An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

As for Aiko, she wanted to go with Hajime and the others no matter what.

There are two reasons.

First, she wanted to ascertain the truth of Hajime's statement from last night. "I was almost killed by a classmate" was a statement Aiko couldn't ignore. Was it really true, not just a misconception on Hajime's part? If so, could Hajime possibly know who it was? To avoid possible misfortune in the future, Aiko sought more details. Since she didn't know if she'd see Hajime and the others again after the search was over, she couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

Another reason is that although Shimizu Yukitoshi's whereabouts are unknown and every possible means have been used to collect intelligence, no news of the discovery of a similar person has been received from nearby towns and villages.

However, the Northern Mountain Range was originally uninhabited, and Aiko realized they hadn't yet gathered any intelligence on that part. Whether it was a mystery or a spontaneous disappearance, no one had expected him to go there, so it was understandable that no intelligence had been gathered there. Therefore, Aiko decided to take this opportunity to personally visit, looking for the target of Hajime and the others' search while also investigating any clues regarding Shimizu.

By the way, Yuka and the others' appearance here was half accidental.

Aiko got up before dawn to wait at the north gate earlier than Hajime. But when she was about to leave the hotel, Yuka, who had been unable to sleep from last night's worrying, noticed a noise in the room and discovered Aiko's actions.

Seeing Aiko dressed in travel clothes and trying to leave the hotel at an inappropriate time, Yuka refused to tolerate her evasion and continued to question her. She eventually learned that Ai was planning to go with Hajime today. Impulsively, she blurted out, "I want to go too! Give me forty seconds to get ready!" and demanded to go along.

Then, Yuka basically used the reasoning that she was part of Ai's guard, so she couldn't go alone, so she woke up the other members and asked them to join the search party.

Also, because she was worried that the knights might get into an argument with Hajime, Aiko left a note asking them to stay behind, but it's unknown whether they would listen...

Aiko approached Hajime and whispered her resolution.

Because the conversation was so sensitive, Aiko leaned closer to avoid being overheard. Hajime noticed that although Aiko's eyes were covered with makeup, a closer look revealed thick dark circles. It must be because she had barely closed her eyes after hearing what Hajime had said.

"Nagumo-kun, as your teacher, I must ask you for your clarification no matter what. Therefore, I won't leave unless you give me time to talk. If you run away, I'll chase you, but that would be very troublesome for you, wouldn't it? It doesn't matter if it takes time to move or rest while searching, but could you please give me a little time? Then, I'll do as Nagumo-kun said and part ways with you in this town for now."

Seeing the gleam of determination in Aiko's eyes, Hajime couldn't help but feel a little regretful. His last words last night had probably been miscalculated. Hajime knew Aiko's ability to act (though often in vain). If he played it safe or ran away, she might actually send the guard knights to search for him.

Hajime turned his gaze away from Aiko and looked up at the sky, which gradually brightened. If he didn't give up the possibility of Will's survival, he shouldn't waste his time arguing. Hajime sighed deeply, convinced himself that this was all his own fault, and turned back to Aiko.

"Alright, I'll allow you to come along. That being said, I've already told the teacher almost everything I need to say..."

"It's okay. I just want to hear it from Nagumo-san's own mouth."

"Oh, come on, teacher, you're so persistent. No matter where you are or what happens, you're still a teacher, right?"

"certainly!"

Hearing Hajime's compromise, Aiko's face lit up with joy, and she puffed out her chest proudly. Seeing that the negotiations seemed to be going smoothly, Yuka and the others also breathed a sigh of relief.

“…Hajime, do you want to take them with you?”

"Yes, this person is a 'teacher' through and through. She won't compromise on anything related to her students. If we leave it alone, it will definitely cause trouble later."

"Oh~ What a good teacher who cares about his students."

Yue and Shia were surprised to see Hajime give in and asked him. When they heard Hajime say that with a wry smile, the way they looked at Aiko changed a little, as if they had a little more respect.

