Several minutes later.
「Suura-san how much more will it take? I’ve been fighting, so I’ve got no idea of distance……」
「Positionally we would be able to leave from this forest in a hour! Everyone, give it your all!」
「「「OooooHH!」」」
The order of Suura-san was the answer to my question and the knights replied in high spirits.
After some time, I took on more demons, which helped most of the knights to recover and we were somehow able to maintain the frontlines.
Yea, it was worth the hard work.
And, Elk too returned to the frontlines some minutes ago.
「Even so, you used a weapon」
「Eh?」
Elk was fighting the flying demons and almost dead demons while standing on top of carriage when she said those words to me. She seemed to have a lot composure due to the daily training
Though……I had composure to look towards her when answering, but still I talked by just speaking.
「I did know about that『shuriken』, but……your stick techniques too are good」
「Ah, that you mean. Well, I had briefly been taught by mom about ‘how to use various weapons’ during training」
I learnt not only stick techniques, but also sword, spear, whip and even tonfa.
Naturally, I had practised them all in fights when I was in the woodlands.
「Then why? Why don’t you fight using weapons though you’re strong when using them?」
「Huh? Did I not tell you?」
「Like I said, it’s the first time I see you using weapon. Is there some reason behind it?」
「Ah, Yea. Well, there is」
Well, I had dealt with one more flock of demons right now……so, I decided to tell her as it would help me take a breather.
The reason I fought empty-handed were divided in two.
I was more specialized in fighting empty-handed, and my power too comes out.My magic close combat fighting style was to fill up magical power in my body and hit. Really Simple. If it wasn’t this simple then I wouldn’t had been able to do it.
See, like I have said many times. Magic that would requiere me to control magical power outside my body would be catastrophic for me.
So inevitably, I use magical power inside my body and it will even increase my attack power. If I used weapons, it would increase my range but the power would be lower compared to hitting directly with punch.
[ET: Yay~ Saitama comes here]
Unlike the close combat in which I used my power, in fights with weapon the flow of battle would be influenced upon the strength and other things of the weapon. So I always used fists when fighting.
It would be somewhat better if the weapon had a mechanism for pouring magical power into it, but still fighting with fists would still be stronger.
In addition, controlling the power…… to put it simply, It is difficult to hold back when using weapons.
Empty-handedly I would be able to control the power, but when using weapons, it would sometimes increase too much and sometimes it would decrease even more.
Taking all that into consideration, using bare-hands, which I could control freely, was the better choice.
As for the other reason.It was to feel the sensation of hitting something with my body, fists, skin.
The sensation of demon’s body being dented, muscles tearing, bones smashing……and the feeling of demon’s life vanishing, those were the things that I wanted to feel.
Let me tell you beforehand that I have no interest in killing demons or anything indiscriminately. On the contrary, without a reason I have never thought of killing.
But, in this world that was impossible. The fights with demons were the sort of thing where words ‘either you die or I die’ worked.
That was something mom ingrained into my bones during training. I had mind of an adult (different from『mental age』), so I was aware of that.
[AK: Yeah here comes the law of the jungle]
And if necessary, I even would have to fight against humans.
In the fights of ‘kill or be killed’, where my life would be at stake.
[ET: The words for either you die or I die and this are both different. That’s why I have not written them the same, though they mean the same]
So I have beared it in my mind so as to『not forget』that.
I never forgotten the sensation of stealing the life of a single demon each time I attack with my fists.
Every time I punch, kick, the sensation that comes from my fists and legs told me to not forget this feeling.
Otherwise, I would lose every feeling related to fights except ignorance.
I didn’t want to become the guy who saw the demons as existences who would just give XP and materials, as though it were a video-game.
Well, in the end it turns out to be self-satisfaction only.
「……Isn’t it childish?」
「Isn’t it fine? After all, you’re still a child. ……But」
Elk took a deep breath,
「I think it’s splendid. That thinking too and executing your thoughts too. Though, it’s my personal opinion」
「……Thanks」
She praised me and heard my story. Thanks to that, I felt like I had gotten a little bit, only a little bit stronger. I too am the calculating type of person.
Suddenly I faced back towards the carriage and various sorts of stares from Suura-san, Zari and knights came to me.
There were stares filled with admiration, some were with respect, some which I didn’t understand, and last were the stares saying they had seen something strange.
……Among all these, there were also lukewarm stares looking at me and Elk mutually.
I take back my words back from before. I should’ve chosen place and time before talking.
Okay, now renewing the feelings, and let’s get ready for the next attack of demons……Hm?
「Ah, hey, Alva! Don’t come out, it’s dangerous!」
I saw Alva perching on the canopy of carriage……I didn’t knew it came out.
