Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou - Volume 4

by Chuuni Suki

  Hajime put the Orcus ring in his hand to the dent that he saw corresponded to Orcus' crest.

  Then... ... the lithograph began to faintly shine.

  Wondering what happened, the surrounding Haulia tribe that were on lookout began to gather. For a while, they looked at the shining lithograph which lights gradually faded and somehow characters appeared in its place. Something was written there.

  [Four proofs]

  [Power of Rebirth]

  [Guidepost of Spun Bond]

  [A new trial will be opened to the one who has those proof]

  "... ... What does it mean?"

  "... ... Rhe four proofs... ... maybe, wasn't it referring to the other Dungeons' proofs?"

  "... ... Then, what does the Power of Rebirth and Guidepost of Spun Bond mean?"

  Shia answered to Hajime who puzzled over it.

  "U~n, Guidepost of Spun Bond, wasn't that it? Whether you got demi-human race as guides or not. Only demi-humans are able to move around easily in the Sea of Trees, and to gain the demi-humans as guides in the Sea of Tree was an exception among exception"

  "... ... I see. It was something like that"

  "... ... Next was regeneration... ... Me?"

  Yue pointed at herself who owns the special magic, "Auto Regeneration". To test it, she thinly gave a cut to her finger to activate "Auto Regeneration" while moving to touch the Great Tree... ... but there was no change at all.

  "Muu... ... it looks like that was wrong."

  "... ... nn~, to the withered tree... ... Power of Rebirth... ... along with four proofs... ... it's possible that the four proofs meant we have to conquer half of the Seven Great Dungeons, then we might obtain the age of gods magic concerning rebirth, was it something like that?"

  Hajime was wondering whether they must use that to restore the withered tree. Yue also gave a consenting face.

  "Haa~, damn. So it was impossible to conquer it right now... ... even though it was troublesome, there is nothing else we can do but to go to the other dungeons..."

  "Nn..."

  Hajime could only grind his teeth having come this far. Yue also regretted it. However, because they couldn't enter the Great Dungeon now, although it worried them, it couldn't be helped. They switched their target to obtaining three more proofs for now.

  Hajime then gathered the Haulia tribe.

  "As you've heard, we are aiming to conquer the other Great Dungeons now. The promise that you kept to guide us to the Great Tree is over now. If it's the current you, even without Faea Belgaen's protection, you'll be able to survive inside the Sea of Trees. That means, this is good bye"

  Then, he took a peek at Shia. His eyes asked her if she wanted to leave behind some words, and Shia understood perfectly that now was the time to voice her intentions. Even though she'll be back, conquering three of the Great Dungeons would take much time. She wouldn't be able to meet her family during that time.

  Shia nodded, then took a step forward to talk to Kam and the others"

  "Fath- "Boss! I have something to say!" ... ... huuh, father? This is my turn..."

  Kam took a step forward while ignoring Shia. 'Bishi', then stood at attention. On his side, "Father? Wait, father?", Shia's words could be heard and as if he was a British guardsman he just looked ahead while standing upright.

  "A~, what is it?"

  For the time being Shia called out, father? father?, but was ignored, while Hajime asked Kam. Kam, while not looking at Shia and ignoring her, started to tell the consensus from the Haulia tribe.

  "Boss, please take us along!"

  "Eh! Everyone also wanted to go with Hajime-san!?"

  Shia was surprised at Kam's words. In the discussion ten days ago, what happened with that mood when you were sending me off!?, were the words she said.

  "We are Haulia but at the same time not Haulia! We are Boss's subordinates! By all means, take us along! This is our tribe's consensus!"

  "Wait a sec, father! I've never heard of that! Rather, for what purpose did I have to go through those hardships..."

  "I admit, we are jealous of Shia!"

  "He admits that! He really said that! Really, what happened in those ten days!"

  While Kam said the tribe's consensus, he ignored Shia's remark. What is this situation?, was what Hajime thought then frankly answered.

  "I refuse."

  "Why!?"

  Kam tried to ask the reason for Hajime's quick reply. The other Haulia tribe members also approached Hajime in impatience.

  "Of course it's because you will only be hindrances, you idiot-"

  "But!"

  "Don't get caught up in the moment. For our journey, even 180 days is too fast!"

  "Is that true!?"

  In addition to Kam and the others holding on to him, they started to think, "Even if it was not permitted, we will follow!" It seems because of the General Hartman-like( ... )'s training, a strange sense of trust and reverence was born. If this keeps up, they'll really follow Hajime into town. Because he didn't want any to riot, he reluctantly gave them a condition.

