Welcome back party

Thankfully, no bandits on the trip this time. Leo, Zen, Cor, and Sophia were in front of the entrance to the Forest of Spirit. Leo was never one to venture into nature back on Earth so the idea of hiking just sounded exhausting. This was on him though, he just had to insist that they take Cor back right away. It wasn’t as though Cor’s beast clan hated humans, it was just that the time that they allowed Merchants to enter the forest was not for a few days. If they had timed this better they could have hitched a ride with them.

“Ah! This way!” Cor exclaimed excited as she grabbed Zen’s hand dragging her into the forest. Sophia giggled while an already tired Leo followed the two.

Well, true to its name, for the most part, it was a forest. A heavily dense forest that was pristine and very green and felt alive. They were following a creek that had fish flourishing in it. Despite teaming with wildlife there where no signs of monsters. Leo asked about that, and wondered if Spirit-Born monsters were the caused for the name. That only earned him a laugh from Sophia and Cor.

Cor would explain it that the name comes from the “Big Wolf” that watches over the forest. Sophia would clarify that the Wolf beast clan follow he guidance of an ancient wolf spirit that lives and protects this forest. That there are several places in the world of Azaladan that are actually protected by animal spirits. While some live on their own, there are times when people settle near one of the spirits if they are allowed.

Leo was amazed at this world. To be able to see your faith real and even true confirmation of Nature’s spirit. He then shook the invading thought of his own world to not step into questions he rather not answer.

It took them nearly a full day but they managed to find a what appeared to be a large wooden gate.

“We’re here!” Cor said pointing to the gate.

“Finally….” Leo exhaled as he took a seat where he was at.

“Pat pat.” Zen said patting his back.

Sophia giggled, “Are you sure you’re really a C-rank adventurer?”

“Give me a break…” He said trying to relax his feet, “You were there when it was measured.” Getting up he resigned himself to her ridicule as her form of payback for seeing her motion sick. they got closer to the gate when it happened.

[!]

The system screen sprang in front of Leo catching him off gaurd for a split second. Then reflexively of someone else, he pulled out his sword and turned.

*CLANG*

His feet hugged into the ground as his blade caught the blow of a greatsword nearly as tall as him.

ALIESTER’S STRENGTH

ALIESTER’S WEAPON MASTERY

Repositioning himself, he held his grown as he tried to look at his assailant. There staring back at him with a beastial rage was a long and wild silver haired female demi-human. Her fit frame did not do justice to her colossal straight she possessed. She was in some what Leo could only assumed was tribal attire.

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!” The wolf girl roared.

Zen then quickly jumped to strike the attacker. Sensing the attack coming the wolf girl dropped down low realizing her blade and tackled Leo. Thinking quick Leo attempted to change their positions and tried to use her momentum against her to pin her. Using his enhance strength he was able to put her on her back. However, since he didn’t pin her correctly in the instant of the landing she threw him off.

After a tumble he got back up expecting her to rush him. Zen instead distracted her with another fast movement as she went for another slash. The wolf girl barely dodge as a single cut appeared on her cheek.

“OK Time out here!” Leo desperately called

Instead of listening the wolf girl crouched low on all fours and then launched herself at him again. Despite Zen being a threat she apparently saw Leo as a distraction.

ALICIA’S GRAVITY BIND

Calling upon the gravity spell again he brought her down to the ground. Now… if only she stayed down.

“Damn Mage!” Next thing she did was bite her hand. Leo questioned it, but saw the effects. After the blood began to pour, red markings started to appear on her hand and face. Then she started to move in the spell.

“Shit!” Leo called as his trump card was neutralized.

Before she could strike Cor finally called out, “Wait BIG SISTER!”

Inches before a clawed hand reached him, the wolf girl stopped. She turned to Cor, “Sis, what do you mean? I have ‘em.”

Leo knew that she stopped her attack, but that didn’t mean the fight was done. Even Zen was still in a stance. Whatever the wolf girl did just now, it is making her so confidant that she no longer needs to take the fight seriously. Even a battle novice like Leo knew that much.

“But they are not the one’s who took me!”

“Oh,” She then looked over the two of them and back to Sophia and Cor, “No kidding. Their adventurers too right?”

Cor nodded, “Uh-huh.” Sophia next to Cor also sighed with relief.

“Neat,” She then closed her fist, “Pucker up!”

“What the hell!?” Leo then instinctively dodged as she let off a punch to where his head was, “We just said we are not your enemies!”

“I know.” The wolf girl face was now less angry and more mischievous, “I just want to see how tough you two are.”

“Wait!” Sophia called out in a attempt to stop the brawl. However the wolf girl didn’t let up and resumed the fight. With a hard and fast kick Leo got sent flying into a tree. Zen then struck again but found the wolf girl’s skin tougher now with the marks. The wolf girl was now blocking with her arms as Zen began to do a series of quick slashes and jumping around.

Leo, who is getting really tired of being kicked away, stands back up. He then called his system to search through his skills. If magic wasn’t going to work anymore and her skin was tougher, what did he have? He had the leap skill to close distance, but what could he do? “Wait… Aliester what the hell is your training man?” Satisfied with what he saw in his quick search he then called for Zen, “Look out!”

“Got it!”

ALIESTER’S LEAP

Using the tree as his springboard Leo launched himself at the wolf girl. She didn’t even register him until Zen sped out of her sight to allow Leo to close in. The shock on her face confirmed that he shouldn’t be moving in this fast. tackling her in a similar vein that she had done earlier Leo wrapped his arms around her.

“Here we go.”

ALIESTER’S PILE DRIVER

In a swift fluid motion combine with the strength he was already channeling he performed a flawless pile driver by flipping her into position and used another leap to get more air.

He then scrambled away regrouping with Zen. It seems this isekai world with mana infused strength allowed for one to bury the heads of their opponents.

After mumbling in the grown the wolf girl got up and gasped. She then looked at them with a wild smile on her face, “That was awesome! My turn!” She then got up and began to channel some kind of energy.

“Come on, we’re not done?” Leo asked completely tired of the this.

“STAND DOWN LUPA!”

A voice bellowed feeling as though it was shaking the entire forest. Then the big wooden gates opened revealing an older wolf man and a group with him. “How many times have I told you not to bother our guests.”