110.Kick In The Teeth
結局、エルフの大半は森を捨てて出ていき、残った者たちでは結界を維持することができなくなりつつあった。
魔力の高い者は総じてザンガーに従って早い段階で集落からの退去を決定していたのだ。
残った者たちも、次第に貧弱になっていく結界を見ながら、お互いに様子を見るようにして相互監視をしているような状況だった。
結界を維持する事が正義だと持論を振りかざし、熱い気持ちで賛同した者たちは、自分だけが「やはり出て行く」とは言い出せず、誰かが言い出した時に追従しようと内心でタイミングを測りながら、ずるずると日を過ごしていた。
結界が消えたとしても、実は魔人族は自分たちの居住地から出てくることは無いのではないか、自分たちエルフと同じように、安住の地としてその場所に残る事を選ぶのではないか、と何の根拠もない希望的観測がじわじわと広がり始めた。
だが、そんな夢物語は長くは続かない。
「おい、あれ......」
森で採集をしていた男が指差した先は、魔人族の集落がある方角だった。
切り開かれた道が続く先は、森の木々に挟まれて先は仄暗い。
「あれは......ま、魔人族か!?」
道の先から何者かが歩いてくるのが、うっすらと見えてきた。
その歩みは遅く、待ち構えるエルフは二人、魔法を放つ構えをとった。
「......あれ?」
初めは余裕ぶった動きに見えていたのが、実は足を引きずり、ゆっくりとしか歩けない状態にあるせいだとエルフたちが気づくのに時間はかからなかった。
やって来たのは、グレーの肌を持つ魔人族の男には違いなかったが、その姿は無残の一言だった。
左目は潰れ、涙のように頬を血が伝い、引きずる右足は大きな傷を負っている。脇腹にも血をにじませて、額には大きな汗を滲ませて、必死に足を進めている。
満身創痍の魔人族が、ようやくエルフたちの姿に気づいた。
何かを掴むように右手を伸ばした。
「た、助けて......」
見開かれたのは右目だけでなく、見る影もなく潰された左目も同時だったせいか、エルフたちにはそれが単なる魔人族ではなく、得体の知れない化け物にしか見えなかった。
言葉は聞こえていたが、その意味を考える余裕はない。
「人間が......」
「弱っているようだ! 一気に畳み掛けるぞ!」
魔人族の呟きは、興奮したエルフの声にかき消された。
二人のエルフは、それぞれ風と土の魔法を放った。
歩くのがやっとの魔人族にそれを避ける余裕などあるはずもなく、風の刃はその身を切り裂き、石礫が全身を打つ。
ぼろ布のようになった魔人族は、吹き飛ぶように後方へと転がり、そのまま動かなくなった。
「やった......」
「でも、どうしてあんなに傷だらけだったんだ?」
「そんなことより、みんなに伝えないと! とうとう結界が消えたんだろう! 思ったより魔人族も弱いようだから、全員で当たればなんとかなるかもしれない!」
一人は首をかしげているが、もう一人は仇敵を倒したことで興奮しているらしい。集落へ向かって駆け出した。
「あ、おい!」
残された一人が声をかけようとしたが、すでに仲間は遠く離れた場所だった。
「......魔人族が弱いなんて、そんな都合良い状況なんてあるのか?」
そして、魔人族があれほどの怪我を負っていた原因は何か。懸命に頭を捻って考えたが、それを推察するには、目の前の死体一つでは足りなかった。
魔人族の町が混乱にかき乱される発端を作ったのは、真夜中の訪問者だった。
一二三が投宿したのは魔人族の町の中でも、繁華街に近い場所にある建物の一つだった。人の出入りがほとんどなく、宿は一軒だけしかない。
郊外に館を持つような、魔人族の中でも地位の高い者が仕事などで遅くなった場合などに利用する宿であり、民間ではない国の施設の一つだ。
腹も満たされていた一二三は、身体を拭いただけでベッドに横になった。
「......意外と早かったな」
誰もが寝静まった真夜中。ふと目を開いた一二三は、口の中で呟いた。
肌をピリピリと刺すような殺意が、自分の身に迫っているのを一二三は感じていた。
傍らの刀を引き寄せながら、ふぅっと小さく息を吐く。
「あの女を使うかと思ったが、予想が外れたな」
苦笑いを浮かべ、上半身を起こす。
気配はドアの向こうに二人分。
だが、踏み込む気配が無い。
じっとドアを見る一二三は、ベッドの上に座したまま腰に刀を差した。
敵は室内の様子を窺っているのだろう、しばらく扉を挟んで沈黙が流れる。
「どきなさい!」
聞いたことがあるような声が聞こえて、ドアが弾け飛んだ。
真っ二つになったドアが自分に向かって飛んできたので、一二三はベッドから落ちるように転がって避けた。
