Episode 68 — The Country Where Oni Lives
～ Part 2 ～
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The gold rank adventurer Rezbon with the adventurer party he led, had finished the battle with the lesser demon and was somehow able to return to the relay camp.
The poleax user, Rein had suffered serious burn throughout her body. Unlike ordinary burns, healing magic wouldn’t work well on a wound inflicted by darkness magic. Even if she was to recover, scars would still remain, so said Filheart the healer.
The adventurer guild only allowed gold rank and above to travel to the New Continent. The reason was that the New Continent was said to be the place the ‘King of Demons’ retreated to in the mythical era of war, even now, monsters directly descended from the King of Demons were roaming in large amount.
In fact, Rezbon party had fought nearly 10 lesser demons so far.
The New Continent was the largest unexplored area rivalling the western part of the Old Continent. The profits obtained in the exploration was big, but that much danger accompanied it.
“It may be better to think about withdrawing soon.”
The robed magician-styled man who was also the party sub-leader Wagan said.
“Since Rein who is our tank suffered this much damage, it’ll be difficult to continue fighting from now on.”
“Right, but at this rate, it’ll be subtly unprofitable…”
Rezbon crossed his arms, thinking.
“As I thought, I want to hunt a bit more of the endemic species of the New Continent. That skeleton, that slime, and then that monster woman, what the heck are those?”
“It’s an Azuki-arai. A species endemic to the New Continent. The lineage is a little different from the ones directly descend from the King of Demons. I think Wombat or Filhana is more informed about it.”
About 200 years ago, mankind experienced an unprecedented crisis. Multiple threats with completely different origins had bared their fangs at mankind.
Among them, there was one that came from across the sea eastward from the Old Continent, it was called the Army of Shura. Even now, the ‘Ruins of the Anti-Shura Maritime Defense Fortress’ still remained as a testament to the battle of that time.
Azuki-arai was one of the monster species that was mixed in the Army of Shura. Nowadays, its existence was only conveyed in the literature of the Central Empire, but recently, they were rediscovered on the New Continent. This was one evidence supporting the geological theory that the homeland of the Army of Shura which was consider to be in the east of the Old Continent, was a land adjoining the New Continent, and seemed to be heatedly debated among the scholars.
Not just Azuki-arai. If that theory was correct, then monsters comprising the core of the Army of Shura such as tengu, oni, nue, tsuchigumo, etc., should also be inhabiting this New Continent.
Rezbon party had visited this land with the purpose of capturing — dead or alive — those New Continent endemic monster species (called Shura races) and palmed them off to the scholar bunch of the Central Empire via the Adventurer Guild. From the point of view of the rare organisms scriveners of the Empire, it would be samples they desperately wanted, no doubt.
“As I thought, we have to go a little further east…. Did that Azuki-arai monster stray from its group?”
“Who knows. I can’t say for sure.”
While the two were conversing, Wombat and Filhana who went out to scout had returned.
Wombat was a bandit converted to an adventurer, he was your typical scout type. Filhana was a young girl who became a gold rank just recently, she could use a recovery mean called oracle magic which was unusual for adventurers.
“Oi, Rezbon. There’s good news.”
Appearing to be a little exited, Wombat broached the story.
“What happened?”
“I found them. New Continent endemic species. There’s 4 monsters gather together. Moreover, they are all different species.”
“Is that true?”
Rezbon unintentionally stood up.
What they found were middle class species endemic to the New Continent, starting from crow tengu. Unfortunately, it wasn’t superior species like oni or nue, but still, materials of these monsters were scarce. It would definitely sell for good price.
“Understood. Since we can’t let Rein move, 1 person will protect her, the other 3 will go. Be extra cautious of lesser demons.”
If it’s at middle class, then even 3 gold rank could deal with them well enough. Considering the balance, it would probably be Wombat who was going to look after Rein.
As he was thinking, Filhana timidly approached.
“Rezbon …, are we really going?”
“Nn, why?”
“I also thought this when we were chasing the Azuki-arai, but I feel strongly reluctant to capture them as monsters. At that time, the Azuki-arai obviously felt fear and was running around…”
“Well, that’s true…”
Scratching his head, Rezbon said.
“Monsters with advanced intelligence and society is a common thing, I often hear that there are many adventurers who sympathize with them. Elves and Dwarves were also lumped together with monsters up until 200 years ago.”
