Otherworld TRPG Game Master-Chapter 263: Tail Catcher -3

In the past, during a cold winter...

When snow accumulated on the roof, it made ominous creaking sounds, so even in the middle of the night, the siblings living in a small, shabby hut had to climb up a ladder to clear the snow away.

In that hut lived a brother and sister, a pair of close-knit hunters.

A few days ago, the younger sister had started coughing lightly. She picked at a moderately roasted leg of an unknown bird and, after taking a few bites, handed the rest to Bennett.

"Bennett, I'm full. You can eat the rest."

"...Don't lie. Your stomach is still growling."

"I'm not lying."

"Adults can tell. That's a lie. I met kind Uncle Hans and ate a mountain of food outside, so don't worry about me—just eat."

"......"

The young Bennett put on a strict and firm expression, one he had learned from his father. Though Bennett’s father had passed away early, he had left behind many things.

A stern face that concealed fatigue, calloused hands, and a heart that cared deeply for family—these were the virtues of the head of the household.

Seeing this, his sister Berda hesitated, then pulled the plate back toward her and began nibbling earnestly with her small mouth.

Both Bennett and his sister knew the truth.

The Uncle Hans that Bennett always mentioned didn’t exist, and he was, in fact, starving today as well.

Bennett was the one who had to go out hunting again tomorrow, so logically, his nutrition should be prioritized.

If things continued this way, both would starve to death, so if one had to survive, the sister would have to be abandoned.

They both knew this. It was evident in each other's eyes whenever they looked at each other. There was no joy in surviving another day, only a deep sadness directed at one another.

However, only the two of them remained of the Hilton family’s bloodline. If one disappeared, the word "family" would be erased, leaving only a solitary individual. Bennett feared that more than starvation.

He didn’t want to be left alone in this cold and unforgiving world.

When the meager meal, which was short because of its small portion, ended, Berda went to sit next to Bennett. It was a matter of survival. It was a winter cold enough that they had to share warmth just to stay alive.

Berda spoke up.

"Bennett..."

"...Use honorifics. I’m your older brother."

"If I grow up strong enough to catch birds, strong enough to draw a bowstring, will you teach me how to hunt?"

"I was planning to do that anyway. If we hunt together, we can eat until we're full every day."

It would be so wonderful if that could happen, they dreamed in the cold hut.

A few days later, Berda contracted tuberculosis.

Bennett entrusted his sister to the village alchemist, but the alchemist, seeing that Berda would undoubtedly become a beauty, sold her to a slave trader.

When Bennett learned of this too late, he killed the alchemist and began to track down Berda's whereabouts.

And then──

"......"

"Bennett? Are you feeling unwell?"

The Crazy Mage looked at Bennett with his characteristic indifferent and dazed expression. Bennett blinked, shaking off the memories of the past.

Then he instinctively replied,

"No, it's nothing."

"You were spacing out just now... I’d like to give you some slack, but the situation is what it is. Please try to stay focused, even if you’re not feeling well."

What was that just now? It felt as if a long-buried past had suddenly surged up from the depths of a well. Why did that bitterly cold winter day come to mind?

Was his soul sensing fate? Or was it──

Was he waiting for an unfinished reunion?

Bennett rubbed his face dry and steeled his resolve.

Noticing the renewed clarity in Bennett’s eyes, the Crazy Mage began the briefing. He seemed to have detected some signs of danger.

"Based on the relic tracking, the Redflame assassin has stopped moving. When I scanned the area with heat detection magic, I also picked up some strange creatures in the forest. They’re not resting out of exhaustion, so it's probably a counterattack."

"A counterattack, not an escape? Isn’t that strange? That dark sorceress participated in the tournament, so she should know that at least two members of our group are of the Transcendence level."

Sissel Yurensto, Bennett, and although not of the Transcendence level, the Crazy Mage were all participants in the tournament. Even without considering the unknown factor of Selvia, they were an incredibly elite group.

No matter how tricky her Transcendence ability might be, could she really be confident enough to overcome the numerical disadvantage? Enough to prepare for a direct confrontation? That seemed unlikely.