開いた、というよりドアがなくなった場所から顔を出したのは、汗だくで水色の髪を少しだけ乱れさせたウェパルだった。
「お前の魔法は発動が早いのか? 他の奴らの魔法なら大体発生がわかるが、ウェパルの魔法は実際にドアが吹き飛ぶまで気づかなかった」
「それが私の特性だけれど、そんなのんきな事言ってる場合じゃないのよ」
呆れたという顔で一二三の腕を取ったウェパルは、そのまま廊下へ出た。
通路は水浸しになっており、水流で壁に叩きつけられた二人の魔人族が気を失っている。
「殺さないのか」
「......勘弁してよ。これでも相当危ない橋渡ってるんだから」
暗い廊下を走るウェパルは、苦い顔をした。
「説明は後でするから、とにかくついてきて」
町のはずれに、ウェパルの部下たちが待っているらしい。
「王は、貴方を人間が送ってきた尖兵として扱うことで魔人族が外征する契機を作るつもりみたい」
「まあ、良い案だと思うぞ。人間への敵対心は無いわけではなくて薄れただけなんだろう? それなら、呼び水としてはその程度で充分だろう」
「貴方ね......自分の命が狙われている自覚は無いの?」
「まだ無いな」
袴を翻しながら走る一二三は、鯉口を指で撫でた。
「ビリビリするような戦いがまだ無い。命を狙うのに命をぶつけてくる奴がまだ来ていない。あの程度で命を狙っていますなんて冗談だろう」
むしろ不満を漏らす一二三に、ウェパルはもう何も言わなかった。
ひょっとして、助けなくても良かったかな、という考えが頭を
ぎるが、そういうわけにもいかない。
「貴方を殺すことで、確かに魔人族は力を合わせて人間との戦いに乗り出すでしょうね。でも、それは私たち魔人族が生きるために必要な戦いとは言えない。消えかけの憎悪をわざわざ掘り起こしてまで、多くの同胞の命を危険に晒すのは愚考だわ」
辿り着いたのは、町の出入り口の一つだった。
門の前には、十五名程の女性の魔人族が待っていた。
「隊長、こちらです」
手を上げてウェパルを誘導したのはベンニーアだ。
「ベンニーア、状況は?」
「問題ありません。予定通りです」
「予定?」
ウェパルは首を傾げた。
今回の動きは急遽ウェパルの声掛けで部下に動いてもらったもので、予定や計画などという言葉とは無縁な、突発的なものなのだ。
「ええ、予定通りです。隊長が人間を庇う動きを起こすのは、王やフェゴール様が予想されていた通りです」
「ベンニーア!?」
問い詰めようとしたウェパルは、不意に横から突き出された拳に殴りつけられ、土埃をあげながら地面を転がった。
「ったく、人間なんぞに肩入れするとはな。フェゴールの奴は気に入らねぇが、こういう鼻のきくところは認めねぇとな」
握り締めた拳を振り回しながら、ウェパルを見下ろしたベレトが言う。
ウェパルは気を失ったわけではなかったが、脳震盪を起こして立ち上がることすらできなかった。
「べ、ベレトが、なんでここに......」
「まだわからないのですか」
答えを返したのはベンニーアだ。
「隊長、貴女には人間に殺された被害者という役に選ばれたのですよ。魔人族が一体となるための礎になれるのですから、光栄でしょう」
常々、戦闘力の無い民の事を考えておられる隊長ですから、彼らですら貴女の仇討ちのために戦ってくれますよ、とベンニーアは真顔のままで言い放った。
「まあ、ウェパルも人間も、殺すのは俺たちだけどな」
大剣を抜いたベレトが、一二三の方を向いた。
彼らの話を聞いていた一二三は、満面の笑みだ。
「......何を笑っているのですか」
命乞いをする場面ですよ、と言うベンニーアに、一二三は馬鹿言え、と返した。
「願ってもない状況だ。割と魔人族が強いようだから、どこかで調整しようと思っていたところだったからな」
「調整だと?」
「言い変えようか? 間引きだ」
刀を抜くこともなく、ヘラヘラと言い放った一二三に、ベレトは一瞬で頭に血が上った。
「俺を間引くってのか?」
「お、良くわかったな。褒めてやろう」
一二三が、懐から出した銀貨を指で弾く。
放物線を描いたコインが、ベレトの鍛えられた胸板に当たった。
腰を断ち割ろうと豪快に振り回された大剣は、一二三に当たる事なく空振った。
飛び上がった一二三の蹴りが、ベレトの顔面を捉えるが、ホンの少しぐらりと揺れたベレトは、踏ん張って剣を叩きつけてきた。
「があああ!」
「頑丈な奴だな」
トントンと後ろに飛び下がった一二三は、それでも刀を抜かない。
「お前の戦いは見たことがある。強いな」
「当然だ! 俺はこの魔人族を勝者とするためにここにいる! 人間ごときに評価される必要はない!」
