3rd Pov
Gaining his conscious back, Dawn smiled as he realized none of what just happened was a dream.
Placing his hand on his chest, he could feel a cold yet warm feeling in his soul.
Dawn : I didn't expect to lose so much magicule but at the end everything worked fine.
He could feel Snowie sleeping in his soul, the presence was odd as he felt like someone was intruding his soul.
Dawn : It seem my body hasn't fully accepted Snowie yet...i guess it will take time.
He was still a 7 years old boy, a body that is not fully developed yet already has a spirit.
Children like Alice or Kenya could welcome them because they had a utility and that was managing the exess of magicule inside them.
But Dawn had no real use of Snowie and his body subconsciously saw her as an intruder.
But that was nothing Dawn couldn't support...a child body adapt the fastest so after a few weeks or months this should be gone.
For now, he had something else in mind...since he succeeded in this experiment he judged himself capable enough to start the next level.
Dawn : I have to find a good excuses to leave for the forest...
On the side of Muth, tthere is a forest where monster reside...now that Dawn acquired some skills in both technique and abiliy wise.
He wanted to see monsters and start trainign in real life threat situation...for that he had already prepared the necesary stuff which is a good weapon for this era.
Some provisition and lastly a map having all the characteristic of the forest...the point were which tribe of monster live.
Dawn Pov
A few days passed since the spirit summoning and finally Snowie had woken up, i was glad to have someone to talk during my research alone.
Sola could be here but she wasn't much interested in what i was doing and only came when i went out.
But Snowie was different, she is an ancient spirit...a being that lived back at the prime of the spirit queen.
Thus her knowledge far exceed mine, naturally i have things that even she didn't knew via being a reader of Tensura, but in term of raw intelligence Snowie is by far superior.
After all, i am at the best a gifted person...one that wasted all his potential by not listening in class and carelessly playing without paying attention to the right thing.
Anyway, now it was past mid night, evryone was pretty much asleep aside of a few servants that work overnight.
I readier myself and jumped out of this window...my way out went on smoothly as i had Snowie helping me.
She had some useful skill like spartial awarness and the fact that she is probably the strongest being in the kingdom currently make me confident in not dying.
Dawn : Let's go.
Not gonna lie, i'm excited about this...in real life situation monsters are terrifying but i know that mindless monster all has patern of attack and once memorized they pause no threat anymore.
As for monster with a concsious, they are more troublesome so i have to avoid them...i know some of them are good passively but this is centuries before the main event.
This forest is too gone by the time of Rimuru so i have no information on it.
It's dangerous and i'm conscious of it but the probability of me dying here is less than 2 % with Snowie.
I constantly went on making deduction while running that i didn't even realize i was already in the forest.
Tensing up, i breathed before climbing one of the many tree...on top gaining a better vision over the forest.
My eyes scanned the surrounding as the sub-skill night-vision helped a lot, finally i found my first target.
A small rabbit which was jumping around, it was looking innocent but i know for sure it wasn't a vegetable eater...his red eyes reminded me of Minecraft's rabit killer.
I unshealted my sword and once again breathed heavility before departing, chasing the rabbit i did my best as to not make any sounds while jumping from branch to branch.
Finally, i was above the target, he was eating a prey he had himself hunted down...a sort of deer.
I waited for the right moment and jumped down, the tips of my blade aimed for the rabbit's neck...but to my surprise he still reacted in time.
Dodging my attack, the rabbit taunted me with a smirk as he sent his claw toward me...i narroawed my eyes and barely dodged.
My cheek getting a small cut...i guess that's a real fight.
Dawn : This rabbit is fast...a C rank monster...
Snowie : (Does master wish me to freeze him?)
Dawn : No need, i can't depend on you every time.
Snowie : (As your wish.)
Crackling my neck, i took a one hand sword style stance and placed my other hand down on the ground.
My affinity with Ice magic was already high and destructive but with training i managed to get a good grasp on it.
But what's better is that Snowie just make my ice even stronger...
Dawn : Freeze.
As my breath got colder, i could see a mist of coldness invade the surrounding...the rabbit noticed it but it was too late.
The ground froze at my spell, it barely after 10 metters around me but still enough to trap this rabbit.
He tried to run sensing the danger but slipped on the ice as for me, i efforlessly got up and started sliding on this ice ground.
It' crazy how some basic skill can turn this useful...i had learn ice sliding back in my previous life and did nothing of it after learning it.
Dawn : With this, you are dead !
Slicing his throat, i cleanely seprated his head and body...my first kill.
And i feel nothing...maybe because they are monster, similar to animal...us human has no pity for them, well maybe the extremist who cry about animal death.
For me, it's meaningless as long you have the meant to survive everything is allowed.
Snowie : (Congratulation master.)
Dawn : Thanks but we are not done yet.
