A dull ache accumulated in my body. At some point, I gave up on fighting back and instead focused on defense and evasion.
Due to the wind created by Feed, I was pushed back bit by bit until I reached a dead end. One could ask how there could be a dead end in the air, but there was an unusually tall chimney on the roof of the main building of the Hero Society. It looked like a ship's mast.
This might be an aerial battle, but I can take advantage of this, right? I thought.
I used the chimney as a foothold and canceled the summoning of Salpha. Then, while hanging from the chimney, I infused internal energy into my left hand.
I was going to use the Great Flame Spiral Hand, a technique from the second half of the White Sun Eclipse. Of course, its strength wasn't as high as when I used it in the promotion battle. I didn't have enough time to gather up energy. Nevertheless, that didn't change the fact that it was a high-level technique.
The disadvantage of this technique was that the large preparatory movements and operation of internal energy made it easy for the opponent to notice it was coming.
"Are you seriously planning for that to hit me?" Feed shouted as if he was scolding me.
He also created a large gust of wind while maintaining an appropriate distance. He was confident that he would be able to avoid any technique I used as long as he maintained his current distance.
He wasn't wrong. Even if I used my fastest technique, it would be difficult for it to hit Feed, who was so far away; let alone a big technique like the Great Flame Spiral Hand.
Still, I didn't withdraw or disperse the internal energy that I'd gathered. I just thrust my palm forward.
White Sun Style, 8th Move: Great Flame Spiral Hand.
The air became hot and my surroundings were dyed red. A vortex of flames took shape before forming a massive palm. As expected of a big technique, it moved a bit slowly. But it was as big as a building, so it wasn't easy to avoid.
Feed immediately flew high into the sky and narrowly avoided the Great Flame Spiral Hand.
Immediately after seeing that, I gathered internal energy in the soles of my feet. As I said before, it was hard to hit Feed even with my fastest technique; however, there was a martial art that could allow me to move as fast as Feed for an instant, maybe even faster.
It was a martial art I'd created myself without anyone's advice: Thunder Stomp Footwork.
A jolt surged through my entire body. It was as if lightning had pierced me from the top of my head to my toes. I kicked off from the chimney as if stepping on lightning. Then I narrowed the distance to Feed with an explosive burst.
Feed's eyes never moved from me, as expected of an S-class. He didn't panic or become distracted by the loud attack and sound.
Still, it didn't matter. Feed suddenly lost his balance and staggered.
This man also had to rely on the help of a spirit to move through the air. Unlike me, he sometimes flapped his wings. Still, the spirit's power was indispensable for moving quickly in an instant.
"I guess you didn't know." I grinned as I spoke. "Wind spirits hate hot flames."
Feed's spirit had run away the moment it saw my Great Flame Spiral Hand, leaving Feed full of openings.
"This..."
I slammed my fist into Feed's chest as he laughed in disbelief.
***
"I lost."
"Yes! Hahaha! "
After the battle, we returned to the rooftop. I didn't know how long Maxim had been watching the battle, but now he was laughing cheerfully. I wondered, This guy is definitely S-class, so why does he seem so idle?
"I underestimated your quick thinking again. I didn't expect you to use fire to scare the wind spirit," Feed remarked.
"It isn't a trick I can use twice," I told him.
"In real combat, there is rarely a second chance. You don't have to try and preserve my pride." Feed paused for a moment before laughing.
"Pride, huh?"
"In any case, many people appreciate your swordsmanship, your martial arts, your courage, and even your background, but I think your best weapon is your ability to judge the situation in the moment."
"Um. Calling it my best weapon is a bit much..." It was embarrassing for an S-class hero to praise me so straightforwardly like this.
"Yes." Feed thought for a moment before saying, "If you don't like my oldest daughter, how about my second..."
"That isn't necessary."
Just then, Maxim interrupted. "Feed, it seems like you've really taken a liking to him. Why not take him along on the mission? You've been saying that no one has met the requirements."
"I already made an offer and was rejected."
"Ah. Is that so? What a pity. Have you gathered enough people?"
"We aren't even halfway there yet."
Maxim shrugged. "Well, I suppose so. The northern part of the empire is a land of cold and suffering. Isn't it the place that heroes avoid the most?"
"Maxim." Feed cautioned him in a slightly low voice.
Maxim was surprised. "I'm sorry. I thought you had already shared the content of the commission?"
I interjected, "Wait a minute. Was the A-class commission you mentioned related to the north?"
Feed nodded at me. "That's right."
The northern part of the empire was my next destination. An A-class mission that required at least thirty heroes was taking place in the area where the disaster of the Utgard Concentration Camp would take place in around half a year. Could this be a prelude?
