Atelier Tanaka

Book 5: Chapter 2 (3)

Dark Continent (2nd)

It’s the third time today I’ve had to do this so I’m starting to get used to it.

I was left feeling calm after the fight.

It was actually the university party that was left in a panic. All of them wore robes and there was even a man in his sixties. It was a completely different feeling from the previous two parties I rescued.

I would’ve been hesitant to approach this group of robed people if Rodriguez hadn’t told me who they were. There’s not a single member of the party wearing armour.

“W-Was that really Stonewall you used?”

The one who asked me this was Professor Journal.

He had been lying on the ground until now but rushed over to me as soon as he stood up. He was the oldest member of the party. He may be in his late sixties.

“Yes, it was.”

“How is that….”

When I gave him my answer, he looked even more perplexed.

It’s suitable for a researcher to ask about magic before even giving a proper greeting.

“Then, how about your fireball….?”

“Uh, I think it’s just an ordinary fireball.”

I have no idea what makes a fireball an ordinary fireball, but I don’t do anything special when I use my fireball, so I assume it has to be ordinary.

“How could anyone hunt a Meteor Turtle with a simple fireball?”

“Are you doing okay?”

“Ah, that’s right! You healed me! Thank you!”

“It wasn’t any trouble. You’re welcome.”

His reaction to his life being saved was put off so he could ask about my magic. Why are such strange people in love with magic? It made me recall the noble mage’s face.

“Well, if you’re feeling fine then….”

I don’t feel comfortable talking about magic.

If it goes on too long I’ll eventually be asked to demonstrate my magic, and I doubt it would take these researchers and professors very long to notice the similarities between my Stonewall and the massive wall in the forest.

I should try to run away before they notice.

After turning away from the old man, I noticed another group approaching us from the bushes. The Chara Brothers’ party, the Hero of the East’s party, and the Dark Elf at the front.

I wasn’t the only one that noticed.

“…w-who are they?”

“We’ve all joined together to travel to the wall.”

I had no interest in asking the party from Academy City to join us. It wasn’t that I didn’t think the girls were attractive or that I didn’t want them to join me, but they all would have a strong academic background which intimidated me, so I naturally wanted to avoid them.

Such is the nature of the modern man.

“…I’m not sure if we have the ability to go any further.”

“What will you do?”

“I’m sorry if this causes you any inconvenience but….”

Professor Journal continued with an apologetic look in his eyes,

“…if you don’t mind, can we join you? I noticed you were looking for a party in Suzanne’s. I should apologize for not extending my hand to you back then.”

Seeing a giant man nearly two metres tall bowing in front of me is quite intimidating. Although he’s wearing a robe and carrying a cane, it would be more accurate to call him a warrior based on his build alone. He looks like someone that will live a long life.

“Ah, no, you don’t need to apologize for anything….”

“No matter how much one’s knowledge has grown, the Dark Continent is still a dangerous place. Old men like me can’t look after these students or the younger teachers. So, please, let us go with you.”

I can’t say no when someone older than me is almost begging me.

“I believe your knowledge could be of great use to our party. There are many places on the Dark Continent that I am unfamiliar with, I’d appreciate the cooperation of members of Academy City.”

Students should be treated as a national treasure.

To be more specific, the more someone is educated, the higher the price they’d have to pay in compensation if they hit someone with their car.

Let’s hope a young female student can grievously injure me in the future.

“You will!? Ah, my apologies. Thank you for having such a generous heart.”

“Don’t mention, I really didn’t do much….”

“Would you mind telling me your name? And, if I’m not intruding too much, where you come from?”

“My name is Tanaka. I currently live in the Penny Empire.”

“Aha! Tanaka of the Penny Empire!”

The way he said it made it sound like it was some momentous discovery.

“It will only be for a short while, but I hope we can get along well.”

“I hope for the same!”

I so desperately hoped for a party at the beginning of this adventure.

This party was refused to me over and over.

The world has a strange way of making things work out.

***

Many different voices filled the forest path.

The Chara Bros continued their assault on either side of me, but now I also had to deal with constant questions coming from some of the professors from Academy City. Despite my popularity with ikemen and researchers, none of the harem members approached me. None of the teachers that were interested in me were attractive either.

The only thing that gave me motivation to continue was the ass of the Dark Elf ahead of me.

