Rapid Growth

"Mister."

"What, kid?"

"Be careful of the Demon God's Cultists."

"…I know, kid."

"Especially three years from now. From the beginning of that year until April, never leave your daughter's side."

He looked at me as if he couldn't understand.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just take it to heart. Don't regret it later."

"Fine, it's not like it costs me anything…. But did I ever mention I had a daughter…?"

As Ananta kept glancing back, I waved the silver coin I had received toward him.

"I've paid you back, Mister."

Later, Yuri received a letter.

It was a letter sent by Ananta.

The contents were as follows.

-Come collect your change.

In this life, Ananta did not lose his daughter.

***

Right after Ananta disappeared.

I loosened up my body with some light exercises.

Swinging a tree branch like a sword, I used the forest as my training grounds, treating a giant tree as a scarecrow to maneuver around.

"I'm definitely faster than in my previous life."

It was literal Rapid Growth.

In just a few hours, I had gone from a starving orphan to the level of a C-rank Adventurer.

'But it's still not enough.'

At this rate, losing to Thanatos was inevitable.

To prevent the world from turning into hell, I needed to grow ten times faster than in my previous life.

From that day, about a month passed.

I dedicated myself solely to training.

I reduced eating and sleeping, obsessing over becoming stronger immediately.

"Hey, kid. Your big bro's here."

"…Big bro, my ass."

Becoming friends with the Beggar King was another difference from my previous life.

"You have to draw Fighting Spirit up from your dantian."

"It's not Fighting Spirit; it's Aura."

"Back in my day, we called it all Fighting Spirit."

Though he was annoying in many ways, it was true that he helped my growth, so I let him be.

"Isn't it tomorrow that you meet the Young Lady?"

"It's the day after tomorrow, but I need to start moving tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Someone who's supposed to be my subordinate is about to be in danger."

"…Sometimes talking to you feels like dreaming."

And so, the final day of training passed.

"If you miss me, give me a call."

"How would I even know where you are?"

"There are plenty of beggars in the world."

After the Beggar King left, I sat on the first rock I found and assessed my progress.

The results were as follows.

A Mana Heart and two Circles.

The manifestation of intermediate Aura and partial reproduction of the Sword Saint Old Man's techniques.

"It's not even surprising anymore."

In just one month, I had reached a level that would have taken five years in my previous life.

"Thanks to that, the final goal should be easy."

I left the forest and returned to the village.

It was to save Asha Rita, my final goal.

-Captain, will you marry me?

Asha, who had always been unusually forward with me. Her playful voice already seemed to echo in my mind.

"It should be around here."

I arrived at the back alley of the Final Destination Village. The sun had set, and the platinum full moon had risen.

"Is it there?"

To secure a better view, I leaped onto a rooftop.

At the same time, I spotted them.

Behind a building slated for demolition, masked assailants had gathered.

There were five of them.

I approached them cautiously.

As I got closer, I could hear the conversation between the assailants and a girl.

"What's the point of running when you'll get caught anyway?"

"…Get lost."

"Pfft, acting all high and mighty because you're of noble origin, huh? You really don't know how the world works."

Swoosh.

A thick hand of one assailant reached out toward the girl.

"At least your face is pretty. It's a relief. As long as you're pretty, there are people willing to pay a high price. Though, of course, they'll treat you roughly."

The fat man's eyes gleamed with greed.

"Ah, but don't worry. I'll be the first to have you."

The assailant wriggled his hands and reached toward Asha's chest.

"…I'll kill you."

"Yeah, yeah. This big bro will really 'kill' you with pleasure."

Asha's face turned pale.

In her previous life, she was called a monster and slaughtered her enemies, but now, she was just an eleven-year-old girl.

Clench.

I ground my teeth without realizing it.

"Filthy bastards."

I closed the distance to the assailant in an instant.

In my previous life, this would have been impossible, but the quality of my achievements in this life was different.

Reinforcing my legs with Aura, I used pure mana to create an explosion.

Even the explosion was wrapped in mana to muffle the sound. It was a silent yet swift movement, specialized for an assassin.

Just before the enemy could notice.

With a snake-like motion, I tore off the mask and shoved my right hand into his mouth.

"Ah, go ahead."

"What the—!"

"Good."

Chomp.

Grabbing his jaw with my left hand, I yanked it downward and pushed my right hand even deeper.

"You shouldn't have messed with the kids."

"Ugh! H-Hey!"

"From now on, speak nicely."

Crunch, crack!

With a sickening sensation, the assailant's tongue was ripped out.

"Ah, can't talk anymore, can you?"

"Aaaaaahhh!!! Ugh!!"

I snatched the assailant's mask and tossed it away.

The direction wasn't to the side, but upward.

"Good luck surviving."

Approximately 50 meters.

If he lands well, he might live.

…Maybe?

Using the torn-out tongue, I painted a crescent moon on the mask's eye area.

A long red crescent moon piercing through the right eye.

It looked cheap, but for now, it would suffice.

Just as I was admiring the decent result.

"A face I haven't seen before."

The assailants, now in attack formation, slowly closed in, surrounding me from all sides.

"Who sent you?"

Putting the mask back on, I replied.

"Me."

It wasn't a lie.