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nChapter 45

nWRITTEN BY BIRDYTRANSLATION**ARCH 20, 2017

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nForty-Fifth Episode~ Confronting Two Experts

nI stand up strait and carefully climb the short set of stairs .

nI place my hand on the wooden door and push it open as I lean back .

nThere are servants to the right kneading powder on a marble counter and cutting vegetables o a cutting board .

nPreparing for dinner?

nThey are absorbed in cooking and do not notice me .

nLike a certain game, I hide using a cardboard box as I advance .

nMa, there is no such convenient item .

nMaintaining my crouched posture I use the blind spots under the furniture .

nI am able to advance towards the hallway with no one noticing .

nThe reaction is coming from the other end of the hallway .

nI see a door opened on the ride side of the hall way .

nI go to the edge of the door quickly .

nI press my right shoulder to the wall and look inside, but from my position I can only see a painting displayed on the left wall of the room .

nIt cannot be helped . I may be seen, but I quickly move the left side of the doorway .

nI press my left shoulder on the wall and look inside again .

nThis is a large room that looks like a conference room . I long black desk spreads out inside . I see a plump man sitting in the head chair at the end of the table .

nWith an insolently presence, this guy is probably the boss .

nExecutive looking people are next to the plump boss, there is a tall person with good posture .

nThis is probably an aide or a staff officer?

nA lion beastman and a human with good posture are lowering there head to boss and delivering a report with severe eyes .

nTwo rapiers are visible at the waist of the aide .

nAre these the members of 【Thorny Tail】?

nEven if they are, there is nowhere to hide in the room .

nShould I end my infiltration here, and reveal myself?

nThe moment I think so, I cancel

nI walk into the room, walking grandly .

nWith my black spear on my shoulder while touching the black desk with my left hand, I approach the people encircling the boss .

nThey still have not noticed me .

n-N? This is different . One of them noticed me .

nThere is a man leaning against a pillar situated next to a big window with his arms crossed and glaring at me with sharp eyes .

nOnly this man seems to have noticed me quickly .

nThis is probably the guy who is keeping the magic essence reaction thin .

nHe seems skilled, I should be careful .

n“So, the shop was already damaged-”

nIs the guy giving the report the one who damaged Kuna’s shop earlier?

n“Was it one of the other dark guilds? The one who killed Kuna was that spearman- N?”

nThe plump man I think is the boss notices me .

n“Ah, no-eh?”

nAfter the boss the large lion race notices me .

nEveryone turns to look at me all at once .

nThey are also paying attention to the black spear .

n“Oi, who are you!”

nThe boss-like man points at me and shouts .

nThe tall man next two him removes his two rapiers and opens his mouth to talk .

n“That spear, who are you?”

nI nod to his question and begin to talk .

n“Who am I? The man attacked by you . You are 【Thorny Tail】?”

n“It can’t be, with that spear, are you the spearman from he report?”

n“Which spearman do you mean, I don’t follow, ma, I do use the spear?”

nI joke a little .

n“Whaaat, you’re tall, but you still have a ways to go, brat, aren’t you a youngster! You appear so impressively…according to the report, Kuna did not return likely because of this guy . …Ganu, Donpa, Koyatsu, kill him! Raisa, protect me, Karii, what is your price to work?”

nThe boss sitting in the chairs doles out orders .

n“Yes . ”

n“Ha . ”

nGanu and Donpa stand up and pull out their respective weapons .

nAt the same time, the tall aide that seems to be called Raiza pulls a sword from his sheath quickly, and his hand goes to a flute hanging from his chest .

n“Cominquez chairman, I am leaving it to you, Piiiii-”

nHe blows the wistle .

nChi, it looks like he is calling back up .

nThe sound of the whistle echoes, and I spontaneously run forward .

n-Victory goes the one who makes the first move . I will kill them before this gets prolonged .

nI quickly decease the gab between myself and the beastman Ganu and the human Donpa with fighting moji enhanced legs .

nI wield the black spear with the added force of my momentum and swings it from the right .

nThe blade of the black spear bites into the flank of the thin man named Donpa . The man’s body is suddenly cut in two .

nThe blade of the black spear has never been sharp .

nHowever, I can do this much by relying on my strength and speed .

n-The two lumps of flesh wet the black spear with blood as blood sprays out, then collides with the body of the lion beastman, Ganu, standing to the left .

nThe beastman Ganu’s body is bent into a くcharacter is blow away to the left .

nHe crashes powerfully through the black table .

nThe beast person goes through the black table head first and only his legs are visible .

nHis current condition is like a household’s dog-kami .

nEveryone is shocked by this .

nWith this opening, I extend the black spearpoint towards the defenseless throat of the seated plump boss- however, a metallic sound rings out . Raize has crossed his two rapiers the protect the boss man from my spear attack .

nRaize glares at me with squinted eyes, and deflects the black spearpoint with his two rapiers, raising a battle cry-

n“-Haa!”

nWhen Raize raises his voice full of fighting spirit, his left and right hand move slightly- and two silver sword flashes appear together .

n-The left thrusts at my neck .

n-A diagonal slash at my right arm .

n-Sweeping the flank, while rotating left, I cut a lower berth .

nThe attack is hair-raising, this sword attack .

nAs expected, it is fast .

nAvoiding the slashing attack by a hair’s breadth, I use the black spear and retreat while repelling the sword flash .

nImmediately after I retreat, a knife is thrown-

nI promptly lean back and avoid it .

nRevolving back once, knifes and daggers are thrown continuously and I keep avoiding them .

n“-He, you’re very dexterous . Amazing . It’s like a circus . Avoid this one now . ”

nWhat, it is a slightly high-pitched voice . The voice makes me feel sick .

n“Karri, good, as expected of someone from the former Radford empire’s war brigade . ” (TL: This sentence is **ed up . Sorry . ”

nThe fat boss man sitting in his chair praises the series of movements .

n“Annoying-”

nKarii shows a cool-headed reaction the his employed for some reason .

n“Eh?…”

nKarii’s sudden behavior causes the boss man to become silent as if frightened .

n“Oi, Karii, is this betrayal?”

nIs this a falling out?

nThe aide Raize calls out to the man called Karii .

nRaize with his tall figure has an undertone of supressed anger .

nOf the two rapiers pointed me, he turns one the them to the man called Karii .

n“…Iya, iya . I’m not betraying you . The game is getting exciting, so I got a little worked up . ”

nI am worried by him saying “The game is getting exciting,”

nThis “Karii” has a somewhat strange atmosphere about him .

nMoreover- he has a considerable level of fighting moji . Unlike the mana he was keeping under control earlier, his body is now gushing with released mana .

nAt any rate…he is storing mana in his eyes .

nAs for him, that means he can “see” he movement of my mana .

n“If that’s the case, you will continue following the contract . Kill the spearman-”

nRaize kicks the ground, and approaches me .

n“Yeah, yeah-”

nReplying with disinterested words, Karii continues from behind, kicking the floor and running .

nI said sword line earlier- this Raize skilled too .

nThe speed of his scolding is good, but his fighting moji is not up to par .

nWith Karii behind him, definitely lose-

nThis is my first time fighting two skilled people .

nIt seems I have no choice but to do my best .

nI repel Raize’s thin swords and return a lunge with the black spear-

nThe black spear attack is directed away from his abdomen with one of his swords and Raize counterattacks immediately with a riposte . Karri is using two small daggers, and is attacking at critical moments .

nFor how many seconds- I dodge to two’s attacks, repeatedly repelling thrusts .

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n-I use a blind spot .

nI repel Raize harder and flip the black spear to attack with the butt end, inviting Karii to attack an opening .

nAs I expected . Karii thrusts a dagger from the right .

n-Yosh, he took the bait .

nTo avoid the dagger, I rotate the Raize’s left .

nRaize gets in Karii’s way and he cannot get close enough to attack .

nAvoiding the attack by rotating to the side, Raize reacts in that fraction of a second .

nThe sword in his right hand is thrust downward to stab into my chest .

n-Now .

nI use that thrust sword against him .

nWhen my field of view become inverted, I attack . I let my black spear make a figure-eight, and the thrust sword gets entangled like the spear is a black snake .

n“GU . ”

nRaize’s expression becomes distorted as both his arm and the rapier are twisted .

nThat moment-the sword is Raize’s hand is twisted in revolt . Making a metallic *kiin* sound, the sword separates from Raizes hand and is sent flying .

nRaize bends his neck and dodges the flying rapier .

nHe manages to barely dodge it, but part of of his right ear is cut off and blood oozes out .

nThe rapier sinks into the ceiling and dangles as it trembles .

nIn that fraction of a section- I finish my cartwheel .

nI break the landing with fighting moji powered legs and stand up .

nThe image of a gazelle . I stand up quickly with my lower body bent and swing my left fist at Raize’s head .

nAs a bonus, I eject at the same time .

n-There is a dull sound as the chain penetrates through Raize’s face .

nThe chain goes straight through his head creating a bloody mist as bits and pieces of his head are sprinkled around the room- it penetrates the upper arm of Karii standing nearby, and pierces the broad wall while tearing apart Karii’s clothes .

n from a left hook at close range .

nThe chain is like a piano wire as blood drip from its links .

n-I move without waiting .

nMy body is bathed in blood as I dismiss the chain dripping with blood .

nAt the same time, I fire off a twisting towards the Karii that has suffered an injury .

nHowever, a high-pitched metallic sounds reaches my ears with the feeling of hitting metal .

nKarii prevented my while moving back to the wide wall .

nHyu~ you did it…grimacing, he stops the black spearpoint enhanced by by crossing the two daggers in an X despite his injured arm .

nThen, from the shock, Karii’s upper body is exposed as his clothes are torn .

nN? He has a tattoo on his right shoulder .

n-Black Wings . Around his collarbone from the right side of his chest to his right shoulder, it is engraved on a large scale .

nKarii’s expression twists, and he jumps to the side- retreating .

nHe takes a distance from me .

n“Oh my…I give up . Kousan . ”

nThen, Karii lowers his injured arm limply, and throws away the daggers in his hands .

nThe daggers leap irregularly .

n“What do you mean surrender, I paid lots of gold to hire you-”

n“-Annoying, die pig . ”

nA dagger sinks in the middle of the boss man’s forehead and he dies easily .

nDid Karri kick the dagger that he dropped?

nIt is not only that- this is different, something-

n“U~~n, you want to kill me, Kai?”

nKarii who killed the fat boss speaks to me .

nWith a blank eyes, a cunning smile floats on his face

nThis guy, I do not understand his reasoning .

nHe was injured, but his joking expression is not broken .

nI am curious about the tattoo of the black wings across his chest and shoulder…

nI am curious about the tattoo on his cheeks to .

nThere is a unique tattoo of a knife stuck in a heart there .

nIt is not the Elf’s, cut it reminds of Clydosus whom I encountered earlier .

n“…Which ever is fine with me . ”

n“So- I can’t stand being ‘patient’ anymore . ”

nThe moment his laughing face changes into an ominous curse smile-

nHis spine suddenly makes a *zowa*

nHowever, there is still something-

nThinking so, I catch it with magic observing eye .

nAt Karii’s feet a yura-sh guidance moji is activated .

nOne magic line guidance moji separates from Karii and connect the the stiletto lying on the ground .

n“Fuun . ”

nGe, I remember the brutal attacks from Shisho using four short swords…

nWith a smirking face, Karii approaches the fat boss man, dead in his chair, pulls out the dagger from his head with his uninjured left arm, while the dagger floating in the air with springs at me .

nHe killed the chairman boos a few minutes ago, but…

nThis guy, what is Kaisen?

nWhile the dagger flies through the air around me it aims for vital spots .

nI repel the dagger flying through the air like a bee with my black spear, and with a battle cry Karii slips past the black spear and aims for my neck with the dagger .

nI thrust out with the butt end in return .

nKarri shifts his body to the left with an unconcerned expression and dodged the spear .

nLike that, rotating around, as if destroying his balance intentionally, he stretches out his left hand to me, and stabs out .

nShould I step in a little?

nAs I dodge Karii’s sharp attack, I kick the floor and move to the side .

nI attack with the black spear, using to momentum of my movement, aiming for Karii’s body .

nHowever, Karii jumps by kicking the floor and goes to the other side, avoiding my side sweep .

nKarii seems to have lost his balance but his strange movements do not stop .

nKarri who turns from the left- counterattacks .

nHe aims at my shoulder with a slashing attack .

nContrary to my expectation- a dagger flies from behind .

nWhile rotating on my right foot, I catch sight of the small dagger flying from behind, rotate the back end of the black spear towards the dagger- and still dodge to the slashing attack to my shoulder at the last moment .

nTo gyration of the black spear .

nI cut into Karii’s stomache from the left .

nBut, the black spearpoint is carried away from the dagger is Karii’s left hand .

nAs expected, he will dodge everything .

nAnticipating the movement, I am at tripping up-

nKarii jumps- avoiding my kick .

nHis form is like a gymnast with his feet spread out in a split .

nFurthermore, the dagger floating in the air with guidance moji, while it aims at my ankle in the middle of my kick, the dagger in his left hand is aimed from my chest .

nIn a hurry, I stop my kick .

nI turn to receive using the length of the black spear .

nI deal with Karii’s synchronized attacks .

nTurning the black spear, I catch the biting attack from the dagger in his left hand, and elude the dagger attacking my foot with the lower part of the spear .

n“-Hihihi, Haha!”

nEven after Karii’s attack is repelled he does not seem disturbed .

nEven as he laughs strangely as he lands smoothly he does not show an opening .

nWith one leg bent in front and the other behind, he flows while stopping his kill movement .

nThe sword technique Karii is using seems to belong to some school .

nThe movement of the dagger with guidance magic is high quality .

nThis fellow must be proud of his daggers .

nOne after another, the dagger sneaks around to the blind spot-

nKarii attacks in cooperation with the floating dagger .

nThe person is laughing and looks exceedingly happy .

nAgain, he wields the dagger with a weird smile- but, I avoid Karii’s attacks, dodging, while repelling, I calmly analyze his movements .

nKarii’s breathing is getting labored, so I will win as long as I hold out .

nHowever, I will not do something so boring .

nSo, I stop fighting normally .

nFor starters, this floating dagger is troublesome .

nAfter thinking for a fraction of a second .

nI eject from the mark on my left list-

n“To-”

nI aim the chain at Karii .

nHowever, I do not have it attack him, and instead have the chain go after the dagger, creating an arch .

nThe chain moves freely with the permanent skill

nThe chain moves in a spiral, winding around the dagger Karii is using with guidance moji .

nThe chain manages the ensnared the dagger .

nWith his dagger stolen, Karii’s expression completely changes .

nHe takes a distance from me, retreating, trying to escape .

nIt might be because of the mana expenditure, his complexion has become pale and he is gasping for breath .

nKarii moves his mouth with drawn cheeks .

n“…Haa, haa, haa, thi, this isn’t fair . My special guidance moji skill doesn’t work . If it’s like this, it will be my defeat . ”

nAs expected, it was .

nI am exceedingly interested .

nHe uses the that Achilles-shisho taught me .

n“Where did you learn it?”

n“In Tandart . ”

nTandart… I think Achille-shisho lived there before .

n“Who did you learn it from?”

n“Why do you care? A shisho called Miranda . Though they are already dead . ”

nIt does not feel like he is lying .

n“Hou . ”

n“I will not chase after you, so will you overlook me? If you will, I’ll go now . ”

nIt seems he wants to get away .

nThere is none of the blood thirst I felt before .

n“Is that fine? You seem to be a battle maniac…”

n“Hahaha, battle maniac? I guess that’s right . But, fighting with you outside of a mission, is nothing other than my own selfishness . ”

n“It’s like that?”

nWhen I ask, Karii puts a finger to his thin lips and shows a slightly smile .

n“…My original purpose was to sneak into the dark guild 【Thorny Tail】 and crush it from the inside . But, you killed ‘Kuna of Darkness’ and ‘Raize of Two Swords,’ interfering so well, easily…I was unable to fulfil my ‘duty . ’ The truth is I should be thanking you for this . I said it before…I can’t compete with your strength…my crotch is hard, ma, in the end, this was a painful experience for me…”

nUhe, gross, too much .

nWinking, he appeals to his crotch with a weird pose .

nMoreover, he is fully erect .

nFrom that tone, I feel like I am being exposed to some poison .

n“Well then, remarkable spearman, some other time . ♪”

nSpeaking unpleasantly, Karii jumps to the window at the back, breaks through the glass loudly and runs away outside .

nThat moment, from the area behind the mansion, “Go after that man with the black wing tattoo,” “Chairperson, Ooo” “Sound the whistle,” I hear desperate voices .

nThinking I should run away too, I borrow a little of the blood from the dead chairman .

nThe place where Karii escaped is clear so I escape similarly .

nNo one is there . That Karii guys seems to have escape from the front conspicuously . The people see concentrated in that direction .

nI activate the skill and head directly to the backyard .

nIt seem Rollo is still waiting under the bush, and as soon as she sees me she jumps up and crawls into my hood .

nNow, I will run away .

nI return to the enclosed gathering hall first .

nI go down the slope that leads underground from the hall, and return to the place where the monsters are trapped .

nI wonder what will happen to these monsters .

nThat’s right . You are all next to escape .

nThis will confuse the pursuers as well .

nI release the monsters in the cages one after another .

nThe numerous goblins are all yelling at me, but after I cut one in half with the black spear they all turn around and run away in the other direction .

nBeing tempted by that, the other monsters climb up the slope and escape as well .

nAfter watching the escaping monsters, I run through the underground passage and return to Kuna’s house .

nThe first stage is complete, but my body is still covered in blood and dirt .

nI need to wash…

nI let my eyes wander and find a water jar in a corner of the room .

nI take a drink with the water jar and use the water from life magic to wash away the dirt and blood .

nI wring out my leather clothes to dry them them out .

nN~, it still smells .

nThere is still a faint smell of blood, but this should be good enough for now .

nI wear the still damp clothes .

nThen, just to be safe, I close and lock the door that leads to the basement .

nContinuing, I go outside the shop, inserting one of Kuna’s keys into the sturdy door to go outside .

n-There is comforting *kacha* sound .

nIt opens .

nOn the other side of the door is Kuna’s shop, but all of the products inside has disappeared .

nThe shelves are broken and the few remaining products are damaged .

nStill feeling a little disheartened, I run through the decimated shop, I escape outside .

nI disappear into the crowd .

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