chapter 22

As we walked towards our destination, Serulis asked,

“Mister Locke. What kind of monster uses illusions?”

“I’m not sure. It’s not something you hear of often.”

“Perhaps something like a Nue?”

“Nues are mythological beasts. I don’t know if they even exist.”

“Really?”

Serulis tilted her head.

Nues were monsters that were featured in old stories.

They could control lightning and used strange illusions to scare the people of the royal capital.

It was part of the legend of a Hero who lived hundreds of years ago.

“Its face is supposed to be like a monkey or cat and it has the body of a tiger or raccoon or even a chicken. There are too many mysteries since the story got passed down.”

“So if it really is a Nue, it can be captured alive and sent to the researchers…”

“They would like that, I’m sure.”

“Alright!”

Serulis was excited. But I did not think that it was a Nue.

It seemed far more likely that it was a human illusionist.

“The guild should have added that it was likely a Nue on the notice.”

“Perhaps they don’t think it is a Nue.”

“Do you think so?”

It was more likely that they would think the villagers were confused.

A decent guild worker would have thought so, anyway.

“We’re near the place where it was first seen.”

“That’s right.”

“I wonder if it’ll come out?”

Serulis was having fun with this. I was a little worried that she wasn’t taking it seriously enough.

Maybe I should ask her.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“I’m fine. I’m just really motivated.”

“I see. That’s fine then.”

After continuing a little further,

“GOAAAAAAAAAA!!”

An enormous roar echoed.

And then, out of nowhere, a giant dragon suddenly appeared.

As far as its size, it was as large as an elder dragon.

“Th-there it is!”

Serulis unsheathed her sword.

I looked at it calmly. I didn’t feel the same sense of overwhelming power that was typical in real dragons.

It was an illusion. However, it was a very good one.

Everything else about it was perfect.

Serulis was shaking at the knees. It seemed that she had forgotten that it was not real.

“Serulis. Go get it.”

“Understood!”

Serulis charged.

It was no lie that she was the equivalent of a B Rank. She was very fast. And she was very impressive with the sword.

The dragon’s tail swung in a broad swipe. Serulis jumped to the side and dodged it.

Next were the dragon’s claws. The sharp blow rushed towards her.

“What!”

Serulis blocked it with her sword. It was a good reaction.

One hit, two hits, three hits. She carefully blocked each one, but her stance was slowly breaking.

And then the dragon attacked with its tail once again. Serulis had no choice but to jump in order to avoid it.

And as if it had read her movements, the dragon unleashed its fiery breath onto her.

She wanted to move out of the way, but she was in the air. Serulis had no way of dodging it.

“Gaaaaghhh!”

She was covered in fire and fell heavily to the ground.

She writhed in pain and rolled on the ground.

Her brain was telling her that she had taken damage.

That was how wonderfully precise and expert this illusion was.

“Impressive.”

I said in a loud voice, so the illusionist, who must be close by, could hear.

And then I charged towards the dragon.

The dragon roared once again.

“GRAAAAAA!!”

The dragon’s tail slams towards me, but is erased by my right hand. Then I erase the claws and fangs as well.

As the illusion is constructed by magic, I can erase it with Drain Touch.

However, the tail, claws, and fangs regenerate quickly.

I would have to do something about the core in order to defeat it completely.

I immediately got close to the dragon and put my palm on its forehead. I activated Drain Touch.

I had realized that the forehead was the core.

And like that, I absorb the magic that forms the illusion. In a flash, the fake dragon disappears.

At the same time, I learn how to use illusions as well.

Of course, I already knew how to cast simple illusions.

But I did not have the ability to cast such detailed illusions that felt tangible like this.

It would probably turn out to be very useful.

And then I looked at Serulis who was still rolling on the ground.

“How long are you going to be rolling like that? It was an illusion.”

“Gaaaahhhh…ah? Oh, yes. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

“You know, you will only lose if you try and fight illusions normally?”

“I wish you would have told me that sooner.”

“Well, you would only forget it if you don’t experience it at least once.”

“Now that you mention it, maybe you are right.”

But Serulis looked a little annoyed.

“Serulis. Is this your first time seeing an illusion?”

“Yes. It is.”

“Didn’t it hurt? Like you had actually been burned?”

“It did hurt. I didn’t know illusions could be so horrible.”

“Usually, illusions do not cause so much pain. But this illusionist must be very skilled.”

Serulis tilted her head and said,

“Mister Locke. You said that I shouldn’t take on illusions as if it were a normal fight…so how should I face them?”

“Find the illusionist and kill it. If you cannot do that, then you should run.”

“Run? I don’t know about that.”

“It’s better than dying.”

“That may be, but…”

I confirmed that Serulis was uninjured, and then I shouted,

“Illusionist. I do not know what your aim is, but why don’t we have a talk?”

There was no reply. Perhaps it was being cautious.

Serulis heard my cry and looked at me with surprise.

“So it’s not a monster?”

“I don’t believe a monster would be able to use magic like this.”

“Re-really?”

And then I called out again.

“Even if we are unable to negotiate, I swear that I will not attack you until the sun sets.”

I said and then threw the Devil King sword far away.

“Ho-how very wasteful!”

“I’ll pick it up again later.”

“In that case, nevermind.”

And then I shouted,

“I know that the damages you have caused are minimal. Perhaps it’s because there is something you want to hide?”

“…”

“We are here on a quest from the Adventurers Guild. If you do not come out, we will be forced to go and investigate what it is that you are hiding.

After saying this, some time passed before the air in the distance seemed to distort faintly.

It looked as if in that area, there was only water instead of air.

It was controlling the refractions of light in order to hide.

And while it was far, it still prevented me from detecting it.

It must have been using presence blocking magic as well.

A brilliant magician.

After a while, a young boy appeared. He looked younger that Serulis and Shia.

he was a slight youth with sharp features.

And he had horns like that of a ram on his head, showing that he was of the demon race.