“You’re the best, Tanaka-san! Only someone as cool as you could single-handedly defeat three Meteor Turtles!” “I think I’m in love! No, seriously, you made me fall for you!” “I’ve been in love with you since I first met you!” “Ha!? Don’t try to overshadow my love with your own! The depth of my love runs deeper than yours! The depth is more important!”

“Would it be possible for you to show me that fire magic you used earlier? The power a single fireball of yours holds is unprecedented.” “Oh, I wanted to see that too!” “I-If possible, I’d like to see your recovery magic….” “Would your magic be even more powerful if you chanted?”

This is annoying.

But if what Rodriguez said was true, everyone here holds varying degrees of power on a global scale. This is the case for the Hero of the East and the party from Academy City. I remember Edita Sensei mentioning Academy City as well.

The Chara Bros are a highly-regarded adventuring party on the Dark Continent. Similar to Gon-chan in Tricklis, they probably command a certain level of respect here.

Which is why I should treat all of them with a certain level of respect. That being said, I still have my limits, and if they push me that far, I won’t have any choice but to leave them behind.

Especially when it comes to the Chara Bros.

“Oi, we’re about halfway….”

After walking for some time, the Dark Elf stopped.

A few beads of sweat ran down my forehead which made me think it was time for a break. Personally, I’d be fine continuing on, but with my party now having so many members, the decision isn’t mine to make. Everyone must be tired after their fights and hours of walking in the woods.

“Yeah, we should take a break.”

We can set up guards in shifts.

There are now four parties joined together in one, if we each take turns standing guard for around fifteen minutes, everyone should be able to get a decent amount of rest. The Chara Bros seem like a good choice for first watch considering how much energy they have.

We started to settle down for a break.

When, a familiar sound reached our ears.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaa!”

Somewhere out in the woods, someone was letting out a blood-curdling scream.

It’s happening again?

And this one is a man.

“….”

“….”

My eyes naturally moved to the Dark Elf.

Her expression seemed to ask, “So, what are you going to do?”

Not again.

“Um, sorry, but I have to go see what that was.”

“…of course you do.”

If the person screaming was a girl, I’d at least have some motivation, but that voice was obviously a man’s. I’m sure it’s nothing but a party of ikemen.

While thinking about this, I made my way through the bushes for only around 20 metres before I found the source of the scream. The scene was exactly what I expected.  A group of adventurers about to be annihilated by some monsters.

“Don’t die on me, Star! Please, don’t die! You’re a hero aren’t you!?”

“Y-You all can still save yourselves….”

“Don’t be ridiculous! We could never leave a hero behind!”

“Right, then, I’ll pass on my title of hero to you…Charles.”

“Staaaaaaarrr!”

A man, who I assume is named Charles, was kneeling on the ground, cradling the body of another man (Star) in his arms. The former looked like he was on the verge of death while the latter had suffered a wound to his face. A trail of blood ran down the latter’s face. The wound looked very painful.

I remember the name Star. The Hero of the West.

Both were ikemen.

The man holding him was in his thirties. He was large and wore a full suit of armour that covered every inch of his body. There was also a large shield laying in the dirt at his side. He must be the type of character that acts as a meat shield for the rest of the party.

He had broad shoulders and stood at least two heads taller than me. His gentle face contrasted his strong build. I’m sure he’s a kind-hearted person that likes to take care of animals in his free time.

The scar on Star’s face just added to his looks. I can’t say I’m not disappointed.

“Nancy! Use your recovery magic on Star!” “I-I’m sorry, Joseph. I’m out of mana….” “What the hell is that!?” “Nancy! Don’t get distracted!” “Eh!?” “N-Naannnccccyyy!” “Iyaaaaa!”

It would take too long to describe what’s happening. Essentially, Party Members A, B, C, D, and the Hero of the West are in a dire situation. I’ve given up any hope of remembering any names at this point. 

For now, I should focus on saving them.

And I need to hurry.

These monsters are stronger than the others I’ve fought.

It’s here. A phoenix.

And it’s the same one that chased after me yesterday.

“….”

I can’t help but feel guilty.

The train of monsters chasing me yesterday must have been dragged out to the shallower parts of the forest and this phoenix just happened to find the Hero of the West’s party. Even if this wasn’t entirely my fault, I still feel a need to save them. If one of them were to die, I don’t think I’d ever stop regretting it.