足を引いたベレトは、大剣を思い切り投げつけてきた。
ぐるぐると回転しながら飛来する大剣を避けるために、一二三は大きく横へ飛ぶ。
そこへ飛びかかったベレトの拳が、一二三の頬を捉えた。
ウェパルと同じように一二三の身体が飛ぶ。
しかし、一二三は地面を一回転すると、平然と立ち上がった。
「ぺっ」
血の混じった唾を吐き、一二三は首をグキグキとひねった。
「......何をした?」
「お前の拳を顔で受け止めてそのまま素直に飛ばされただけだ」
むち打ちになるのは身体が硬直するからだぞ、と一二三が力学と身体の構造をグチグチと話すのを聞き流し、ベレトもベンニーアも唖然としていた。
「さて、講義はこのへんでいいだろう。どうせもう使うことはないからな」
刀を抜いた。
一二三が声を上げた瞬間、ベレトは身構えた。
だが、一二三が放ったのは刀での攻撃ではなく、懐から出した
「ああっ!?」
周りを囲んでいた魔人族の女、その中の一人が悲鳴を上げた。
「な、なにをしたのですか......」
「金属の小さな塊をぶつけただけだ。魔法を使おうとしていたからな」
その言葉に、ベンニーアを含め魔人族の女性陣が後ずさる。
「俺を目の前にして周りを気にするなんざ、余裕だな」
血が滲むほど拳を握り締めたベレトが、引き攣る笑顔を向けてくる。
「余裕が無くなるくらい、必死で攻めて来い」
もはや挑発に対して言葉を返す事もなく、ベレトは拳を次々と繰り出す。
一二三は刀を当てて外らしながら、円を描くように下がって受け流した。
「この速度について来られるか!」
さらに手数を増やしたベレトの拳が、一二三の肩や脇腹をかすめるようになった。
刀の刃があたっているはずだが、ベレトの筋肉には薄く傷が入る程度だ。
「本当に頑丈な奴だ」
「そんな細い剣では俺の筋肉を貫く事はできん!」
目の前の人間は上手く避けているが、間も無く押し切れると確信したベレトは、さらに速度を上げるために右足を力強く踏み出した。
その膝の裏に引っ掛けるように左手を当てた一二三は、「ほい」と気の抜けるような掛け声と共に膝を引き寄せた。
ガクン、とバランスを崩したベレトの左の拳が空を切る。
瞬間、刀の切っ先ががら空きの脇から突っ込まれ、首の横へと貫通した。
「筋肉がダメなら、それが無いところを狙うのは当然......っと、死んだか」
ズルリと崩折れたベレトの身体は、驚きに目を見開いたまま、自らが噴き上げる血の海に沈んだ。
「そんな......」
「ベレトさんが......」
ベレトの強さはそれだけの信頼をおけるものだったらしく、魔人族の女性たちは驚きを隠せない。
「......くっ!」
その中でも、ベンニーアだけは冷静に動き始めた。
直接やりあっても勝てない事がわかっている彼女は、思い切り息を吸い込んだ。
何かに気づき、ウェパルが叫んだ。
「耳を塞いで!」
直後、小さな顔に不釣り合いな程に口を開いたベンニーアが、声とも音波ともつかないような、振動を伴う叫びを上げた。
周囲にいる者が全員耳を押さえて悶絶し、耳を抑えそこねた者の中には、耳から血を流して気絶している者もいる。
「これはキツいな......」
刀を放って、人差し指を耳に突っ込んでいた一二三が漏らす。
直撃は避けたものの、脳みそをかき回すような振動で視界が歪む。
その声は一二三にはよく聞こえなかったが、駆け寄ってきたベンニーアが、鋭い爪で一二三の喉を狙うのは見えた。
視界の揺れに苛立った一二三は、目を閉じて自ら前に出た。
「えっ?」
予想外に距離が縮まった事に、ベンニーアは対応できず、そのまま振り下ろされた一二三の頭突きで額を切り、膝が震えた。
何とか倒れずにいるベンニーアの腹を、一二三の前蹴りが勢いよく突き飛ばした。
「ぐえっ」
鈍い刃が腰の骨に食い込み、身体が二つ折りになったベンニーアは、血と呻き声を口から同時に噴き出して、死んだ。
「あ~......音ってのは厄介だな。完全な防ぎ方が無い」
首を振るった一二三が、刀を拾い上げた。
「さて、残りを片付けないといけないな」
無いと知りつつも刀の刃こぼれを確認しつつ、一二三が呟いた言葉を聞き、周囲の女たちは全員が冷や汗をびっしょりと流しながら、足が竦んで動けなかった。
Chapter 110: Kick In The Teeth
In the end, after the majority of the elves abandoned and left the forest, the remaining elves lost the ability to keep up the barrier.
