Summoned Slaughterer - Book 6

by Ido Masayoshi

  “… By that way of speaking, it looks like you know what will happen to an elf at their final moments, eh?” (Zanga)

  With her talking about the details, Hifumi knows, in order to confirm, he nodded indicating that Zanga was correct.

  “The elves, you know, live in this forest since long ago. They died in this forest… no, were absorbed into large trees… Seen from a human’s standpoint, what do you think about this?” (Zanga)

  “It’s abnormal.” (Hifumi)

  “Fufu… Hihihi.” (Zanga)

  Zanga was happy and laughed due to his direct and denying words.

  “Abnormal, huh? I guess that’s true. Something like there being no other way but to only wait for oneself becoming unable to move is strange.” (Zanga)

  “Did you especially invite me to ask me that?” (Hifumi)

  “No, not at all. I only tried asking you because I was worried about this a bit.” (Zanga)

  “That”, Zanga pointed at the katana, Hifumi laid aside.

  “What made the elf pass on some time ago was that sword, right? I want to be killed in the same way, too. I can’t make such request to another elf.” (Zanga)

  Elves absolutely won’t do anything like injuring their brethren. They seem to have established the concept that all of them should die in the forest, with the exception being death by sickness or accident.

  “By the looks your transformation hasn’t yet started, though… no, your foot and the left hand, huh?” (Hifumi)

  “Keen insight, eh…” (Zanga)

  “As you surmised, my left foot and left hand have already stiffened and I have lost the ability to move them”, Zanga says.

  “I had a weak body since back then though. While obediently secluding myself within my house, I ended up dragging on my long life before I realized so myself. However, I wondered whether I should disappear into death by leaving to the forest, if this progressed a bit more… even though it’s shameful, I got scared.” (Zanga)

  Zanga laughed with a feeling of self-mockery, but that laughter settled down before long.

  “Therefore, human guest, I want to die before that happens. Death isn’t scary. Waiting for death while unable to do anything, that’s scary.” (Zanga)

  “Well, it’s fine, I guess. However, is it fine, even if the villagers die as result of that?” (Hifumi)

  “… What do you mean by that?” (Zanga)

  “You don’t know?” Hifumi glared at Zanga.

  “I don’t particularly mind killing you. I don’t care either way. But, the other elves, who would become aware of it, will probably try to avenge you. I don’t have a spirit of self-sacrifice to be done in easily due to that, is what I’m saying.” (Hifumi)

  “… I wonder if you can’t wait for one night. I will explain to the villagers.” (Zanga)

  After hesitating for a short while, Zanga said that and promised Hifumi to make sure that no harm comes his way. Even if there was someone causing harm to Hifumi and if that someone had the tables turned on them, it would be up to Hifumi to do as he likes, she says.

  “I will prepare a bed. Apart from that, as exchange for listening to my request, isn’t there something I can do for you, I wonder?” (Zanga)

  “Why are only you among the elves scared to enter the forest?” (Hifumi)

  Zanga quickly averted her look due to Hifumi’s question.

  “Well, there’s no point even if I hear it. It will be fine, if you stay silent until your death. There is nothing I want to request from you. I heard everything I wanted to hear from that elven woman.” (Hifumi)

  “Is that so…? Thank you. If you head right after leaving this place, there will be a small house. Since Puuse’s home is next to it, it would be good, if you greeted her. I will arrange for a meal as well.” (Zanga)

  “No, it’s unnecessary because I have food.” (Hifumi)

  “I see. If that’s the case, see you tomorrow. Please come to this place tomorrow.” (Zanga)

  “Since I have to resolve myself for death”, Zanga regained her smile once again.

  ☺☻☺

  Inn the appointed hut, Hifumi, who rested on dry grass, woke up after sensing a presence stepping inside.

  The time is still before dawn.

  “Who is it?” (Hifumi)

  What came leaping into the sight of Hifumi, who pulled the katana towards himself swiftly and took a stance of nukiuchi, was that young elf Shiku.

  “H-Human!” (Shiku)

  Due to him awkwardly calling out while being afraid, Hifumi doesn’t release his stance.

