After Leaving the A-Rank Party, I Aim for the Deep Part of the Labyrinth With My Former Students

(Here it comes…!)
As soon as I sensed its presence, I switched GoPro-kun to live streaming mode.
It appeared as though it had been waiting for this moment, stepping out into the open with a slow, deliberate gait.

While I had expected trouble, I hadn’t wanted to be right. Even worse, the reality far exceeded my expectations.
The magical beast before us was massive, its muscular body resembling that of a bear. Its limbs were powerful, and the claws on its forelegs were sharp enough to slice through leather armor with ease.
Its head was oddly horse-like, though its maw bristled with jagged teeth, making it clear this was no herbivore.

“Grrrrrr…”
Its long black mane shook as it fixed its goat-like, horizontally slit pupils on us. It was assessing the situation, watching for any opening—a sign of its intelligence.
“A Zarnag…!”

A beast among beasts.
Encountering a wild Zarnag so close to the city was beyond “unlikely.” It was absurd.
I had thought we might face something like an Owlbear or a Murder Panther. But this… this was bad.

If this were a guild-requested extermination mission, it would be classified as B-rank.
For our party, Clover, it was entirely beyond our capabilities.
“Yuke, what is it?”
“It’s a Zarnag! Normally, you’d find these in the northern wilderness or the depths of dungeons. It’s incredibly strong! We might not stand a chance!”
I had only fought a Zarnag twice before, both times during my days with Thunder Pike.
We had five people, including three A-rank adventurers, and still barely managed. For a novice party like ours, it was far too much to handle.

“Listen! I’ll hold it off while you retreat immediately. The guild should be watching the stream—they’ll issue an emergency extermination request!”
“What about you, Sensei!?”
“I’ll stay and stall it! Silk, you’re the acting leader now. Prioritize the others’ safety!”
Drawing my shortsword, I squared off against the Zarnag, locking eyes with it.
Judging by the faint scars on its hide, it had likely fought adventurers before and was wary of us.

This caution worked in my favor—it meant it wasn’t reckless. But it also knew how to exploit weaknesses.
If anyone had to stay behind, it had to be me, the most experienced in battle.
“No way… I won’t let you!”
With her fiery red hair blowing in the wind, Marina stepped up beside me.
“Marina, what are you doing?!”
“If you can stall it, then I can finish it off. That’s what I’m good at!”

She unsheathed her bastard sword from her back and gripped it with both hands. Behind her, Silk and Rain began casting spells.
“I’ll use the biggest and strongest one to kill it!”
“In the forest, I can handle restraining it. Let’s finish this together, Sensei.”
None of them were listening! Didn’t they understand how dangerous this was?

“That thing’s no joke! You could get seriously hurt!”
“And so could you, Yuke,” Marina shot back, exhaling sharply as a lethal aura emanated from her.
Her focus as a magic swordsman was commendable. Still, I wished she would run.
…But it seemed we were out of time.

“Grrrrraaaagh!”
The Zarnag lowered its body and lunged with terrifying speed.
Marina stepped forward, twisting her body to slash horizontally with her long sword. She met its charge head-on, but the difference in weight and raw strength was overwhelming.

Though she avoided a direct hit, the force knocked her off balance and sent her sprawling.
“Marina!”
The Zarnag immediately turned to pursue her, but vines burst from the ground, ensnaring its limbs and halting its advance.

“I called upon the forest spirit Dryad for help!” Silk declared.
The Zarnag tore through the vines one by one, but the brief delay was all I needed.
“Rozaj folioj, hurlantaj nigraj hundoj, la maro glutanta la sunsubiron, blanka miksaĵo kun nigro, stagno kun helaj koloroj!”

I chanted rapidly, weaving a complex spell circle with precise finger movements.
Even as a Red Mage, this spell required an incantation—it was simply too intricate to cast otherwise.
I didn’t want to reveal this trump card on the stream, but there was no other choice.

“Prismatic Missile!”
From my fingertips, a seven-colored light shot forward like an arrow, striking the Zarnag.
It didn’t pierce or explode. There was no shockwave, just a quiet absorption. Yet, the effect was immediate.

The Zarnag, mid-charge toward Marina, slowed to a halt, its movements becoming sluggish until it came to a complete stop.
“What… what just happened?”
Marina, still on guard, looked at the creature in shock.

Only I, the caster, understood what had occurred. This was our chance.
“Rain!”
“On it!”
At my signal, Rain swung her staff downward.

The clear sky above us darkened, and a bolt of purple lightning descended, striking the Zarnag with a deafening crash.
“Grrrrraaaaaaaah!”
The beast roared in pain but remained standing. Even after my Prismatic Missile and Rain’s lightning spell, it refused to go down.

It was absurdly tough.
But now, we had an opening.
“Marina! Go for the neck!”

I cast Critical Weapon, imbuing her bastard sword with a burst of divine power.
“Leave it to me!”
Without hesitation, Marina activated Magic Sword Infusion, adding her own power to the blade. She charged forward, her movements fluid and precise, and swung her sword in a deadly arc.

With a sharp whistle through the air, her blade cleaved through the Zarnag’s neck.
In the next instant, its horse-like head tumbled to the ground.