Double Dagger Delinquent

Chapter 57 Young Mage

Deep within the vast tropical forest, Iryoku and Yumi rode atop Rhogan along a narrow path, barely visible beneath the overgrown grass.

“Damn, this road hasn’t seen maintenance in years,” Iryoku muttered, annoyed.

Suddenly, his left arm snapped forward as his harpoon shot out in a straight line, the white cord glowing as it anchored to a distant tree. In a flash, it retracted—something heavy falling from the branches and thudding onto the forest floor.

An overgrown serpent.

Without breaking stride, Rhogan trampled the snake underfoot, not even slowing down.

Yumi frowned at the sight, her brow furrowing. She shook her head and pulled out the map again. “According to this, we should be coming up on a fork in the road. We need to take the left path.”

Suddenly, a powerful quake shook the ground, bringing them to a sudden halt. Rhogan stopped in his tracks and let out a low growl.

“What’s happening?” Yumi asked, quickly pulling out her bow and notching an arrow.

Iryoku stood up on Rhogan’s back, drawing his daggers as he focused his senses on the surrounding forest. Yumi’s wide eyes scanned the dense foliage ahead, then she closed them, concentrating. Her ears twitched as she listened intently.

“I hear fighting,” she said. “Something’s coming—straight down the road toward us.”

She signaled Iryoku with a sharp gesture.

He gave a nod and leapt off Rhogan, landing squarely in the middle of the road. Yumi also dismounted and swiftly climbed a nearby tree, perching herself on a sturdy branch with an arrow ready. Rhogan stayed below her tree, waiting for a signal.

Then—a loud crash.

Suddenly, one of the trees up ahead creaked violently—then toppled over with a thunderous crash. From the shattered foliage burst a flood of creatures.

Chimp-like beasts screeched as they scrambled forward. Serpentine monsters. Strange foxes with too many eyes darted past, followed by panicked overgrown deer and grotesque insectoid horrors that clattered across the ground, all rushing in a frenzy.

“Be careful!” Iryoku shouted, eyes narrowing as he reached for his weapon.

But to their surprise, the creatures didn’t attack—they were running away, fleeing from something terrifying behind them. The earth rumbled with each distant shockwave, the unmistakable sounds of a fierce battle drawing closer.

Then they saw it.

A massive, green-furred gorilla—easily four meters tall—bellowed with fury, pounding its chest with thunderous fists. Across from it stood an even larger creature: a monstrous, reddish bear rising up on its hind legs, baring enormous fangs and claws.

The two titans let out earth-shaking roars in unison—then charged at each other with terrifying force.

When they collided, waves of raw power blasted outward as fists and claws met in a brutal clash.

Iryoku quickly leapt out of the path of the fight, springing onto Roghan’s back and landing in a crouch.

“This has to be a turf fight,” he said, eyes narrowing as he watched the two beasts clash. “Let’s not get involved just yet. Maybe they’ll wear each other out.”

He raised his voice slightly so Yumi could hear him over the chaos.

The battle between the two monsters was escalating, becoming increasingly vicious and primal. Claws tore through the air, fists pounded with thunderous force, and the ground trembled beneath their rage.

Iryoku vaulted up into the tree and landed beside Yumi, both of them watching intently. “DK’s punches are seriously strong and more precise,” Iryoku muttered. “And his agility’s definitely higher than Kumamon’s. But Kumamon’s got thicker fur and his claws—makes him deadlier in terms of defense and raw power.”

Yumi nodded, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the scene.

“They're definitely strong physically… but still nowhere near the level of the mammoth."

As they continued to watch from a distance, Iryoku and Yumi noticed a large ball of fire forming on the horizon. They looked at each other, the same thought flashing through their minds—Reika.

But as the fireball grew larger and larger, their expressions turned serious.

Without hesitation, Iryoku quickly scooped Yumi into his arms and leapt away from the battlefield.

“Get back, Rhogan!” he shouted.

The rhino-like beast growled lowly and followed close behind, stomping the ground as he retreated.

Meanwhile, the two battling monsters—the bear and the gorilla—continued their bloody brawl, tearing into each other with savage fury.

Then, with a deafening roar, the enormous fireball was launched—striking the two beasts point-blank.

