# 397
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397
“…I somehow felt a slight sense of demonic energy around here.”
Helmut muttered. In the city, you can often sense demonic energy.
They processed the essence of monsters to create artifacts, but since there were many wizards here, they were barely conscious of it.
Energy does not permeate water easily, but urine is not just water. It was able to fully fulfill its role of burying Elaga’s magical energy.
“Even when you get to the door… it’s really dirty. “Are there toilets everywhere?”
Alea frowned blatantly. For some reason, I could feel demonic energy even near the front door.
Elaga, a urinator who had been urinating here and there, shamelessly raised her head.
[Shouldn’t you mark the territory so strange guys won’t come near you?]
No matter how well-developed the demonic nature is, a beast is still a beast. I was unable to completely abandon my instinctive behavior.
“If you’re going to notice something like that, it must be a monster. Where is the monster here?”
Elaga was dumbfounded by Helmut’s rebuttal.
[Anyway, these are all measures to protect you.]
Seeing that ‘you’ became ‘you’, not only Helmut but also his colleagues seemed to recognize that they were the ones to protect.
Helmut placed his hand on his forehead and sighed. I had a headache.
“Anyway, I’ll take care of that guy, so I decided to just stay here and be quiet.”
[Are you really mistaking me for a cat? If he was hiding his presence like this, it was obvious that he must be a strong guy. This is my territory. It is advantageous to kill it quickly when it enters my area.]
‘That is correct.’
Helmut internally agreed. In fact, he had a similar way of thinking as Elaga.
Elaga was the standard of hunting, and Helmut grew up watching such Elaga.
Although he didn’t like Elaga’s unexpected behavior, Helmut also understood why Elaga thought that way.
But that’s the hunting method in Pahe’s forest.
“That’s not Elaga’s job. “It’s my job.”
Elaga’s eyes narrowed.
[Hmm, do you want to claim that you are all grown up?]
“Your Helmut is all grown up, so now he should take care of his own business.”
Area responded as if responding. Helmut felt strange. It was like talking to an overprotective parent.
Helmut spoke clearly.
“You would have told me? If the monster Elaga’s true identity is discovered, everyone will be in trouble. “I will be captured and killed.”
[What am I doing that makes humans tremble whenever they hear the sound of a monster? [He is as sensitive as he is fragile.]
Elaga grumbled. However, once he was disturbed and dragged away, he calmed down a bit.
[good. Then I will bear it for a moment.]
After making a promise and being released, Elaga glanced regretfully in the direction where she felt the divine power.
‘It was a long-awaited opportunity to fight.’
Having lived his entire life in the forest of Pahe, he had no chance to fight against those with divine power.
A priest will never be sent to the Forest of Pahe with his divine power. Elaga is a strong monster that has no rival.
Magi’s natural enemy is divine power, so wouldn’t it be fun to fight with penalties against those with divine power?
I knew what it would mean for monsters to side with Helmut, but all I had to do was kill them all and leave no witnesses.
‘I don’t eat humans, but that doesn’t mean I can’t kill them.’
Elaga’s eyes flashed fiercely. What he has shown so far is the mercy of the strong, not the moral sense that humans should not be killed.
Because that kind of thing doesn’t exist for monsters in the first place.
If humans point a sword at Helmut, Elaga will not hesitate even if they build a mountain with corpses.
‘But I said I would take care of it.’
Elaga calmly hit the floor with her tail and left the room.
I was getting sick of constantly being told not to do something. I will go around and catch mice.
That day, five dead rats were found on Helmut’s bed.
*
Even after Asuka was eliminated, the match continued without incident. Helmut and Area smoothly advanced to the quarterfinals.
Area was the first wizard to show good results in one-on-one duels. Many wizards cheered her on.
Some people correctly guessed her identity, saying she resembled Areaa, who disappeared after graduating at the top of her class at Greta Academy, but they could not confirm it. This is because Area was good at avoiding those who came to her.
Above all, isn’t Violet a woman? It is generally difficult to associate men and women as the same person.
“Once this martial arts event is over, Violet will disappear.”
Area said as if she was annoyed. Rumors abounded about Helmut, the reluctant man with the iron-colored mask, but no one approached him directly.
When you stand in front of Helmut, you feel overwhelmed and take a step back.
On the other hand, Area, a beautiful female wizard, has a following not only among wizards but also among ordinary people watching martial arts competitions.
In particular, women enthusiastically cheered for Area.
‘You look great, Violet!’
‘You are so strong and beautiful!’
Every game, the room was filled with so many flowers and gifts.
Area did not take his high popularity lightly.
“I have to sell expensive items to add to research expenses.”
For example, a teddy bear with eyes and nose encrusted with jewels.