Those with a high amount of mana decided altogether to depart from the village at an early stage following Zanga.
While watching the barrier growing gradually insubstantial, the remaining elves were in a situation of observing one another to check each other's state.
Proclaiming their pet theory that upholding the barrier is an act of justice, those, who approved of it with a passionate attitude, are unable to state [I will also leave]  just by themselves. While gauging the timing when they should comply once someone starts to talk about it in their minds, they passed their days loosely.
Even if the barrier vanished, the demons wouldn't leave their own dwelling, would they? Won't they choose to remain in their place as it's peaceful location?
However, that pipe dream didn't last long.
"Oy, that is..."
At the place where the man who was collecting in the forest pointed was the direction of the demons' settlement.
Ahead, where the opened up path leads to, a gloomy place with forest trees on either side can be seen.
"Those are... d-demons?"
Someone, who came walking down the path, was faintly visible.
With their walking pace being slow, the two elves lying in wait prepared to release their magic.
"... Huh?"
It didn't take much time for the elves to notice that the one, whom they saw moving leisurely at the beginning, was close to being unable to walk and thus only moved slowly.
There was no mistake that the one who turned up was a male demon with a grey skin, but his condition could only be described as a misery.
With his left eye crushed, blood flows down his cheek similar to tears and he drags along his right leg which has a large wound on it. His flanks are soaked with blood as well and while sweating profoundly on his forehead, he desperately takes one step after the other.
The demon with his whole body covered in wounds finally noticed the elves.
He held out his right hand as if grabbing for something.
