An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"You filthy 'beep-ups,' if you don't want to be 'beep-ups' in the future, then put all your might into killing monsters! If you dare get distracted by flowers or insects again, I'll 'beep-up' you all! If you understand, then hurry up and hunt monsters! You 'beep-ups!'"

The Hauriya people were stunned by Shi's overly dirty and violent words, and he then shot them without mercy.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Hauriya people scattered like little spiders, running towards the woods. Only the trembling boy at Hajime's feet clung to his thighs tightly.

“Hajime-nii! What the hell is wrong with you!? Why would you do something like this!?”

Hajime glared at the boy, his eyes gleaming with brilliance. He then looked around, confirming that the surroundings were still full of flowers. He then silently fired again, sending petals flying all over the sky. The boy screamed again:

“What the hell is going on?! What are you doing?! Stop it! Hajime-nii!”

"Shut up, you little brat. Listen to me! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll continue to destroy these flowers. No matter how careful you are, no matter how much you cherish them, they will eventually wither. Even if you do nothing, they will die. If you don't want that to happen, go kill some more monsters!"

He continued to shoot at the flowers as he spoke, and the boy could only wail and disappear into the forest. Then, the entire forest was filled with the sound of "beep~" and the screams and roars of the Hauriya people.

This training method is designed to fundamentally transform the Bunnymen, who are not particularly adept at fighting. It prioritizes their spirituality over their combat skills, a method known on Earth as "Hartmann-style education"... (Translator's note: a reference to the educational methods of Sergeant Hartmann in the classic Vietnam War film "The Golden Armor.")

In this way, the mind-demon transformation that was close to brainwashing made the Hauliya tribe run around in the forest for nearly ten days, and finally arrived at the final day of training. On the other side of the forest, another Hauliya tribe member entered the final stage of training.

Hiss! Bang! Dongka! Snap! Snap! Snap! Donggu!

The sea of ​​trees was filled with astonishing sounds of destruction. Several sturdy trees were snapped, and the ground was covered with holes like meteorites had fallen. Some trees were even charred and carbonized, while others were frozen.

These serious injuries to nature were caused by two women, and the destruction continues.

“Scared!!”

A tree, roughly one meter in diameter, was hurled forth with a roar. This halved tree was hurtling toward its target at breakneck speed. Its solid mass and speed endowed the simple tree with immense destructive power, destroying any obstacles in its path as it headed straight for its target.

"—'Scarlet Spear'."

The flaming spears that burned everything to ashes met them head-on. Ignoring their enormous mass, they burned the trees they touched, counteracting the thick trees that had turned into cannonballs, and turned into flying ashes.

“It’s not over yet!”

The lance and the thrown tree created a shockwave, sweeping up a cloud of dust. A running figure appeared on the other side of the cloud, and the next second, a massive tree, like a meteorite, plummeted from the sky, piercing the earth with a resounding boom. The target, stepping back to escape the shockwave's range, prepared to unleash the flaming spear once more.

But the figure leaped out of the mist at high speed and powerfully kicked the thick tree embedded in the ground. The immense power contained in his leg caused the thick tree to explode and scatter instantly, the fragments immediately turning into scattershot and hitting the target.

“Hmm! — ‘City Flame’.”

The wall of fire, known as the city wall, blocked the incoming scattershot, so none of them hit their target, but...

"Succeeded!"

“Hmm!”

By then, the shadow had circled behind him, skillfully concealing his presence at the moment the shotgun blast was released. This was all a trap designed to launch a surprise attack when the dust rose again. The shadowy figure raised the super-heavyweight hammer with great force, sweeping it down with gusts of wind, and brought it down on its target.

“—Wind Wall.”

The hammer's powerful impact caused an explosion upon contact with the ground, shattering rock into a scattering of explosives. However, the target dodged this shocking blow, immediately creating a wind barrier to block the aftermath and swiftly retreating to safety. Then, he mercilessly unleashed magic upon his opponent, whose body had become as stiff as a corpse after performing his ultimate move.

"—'Frozen Coffin'."

“Wa ...

Noticing the magic being cast, the attacker desperately called out to stop it, but how could the target obey? Without hesitation, she cast her spell. Seeing this, the attacker immediately let go of the hammer and tried to escape, but the instantaneous ice magic surged up from her feet... Ultimately, her entire body, save for her head, was frozen.

"It's so cold~ Thaw it out quickly~ Miss Yue~!"

