The four members of "The Red Oath" continued to advance through the forest for several more hours.
Their route was a direct trace of the investigation team's planned route, as provided by the Hunter's Guild.
Since the primary objective of this mission was to search for the investigation team, there was no other option.
Well, as the recipients of the mission, they were free to prioritize any aspect, but "The Red Oath" had made a promise.
'That wish... I have heard it clearly!' and so on.
There was no need to keep a forced vow or promise.
Such things could be ignored and laughed off.
However, a promise based on honor must be kept, no matter what.
Even if the chances of survival were extremely low, even if it was just a part of a body or a single item, they would find it and bring it back. That was the firm belief behind that response.
"...They're decreasing."
"Yeah..."
As Mair and Mavis pointed out, the number of monsters targeted for culling had decreased.
What this meant was...
"They're here! 300 meters ahead, 8 of them!"
This meant that the place causing the monsters to move was nearby.
"They're not goblins or orcs. They seem to be humans..."
Mair's report was a bit hesitant, but as a demon, Mair's magical detection might have reacted differently to humans. Reina didn't give it much thought.
"We'll intercept them! Assume they're stronger than us.
We'll counter their ambush with a counter-attack. That's our only chance."
It was a somewhat pessimistic statement, but if half of the stories Reina had heard from her father as a child, whether fairy tales or old tales, were true, their chances of winning were slim.
However, in the forest, they couldn't possibly outmaneuver an opponent who was likely far superior in physical abilities and familiar with the terrain. They would either be ambushed when they were exhausted from running around, or gradually whittled down one by one.
Just knowing that the deeper one went into the forest, the more likely one was to be attacked by demons, and that the cause of the previous victims was the work of demons, was a significant achievement for the investigation mission. The next step would be to face the threat with the appropriate combat force.
The rest was to return alive, which would be a good outcome.
Zaa!
Suddenly, two shadows dropped from the trees.
"...Earth Pillar!"
"Water Spear!"
Bang!
Splat!
Thud
The enemies, who had apparently tried to neutralize the two rear magicians in an instant, descended forcefully from the trees, one of them colliding with the earth pillar Reina had created and falling to the ground. The other was hit by the water spear Polyn had launched and also fell to the ground.
Although it wasn't ice, the water had added to the descent speed, increasing its power.
"Wh... What..."
The four, who had accurately grasped the timing of the enemy's attack thanks to Mair's detailed detection report, were surprised by how easily the enemies were defeated and by the fact that they had resorted to physical combat instead of using their supposed magical prowess.
As they tried to confirm the condition of the enemies lying on the ground:
"Move! Don't move!"
Turning around to the voice from behind, they saw four enemies. The other two were probably hiding.
And the four enemies who had revealed themselves...
Perky cat ears.
Drooping dog ears.
Fox ears, and rabbit ears.
...And fluffy tails.
"Wh... What, beastmen?"
Indeed, they were clearly not demons.
"If you don't resist, we won't harm you. Drop your weapons and behave yourself."
Indeed, if they had intended to kill from the start, they would have used thrown spears or arrows from the trees. They could have also attacked without warning.
This meant they might have only intended to capture.
However, they couldn't just let themselves be captured.
Even if capturing them was the primary goal, it could be for information extraction or as living sacrifices to an evil god, which wouldn't guarantee their safety.
Besides, there was no reason to let themselves be captured.
Now that it was clear they weren't demons, "The Red Oath" felt more at ease.
While the beastmen had superior physical abilities, they were far inferior in magic. So, their plan to neutralize the two magicians first had failed.
They probably still underestimated "The Red Oath," thinking they were just two young girls in the front and two novice magicians in the back. Even after seeing their two companions fall, they might have thought it was just a self-destruct.
"If you don't resist, I won't kill you. Lie down on the ground, face up."
"Wh... What..."
The beastmen were stunned by Reina's words.
It was understandable. After all, it was the most humiliating "complete submission pose" for beastmen, something they couldn't do for a human girl.
Of course, the knowledgeable Reina knew this. It was clearly a provocation.
Taking prisoners here would be troublesome, and they wouldn't submit willingly. So, the easiest method was to bring it to a fight, making it look like they were acting in self-defense.
However, this wasn't just Reina's decision.
It was one of the scenarios they had discussed beforehand.
Of course, they didn't intend to kill. It was a strategy based on careful consideration.
Reina had suddenly become more confident the moment she realized they weren't demons.
"You... You brat, getting cocky..."
The four enemies approached, spouting a line Reina and her team had heard many times before.
Their weapons were not swords but something like machetes, probably not for combat but for moving through the forest.
Mair was definitely stronger than the enemies.
Mavis, with her focused mind, could enter the 'True God Speed Sword' mode without any problem.
Polyn and Reina could use quick-casting spells with reduced power but high speed to gain an advantage in battle. If they had the time, they could use more powerful spells. The first attack was already cast silently in their heads, ready to be triggered.
The two hidden enemies were also likely within Mair's detection range, so there was no problem.
With this in mind, Reina extended her left arm, palm up, and wiggled her middle finger.
This gesture was a clear provocation, inviting them to attack.
There's information that 'Armored Trooper Votoms' will be re-aired on TV Kanagawa from 2300 on July 3rd...
But I probably won't have time to watch it even if I record it. (^^;)