"H-Help..."
With not only his right eye being opened widely, but also his left eye, which was crushed missing even a visible shadow, the elves didn't see him as anything but a strange monster and not a demon.
Although they heard his word, they hadn't the composure to think about its meaning.
"The human is..."
"He seems weakened! Let's get rid of him right away!"
The demon's muttering was drowned out by the voice of the agitated elf.
Both elves cast wind and earth spells each.
As the demon, who was barely able to walk, shouldn't have any leeway to avoid those, his body was cut up by the wind blades and his whole body was hit by pellets.
The demon, who was turned into an old rag, rolled back being blown away and stopped moving just like that.
"We did it..."
"But, why was he covered in so many wounds?"
"Rather than such a thing, we have to inform everybody! At last the barrier vanished! Since it seems that the demons are weaker than we thought, we might be able to hold out somehow if we face them together!"
One of them is inclining his head to the side, but the other one appears to be excited by having killed an enemy. He ran off towards the village.
"Ah, oy!"
Although the one who was left behind tried to call out to him, his friend was already too far away.
"... Something like the demons being weak, could it be such too convenient state of affairs?"
And something was the reason for the demon to be injured this much. He eagerly wrecked his brain over it, but the corpse in front of him couldn't provide the answer he was looking for.
The one who created the origin by stirring up a chaos in the city of demons were visitors in the dead of the night.
There was a single building close to the business district where Hifumi lodged at in the demon's city. With almost no people coming and going, it's nothing but an inn.
As if having an inn in the outskirts, it's a lodging used by some demons with high social standing in case work got late or such. It's not a private but a state facility.
Having filled his stomach, Hifumi lied down on the bed after he had simply wiped his body.
"... They are unexpectedly fast." (Hifumi)
In the dead of the night when everyone was asleep Hifumi abruptly opened his eyes and muttered this.
Hifumi sensed an intent to kill as if tingling on his skin approaching himself.
While pulling the katana to his side, he slightly breathes out with a "Fuu~."
"I wondered whether I could use that woman, but this was out of my expectations." (Hifumi)
Showing a wry smile, he sits up.
The presences of two people are on the other side of the door.
However, there's no sign of them charging in.
Hifumi, who patiently watches the door, sat on the bed while wearing the katana at his waist.
The enemy is likely checking the situation inside the room.
"Step aside!"
Hearing a voice Hifumi recognised, the door flew open.
Since the door, which was split right in halves, came flying towards him, Hifumi evaded it by rolling off the bed.
The one who called out to him from the opened, or rather vanished door was Vepar whose light blue hair was dripping with sweat and slightly disordered.
"Is your invocation of magic fast? I mostly know the invocation if it's the magic from other folks, but I didn't actually realize that your magic goes as far as blowing away a door, Vepar." (Hifumi)
"That's because of my special trait, but this isn't a situation to have such carefree chat." (Vepar)
Vepar, who grabbed Hifumi's arm with an astonished face, left towards the hallway as is.
The pathway has become flooded with water. Two demons have lost their consciousness after getting hit by a wall of water.
"You haven't killed them?" (Hifumi)
"... Forgive me. Even with this I'm crossing quite the risky bridge here." (Vepar)
Vepar, who is running through the dark hallway, had a bitter expression.
"As I will explain later, follow me for now." (Vepar)
Vepar's subordinates seem to be waiting at the edge of the city.
"It looks like the king intends to create an opportunity for the demons to go on a foreign campaign by treating you as advance detachment sent by the humans." (Vepar)
"Well, I think that's a good idea. It's not like the hostile opinion towards humans became weak, right? That being the case, this would likely be plenty to stimulate such situation." (Hifumi)
"You know... aren't you aware that he is aiming for your life here?" (Vepar)
"As of yet, no." (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who runs while his hakama waves, stroke the mouth of the sheath gently with his fingers.
"It's still not a battle that makes me tingling all over. Even though he is aiming for my life, there still hasn't come anyone to wager their life. Aiming for my life with such an attitude, that's a joke." (Hifumi)
Vepar wasn't able to say anything else to Hifumi, who leaked such complaints instead, anymore.