The Redflame puppeteer had been consistently trying to conceal her identity, so it wasn’t likely that she suddenly turned into a battle maniac. The Crazy Mage nodded.

"Yes. I think she might have a hidden plan."

A trump card to turn the unfavorable situation around.

It was impossible to know what sharp dagger lay hidden under her cloak. But the Crazy Mage also had a backup plan.

Rustle.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

The sound of something moving in the bushes filled the air with a sense of foreboding.

"Heat signatures are approaching. Prepare for battle. We’ll push through and fight as we move forward. Our top priority is to kill the target... the girl with white hair. If possible, capture her."

"Understood."

"And as I explained earlier... Bennett, when Selvia activates her Transcendence, you’ll need to protect her. Sir Sissel, feel free to go wild."

"Yes, understood."

The forest was eerily silent.

No birds chirped, no beasts howled; only the rustling of the bushes echoed, heightening the tension.

And just as that tension reached its peak,

"KIEEEAAAH!!"

"GRRRRK, GRRRK!"

With grotesque cries, the monsters came charging out in droves.

They were creatures like a mix between deer and bears, large toads with eight legs, and spiders with human arms instead of legs.

They were monsters created by Faceless's Transcendence ability, Flesh Manipulation.

Their design was deliberately grotesque, intended to evoke horror in those who saw them. Those with less experience would scream and become distracted by the nausea that welled up.

But Sissel and Bennett were seasoned veterans who had seen worse, and Selvia had been trained through the Crazy Mage's tentacle labyrinth, among other things.

No one in their group was startled; they all responded appropriately.

"『Life Extraction』."

Rrrr. The direction of gravity shifted, and Sissel Yurensto disappeared with a burst of speed. When she reappeared, the head of one of the monsters was flying through the air.

Her massive greatsword swung as if cutting through paper. Her quick, heavy strikes had the power to slice through steel. The knight focused on the most threatening monsters on the battlefield.

"Alright, let’s incinerate all these disgusting things... and get on with our journey. 『Flame Angel』, engage!"

Whoosh!

A halo appeared above her head, and Selvia, wrapped in flames, began her bombardment. Even a simple fire arrow spell, when cast by her, was amplified several times in power.

Sssshhh-!

When her spiraling fire arrows pierced through the monsters, they left blackened, charred holes in their wake. The fire mage effectively reduced the number of monsters with her firepower.

The few monsters that managed to get through the steel and fire filter to reach the group...

"Crazy Mage, duck."

"Got it."

Whoosh, slash-!

Bennett’s 『Sword of Protection』 was wielded with precision. Since vowing to protect Tara and Niore, he had adapted his swordsmanship to be more defensive.

He deflected the claws of a deformed ape and then, with a precise thrust, severed its spinal cord. Simple yet efficient movements.

They were literally grinding down the endless waves of monsters.

The Crazy Mage observed their actions and thought. These modified monsters were individually as deadly and powerful as ogres, but to this elite group, they were easy prey.

Why was the Redflame assassin launching such a pointless attack? Was she preparing for an ambush? Or was she trying to exhaust them by drawing out the battle?

Since her power wasn’t one that created something from nothing, even if she had transformed every animal in this forest, there would eventually be a limit. So scattering so many low-quality monsters was a waste.

If she wanted to land a meaningful blow, she should have reduced the number of monsters and focused on quality... A smaller, elite force would have been more effective.

In any case, it seemed she wanted to prolong the battle.

But you should never play the game your opponent wants. The Crazy Mage grinned wickedly.

"Selvia. Since there are so many pests in the forest, how about we give it a good cleansing?"

"...You mean to use 『Radiance』? But the elves or even our allies might get caught up in it. To be honest, I’m not sure I can control it."

Selvia’s Transcendence, Flame Angel, due to its peculiar nature, didn’t harm the Crazy Mage, who was connected to her. But others weren’t exempt.

Bennett was already sweating from the intense heat. If Selvia started unleashing small suns everywhere, neither their allies nor the forest would survive.

The Crazy Mage snapped his fingers.

"I’ve thought that through. I’m a fire mage now, and... thanks to the crow, I’m back in top form."

