I drop my backpack and search inside. I rummaged around for a while and found it.

“There it is…”

　Housed in a simple leather scabbard, it’s the Paralyzing Knife that I bought by chance from the street vendor.

　I pulled it out of the scabbard and let my magical power flow.

“… go on, activate.”

　The Paralyzing Knife glowed pale purple in front of my eyes.

　Naturally. Because this is that kind of item.

“…”

　What was I trying to confirm? …No, I know what I wanted to. After checking it, I thought for a moment that if the Paralyzing Knife didn’t work, there would be nothing after this.

　What I’m about to do.

　It’s simple.

　I’m going to pour magic power into the paralyzing knife and stab it into the enemy. That’s it.

　Gildan-san said it had a weak paralyzing effect.

　I have to bet on it… that’s the plan.

　This Paralyzing Knife is activated when you hold it in your hand and let the magic flow through it. If I slash the opponent in that way, the opponent will become paralyzed, but that alone is probably not enough. At any rate, the effect of this knife is only a weak paralysis.

　So I will stab this knife into the Great Boar and hold on to it while continuing to channel magic power to it to continuously inflict the effect. If I do that, the Great Boar might undergo some kind of change. It’s just a gamble… is just speculation after speculation.

　I thought about giving this knife to someone to do it for me, someone stronger, but that doesn’t seem possible either. The reason is that there are not many people who can manipulate magic power and channel it into solid objects.

　Moreover, I will have to find out those who are stronger than me. Who can also cast magical power on this knife? Then explain the effect of the knife on the spot, have the other person trust me. Also, I will know if it will be effective if I do it properly. Having others challenge this huge prey is like a bee risking its life for others.

　…No matter how I think about it, it’s impossible. I can’t afford to search for someone who can do such a thing.

“In the end, I have to do it.”

　I walked to the top of the gate and put my hand on the railing.

　I looked down and saw the Great Boar’s back.

　When the door was breached, the adventurers quickly closed the distance around it to prevent the Great Boar from making a run for it. Thanks to that, the Great Boar was right next to the gate. In other words, I could jump on the Great Boa’s back if I was in a position above this gate.

　Holding the Paralyzing Knife in my right hand, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

　Oh, why am I doing this? I shook off all my thoughts and opened my eyes.

“Okay!”

　Then, with all my energy, I jumped over the railing and threw myself into the air.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

　At the same time as I fell on the back of the Great Boar, I thrust the Paralyzing Knife that is brimming with sheds magical power with the momentum of my fall.

　The Paralyzing Knife pierced the back of the Great Boar until the hilt.

“Pugyi!?” (Great Boar)

　Did you feel something wrong with the Paralyzing Knife sticking? Or did it feel strange when I got on your back? The Great Boar still begins to rampage.

　The Great Boar swung its body from side to side, jumping up and down, trying to shake me off. It’s as if I’m in a rodeo.

　I grabbed the Paralyzing Knife and the arrow that was stuck in the Great Boar and resisted desperately to keep it from shaking me off.

“Hey! What are you doing? Hurry up and get away!” (Adventurer)

“What are you doing! Do you have a death wish!?” (Adventurer)

　I can hear the cries of the adventurers around me, but I don’t have the time or ability to explain.

　I clung on desperately and continued to endure.　

“I beg you… work!”

　While wishing so, I desperately continued to channel magical power on the Paralyzing Knife.

　How much time has passed since then?

　I don’t know exactly how long it’s been since then, because it feels like an infinite amount of time to me.

　But little by little, the Great Boar’s movements seemed to be slowing down. But I couldn’t tell if it was the effect of the Paralyzing Knife or if the Great Boar was simply tired.

　Still, I couldn’t make any proper judgment and just clung to it while thinking about various things, I wondered if it was frustrated by the fact that I am not falling from its back even now. But it still tried.

“What!?” (Adventurer)

“Watch out!” (Adventurer)

“Evade it! Get down!” (Adventurer)

　The Great Boar forcibly crashes towards a building, and a part of it collapses with a rumbling noise.