I said to her and left without waiting for another target...this is the best training i could have asked...
Also judging my the position of the moon, i still have 3 hours before the dawn of the day...i have to get back before that.
Let's go !
3rd Pov
Days passed as Dawn took up the habit of getting out late at night...hunting, he built a small experience though none of the monsters he killed were humanoid types.
The presence of Goblin or direwolf weren't common in this forest though he did meet some interesting creatures.
Such as deformed monster fusion between bat and snake or things like that.
Anyway, now once again he was hunting, taking a break on top of a tree he calmly drank some water he had brought up here.
But then, the sudden scent of smoke alerted him...he turned around and saw a trail of smoke reaching up toward the night sky.
Dawn : Someone is camping here ?
His eyes narrowed as no one should be here, this forest isn't even a point of passage for trading or commerce...it was just a dangerous place filled with monsters.
Dawn : (Snowie, how many are there?)
Snowie : (Thirteen, among them a strong mage.)
Dawn : (That much ?!)
Grimacing, he tried to organize his thoughts...he already crossed the merchant route, it could be a noble coming here with guards.
But they have nothing to gain...
Dawn : (Maybe...no, i cannot be sure, i just have to see it myself.)
Decided to go see it with his own eyes, Dawn had a rather childish reason to risk his life...and that was this forest.
It's his only ground of training right now, the other places are either too far away or too dangerous.
This forest was his territory and as little his pride is, he still had it...
Dawn : (If a fight breaks off, I can win.)
He thought not being overconfident but right, Snowie didn't warn him of a death threat danger and in the worst case he just had to use her.
This was as simple as that.
Finally after jumping around for a while, he reached the base where the fire camp was leaking...his eyes scanned the area.
He soon found himself in a rather complicated situation...this was as he thought and more further this in a way confirmed a few things to him.
This base was a slave trader post where 6 slaves freshly caught were trapped behind bars in a shitty cage.
Dawn Pov
First the kidnapping, now this...am i really inside a novel ? Or is this real life ? I mean it's real life but the life as i know is filled with random factors.
Is this world I am in configured ? Like I feel like the first chapter of my life is centered against them...slave traders.
Maybe I'm just being paranoid...but if this is true then that means the future events are preselected.
And this event is an important one as in a novel, this is the first time I can prove myself to be able to do something.
Dawn : (We'll go in, Snowie.)
Snowie : (As your wish.)
Feeling a sudden rise of magicule, I had already formed a plan...freezing the ground to give me a mobility advantage.
I still haven't forgotten that there is a strong mage, I'm going for him first.
Holding my blade in a way to kill, I just realized...this was the first time I'm going to kill another human...
My heart started to race as I jumped in, launching toward the highest magicule count.
An odd looking male caped head to toe...and surprisingly, he didn't have the time to react as I stabbed my blade right through his neck.
But something felt off...illusion magic !
Dawn : Dammit !
Turning around, I barely reacted in time as a spear made of fire gazed at my arm burning off my sleeves.
I then jumped away going to hide behind a tree...
Bandit : Well well, i thought it was an attack from the royal knights but to think it was just a brat.
The mage's voice rang, I peeked behind the tree and started gathering intels. There is that mage along with 6 more people...the rest are unconscious slaves.
This was bad...i can't beat that mage, this illusion magic was clearly high class one..and my child body won't be able to take on several adults while dodging a good mage attack.
Should i run ?
Dawn : ...
No, running away now ? At the very first obstacle ? If I do run for my life, I will never be able to move forward and achieve my goal !
Think logically, this fight is still fair...you have a greater spirit on your side...i never side i fought fair.
Dawn : Snowie, take care of that mage I'll kill the rest.
My eyes turning colder, I gave my first true order to my partner.
3rd Pov
Following this plan, Dawn came out...the tension growing up inside him.
The bandits laughed at the small kid, they didn't take him seriously at all...but his next action definitely changed their mind.
As a pure icy magicule was released from his small body...a dome of ice was created separating the strong mage of his group.
They didn't have the time to react due to the sudden burst of magicule and were now facing their selected opponent.
On the bandits side, they were inside a prison of ice. Around them were dozens of trees frozen to their very core.
They couldn't understand what was happening and just unsheathed their weapon carefully looking around.
Moving fastly around, Dawn was searching for the right moment to attack.
His eyes looked like a predator hunting his prey.
On the other side, the mage was forced to fight a greater spirit...her beautiful face was reflecting on her armor...
Mage : Heh, what a beautiful spirit you are~
His perverted eyes immediately aggressed Snowie who just glared at him coldly.
Mage : You made a contract with that little boy ? What a waste...why not come with me.
His proposition didn't even register in Snowie's mind as she stretched her arm...ice arrows formed from the thin air.
Snowie : I only have one master.