Hajime also had a fond impression of Aiko's insistence on being their "teacher." Even though Hajime had come to believe that people like fellow townspeople and classmates were worthless, he still believed that Aiko was one of the few precious adults worthy of respect.

"But this motorcycle can only seat three people at most, right? What should we do?"

Yuka pointed out the most important fact. Time-wise, matching the horse's speed wasn't an option. Even letting Aiko ride and leaving Yue and Shia behind wasn't an option. Hajime had no choice but to return the Hutifu to the "treasure vault" and retrieve the magic-powered four-wheeled carriage, "Britje."

Its massive, military-style Humvee-like exterior, coupled with its clearly visible external armament, gives it an even more menacing appearance. Its matte black paint job and the massive truck-like body with rear gun mounts give it the appearance, from a distance, of a monster poised to crush everything in its path.

Seeing Hajime making large objects disappear and reappear one after another, Aiko and the others couldn't help but be surprised, even though they realized that he might be using a divine weapon.

Seeing Hajime now, who could imagine him being called 'incompetent' in the past? Hajime said, "Those who can't sit will sit on the shelves," and quickly walked towards the driver's seat. Yuka and the others looked at him with mixed feelings.

Gazing at the mountainous region ahead, Gao Yuan saw the four-wheel drive vehicle, the Brijet, as sturdy as an armored vehicle, driving along the straight road.

While the road wasn't as bumpy as a highway, it was surprisingly comfortable. The Britje's suspension system absorbed most of the impact. And like the Hurricane, it also had a road-leveling function powered by forging. Not only inside the car, but even the boys like Atsushi, perched on the hard metal cargo rack at the rear, felt comfortable.

Incidentally, even though there was a "treasure house," they still added cargo racks to make it a pickup truck. This was because Hajime had a small fantasy of mounting a Gatling gun on the racks and firing while driving. This was his little insistence.

The car had a bench-style seating arrangement, and Hajime was naturally in the driver's seat. Next to him was Aiko, and next to that was Yue. Aiko was sitting next to Hajime to discuss something. Aiko, for her part, didn't want the other students to overhear, so she preferred to sit next to Hajime so it would be more convenient for her to talk.

Originally, Yue's seat next to Hajime was reserved for her, but Yue, having heard Hajime say so, knew what Aiko was going to talk about, so she reluctantly gave up her seat to Aiko. Both Aiko and Yue were petite, so there was still plenty of room.

Conversely, Shia and the others in the back seat felt a bit cramped. Shia was a natural, but Yuka and Taeko were both quite chubby, taking up quite a bit of space. Slender Nana, no longer in her usual flirtatious demeanor, stared at Shia and Yuka's bodies, her lips pouting like a duck, and she touched her own flat chest, feeling only sadness.

However, the one who must be the most uncomfortable is Xia.

Nana stared at Shia's chest, Taeko's eyes were strangely excited, and Shia was sandwiched between them. The two of them had been asking Shia and Hajime's relationship in detail since a while ago. For a high school girl in her prime, an interracial love story in another world is a story that she cannot miss. They asked questions repeatedly with great interest, and Shia answered them one by one in a panic. Yuka, who was sitting by the window, put her hand on the window frame to support her cheek, as if she had no interest in their conversation, but it was obvious that she was listening attentively. Yuka even kept glancing at them, and it seemed that she was also very interested in Hajime and Shia's encounter.

Meanwhile, Hajime and Aiko's conversation was also going well.

After hearing the details of what happened from Hajime, Aiko felt a strong possibility that someone had deliberately cast the magic, but she was reluctant to believe it, which troubled her. When she asked Hajime if he had anyone in mind, he scoffed and replied, "Anyone" was a possibility.

Basically, Hajime guessed that Hiyama was very likely to do that. That guess was not only close to the truth, but it was also the correct answer. However, at this time, Hajime only told Aiko as a possibility.