"I won."

Indeed, these two indiscriminately destroying nature are Yue and Shia. Today is the tenth day since they began their training, and the two are treating the mock battle as their final test. As long as Shia can injure Yue, even the slightest scratch, it will be considered a victory and a pass for Shia. But...

“Wuwu~ What’s going on?~ Ah, that! Miss Yue’s cheek! There’s a scar, that’s a scar! I hit you! Ahahaha~ I succeeded! I won!”

There was indeed a tiny scratch on Yue's cheek. Perhaps a piece of stone had broken through Yue's defenses during the final blow? Although it was a tiny scratch, it was there, so Xia won.

Shia, who pointed this out, was overjoyed, her face the only thing she could lift. Though her nose was running slightly from the cold, she still smiled broadly, her bunny ears twitching with joy. It was no wonder, after all, besides graduating from her training through this battle, she had also made a very important promise with Yue.

This agreement was not interesting to Yue, so...

“…I’m not hurt.”

Yue used "Auto-Regeneration" to directly eliminate the scars, then played dumb and turned his head away in anger.

“Why are you like that?! How despicable! You’re definitely injured… No, not now! But you were definitely injured! Hiding it like that is too much! Anyway, it’s about time you dispelled the magic. I’ve been so cold since a while ago… Huh? Why am I starting to feel sleepy…”

Shia, whose nose had been running since a while ago, gradually became dazed, sinking into a state of "I'll die if I fall asleep!" Yue secretly glanced at her, sighed deeply, and dispelled the magic in frustration.

"Huff! Huff! Ugh, it's so cold! I almost became a rabbit and couldn't return to the human world."

Shia sneezed a few cute times, then blew her nose on a nearby leaf. Then, her eyes fixed on Yue with an intense intensity. Yue, receiving this gaze, displayed an expression of utter disgust—a disgust that completely shattered her otherwise expressionless face.

"Ms. Yue, I win."

"………………Um."

"We made a deal, right?"

"…………………Um."

"We agreed that if I beat you once in these ten days... Mr. Hajime and Ms. Yue will take me on a trip, right?"

"……………………Um."

"At least when I ask Mr. Hajime for help, you have to speak up for me, right?"

“…………………………By the way, what are we having for dinner today?”

"Hey! Why are you trying to get away with it all of a sudden? And your method is so amazing! Miss Yue, all you have to do is consume Hajime-san's blood, right? Why worry about food? You have to help me! As long as you're willing to speak up for me, Hajime-san will probably agree!"

Yue looked at the noisy Shia with a deeply depressed expression.

As Shia had said, Yue had indeed made a pact with her. That pact was that if Shia could successfully strike Yue once during the ten-day mock battle, no matter how minor the wound, Yue would agree to Shia's travel with them. Furthermore, if Shia asked Hajime to accompany them, Yue would side with Shia and help convince Hajime.

Shia genuinely wanted to travel with them—partly because she didn't want to be a burden to her family anymore, and partly because she simply wanted to be with Hajime and Yue, and she wanted to get along better with them.

However, she could see that if she asked directly, she would be ruthlessly rejected. This was obvious from Hajime and Yue's attitude so far, so she decided to make a bet in the name of the agreement.

Shia had seen through their relationship, knowing that Shi was accustomed to following Yue's lead, and decided to capture the leader first. After all, Shia was a woman, so she naturally understood Yue's feelings for Shi, after all, she herself held the same feelings for Shi. Conversely, Yue was also well aware of Shi's feelings for Shi, and naturally, she was unwilling to accompany her. This was precisely why Shia had to act first, to convince Yue to accept Shia Hauria's existence.

Shia didn't want to take Hajime away from Yue. She had no such thoughts. Putting aside her feelings for Hajime, Shia truly wanted to be closer to Yue. Perhaps it was because Yue was her only "kindred spirit" in this world. Simply put, she wanted to be Yue's "friend." Being surrounded by the person she loved, and by friends who shared her feelings, was Shia's dream future.

On the other hand, why did Yue make this pact with Shia? After all, it didn't benefit Yue herself at all. Was it perhaps a 20% empathy with Shia? After hearing Shia's words for the first time in the Rasen Canyon, she realized that Shia's circumstances were far more fortunate than her own, sparking mixed emotions. But she couldn't deny that a sense of fellowship still welled up somewhere within her. This subtle sense of companionship made her a little more tolerant of Shia.

