The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

Once you get used to life on a boat, you will find many ways to enjoy it.

The scenery and the river are different from those of the past, and you can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the trip.

It is noon on the third day after the boat ride. We are about half a day away from the Kingdom of Lingle.

As I leaned against the edge of the boat, remembering our journey so far, Nair, in human form, came up next to me.

"You look like you have a lot of free time, don't you?

"Yeah, I guess so."

The crews are doing the work on the ship, so there is basically nothing for us to do on the ship.

Oh, come to think of it, Aruk-san has been taking the lead in cooking.

Bulrin is coasting, Amako is writing letters to Kanoko and Rinka, and Leona is taking care of the spear that she brought instead of the hero's weapon.

So it was only me and Nea who really had nothing to do at the moment.

"Néa, there is something that has been bothering me for a while..."

"Hmm?　What?

"You're a vampire, aren't you?"

"What?　What, now?

Let's ask Nair about something that's been bothering him for a while now.

I hadn't asked her for some reason.

"No, can vampires in this world increase the number of their own kind by drinking blood?"

"...... this world, does it happen in Usato's world too?"

"In our world, vampires are fantasy creatures, but there are many stories about them.

In my world, I don't know if they exist or not, but it is a common practice for vampires to suck blood and increase their number of friends.

At my words, Nair opened her mouth, turning her face away from me.

"It's not impossible.

"Oh, really?

I took three steps away from her.

"Why are you taking so many steps away from me!

"Because that's what it is, right?　Isn't that what they do? They suck all the blood out of us and turn us into ghouls?

I wouldn't do such a horrible thing!　How bizarre are the vampires in your world?

Apparently, I was not what I had imagined.

Nair calms down and looks away from me with a slight hesitation.

"The way we increase our kin is not by sucking blood. On the contrary, we send them blood.

"Sending them in?　Vampire blood?

Yes. Of course, not just any blood. Of course not just any blood. We're violating a taboo against turning humans into demons. To put it simply, it's a special kind of blood that contains highly purified magic. It's how we reconstitute human bodies into ours."

"...... Is that something you can do easily?"

"Of course it's impossible."

Nair laughed at my words in a funny way.

There is no way that a normal human being can withstand such a load that would change his or her body. Even if we were lucky our bodies could withstand it, our minds would be destroyed and we'd end up looking like slightly stronger zombies.

"......That's a very ...... ghastly thing to say."

"Well, I know about it, but I've never tried it."

I wouldn't want to be a zombie, even a slightly stronger one.

But turning a human into a demon, isn't that a dangerous thing to do?　While I was inwardly reaffirming the abnormality of vampires as demons, Nair turned a mischievous smile towards me.

"If you're as strong in body and spirit as you are, you can do it, can't you?　How about you give it a try?　It will raise your physical limit and increase your life expectancy beyond comparison with humans.

Nair's sharp fangs peek out at me.

I sighed at her and lightly poked her on the forehead.

"Ouch!"

"Are you kidding me? I still want to be human."

"U~, jeez, of course you're joking!　I mean, you're not human enough at this point!　How long do you think you're human, you brainiac!"

You can't go that far, can you?

I'm a human being, right?　I'm aware that I'm not human, but I've never stopped being human, have I?

"You're ...... in general, aren't you?"

Nair, who had been glaring at me with tearful eyes, suddenly turned her gaze toward the river as if she had noticed something.

What's wrong?

I think I just felt something move down there. ......

Are there fish or something?

I wondered too, and like Nair, I leaned over to take a peek at the river, but at that moment - something the size of a man came flying out at us with a huge splash.

"Geegeegee--!"

What?"

The poisonous-colored thing jumped up right in front of us, and our eyes met.

It had a fat, round body, viscous-looking skin, and a long, extended tongue. It looked like a frog in its own world.

However, it was many times larger than the frogs I knew, and as soon as I saw it in my vision, I almost reflexively slammed my basket-clad fist into its abdomen.

"Nnnn!

"Ngggep!"