After all, Transcendence is about using the power of your heart to accomplish something difficult or complex. Whether it's overwhelming firepower, the ability to manipulate gravity, or unbreakable properties.

If you could pour enough mana or use powerful enchantment magic, you could achieve similar feats without Transcendence. It’s just that the difficulty and cost are absurdly high, so no one does it.

Conversely,

"If you’re smart enough, you don’t need Transcendence."

"...Brother, you realize how obnoxious that sounds, right?"

"I’ll show you something fun, Selvia. I’ve polished the theory, so with some diligent practice, you might be able to use it too."

The Crazy Mage closed his eyes and focused.

Fwoosh, fwoosh.

Flames flickered on the ground, tracing the shape of a magic circle in soot. The complex and intricate magic circle symbolized stability, control, and repetition.

It was a fire spell he would no longer use once he returned to the Violet Tower. So, as a parting shot, he wanted to have one last bit of fun with it.

"Burn for love, burn for desire, and even if only ashes remain, I shall burn even those ashes with love."

Rumble, rumble──!

The ground trembled as the head of a massive snake began to rise from the magic circle. Selvia’s eyes widened in surprise. She recognized that form. She knew what it was.

It was a Transcendence ability from the fallen fire mage, Cravellin Render. Even if it rampaged through a wooden structure, it would leave behind only scorch marks, without turning anything to ashes—a mastery of fire control.

And it had been recreated purely through magic.

"『Academic Serpent of Love』."

Sssshhh──!!

The serpent writhed, opening its maw to unleash a silent roar.

A battle of attrition? Go ahead, try it.

The Serpent of Love wastes no power. It absorbs all the excess heat that Selvia carelessly releases and operates on it, acting as a regulator for her overwhelming firepower.

While Cravellin’s Serpent of Love couldn’t handle Selvia’s small suns and exploded, her Flame Angel has the trait of not harming me. That’s why this magic works. Call it symbiosis.

"Sissel, dear sister-in-law! The casting is done, so take it easy. I’ll handle the rest!"

"Understood. I’ll switch to a defensive formation and conserve my strength. But what did you just call me...?"

Even Sissel, who had been taking down the more unique creatures like an assassin, was called back. Then the fire serpent began its task of clearing out the monsters.

With this, they could fight all day without depleting their main forces.

Of course, they had no intention of dragging out the fight.

"Flame Angel Level 1, 『Radiance』!"

Woooooong-!

A small sun, formed by concentrated heat, appeared. It was as if a second sun had risen in the sky, and its radiance was blindingly bright. It looked impressive, but in reality, it was all energy waste.

"『Serpent of Love』, devour it."

Sssshhh-

The Serpent of Love rose up and gently bit the small sun floating in the air. It was a visual reminiscent of an Imoogi biting a Yeouiju.

The light dimmed.

The light and heat that had been illuminating the surroundings suddenly diminished, leaving only a white sphere in the serpent’s maw. The immense heat was divided into several streams, which were then twisted and forged into separate spells.

As the size of the white sphere shrank, dozens, if not hundreds, of flaming spears were crafted in midair.

Then a screen appeared before them, displaying the targets marked by the heat-seeking spell. Since all the animals in the area had been turned into monsters by the Redflame assassin, it actually made things simpler.

If they incinerated every heat source they saw, one of them was bound to be the assassin.

"『Radiance Scattering』."

Swish──!

The flaming spears shot out all at once, scattering flames everywhere.

BOOM-!!

Explosions followed in quick succession. With this level of power, they could easily wipe out the entire forest, but not a single leaf or branch was burned if it wasn’t a target.

And then, faintly, in the distance, they heard a scream.

"──Krr, AAAAAHHH!"

Got you.

"You heard that, right? Let’s go. I want to get a good look at this assassin’s face."

"...What exactly did you just do? None of the mages on the Eastern Front have ever shown such a spell."

"It’s the power of friendship and love. It’s something I’ve been working on pretty hard, don’t you think?"

"Not just pretty hard—"

As we were about to celebrate our successful hunt and move to confirm the identity of the Redflame assassin, I felt something catch on my right foot.

Thinking I had tripped over a tree root, I looked down.

A bony, skeletal hand, cold as ice, was gripping my ankle.