I Probably Have…

Horned rabbit. Just as the name suggests, it had sharp horns, leaping at bullet-like speed to gore its enemies to death.

Those horns could easily pierce a human body and just as easily inflict fatal wounds.

Because it was such a small target, it was said to be, in some ways, an even more troublesome monster than goblins.

Facing that monster, Kikori readied his axe and buckler.

It looked slightly weakened from the kick earlier, but he couldn’t let his guard down.

They measured the distance between them… and Kikori ran.

So that he’d be ready even if it suddenly “leapt,” he swung his axe down from an overhead position.

But the horned rabbit sharply changed direction and jumped “sideways.”

“Tch!?”

It got away—or so he thought. In the next instant, the horned rabbit circled to Kikori’s side and leapt straight at him while his stance was broken from the axe swing.

“U—aaaaaaah!”

This is bad. This is bad. I’m going to die. I’m going to be killed.

The horned rabbit slammed into the buckler Kikori desperately thrust forward, and a tremendous crash rang out.

Thud. As the horned rabbit lay stunned from the rebound, Kikori lunged at it and brought his axe down.

That was the end. Facing the horned rabbit he had unquestionably finished off, Kikori exhaled raggedly.

It could pierce a human body, but it couldn’t pierce a buckler made entirely of iron. That simple fact had separated life from death.

And Kikori hadn’t let his guard down even once. He should have done the best he could.

And yet, he had nearly died.

No talent—Aria’s words pressed down on him heavily.

“Yeah… that’s right. I probably have no talent at all—so much that it’s sickening…”

Even if he put on shiny armor and felt like a full-fledged adventurer, nothing had actually changed.

Still, he had to do it. He had to live.

After collecting the horned rabbit’s magic stone, Kikori stood up.

“I’ll do it. I’ll do it. This is the only path I have…!”

For that sake—if it was for that sake—he’d do anything.

He’d wager even his own life.

So come, then. Come so I can kill you—Kikori drew in a deep breath.

“UooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

And then he shouted.

War Cry. Pouring in his still-immature killing intent, Kikori shouted. He roared.

He switched his state of mind to that of a warrior.

“Giiiii!”

“Giieeaaaaaa!”

“Oooooooo!”

He roared. Roaring back at the goblins that appeared, Kikori charged at them.

He swung his axe down, cleaving the first goblin apart.

He drew a knife from his waist and hurled it at the next goblin.

“Gik…”

“I’ve learned this much, at least!”

As the grass behind him rustled and a horned rabbit leapt out, Kikori smashed it apart with his axe.

If he knew it would leap straight at him, then even Kikori could deal with it.

“Giiiiiiii!”

The goblin pierced by the knife still came at him.

Kikori’s axe sank straight into its face.

“Ah… I’m glad the priest gave me an axe.”

Slowly, Kikori murmured those words.

“If it’d been a sword, I probably couldn’t have used it this well.”

It was nothing more than a passing thought.

And yet—

It was also the moment Kikori firmly settled on his own fighting style.