By chance, would it have been fine even if I didn't rescue him?
Such thought was swirling in her head, but it's not like she wouldn't go if that was the case.
"With having you killed, the demons certainly will join hands and set out to fight with the humans. However, you can't say that this will be a battle necessary for us demons to survive. Going as far as expressly digging up hatred that has almost disappeared, in my humble opinion that's exposure of many of my brethren to danger." (Vepar)
The place they finally arrived at was one of the entrances of the city.
In front of the gate around 15 female demons waited.
"Captain, this way." (Bennia)
The one guiding Vepar by raising her hands is Bennia.
"Bennia, how's the situation?" (Vepar)
"There are no problems. Just as planned." (Bennia)
"Planned?" (Vepar)
Vepar was puzzled.magic
The movement this time was hurried. With Vepar having only moved the subordinates she could call out to, it's unrelated to such words as planned or scheduled, it's something unforeseen.
"Yes, just as planned. For you to move in order to protect the human is just as it was expected by the king and Phegor-sama, Captain." (Bennia)
"Bennia!?" (Vepar)
Vepar, who tried to interrogate her, was suddenly hit hard by a fist which came flying from her side and rolled on the ground while raising a cloud of dust.
"Good grief, for you to support the likes of a human. I don't like that Phegor fellow, but I won't approve such bad smelling acts." (Beleth)
Beleth, who looked down on Vepar, says while swinging his tightly grasped fist.
It wasn't like Vepar lost consciousness, but she wasn't able to stand up as she had a cerebral concussion.
"B-Beleth, why are you here...?" (Vepar)
"You still don't get it?" (Bennia)
The one who returned an answer was Bennia.
"Captain, you were chosen as victim who was killed by the human. Since you will be able to become the cornerstone to unify the demons, it will be a honour." (Bennia)
"You have always thought about the people who don't have any fighting strength, Captain, therefore even they will fight for your revenge", Bennia declared with a serious look.
"Well, it will be us who kill you, Vepar, and the human though." (Beleth)
Beleth, who drew his large sword, turned towards Hifumi.
Having listened to their talk, Hifumi is smiling all over his face.
"... What are you smiling for?" (Bennia)
Due to Bennia saying "this is the scene where you should beg for your life", Hifumi returned "Foolish talk."
"The situation is the best I could ask for. The demons are relatively powerful, thus I was thinking that I should adjust you in some respects." (Hifumi)
"Adjust, you say?" (Beleth)
"Want me to rephrase it? It's thinning out." (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi stating that frivolously without even drawing his katana, Beleth lost his cool in an instant.
"You will thin me out, you say!?" (Beleth)
"Oh, you got it properly. Let me praise you for that." (Hifumi)
Hifumi plays with a silver coin he took out from his pocket.
Though the coin drew a parabola, it hit Beleth's trained chest.
The large sword, which was brandished heartily to cut open his waist, hit air without touching Hifumi.
The kick of Hifumi who jumped up caught Beleth's face. Beleth, who shook and swayed only a small bit, braced his legs and hit with his sword.
"Gaaaa!"
"You are a sturdy fellow." (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who smoothly jumped into Belth's back, still hasn't drawn the katana.
"I have seen your battle. You are strong." (Hifumi)
"Of course! I'm here for the demons to become the winners. There's no need to be acknowledged by someone like a human." (Beleth)
Drawing back his foot, Beleth threw his large sword with all his strength.
In order to evade the large sword which came flying while rotating in circles, Hifumi largely leaps to the side.
Beleth's fist, which swooped down there, hit Hifumi's cheek.
Just like Vepar, Hifumi's body flies away.
However, Hifumi made one revolution on the ground and stood up calmly.
"Phooey." (Hifumi)
Spitting out saliva with blood mixed in, Hifumi twisted his neck jerkily.