With this information alone, Aiko couldn't definitively determine the murderer. Even if the killer could be found, how could the mind, twisted by the killing, be restored to its original state? How could the murderer atone for his sins? This was another question that troubled Aiko.

As Aiko moaned and fretted, the rocking of the car and the soft seat gradually lulled her into sleep. Before she knew it, she fell asleep, sliding down the back of the seat and onto Hajime's lap.

Normally, Hajime would have pushed her away, thinking she was in the way. But he couldn't bring himself to treat Aiko roughly. He hesitated, unsure of what to do, and finally decided to let her lie there.

After all, Hajime had a hand in Aiko's sleep deprivation. He'd let her absorb too much information for his own sake, so letting her lie down for a bit was understandable, and Hajime showed a rare tolerance.

"... Hajime is very gentle towards Aiko."

"...Well, since she's taken care of me, this should be fine."

“…Oh~?”

"moon?"

"..."

"Ms. Yue, please don't ignore me."

"...Let me lie down next time."

“…Got it.”

Even with Aiko resting her head on their lap, Hajime and Yue remained lost in their own world. Two high school girls watched them from the backseat with great interest, while another, though looking out the window, seemed subtly concerned. The bunny-eared girl was sullen. Three pairs of eyes, burning with jealousy, were fixed on the window connecting the backseat to the cargo area.

With such a lively scene, it is hard to tell that they are now heading to a dangerous area where unknown abnormalities have occurred.

[Northern mountain range].

The mountains, ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 meters in altitude, stretch endlessly. For some reason, the plants and environments here are so inconsistent, it's an incredible place. Just when I thought I'd see the colors of autumn on the mountains in Japan, the next area is like a forest in midsummer, covered in lush green leaves. Conversely, there are also areas filled with dead trees.

Furthermore, even beyond the usual mountain ranges, there are still more mountains on the other side. Going north, the mountains pile up one after another. We've reached the fourth mountain range so far, and beyond that lies completely unknown territory.

I heard that there was once an adventurer who wanted to know where the mountains led to, so he aimed to cross the fifth mountain range. However, with each mountain he crossed, the monsters that inhabited it became stronger, and due to this peculiarity, he did not succeed.

By the way, among the mountains in the first layer, the one with the highest altitude is the former location of the Holy Church headquarters - [Sacred Mountain].

The place they were visiting this time was located six hundred kilometers east of the Sacred Mountain. The vibrant red and yellow foliage on the trees was a delight to the eyes, and those with knowledge could discern spices and wild vegetables everywhere. It was no wonder that the town of Ur was so bountiful; it truly was a treasure trove of resources.

After they stopped Britje at the foot of the mountain, they spent a long time immersed in the natural art that displayed rich colors.

Some of the female members gasped in admiration, and Aiko, whose face flushed red like the maple leaves before her eyes, had been apologizing until just now, for sleeping soundly on a student's lap. But before the colorful scenery, she seemed to have successfully put her dark past behind her.

Hajime suppressed his urge to slowly admire the scenery, took Blige back to the "treasure chest", and took out something.

It was a bird model about 30 centimeters long, and a ring with a small stone embedded in it. The model was gray, and its head was embedded in crystal.

Hajime slipped the ring onto his finger, then took out four identical models and slowly tossed them into the air. They'd expected the birds to fall to the ground due to gravity, but instead, they floated up, and Aiko and the others exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!"

I saw four birds circling a few times on the spot and then flying towards the mountain.

“Um, that’s…”

Gazing at the bird model flying silently away, Aiko asked on behalf of the others.

Hajime answered, "Unmanned reconnaissance aircraft." In a sense, it was even less out of place in another world than cars and guns.

——Gravity-controlled unmanned reconnaissance aircraft "Ornis".

Hajime explained that the "drone," or bird model, was based on the remote-controlled Golem Knights in the "Raisen Great Labyrinth," and was made using materials extorted from Meredith... no, rather, materials she generously gave him.