Of course, the north was enormously large. It was said that in the golden age where giants were the most prosperous, there was no shortage of land. There was little land that was usable, but in terms of size alone, it was as big as the System and the other three areas combined. A place so large would naturally be prone to trouble.
However, my gut instinct was telling me that these two events were somehow related.
"Senior. How about we talk about this over a meal?" I asked.
"Are you interested now?" Feed replied.
"For now."
"Okay. Then wash up and go to the cafeteria. I'll explain it there."
"Yes."
I was drenched in sweat from the fight and yesterday's training, so washing up sounded good. Thus, I went back to my room, washed up, and changed my clothes. I was about to head to the cafeteria when something happened.
"Luan!"
"Huh?"
A familiar face stood at the door. The person had a small body and blue hair; she was Mir Giant.
I muttered, "So you're here..."
"That's right! I'm also an official hero now! Uhahat! " Mir placed her hands on her hips and laughed heartily.
Fortunately, the examiners of the Origin seemed to have a discerning eye.
I nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "Yes. Good work. Have you eaten?"
"No? I was going to buy something to eat, but they said I could eat free food if I came here."
"You're surprisingly frugal. I'm on my way to eat as well, so come with me."
"Okay!"
I made my way to the dining hall with Mir. It was set up as a buffet-style cafeteria, so I swept food onto my plate. Mir wouldn't lose to anyone when it came to appetite, so the two of us both piled up mountains of food on our plates.
Then we headed to Feed and Maxim, who were already sitting in the cafeteria. Seriously, does Maxim have nothing to do?
"You came. Who is this girl?"
I answered, "My friend. She's a new hero, and we'll be working together in the same clan in the future."
"Corrupted? Then..."
"She isn't from a lesser race."
"I'm Mir Giant!"
"Speak politely."
"My name is Mir Giant." Mir immediately changed her way of speaking before she started shoving food into her mouth.
Feed said with a slightly troubled expression, "If she is a new hero, isn't she D-class or C-class? I'm afraid that isn't high enough to know the contents of this mission. She needs to be at least B-class."
I told him, "Despite how she looks, her fighting skills are above B-class. She has the blood of the giants."
It wasn't flattery, but rather my honest assessment. Based on Mir's performance in the Otherworld, her prowess easily matched or surpassed most B-class heroes.
"Speaking of which, her surname is Giant? I've never heard of a giant being so small."
"I'm not small," Mir muttered as she ate her food, slightly offended.
Maxim shrugged. "What's wrong, Feed? You said you pick people based on skills. The Golden Fairy acknowledges her talent, so she should be capable."
"Mmm..." Feed seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding. "Okay. Then I'll explain the contents right away. This A-class mission is to uncover the truth behind the serial disappearances of heroes in the snowy regions of the northern part of the empire."
"Heroes have continuously gone missing?" I asked.
A hero was a skilled person who could fulfill their role anywhere. Even if they were only C-class or D-class, they couldn't be ignored due to their skills.
The Badnikers' training camp included training to become an apprentice hero, and the first lessons consisted of survival skills.
Heroes have gone missing one after another? I thought to myself.
Disappearances meant they'd gone missing without any contact. It was strange for a member of the Hero Society to vanish without a trace. I already had an uneasy feeling.
"A considerable number of heroes who went on missions in the north are missing. So far, there are seven who have been confirmed missing. However, since a hero is only considered missing after a month of no contact, that number could be higher. In addition, various branches located in the depths of the northern snowfields have lost contact at some point," Feed explained.
From what I was hearing, this was more serious than I expected. No wonder it was classified as an A-class mission.
I asked cautiously, "So you haven't figured anything out yet?"
"No. After that, a few A-class heroes were dispatched and they learned valuable information. This was caused by the church."
"Just as I thought."
"To be precise, it is related to the Golden Horn faction within the church. That is all we know so far. Their purpose, numbers, and even where they are based are all unknown. The damage they have already done is serious."
"What damage is there other than the disappearances?"
"Several northern tribes have been destroyed. Whether they are alive or dead is unknown. Some villages are filled with only blood and flesh, while in other villages, the people seem to have disappeared while going about their daily lives. The only tribe we have information from is the Frostwolf Tribe, but they were also severely harmed. Thirty percent of their warriors have died, forty percent are missing, and only thirty percent have survived—"
Before he finished speaking, Mir jumped up from her seat. Her half-chewed meat fell out of her mouth.
"What's wrong?" Feed asked.
"Did you just say the Frostwolf Tribe?" Mir exclaimed.
This didn't seem to be the time to tell her to speak respectfully.
Feed saw Mir's extremely serious expression and seemed to realize something. He asked, "Could it be that you are—"
Mir's body trembled as a shaky voice escaped from her lips. "That... That's the name of my tribe."