I tried to use a simple [Fire breath] attack to check how well it resisted fire attacks and the result was me pissing it off. I flew around it, trying to scan for weak points. Vines shot out from the creature's back and they were aiming to whip me. I narrowly swerved the first vine, but the second, I wouldn't be fast enough. At least I thought so, but my body glowed with a blue light and my stats went up.

<<The Hob-goblin Oda has used the magic [Aqua] on you. Your physical abilities have gone up>>

The agent explained for me while I dodged the vine. I thought that was cool, but now wasn't the time to relay that information. I used [Sprint] and [Peck] to try for [Spearhead], but I passed right through the patch of grass. The grass even wrapped around my legs and flung me into a tree.

Oda shot a water spear at the creature and it roared at us. She ran towards me, probably trying to heal me, but the creature went on all fours and the flowers on its back grinned like mad.

'That doesn't look good.'

Oda looked back and her eyes widened.

"Cover your ears!"

She put her hand over her ears and crouched. I did the same with my feathers, but it wasn't effective. I could still hear it. The annoying sound of caulala singing. Like a coin being scratched across a metal pipe or chalk being scraped across a board. Very annoying, but this time a hundred times more lethal.

The sound blasted us some metres away and I lost some health points. I looked at Oda who was still crouching.

At this point, I knew that we were a bad match up against this originator. Our stats and abilities, it had a counter to or they simply wouldn't work, but I still didn't want to leave here without achieving anything. I simply needed to get one caulala. If I couldn't get even that, I couldn't get strong.

I got up and flew towards the originator again. I shot my threads at it, but it would keep destroying them with its vines and whenever I flew in close, the caulala on its back would immediately use their [Echo] skill to attack me. It was tough, but at some point I even attempted flying through the skill.

It didn't work. The originator was however then worried by Oda throwing her water balls at it. I then used my [Timber Wolf Howl] to stun it and shrank myself so my speed would go off the charts in addition to [Sprint]. I managed to get in close and pluck off one of the caulalas, but that was the only part I had planned.

My landing was horrible, seeing as I hit a tree. The originator looked pissed after what I did and it roared even angrier than the first time. I gulped then looked at the caulala in my claw. It was withering quickly.

'Sa sa! You can't just be dying when I got you! Hey Oda, think we can do something about the caulala?'

She didn't understand me and was rather busily running away. I followed after her, and the originator gave chase, his caulala destroying everything in his path with [Echo] and [Voice Over].

I threw the dying caulala into Oda's hands and grabbed her by the shoulder, trying to fly off with her. She was heavy. Or maybe I was weak. I didn't know. All I did know, was that we were screwed.

***

"Tori-kun? Why are you wet?"

Minerva asked me. She looked a bit surprised, but her eyes switched to the person behind me.

'Uh… long story. I got us spices though.'

Oda brought up the sleeping caulala. It was still in her water ball. Apparently, it wasn't easy for her to keep up that water sphere for so long. It took an insane amount of concentration and mana from her. Although I assumed it would be easier to channel a ball of mana in front of her and use the [Water Affinity] to transform that ball of mana into water, rather than constantly pouring mana into forming a shape.

According to the agent, that was a very practical use of mana, but Oda was too dumb to think of it. Or should I say because she hadn't received proper tuition she simply didn't know how to do it? According to the agent it was most likely the latter, given that monsters that evolve and suddenly have the capability to do something should have had an instinctive know-how for these sorts of things at a basic level and that instinct could be tainted by someone teaching them something else.

That meant, Oda's teacher was dumb as hell. Oda was just a blind sheep following a confused shepherd. I couldn't ask her who this teacher was so I simply ignored it as a matter for later.

Oda was taller than Minerva by a few inches so Minerva looking up at her was kind of cute, but Oda was flinching so bad I thought she was going to pass out. And with good reason too. She had constantly been throwing mana into something useless for about an hour now.