Since Hajime lacked aptitude for gravity magic and couldn't use it directly, he used Generation Magic to attach gravity magic to a mineral, creating a "Gravity Stone" that could neutralize gravity and allow it to float in the air. He then inserted the "Sensor Stone," the source of Golem Knight's control, and attached the "Telescopic Stone" to his head.

The so-called "Telescopic Stone" is a mineral used in Golem Knight's eyes. Like the Sensing Stone, when infused with the same magical energy, it can project the scenery reflected on one mineral onto another, even at great distances. It seems Meredith used this to determine their precise location.

Hajime placed the "Far-Seeing Stone" into the Mystic Eye Stone, allowing himself to see the scene reflected by the "Unmanned Reconnaissance Drone" with his Mystic Eye.

However, due to the limited processing power of the human brain, even if the purpose is simply to hover in the sky, only four can be controlled simultaneously. How on earth did Meredith manage to control fifty golems? It is truly incredible.

Basically, since awakening the "Instant Light," Hajime's brainpower has increased. With just one aircraft, Hajime can precisely control it while moving freely. Furthermore, while using the "Instant Light" state, he can precisely control seven aircraft simultaneously, albeit with a time limit.

The search area this time was vast, so even just using Ornis to confirm from above would be useful, which was why Hajime had taken this out.

Looking at Ornis who had already flown away, Aiko and the others were surprised by what they had done, vowing not to do it again, but that was probably an oath that could not be fulfilled.

They began to move forward along the path that Will and the adventurers might have taken.

The monster sightings were reported somewhere slightly above the mountainside, around the sixth or seventh *round. Will and the other adventurers should have already investigated this area—Hajime thought, sending Ornis to that area first while quickly advancing along the mountain path.

After a little over an hour, Hajime and his companions finally reached the sixth stage and stopped for a while. The reason for this was that it was time to thoroughly investigate the area for any traces of anything, and...

"H-H-Have you taken a break... Ahem, h-h-h."

"Hoo-hoo~ Are you okay... Teacher Ai, hoo-hoo~"

"Woohoo, can I take a break now? Hoohoo, is that okay? I want to rest now."

“…Huh~Huh~”

“Ahem, are Nagumo and the others monsters…?”

Aiko and the others were even less energetic than they had imagined and needed to stop and rest.

Of course, Aiko and the others' abilities were several times greater than those of the average person in this world, so they weren't exhausted by the sixth stage. It was just that Hajime and the others were moving so fast that they had to run at full speed, and since they were unfamiliar with the route, by the time they realized what was happening, their energy was completely depleted and they were stumbling.

Aiko was sprawled on the ground, gasping for air. Noboru and Akito lay on their backs, breathing heavily as if they were near death. Nana's face now wore an expression that, as a girl, she rarely allowed others to see.

Surprisingly, Yuka and Taeko did not fall down. They leaned against a nearby tree trunk. Although their expressions were quite painful, they did not look like they were about to fall down. This was probably because their natural duties were to be forwards.

Incidentally, Yuka's vocation is a "thrower," while Taeko's is a "whip wielder." The former possesses a natural talent for throwing knives, darts, and other such techniques; the latter can not only wield a whip, but also possesses a talent for wielding ropes.

Yuka's appearance is somewhat of a delinquent girl, while Taeko's is quite dignified and fashionable. The way Yuka juggles with a throwing knife, while Taeko deftly wields a whip... the students are split evenly between those who find it bizarre and those who find it quite fitting.

Also, while Junshi and Noboru's duties are considered vanguards... we must not accuse them of lacking physical strength. If we point that out, it might deeply traumatize them, and they might never recover.

Seeing Aiko and the others in such a state, Hajime's eyes were filled with a sense of unease. But no matter what, he had to thoroughly investigate the surroundings. So, while resting, he decided to head to the nearby river. Before arriving, Hajime had already grasped the location thanks to the information Ornis had sent back. After sharing this information with Aiko and the others, who were still gasping for breath, he left them behind and headed for the river. It was highly likely that Will and the others had visited the river during their rest period.