BOOM!

A massive explosion engulfed them in searing flames.

The ground shook, and the air was filled with the agonized screams of the creatures—

ROAARR!! GRWAAAL!

Charred and smoking, their skin blackened and burned, the monsters thrashed violently, attacking each other even more desperately despite their injuries.

As the flames finally died down, both beasts stood swaying, their flesh scorched and bodies battered.

For a brief, eerie moment, it was as if an unspoken ceasefire passed between them.

Then, without warning, they turned—both locking eyes on the same target.

Roaring furiously, they charged in unison toward the source of the attack.

A lone figure stood in the distance—a man clad in a light blue mage robe, holding a large staff.

His eyes widened in horror as he saw the two raging monsters barreling straight toward him.

“Woah—!” he gasped, spinning on his heels and sprinting away as fast as he could.

“Damn it!” he hissed, casting shimmering, translucent barriers behind him in a panic.

But it was useless—the monsters were strength-based beasts. They tore through his magical defenses like paper, their raw power overwhelming anything he could conjure.

Frantically, the mage reached into his robe, pulling something out—but he froze as a sudden light illuminated the sky.

A brilliant beam of energy descended like judgment from the heavens—a massive spear of pure light.

With a sickening, wet crunch, the spinning spear pierced straight through the bear’s heart, shredding flesh and bone like paper.

The massive beast let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing in a thunderous heap, shaking the earth beneath it.

The gorilla, sensing impending doom, let out a panicked bellow and bolted toward the forest, smashing through trees in a desperate attempt to escape.

But before it could escape, a sharp whiplash echoed through the air.

Out of nowhere, a small blade attached to a glowing white cord shot forward—piercing straight between the monster’s eyes. The weapon tore through its brain with brutal precision before yanking back just as swiftly, vanishing toward an unseen source.

The gorilla staggered forward a few steps… then collapsed, dead.

The robed mage, stunned by what he had just witnessed, instinctively cast a protective aura around himself and turned to run even faster.

But it was no use.

The same whiplash sound cracked again—and something coiled tightly around his body, yanking him off his feet.

“Ahhh!” he cried out, squeezing his eyes shut, fully expecting death.

Instead, he felt himself lifted upside down, spinning through the air, before being set back upright—still alive.

Cautiously, he opened his eyes.

Standing before him was a stunning, short girl clad in sleek, fitted armor. Her dark blue shirt hugged her small frame, and she held a massive bow in her hand. Despite the armored plate across her chest, he couldn’t help but notice the way her enormous breasts strained against the material, threatening to burst free with every subtle movement.

Involuntarily, he swallowed hard, his cheeks flushing red.

Clearing his throat quickly, he managed to speak.

“A-hem. Hello, my name is Halim. Did you, uh, perhaps just save me from those beasts, madam?”

He tried to keep his voice calm, despite his obvious nervousness.

Yumi, standing there with an unreadable expression, looked him over.

The boy had soft, youthful features.

"Why did you attack the monsters?" Yumi asked softly, placing her hands firmly on her hips. Her tone was gentle, but her gaze was sharp.

"You could have gotten yourself killed—or worse, gotten someone else hurt."

Still wrapped in the glowing white rope, Halim, completely entranced by Yumi’s beauty, answered quickly,

“Actually, I was testing my magic… trying to get stronger!”

Trying to impress her, he puffed out his chest with exaggerated pride.

“I’m a candidate for Zora’s Tower. I’m nearly through the final stages of my application—specializing in elemental magic,” he added smugly, hoping to sound impressive.

The moment he mentioned the tower, Yumi’s expression changed—her eyes lit up with interest.

“Really? You’re with Zora’s Tower?” she asked, stepping closer, her voice quickening with genuine curiosity.

Halim’s face flushed a deeper red as he felt her sudden attention fully on him.

I knew it! Zora’s Tower is prestigious—she’s totally into me already!

His imagination ran wild, conjuring visions of romantic walks, dramatic confessions, even a wedding… maybe three kids.

But his fantasy shattered the moment a deep, casual voice rang out behind him.

“Oh, looks like we got lucky.”

Yumi looked past Halim with a cheerful grin.

