Chapter 4: Magical Beast 2

Kurando is waist deep in snow.

As he tried to crawl away from the slanted surface, Kurando sighs. How many times now has he sigh?

He tries to not apply excessive force to his toes and heel. Although it looks pathetic Kurando freed himself from the snow by using a swimming motion. This was a technique he learned when he lived in a snowy region.

Kurando is still wearing the same clothes that he had on prior to being summoned. Around his neck is a towel. He has on a formal looking button-up work shirt and worn-out boots that have seen many days.

Kurando had covered himself in a coating made from fire spirit magic. Due to the coating, he didn’t have to worry about the radiating cold air penetrating his work clothes. It also prevented the snow from getting inside his clothes.

In several areas along the mountain’s slope, the snow had been brushed aside exposing rocks and bare earth.

On this mountain, in brief intervals, the wind from the snow storms would blow every few minutes. It could freely blow from any direction as the wind would alternate between the right and the left.

For that reason, on the snow covered field there are areas where the snow had been blown away. And, that is why there are areas with exposed rocks & bare earth here and there.

In some areas, the snow was unaffected by the wind and it managed to accumulate itself in between the gaps in the rocky terrain.

From the cave, Kurando had watched the blizzard undergo changes more frequently than an autumn sky. Kurando is unaware of the location of any protruding rocks, frozen soil, and other snow covered surfaces on the mountain. As a result, Kurando would unknowingly and indiscriminately stumble.

However, Kurando isn’t worried about being completely surrounded by snow.

Having originally come from a snowy region Kurando is more resistant to the snow’s cold.

The real problem is what he saw.

Kurando senses he is being watched.

Whenever Kurando looks backwards, he sees that magical beast.

Every time Kurando struggles to move through the snow, the magical beast would look at him with pity. It had been observing Kurando ever since he took his first step out of the cave. Every time he stumbled Kurando sensed that the beast felt pity towards him.

And thus, Kurando began to grow angry.

At first being watched by the beast was stifling, but now he didn’t think so.

Being frustrated Kurando looks over his shoulder; he sees the magical beast staring at him as it lays on the wide ledge.

It is quite a distance away. Kurando could have sworn that he saw the magical beast provocatively waving its tail at him.

Kurando chooses to ignore the magical beast’s provocation. He sits down on a nearby rock to catch his breath. Kurando is viewing the kind of scenery one would see if they are high up in the mountains. He sees tall plants that are not found on Earth.

But, what stood out to him was the scarcity of wind spirits.

At this location, earth spirits and ice spirits are the most abundant. Among the population of spirits located here, there are a few lightning spirits and wind spirits, while there is only a hand full of fire spirits.

The magic textbook explains more about spirits. Earth spirits, water spirits, and wind spirits are the most commonly found in most general locations. In comparison, lightning spirits and fire spirits are less common. The textbook states that the relationship between water spirits and ice spirits is the exception as they are similar. Kurando then understood why there were few wind spirit here.

There are few wind spirits present because this location is up in the mountains. In other word, the air here is thin because of the high elevation.

Kurando has not succumbed to altitude sickness. He is able to breathe the thin air up on the snowy mountain for long durations without fainting. Kurando is able to do all of this without having trained his body.

Because he wasn’t out of breath Kurando considered it.

He remembers a situation similar to this one from the past. And thus, Kurando is confident that he will be able to escape the snow.

Kurando wanted to test something out. He tried jumping in place.

Kurando strikes the surface of the ground.

He tries sprinting.

As Kurando had surmised his physical abilities were enhanced. When he jumped Kurando had flown approximately 2 meters upwards. When he had punched the ground his fist left an indention on the surface. When he tried running Kurando had easily run up the slope.

For a short while, Kurando tilts his head as he thought about what caused the change in his body. He wanted to compare himself to someone else but there wasn’t anyone else around. Kurando then abandons the thought.

He remembered that the mysterious voice had mentioned it would bless them a body that would be able to adapt upon their arrival to the other world. This must be that effect.

The effect had given Kurando’s body the resilience it needed to adapt to the mountain’s high attitude.

This time around Kurando walks more cautiously so he does get stuck in the snow again.

By taking large strides as he walked through the snow; somehow, Kurando will make it back to the cave. His shadow extends across the big slope.

His only achievement was that he didn’t fall down in the snow.

As for food-related things, Kurando did see small animals and wild vegetation. Although, of the wild plants he saw Kurando wasn’t sure which are edible.

Kurando only has enough food to last half a year or less. His future looks bleak.

But this was only the first day he attempted to leave. Kurando re-assures himself.

After much hardship, Kurando finally reached his cave.

He wants to lay down. Kurando attempts to close the cave’s entrance.

Who declared that they had a mutual agreement to not intervene with one another?

Who made the first move? Who decided it?

Kurando couldn’t move a muscle. He wasn’t able to draw the knife from his belt, and he couldn’t say a word. Kurando wasn’t even able to move a finger.

The large build with the white & black spotted pattern is together with Kurando in the cave. The situation is followed by a long silence.

He had wrongly assumed the distance between himself and the beast.

Kurando’s face and the magical beast’s face is side by side.