Her ice cold voice sent chills down the mage's spine, who drew his staff ready to fight...the ice arrow shot, Snowie watched as the mage formed a wall of fire.
But this wasn't enough, Snowie was a spirit of ice...ice so cold that a normal flame won't be able to stop it.
The arrow piercing through the wall of flame, the mage was taken off guard and had his arm severed.
Mage : Arght !!!
Snowie : Pathetic human trying to compare to my master.
Her purple eyes shining like an aurora nebula, she reaches her arm out once again to cast another spell.
But then, her calm face morphed into rage as she realized something...the precious bond she had created with her master through the soul corridor was damaged.
She looked at the mage with anger as he chuckled.
Mage : Kukuku, this spell is so mysterious yet so effective against spirit with contract.
His laugh reverberating around, he had previously casted a spell that takes time to work...a spell who is known for one thing.
Being effective against a spirit who has a host...humans didn't understand how it worked as they don't have the necessary knowledge for that.
But in reality, the spell directly affected the soul corridor between the master and the spirit...since Snowie is a superior spirit it just damaged it but if it was any other lesser spirit, it would have instantly broken down the soul corridor.
Mage : Now yo-
The mage thought he had won...a spirit without its master is only meant to go back to the spiritual world.
He had deliberately aimed for this spell knowing the danger a greater spirit posed.
But Snowie was different, she had a name and the soul corridor was still here...
horror spread on the mage's face as he realized the situation.
Snowie : You dare...attack mine and master's bond...
Rage built up in her mind as it was no longer an enemy she saw at her feet...now it was a trash who dared attack what she valued the most.
No punishment, no torture, nothing in this world would be enough to calm the wrath she has against this man now.
Scream, pleas, beg, cries...for who knows how much time the mage was tortured, the pain and despair he felt was unreal, yet Snowie wasn't stopping.
It was only when a hole was made inside the ice wall that she stopped, turning her attention there Snowie calmed down as Dawn entered.
He had also finished his part...his left wrist broken and most of his clothes stained in blood.
He walked up to her.
Dawn : I suppose you aren't done...
Snowie : Master, this trash has dared harm our bond !
It was clear that Snowie was outraged, a lowly human did that to her...if it was just her she would have made sure this mage's soul, body and mind rot in the deepest part of hell, his left over eaten by the demons.
Dawn : I felt that too...
Looking down at the mess constituted of the mage's body...Dawn picked up something.
Dawn : (This crest...)
It was faintly visible, but the crest drawn on the mage's clothes belonged to the royal army...this man was part of the royal court of mage.
A group of elite mages serving the king directly.
Dawn : Tch, so there are corrupted people there...and me who thought at least they would be good.
The royal army knights and mages are selected carefully, their loyalty should be above anything else yet one of them was involved in slavery.
For Dawn, it was either the king is corrupted or there are traitors among the royal army.
Dawn : It's no use to think about this now, we should go too Snowie, the sun is already rising.
Snowie : Hai.
Turning one last time toward the mage, she froze his body until every cell inside was solid and then broke the whole.
Leaving nothing of the mage.
Snowie : (Master is hurt...)
On their way back home, Snowie had gone back inside her master's soul...not wanting to leave anymore after feeling their soul corridor getting damaged.
Inside this soul, it was where she was comfortable...but right now Snowie was showing way more emotion than she usually would.
Her master was still a child, his body barely made it out of his fight...they were ordinary people but still fully grown adults.
Dawn had taken them out with tricks and his greater speed but that was it...his strength was too low and broke his wrist during one of his own attacks.
He was now struggling walking back home.
Dawn : Don't worr-ugh...
Suddenly stopping, he rested his safe arm on a tree and held his chest...pain visible on his face.
He soon fell on his knee as the sudden urge of vomiting came...throwing up, the dark forest was getting cleared from its night state.
Dawn Pov
I stared at the disgusting puddle of vomit I had released...my eyes locked on the ground, I tried to stay strong but in the end failed.
I just killed...not only one but six humans...my own kind.
This feeling of disgust in my stomach, my throat is aching...at the end i'm still human...
Dawn : I need to correct that...
In a world of survival, there is no need for kindness...it is only a weakness that will betray you one day.
Yes, I need to abandon my humanity...killing is natural here.
Dawn : Grrr...
I cringed at the feeling of cutting flesh, their blood spraying on me, their organs coming out...
The feeling of killing someone, robbing his life, taking him away from the people he loved, their eyes turning lifeless.
The stare they gave me...it made me wonder, is there anyone waiting for them to go home ? Did I ruin their life as well ?
I could feel Snowie's presence inside me trying to calm me...but the horror I had just felt...was way too big.
Dawn : If there is a winner, there is a loser...
that's right, there was no need of feeling guilty...if i didn't kill them i would have died.
And the slaves I had released before going to Snowie would have lived a life of misery...I killed them and it was for the greater good.