Chapter 045 ⤞ Run, Darkness, Run!

"Run, run! Run faster, Darkness! Keep going! If you feel like you can't go on, just tell me, and I'll restore your energy!"

At this moment, Darkness was sprinting across a vast, seemingly endless plain.

Meanwhile, the other members of the party lounged in the shade of a large tree. To an uninformed observer, it might appear as if Darkness was being treated unfairly.

In reality, however, she was thoroughly relishing this shameful ordeal.

"This is incredible—!!!"

"Um... isn't it a bit cruel to make Darkness run under the scorching sun?" Megumin whispered, "It's been an hour already. Shouldn't we let her rest?"

"You have a point..." Adam observed the woman panting and dripping with sweat, concluding she must be at her limit. There was no sense in pushing her further, "It's better to take a break. I'll go get her."

With that, he dashed off.

When he returned, a wobbling and exhausted Darkness trailed behind him. In his hand, he clutched a bound red monster — the Princess Runner Lizard.

"Aqua, restore Darkness's energy."

"Yes—!" Aqua bounced over and began casting her Recovery Magic.

At this point, you might be utterly bewildered, struggling to grasp the situation.

It all began when Adam accepted the quest {Subjugate the Colony of Lizard Runners}.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

"Subjugate the Runner Lizard Colony?" Kazuma, new to this world, asked about these unfamiliar monsters.

Aqua explained the details.

"So we're dispersing or subjugating Runner Lizards gathered for breeding, right?"

"Correct."

"But how does this relate to Darkness's training?"

"It's just a suitable quest. Don't overthink it."

"I see. My mistake." Kazuma nodded, satisfied.

No one had further questions.

After a three-to-four-hour run west from the beginner's village, the party reached the Runner Lizards' plains.

"Let's rest for thirty minutes before starting." Adam said, allowing everyone to recover.

During the break, he explained the mission and Darkness's training.

"Darkness, your stamina and endurance are incredible, but your burst power is poor — even worse than an average knight. That's your weakness!" He accurately identified her flaw.

Darkness's Stamina and Endurance were off the charts. She could run for hours in heavy armor, carrying a massive shield and Megumin, without losing breath.

However, her explosive power was weak. This explained why she failed to save Megumin in time when the Beginner's Bane attacked.

Adam devised a special training method: they'd tether a Runner Lizard to a tree with a rope, limiting its movement. The desperate creature would dash frantically, providing the perfect training opportunity.

Darkness's task was to intercept the Runner Lizard before the rope went taut, halt its escape, and subdue it. The rope was short, and the Runner Lizard was swift. To catch it, Darkness needed an incredibly powerful burst of speed, accelerating faster than the creature.

This training would significantly improve her explosive power.

"Darkness, do you understand what I've explained?"

"Yes! Don't hold back in training me. My body is extremely resilient!" Uncharacteristically, she didn't make any perverted comments, instead seriously accepting this special training. Clearly, she couldn't forget her failure to save Megumin in time before.

Just then, the Runner Lizards dashed by in front of them.

"Everyone, prepare for action!"

Seeing that the group had rested enough, Adam initiated the subjugation mission.

"Aqua, use your magic to lure the Runner Lizard colony. I'll capture the Runner Lizard Princess. Satou, climb the tree and cover me. Megumin, use your Explosion Magic to wipe out all the other monsters at once. Darkness, protect Megumin and ensure she casts her magic successfully!"

"Understood!" x4

"Now then—let's go!"

With the command given, Aqua raised her right hand and cast her spell.

◈ Force Fire ◈

As her magic ascended into the sky, the Runner Lizards — seemingly provoked — charged angrily towards the party's location. The monster horde's swift pace kicked up a considerable amount of dust and wind.

"Stick to the plan!" Adam shouted his final instruction before rushing forward.

◈ Thunder Breathing, First Form ⫸ Thunderclap and Flash ◈

He charged into the monster horde and, using his brute strength, forcibly snatched the princess running at the front.

The speed of〚Thunderclap and Flash〛was astonishing. Before the Runner Lizards could even react, Adam had whisked away their princess!

After a brief moment of shock, the lizards frantically changed direction, intent on reclaiming their leader. But Adam's speed was far too great. The gap between him and the lizards widened until there was enough space for an 〘Explosion Magic〙...

"Megumin! Now, Explosion Magic!"

"Leave it to me!" Megumin, who had been eagerly waiting, raised her staff and unleashed her magic towards the Runner Lizard colony.

◈ Explosion ◈

BOOOOM!!!

A massive explosion erupted amidst the monster horde, instantly vaporizing all creatures within range.

True World Annihilation!〘Explosion Magic〙was terrifyingly powerful!

Returning with the "princess", Adam tied a sturdy rope around its neck and tethered it to a large tree, allowing Darkness to begin her self-directed training.

Darkness approached the task with intense focus, gradually becoming so engrossed that she started to enjoy herself.

'The mind of a masochist works in mysterious ways.'

✧✧✧

T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!

For just $1 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!

That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)

https://www.patreon.com/mrblackwing