  "Then, that is. I want you to stay here to keep training. The next time I come to the Sea of Trees, if I can use you then I'll make you my subordinates"

  "... ... Is there any falsehood in those words?"

  "None at all."

  "If you lied, we'll continue to call Boss' name in the humans' towns, as if we are creating a new religion, okay?"

  "Y-you have quite the bad sense..."

  "Well, that is because we have pride as Boss' subordinates."

  What a bold subordinate that made Hajime's cheeks twitch. Yue was 'pon pom' patting Hajime's arm to comfort him. Hajime let out a sigh, next he looked up at the sky thinking the next time he came to the Sea of Trees will be troublesome.

  "*Sob*, no one looked at me... ... even though it's the day I set off..."

  Shia who was thrown to the side wrote the character ? on the ground, while no one minded her as expected.

  * * *

  Hajime, Yue, and Shia were escorted by Kam and the others to the boundary of the Sea of Trees, and once again they got on the magic-driven two-wheeler and dashed into the plain. The order of seating was Yue, Hajime, then Shia. Since he noticed Shia's degree of clingy-ness had increased from the time in the Raisen Grand Canyon, Hajime tried ignoring that. Although, his reaction was immediately discovered by Yue who sat in front of him.

  On his shoulder, Shia asked a question.

  "Hajime-san. Now that I remember I've never heard about it, where was our next destination?"

  "Ah? I never said it?"

  "I never heard anything."

  "... ... I already knew"

  To the elated Yue, Shia let out a groan in protest.

  "I-I am your comrade now, so please tell me something like that! Communication is important!"

  "My bad. Our next destination is Raisen Grand Canyon"

  "Raisen Grand Canyon?"

  Having heard Hajime's words, Shia put on a questioning expression. Currently, the Seven Great Dungeons that are already confirmed, excluding "Haltina Sea of Trees", were "Guryuen Great Desert's Volcanic Mountain" and "Shune Snowfield's Ice Cave". Because it was certainly there, doesn't that make it the best destination?, was what she thought. Maybe because he guessed her question, Hajime started to say his intent.

  "For now, I don't even know if there was a Great Dungeon in Raisen Grand Canyon. Shune Snowfield is in the demon's country so it'd be troublesome. Although it's better to go to the Big Volcanic Mountain for now, if we go while passing Raisen that spreads from east to west, we'll get there anyway. Maybe we'll find a dungeon along the way, right?"

  "T-to cross over the Raisen Grand Canyon..."

  Instinctively, Shia's cheeks twitched. Raisen Grand Canyon was popular as an execution ground. Recently, it was also the place where her family was almost annihilated. To have thought of that place as a highway shook her mind.

  Hajime, who knew Shia was shaken because she was glued to him, reve
aled an amazed expression.

  "You know, believe in your own power a little. For the current you, the demonic beasts inside the canyon aren't that different from the demonic beasts in the boundary. Didn't you know we can't use magic inside Raisen? For you who specialized in body strengthening, it's possible to move around without any hindrance. Rather, it'd be the stage for you"

  "... ... I am ashamed as your master"

  "Uu~, I am ashamed~"

  Yue looked at Shia with amazed eyes. Shia tried to change the topic.

  "Th-then, because we are going to Raisen Grand Canyon, are we going to camp today? Or, are we going to the nearest village or town?"

  "If possible, I wanted to arrange some seasoning for food, for the sake of the future it'd be great to get some material from the town. According to the map I've seen, there will be a town somewhere along here"

  For extra measure, Hajime wanted to eat real food << .. >>. Also, in the future, he needed money to buy things in town. He wanted to exchange the materials he had with money before it rotted. One more thing, he wanted to try to settle in a place before setting off to the Raisen Grand Canyon.

  "Haa~ is that so... ... thank god"

  Having heard Hajime's words, Shia somehow showed a relieved expression. Hajime who was dumbfounded by it, "What is it", asked her.

  "Well~, from Hajime-san's story, I thought you'd be satisfied by eating Raisen Grand Canyon's demonic beasts' meat... ... Yue-san only needs Hajime-san's blood so she wouldn't have any problem... ... I was thinking how I should persuade you for my personal food~, I am glad it was just my imagination. So Hajime-san also eats normal food!"

  "Of course! Who likes to eat demonic beasts! ... you, what did you think I am..."

  "A new kind of demonic beast called Predator?"

  "OK, you, I'll tie you up until we reach the town"

  "Wa-, stop, from where did you pull that out, that collar! Really, stop~ don't put that on me~, Yue-san don't just look, help me!"

