Summoned Slaughterer - Book 6

by Ido Masayoshi

  “He?”

  Hifumi, who sheathed the katana he wiped with a paper, dusted off the dirt from his hakama.

  “It’s the way to the location of the demon race. If you got, get going quickly.” (Hifumi)

  “Y-Yes!”

  Once the elf woman made Shiku, who is still in a daze, stand up by lending her shoulder, she tearfully abandoned her comrades’ corpses as they are and walked in front of Hifumi.

  ☺☻☺

  “For us this forest is a place that gives us blessing. It’s also a graveyard for the sake of welcoming us in our last moments.”

  The elf woman, who introduced herself as Puuse, explains the reason why it’s a grave taboo to damage the forest.

  “The act of damaging the forest is the same as damaging the way of life as elf, is what we are taught from childhood until becoming an adult. Even a child that has no parents is no exception.” (Puuse)

  Puuse is walking while carrying Shiku, who finally lost consciousness.

  Losing both parents as child, Shiku was raised by his grandfather since then, but a few days ago that grandfather died as well.

  “Well, I understand you calling it a blessing, but what do you mean by it being a graveyard?” (Hifumi)

  “The bodies of the elves, who grew up in this forest, begin to petrify once they reach a certain age. If that happens, they snuggle up to a tree, they decided themselves, and accept their death by being assimilated with tree.” (Puuse)

  “That’s why this forest is also called a graveyard by the elves”, Puuse says.

  “… Sometime ago I saw a finely-made wood-crafted doll of an elven elder.” (Hifumi)

  “Those were probably the remains of an aged elf.” (Puuse)

  “I don’t know. Why do living creatures turn into wood?” (Hifumi)

  “That’s something I don’t know either. It’s been like this for a long time, is the only thing I know.” (Puuse)

  Moreover, with their bodies beginning to turn into plants around the age of 100, the elves will stop to move in about a year. After that they will be completely integrated into a tree in approximately half year. It was different to the image of longevity, Hifumi held.

  As their growth is fast, they will grow taller until the height of an adult in around 12 years, though their physical ability falls behind.

  As Hifumi is puzzled about this mysterious mode of life, which was very different from their appearances, Puuse shyly asked him “Is it fine for me to ask you this time?”

  “Why are you heading to the demon race?” (Puuse)

  “It’s because they seem to be powerful. I have an objective beyond that as well.” (Hifumi)

  Even Puuse, who listened, understood that it was a non-committal reply while thinking about something else, but she didn’t ask any further.

  At this time the figure of the elven elder, whom he had seen being fused with the arbour, floated within Hifumi’s mind.

  “I decided. Let’s go to your village first.” (Hifumi)

  “W-What’s your goal?” (Puuse)

  “Something from the story just now is on my mind. The important elf will be there, right? I found something I want to ask him.” (Hifumi)

  No matter how you look at it, being assimilated into a tree is weird, Hifumi assessed.

  Even though it’s a fantasy world, it’s stuck in my mind. I want some answers until I can agree with it.

  “I still have time. There’s no problem to at least drop in on the way. For that reason, we will change our destination.” (Hifumi)

  Puuse wasn’t able to decline that.

  Chapter 100 – Welcome To The Jungle

  “Oh.” (Hifumi)

  While walking through the forest following Puuse’s guidance, Hifumi discovered the same thing he saw not long ago. It was the figure of an elf entrusting their back to a large tree.

  It’s a different person from the one he saw first. The elf still hasn’t completely changed into a wooden figure.

  Once Hifumi got close without listening to Puuse’s shy restraint, the left eye of the sitting elder elf opened.

  “You are conscious?” (Hifumi)

  “… Human, eh? I was able to see something unusual just before my death…”

  The elder elf, who talks in a fragile voice, was a male. Wearing a plain attire as if he has wrapped himself in a cloth, he is sitting in a cross-legged posture.

  Most of the visible part have transformed. Around one third of the mouth on the right and the right eye in the face had turned into moss-covered bark.

  The voice, which leaks from a gap in the slightly opened mouth, seems to be really strained.

  “Is it painful? Are you seeing properly?” (Hifumi)

  “What a barrage of questions.”

  The elder elf, who spilled a laughter as if leaking air with a “fufu”, shifted his attention to Puuse, who is standing behind Hifumi.

