突然乱入してきた一二三の姿に、王もユーグも呆然とする他なかった。
本来ならば場を支配しているはずのヴェルドレは気を失ったままピクリとも動かず、標的指定した敵を一掃した強化兵は、新たな命令を待って微動だにしない。
「もう始まってたか」
遅れたか、と頭を抱えながらも、一二三は冷静に室内を観察する。
死体が一面に転がる光景を無感動に一瞥しつつ、まだ生きている人間だけを確認。
「貴方は......まさか......」
一二三の特徴を知るユーグが、信じられないと首を振った。
「おう、俺を知っているという事は、誘き寄せる策の首謀者はお前か」
で、お前がこの国の王か、と一二三はホーラント王スプランゲルを見る。
その目は睨むでもなく、ただ観察する視線だった。
「その方が、オーソングランデの英雄か......」
ホーラント王の言葉に答えず、入口から近づいてくる一二三に、ユーグは慌てて強化兵たちに叫んだ。
「城内の兵たち全員を敵に回して、どうやってここまで......。とにかく、強化兵ども! こいつを殺しなさい!」
「やっと始まるか」
最初に突進してきた強化兵は、揃って大剣を大上段に振りかぶりながら駆け寄ってくる。
「おおっと?」
以前よりも素早くなった動きと大剣のリーチの長さに意外そうな声をあげつつも、一二三は身体を半身にして二人の間に割り込む。
グシャッと音がしたかと思うと、柄頭で胸の魔法具を鎧ごと潰された強化兵が崩れ落ちた。
「弱点がわかっていたら、こんなもんだろう。おまけに、突っ込んでくるしか能がない所は変わってないし」
ため息混じりに首を振った一二三は、更に斬りかかってきた兵士を避けようともせず、自ら剣を持った敵の腕の間に滑り込んだ。
勢い良くぶつかって来た敵の胸に一二三の肩があたり、しっかりと構えて
更に一人、二人と切り伏せて行く一二三を、恐怖に彩られた顔でユーグが見、その隣ではホーラント王が興味深げに殺戮の様を見ていた。
そして、もう一人の生存者が目を覚ます。
「ぐ......」
ヴェルドレは頭の痛みですぐに動けず、しばらく倒れたまま唸っていたが、その間に周囲がどうなっているのかを把握することができた。
(あの男が、例の......)
血で赤く染まった視界の中で、今もなお強化兵がいとも簡単に殺されていく。
王孫たる自分は血まみれで床に這いつくばっているというのに、あの男は嬉々として、そしていとも容易く勝利を納めていく。
また一人の強化兵が、今度は胸を横一文字に切断され、臓物を撒き散らして転がった。
あの実験体たちを使って、今頃は国民の前で華々しく戴冠していたはずが、とそこまで考え、動かない身体を叱咤して玉座を見ると、そこにはまだ健在であり、なぜか穏やかな表情の王と、その横で腰を抜かしているユーグの姿が見えた。
もはや全てをぶち壊された、と憎悪に支配されたヴェルドレは、痺れが残る右手で剣と合わせて腰に固定していた魔法具を掴んだ。
「俺が......全て壊してやる......」
ヴェルドレが仰向けに転がったとき、その手に持つ物を見つけたユーグが叫ぶ。
「ヴェルドレ様! それを使っては......!」
ユーグの制止も虚しく、言い終わる前に魔法具はヴェルドレの胸に押し付けられていた。
それを戦いの最中にある一二三は横目に見ながら、ひっそりと笑みをこぼした。
一二三が謁見の間へ踏み込むのが早かったのは、もちろん問答無用で城内へ突入したのもあったが、城外に居た兵士が城内から応援に呼ばれる前に、別の問題に対応せざるを得なくなったという点もあった。
「そっちへ行ったぞ!」
「街へ行かせるな! ここで処分しろ!」
魔法使いたちの指示で右往左往する兵士たちが追っているのは、逃げ出した実験体たちだ。
もちろん、実際は逃げ出したのではなく、攪乱のためにオリガたちが4人ほどを城の近くで放ったのだが。
城の近くで発見された実験体は、何故か武器を持ち、すでに通りかかった住民数名を惨殺していた。
最初にそれを発見した兵士がすぐに応援を呼んだのだが、人数が増えても未だに捕獲も殺害もできず、兵にも民にも犠牲がどんどん出ている。
城にも異常を知らせると同時に応援を頼んでいるが、それも音沙汰がない。
「ちぃっ! 一体どうやってあの拘束から抜けたんだ!」
イライラと悪態をつきながら、一人の魔法使いが研究施設へとやってきた。
