by the atrium of the peeling bird within memories. The scent of death emanating from the quietly burning, nameless grave. Emit smoke, Tsubamekei!'

A metallic canister emerged from his gun's muzzle. It arced through the air, trailing smoke, and landed before the tree where Maju had taken cover.

An explosion followed, filling the area with white smoke and a sulfurous stench.

From beyond the smoke, a sound resembling coughing could be heard.

The 17th Feather, Tsubamekei was a non-lethal magic that used smoke and an overwhelming stench to obscure vision and disrupt the target's senses. As Maju's sight was blocked, Izumo moved immediately. He fired a scattershot into the smoke to keep it in check, then opened two unused magazines to retrieve mana stones.

It was a costly move, but hesitating could mean death. Gripping dozens of mana stones, he began to pray once more.

'The paradise of ashes built with fallen leaves and dust. The swarm of butterflies at dusk.'

Ma-ro felt a sense of movement, and Izumo retreated with a shotgun.

Ma-ro sprayed mana stone with a prayer in a place where he could hide himself.

However, Ma-ro had no sign of coming after him.

Maybe it is on alert because it caught up in smoke or lost its will to fight.

"Did it give up?"

When Izumo looked back, he could see light spot in the smoke.

his mind was drawn to the wavelength of the expanded horsepower, and jumpedinto the shade of a nearby tree.

Soon after, a giant band of flames ran out of the trees.

What was in the sunlight lost its contour and disappeared into the light.

The heat-swelled air became craze and swirls. Hairless hands and tails bite into the burning pain due to exposure to high heat.

After confirming that the fire is gone, he glanced his face.

The forest was completely different. Everything that got caught in the flames was burned, exposing the charred ground. Trees that had been subjected to extensive heat were carbonized and smoking.

There was a red and black mass rolling around, thought to be a small animal hiding all over the ground. It looked like there had been a forest fire.

You think you'd be a part of this if you'd missed a step

His spine was chilling. He could see Ma-ro sitting inside the hellscape.

There was not even a remnant of the acting of Tsubamekei.

"Did it burn the forest to blow away the smoke?"

There is also a degree to which no means are chosen.

When Izumo was afraid, Ma-ro and his eyes matched. A fierce light rose in the black eyes.

As they say, mischief doesn't work.

Reflectively, he shooted the Komadori, but Ma-ro avoided it as if he expected it, and began to chase.

Ma-ro seemed to have no intention of giving up. Izumo Wondered what is driving it Crazy. It bothers him, but he cut it because it was useless to think.

'If that's how he comes out, I'll just fight back.'

Izumo ran away as if he were running away.