  “Puuse, huh…? The one who brought along a human is you?”

  “E-Excuse me.” (Puuse)

  “There’s nothing to apologize. I was able to have an interesting encounter in my last moments. Human, do you want to ask something?”

  Returning his sight onto Hifumi, the elf muttered “I don’t have much time left.”

  “My body will gradually stop to move. The tree-turned parts don’t feel anything, be it getting wet or cracking.”

  “Even my hunger vanished before I realized it”, the elder elf explains.

  “A gentle death, huh?” (Hifumi)

  “Fufufu… Human, it’s different.”

  The elder elf turns his eyeball in a circle. His gaze turned towards everything in visible range.

  “I can watch like this, but it’s only in the range of my eyeball’s movement. I wonder how far it will become.”

  “Fuufuu”, his breathing goes roughly.

  “My breathing- is slowly- getting painful. It’s not- a gentle sensation. What is certain- is me gradually heading towards the approaching death. Undoubtedly, if it’s like this and even if I stop moving completely, I will probably survive- for a while. Without seeing, without hearing and unable to move.”

  “That probably doesn’t mean that it’s not scary”, he says.

  “Even my tears aren’t flowing anymore. It seems I’m going mad due to the despair of being unable to handle my own death.”

  “Such a…” (Puuse)

  Puuse has become speechless with a pale face due to his fear towards death, she heard of for the first time.

  “The ones, who were unaware of it, isn’t only you. It’s an unapproachable law, created by someone, for anyone facing death, but that’s wrong.”

  Without anyone knowing the truth, they vanish into the forest believing to be visited by a gentle death.

  “The result of that is this. Therefore, I’m grateful- for being able to talk to someone. And, human.”

  “What is it?” (Hifumi)

  “Please- kill me. Any more and I will cease being a living creature. I don’t want to taste dread…”

  “I see. It’s fine, I guess.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi readily accepted his request and drew the katana from his waist.

  “P-Please wait! Something like killing him…” (Puuse)

  “You are a cruel fellow.” (Hifumi)

  “Eh?” (Puuse)

  “I was told something unexpected”, Puuse raised a voice of surprise.

  “It’s as the human says, Puuse. For the current me death is a salvation.”

  “Such a…” (Puuse)

  “I want to examine the corpse.” (Hifumi)

  The elder elf smiled within the range of being unable to change his expression due to the words of Hifumi, who prepared his katana.

  “If I can die, it’s fine for you to do as you like afterwards. Human, your name is?”

  “It’s Hifumi.” (Hifumi)

  “I see, Hifumi, huh…? You have my gratitude.”

  “See ya.” (Hifumi)

  Holding the katana above his head, the
katana, which was brought down head-on, divided him into two separate halves up to the head with its marvellous sharpness.

  Moreover, the head drops sideways due to a horizontal slash.

  The head, which was split into two parts, tumbled down from the neck stopping its breathing.

  “C-Cruel…” (Puuse)

  “What’s cruel is the state inside his body.” (Hifumi)

  Using the point of the katana, Hifumi pointed at the cut end of the head, which fell to ground, up.

  “Uuh…” (Puuse)

  While somehow enduring the stuff swelling up from within her throat due to the gruesome view, Puuse timidly turns her sight.

  Hifumi examined it carefully from point-blank range while squatting.

  “Even the head’s contents have mostly transformed. So, what’s this?” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi, who had seen the interior of humans many times, knitted his brows due to the appearance as if an entire part of the components was created to be replaced by wood.

  Moreover, there’s another part Hifumi doesn’t understand.

  “Do you know what this white thing is?” (Hifumi)

  “I don’t know. It’s the first time that I saw this, but…” (Puuse)

  What Hifumi saw was a sticky white something, which clung thickly to a part which was on the verge of changing to wood within the head.

  Once he tries to lightly scoop it up with his finger, there are sticky strings drooping.

  “I don’t know this. It might be something characteristic to elves.” (Hifumi)

  Wiping his finger with a paper, Hifumi stood up and muttered in a small voice,

  “It would be best, if I could see the contents of a still safe fellow though.” (Hifumi)

  “Eh? What did you say?” (Puuse)

  Hifumi, who saw Puuse’s look of not having heard it, is intently glaring at Puuse’s head while staying silent.

