156. Training Camp Mission Commence

The demon beast is a kind of demon bear. However, it seems to be stronger than the demon bear I fought when I met Shiro.

It’s probably the difference in habitat. There are many stronger monsters in this forest.

「HAAAAA!」

Tina projected ice spears from the ground under the demon bear. As the demon bear’s movement was halted by the spears, Tina shot a powerful fireball at the monster and exterminated it.

Although the magic bear was a pretty strong enemy, Tina was perfectly composed.

「Yes!」Tina celebrated.

「Well done! I’ll do the disassembling.」

I quickly processed the magic bear for materials, and burned the corpse.

「As usual, you are so dexterous, Will.」

「Thank you. But you should be able to do this much right, Rosseta?」

「Not as skillfully as you. And, Tina grew much stronger again.」

「Yes, I think so too.」I agreed with Rosetta.

「Oh, thank you.」

Tina was acting shy, her face bright red.

It goes without saying that Arti’s ability, who is a member of the Salvation Organization, is incomparable to the students, but Rosetta and Tina were also very strong. Thanks to that, we proceeded smoothly to the destination.

We arrived at the destination just past noon.

A skull made of crystal was placed at the destination.

「This is what we have to collect. I wonder if this will clear the mission.」

「Rosetta, that’s not the case. It’s only cleared when you take it back to camp.」Tina said.

「Ah, right. Let’s go back then!」

「Yeah, I want to go back by sunset.」Tina said.

「That’s right. Clouds have come out again. It will be troublesome if it starts raining.」Arti said, pointing to the sky.

「What do you think about the weather, Rosetta?」I asked.

Rosetta, who has been favored by the Hunting God, has a high ability to observe nature.

「Hmm. I think it’s going to be okay for a while. Though, the weather in the mountains can change easily.」

The sea of trees where we are now is at the foot of the mountain. It has a gentle slope.

The altitude is a little high, and it feels chilly when the wind blows.

「Then, let’s hurry back to camp!」

「Yeah!」

With Rosetta at the lead again, we head back to camp.

After proceeding halfway back, we decided to take a short break.

We sat on a fallen tree, and ate a light meal.

「Hmm, I guess this is as good a time as any.」

「What is it?」

「Rosetta, Tina, lend me your ears.」

When I said that, Rosetta and Tina approached closer.

Shiro and Rubeum also exhaled loudly and came closer in excitement.

「Arti and I participated in the training camp because of a secret order from the President.」I said in a low voice.

「…Is something going to happen?」Rosetta asked.

「There is a possibility that this training camp might be attacked by the cult. We are instructed to respond if that were to happen.」

Rosetta and Tina’s facial expressions stiffened.

「However, there are many possibilities of attack predicted by the Salvation Organisation. This is just one of them.」

「There are many?」Rosetta asked.

「Yes, the President is busy responding to those.」

「In other words, if there is an attack, the students won’t have to fend for themselves alone, right?」

「That’s how it is.」

「Is the enemy’s purpose a student?」

「No, the students are the fighting forces of the future, and now they are just eggs. The enemy will be aiming at the Salvation Organisation’s top executive, Jema-san.」Arti added.

「That’s why Will wants to hurry back, huh.」

「Yeap.」

Seven of the eight teachers are attached to the seven student groups.

The only person remaining is Jema. And she is giving instructions from the base camp where we built the tents.

「If the teacher is alone, she might be able to overcome the enemy’s attack, but if the students are nearby, it can be difficult.」

It would be difficult even for Jema to fight while protecting the students.

「So we want to get back faster than the other students.」I said.

「Understood. Let’s hurry up.」Rosetta said.

We hurried back to the base camp.

「Will. Did you hide this information until now because you wanted us to take the training camp seriously?」

Tina asked as we headed to the base camp in a half-jog.

「That’s right.」

「I see. Thank you for your consideration.」

That was not the only reason.

It was decided that not only Arti but Rosetta and Tina would also be a force in the battle against the Cult.

When we first faced a demon, I said to both Rosetta and Tina that they would just be a hindrance and to escape.

Compared to that time, both of them are much stronger now.

They won’t be a hindrance anymore.

The other day, I blessed Arti, Rosetta, and Tina as the Apostle of the Gods.

There is no doubt that it made them stronger. But that is not the sole reason.

Basically, blessing is like raising the level of quality.

It has the effect of boosting the results of efforts made so far.

Without the efforts of the people themselves, blessings are meaningless.

Thanks to the special training method I taught and the training given by Xenovia and the others, and also their own efforts, Rosetta and Tina became stronger.

「The growth of young people is terrifying.」

I remembered my previous life and muttered unintentionally.

A long time ago, when I was raising Dion and Xenovia, I felt the same thing.

「Will, you are also an eight-year-old child. What are you talking about?」

Rosetta, who was running at the lead, said confusedly.

「Mee?」

Shiro, who was running next to me, bleated as if saying, “Aren’t you also a child?”.