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nTl Note: Please don’t put too much thought in the adventurer numbers. It’s really hard to tell which one is which.

nVolume 2 Chapter 34:

n“Earth Needle!” Ryouma

n“What!?” Adventurer 1

n“Tch!?” Adventurer 2

nSuddenly, stone pickets the size of about two adults’ height erected from the ground. As the two groups of adventurers were suddenly separated, one of the men was pulled up along with a stone picket.

nWhen the men saw the stone pickets suddenly appear out of nowhere, they went quiet and grew vigilant, then slowly, they backed away from the man who was pulled up.

nI took that opportunity to walk into the now empty center.

nIt would be problematic if the young adventurers are taken hostage.

n“W-What the hell happened!?” Adventurer 1

n“It’s magic!” Adventurer 2

n“Is this your doing!?” Adventurer 1

n“Well, you drew your weapons, so… reflex.

nAh, by the way, this spell is called Earth Fence. It’s a spell that branches out from the earth spell, Earth Needle, to create a fence. Unfortunately, because of that it’s a bit sharp. Fortunately, nothing that would make us throw up our lunch happened.” Ryouma

nAfter giving a brief explanation of my spell, the man who was picked up by one of the pickets along with the rest of his comrades stiffened up a little as they imagined what could’ve happened.

nStill… This really is a waste of time. It’s almost time for the roll call. I have to put an end to this…

nThey say the same things I say, and yet they mean something completely different.

nWords sure are difficult!

n…Well, enough with the jokes. These guys seem used to this sort of thing. When they drew their weapons, they turned toward me, but there were 2 among them who approached the young adventurers. They probably wanted to make hostages out of them.

nIt didn’t look like they arranged something right before Sacchi started talking, so they is either premeditated, or they’ve done this enough times that they know what to do.

nThat bandit-like manner of speech, that violent attitude… That’s not something you learn from hunting monsters. These guys are definitely in the wrong here. Not only that, they’re probably guilty of even more crimes.

n“Don’t make excuses, idiots.” Sacchi

n“Aniki…” Adventurer 1

n“It’s just a brat’s spell. As long as you don’t give him the time to cast it, it’s useless. Are you guys really so weak that you’d run with your tail in between your legs from one little brat? …If so, then I don’t need you. I don’t need comrades like that.” Sacchi

n“Psst…” Young Adventurer 1

nWhile Sacchi was rebuking his comrades, a small voice called out to me from behind. It was a young boy, the shortest one of the six. The way he grabbed the fence and bent his back reminded me of a prisoner behind bars.

nI remember him. He’s the boy who bluntly called me dead weight back at the mines.

n“Run. These guys are serious. No matter how good you are with magic, you can’t fight these many alone.” Young Adventurer 1

nSo, he acknowledges my magic now, does he? But it seems he still thinks I’m weaker than this frail bunch.

n“Then you better prepare to run too.” Ryouma

nAs I said that, I quietly told him using Whisper, ‘I’ll remove those bars when I see an opening.’

nUnfortunately, you can’t really talk secretly when you’re right in front of the enemy. Especially, when the 6 of them react enough for Sacchi to notice.

n“Hey, don’t just stand there. Lend us a hand too. That brat looks like he’s good at hiding.” Sacchi

n“He he he, thank you, elder brother.” Adventurer 2

n“Too bad, huh. If only you hadn’t come here, then you wouldn’t have gotten caught up in this mess.” Sacchi

n“It’s a bit late to be saying this, but you know, we would have forgiven you if you just showed us some coin.” Adventurer 1

n“So them stealing your spoils was a lie, after all?” Ryouma

n“Nuh-uh, we actually did think they stole it. I mean they’re slum kids, you know? People troubled with money like that can’t help but find themselves reaching out for other people’s wallets.” Sacchi

n“Of course, if you promise to show us some coin, we might be willing to let you go. I mean you look like you have more on ya than all those kids back there.” Adventurer 1

n“With an armor like that, I’m sure you can pay up. Would you like an installment plan? How about getting some coin from your parents?” Sacchi

nSacchi ordered the rest of the men to draw their weapons, and… they did. But they did so with much hubris, sighing as if they were mere spectators.

n……………Annoying.

nThere were bandits who treated me like a kid back then too, but none has pissed me off as much as these guys.

nThis is probably the most I”ve been pissed off since coming to this world.

nI haven’t the slightest clue why I’m so pissed, but are they asking to be killed?

nMy parents from my previous life passed a long time ago, and I have no parents in this world. In one sense, you could say Gayn and the others are my parents. There’s also the parents they decided for me. So. that leaves me… a dead couple, a group of gods, and another dead couple.

nIf you told me, I could meet my parents, regardless of which couple or group it is, I still have to go to the afterlife. Great.

nThe Jamil Household will probably help me if I ask them, but I don’t feel like giving these bastards even a single coin to these. Besides, we can’t meet right now anyway, and I won’t let them pay even if they wanted to.

nJust as I was about to act against these guys who put too much faith in their strength and numbers—

n“W-Wait!” Adventurer 3

n—suddenly, one of the spectating adventurers cried out. The surrounding adventurers looked at him coldly, but he was so panicked he didn’t even notice them.

n…B-But I haven’t done anything yet…

n“That kid… I-Isn’t he that rumored kid!? W-We can’t touch him!” Adventurer 3

n“…Ahh, you mean that rumor about a kid who frequently brings a slime to the guild?” Adventurer 1

n“The kid who walks around town in a weird getup?” Adventurer 2

n“What’s wrong with touching him?” Adventurer 4

n“Don’t you just mean you don’t have the guts to touch him yourself?” Adventurer 5

nThe other adventurers sneered as they drew their weapons, but the young man of an adventurer only paled more.

n“That kid with a weird getup was seen entering a luxurious inn with the duke’s family! He might be related to them! Do you realize that!?” Adventurer 3

n“A brat like this?” Adventurer 4

n“You gotta be kiddin’ me. Why would a guy like that come to a place like this?” Adventurer 5

n“…W-Wait. Wasn’t this a request from the… duke?” Adventurer 1

n“You’re kidding!” Adventurer 2

n“But it’s true that the duke is staying in Gimuru, and many from the government office was recently laid off…”

nSo, that’s what he was panicking for. The reason he wasn’t proactive with joining the others is because he was afraid of getting on the duke’s bad side. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too late for that…

nThis is a good opportunity, though.

nThere are 6 enemies on each flank. The appointed area for the roll call is to the left. The 6 young adventurers are… Ready!

n” ‘Create Block’ ” Ryouma

n“Hey!” Sacchi

nI gathered the pickets into a single lump, then I strengthened it and my body.

nSacchi called out, but I ignored him, pulled out the picket-lump, and swept toward the left flank with it.

n“Stop him!” Sacchi

n“GAH!?” Adventurer 1

nLike that I sent three men flying with the picket-lump as a dull weapon, then I told the young adventurers to make a run for it.

n“Run!! Go there!” Ryouma

n“Yeah!” Young Adventurers

n“Don’t let the brats run!!!” Sacchi

n“Wait, you brats!!” Adventurer 1

nTl Note: Sorry for cutting here. Was originally planning to finish this in one go, but there were more than a couple of lines that gave me trouble. Idioms and flowery prose, they sound nice, but they give me so much trouble. Don’t worry, I think I figured them out in the end. I’ll post again tomorrow.

nAlso, do you guys play Nioh? I posted a guide for non-living weapon odachi users, but I had to take it down to make some revisions. I should be able to post it again tomorrow. Please look forward to that too! I’ve been working on it for a while now, so I’ll be glad if you can give it a read.

nThis time, a group of adventurers came at me from the right. In response, I swung down with my picket-lump.

n“Hah!?” Sacchi

n“Wai-!?” Adventurer 1

n” ” Adventurer 2 (Tl Note: It’s empty in the raws.)

nThe five men that chased after me were squashed like flies before the might of my picket-lump.

nThe only survivor, Sacchi, brandished his axe, but I threw the slimes on my shoulders to the left.

n“!?” Adventurer 3

nThe two men who were able to escape my earlier attack went and attacked the 6 young adventurers. My slimes were aimed at them. In response, they tried to fend for themselves with their swords, but without hitting the nucleus, all physical attacks were meaningless.

nAnd in the next moment, the sound of something sticking resounded. The 2 slimes had stuck themselves to their swords. After that, a deafening scream filled the area.

n“GEH! My! B-Body! Is… My… Legs…” Adventurer 4

n“GYaAAAAH! My arms!! My arms!!” Adventurer 5

nThe two slimes I’d thrown were poison and acid, and they just released their juices on the men.

n“This brat!!!” Sacchi

nSacchi swung his axe toward my head, but I dodged him and stepped back.

n“You sure did us good, bitch!!” Ryouma

nNow, where did all that composure go?

nSacchi’s face was beet red and popping with veins as he swung his axe.

n“How long are you bastards planning to sleep!!? Chase after those brats!” Sacchi

nThe men who had been crushed under the picket lump crawled out and the men I’d sent flying earlier slowly stood up. The only exception was the man who’d been afflicted with poison.

n“Don’t stop! Run!!” Ryouma

nIt would make my life easier if the young adventurers got away, so I told them to keep running.

nThey only glanced at me once before continuing to make a run for it.

n“Damn it! Get those brats or I’ll get your heads for it!

nAs for that brat, he probably doesn’t have anything to do with the duke, but if he tells on us to the guild, we’ll be in trouble! Novices who abandon their missions are everywhere anyway, so catch him and teach him a lesson!” Sacchi

n“B-But Sacchi-san… This is really bad!” Adventurer 1

nI prioritized securing an escape route for the kids, so the bad adventurers shouldn’t have been hurt much, but for some reason, they weren’t very enthusiastic to follow Sacchi’s orders.

nAre they the sort that can’t act if they don’t have the advantage?

n“Fine. I’ll do it. I don’t know if it’s the duke backing you or whatever, but I’ll beat you so hard you won’t come crying back to your backing.

nYou’ve practiced healing a lot, right?” Sacchi

n“But.” Adventurer 1

n“Shut up! Just do it! Follow me!” Sacchi

nSacchi bellowed out a war cry, then he raised his axe and closed in on me like a beast.

nHis aim is probably my shoulders.

nHe doesn’t look like he wants to kill me, so he’ll probably hit me with the back of the axe. Still, that’s metal. It’s more than enough to crush the human body.

nI took a step forward and brushed Sacchi’s right hand with my left arm, diverting the trajectory of his attack.

n“!?” Sacchi

nWith his arm extended, I wrapped my right arm around the back of his right elbow, then I kicked him with the back of my knee to break his posture. The moment he fell to his knees, his arms stiffened.

nIn that moment, anger left his face as shock took its place, then a thick sound resounded from his right arm.

n“GAH!? MMM!” Sacchi

nWhen I let go of his right arm, it dangled about loosely, and his axe fell to the ground. He could not pick it back up.

nEnduring the pain, Sacchi tried to hit me with the back of his left hand, but it had no power, and I was able to easily take his left arm and step on his yet knelt right foot, then like a twig being snapped, Sacchi’s body shook as I broke his left arm with a karate chop.

n“—!! —-!!? GUuU…” Sacchi

n“…Eh?” Adventurer 1

n“Elder brother just…” Adventurer 2

n“Instant kill…?” Adventurer 3

nSacchi groaned and squirmed as he prostrated himself on the ground. With two fractures and one dislocation, the pain should be unbearable, but he was somehow persisting.

nThey probably didn’t expect things to turn out like this. Because when the men following from behind saw Sacchi taken out just like that, they suddenly stopped as their faces cramped.

n“Who’s next?” Ryouma

nI said with a smile.

n“W-We… Uh…” Adventurer 1

n“!!” Adventurer 2

n“Ahh!?” Adventurer 3

n“Hey don’t run off by yourself!” Adventurer 5

n“‘Teleport’” Ryouma

nWhen one of the adventurers tried to run away, I immediately teleported in front of him.

n“Where are you planning to go?” Ryouma

n“Eek!?” Adventurer 6

n“Dimension Magic!?” Adventurer 1

n“What is with that kid!?” Adventurer 2

n“Forgive us! We couldn’t go against Sacchi!” Adventurer 3

n“Save that kind of talk for the guild master. For the meantime, it would be really troubling if you were to chase the children, so you’ll have to keep me company.” Ryouma

nAfter that, I bound the now disorderly mob of men with my slimes. This surprisingly took a long time.

nAs a result, I’m late for the roll call.

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