The remaining 80% was due to...her dignity as a woman. Yue viewed her agreement with Shia this way—she thought it meant, "If you find me annoying, defeat me with your strength. If that's not possible, agree to let me stay with Hajime-san." This was a gamble on the man she loved, but Shia probably had no such thoughts, right? However, no matter what, Shia was still a rival of her "kind." Her incredible focus and the awe-inspiring determination she displayed during her training only reinforced this sentiment, and Yue couldn't remain silent.

In the end, the agreed-upon showdown ended with Shia's victory.

"...Ah, I understand. I'll keep my promise."

"Really?! I knew it, you can't go back on your word! You must support me sincerely!"

"………………Um."

"I've been feeling a bit concerned since you've been silent for so long... Can I really leave it to you?"

“…I’m so annoyed.”

Reluctantly—really, very reluctantly—Yue acknowledged Shia's victory. Although Shia was somewhat uneasy about Yue's response, she believed that neither Yue nor Hajime would break their promise, so a look of relief and joy still appeared on her face.

Hajime's training of the Hauriya tribe was almost over. Yue, in a very bad mood, and Shia, in a very good mood, walked side by side to where Hajime was.

When Yue and Shia arrived at Hajime's side, he was leaning against a tree with his arms folded, eyes closed. Perhaps noticing their presence, he slowly opened his eyes and took them in. Yue and Shia exuded completely different auras, which made him suspicious. He raised his hand and spoke:

"Oh, are you two done competing?"

Hajime had also heard that the two had made a bet to decide the outcome. It was none other than Hajime who had helped Shia prepare the super-heavyweight hammer. He still vividly remembered Shia earnestly asking for the weapon, saying she wanted to defeat Yue. Since Yue herself hadn't objected, Hajime had no idea what they had witnessed, and even if he asked, she wouldn't tell him. So, figuring it wouldn't be possible to harm Yue, he crafted this hammer.

In truth, Hajime believed that if Yue and Shia fought, Yue would win nine times out of ten. He had already gained complete confidence in Yue's strength while in the Abyss. Regardless of how much magic power Shia could directly manipulate, she, who had lived in peace until now, was a far cry from the Yue who had fought her way out of the Abyss.

But seeing the expressions of the two when they returned, he knew that the result was beyond his expectations, and he couldn't help but feel astonished. Meanwhile, Shia said to the astonished Hajime with a great mood:

"Mr. Hajime! Mr. Hajime! Listen to me! I finally beat Yue-san! I won beautifully! Oh my! I really wish Mr. Hajime could see it with his own eyes! See my gorgeous fighting form! When Yue-san knew she lost, her expression was really sharp, wasn't it!?"

Shia danced with exaggerated gestures, recounting the entire battle. Yue, overly complacent, leaped up and slapped her hard, sending Shia sprawling to the ground with a thud. Was the attack too intense? She lay trembling on the ground, showing no sign of rising.

Hajime chuckled and asked Yue, who snorted and looked even more unhappy:

"So? What was the result?"

He cared more about the content than the outcome. Frankly speaking, no matter which method Shia used, he found it hard to believe that Shia had defeated Yue, but he couldn't deny that he cared about how Yue saw Shia.

Yue made it clear that he didn't want to talk about this matter, but he still answered Hajime's question reluctantly:

“…Her magical aptitude is about the same as Hajime’s.”

"What a waste of such a great talent... So? It's not just that, right? After she forced me to give her that level of hammer..."

"...Well, her physical abilities have been greatly enhanced, to the point where she's at monster level, frankly speaking."

"...Oh? Compared to us?"

Yue's evaluation made Hajime narrow his eyes. Frankly, Yue's evaluation of Shia was much higher than he had expected. Yue, who usually had a blank expression, now had a face full of anguish, as if she had eaten bitter herbs. This expression alone was enough to prove how powerful Shia was. Yue pondered Hajime's question for a moment before meeting his gaze and answering:

"...Probably around 60% of what Hajime has yet to strengthen."

"Really... you're talking about the maximum value, right?"

"Hmm... But if I practice, I might be able to improve further."

"Ohhh~ This guy is definitely monster level."

Hajime understood the extent of Shia's monster from Yue's description, and while he was surprised, he gave Shia an indescribable look.

If Shia's current strength was 60% of her pre-strengthening strength, then if she truly strengthened, her ATK would exceed 6000. Compared to a dedicated hero, this would be roughly one and a half times their power, enough to be considered "monster-level." No wonder she was able to defeat Yue. Seeing Shia rubbing her cheeks, tears welling in her eyes, Hajime found it difficult to imagine.

