The future hero gets kicked out of the party.
In the Vastela Forest at night, there's an adventurer party desperately retreating toward Kukule Fortress.
They're known as the B-rank adventurer party "Crosenar." Led by their "Magic Swordsman" leader, Ryuk, they've been making a name for themselves in recent years, racking up success.
"Ha...ha... What's going on? These guys are tough! Advanced water-element magic, Water Pressure Cannon!"
Ryuk, visibly struggling, fires magic into the dark night, trying to push pressurized water at the magical beasts.
But the magic has no effect and is easily absorbed by the magical beasts. In return, when the magical beasts in the dark cast their magic, it rapidly decays the ground with power equal to A-rank magical beasts.
By Ryuk's side is Carl, a girl with red-rimmed glasses, who is both an "Appraiser and Healing Sorceress."
"These should be C-rank magical beasts, Magic-Eating Serpents, and Magic Boars. It's strange, isn't it?"
"I know! I've taken down Magic-Eating Serpents and Magic Boars countless times. But none of our magic attacks are working. And what on earth is that thing they're casting? Is that really a C-rank magic attack?"
Ryuk pointed towards the black mist surrounding the bodies of two magical beasts, and Carl peered through her glasses to observe the approaching enemies.
"From my analysis, it seems to be a concentration of magical energy," Carl explained. "It far exceeds the amount typically controlled by C-rank magical beasts."
"That black aura doesn't look like anything a magical beast would produce! Whatever you do, don't touch it," Ryuk cautioned.
As Ryuk continued with his magic attacks, the twin mages, Solala and Lulala, also unleashed their magic. However, their faces turned pale as they struggled with depleting their magical energy.
"Solala's magic and Lulala's magic can't even hit the mark!"
"Ryuk, at this rate, they'll catch up to us, and we might not make it!"
Even though the combined magic of Solala and Lulala had been the most potent within Kukule Fortress, their complaints signaled that something was seriously wrong with the two magical beasts pursuing them.
"Perhaps we were too hasty venturing into the nighttime forest. It might be our fate to face danger together. Maybe we should have heeded Jin's warning..."
"No, not yet," Ryuk interrupted Carl's lament.
At the back of the group, a breathless boy proposed a plan.
"Ugh! Haah! Haah! Ryuk, if we head back to the fortress, there are fewer magical beasts that way! Continuing straight ahead is useless. If we follow this beast path, they won't be able to chase us!"
In their group, there were Ryuk, the Magic Swordsman; Carl, the Appraiser and Recovery Magician; Solala and Lulala, the Magic Sorcerers; and Jin, who was currently carrying the luggage as the rearguard.
Jin was only valuable for managing the camp equipment in Crosenar, which wasn't much of a role.
Among them, he was the only one who hadn't shown any significant improvement in abilities, despite coming from the same hometown.
"We've been dealing with accumulated bad debts for years. The luggage may decrease, but we should have enough if we sell it."
"Jin!? Wait, he's—!"
"If you want, Carl, you can take on the role of leader."
"Ugh!"
"That's the deal. Well, it's settled then."
In these times, having an adventurer who couldn't use magic at all was one of the reasons for Crosenar's stagnation.
People were supposed to be able to use magic from the age of five, reaching their peak magical strength at twenty.
Yet Jin never acquired the ability to use magic, no matter how much time passed.
To be honest, he had reached the limit for taking care of him within the party.
But nobody had the right to give orders to Jin.
"A guy who can't use any magic acting all high and mighty! There has to be a simpler way. You better be useful for once, Jin. I don't want to use magic tools for this... Advanced Earth and Water hybrid magic, Muddy Terrain!"
Ryuk combined his water magic with magic-infused earth stones, casting the spell towards the ground while Jin carried his double-weighted baggage.
"R-Ryuk! What are you—?"
Jin was suddenly caught off guard by the muddy ground that appeared and fell face-first into the ground, along with the luggage.
"Solala! Lulala! While the dead weight holds them back, escape through! Forget the magic; it's time to retreat at full speed!"
"Okay!"
"Waaah, I wanna go home now!"
The magical beasts' magic attacks were now solely targeting Jin. He absorbed all the magical pressure to an overwhelming extent.
"...Guess we'll have to buy new equipment again."
With a small sigh, Ryuk, together with Solara and Lulala, who had reunited, continued to sprint straight towards Kukule Fortress.
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