Hajime led Yue and Shia off the mountain path and continued through the mountains. As they strolled through the woods, listening to the rustling of fallen leaves, they finally heard the soothing sound of flowing water, and Shia's ears danced with joy.

The river they had arrived at was a bit too large to be called a small stream. Shia, the most skilled scouter, was in charge of searching the area. To be on the safe side, Shi had Ornis also survey the surroundings, but there was no sign of monsters. So, they took a breath, sat on the rocks by the river, and discussed their future search strategy.

On the way, Yue said, "It's just for a while," and took off her shoes, soaking her feet in the river to enjoy. Although this was a very willful act, since Aiko and the others hadn't arrived yet, Hajime turned a blind eye. He was extremely tolerant of Yue, and Shia also followed suit to soak her feet.

Considering the possibility that Will and the others might be moving upstream, Hajime had Ornis fly upstream while watching Yue's bare feet splashing in the water. Shia was also barefoot, but she simply dipped her feet in the water, feeling the impact of the current, which seemed to make her feel a little itchy.

At this time, Aiko and the others finally arrived after adjusting their breathing rhythm. Perhaps they were dissatisfied with Hajime leaving them behind, and their eyes were a little cold.

However, the three boys, upon seeing Yue and Shia barefoot, immediately let out a cry of "Ooooh!!" and excitedly asked, "Is this heaven?" The women's cold gazes pierced them, and the boys trembled in fear. Yue and the others, noticing the gazes of Atsushi and the others, left the river and went ashore.

Aiko and the others sat down by the river, diligently rehydrating. Hajime had been irritated by the way Atsushi and the others had been looking at Yue and the others, so he glared back briefly. They immediately shuddered and looked away. Seeing that scene, Aiko and the others looked at Hajime with warm eyes, especially Nana (whose expression had barely been worthy of a girl). She must have heard Shia say so much in the car, and her expression annoyed Hajime.

"Haha, Nagumo-san really does value Yue-san and Shia-san."

Aiko said with a smile.

Since anything he said would likely elicit a reaction Hajime didn't want to see, he simply shrugged. The next second, Yue responded with action. As if it were a matter of course, she sat on Hajime's lap, shifting her soft hips to find the perfect position.

"……Um."

After she found a satisfactory position, she leaned her whole weight on Shiji, as if this was a proof of trust. Seeing this, Shia seemed to feel lonely and hugged Shiji tightly from behind, and Shiji's back was immediately enveloped by happiness.

Seeing the sudden erotic scene, Aiko and Yuka's cheeks flushed, Nana and Taeko screamed and cheered, and the boys gritted their teeth.

Hajime didn't struggle, but turned his head away, as if embarrassed.

However, Hajime's expression turned serious in the next instant.

"This is……"

"Hmm... did you find anything?"

Hajime seemed to be staring off into the distance, his eyes dazed. Hearing his mumbling, Yue asked him for confirmation. Seeing their expressions, Aiko and the others also blinked, unsure of what was happening.

"Upstream of the river... Is that a shield? And the backpack... It looks new. We think we've found it. Yue, Shia, let's go."

"……Um."

"yes!"

They stood up in unison and prepared to set off.

In truth, Aiko and the others hadn't rested enough, but they had asked Hajime to let them follow, and now that they seemed to have found a clue, they had no choice but to act. They struggled to drag their still-tired bodies, desperately trying to catch up with Hajime and the others, who were climbing upstream again at a furious speed.

At the place where Hajime and the others arrived, just as Hajime had confirmed through Ornis, a small metal round shield and a backpack were scattered on the ground. However, the round shield had been squeezed and twisted, and the backpack's straps had been torn apart.

They looked around carefully and found signs of peeling bark on a nearby tree, about two meters high. It looked like something had struck the tree, causing the peeling. Judging from the height, it wasn't caused by humans.