After Alea gained followers, Helmut did not pretend to know her at all to the outside world.
He looked at the series of events and thought briefly.
‘It’s a similar phenomenon to what happened at the academy.’
I wasn’t jealous. Because Helmut doesn’t have to hide or avoid people like Area.
‘That guy also made it to the quarterfinals.’
The golden-eyed paladin of the previous example also attracted attention.
He also seemed to be paying attention now that the organizers were watching, having discovered that he came from a temple. It is said that he has never shown any suspicious behavior.
He was like Helmut and Area in that he easily made it to the quarterfinals without experiencing any difficulties.
The fight was easy, but Helmut was worried ahead of the quarterfinals.
‘If I win this time, my opponent will be…’
Area. You have to beat her to advance to the finals. Helmut frowned. It was a future he rarely wanted to avoid.
However, I also don’t want Area to be eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Helmut loved strength. He couldn’t help but feel proud that his girlfriend was proving her strength. It would be the same for Area.
‘Let’s look forward to the semifinals.’
Helmut stood up. His quarterfinals will be held soon. There was a game ahead of him and he would come back with a win.
“What a little guy.”
When Helmut went on stage, Helmut’s partner grinned. As if he wasn’t at all intimidated by Helmut’s iron mask and intimidating eyes.
‘An axe?’
Since there was no need to do any prior research, Helmut found out who he would be fighting only after he went on stage.
Helmut’s opponent in the quarterfinals is a warrior who uses an axe. It was so big that if you stepped on it, it would make a thumping sound.
He was a head taller than Helmut, and tendons bulged on his upper torso, revealing his enormous physique.
The body, with its rock-like muscles, was truly menacing.
Unlike the body, which felt like armor in itself, the thinly shaved head revealed a shiny, bare appearance.
‘Are they mercenaries?’
Helmut stared intently at his opponent’s weapon.
It was not a double-edged ax commonly used in combat. It has a blade on only one side, so it is similar to an ax for chopping firewood.
However, the blade is longer and sharper than a typical axe, and the body is thicker.
The handle was also made of metal, so it seemed heavy enough to be used like a hammer.
If you swing an ax that big, even if it’s not loaded with vis, most people’s heads will be split in two like firewood. No, it might get crushed.
It’s a weapon I’ve never encountered before.
Most swordsmanship is closely related to the use of vis. As you learn swordsmanship, you accumulate vis and become accustomed to using vis.
It is difficult to even reach the level of using vis with other weapons.
Even though there is a word for swordsmanship, the term axe is rarely used.
However, the opponent was indeed a talented person who could advance to the quarterfinals of this comprehensive martial arts tournament with a huge reward at stake. The vis flowing from his entire body was powerful. To put it in perspective, he is a little weaker than Luke Yeager.
‘He is strong. In fact, he is better than most high-ranking knights. Are you a mercenary? If you’re a mercenary, you’ll win platinum.’
It was a look and energy that seemed like I had never been intimidated by someone in my life. It seemed clear that he chose strength between strength and speed due to his excellent physical condition.
Judging by his unfamiliar appearance and clothing, he seemed to be from a distant country.
“He’s a strong bald man.”
Helmut muttered without thinking. The other person’s eyebrows twitched.
“A guy the size of a fist is being picky!”
Usually, bald people don’t like to be called bald. No one would blatantly call this giant bald.
But Helmut didn’t know that. He is simply curious about what he sees.
In fact, it was my first time seeing a bald head properly. Humans lose their hair, but monsters don’t lose their hair except when they molt.
However, it may not necessarily have been because his head was bald. Helmut showed curiosity.
“Did you shave your head because it was bald? Or did you just push it?”
Hair provides some protection to the head. It is better to secure a view without being intrusive than a long one, but it is better to leave it short.
Even if his head was balding, it would be better to leave it alone unless it was completely bald, but this guy shaved his head completely.
I couldn’t tell if he shaved his head to look neat or if he shaved his head when he wasn’t bald in the first place.
Helmut was making a reasonable inference. However, the reasoning itself aroused anger in the other party.
“This bastard is crazy about dying! “What happened to my head?”
“I’m asking if I was born bald or not, but if I shaved my head.”
Helmut’s calm tone of voice, lacking understanding, was enough to sound like mockery.
The giant struck the floor with the end of the sack. Coo! The entire stage shook as if there had been an earthquake.
A loud voice burst out.
“You rat-like masked bastard! Today I will break your mask! “I will make you have hair like mine!”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Helmut felt bad about his partner’s overreaction.
I just asked a question, but I don’t know why they are showing such indignation and hostility.
‘Are you looking down on me?’
An eerie light passed through Helmut’s eyes.
Then the problem is simple. If I win, I will reveal the answer to the author.