I quickly dug up a hole next to the cave and signaled for her to drop the caulala into the ground. She quickly dropped it into the whole and covered it up. Soon, a patch of grass grew around the flower and it started waving around.

Its mouth opened up and it started growling at me. To some extent it reminded me of the shrubs.

'Crap! I forgot those little guys!'

I was suddenly reminded of my kids. Eh… erhm, servants.

'Well tomorrow will come and I'll go search for them.'

I told myself then looked at Oda. She looked really pale, almost like she was going to die.

'Ah… Oda! Don't die! Minerva. Can she sleep here tonight?'

Minerva's head was tilted, her bangs falling to one side. Her hand was to her chin and she looked like she was trying to figure out something.

"Did something happen to Tori-kun?"

I looked at Minerva. Why? Had something happen to me?

'Is something wrong with me?'

Minerva shook her head.

"No. Tori-kun is more… bold?"

'Eh? Seriously?'

She nodded her head and I could only blush.

Well, the reason to what she noticed was probably because of the fact that I now knew what I wanted to do. It may not be well thought out, but I wanted to become strong enough to end fights like they weren't even worth my time. To be able to do absolutely anything I wanted. I wanted strength beyond any others. This may sound edgy, but that was my goal and I wouldn't stop till I achieved what I could only term "True Strength".

DAILY ACHIEVEMENTS

[Tori acquired 50 stat points]

[Tori consumed 1 soul]

[Tori acquired 500 experience points]

[Tori added +20 stat points to speed stat]

[Tori added +10 stat points to strength stat]

[Tori added +20 stat points to defense stat]

[Tori acquired the skill [Horn Protrusion]]

[Tori acquired the skill [Stomp]]

[Tori obtained a Caulala]

__________________________________________________________________________

"And so I punched the damned troll in the face, then with a boom and bam I just destroyed the entire cave of trolls. That's how the legend of Twilight spread so quickly. I wish they changed my title though. It's too embarrassing."

"Don't you think you are too noisy?"

Seiko whispered to the girl at his side.

"Eh? Too loud? Really? But that doesn't matter!"

Seiko let out a tired sigh then pulled out a device. This device projected a map for the girl to see. The map was shaped like a dragon curling itself attached to something else, but the map didn't show beyond there.

"You see where we are right now? It's called Larm."

The young man pointed at their current location on the map. Jasmine had her finger to her lips as she observed the map curiously.

"I've heard of Larm. They told me not to pass through this forest."

She stated nonchalantly.

"Yes. That's because Larm is a very dangerous and uninhabitable place for humans."

"Why?"

"Because of powerful creatures called Tyrants. These Tyrants rush in to kill any who enter their sides of the forest."

"Seriously? Then what the hell are we doing here right now?"

"If we took the normal route, we wouldn't have been able to make it to the Dhijan Nation in time."

"Um… but, isn't this the Dhijan Nation?"

She asked pointing at the country that was two nations from where they were.

"Yes."

Seiko answered sharply, his patience running.

"Then why did we move from Keimen? If we proceeded through Keimen we would have had only one nation to cross through!"

"Uwaa. I told them I didn't want to be paired up with retards."

"What was that?!"

"If we took that route, we wouldn't have made it in time. The conference is taking place in about a month or so. Traveling through those nations would take too long. Especially with the ongoing war preparations. So we will take the simple route of entering the Scerendia Teleport Gate that's pretty close to here."

Jasmine froze. She scanned the map several times, but then she was still confused.

"What is it?"

"According to your map, there is no place called Scerendia."

"Uwaa~. How much knowledge do you actually lack? Scerendia is an ancient city that was wiped out long ago by the Great Destruction Dragon. It's located in the south side of Larm, close to the Dourean Desert."

"Eh? Seriously? But, if the tribe was wiped out by something that sounds so scary, how is that teleport gate still active?"

Seiko put the device in his pouch and took out one of his guns.

