Ossan Boukensha – 145

Chapter 145 – Level

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“Ajifu! Over there!”
“Got it! No need for support!”

I turn my horse’s neck and go back. The orcs had come with a pincer attack.

At Mujidere, I was able to participate in an escort request towards Deroslo, which meant I was headed in the direction of the sea.
I had thought it would be difficult, since I was solo. But for some reason, the Adventurers of Mujidere had been very cooperative, and I was allowed to join a party. Such a thing had never happened before. I wondered what had changed.

On the road, two swordsmen from the D-rank party, ‘Two-headed Firerat,’ moved ahead to kill the two orcs that appeared. There was no need to worry about them. It was just as I was watching near the carriages of the caravan, that someone called to me.

Another orc had appeared in the back. That was no problem at all. Two-headed Firerat was made up of two swordsmen and two magicians. They focused on attacking. There was no need to waste magic energy supporting them.

By the way…

Personally, as there were ‘levels’ in my status, I thought that ‘experience’ must exist here as well. Though, I realized that it wasn’t something you always received just for killing something. After all, if that were the case, then it would just be the advance guard and warriors who had high levels.
If anything, it was said that priests who used support magic tended to be the highest.

So perhaps it wasn’t about damage, but how much you contributed. Well, only the gods knew the truth about that.

I rushed towards the orc on Mulze’s back. The orc was tall, so even while on horseback, I could reach it with Mine Breaker. There was no need to dismount. As he picked up speed, Mulze’s mane blew in the wind.

Now…

Previously, when I had been using a bastard sword, most of my attacks did not reach the enemy while riding. And so I always had to dismount during combat. However, ever since I switched swords, I was able to fight like this, unless it was a very powerful enemy.
Obviously, this didn’t include crawling insect-type monsters or forest wolves. But goblins and orcs were fine.

Mulze changed direction right in front of the orc. Mulze used to be a war horse. He had experienced battle many times, and was not easily scared. He moved out of the way, just as the orc raised its club.
This caused me to rise in my saddle, and I had to hold on with my knees.

To change the subject once again.

I don’t mean to brag, but I don’t have the greatest skills with riding. I came to this world and learned from Gein in Ruyana village. And after that, there was no more training in particular. I just knew that I was good enough. But never acquired any specific horse skills. Still, I had improved a little. But not good enough where I could quickly shift my weight and balance, while reacting to an enemy’s attacks during combat.
In other words, Mulze was not moving based on my orders. He saw and understood. We were a far way off from being perfectly in sync.

Mulze should have found it difficult to move with me clutching onto him like this, but showed no signs of caring as he rushed past the orc.

“Hyah!”

Now, it was just for me to find the right timing and swing with a charged up Mine Breaker. As the orc’s club swung through the air, my blade slammed into its shoulder and chest, with all the weight of Mulze’s dash behind it. For a second, the impact was heavy against my two hands, but then it became light as it went through.
I loosened my legs and turned Mulze around. The orc was already sprawled on the ground.

Now then…

About experience distribution. Two-handed sword area attack. Mulze’s dexterity that exceeded my horse-riding skills. There was something I could presume based on this. In other words…

“Mulze. You’re the one who is leveling up?”
“Burrrr.”

I petted his neck, and Mulze stomped his hooves proudly. He had been retired once, so he was not young. You could call him an old horse.

And yet, he was faster and stronger years after I bought him. Even though he carried my belongings, and I was wearing heavy armor.
As I could not see his status, I could not be sure. It wasn’t like he was doing any special training. I could not use Reverse Age on anyone else. So leveling up was the only explanation.

“Well done. So, Ajifu. Are you trying to become a knight now?”

Asked Reren, a magician, and the only woman in Two-headed Firerat. I guess it would look like it. Still, it was the perfect opportunity to ask something that I had been wondering about.

“Hey, do you think that horses have levels?”

Surely they do. High abilities meant they would be reliable during combat. And they could also run away when necessary. A good horse was incredibly valuable.

“Levels? While you cannot see it, I’m sure they do. I heard that knights raise them. There was some record about a famous horse’s level.”
“Though, it’s rare to hear of an Adventurer raising their horse’s level. After all, they are likely to get injured if you use them for combat. And they have no resistance to magic.”

So they did have them. After they had finished carving the orcs, Kitoder and Dem, the swordsman and magician, joined us.

“Well, my horse is quite elderly. So I’d like to raise his level if it can go up.”
“I see.”

They said thoughtfully.

Mulze looked enthusiastic about it, and there would be a lot more traveling for us now. Of course, I would want to do it in a way that was not dangerous, or pushing him too far.

“Heey! If you’re finished, then let’s keep going!”

As we talked, the other warrior, Zechis, called to us. I suppose we were taking too long.

“Looks like we’ll be having orc meat tonight.”

Kitoder said as he rubbed his belly. I had not had to carve up an orc in a while, but the aversion I used to have had weakened greatly. It showed how much I had become accustomed to this world.

“Ah.”

The crack of a whip, and the creaking of wheels brought me back. Armed Adventurers protected the caravan on all sides.
This road was not paved, and was all dirt. And so dust rose in the air in our wake

It was something I never would have seen in my old world.

“Ajifu! Do you want to be left behind?”

Reren called after me. Yes. I wasn’t just seeing this sight. I was now in it and part of it.

“I’m coming! Hya!”

I chased after them. Mulze quickly picked up the pace.

Dust rose under Mulze’s hooves. Our cloud mixed with the caravan’s, becoming one.

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