Bear School Astartes

Not long after, on a land of ashes in Kausos, Lann waved his hand to extinguish the sparks beneath the alchemy cauldron with the [Igni Magic Seal].

In the cauldron at this moment was nearly a full pot of black potion, emitting a pungent herbal smell.

Based on the concept of ’resurgence and rebirth’ in alchemy, Lann temporarily concocted a potion using the ingredients at hand.

And into this entire pot of potion, he dripped about one milliliter of [Swallow] Magic Potion.

Even with the intense toxicity of Demon Hunter’s Potion, diluted a thousand times and paired with deliberately adjusted ingredients, it’s enough for ordinary people to obtain some effects of the potion without too much harm.

”Without strong enough antibiotics, just boost human immunity. They all survived the peak period of the plague’s spread, their bodies should already have antibodies. I just need to strengthen these antibodies.”

Lann explained his treatment plan to Mentos and successfully passed the feasibility verification of the bio-intelligence.

Afterward, Lann found several intact, though charred, double-eared clay pots amidst the ruins, filled them with the potion, and brought them back to the two-story building.

”Drink up, one cup for each person.”

The ones who received it first were the priest and the guardians on the first floor, who under Lann’s twitching gaze, almost swallowed the potion with a gesture of receiving a blessing.

”Great Asclepius! I feel the potion rekindling the fire of life within me! The evil plague is being driven from my body!”

The priest expressed admiration like a prayer, even managing to imbue it with poetic tones.

Lann awkwardly licked his lips, wanting to say it was a psychological effect, the potion wouldn’t work so fast, choosing a mellow pairing for the [Swallow] Magic Potion.

But considering the crowd’s acceptance, he kept his mouth shut and said nothing.

”Once finished, put it down, don’t keep holding it. All living creatures around here need to be killed, including animals and insects. This is an important step in preventing the plague. You can use fire to burn the surroundings several times more. Wash yourselves with water frequently too.”

The Demon Hunter expounded the basic concept of stopping the plague, which in this world’s knowledge only existed as vague, ambiguous practices.

He clarified these concepts.

”Animals and insects are plague messengers, I understand! Rest assured, I will engrave the wisdom you’ve imparted on clay and wax tablets, and enshrine them in the temple! Perhaps even send them to Asclepius’s Divine Hall.”

”That would be best,” Lann said, picking up the double-eared clay pot as he went upstairs, ”At least there’ll be fewer deaths in plagues in the future.”

With the family of four upstairs having finished the potion, all that remained was waiting and biding time.

Lann had to be sure the pathogenic sources on them were no longer infectious before letting them leave Kausos.

This process, without precise testing equipment, could only rely on time.

The observation process would last roughly seven to eight days, a timeframe Lann had promised them.

-----------------

While the Demon Hunter was working hard to halt the plague, waves were rising in other parts of Kefalonia Island.

In a clearly newly established temporary camp.

The beds in the camp laid with weeds and coarse hemp were even still damp, but the next moment...

”Splurt!”

A gush of blood sprayed like a fountain, diagonally dousing the bedding.

The owner of the blood originally stood beside a low shrub, looking like he was passing during patrol.

But just the brief interval of passing for one or two seconds, a shadow suddenly rushed out from the bushes!

The shadow moved nimbly like a lion!

Her ’fangs’ jabbed upward from the soft flesh beneath the jawbone.

Swiftly, cleanly, and fiercely!

All the human tissues from the jaw to the skull were pierced in an instant, and what should have echoed to the heavens was a cry locked in the throat, leaving only a muffled grunt.

Even before death, the man couldn’t see the face of the person killing him due to being held by the jaw.

Cassandra calmly withdrew her broken spear head from his chin.

And that seemingly very old broken spear unexpectedly produced no dull edge or notch during its clash with the skull.

Old as always, seemingly unchanged.

A man wearing only an apron tidily tied around his waist happened to be on patrol and witnessed it all.

In the blink of an eye, his colleague was slain through the skull by a woman!

He began shouting in hopes of alerting other colleagues, simultaneously drawing a bow and arrow.

The bowstring stretched, the arrow nocked, aiming at that foolish woman who seemed unaware even though spotted.

”Malaka, die!”

Watching the woman walk towards him expressionlessly, her hand even casually twirling the ridiculous broken spear on her fingers.

The archer’s heart suddenly gave birth to a foreboding.

Didn’t she hear me call out?

Couldn’t she see my bow already nocked and drawn?

...Isn’t she afraid?!

No time to ponder more, the few steps between them left no room for the archer to think further.

He snarled, directly releasing the arrow.

Those who practice enough times during shooting or throwing will have a distinct sensation at the moment the object leaves hand—hitting or missing.

The archer’s face abruptly relaxed the moment the arrow left the bowstring.

Because he could feel his arrow would reach the intended spot, on that foolish woman.

But immediately, his relaxed expression only lasted that split second...

Cassandra calmly watched the arrowhead get closer to her.

Her broken spear fluidly swung back to her back.

And as she repositioned her hand in front again, a bow was already held.

This series of actions even began earlier than her opponent released the bowstring! As if Cassandra knew his moves well in advance and planned her actions accordingly!

Lithely leaning aside, the darting arrow brushed past her garment.

Then with a swift ’swish’, Cassandra seized the tail end of the arrow.

As if prepared all along, her side-dodging body returned upright while the arrow shot by her opponent nocked onto Cassandra’s bowstring.

”Whew~”

During this exchange, the archer’s right chest slumped back as if punched, the tail feathers of the arrow already visible on his right chest.

The archer’s throat gurgled helplessly, unable to speak.

His lung was pierced, now his mouth flooded with frothy pink blood from the alveoli.

Cassandra casually slung the bow back on her back, as the entire camp now only had these two alive.

That’s why she didn’t care about his cries.

She walked forward, ready to rummage through the camp’s crate for anything of value.

Marcos told her these were helpers hired by One-eyed People from other islands and very wealthy. So why shouldn’t the enemy’s wealth become her own?

Anyway, they likely had no opinion on it now.

And a slow, steady clapping sound stopped Cassandra in her tracks.