“See? I told you it was a good idea to save him, Iryoku,” she said, flashing a playful peace sign.

A man dressed entirely in black stepped into view, his sharp, piercing eyes locked onto Halim. He crouched low, leaning in close, his lips curled into a wide, mischievous grin.

“Well, well… look what we have here,” he said, his voice laced with unsettling amusement.

Halim’s smirk faded instantly. His face went pale.

Just whose hands have I fallen into…? he thought grimly.

"Reika Rizumu... hmm, I'm not sure if I've heard that name before," Halim said, riding with Iryoku and Yumi atop Rhogan’s broad back. "The thing is, Zora’s Tower gets applications from all over the continent, but very few ever catch the attention of the Tower Masters. Even fewer actually get in. But once inside, the place is packed with knowledge about magic, artifacts, different fields of study... One can only dream."

Then he wriggled slightly against the ropes binding him, grumbling, "That being said... why am I still tied up with this weird rope?"

He was wrapped tightly and laid across Rhogan’s back like a piece of luggage—or worse, like a kidnapped victim.

"Well, Halim-boy, we don’t know you yet," Iryoku said with a smirk. "Think about it— a young, innocent-looking boy wandering through the dark forest."

"But it's broad daylight," Halim protested.

Iryoku ignored him and kept going. "First, I was gonna pop those two—the kuma and the gorilla—for destroying half the forest. But then I thought, Wait a minute... they're not fighting seriously. They’re just sparring. Working out. How would I feel if someone stormed into me at the gym and bashed me while I’m on the treadmill?"

Halim blinked, struggling to follow Iryoku’s strange logic.

"And then," Iryoku continued, "I see little Halim—innocent, pretty boy—right in the middle of a monster-infested area. Rocking some high-tier robes and a fancy staff and casting advanced-level spells. Frankly, those are a bit too high-tier for a kid your age. Looks kinda suspicious, if you ask me.”

From up front, Yumi’s voice rang out, “Isn’t that a line from a movie?”

Iryoku chuckled.

Halim tried to defend himself. “Like I said, I wasn’t doing anything shady! I was training, okay? I’m a prodigy! And I’m not that small—I’m tall for a halfling! I’m sixteen years old!”

Yumi’s head popped out from the front, peeking back at Halim. She studied him for a moment, then glanced at Iryoku.

"I think we can trust him," she said simply.

Halim's face flushed bright red the moment Yumi’s soft features turned in his direction. He quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the trees, his heart pounding embarrassingly fast. Get full chapters from novel·fiɾe·net

Finally, they emerged into a clearing and came upon a small settlement bustling with life. Humans, elves, dwarves, and demihumans mingled in harmony, busy with their daily routines.

A few passersby gave Halim—still bound and slung over Roghan’s back—a strange look, but quickly minded their own business and moved along.

They came to a stop at the edge of the village, and Halim was finally freed from his bindings. With a sigh of relief, he stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders.

"So, this is Bala," Iryoku said, glancing around as he took in the vibrant, multicultural scene.

Yumi hopped down from Rhogan with a soft thud, landing gracefully as her curves jiggled involuntarily. She stretched her arms high over her head, her body moving with a lithe, innocent, yet undeniably sensual grace after the long journey. Every movement drew Halim’s attention, his eyes unconsciously fixed on her.

Before Halim could stare any longer, Iryoku casually stepped in front of him, blocking his view. With a smug grin, he handed Halim his staff.

“Here you go, boy.”

Halim took it quickly, gripping it like a lifeline. “Uh… what are you two going to do now?” he asked, sneaking another glance toward Yumi, who was now gently patting Rhogan’s massive head with a soft smile.

Without missing a beat, Iryoku shifted his body again, subtly keeping Halim’s gaze away from Yumi.

“We’ll be continuing our search for our beautiful missing companion,” he said smoothly. “Well… see ya.”

He turned and began walking toward Yumi and Rhogan.

“Wait!” Halim called, rushing after them. “If you’re trying to get into Zora’s Tower, you can come with me! I can vouch for you!”

Iryoku stopped in his tracks. A slow, wider grin spread across his face—like a plan had just fallen perfectly into place. He glanced back over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised.

“Lead the way, then.”