"... What did you do?" (Beleth)
"I was simply sent flying while taking your fist directly to the face." (Hifumi)
Ignoring Hifumi's mumbling "The reason for it to become like a whip is because the body stiffens" to explain the structure of the body and its mechanics, Beleth and Bennia were dumbfounded.
"Well then, I guess the lecture is done around this point. You won't use it anymore anyway." (Hifumi)
He drew the katana.
The instant Hifumi raised his voice, Beleth put himself on guard.
However, what Hifumi attacked with wasn't a throw of the katana but the throw of a stone he took out from his pocket.
"Aah!?"
One of the female demons encircling him in the surroundings screamed.
"W-What have you done...?"
"I only hit her with a small piece of metal. She tried to use magic after all." (Hifumi)
Due to those words, Bennia and the female demon unit step back.
"I pay attention to the surroundings in front of me. I have that leeway." (Hifumi)
Beleth, who grasped his fist to the degree of blood seeping through, faces him with a stiff smile.
"At least make me loose that leeway. Come attacking desperately." (Hifumi)
Without even returning any words towards that provocation anymore, Beleth unleashes a series of fist swings.
While it seems for others that he is hitting the katana, Hifumi warded them off and fell back in a circle.
"Can't you get close at this speed!?" (Beleth)
The fists of Beleth, who increases the number of hits even more, reached the point of grazing Hifumi's sides and shoulders.
They should be hitting the katana's blade, but it's at a level that Beleth's muscles are injured only lightly.
"You are a truly sturdy fellow." (Hifumi)
"You won't be able to pierce through my muscles with such thin sword!" (Beleth)
, Beleth, who is convinced of that, stepped forward powerfully to raise the speed even more.
Hifumi, who placed his left hand on the backside of Beleth's knee in order to catch him, drew the knee towards himself alongside a yell of [Heave-ho]  in order to boost his spirit.
With a wobble, Beleth loses his balance and his left fist hits air.
In that moment the katana's point was thrust from the defenceless side and pierced into the side of the neck.
"If the muscles are no good, it's only natural to aim for places where there are no muscles... oops, he died, huh?" (Hifumi)
The body of Beleth, who collapses, sank into the pool of blood he had created himself while having his eyes open widely in surprise.
"Such a..."
"Beleth-san is..."
It seems that Beleth's strength was something they put in that much of trust. The female demons can't hide their surprise.
"... ku!"
Among them only Bennia began to move calmly.
Understanding that she would have no chance to win in a direct confrontation, she inhaled her breath with all her might.
Noticing something, Vepar shouted.
"Close your ears!" (Vepar)
Immediately following, Bennia, who opened her mouth to a degree mismatching for her small face, triggered a scream accompanied by a vibration which hasn't any sound wave or voice attached to it.
All the people in the surroundings have covered their ears. Some among those who closed the ears are in agony and there are also people who have fainted after shedding blood from their ears.
"This was intense..."
Hifumi, who discarded the katana and plugged his index fingers into the ears, leaks.
Although he avoided a direct hit, his vision is distorted due to the vibration as it looks like his brain has been affected.
Hifumi didn't hear that voice well, but he saw Bennia rushing over and aiming her sharp claws at his throat.
Getting annoyed with the shaky field of vision, Hifumi closed his eyes and took a step forward by himself.
"Eh?"
Due to him closing the distance unexpectedly, Bennia is unable to cope with it. Getting hit with Hifumi's head-butt on her forehead as is, her knees trembled.
The body of Bennia which somehow doesn't collapse was vigorously thrust away by a front kick of Hifumi.
"Guee." (Bennia)
As the dull blade bites into the bones of her waist, Bennia, whose body was folded in half, spurt out blood and groans from her mouth at the same time and died.
"Ah~... It's troublesome if it's sound. There's no way to defend against it completely." (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who shook his neck, picked up the katana.
"Well then, I have to clean up the rest." (Hifumi)
Listening to the words muttered by Hifumi while he was confirming whether there's a chip in his katana's blade, though he knows there won't be any, all of the women in the surroundings were frozen stiff and unable to move while being drenched in cold sweat.
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido