CHAPTER 61: TRIHORN BISON

We got ready after finishing breakfast. The food gave us the energy we needed. We had warm bread and a cup of tea prepared by Yui.

"As both of you told me," William began, "Bob wants to specialize as a vanguard while Alan prefers the backline support role. Normally, we wait until someone’s class is fully revealed before tailoring training. But since you two are... not following the usual rules, we’ll just shape your path right away."

We stood in the middle of a vast plain field. The tree where we had eaten breakfast was now far behind us, a tiny dot in the landscape. The sun was bright, but not harsh. The breeze was cool. It was a perfect day for training, warm and calm.

Bob and I stood side by side. William faced us with his arms crossed, Maya and Evelyn flanking him. Yui stood a bit farther off, arms folded, watching silently.

"You guys are lucky to be tutored by William," Evelyn said with a small smirk. "He’s the best there is at teaching newbies."

"It’s nothing," William replied with a modest shrug.

William pointed toward a nearby stream. Grazing near it was a herd of large, imposing bisons. Their bodies were massive, easily twice the size of any bison I seen in our world. Their hide was dark and rugged, almost black. But the most striking thing was the trio of horns on each of their heads, two curving out from the sides, and one sharp spike rising from the center, like a rhinoceros beetle.

"Is that the... Trihorn Bison?" I asked, my voice tinged with awe and fear.

"Yes," Maya said, nodding. "And you’re lucky. Right now it’s their mating season. They’re especially aggressive this time of year. Perfect for practice."

"W-what do you mean lucky?!" I instinctively grabbed my butt, imagining being skewered by one of those horns.

One of the bison raised its head and stared right at me, snorting loudly.

"Don’t worry, Alan," Bob whispered to me with a grin. "I’ll call support. Come, Mina-chan!"

With a confident shout, Bob raised his hand. A shimmer of green light formed between us, and then Mina appeared, landing softly on his shoulder.

But without skipping a beat, she immediately punched Bob right in the face.

It was not a hard punch, more like a protest tap, but it clearly carried her feelings.

"S-Sorry, Mina-chan! I didn’t call you for days because... well, there were too many people in city. I was worried about your safety!" Bob scrambled to explain himself, raising both hands in surrender.

Come to think of it, we had not called her since the Lily Town battle. She must been bored to death.

"But now you can enjoy yourself as much as you want!" Bob said, throwing his arms wide with a bright smile.

"M-Mina...?" Maya’s voice trembled slightly. She looked at the small creature with disbelief.

"So cute!!" Yui and Evelyn squealed at the same time.

Without hesitation, both of them rushed over and began petting Mina enthusiastically. Mina, who had been sulking just seconds ago, now wore a big, satisfied grin as the two girls pampered her like a beloved pet.

William, meanwhile, let out a deep sigh and covered his face with one hand.

’This guy... can summon a creature? Just how many surprises do these two hold?’ he thought to himself. ’They are so unpredictable... but that’s exactly why this guild needs them. They’re the wild card. The fear factor.’

He then looked at us. "Alright, alright. Enough playing, Evelyn. Now we will divide into two groups. Bob, you’re with me. Maya and Evelyn will be with Alan," William commanded.

Right after that...Ding! Notification appeared in front of me.

---

[Evelyn, Maya and William joined the party!]

[DEF, AGI and INT + 15%!]

[Novice skills unlocked for Mage, Warrior and Archer!]

---

I glanced at the notification, my curiosity immediately piqued. I wonder what kind of spells I just gained access to...

Evelyn pouted a bit as she trudged over to me and Maya, clearly still sulking. Meanwhile, William, Bob, and Yui made their way to the other side of the stream. Mina was now happily snuggled in Yui’s arms, swaying back and forth.

"Now, Alan," Maya said, turning to me. "I want you to cast a spell on that bison over there." She pointed to a lone trihorn bison grazing peacefully. Its three horns gleamed under the sun, and it looked completely relaxed... for now.

I nodded and got myself ready.

Equipping my [Apprentice Robe] and [Manaheart Pendant], I felt the faint surge of magical energy course through me. The pendant shone with a beautiful blue gem, honestly, it looked very feminine on my neck. I caught Maya and Evelyn eyeing it, but I ignored their stares.

"Alright," I said. "You want me to cast by hand, or should I use Indra?"

"Is there a difference?" Maya asked, confused.

"If I use my gunblade it’ll double the spell’s damage," I replied flatly.

