"Watch out, Jamie! They’re coming!"
"Wh-What is?" Jamie stamred.
A hard, fruit-like object suddenly flew out of the jungle. Simon bent backward, narrowly dodging it. The projectile flew past him and slamd into a tree on the opposite bank, gouging a large chunk out of the trunk with a heavy thud.
"...Wow," Jamie breathed. "If that hits you in the head, it would be dangerous even with a barrier."
"Dodge! They’re not stopping!" Simon yelled.
’Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!’
The projectiles were being thrown by long-ard monsters that resembled monkeys. They pulled the fruit from abdominal pouches and hurled them indiscriminately.
"Whoa." Accustod to martial arts, Simon twisted and turned, evading the barrage. Jamie tried to mimic him but took a few hits before giving up. Instead, she raised her arms, creating defensive magic circles of Jet-Black.
The magic circles were tattered after just a few impacts. As Jamie’s face paled, Simon glanced back at her. "Can you keep this up?"
"S-Simon! In front!"
A large rock jutted out of the rapids ahead, positioned so perfectly it seed designed to smash their raft to pieces. Simon anchored himself to the deck with Jet-Black and extended his right arm. "All of you, co out!"
His subspace opened, and skeletons shot out like lightning. They disassembled mid-air, their bones linking together to form a long pole. Simon grabbed it, braced it against the rock, and pushed with all his might.
With Simon’s strength and the skeletons’ pulling force combined, the raft barely scraped past the rock.
"Amazing!" Jamie exclaid, having moved to his side to shield him. It was a good display of teamwork, but her shield shattered under the next volley of fruit.
"Make a choice, Class President!" Simon shouted, dodging another projectile. "Do we try to hold on like this, or do we do it my way?"
"I’m not part of your usual crew! What ’is’ your way?!"
"Pushing our limits!"
The raft was moving at nearly the sa speed as the monkey monsters chasing them through the trees, and their numbers were swelling by the second.
"Ugh!" Jamie was a prospective Cursology major. Unless she specialized in wide-area curses, she was at a disadvantage here.
"O-Okay! I don’t know what you’re planning, but hurry!"
A smirk played on Simon’s lips as he opened his subspace. "Co out, Deimos."
"What?"
’Splaaash!’
An undead creature made of whale bones erupted from the subspace and plunged into the river.
’That’s the summon that made Simon number one in the third BMAT!’ Jamie recognized the infamous Deimos.
Simon pointed a finger. "Cloud."
A turquoise smoke shot out like a rope, wrapping around the body of Deimos as it swam alongside the raft.
’Delicately...!’
Simon’s fingers moved with the precision of a pianist. The turquoise rope coiled around Deimos, then returned to bind the raft securely before landing in Simon’s hand.
"Excuse , Class President." He sent the tendril of smoke flying toward Jamie, and it began to wrap around her body.
"W-Wait a minute! Why are you tying up?" she shouted, her face flushing.
"I’m securing you to the raft." Simon manipulated the Cloud until Jamie was fastened to the deck. He did the sa to himself, then lowered his posture, lying flat beside her. "Let’s go, Deimos!"
-Kiiiiiiiiii!
Deimos surged forward, pulling the raft at an incredible speed. The jungle blurred past them as they shot through the rapids. In an instant, they overtook the pursuing monkey monsters, leaving them far behind as massive torrents of water raged on either side.
"Faster! Go faster, Deimos!" Simon yelled.
"You’re, you’re, too faaaaaaaaast!" Jamie shrieked, tears welling in her eyes as she desperately called for her mother.
Simon had completely shattered the expected pace of the ‘ga.’ Deimos was moving faster than the monkeys could even erge from the jungle.
’To the right. To the left. Right again.’ Simon remained focused, directing Deimos with his thoughts to effortlessly weave around the rocks in their path. The attacks had stopped completely.
’Straight to the destination in one go!’
He was certain they had covered a huge distance in that single burst. Just then, a new screen appeared.
[New record for objective confird.]
[Additional Objective: Hunt the boss monster.]
’What?’
Simon’s head snapped to the side.
’Thump! Thump! Thump!’
Sothing was keeping pace with them from within the jungle, running on two legs. He couldn’t see it clearly, but every ti the creature moved, trees were uprooted and sent flying into the air.
’An additional objective?’ He knew from the rulebook that these could appear if special conditions were t. Just then, he saw the monster leap from the jungle toward the river.
"Simon! Above you!" Jamie scread.
His head was already tilted upward. ’I can’t block this.’
Without a mont’s hesitation, he severed the Cloud connecting them to the raft, then kicked off with Jet-Black and soared into the air. Jamie, still tethered to him, was pulled into the air with a scream.
’Crash!’
A gorilla-like monster’s fist smashed the raft to pieces, sending fragnts flying in all directions.
’Thud.’
Having narrowly dodged, Simon landed on the riverbank. Jamie followed, stumbling to the ground behind him.
"You’re crazy! Absolutely crazy!" she exclaid, her face a mask of horror. "Now I know what irin and Kamibarez have to put up with!"
