I Became a Raid Boss

Chapter 40

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Catherine often dreamed of that day.

The day when the makeshift wooden fence collapsed, and monsters flooded into the peaceful village.

The small, warm home, the garden she tended with her parents, the house of the kind woman who treated her well—

all were mercilessly trampled beneath the feet of monsters.

Catherine’s hometown, much smaller than Blum Village, thus disappeared.

Holding her parents’ hands, she fled down the rugged mountain path, vowing to become strong and never experience such a thing again.

From that day on, she wielded a sword.

“Congratulations, Catherine. You have been promoted to Silver Mercenary.”

Ultimately, Catherine succeeded in earning her silver badge through her own strength.

Silver Badge.

A stage where she is recognized as a proper mercenary.

On the day she accepted the silver badge from Liberi, Catherine shed tears.

Though she did not even know what the emotions contained in those tears were, as she wiped them away, she felt that she had come a step closer to her past vow.

‘…Ah.’

…She thought so, but in front of the approaching ogre horde, Catherine realized.

She had been mistaken to think she had become stronger after receiving the silver badge; she was still just the girl from the mountain village who ran while holding her parents’ hands.

But there was something different from that time.

Unlike the mountain village where there was no one to help her and no place to seek aid, now she could ask for help.

So, Catherine asked Joanie for help.

To please save this village… to save another Catherine.

The kind-hearted apostle Edel accepted her request, and everything seemed to flow smoothly.

At least until they learned the number of ogres approaching the village.

“W-what?! Ten?!”

The people who had felt relieved were now searching for ways to survive, filled with terror.

Catherine stood in the chaos of the plaza, muttering to herself.

‘In the end, I couldn’t do anything again.’

She had rushed breathlessly for moments like this, but it turned out to be completely useless.

In her despair, her gaze suddenly fell on Joanie.

Holding onto the girl who had come with her, speaking with a desperate voice.

Catherine knew that girl was stronger than anyone present.

However, no matter how strong the girl was, she couldn’t fight against the ogres.

Even if her swordsmanship was excellent, the difference in size between the girl and the ogres was vast.

“Get back.”

The girl, hearing Joanie’s words, drew her sword and stepped forward.

Her footsteps headed towards outside the village.

‘Is she really going to fight?’

At that sight, Catherine couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

“Stop…!”

Though she hoped someone would help, she didn’t want such a small girl to lose her life so easily.

Just as she hurriedly reached out to stop the girl…

Swish.

The girl shrugged off her cape as if it were cumbersome, and under the moonlight, Catherine caught sight of the girl’s appearance and swallowed hard.

The face hidden beneath the cape was younger and much cuter than she had imagined.

She looked so gentle that Catherine thought she couldn’t even squash a bug.

Is such a girl really going to fight an ogre?

The moment Catherine snapped back to her senses, she stretched out her arms toward the girl.

“…Huh?”

Catherine’s arms swished through the air.

…She was definitely right here.

The girl’s figure had completely vanished.

She wasn’t the only one startled.

Everyone watching the girl, surprised by her sudden disappearance, could not hide their bewilderment.

“Is she a… wizard?!”

“Such a small girl is a wizard?”

“Are you suggesting that everyone here saw nothing but illusions at the same time?”

“Not that—…Whoa?!”

Whoooooosh!

A sudden wind rushed in without warning, striking the people hard.

Catherine struggled to regain her balance, swaying as even adult men were blown off their feet by the fierce wind.

The strong gust of wind seemed to be heading outside the village.

The girl hadn’t disappeared.

It was merely how it appeared to Catherine and the others.

Realizing this fact, Catherine asked with a trembling voice.

“…What exactly is she?”

Joanie replied with a powerless smile.

“She’s just my sister.”

“….”

What should I say?

Catherine, who had been twitching her lips, bowed her head deeply.

“…Thank you for listening to my stubbornness.”

“It’s not something I should be thanked for. Please save your gratitude for Canaria when she returns.”

“…Okay. I will.”

The doubts she had felt until just now had long vanished.

“I will definitely do that.”

A person well-versed in swords and mana wouldn’t lose to mere ogres.

***

“Y-you’re not going to fight the ogres, are you? If you do…”

“If I do, what? Should we go save them? There are not just one, but ten ogres coming!”

“Aren’t you embarrassed to let such a small child step up to help?”

“It’s wrong for her to step up without being asked for help!”

‘….’

Joanie quietly observed the people fighting amongst themselves.

I understand wanting to help or suggesting to run away.

But blaming someone instead of thanking them…

“That’s a bit much.”

—I’m sorry, adults…

—Should I kill them?

—Ugh, that’s gross, haha.

The viewers felt the same way, and Joanie’s chat was ablaze with comments.

One of the players, who had been watching with a tired face, said, “We should go help, right?”