"Use the gunblade," Evelyn said beside me, her smile widening with excitement. "I really want to see what it does."

"Got it," I said, then immediately pulled up my class screen to check out the new spells I’d unlocked.

Let’s see what we’ve got...

---

5. Spark Lance

Sends out a narrow bolt of electricity that hits enemies in a straight line.

Element: Lightning

6. Stone Pebble

Launches a spinning rock that deals minor knockback.

Element: Earth

---

Interesting. Looks like I have unlocked two more elemental spells because we now have a Novice Mage in the party. That’s useful.

I stepped forward and raised Indra, pointing its barrel toward the grazing bison. I inhaled, focused, and shouted:

"Spark Lance!"

In an instant, a yellow magic circle flared to life at the end of Indra. A straight beam of lightning blasted out, tearing through the air at the speed of light. It struck the bison directly, the impact so fast it was like lightning in a thunderstorm.

CRACK!

A delayed, thunderous boom echoed across the field. The shockwave shook the grass around us. Smoke rose from the bison’s charred body, it was completely blackened. The poor beast had basically been grilled on the spot.

I stared in silence. So did Maya and Evelyn.

Evelyn had her hands clamped over her ears, her eyes wide. Maya looked stunned, her lips twitching slightly. She had never seen a lightning spell with that much force before.

’This power... it could easily rival an Advanced spell... no, maybe even Prime-rank’ she thought, unable to look away from the smoking creature.

"So... how was that?" I asked casually, lowering Indra.

For me, it felt like a simple spell. I did not know how lightning magic normally looked in this world, so I assumed what I did was standard.

On the other side of the field, Bob, William, Yui, and Mina turned their heads at the sound of the distant explosion.

"What was that?" William asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

Yui and Mina were still frozen, cupping their hands over their mouths in shock.

"W-Was that thunder?" Yui asked, looking up at the sky. It was perfectly clear, not a single cloud in sight. There was no way lightning should have struck.

"Must’ve been Alan’s spell," Bob replied flatly.

’That had to be a new skill from the class. That one was insane!’ he thought, trying to keep his cool, but inwardly he was practically jumping with excitement.

Bob was now dressed in his usual red cape, a pair of [Leather Bracers], and his sturdy [Earthwalker Boots]. Bit by bit, he was starting to look like a proper warrior, if you ignored the dramatic flair of that oversized red cape.

"So... what do I do now?" Bob asked, turning to William.

"Oh...right." William snapped back to attention. The thunderous magic spell had clearly rattled him. "Let’s focus. Alan’s spell was impressive, but we’re here to train you, Bob."

He cleared his throat.

"Ahem. As a warrior, your job is to be the vanguard of the party, the first line of defense. You are the shield that stands between danger and your allies. But to become a proper vanguard, you need a solid foundation. Starting with your stance."

"Got it," Bob said with a serious nod.

He widened his legs apart,both his fists clenched and hovering by his hips in a pose that resembled a classic kung fu stance. His belly puffed out slightly from the position, revealing a small sliver of skin beneath his shirt. It jiggled slightly.

William stared.

"...Well, not quite the stance I had in mind, but points for enthusiasm," he muttered.

Yui giggled behind her hand. Mina, who was now sitting on Yui’s shoulder, tilted her head in amusement.

"Alright," William continued, regaining his composure. "Let’s start with defensive drills. I want to see if you can maintain your position without losing balance. Get ready, Bob."

Bob nodded, still in stance. "Bring it on!"

William reached into his pocket and pulled out a small circular object, about the size of a palm. With a flick of his wrist, the item shimmered and expanded into a full-sized shield. It was bronze-colored, smooth-surfaced, and slightly reflective.

"Hold this," William said, handing it to Bob. "And get ready."

Bob accepted it, frowning in confusion. "Uh... what’s this for?"

William did not answer.

Instead, he calmly stepped back, rejoining Yui and Mina a short distance away. His expression was unreadable. He brought two fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle that echoed across the open field.

From across the plains, one of the nearby trihorn bison perked up at the sound.

Its large black eyes locked onto William first, but then shifted to Bob, who stood alone in a strange kung fu stance, clutching the shield awkwardly like a frying pan.

The bison snorted. Steam puffed from its nostrils as it scraped its front hoof into the ground, muscles tensing.

Then, with a roar...it charged. Towards Bob.

Bob blinked. "Are you kidding me!?"