Compared to Gauss’s ease, she seemed clumsy in the air, like a fledgling that just learned to fly.
"Huh? Huh!!!"
"I did it! Teacher!"
"I’m really flying!"
Rhine cheered, waving her arms and legs in celebration of her successful flight.
At this moment, in the mind of this girl who had never ventured beyond the village gates, some kind of invisible shackle seemed to have shattered with a loud crash.
She soared into the sky, and the village that once was her entire world now appeared exceptionally small.
It wasn’t even the size of a fist.
She stared in disbelief at the ground below, her whole body trembling slightly.
It wasn’t fear, but excitement that was hard to contain.
The vast earth stretched out before her like an expansive painting slowly unfolding, and she watched everything below her voraciously.
Streams transformed into ribbons, endless forests, and in the distance, the rolling green hills, like a giant dragon silently sleeping on the earth.
The noisy wind blew her golden hair, constantly brushing against her fair cheeks.
The world is so open! People can fly this high.
"Magic, isn’t it amazing?" Gauss floated to her side, speaking warmly, and gazed down at the land with her. "This is the meaning of Magic, Rhine."
Letting people see what ordinary people can’t see, reach places ordinary people can’t reach.
This itself is the greatest meaning.
"Yes!" Rhine nodded vigorously, her little face glowing with a healthy blush from excitement.
She turned to look at Gauss, the sunlight casting a beautiful golden light on his profile.
She seemed to have found her life’s goal.
She also wanted to become a powerful Mage like her teacher and travel this beautiful land.
"Teacher, thank you!"
"Keep it up."
Gauss patted her head.
As the Magic Power was almost depleted.
Gauss led her to descend to the ground.
Even when her feet once again touched the solid grass, Rhine still felt a slight disorientation.
As if the recent soaring was just an overly beautiful dream.
But the lingering sense of lightness within her and the recent memories in her brain were all telling her that the incredible experience had truly happened.
Her face flushed, blooming with unprecedented bright and vivid light.
From this moment on, her life was completely different.
The small Goat Village remained her home, but her world had already surpassed the village’s wooden fence, flying towards the vast and boundless new world her teacher had opened for her.
On the fourth day of arriving at Goat Village.
Gauss and his companions gathered with about ten trainees at the village entrance, heading for the mixed forest to the northwest of the village.
Today’s plan was to lead them in real combat to skillfully solidify their monster fighting techniques.
"Lord Gauss, isn’t it too early, it’s only been a few days," the village chief asked worriedly.
Although the village had resisted a few monster invasions before, it was relying on the village’s defenses and population, now actively venturing deep into the forest, the situation was completely different.
"It’s not early, relying solely on practice is always theoretical, why not take advantage of us being here to let them face real blood and steel fights." Gauss was quite adamant in this aspect.
Seeing there was no room for argument in his words, the village chief just nodded.
As the village chief, he actually understood Gauss’s idea, but among that group was his grandson, and as a grandfather, he still couldn’t be completely at ease.
"Rhine, follow Lord Gauss, don’t run around, don’t cause trouble."
A pair of honest and sincere couples stood nervously nearby, holding Rhine’s little hand, repeatedly advising.
Gauss glanced at the woman, who was Rhine’s mother.
She had the same head of shiny golden hair as Rhine.
It seemed her appearance and hair color were inherited from her mother.
To be honest, except for her clothes, he felt she didn’t seem like a rural person.
But after thinking for a while, he figured it was just his imagination.
If they truly had any support, how could they let the child share hardships in this countryside far from the city; as parents, they would surely want to provide better conditions for their child.
Smiling lightly, he nodded to Rhine’s parents.
Then Rhine quickly ran to Gauss’s side and silently took his hand.
The other villagers saw this and showed quite envious expressions.
In the past few days, even the slowest people could feel Gauss’s care for Rhine.
To be valued by such a big figure, many rural people believed that Rhine’s family had already gained great success, and their future prospects were bright.
After saying goodbye to the villagers at the village entrance.
The small team headed toward the forest.
"Pay attention to observe the surroundings during the march, and prevent being surrounded by enemies from behind."
"Jack, pay attention to the monster footprints on the ground and their freshness..."
...
During the march, Gauss and the others did not forget their duties.
Sharing some insights and experiences with the villagers.
Even though Gauss and his team had more ways to scout monsters in advance, they relied on the most basic naked eye observations, analysis, and judgment instead of using them.
After a while.
They arrived in front of a cave, where several kobolds sat idly in the open area at the entrance.
"Pay attention to analyzing claw prints and feces, it shows there are about ten or twenty kobolds here, and there are more inside the cave." Gauss pointed to the scattered traces around the entrance, speaking quietly.
"Kobolds like living in groups, have sensitive noses, but are not very brave. This is a downwind position, that’s why I dared to bring you here."
"Remember one thing, don’t be timid in encounters, creating loud noises and intimidation can often disrupt their formation."
The trained villagers were entering enemy territory for the first time.
Tightly gripping their weapons, they repeatedly nodded in agreement.
A few ordinary pitchforks, iron swords, Wooden Shields, and bows and arrows were all they relied on.
Although after several days of training, these not-so-old teenagers inevitably felt fear and unease at the monster’s lair.
"Alright, discuss with each other, you can get ready."
"We won’t intervene this time; it’s all up to you to handle."
Gauss announced.
Of course, this was a lie.
If the villagers’ lives were truly threatened, he wouldn’t just stand by.
The reason for saying this was just to see what kind of performance they would have under such high-pressure conditions.
"Teacher, should I go?"
Rhine, who was tightly following him, asked softly, holding a dagger.
"No need, just stay with me, watch carefully, and listen carefully."
She might tread the path of a Professional in the future; observing the upcoming battle in advance would be beneficial for her. But real combat wasn’t for now.
Upon hearing this, Rhine nodded earnestly, her heart pounding wildly, unconsciously clutching at Gauss’s sleeve.
Before setting off, the villagers had been trained and rehearsed in advance.
Soon, a young villager acting as a squad leader gestured and began directing his companions.
The fight was about to start.
"Whoosh!"
Several Wooden Arrows shot towards the kobolds on the open ground.
"Missed." Gauss observed quietly from the side, knowing the arrows would miss their targets the moment they left the bowstring.
But considering it was their first real clearing operation, and given the short time for bow training, those older kids did a relatively good job.
Kobolds were startled by the arrows that stuck into the ground nearby, yellow liquid trickling down their legs.
At that moment.
The first group had already pushed forward with shields.
The second group holding pitchforks and iron swords closely followed as the main melee force.
Frightened by the sudden appearance of "well-trained" humans, the kobolds at the entrance scrambled to escape into the cave, intending to summon their companions.
But the villagers hadn’t forgotten Gauss’s earlier advice, they shouted loudly to muster their courage and intimidate the kobolds.
Then, while the kobolds had their backs turned.
They shouted as they used the yet imperfectly mastered [Diagonal Slash].
Though the movements were distorted and not particularly standard, the iron blades still cut into the kobolds’ backs, blood spurting instantaneously.
The others also launched their attacks.
For a moment, relying on their numerical superiority, they massacred the unprepared kobold Scouts.
Seeing this scene, Rhine’s breath caught, and her little face turned pale.
Gauss glanced down at her but did not offer comfort.
Besides witnessing beautiful landscapes, brutal slaughter was also an essential part of adventure.
This is how the world is; beauty and cruelty are often separated by a thin line.