Magic

Magic

Half a day later, Shien and his party arrived at their first destination.

"Is that the Blood Sucking Vine?"

After getting down from the carriage, which was filled with a stifling atmosphere, Shien immediately spotted the target of their journey—the Blood Sucking Vine.

It was a mass of vines growing across the road leading north like a barricade, completely blocking the way.

The vines were a glaring blood-red, growing in thick profusion. Like tangled tree roots, they were tightly intertwined, forming a low, sprawling wall of vegetation.

However, it was hardly something worth admiring.

Shien could clearly see that the vines pulsed and contracted like blood vessels, as though they were transporting something. They also kept writhing, making them look thoroughly disgusting.

If he had seen such a sight when he had first been summoned to this world, Shien felt certain he would already have started vomiting.

"Is that a monster too?"

Shien muttered in distaste.

Beside him, Vivian, who had been leading the carriage over, answered his murmured question.

"No, it isn't a monster. It's merely a plant that grows in places once soaked in large amounts of blood. Though it looks like an intelligent monster, it is actually no different from other plants. The only difference is that it never absorbs water to grow; it only absorbs blood. So, if you are carelessly caught by it, you will never be able to escape. The vines will pierce your skin, drain all the blood from your body, and kill you. To many people, these Blood Sucking Vines pose the same threat as monsters."

Furthermore, Blood Sucking Vines possessed exceptionally strong vitality and resilience. Once they sprouted, they multiplied at tremendous speed, only stopping after absorbing every trace of blood from the soil. Ordinary swords could not even cut through their outer layer, and getting too close risked being entangled and drained. As a result, these Blood Sucking Vines caused considerable trouble in many places.

"It is difficult for ordinary people to remove Blood Sucking Vines. Therefore, whenever a town discovers a large patch growing nearby, the town's authorities either send out troops to clear them or commission Adventurer's Guild adventurers to do so, preventing excessive damage and obstruction."

Vivian explained patiently.

"This patch has grown on the only road leading to the northern town. It must have caused many merchants significant losses and created great inconvenience for travel and trade between the two towns. Let's clear them as quickly as possible."

As she spoke, Vivian turned to Merika.

"No problem, right, Merika?"

Vivian asked.

"N-No problem!"

Merika immediately tightened her grip on her staff, glanced at Shien without drawing attention to it, and then stepped forward.

Seeing that, Shien raised an eyebrow.

He seemed to have guessed how they were about to clear the Blood Sucking Vines.

"It is difficult to clear Blood Sucking Vines with ordinary swords, and we cannot simply approach them either. That would be too dangerous." Seeing Shien's faintly expectant expression, Vivian smiled. "So the best method is to first set a great fire and burn them all away, then slowly dig out the roots buried in the ground to prevent them from growing back."

However, given their tremendous vitality and resilience, an ordinary fire would probably need to burn for a long time.

Unless...

"We use magic to burn away the Blood Sucking Vines all at once."

As those words left Vivian's lips, Merika moved.

"—This is the Breath of the Celestial Wheel—"

Merika raised her staff and chanted a solemn incantation from her alluring red lips.

"—Scarlet fire spirit, transparent truth, let this prayer serve as fuel, and rise here—"

At that moment, the tension and nervousness vanished from Merika's face. Like a fairy of nature herself, she gathered magic around her body and cried out loudly.

"Heaven Fire!"

The crystal embedded at the tip of Merika's raised staff shone brightly.

At once, a wave of heat surged above Merika, transforming into countless flames that poured down upon the Blood Sucking Vines like a curtain of rain.

The flames dyed the surrounding area scarlet, as though the glow of a sunset had been summoned here, while the temperature in the air steadily climbed.

"Boom boom boom boom boom!"

The next second, the endless rain of fire fell among the Blood Sucking Vines, erupting one after another like explosions and completely engulfing the vines in waves of flame.

That expanse of blood-red vines was swallowed by the sea of fire and burned.

"—!"

As if letting out silent screams, every Blood Sucking Vine in the inferno seemed to struggle wildly.

Anyone who saw that scene would surely not believe they were merely plants. Like Shien, they would seriously suspect that they were monsters.

Unfortunately, monsters at least knew to flee or retaliate when faced with mortal danger. Blood Sucking Vines could do neither. They merely thrashed about in the flames, as if making one final struggle.

Before long, under the blaze, the vines turned to charcoal one after another and were burned away completely.

The air was utterly filled with the heat and scorching intensity of the flames.

"So that was magic..."

His entire face illuminated by the firelight, Shien watched the scene and spoke, though it was impossible to tell whether he was moved or simply awed.

Although Shien had seen monsters in the Forest of monsters spew flames and lightning more than once, this was undoubtedly the first time he had seen magic like this.

Shien fixed his gaze on Merika's back as she performed that magnificent display of magic.

Only after every Blood Sucking Vine had been burned away did the fire, like an illusion, gradually die out as Merika withdrew her magic.

The vast patch of Blood Sucking Vines had been reduced to ash, leaving behind only a scorched black ground.

"Phew..."

Only then did Merika seem to relax, lowering her staff.

"You did well."

Vivian stepped forward and offered Merika her praise.

"Powerful magic as always."

Tier gave her calm evaluation as well.

"As expected of an Elf."

Lumya, who was holding onto Tier's arm, looked at Merika with admiration.

In response, Merika merely shook her head.

"I did nothing special. I only used magic as I always do."

Yet as she said so, a smile blossomed on Merika's face.

Clearly, around these companions, Merika did not remain constantly tense and nervous, allowing a little of her original personality to return.

Seeing that, Shien, who had been about to step forward as well, stopped.

Looking at Merika's obviously heartfelt smile, Shien abandoned an idea that had just occurred to him.

"Looks like I can't ask her to teach me magic."

It had to be said that this was a regret.

However...

"Magic, huh?"

Feeling the abundant magic flowing within his body and thinking of the Magic Guidance skill he possessed, Shien felt that he should find an opportunity to learn magic.

Otherwise, his abilities would be going to waste.