  “It’s a smart move to attack someone while they are asleep, but you are fare too unskilled at erasing your presence.” (Hifumi)

  “I-It’s different! Puuse-neechan is in great trouble!” (Shiku)

  “Puuse? Ah, that elven woman, huh? … I don’t care.” (Hifumi)

  Hanging the katana at his waist, Hifumi sat down on the grass bed.

  “Such a thing! I beg you, please save Puuse-neechan!” (Shiku)

  “Putting that aside, wouldn’t it be better to hide?” (Hifumi)

  “Eh? … Au!?” (Shiku)

  The pellet, which came flying from behind Shiku, grazed Shiku’s shoulder without hitting Hifumi.

  Wind blades, mixed with stones of various sizes, come flying one after the other. The cloth, hanging at the entrance of the hut, has been torn to pieces.

  Him having fallen down at the moment of receiving an injury bears results. With the exception of the shallow cut on his shoulder, Shiku has sustained no injury worth mentioning.

  However, the building, which has suffered damage in succession, is very unlikely to last any longer.

  The walls are riddled with holes and the pillars are shaking grandly as well.

  “U-Uwah!” (Shiku)

  Watching the roof collapsing at last, Shiku clung to Hifumi.

  Seeing the hut collapsing completely and getting enveloped in a cloud of dust, the elves, who cast the spells, raised laughters.

  “Hee, the likes of humans. You will pay for the crime of having killed our brethren with your life.”

  Laughing foolishly, the elves can hear someone’s voice with their ears.

  “Crime, eh…? I don’t have any intention to go along with your revenge game.”

  The cloud of dust vanished in an instant and above the collapsed hut a large, dark disk was rotating.

  And, the one who stood on top of it was Hifumi.

  Shiku is clinging to his waist.

  “Though I didn’t have any intention to do this either.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi thrust his hand into the round dark magic, which absorbed the roof and the dust, and took out the kusarigama.

  “Let’s reply with a big service, if you want to kill me.” (Hifumi)

  While whirling around the counterweight attached at the end of the chain, he tightly grasps the sickle with his right hand.

  “Use you magic steadily. It’s going to be an enjoyable contest of strength between fantasy and martial arts.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi slowly took one step forwards.

  Chapter 101 – Why We Thugs

  “You’re a hindrance.” (Hifumi)

  “Gyan!?” (Shiku)

  Hifumi sent Shiku, who clung to his waist, flying with a kick.

  Without a single glance at Shiku who’s rolling on the ground, Hifumi who held the kusarigama, began to advance again.

  His stride is slow but powerful releasing a pressure of it being unstoppable by anyone.

  “If it is Darkness magic…”

  “Don’t falter! Shower him with spells and arrows!”

  At the same time as the voice resounded, stones, wind blades and even compressed water currents are aimed at Hifumi.

  “Uuh-oh. Those are intense.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi avoids the spells, which come flying, as if performing a light dance.

  The elves can’t conceal their irritation due to Hifumi moving left and right and brandishing his kusarigama while being surround
ed by 10 of them in a semicircle.

  “Match your timings with your companions!”

  “Too slow!” (Hifumi)

  What Hifumi threw wasn’t the counterweight but the sickle part.

  “Gyaa!”

  The sickle deeply pierces into the nape of an elf’s neck getting only stopped by the collarbone.

  The elf, who widely opened his eyes in shock, without time to pull it out, was dragged towards Hifumi.

  “Yo-to*” (Hifumi) (T/N: Exclamation for pulling/reeling in something. No idea for an equivalent in English)

  While pulling out the sickle with a light yell of encouragement, he tears the neck.

  The elf whose limbs were flapping about, dies having his entire body shredded by wind magic while getting used as shield.

  Hifumi threw the body, which lost its strength, at another elf.

  “Uwaah?”

  “Holy cow!”

  Next, spells with arrows mixed in-between come flying at Hifumi who plunges towards the clamouring elves.

  Hifumi who was directly assaulted by spells and arrows being hammered out without a single break, is naturally unable to dodge all of them. The cuts on his cheeks and arms are slowly increasing.

  However, Hifumi is laughing.

  “Yes, that’s right, good! Resist me desperately! Aim for my life! For the sake of protecting your own lives! For the sake of protecting someone else’s life!” (Hifumi)

  Closing in upon a single elf as if sliding upon scattered sand with a *thud*, he drives his fist which tightly grasped the counterweight, into the elf’s face with all his power.