"It's only rumoured to have been destroyed by such a being. So far all proof of that being's existence is negligible. So there are theories that the clan actually died to starvation."

"Starvation?"

"You… you never went to a university, huh?"

"Nope."

"Did you even go to school?"

"Not really."

"Uwaa~. I'll explain this to you once we're done with those guys."

Seiko looked up at the carriage approaching them. Jasmine grinned and brought out her daggers.

"You two! Who are ya?!"

The driver questioned.

Jasmine's eyes glowed a faint purple.

"Seiko-kun. They have captives in the caravan."

'A honorific?'

"How do you know – in fact that doesn't matter right now. Captives, huh? Are they human?"

"Nope. Not even one. All females of different ages and races."

The caravan driver overheard their conversation and whispered something into the caravan. Five men descended from the caravan, all holding weapons.

"You guys got a problem?"

One of the men asked. Jasmine licked her lips and went into a fight stance, her legs wide apart, one arm on the ground and the other behind her.

"Jasmine, can you see the states of those girls?"

"They are wearing shackles and are sick. I doubt they can even use any abilities from the looks of things. Some look like they are starving. Oh?"

"What is it?"

"One of them is pregnant. One of the men must have been using them."

Seiko was a completely apathetic being. Even now, he was thinking of just ignoring this incident since it would be a hindrance to him with no advantages. He was just about to return his guns to his pockets when Jasmine pounced on one of the men.

The man slashed at her neck, but she simply hit his wrist, disarming him, then kicking his legs to get him off the ground, then flipped him over. On the ground she jabbed his face, knocking him out cold.

The others charged at her, but a beam of light sent one of them flying into the carriage.

"Uwaa~. I really don't like the troublesome types. Stand down Jasmine."

He ordered and the girl lost her crazy grin.

"What?"

"This is a waste of time. We need to hurry up."

Seiko grabbed her cloak and lifted her off the man.

"I truly apologise for her rude attitude towards you."

Seiko bowed and forced Jasmine to do the same against her will. She was surprised by how strong he was, easily forcing her head down without giving her the chance to resist.

"Tch. You are from the New Kyoto Empire?"

"Yes."

The men then backed away after hearing that. Their faces showed obvious frustration and fear.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we will be leaving."

Seiko grabbed Jasmine and flung her over his shoulder. They simply strode past the men. After finding out his origins, the men suddenly felt like dwarves before his presence. That was natural since he was already taller than every single one of them. Still, the status of being a Kyoto Imperial Citizen was like being a noble in weak countries. That was just how much influence that Empire held.

"Ah! What are you doing? What about the captives?"

"You have to know when and where to fight. Especially when you are a paladin."

"What? Because I'm a paladin I'm not allowed to beat up obvious slave traders?!"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying you damned coward?"

Seiko sighed. This girl was really a headache for him. He made a note to never get married to loud girls or have loud children. In fact, when he got to the meeting, he would request a switch in partners.

"Look in the caravan."

"Eh? What are you… talking… about… EH!?"

When she looked at the carriage, she noticed that the slaves were slowly getting off the carriage and running away into the forest. Their chains had been been destroyed and there was a ticking sound coming from the carriage.

When one of the men went to check the caravan, the ticking sound stopped and then the caravan was set aflame with a loud boom, blasting the men away. They kept on screaming in a almost comical manner.

"Paladins aren't supposed to be such ruffians. Use your head a bit more and battles will be won in the easiest of ways without any sort of collateral."

Jasmine looked at Seiko. With the bleeding daylight from the trees bouncing off his dark skin, she suddenly noticed the heroic aura the young man exuded. Sure, he mostly never smiled and was always sighing with lazy eyes, but the fact that he was one of the very few paladins in the world meant he was talented and exceptional.

"You can let me down now."

She said and Seiko dropped her. She cleared her throat before apologizing to him.

"I apologise."

Seiko barely glanced at her while thinking to himself.

'Lady Veronica will have this girl's head at the conference.'