「残った連中を確認しないと......」
「その必要はありません」
開いたままのドアから入ってきた魔法使いを、オリガが素早く短剣を突きつけて止めた。
「な......」
「ようやく来ましたか。待ちくたびれましたよ」
その間にも、フォカロル兵たちが素早く扉を閉め、薄く開けた隙間から外の様子を伺う態勢に入る。
「ちょっと家探しするよりも、直接聞いた方が早いと思いまして」
ニッコリと可愛らしい笑顔を見せながら、少しだけ短剣を喉に当てる。
「彼らに使われた魔法具の在庫が見当たりませんから、ちょっと教えて欲しいのですけれど」
言いながら、オリガは鎖につながれたままぐったりとしている実験体の一人を指差す。
「そ、それは......」
急に、魔法使いは左耳が熱くなるのを感じた。
ベチャリと音がした方を見ると、片耳が床に落ちている。
「う、うぎゃあああ!」
「黙りなさい」
更に短剣をひと振りし、鼻先をそぎ落とす。
「必要な事だけ話せばいいのです」
もはや一刻も早く逃げたい一心で、魔法使いは別棟にある保管庫の場所を早口で話し、ぼたぼたと流れる血を両手で押さえてうずくまってしまった。
「そう。詳しく教えていただいて、ありがとうございます」
首筋にストンと短剣を振り下ろし、何でもないことのように懐から紙を取り出して血を拭う。
「さて、今の話を聞きましたね?」
その様子を見ていたフォカロル兵は、怯えながらも頷いた。
「もうしばらくこの施設にいないといけないようですから、残った実験体も街と城に向けて解き放ってしまいましょう」
そして研究施設にいた全ての職員はオリガたちによって殺害され、狂った強化兵たちが城へ向けて解き放たれた。
「それでは、私たちは予定通りに動きましょう」
30分とかからず、オリガたちは首都アドラメルクを脱出した。
「ぐぅおおおおおおおお!」
悶絶するヴェルドレを尻目に、一二三は最後の強化兵が振り下ろした剣を小太刀でそらし、刀を摺り上あげて頚動脈を切り裂いて殺す。
その間に、ヴェルドレは頭の大きさはそのままに、全身の筋肉を数倍に膨張させた異様な姿に成り果て、ゆっくりと立ち上がった。
その目にはすでに正気が無く、血管が顔一面に浮き出し、剥き出した歯も以上に伸長して牙のようになっている。
「あれは一体......」
「開発中だった最新の魔法具です。身体強化どころではない変化を起こし、異常な膂力と瞬発力を得る代わりに、正気を失います......」
王の疑問に、相変わらず腰を落としたままのユーグが答えた。本来であれば、どうしても押し迫った状況になった際に誰かに使用して、その隙に脱出なりするつもりで持って来たのだと言う。
「強化兵がやられて、自暴自棄になられたのでしょうか。まさか自分自身に使われるとは」
「もはや、人ですらやめたか......ヴェルドレよ......」
嘆く王の前では、ミシミシと音を立てながら、身長4mにもなろうかという巨体となったヴェルドレが、一抱えもある大きさになった拳を打ち下ろしていた。
もちろん、狙いは一二三だ。
床を叩き割り、はじけ飛ぶかけらすらも避けながら、一二三は大きく飛んで転がった。
「ほとんど大型の魔物だな。こうなると、人に使う技は通じないだろうなぁ」
素早く小太刀を投げると、吸い込まれるようにヴェルドレの脛へと突き刺さる。だが、ヴェルドレは反応どころか動きを止めようともしない。
「痛覚が無いのもそのままか!」
今度は大きく振り回してきた腕をうつ伏せになって交わし、踏み潰しを転がって避ける。
その間にも、一二三は空いてから視線を切ることなく、動きや骨格、筋肉のつき方を見つめている。
さらに、室内に散らばっている大剣を拾い集め、次々に投げつけてきた。
その威力は凄まじく、一本一本が根元まで石造りの床や壁に突き立つほどだ。
「これはもう兵器だな」
苦笑しながら、試しに一本を刀で弾いてみようと試してみたものの、流石に重さと速度があって軌道を逸らすのがせいぜいだった。
「ド、ウ、ダァ......。コワ、イダロ......ウ」
唸り声のような言葉が、途切れ途切れに聞こえる。
「いや」
さらに今度は、強化兵たちの死体も投げつけてきたが、速度に慣れてきた一二三は難なく避ける。
「楽しいなぁ」
ニヤッと笑い、右手一本で提げていた刀を両手に持ちなおし、しっかり正眼に構えた。
