The next day, Varen and Gwen were very excited about the C Rank mission we were going to take on.

  Not only because of the money we would earn, a total of 2 silver coins, but because of the power of the monsters we would face.

  Unlike normal animals or animals slightly corroded by Mana, we would now face real “monsters.”

  And I called them “monsters” because of my curiosity to know if these creatures really are monsters.

  According to rumors we heard at the guild, there was also a mission to hunt a “monster” with a human body but with black wings and tails similar to those of bats.

  Obviously, this was the mission that someone had issued to try to hunt me down when I was still living in the forest, so I also began to wonder if other monster hunting missions would lead me to sentient beings of other races.

  Aline was very careful in selecting the mission for us, making sure it was a Low C Rank mission, something that wouldn't be too difficult for us, but that had a much better reward than the D Rank missions we normally did.

  “So we're going to hunt our first Kobolds?” Varen asked curiously as he looked again at the mission paper with a drawing of the monster we were hunting.

  The kobolds of this world were exactly as I remembered them from my old world, small, cunning creatures about a meter tall, with slender bodies covered in rough scales that varied in color from greenish gray to muddy brown.

  At least that's how they were described in the mission.

  But when we arrived at the monsters' camp, I noticed even more details about them.

  They had yellow eyes that showed a strange primitive intelligence.

  They moved in packs, fast and clumsy, with pointed ears twitching at the slightest sound and thin tails whipping the air.

  Their smell was a mixture of damp earth and rotten flesh, something that betrayed their presence even before their high-pitched grunts echoed, making them treacherous predators that compensated for their individual weakness with numbers and ambushes.

  Seeing that they had some intelligence made me a little uncomfortable about having to kill them, a discomfort I didn't feel when killing humans, but when I looked closer at their camp and saw human remains scattered around, it changed my perception a little.

  “Varen, Gwen, get ready, I'll try to approach them peacefully to test something, but if they attack, you're free to kill them,” I said in a calm tone.

  Hearing this, they both nodded and prepared for combat.

  Considering how easy it was for me to talk to Varen, even though I knew that the language of this world was not the English I spoke in the other world, I figured I had the ability to speak all languages, so why not try using it with these monsters?

  Stopping hiding my presence, I walked calmly to the entrance of their camp.

  For them to be considered powerful enough to match the reward for a C-Rank mission, their combined strength should at least be equivalent to humans who are experienced knights or adept mages, or Low-Class Devils.

  And from what I observed of them, they really did have individual strengths that almost reached Low-Class Devils, and considering that there were several dozen of them in the camp, these little monsters could really cause trouble for C Rank Adventurers.

  Aline really trusted our strength to let us take on a mission like this.

  But with my strength as a Middle-Class Devil, even if all the Kobolds got together and tried to attack me at once, I could easily destroy them, so I walked with confidence.

  They quickly noticed me and started grunting.

  “Can you understand me?” I asked a little uncertainly.

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  The kobolds tilted their heads in confusion, their yellow eyes flashing with a mixture of curiosity and hunger.

  One of them, with darker scales and a scar crossing his snout, stepped forward, grunting something that sounded like broken words.

  “Human... strong... meat... good!” His voice was harsh, like stones colliding, and the other kobolds echoed with high-pitched squeals, slamming their claws on the ground.

  I stood still, analyzing.

  ‘They understand, they speak a language different from humans, but they don't want to talk. They just sense my power... and want to devour it.’

  Thinking that before I took on this body, my former self also sought out strong creatures to eat and become stronger, it made sense that these monsters would see me the same way.

  But I still raised my hands and tried again. “I don't want to fight, can we talk?”

  The leader growled and pointed his claw at me. “Eat! Power!”

  That was all the other kobolds were waiting for, so they charged forward with their tails whipping and their teeth glistening with saliva.

  My curiosity evaporated; these monsters had nothing but instinct in them, nothing worth my effort.

  “Gwen, Varen, you can kill them.” I said in a cold voice, taking a step back.

  Gwen drew her sword, an excited smile on her face. “Yes, Master!”

  Varen laughed maliciously. “Time for a bloodbath!”

  The kobolds came in a clumsy wave, but Gwen cut the first one down with a clean strike from a flying dagger while Varen muttered something with Devil Whisper, and a kobold stumbled, confused, falling into the mud and leaving itself open to the fireball Varen sent next.

  Although the kobolds were monsters below the power of a Low-Class Devil, their sheer numbers made up for the difference in strength.

  The kobolds continued to advance in disorderly groups, their claws scratching the muddy ground.

  Gwen moved fast, so light she barely touched the ground, twisting her wrist, causing a dagger made of Mana and shadows, shining like black steel, to fly from her palm.

  The weapon dug into the neck of a kobold, which fell with a squeal.

  Another tried to flank her, but Gwen jumped, spinning in the air, and threw two more daggers, hitting the eyes of a second monster.

  Dark blood splattered, mixing with the smell of rot from the camp.

  Varen stayed behind, holding a curved dagger in his left hand, leaving the lute hanging on his back, muttering low words, which caused a wave of mana to make three kobolds hesitate, their yellow eyes glazed over.

  Taking advantage of this, Varen threw his right hand forward, releasing a small fireball.

  The flame exploded in the chest of a kobold, who rolled on the ground, screaming.

  Varen advanced with the dagger, slitting the throat of another who tried to bite him, his movements now much more fluid and natural than when I turned him into a Devil.

  I stood to the side, arms crossed, watching, since even if I fought, I wouldn't be any stronger.

  Meanwhile, Gwen dodged a claw with a side step, cutting the kobold's arm with a new Mana dagger.

  Varen spun between two monsters, stabbing one and burning the other with a flame that appeared out of nowhere.

  But there were too many kobolds, I counted around thirty, and they began to surround them.

  A group of five ran towards Gwen, while another tried to jump on Varen.

  Seeing that Gwen hadn't noticed the new group, I stepped in front of her with a quick step and my hand open.

  A pulse of mana formed a barrier, throwing the five kobolds back and giving her time to breathe.

  “Focus, Gwen,” I said in a calm voice. “Pay attention to your surroundings at all times, our senses are much better than theirs.”

  She nodded, wiping the sweat from her face with determination, and resumed cutting, daggers flying like arrows.

  On the other side, Varen stumbled on a root and a kobold almost sank its claws into him.

  I ran and grabbed the monster by the neck before throwing it against a tree, the impact breaking its scales.

  “Careful, bard, use your advantages,” I said without looking at him.

  Varen laughed, already on his feet. “I'm alive, Master!”

  He spun his dagger, cutting another kobold, and unleashed a burst of fire that set two of them ablaze at once.

  Gwen, now in the center of the camp, spun between the monsters, as fast as a blur, using the speed of a Low-Class Devil to its fullest.

  She formed a larger sword out of mana, cutting three kobolds with one wide swing, blood staining her cape.

  The remaining kobolds, about ten, hesitated, grunting, but did not flee.

  I said nothing and just kept watching and mentally noting the flaws I could see them making to review later.

  Even though I also had no professional combat training, my difference in strength allowed me to see many openings that they were showing that could be corrected.

  Gwen jumped into their midst, her daggers and sword cutting off the kobolds' legs and arms with the strength of a Low-Class Devil, each strike becoming more precise.

  Varen stayed on the edge, throwing small fireballs and stabbing any kobolds that came close, apparently preferring to take a long-range support stance.

  A final monster, the leader with the scar, tried to run, but Gwen threw a dagger, which caught him in the back and he fell without a sound.

  The camp was quiet, only the smell of blood and ash in the air.

  Gwen wiped her sword, panting, but with a smile. “Master, that was... incredible!”

  “My best song yet.” Varen put away his dagger, laughing.

  I looked at the scattered bodies and smiled proudly.

  “You guys are improving fast, I think soon I won't even need to accompany you on missions anymore.” I smiled contentedly. “Let's get the kobolds' proof of valor and go back to get our reward. With the two silver coins, we'll finally be able to have a day of luxury in the city.”

  Hearing about the day of luxury, Varen broke into a big excited smile.

  Gwen didn't care much about the money, I could see that she couldn't stop looking at her [Noble Mark], excited to see how much it had improved in that time.

  XXX Author Note XXX

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