The giant frog returns to the water with white eyes.

It's probably a demon. ...... Well, I was surprised when it came out of nowhere, but that's all.

Compared to the ghost and Rose, it's not even scary.

"Wow, your basket hand is kind of sticky. ......"

"Heh, you beat me off without a fight. ....... Sometimes I can count on you to be unwavering like that.

Can you stand up?　Neah."

"Uh, yeah, yeah."

He brushes off the mucus from his basket hand and helps Nair, who is sitting up, out of surprise. Then, from a different place from where we were, several of the same giant frogs as before climbed onto the boat.

Geegee--!"""""

"...... Wow."

In an instant, the ship was in trouble.

The sight of a giant frog hopping around on the ship made Nair and I twitch.

Hearing the commotion, the crew, Leona, Ark, and Amako come out from inside the ship.

"A bunch of aquafrogs!　What's this number ......!　Usato, are you okay?

"We're fine. Amako and the captains of ...... should stay hidden!

Geez!

Shit!

Two giant frogs, Aqua Frogs, noticed me and leaped at me with their bodies.

Not wanting to get my baskets slippery, I take aim with my right tame fist and fire two healing flying fists. The healing magic bullets are released with the sound of popping air, and the Aqua Frog is knocked down into the river.

"Okay, let's just knock them all into the river for now..."

"I don't know if this is really a new thing, but are you really a healing magician?"

"Mine is like a new form of healing wizard. ......

I move to Aruk's group, checking that Nair, who has turned into an owl, has flown to my shoulder, while I'm saying excuses that even I find distressing.

"Leona, Alc. What do you think?"

"...... I'm beginning to think that Usato is pioneering a new kind of magic.

"It's great to see it again. ......Yes, it really is."

Leona replied to Nea's words with a somewhat distant look, while Aruk-san was usually complimenting her. However, her expression immediately changed and she pointed her spear, which was different from a brave man's weapon, at the aquafrog.

"It seems that this has become the Aqua Frog's territory because the ship didn't pass by. ...... I didn't think he would come up to this ship. ......"

What kind of demons are these?

They're not very good fighters on their own. They have sharp claws, poison secreted from their backs, and tongues that you must be careful not to catch. The problem is that there are so many of them.

As far as the eye can see, there are more than a dozen aquafrogs bobbing around on the boat, wreaking havoc.

Normally, this would be a frightening sight in more ways than one, but it doesn't matter to us now.

"-With you guys, I'm sure it won't be a problem."

"Yes."

Leona-san generates ice magic in her hand, and Aruk-san makes his new sword glow red.

Only I hold my fist without magic.

It's too late to think about it at a time like this. ...... I've never fought a battle like a magician before.

I've never fought a wizard-like battle.

The first thing I learned when I fought Aquafrog was that it is dangerous to touch it with bare hands.

I didn't want to touch it because of its slimy appearance, but even without that, the poison covering its body surface is dangerous.

I can heal the poison quickly with my healing magic, but there is no need to waste my magic power, so I decided to fight off the Aqua Frog safely.

"Geez!"

"Too slow!"

"Geez!"

He grabs the tongue that sticks out like a spear with his basket hand and throws it out of the ship after having Nair cast a binding spell on it.

No way!　I feel a little sympathy for Aquafrog, who falls into the water with a look on his face, and turn around to see the individual that jumped at me from behind.

"I've already noticed!　Healing magic bursts palm!"

What?

Wow. ......

Aquafrog is blown overboard by the bursting palm.

Anyone can tell when it comes up behind you with a flapping sound.

"I knew it! I can't take on a normal demon anymore... I know it can't be helped, after all we've been fighting them, but ...... you really don't seem like a human being."

"There's a frog with his mouth open right now, do you want me to throw him in?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!　I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't grab me by the eagle and pull me!

He exhales a sigh as Nair claws tightly against his cloak and fires a healing finger shot from his right basket hand into the wide-mouthed aquafrog using a finger gun.

The healing finger shot with the basket hand is released from the finger in the same principle as the healing flying fist.

They are much less powerful and have a range of less than three meters, but they are much faster than healing magic bullets. The aquafrog that was hit in the oral cavity writhed in confusion, then lost its balance and fell into the river.

"Well, I guess that takes care of most of the problems. Are Aruk-san and Leona-san OK?

I drop all the aquafrogs off the boat, and see the two of them probably dealing with the situation elsewhere.

Mr. Aruku was fighting off the aquafrogs with his flaming sword in a familiar manner, and there were no scorch marks or even dead aquafrogs around him.

"That's great of you, Mr. Aruku! I guess we don't need to join him now. Leona, please visit ......."

Most of the aquafrogs had been killed on Leona's side.

Using ice magic and a spear, which she had not shown in the battle with Mr. Karon, she had been toying with the aquafrogs and knocking them off the ship in a fluid motion.

The variety of his techniques, such as freezing the floor or remotely manipulating magic bullets, are still impressive even after repeated viewings.

"Usato-dono, all the demons that came up to the ship have been eliminated.

"It seems so. Well, I'm glad it wasn't a strong monster. I don't want you to encounter powerful demons on your way home.

No, I really hope not.

It makes me feel hopeless that I can't go home normally with the Kingdom of Lingle in sight.

After I had defeated all the aquafrogs, I had a conversation with Aruk-san, who had put away his sword, and I noticed that Leona-san was still clutching her spear and had a grim expression on her face.

"Mister Leona, is there still something lurking?"

"No, I don't know yet."

Leona answers vaguely to Aruk's words.

"...... Aqua frogs are demons that act in packs. Among them, there should be Mother Frog, the boss of Aqua Frog, ...... but I was wondering why she hasn't appeared yet."

I see, so that's why they were still on the alert.

But is Mother Frog the parent of Aqua Frog?

"There are two possibilities. One is that Mother Frog is already dead. The other is that ...... she is trying to attack us when she is tired of hitting us with her child, the aquafrog."

"...... In case you're wondering, how is that mother frog different from a regular aquafrog?"

"It's--"

Just as Leona was about to continue, the surface of the water in front of the ship exploded with great force, sending a huge object the size of a light car flying high into the air.

A purple frog, incomparably larger than the aquafrog.

Leona, with a somewhat distant look in her eyes, pointed at the purple frog.

"Yeah, well, ...... it's about the size of that one."

"No, no, no!　If that thing falls on our boat, we're going to sink!

Nair is right, I don't think the ship could withstand the weight of that thing. I mean, how high are they jumping?

They're not trying to board the ship, they're trying to destroy it!　This!

"Usato, Mister Aruk!　We'll repel them with maximum firepower!

Yes, sir!

I'm a healing magician!

Leona is poised to throw a spear filled with ice magic, and Alc is holding a flaming sword with an even brighter glow.

We can't afford to hesitate any longer.

"Oh, I'll have to use it!

She puts the maximum amount of magic power into her cage, and moves into the position for the Healing Renshuken.

I have to admit that it might be overkill, but if we fall onto the ship, we're finished.

He tries to leap, keeping his eyes on Mother Frog, who is falling toward him.

"---,wait!　Something is coming from the side!

What?

Leona's voice made us hold our ground, and at that moment, a crescent-shaped magical blade emitting a dazzling electric shock hit Mother Frog from a different direction from ours.

The crescent-shaped blade blew away Mother Frog's huge body, and at the same time, scorched it with an electric shock.

"What?

"This electric shock is ...... no way!"

Mother Frog falls a short distance away from the ship, making a big splash.

I ignored the water that was being spun up and rained down on the boat, and looked in the direction from which the magic blade flew.

Ahead of me, I saw the reflection of a dark-haired girl with a sword gushing out lightning.

When she saw me, she waved at me with a big smile on her face.

"Inukami-senpai!"

Inukami-senpai, one of my best friends whom I promised to reunite with.

It was unexpected that I would meet her again before I arrived at Lingle Kingdom, but it was still a joyous occasion for me.