“Then…”
“But including that, it’s something we don’t know unless we talk to them properly. It’s a fact that those lots bared their fang to humanity 200 years ago.”
Because it was a living being, it would naturally for it to feel fear and run around. It just happened to have an appearance and intelligence close to human, no more than that.
But then, the delineation was ambiguous. Like dwarves and elves, there were also species that were recognized as a member of humanity together with the change of time. However, at the present stage, Azuki-arai was a monster.
Thinking too hard about this would just render them unable work as an adventurers. It was another story if one was to dive into the dungeon day after day to earn a living though. He had heard that that kind of adventurers were still mainstream in the adventurer self-governing territory of Zelmenarga in the northern part of the continent.
Rezbon despised those adventurers, calling them ‘mole’. It was the earning method of the country bumpkins.
When Rezbon politely explained, Filhana soon nodded like giving up.
“First of all, once we catch those guys, we’ll be preparing to withdraw. The encounter rate with lesser demons is higher than I thought, so let’s go cautiously.”
With Rezbon giving out instructions, the policy of this adventurer party was decided.
After washing her body and clothes, Azuki appeared before Kyousuke in a glossy state. Her hair was wet, her skin with its moisture regained was strangely charming, but that wasn’t an important problem at the moment. By removing the dirt on her body, Azuki the clean freak seemed to have finally relaxed.
“Monsters didn’t appear, staff officer!”
Rin deformed her body in a salute. Scratching his head, Kyousuke nodded.
“It’s been a long time since I heard that staff officer title…”
“For about one month, days when no one say that has continued. To remind Kyousuke-kun that you’re the staff officer, I’ll be regularly say it.”
“O, ou…”
Rin also took back her usual tune. For now, it seemed they could calmly talk.
“The ones who got sent to this continent are just myself, Rin and Mitarai, I think that’s not the case.”
Sitting on a nearby rock, Kyousuke broached the subject. Azuki also found a rock nearby, washed it with water, put a towel-like cloth on top and sat down. Quite a lot of care was needed.
“First of all, Rin and I were sent quite close to each other, so I think it may be because of our close positions. Mitarai, do you remember who were close to you before you got teleported?”
“Nn, Nnn–…. At that time, I was panicking so…”
Azuki slightly tilted her head.
“But with that theory, Hino-kun should also be together with Utsurogi-kun though?”
“Akira…”
With the name of his childhood friend being brought up, a bitter smile … couldn’t show up on Kyousuke’s face, so he vocalized his bitter feelings instead.
“That guy, he was a little away from us when he got teleported.”
“That’s right, he was closer to Miychan than us.”
Akira was one of the classmates he was especially worried about. Of course, he wouldn’t decide who need to be safe or who needn’t, but that guy had been a close friend who had spend these 17 years together since they were born. The fact that he didn’t have much chance to talk to that guy these days might have spurred his worries even further.
“I’m also worried about Sachan. Certainly, I think she was closest to Akai at the time.”
“Kaoruko, Harui and Hebitsuka were there as well.”
If this teleport incident was caused by Akai’s will itself, then what kind of implication would it have to be close to Akai?
At that time, she said «get away, as far as possible». What really happened to Sakuma Sachiko and the others who got swallowed by the light first? What was Akai worried about that she said to «get away, as much as possible»? He couldn’t imagine anything pleasant.
“Around me, certainly…. There were Yukinoshitsan, Karasumkun…?”
Said Azuki while still tilting her head.
“It was relatively close enough to reach … so it’s very likely that they got sent near the place I was?”
“I see. Yukinoshita and Karasuma…”
“Oh–, it’s only Japanese-styled youkai.”
Rin said just a little happily. To that word, Azuki suddenly hit her hands together.
“That’s right. There may be Kabeno-san as well.”
“Chi-chan. That means Ozashiki-kun is there too, isn’t he?”
When the name of a classmate was cited, other classmates’ name also came out immediately, as expected of the class well-informed person.
Having said that,
“Are Ozashiki and Kabeno close?”
“They’re the ace of the soccer club and its manager? There must be something, isn’t there? Well, I haven’t heard anything about them dating, but Chi-chan often look at Ozashiki-kun.”
“You’re observing well…”
So then, there was no doubt to consider that at least 4 people might have been sent to the place Azuki was warped to. Kyousuke pondered. This hill seemed to be a relatively safe zone, but if they were to search for those 4, they would need to head back to wasteland and desert.