  “Did something happen…?” (Puuse)

  Feeling something frightening from his gaze, Puuse asks nervously.

  “No, it’s nothing. Rather than that, let’s hurry up.” (Hifumi)

  ☺☻☺

  According to Puuse’s explanation, the barrier for imprisoning the demon race deep within the forest is apparently created with the elves’ mana in a special location, where a magic square was drawn, just past the village.

  “In the end it won’t work unless we pass through the village?” (Hifumi)

  “Please, I’d like you to have peaceful talks in the village.” (Puuse)

  “That depends on you guys’ behaviour. I don’t have a playful mind to attempt being on good terms with hostile fellows.” (Hifumi)

  On the contrary, questions are rapidly released by Hifumi. Even though Hifumi knew about it once he entered the elven forest, perception magic for the sake of protection has been set up close to the barrier. He realizes that it’s unclear whether it has been done by elves, beastmen or humans.

  As he only met accidentally with Shiku in the midst of his patrol, it was Puuse’s group, who came to welcome him upon Zanga’s order.

  While having such conversation, the village came in sight.

  Two elves, holding bows, are standing in front of the simple wooden gate.

  “Ah, we arrived…” (Puuse)

  Puuse believed that it would turn into a quarrel, if she guided him there just like that, but they ended up arriving without her coming up with any idea in the end.

  “Wait! Stop!”

  The two elves, who stood watch at the gate, call out to them.

  “Human, huh? We were told you would be coming, but why Puuse… and on her back Shiku? What happened?”

  “Let me see… Since it will be too long to explain, I want to lead him to Zanga-sama’s place first.” (Puuse)

  “Is that so? Please take the human along since I will carry Shiku to his house.”

  Lifting up Shiku, who was still unconscious, one of the elves leaves.

  “W-Well then, it’s this way.” (Puuse)

  While being relieved that she was at least able to avoid a critical situation without resolving the unacceptable circumstances in any way on purpose, Puuse continues to guide him.

  All of the houses as far as the eyes can see are one-story houses, which were build with wooden planks and some ivy and twigs. Without having anything door-like, slightly dirty clothes are hanging at the entrances similar to a sign curtain hung at shop entrances.

  “Zanga-sama’s house is over there.” (Puuse)

  The building, pointed at by Puuse, is two times bigger than the other ones. A simple door, which was made with a board and not a cloth, was installed at the entrance.

  Hifumi, who stopped and watched it for a short while as he had some feeling of discomfort, noticed that building to not have any windows. The other buildings have openings, although those are merely hollowed out, for the sake of letting skylight in, but those can’t be seen in that build at all.

  Without realizing that peculiarity, Puuse stood in front of the door and called out towards the building’s interior.

  “Zanga-sama, it’s Puuse. I have brought the human.” (Puuse)

  “Ah, thank you. Come and enter.” (Zanga)

  A hoarse voice of an old woman resounded from inside.

  “Since we got permission, please go ahead.” (Puuse)

  Being urged on by Puuse, who opened the entrance by detaching the whole board, Hifumi steps inside without hesitation.

  The building seems to have only one room. A bed, which was a cloth covering a pile of dried grass, and a low wooden table are visible.

  With the entire building having no windows, only a small flame, faintly swaying in a place, similar to a sunken hearth, in the middle of the one room, is dimly illuminating the inside.

  “So you came, human-san. Look, it’s fine for you to sit down over there.” (Zanga)

  Sitting in the centre of the room, the old woman points at the opposite side of her across the sunken hearth. Skilfully breaking a thin branch with only her right hand, she fed it to the fire.

  A cloth, similar to the bedding, is covering a pile of dried grass at the designated spot.

  Hifumi, who sat down without reservation, looked straight at the old woman. Equal to the elves, who were reduced to arbour and whom he saw in the forest, she has well-regulated features. Her face, carved by deep wrinkles, can be even regarded as similar to annual tree rings giving her the impression of having lived for many years.

  “Puuse, you can go now. Since I will talk with our guest, return to your other work.” (Zanga)

  “Yes. Then, excuse me.” (Puuse)

  Once Puuse leave, the old woman sighs and throws a small branch, she held in her right hand, into the fire again. Suddenly approaching the fire by getting on her right knee, the aged face of Zanga shines more vividly than the swaying flame.

  “Although you seem to be quite old, your body still moves?” (Hifumi)