I told it to stay within the carriage obediently. Did it got hungry?
Now that I think about it, ever since giving it food during noon, I had been neglecting it. It sure had lot of appetite even while being a newborn.
Alva was staring at the knights who were standing in the rear of carriage while attacking demons with magic.
It was staring intently. Intently.
Ah, Alva? umm……
「That’s bad Alva. They are not your food, okay? You can’t eat them」
Piiiiii?
「Hungry, eh? Okay fine. I will catch something later for you to eat, so wait for the time being」
Piiiiii……
Hearing our conversation, the magician knights were slightly startled. Ah It would be fine. I will tell it thoroughly that eating humans is wrong, even if they can use magic.
After some time of lecturing, Alva seemed to have understood my words. Well then, now I have to take down some red lizards and magic bunnies……Oh?
「Then, let’s finish the scary talk here. A new group seems to make an appearance」
「So you knew it was a scary talk……Hey, what is that!?」
Elk looked towards the way which I was looking at, and raised her voice startled.
Continuing onwards, Suura-san and Zari too opened their eyes wide.
In front stood the insect type demons, having its body covered by a dark brown (almost black) shell.
Its appearance was like a mixture of praying mantis, tiger beetle and G life-form which usually could be found in kitchens. In simple words, it looked truly fiendish with its size that was about two to three metres long.
There were 4 in total. They were intimidating while raising their forefoot.
「……『Devil Roach』, now something bad came out!」
「Is its name『Devil Roach』?」
「Yeah. It’s the race that can be considered as the strongest in this『Crimson Forest』. Normally, they wouldn’t come out in shallow areas of forest like here, but……」
「This too might be the effect of the landslide. This is really the worst scenario」
Zari added in help there.
From what I heard, they are rank C demons. So the same rank as strongest demons of Naga, the『little beast』s.
And there were 5 of them……as you can see.
Furthermore, it had the name『roach』, meant it was classified as bug.
Though, Suura-san took a great shock but she didn’t show any hesitation in taking actions.
She raised her voice so that it could even be heard by knights sleeping within the carriages.
「Everyone listen! Even the ones who are sleeping! From now (Snap!!) we will leave the minimum members here and rest all will (Snap!!) will go out and start (Snaaapp!!) the subjugation of devil roa-(Breeeeaaaakkk!!!!)-ch……or so I had thought, but there is no need for that, that’s why keep on resting」
What happened?
I took care of all 4 while Suura-san was giving out her speech.
No, well, I couldn’t let knights fight against something dangerous. They all were politely intimidating that it seemed like I would be able to take care of them quickly.
With one-hit-one-kill, I mowed them all them.
After throwing the corpses of cockroach monster x4 so that it wouldn’t become hindrance for carriages, I suddenly looked behind only to find Suura san doing a facepalm and others looking in mute amazement.
Oi, everyone don’t daze out and fight? Do you want to die?
「No, well……you were this sort of guy after all」
「Eh, Elk you too? I thought you will understand me」
「About what? Your monstrous conditions?」
So meanie.
「……Well, I have no complaints because there was no injuries. Thank you Minato-dono」
「Minato-kun we can really rely on you, seriously~」
Suura-san with a stiff smile and Zari along with his dry laughter said those words.
Hmph, you can keep on that. I’m a monster for you all.
[ET: Minato says in a tone as though saying ‘like you all will understand my feelings’. Well something like that]
But these guys were living in this forest too. Nostalgic, huh.
「? Were they living in those『woodlands』too?」
「Yes. But they were the bottom in the food chain」
They lived in caves, and only had large numbers.
Well, I had seen them getting eaten by other strong demons as food.
「……Bottom……the strongest rank c monsters of『Crimson Forest』are……at bottom……」
Setting aside Elk who was making a distant look,
「Umm, Suura-san, can you take back the order from before?」
「hm? What do you mean?」
No, I meant that take out everyone and tell them to keep their guard up.
Because, It is soon going to turn into a situation where that will be needed.
「? What do you mean? The devil roaches all have been eliminated……do you mean reinforcements!?」
「Yes, and that too……seems freakishly more dangerous compared to big c**kroaches」
……I have been hearing it from before.
The sound of super-extra-large wings fluttering and it was giving me dangerous feeling.
The volume had already increased to the level that even Suura-san and others could hear.
it was getting louder and louder. No doubt about it, it was the sound of an insect’s wings.
And, on the faces of everyone near the carriage impatience and confusion appeared……the next second,
Along with the sound of over-sized wings『Buuuuuuunnnn!!』, a green colored shadow landed in front us.