It was a dangerous place with possibility of encountering adventurers and lesser demons. It wasn’t where one should head to so readily, but conversely speaking, it also meant that those 4 were still left behind in that kind of danger zone.
“Kyousuke-kun, are we going…?”
Rin timidly asked.
“Ahh, we’ll going.”
Kyousuke nodded.
“It, it’s dangerous…?”
“I’m fully aware that it’s dangerous. It’s not like I got desperate or anything.”
Kyousuke slowly answered Azuki’s words.
“I’m not self-sacrificing, or prioritizing others. Somehow, after thinking about what I want to do, what I don’t want to happen, the answer I got is that this is the only choice, if it’s the only choice, then there’s nothing but to do it.”
“But, Kyousuke-kun, you’re terribly weak when you’re alone…”
Rin’s words stabbed at the crux of the matter. Yes, that’s correct. Alone, Kyousuke was weak. He was only a slightly sturdier skeleton. It would be different if he had a weapon, but he was empty-handed, and that made him even shabbier.
But Kyousuke had taken that into consideration. While considering that and being aware that he was being selfish, the means he should take was only one.
“I know.”
Because it’s the only choice, there’s nothing but to do it.
“That’s why, Rin, I want you to lend me your power.”
“Ah–…”
A faint bitter nuance was contained in Rin’s voice.
“So it comes to that…”
“Of course, if we encounter human adventurers, we’ll escape at full speed. The same goes for the lesser demons. When it comes to escaping, it’ll be much easier to escape with Rin’s power than escaping by myself all naked.”
He had always felt that the time he had to make this kind of request would eventually come.
He didn’t want to talk about self-sacrifice, still, Kyousuke braved danger in order to save other. But then, if Kyousuke was to risk-hedging as much as possible, he couldn’t help but borrow Rin’s or Akira’s power. Rin always happily accompanied him. Akira, while complaining, always made judgements matching Kyousuke’s will.
However, it’s not necessary the case that they would keep nodding forever. At that time, Kyousuke would have to ask them unreasonable things in order to carrying out the selfishness he wanted to do.
“Well, you say so, but Kyousuke-kun. If the need arises, you must have considered working as the rearguard to let Karasuma and the others escape?”
“Uh, well, you know…”
“I’m frightened right now? My body may harden?”
“At that time, I’ll carry you with princess carry.”
As the two’s talking, Mitarai Azuki was watching their conversation with an absentminded looks.
“So nice…”
“Oops, sorry Azu-nyan. I didn’t mean to show off. Hahah … ouch!”
Somehow, Rin made a remark full of composure, for now, Kyousuke gave a forehead flick.
“That’s the reason, but…. Mitarai, it’s naturally, but I need you to go with us as a guide. Are you okay?”
“Well, I also feel more reassured with even one more classmates so…”
Mitarai Azuki nodded.
With this, it was unanimous, more or less. Time was getting late. Once night fell, it would be difficult to search, so if possible, he wanted to go look for them as soon as possible. Kyousuke stood up, gazing at the desert from the hill, Rin poked, poked his leg.
“Kyousuke-kun Kyousuke-kun. I’ll tell you first, it’s serious.”
“Nn?”
“As I thought, I’m very scared of killing people.”
A suppressed tone of voice. Himemizu Rin spun gloomy words.
“I’m also very scared that I didn’t feel any doubt so far. The 3 people we killed so far, all were done in by my ability, aren’t they…?”
First person, the nameless Pawn: opened a hole in his stomach with a kick accelerated by Rin’s jet spray, killing him.
Second person, Knight Suou: invaded part of them inside his body, tore him open from inside with Extreme Blow, killing him.
Third person, Pawn Tokihara: also killed with Extreme Blow.
It was hard to call it Rin’s pure ability. But just like how a vivid sensation remained in Kyousuke body, perhaps, Rin too was the same. With that, she still maintained her sanity, still said that she would go with Kyousuke, it might be thanks to her tough mental strength.
“Therefore, I…”
“I don’t feel like making Rin kill anymore than that.”
Kyousuke clearly said.
“If it’s necessary, I will kill.”
“…Can you?”
That wasn’t simply speaking about the mental aspect, Kyousuke understood.
Alone, Utsurogi Kyousuke was only an ordinary weak skeleton.
But this surely wasn’t the question of can or cannot. There was no room for choices left to Kyousuke.
“If it’s the only choice, then there’s nothing but to do it.”
To be continued…
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