When Shia noticed that Hajime was looking at her with a half-dumbfounded, half-surprised expression, she quickly jumped up, desperately suppressing her anxiety, and walked towards Hajime with a serious expression.

She straightened her back, brushed her bluish-white hair, and pricked her bunny ears. Now she was about to make the most important request of her life. No... actually, a confession would be more accurate. Her entire body trembled with nervousness, her expression tense, her eyes brimming with unyielding resolve. She took one step forward after another. When she finally reached the doubtful Hajime, she locked gazes with him and confessed her feelings.

"Mr. Hajime, I want to travel with you. Please!"

"I refuse."

“So soon!?”

Shia had never expected that, in this atmosphere, Hajime would reject him without even a hint of regret. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock. Her pupils reflected Hajime's gaze on her, as if he were looking at an apologetic person, his eyes filled with the thought, "What is this guy talking about without any sense?"

Shia felt very indignant—Hajime should at least take her more seriously!

“That’s too much, Hajime-san. I asked you so earnestly, and you’re so reckless…”

"No, who cares what you say? Besides, have you thought about Cam and the others? You don't want me to take everyone away, do you?"

"N-No! I was only talking about myself! I discussed this with Father and the others before I started training. They refused to agree simply because I would be a burden to the entire clan, but... that..."

"That? Which one?"

Shia, for some reason, became coy. She twisted her fingers together, her cheeks flushed, and she glanced up at Hajime. It was so cunning, so cunning—Hajime glared at her as if she were a suspicious person, and Yue, beside her, also leered at Shia with an irritated expression.

“Um… they said that if I really wanted to be with you guys, then it would be fine…”

"What? Why do you want to come? You shouldn't be a burden to the tribe now, right? With your current strength, you should be able to deal with most enemies, right?"

"S-So, um, uh..."

"..."

Shia's patience reached its limit as she continued to dawdle and fail to respond, so Hajime prepared to pull out his Donner. Whether Shia noticed or not, she summoned the courage of a woman who should be strong, raising her voice and following her own admiration—

"I want to stay by Hajime-san's side! I love you so much!"

"……what?"

She said it! And she bit her tongue! This made Shia feel embarrassed. Looking at her, Hajime showed an extremely confused expression, as if he didn't understand what she was saying at all. After a moment, his mind finally turned around and he couldn't help but complain:

"No, no, no, that's weird, isn't it? Where did I plant the flag? It might be a little strange, but I was pretty rough with you... Could it be that you like that?"

Although he thought it was unlikely, after glancing at Shia, he couldn't help but take a step back in disgust, prompting Shia to protest fiercely:

"Who are you calling a pervert?! I'm not interested in that! Anyway, since you know you're being rough with me, you should be a little gentler..."

"No, why should I be gentle with you... Besides, do you really like me? You're just affected by this situation, right?"

Hajime still couldn't believe Shia's feelings for him, suspecting it was the "Suspension Bridge Effect." After all, Hajime's treatment of Shia up to this point had seemed rude to anyone, so it made sense for him to think so. However, Shia still felt a bit irritated by having her feelings doubted. (Editor's note: The theory that when someone is in a dangerous situation, their heart rate increases, and they mistakenly interpret this feeling as arousal, leading to feelings for the other person.)

"I can't say this is completely unrelated to the current situation. After all, you've saved me from near-death experiences so many times, and you share the same constitution as me... I was truly happy when you risked your life to protect us, even if it meant breaking the elders' promise... But regardless of whether or not it's influenced by these circumstances, these feelings are truly there, so there's nothing I can do about it, right? I sometimes wonder why I've fallen for this person. Hajime-san never calls me by my name, and he attacks me instantly at the slightest provocation. He's a complete devil. He gives perfunctory answers, throws me before monsters, and shows me no mercy. He's a complete devil. He refuses to be gentle with me, only willing to protect Yue-san. He's a complete devil... Huh? Why on earth do I like you? Strange~?"

Even Shia was beginning to doubt her own feelings as she spoke. Hajime looked at Shia, who tilted her head, her veins showing. But she was right, so even though he pulled out his Donar, he could only resist the urge to shoot.

"...In short, no matter what you think, I have no intention of taking you away."

"How could this happen! I was just joking, wasn't I? I really like you, so please take me with you!"