So, I got isekai’d

...

After a few minutes of repeatedly using my Flash Step skill, we eventually reached the place where I met Mashiro before...

"We're here...but the herb that were here are now gone..."

Its to be expected, since it probably got destroyed alongside due to Mashiro and the Loudbears' landfall earlier

"...Rui sama...just how...?"

"...?"

"Just how were you able to go from one place...to another that fast?"

I got deja vu the moment she asked me that question. I remember the time that I did the same to Master Shin

"Its a skill called Flash Step. I once saw it through my Master using it"

"Through your Master...? Then that means-"

"No, his Flash Step is different from mine"

"Different from yours?"

"My Master often uses his whole body, lightens himself up to get more speed. Making him more agile than usual. The cost of it is him using more stamina than usual"

"Mhm..."

"In my case, I tend to imagine myself moving instantly from one place to another. Since its hard for me to know the process behind it, I use my wind magic as a medium for it"

Mashiro looked at me dumbfounded, as if I was talking some deep science stuff related

"Rui sama...can use wind magic...and can teleport?"

"Yeah. I can, but not teleportation"

"Hm? But Rui sama, isn't what you're doing a teleportation already?"

"Eh? Isn't teleportation where you instantly travel from one destination to another?"

Her head tilted from my question

"I have never head from my Dad about that kind of teleportation..."

"I see..."

So teleportation's mechanic here is also different from this world?

"But I think it would be cool to see you do it!"

"Huh?"

"You can do it, right Rui sama?!"

She come up to me closer with her eyes beaming

...Even though her physical appearance is a young adult female in her 20's, I tend to forget that Mashiro is still young

"If I could do it, I would've done it earlier"

Well technically I can try...but I don't know how I'll process it in my mind... 

"I see..."

Her expression showed a hint of disappointment, but quickly shifted to a caring smile

"Oh right! The herbs! What do they look like?"

"If I remember correctly, their appearance is similar to a patch of grass, but shaped like a circle"

"Hm...I think I can quite imagine it clearly"

Seriously? I thought my description of it was vague...

"I found one earlier, but its likely gone now due to what happened"

Mashiro looked over to where she was before

"Okay! I'll get rid of it!"

"You really don't have to-"

Without any hesitation, Mashiro cleared up the big boulders that was surrounding the area with just a flick of her finger, creating a chain reaction between itself

"-What?!"

The big boulders was then broken up into smaller pieces of rocks, making a clear way to the path that was once obstructed

"Rui sama! The herb you were talking about was unaffected!"

"Oh...uh, I see..."

Sorry but, I was more surprised to what Mashiro was able to do just now...

...I get that she evolved and all, but this is also the same girl that was full of bruises and internal injuries from couple Loudbears! 

Just how much did she get stronger?

That immediately gave me the chills, reminding me that I should never upset Mashiro or else...that will likely happen to me!

"Something wrong, Rui sama?"

As if she was like some innocent girl with no power, she gave me the most clueless expression she had

"Nothing...I'm just amazed how you were able to pull that off with ease"

"I'm nothing compared to you, Rui sama! Surely you can even smash this whole wall without you even trying!"

She points to the cliff while making some outrageous claims

"I don't know, I might, but not that instant!"

It takes a few seconds for me to do that, let alone a whole cliff! Yet Mashiro did it in an instant!

Demicats really do have an absurd physical power huh?

I shrugged the thought, and went over to where the herbs are

...

"...This definitely was the herb I was looking for earlier"

"Mhmm!"

Mashiro nodded, happily swaying her tail and cat ears

"With this, I'm finally done for herb hunting!"

I slowly reach out to the herb once again...

...Until-

"! Rui sama!"

A flock of Gales started to come at us...

...Unfortunately for them, I wasn't having none of it. With the help of my Spatial Awareness skill, I tracked down all the Gales at present, and quickly slashed their cores with my Fatality skill

"?!"

"...I'm not gonna let you interrupt me from getting this herbs for the second time!"

One by one, the Gales started to fell on us, showing no signs of life

"Rui sama..."

...Ah...

Crap! I used Fatality again! I said that I wouldn't be relying on this skill too much! I let my emotions got a hold of me...

"That was so cool! You killed them all at once! You're so fast that I couldn't even see it!"

Uh...its because I didn't...

Mashiro's eyes were beaming, amazed as she looked at the Gales that fell down on the ground

"Ahaha...I really didn't do much"

"You're too humble! You're way stronger than the heroes!"

"I wouldn't say that...I mean they're heroes after all"

"Well I do! We might not know what your aura means, but Rui sama, I feel like you're not like the others"

"Not like the others?"

"It almost as if...you're not human at all"

"..."

I do remember Master Shin saying something similar about me last time...

...but I couldn't believe that even Mashiro agrees as well

"May I ask why you think so?"

"Mhm. According to my parents, humans have limits when it comes to magic and physical power. There may be some reaching greater heights with it, but that's just it, there's still a limit to how far they can go"

"..."

"...But in Rui sama's case, I feel like you have limitless growth! What you did to those creatures earlier was a proof of it!"

I can quite understand on what Mashiro was talking about...

...but "limitless growth"...really?

"If that's what you believe, then I guess I'll leave it at that"

With all of things that are happening right now, I might as well not think about them too much, and just focus more on what's important

With a clear mind, I try to catch Mashiro's attention, that was seemingly looking for something

"We should get going now, Mashiro"

"...Rui sama..."

"...?"

"Where are those creatures...?"

"What creatures?"

Besides the Gales, Mashiro pointed out the other creature that was supposed to be here as well

"Where are those big creatures that you fought earlier?"

"Oh right...that's weird..."

Those couple Loudbears should also be within this area...

...They couldn't be alive of course, as they don't have a core anymore, which is the source of their life...

"..."

Mashiro then said something

"Could perhaps...someone came here after...?"

"..."

That would explain the disappearance of the Loudbears to some extent, since in most isekai animes I've watched, they do take the loots and remains of the creatures...but

...If someone did, that would be troublesome...

...Our house is quite far away from here, but if the time comes where they get deeper into this forest, they may come across in our place

Master Shin hadn't said anything about adventurers coming near our house, but since nobody has ever done so, I don't know what action they'll take...

"For now, lets go back and think about our next course of action"

Mashiro quickly nodded, seemingly understanding the seriousness of the matter at hand

"Oh but..."

"...?"

"...You don't have to carry me back home anymore..."

She said, blushing harder than before

I guess she got embarrassed about it earlier, she wasn't that heavy or anything, but I guess it was another matter for her

"I don't mind, but you might get left behind"

If that happens, I can adjust my speed to hers, but I still ought to ask first

"No worries Rui sama! I may not be able to do your method, but I think I know the gist of it!"

With her expression shifting from being flustered to sudden burst of determination, it was hard for me to say no

"Alright, tell me when you're ready then"

"Mhmm!"

With just that, I waited for Mashiro to prepare, while I stood here, thinking at the matter at hand...

...