  Throwing the grasped counterweight over his shoulders, he crushed the face of another elf as well.

  “Fufu… fufufufu…” (Hifumi)

  Wiping his cheek with a finger, he feels hot blood wetting his fingertip.

  “Imagine the instance of your deaths and you will be definitely able to savour the actual feeling of being alive. To begin with…” (Hifumi)

  Storing away the kusarigama, Hifumi draws the katana at his waist.

  The light of the sun slightly peeked through the gaps between the trees and faintly shone onto the katana.

  “At the time you avert your eyes from death, you guys likely won’t die in a decent way.” (Hifumi)

  Due to Hifumi laughing while dyeing the elbows of both his arms with the blood of the elves and himself, the elves shuddered to the degree of even forgetting to release their spells.

  “Oh?” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi turned the point of his katana towards the remaining elves.

  “Did you decide to surrender and accept your own deaths? Killing wooden dolls is boring as well though.” (Hifumi)

  While enjoying the tingling feeling originating from the pain of his wounds, he takes a stance with the katana being carried on his left shoulder.

  “Don’t screw around!”

  There are 7 elves remaining. An elf who concluded that it was plenty to overwhelm him, shouted.

  Once again a volley of spells is fired.

  Even for Hifumi it’s impossible to avoid all the fast bullets which are invoked far quicker than any spell used by humans, and thus he gives up on that.

  Lowering his stance, Hifumi who moves forward as if sliding, doesn’t decrease his speed even while getting struck in the stomach by stones and cut at the shoulders.

  “How lukewarm!” (Hifumi)

  “Giyaaa!”

  Using the momentum of running through, he bisects the elf who gave directions, with a slash diagonally from the shoulder.

  With a short scream the elf’s body split in two parts and dropped to the ground.

  “Fuu~…” (Hifumi)

  He’s already covered in wounds all over, but his expression is cheerful.

  “Is that human… invincible…?”

  Hifumi pouted due to the words muttered by someone.

  “How rude. I will be at a loss with something like invincibility. Battles make my heart tremble since I might die.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi who took a stance of holding the pommel against the left side of his hips, approaches the next elf in one bound and kills them with the force of a thrust similar to shooting it out.

  Pulling out the katana, he closed in on another elf while receiving a barrage of countless pebbles, made with Earth magic, with his back and chopped off the elf’s head while turning around.

  “4 left, huh?” (Hifumi)

  Swinging the katana, he clears away the blood on it.

  “Don’t you have any other magic? Please show me some more.” (Hifumi)

  “Kuu… This!”

  What one of the elves released was a fire arrow.

  “You!?”

  Hifumi perceived the other eves’ surprise in a corner of his sight.

  Being people who live within the forest, they mostly don’t use fire magic, or rather, they probably can’t use it.

  “That’s good.” (Hifumi)

  He deliberately evades the fire arrow at the last second.

  The scorching heat of the arrow chars his right side and the dougi turns black.

  “He survived inevitable death. It’s such a feeling, right?” (Hifumi)

  The katana which Hifumi thrust out, pierces the chest of the elf and its point stabs through the elf’s back.

  “Su…ch a…”

  The elf’s hoarse voice is blended with blood. The katana slides out at the moment the elf collapsed.

  The blood, which is dripping from the point, falls to the ground.

  “3 more to go.” (Hifumi)

  His murmur is small. However, all of their ear’s have surely heard it as death sentence.

  ☺☻☺

  Before the attack on Hifumi there was movement at the house of the leader Zanga.

  “I’m going to intrude.”

  The one who came entering with a brief comment as warning for form’s sake before dawn was a man called Laboras (T/N: Raborasu <<) who unifies the men of the village.

  He was quite different from the image of an elf. With a tall and muscled body build, he was a giant who’s good at handling knives, however, contrary to his appearance, he was also good at using magic.

  “What is it Laboras? It’s quite sudden, you know.” (Zanga)

  “Who of us is sudden?” (Laboras)

  Laboras who sat down opposite of Zanga with the sunken hearth between them with an air of familiarity, emitted a dangerous aura from his entire body.

  “I heard you allowed a human to enter this village.” (Laboras)

  “Indeed, I did. Or rather, it might be better to say that I had him come here.” (Zanga)

  “… I want you to tell me why you did such thing.” (Laboras)