　After a short pause, I swung my body to the right side of the Great Boar to escape the crash, but if it was a little later, it would be over for me.

　Cold sweat flows on my back.

　It was no use. I’m trying to change the situation, but I was just getting in everyone’s way!

“Buh!” (Great Boar)

　With that in mind, Great Boar continues to rampage.

　Damn! I have to do something!

“I’ve got to do something! That’s enough! Fall down!”

　I put my hands on the Paralyzing Knife and poured as much magic power as I could into it.

“Work!!”

　At that moment, the pale purple glow of the Paralyzing Knife increased and overflows from the wound stuck in the Great Boar’s back.

　I was surprised by the brilliance of the light for a moment, but I continued to channel my magical power with all my strength.

“Please!!”

　How many seconds did I do that? It suddenly stopped. Then, the Great Boar’s forelegs collapsed and it fell to the ground with a thud.

　With that momentum, I’m thrown to the ground.

　As I rolled over, I caught myself and looked at the Paralyzing Knife in my right hand and saw that it had been broken cleanly from the hilt.

“Somebody finish him! It’s only paralyzed!”

　I shouted, and the dumbfounded adventurers started to move at once.

“Yes! I don’t know what happened, but this is our chance!” (Adventurer)

“Yeah! Leave it to me!” (Adventurer)

　They all use their own weapons to slash at the Great Boar. However, they were unable to inflict any fatal wounds.

“No! Sever its neck!” (Adventurer)

“Get out of the way! I’ll do it!” (Adventurer)

　While I heard someone say that, an adventurer with a large ax, short but muscular and with a beard, came out.

“Seiya!” (Dwarven Adventurer)

　He slammed the ax into the Great Boar’s neck with a shout.

　The ax buries itself in the Great Boar’s neck, blood splatters, and the Great Boar twitches.

“One more!” (Dwarven Adventurer)

　Swing up his ax again and he plunged it back.

“More!”

　And again. Again. Again.

　Ten times in a row, perhaps. When the ax was about halfway up the neck of the Great Boar, which was about a meter long, the Great Boar stopped moving.

　Silence enveloped the area.

“Did he… do it?” (Adventurer)

　Someone asked, not addressing anyone.

“Yeah, he did it.” (Adventurer)

　Someone answered.

　And the next moment, everyone’s cheers echoed around.

　Some people were singing, some were laughing, and others were hugging.

　Everyone was sharing this joyful moment.

　I fell on my butt, sank down, and breathed a sigh of relief.

　And as I watched everyone rejoicing, I thought.

　I really wondered what would happen. At the last moment, I poured all my magic power into the Paralyzing Knife, and the Great Boar stopped working. I managed to get out of it, but it was all a tightrope walk. There was nothing that went as planned.

　I also realized my powerlessness.

　This is the extent of my power right now. A labyrinth? Mysterious places?  Legendary ruins? Artifacts? What am I talking about when I’ve been pushed around by a B-ranked monster unable to do anything? There’s no point in searching for unexplored regions and legends that mankind hasn’t been able to reach with my low level.

　I can’t go on as I am now. I have to go…

“You did it! We protected the town!” (Dan)

　Dan hugged me as I pondered for a while.

　But I couldn’t organize my feelings right now, so I gave a curt reply, “Oh…”

“Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?” (Dan)

　Dan asked me as if he was suspicious of my lack of response.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just a little tired,” I excused myself.

“Oh, come on, why aren’t you happier? We saved our town with our own hands!” (Dan)

　Dan said excitedly, unlike his usual way, and Rocky nodded happily next to him, “Yeah.”

　 At this moment. I realized something.

　I realized the true nature of the uncomfortable feeling I had been feeling all this time. And the meaning of Gildan-san’s words.

　No, maybe I had noticed it even earlier.

　I was aware of it, but I was unconsciously pretending not to notice it.

　I was too comfortable here.

“Really…”

　I muttered and looked at the sky, which was filled with cheers.