I have to give this one my all. It has been a nonstop boss rush since entering the forest and this must be the final boss.

I’ll take out the Phoenix.

“You…. Y-You can’t be serious. That’s a Phoenix….”

The Dark Elf appeared by my side and voiced her disapproval of my idea.

Based on her reactions, the phoenix must be as intimidating a creature as I believe.

“Sorry, but if you can stay here, or maybe even a little further back than usual.”

Thinking back on my fight against the loligon, nowhere within a dozen or so metres was safe.

Magical attacks that higher level monsters use can easily take out hundreds of people.

“O-Oi! This is absolutely crazy! In the first place, a monster like that shouldn’t be appearing this far from the forest’s centre! Then there’s the fact that no human is capable of defeating a monster like that! You don’t even understand the basic ecology of this continent!”

I entirely ignored the Dark Elf’s complaints as I stood from the bushes.

I ran forward a dozen metres while pushing past the dense pushes and low hanging branches. My destination was where the Hero of the West lay collapsed on the ground. Trees have been destroyed and lay collapsed on the ground, creating a small clearing in the otherwise dense forest.

It looks like the trees were destroyed prior to the phoenix arriving. This clearing must have been created from a previous battle.

And, since the phoenix is a flying monster, it must have been drawn here when chasing me and happened to spot them when they were resting in the clearing. I should remember to avoid resting in clearings going forward.

The phoenix was just about to make its next move, aiming an attack at the Hero of the West. He was the only one that couldn’t move and would make an easy target for the monster. Star couldn’t do anything but close his eyes and wait for the inevitable.

The armoured man holding him did the same.

This isn’t good.

“Fireball!”

As soon as I had entered the clearing, I conjured a dozen fireballs and sent them flying towards the phoenix. They collided with the creature one after another before creating small explosions all across its body.

I didn’t go all out to avoid harming the Hero of the West’s party, and a phoenix is a fire attribute monster. The flames warped around the monster and hot gusts of air were sent out as it flapped its wings. It’s not that I didn’t consider my fireballs wouldn’t be effective against it, but I didn’t have much choice.

[!?]

The monster flapped its wings and retreated back several metres. Unlike when it was fighting the Hero of the West’s party, it now seemed alert and entirely focused on the fight.

I didn’t notice this yesterday when it was flying some distance behind me, but now that it’s right in front of me on the ground, this bird is massive. It’s still inferior in size to Christina, but its wingspan is easily thirty or forty metres.

It was taller than one of the still standing trees as well. Furthermore, long tail feathers extended from its back that made it seem even larger. How much did my attack do?

“Heal!”

I healed the Hero of the West and his party first before checking the monster’s status.

Damn, it wasn’t that effective.

Using the monster’s attribute to attack it wasn’t a great idea, but it’s still nothing compared to Christina. If I just hit it with a constant barrage of attacks, I should be able to manage.

“Ku! Ku!”

The bird roared.

In response to its caws, the bird’s body was enveloped in a brilliant glow.

This must be recovery magic.

The real question is how much of its MP will it use.

I waited for the golden light to fade before checking its status once more.

Good, I can handle that.

“What are you doing!? Get out of there, you don’t stand a chance!”

The Hero of the West yelled something at me.

I looked over towards him and saw him running towards me. Does this guy have a habit of trying to die?

Let’s check his status.

His strength is a little higher than the noble mage who specializes in magic. A hero is supposed to be a powerful warrior, right? Maybe this guy is strong for normal human standards. If the enemy was a high orc or a wyvern, I’m sure he wouldn’t have any problems.

However, those stats won’t get you far on the Dark Continent based on my own experiences. If a Red Dragon or Evil Roper were to appear he might stand a chance with his party, maybe even with the ghosts and turtles. But the glowing bird in front of us is far too much for them.

I looked back to where the Dark Elf was hiding and made eye contact with her. I quickly looked between her and the Hero of the West before she finally nodded and understood.

She leapt from the bush and made her way to the Hero’s side in an instant before yelling,

“You are the one that doesn’t stand a chance! Now run away!”

“Eh, you’re the elf that joined his party….”

“Shut up and get moving! With your level of strength, you’ll be dead in seconds!”