— “Will we even be of any help?”

— “…Is that so?”

— “Maybe it’s already over…”

Even if ogre hides are tough, are they tougher than the ground they stand on?

I doubted that the ogres could withstand attacks that could split the ground apart.

Moreover, the elite knights of the Empire, who were undoubtedly stronger than the ogres, had been annihilated in an instant.

Thus, Joanie sympathized with the notion that they wouldn’t be of any help if they went.

“I’ll go.”

But that didn’t mean she intended to stay behind.

“Even if we can’t help, we can at least go to meet them. So, I’m-”

Joanie suddenly stopped speaking.

It wasn’t only her who fell silent.

The townspeople who had been arguing, the merchants hastily loading their goods, and even the mercenaries who were fidgeting with their weapons—all of them froze.

───!

A resounding vibration that felt like it struck the soul rather than the body.

A heavy and intense resonance felt even by those who couldn’t handle mana.

Joanie turned her head toward the mountain that Canaria had been looking at earlier.

“What is that…?”

***

“…Ugh!”

Whoosh!

I dodged the incoming dark green claw that was coming at me like it was going to crush my head and stepped back.

No, if I got hit by something like that, it wouldn’t just crush my head; my entire body would turn into mush.

Personally, I’m not particularly fond of small animals like dogs or cats, but for some reason, it seems they don’t love me back.

The day I first met Garid is the same as it is now.

“Isn’t that right?”

“….”

“You’re so cold.”

He responded with a rough huff of air.

Could it be that he can’t speak, or that he simply has no intention of having a conversation?

Either way, my task is clear.

“Haah…”

I let out a long sigh and adjusted my grip on the sword.

The massive mountain that lies between Ordo and the village, where the back of the village meets the ridge of the mountain.

The puppy in front of me is a creature that has emerged from the peak of that mountain.

If one can call a dimensional creature, which is enormous enough to rival a castle wall, a puppy, that is.

To be honest, it doesn’t really resemble a puppy either.

If I had to say, it looks more like a wolf, but wolves don’t have six legs, nor do they have two heads, and they certainly don’t have mouths on their bodies.

Anyway, all dimensional creatures look bizarre.

“Is there a requirement for dimensional creatures to be ugly or something?”

“Grrr…”

“Or not?”

I asked out of genuine curiosity, but that’s a bit harsh.

I might have treated him lightly, but this dimensional creature…

Hmm… since it’s a hassle to call it a dimensional creature every time, let’s just call it a wolf.

Anyway, this wolf seems quite strong, so I should focus a bit.

I don’t think I’ll lose, but if I get bitten, I might catch rabies…

“Having six legs means one could be missing, right?”

Sweeek!

A pale pink sword aura ripped through the air.

The wolf dodged to the side to avoid the vertical sword aura.

To begin with, the sword aura was a feint.

I had already arrived at the spot where the wolf would dodge and was preparing for my next attack.

Canaria—

I still haven’t completely shaken off my feelings about my name.

No matter how nice it sounds, I can’t positively accept the name ‘Canaria’ knowing what my parents were thinking when they gave it to me.

But still, the reason I named my sword technique after myself is…

“Beak Pecking.”

‘Why do you ask? It’s thanks to Garid.’

I charged toward the wolf that had not yet landed on the ground.

In a split second, my body accelerated rapidly, shooting out a pink flash of light.

Once, then twice.

Two simultaneous thrusts dove in like a bird of prey after its target, piercing the wolf’s legs.

Crack!

Boom!

The legs, accurately hit by the two thrusts, tore apart like paper.

The lower part of the leg fell to the ground as the wolf opened its mouth wide and let out a scream.

“Yip!”

“What the heck, it really is a dog?”

Yip. Such an unfitting sound.

I twirled my sword and adjusted my grip for another strike.

Then, I unleashed a follow-up attack.

I stomped down hard with my right foot and twisted my waist with all my strength.

The force that began from my leg traveled through my waist and arm, connecting to the sword.

I had once shown this technique to Joanie.

Though calling it a technique was a stretch; it was just a way to swing hard.

“Grr!”

Unfortunately, the recovery of the creature that had gone from having even legs to an odd one was incredibly fast.

I had planned to make it even again.

But, as it leaped back and swung its front paw, not only was my attack in vain, but I also failed to pursue it.

If it had been a person, they wouldn’t have been able to regain their senses so quickly after losing a limb.

Dealing with non-human creatures is such a hassle.

Monsters, foul creatures, or even little snake-boys…

The wolf looked down at me, not rushing in.

It seemed to feel wary of me, yet didn’t think it would lose.

But there was something else that irritated me even more.

“You know, I really dislike tall guys.”

Just because they’re a bit taller, they act like they’re something special, looking down at me.

So, let me take off those legs first.

Let’s see if you can still look down when all your legs are torn off.