"I always make the best choice," Simon replied calmly.
The gorilla monster splashed out of the river and charged, water streaming from its fur. They both quickly assud combat stances.
-Kwoooaaar!
The monster swung its fist.
"Gate Opening!" Simon commanded.
Two tentacle blades shot up from the ground and crossed to et the gorilla’s fist.
’Claaang!’
The blades buckled under the absurd strength of the blow.
"Ugh!" Simon grimaced, feeling the feedback through his connection to the Overlord. At the sa ti, four other blades sliced through the gorilla’s body. Fountains of blood erupted from the wounds, enraging the beast.
"Nice one!" Jamie yelled. She had already climbed a tree and now leaped onto the monster’s back, raking her hands across it as she slid down. Flowers blood wherever her palms touched.
‘Curse of Daisy.’
The effect was superb. The gorilla twisted in agony, scratching at its back.
"As expected of a curse user!" Simon praised.
As Jamie leaped away, the gorilla charged after her. Simon seized the opening, dashing forward and sliding between the monster’s legs as he swung his arm. His fist was wreathed in Jet-Black.
‘Hongfeng Original: Bayonet.’
’Slaaaaaash!’
The Jet-Black blade cleanly severed the gorilla’s Achilles tendon. Its leg gave out, and it collapsed to one knee with a heavy thud.
Letting out a breath, Simon quickly stood, positioning himself protectively in front of Jamie. She stopped running and began preparing another curse.
-Kwoooaaar!
The enraged gorilla monster charged like a tank, dragging its injured leg. Simon lowered his arm and moved next to Jamie.
"Simon?"
"Get down!" He placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her to the ground.
"Wh-What’s wrong? The monster is right in front of—!"
Simon snapped his fingers. "Ocean Current Cannon."
’Kabooooooom!’
A bullet of water shot from the river, slamming into the charging gorilla and pinning it against the rock wall behind them. The cliff face caved in, crushing the monster’s body. It beca a bloody ss, its muscles and skeleton pulverized.
"Wow...!" Jamie’s jaw dropped.
Simon stood, walked over to the groaning gorilla, and ended its suffering with his shortsword.
[Additional Objective Complete]
[Please claim your reward.]
The gorilla’s body dissipated into the air, leaving behind two pairs of glasses.
"Is this the reward?" Simon wondered aloud. They decided to take one pair each. Simon put his on, but nothing seed to change. "I don’t know what kind of artifact this is."
"Let’s just take it for now," Jamie said. "I’m sure it’ll be useful."
They walked back to the stream.
"Aha." Beside the wreckage of their old raft sat a brand-new one, apparently provided after hunting a monster. They boarded it, and Deimos began to pull them once more.
"By the way," Jamie said, crossing her arms. "In the books my mom used to read to , there’s usually a waterfall at the end of rapids like this."
"...You should watch your mouth," Simon warned.
’Whoooooooosh!’
A massive waterfall appeared directly in front of them.
Jamie let out a terrified scream. "Wh-What are you doing?! Make Deimos stop!"
"Wait a minute." Simon pointed ahead. "That’s the exit, right?"
Beyond the waterfall, a portal floated in the air hundreds of ters away. It was clearly the way out.
"D-Don’t tell we have to go in there to finish? It’s in mid-air!"
"Looks like it." It didn’t seem impossible to Simon. He recalled Deimos into his subspace and summoned his skeletons. "Bone Armor."
The skeletons began to attach themselves to his body. He equipped Jamie with a set as well.
"I can help, too," she said, drawing a curse magic circle on both of them. "It’s a curse that increases an enemy’s weight, but I’ve reversed it to make us lighter."
"Okay. When I give the signal, jump using Jet-Black. As high as you can."
"Got it." Jamie nodded, her face tense. The edge of the waterfall was now just feet away.
"Now!"
They both kicked off with a powerful burst of Jet-Black, leaping into the air. The raft plunged over the edge as their bodies soared. The exit portal was right in front of them.
’The distance is a little tricky, but...!’
Simon issued an Absolute Command to the skeletons forming their Bone Armor. The skeletons’ innate ‘pulling’ force gave them an upward lift, allowing them to glide.
"I just used the curse!" Jamie shouted.
Their bodies definitely felt lighter. With arms outstretched, they sailed safely toward the portal.
"We did it!" Simon exclaid with joy.
Jamie winked. "I got a free ride thanks to Special Admission No. 1. Thanks! See you in class tomorrow!"
"You did well, too," Simon replied. "Hope you find your next card quickly."
They passed safely through the gate.
---
’Whoosh!’
When Simon passed through the gate, he found himself back in the sa stream as before, the walls of Kizen visible in the distance.
"That was pretty fun," he mused, pleased as he held the navy blue card. He still had the glasses, too.
He climbed out of the stream and onto dry land. Two hours had already passed. After checking the ti, he put on the glasses again and looked around.
"Huh!"
A gasp escaped his lips.
’...This is amazing.’
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