“W-What did you say!? Do you know who I am!?”

The Dark Elf ran back to the bush while dragging the Hero by his arm. I’m glad that I can work so well with my party member.

In a boss fight, you can’t afford to be distracted.

I could still hear the Hero complaining from his position in the bush. Does his pride as a hero not allow him to retreat? Or is he just that confident in his abilities even after being defeated? Let’s hope he’s the type of hero that uses this defeat to become stronger.

“I can’t just abandon my party members like this!”

“Shut up would ya!? As long as he’s there, your friends will be fine!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

The Dark Elf and the Hero of the West shouted back at one another in rapid fire succession. His party members had similar complaints.

“He’s right! The recovery magic was a big help, but fighting that monster is a different story!” “I don’t want to be left in the care of someone that fights a phoenix with fire magic!” “Tell him to run! The rays of heat coming off the phoenix will melt his equipment in no time!”

The monster wasn’t kind enough to let us talk it out.

[Kuke! Kuke!]

The bird roared.

I could see the fire forming in the back of its open mouth.

It’s getting ready to fire.

My assumption was correct and the next moment a torrent of flames was sent flying at me.

I can handle this.

“Stonewall!”

My all-purpose magic stone wall saved me at the last second. I created a large enough wall to protect myself, the Dark Elf, and the Hero of the West’s party. With the Phoenix being airborne, I also angled the roof back over us to protect from any flames that might go overhead.

The flames then made contact with my Stonewall.

The heat permeated through the wall for about ten seconds.

“Wha-!? He’s blocking a Phoenix’s breath attack with Stonewall!?” “Don’t be ridiculous!” “That’s not possible!” “Th-That’s amazing.” “What is happening….”

Similar phrases to what I’ve grown used to hearing reached my ears. It was the Hero of the West’s party. I could also hear the voice of the Hero himself. More importantly, I’ve noticed a woman that looks to be in her teens admiring my ability.

I don’t think I’d ever get tired of hearing her praise me.

I want to give her more reasons to praise me.

“Kuke? Kuke?”

The sound of the rushing flames stopped.

I opened up a small window in my Stonewall to check what the Phoenix was doing. But I wasn’t expecting what I saw. The bird was pressing its head against the wall as if wondering where we went.

Lovely.

I can’t miss this opportunity.

I conjured a massive Fireball on the other side of the wall. I’m going to put all of my power into this singular Fireball. With the Hero of the West and his party safe behind the wall, I don’t have to worry about them getting caught up in the blast. I also conjured my normal dozen volleyball sized Fireballs around the Phoenix.

“Kuke!? “Kukei! Kukei!”

The Phoenix began  rapidly flapping its wings in order to create distance between us.

I won’t miss.

“Fireball!”

I shouted through the hole in the wall.

The Fireballs rushed toward the bird.

“Kukeiiiiiii!”

And it let out a pained cry.

A loud boom followed by a few more sounded beyond the wall causing the earth beneath our feet to shake. I feel sorry for going all out against it, but it can’t be helped. In fact, if I were to take it easy, if what happened with Christina is anything to go by, I’m likely to end up befriending this Phoenix.

I doubt this Phoenix possesses the same level of intellect as the loligon, so I doubt it would be a suitable pet. I should just take care of it now to avoid having it attack us again in the future.

“Kuke, kukei! Kukeii!”

After ten explosions sounded, the bird took to the sky. The Phoenix left behind a cloud of dust and swirling flames. Maybe I left too much space between the Fireballs, but it’s fine. The remaining Fireballs will chase after the target.

The Phoenix reached the canopy of the trees and began evasive maneuvers. The trees beneath it were bent by massive gusts of winds caused by its flapping wings. A few smaller trees around us were ripped from the ground entirely. If we hadn’t been shielded by the Stonewall, we would have been sent flying.

The torrential wind battered the Stonewall and a terrible roaring sound filled my ears.

I braced myself for an attack, however, the bird flew off toward the horizon. It didn’t take long for it to become a small dot in the distance before fading from sight entirely.

I’m not sure whether Phoenixes in general prefer to run rather than fight or if that’s just how this individual bird chose to act that way.

“Th-The Phoenix ran away….”

I could overhear the Hero of the West mumble something before the battlefield fell into silence.

***