  "... ... you reap what you sow"

  In a sense, the three who advanced on the plain made a commotion that showed their good relationship.

  After driving for several hours, finally the day grew dark and the town was finally seen in front of them. Hajime was glad, ever since he saw the sky after getting out of the Abyss, he finally got the feeling that "I am back". Yue also looked somewhat excited. Yue turned her head slightly then their eyes met, and smiles floated on their faces.

  "Umm~, although it was such a good atmosphere, this collar, can you release it? For some reason I couldn't remove it... ... umm, did you hear? Hajime-san? Yue-san? Wait, please don't ignore me~ I am going to cry now! I am going to cry so hard that you'll be depressed by it!"

  Hajime and Yue only replied with their smiles.

  * * *

  Thank you for always reading.

  Thank you for the impressions, opinions, and typo reports.

  New year, happy new year.

  For a year, it was a good year.

  Chapter 40: In Brook Town I

  New year, happy new year

  This year, I'll somehow write it little by little so my best regard

  * * *

  They can see a town in the distance. It was a small town enclosed with a surrounding moat and hedges. There was a gate facing the highway, with a hut by its side. It might be the guards' post. Even though it was a small town, there was the arrangement for guards. Because of that, Hajime who thought they'd be able to do quality shopping, loosened his cheeks.

  "... ... If you are in a good mood, can you take off the collar already?"

  Shia with a disappointed expression earnestly asked Hajime who smiled while looking at the town. Fixed on Shia's neck was a collar with a black body embedded with a small inconspicuous crystal. It was something sturdy that Hajime used as punishment for Shia's verbal slip. Because for some reason she couldn't take it off, Shia asked Hajime to remove it only to have her words pass through Hajime's ears.

  Slowly, Hajime and his party could clearly see the town, so he put the magic-driven two-wheeler into the "Treasure Box", and switched to walking on foot. It was because it'd cause a commotion to arrive with a jet black bike, after all.

  Along the way, Shia kept 'bla bla' complaining. As expected, that just went through his ears and they finally arrived at the town's gate. As he thought, the hut beside the gate was a guard's post, with an armed man coming out of it. He was equipped with leather armor and a long sword on his waist, rather than a soldier he looked more like an adventurer. That adventurer-like man called Hajime and his party to stop.

  "Please halt. Show your status plate. Also, what are your objectives coming to this town?"

  It might be something like a regulation, because he somehow looked unmotivated. Hajime pulled out his status plate while answering the guard's question.

  "Our main objective is to secure rations. They're to be used for our journey"

  An indifferent voice, 'Hu~m', can be heard from the guard while he checked Hajime's status plate. After that, he blinked his eyes, held the plate a little farther, then rubbed his eyes. Having seen the guardsman done that, Hajime with cold sweat thought, "Ah, this is bad, I forgot to hide that".

  Inside status plate, there is a function to hide the numerical value and skills' column. Even for adventurer and mercenary, the leak of combat ability proved to be fatal. Hajime immediately tried to deceive the guard by telling him a lie.

  "A while before, I was attacked by demonic beasts. It looks like it broke at that time"

  "I-it broke? That was, well..."

  The guard was perplexed. It was no wonder. After all, Hajime's status plate didn't display the level, and the numerical value of his stats, as well as his skills column were all over the place. Even though he sometimes heard of people losing the status plate, for it to be broken (in sense of it being bugged) was something he had never heard of. Normally he would just laugh it off, but something unbelievable was displayed after all, so he didn't understand how to judge it.

  To further his attack, Hajime shrugged his shoulders with a manner of someone totally bothered by it.

  "If it wasn't broken, isn't that display too strange? It's as if I am a monster. Mr. Guard, do I look like a monster that could destroy a town with just the tip of my finger?"?

  To Hajime who used a joking gesture by opening both of his hand, the guard only gave out a wry smile. If what the status plate displayed was correct, then he would be a monster that easily surpassed even the demon kings and heroes. Even without hearing that explanation, he already considered the plate to be broken.

  If he know he was truly a monster, surely, this guard would have fainted. Hajime who boldly told that lie, looked at Shia and Yue who had amazed expressions.

  "Haha, well, of course I don't see that. Even though I have never heard of any bug in the display, well, there is always a first for everything... ... and those two..."

  Turning his gaze to Yue and Shia, the guard asked to see their status plate. Only to be stunned. With his face dyed red, he looked alternately at Yue and Shia with a blank and unfocused look. Even though it was said before, Yue is a beautiful girl with a bisque doll-like appearance. Shia, while quiet, was also a beautiful girl that gave off a mysterious feeling. In other words, the guardsman was truly charmed by them.