「惜しむらくは人間と技の勝負をしたかったが、それはまあいい。化け物でも強いなら、いいさ」
「グゥウウウウウ......」
腹から響くような声を上げながら、ヴェルドレはピタリと構えたまま動かない一二三を前に、右手をギリギリと音が出るほど握り締めた。
そのまま握り締めた拳をストレートに打ち込んで来るのに対し、一二三は構えたまま避ける動作を見せない。
(まるで家屋解体用の鉄球だな)
などと余計な事を考えながらも、身体は以前に学んだ“眉唾技”の動きをトレースすべく適度な緊張感に包まれる。
以前にスラムでやった矢を叩き落とす技術よりもずっと非現実ながら、数回試して成功はした。突き込んでくる刀に切っ先を合わせて、帽子(切っ先)の丸みを合わせて上方へとお互いの刀を滑り上がらせるというものだ。同様の動きを拳同士でも再現できる。
(あれに比べれば、的がでかい分楽なもんだ)
自分に言い聞かせ、迫り来る拳の中指、第二関節の丸みに狙いを定める。
関節の動きが普通の人間と変わらない事はさっきまでの観察で把握した。であれば、刀で擦り上げる動きはそのまま応用できると踏んだ。
長い思考は一瞬で通り過ぎ、衝突の瞬間は乾いた金属音が知らせた。
骨と刀が打ち付け合い、僅かに拳は一二三の頭上を超えていく。
だが同時に、拳に刺さった刀が持っていかれる格好となった。
「グゥッ!」
想定外に拳をそらされたヴェルドレは、同時に相手が武器を手放した事に気づき狂喜した。これで敵は抵抗できない。
いよいよ叩き潰そうと、敵へと視線を戻した瞬間、その敵は眼前に迫っていた。
一二三は拳をそらした瞬間、刀を手放しつつ腕の下をくぐり抜け、膝を踏みつけて顔の前に飛び上がっていたのだ。
「敵から目を離すなよ」
右手に握った寸鉄を顎に突き立て、左手はヴェルドレの髪を掴む。
そのままヴェルドレの頭部を一回転させると、巨体は一瞬痙攣したあと、地響きを立てて倒れ、あとはもう、動かなかった。
「別に剣道の試合じゃないんだ。武器なんかいつだって手放して当然だろうが」
倒れるヴェルドレに巻き込まれないように飛び降りた一二三は、ゆっくりと刀を拾い上げ、傷や曲がりがないことを確認すると、右手に下げたまま玉座へ近づいた。
「......お見事」
「どうも」
王の言葉に、一二三は軽く答える。
それが聞こえているのかいないのか、一二三を見てユーグがガタガタと震えていた。
「わしはホーラント国王、スプランゲル・ゲング・ホーラントである」
名乗ってから、王は自分の横で情けなく座り込むユーグを見た。
震えるばかりで名を名乗れない小物が、孫の相談役面をしていたかと思うと、情けなく思う。
「......こやつは今さっき死んだ、わしの孫の友でな。丁度今、わしから地位を簒奪しようとしておったところじゃよ」
「うぇっ?!」
王の言葉に驚いたユーグが王を見るが、王は視線を合わせず、ただただ溜息をついた。
「この期に及んで、なぜわしが貴様を庇うと思うか」
王の言葉に、慌ててこの場から逃げ出そうとしたユーグは、一二三に足をかけられて転び、背中を踏みつけられて虫のようにジタバタと手足を動かしてもがいた。
「お前の名前は?」
ユーグに答える意思が無いと見て、一二三はスプランゲルを見た。
「そやつの名はユーグ・ユティレフト。残念ながら、この国の貴族だな」
「そうか」
王の答えを聞き、一二三は刀を逆手に持ち、さっくりと首を切断した。
「......それで、オーソングランデの英雄よ。わしを殺してこの国をその手にするか。いつかその野望も......」
「いらんよ、国なんか」
面倒くさいとつぶやいて、一二三は刀を納めた。
「......なんだと?」
「いらんと言った。ただ俺は戦って、結果として人を殺したいだけだ」
「な、なんという......」
今初めて、王は目の前の男が英雄ではなく狂人だと気づいた。
「サシで話ができたから、今日の所は話だけして帰るつもりだしな」
「こ、ここまでやっておいて、何の武功もいらぬと言うか!?」
その目に偽りは無いと、王はすぐに見抜いたが、まだ信じられない。
「この国だけじゃないぞ。ヴィシーもオーソングランデも......そういえば、獣人エリアもその向こうにも国があるらしいな。それらを引っ
目を輝かせ、大きな未来を子供のように語る一二三。
「というわけで、お前の国も少しだけ引っかき回すし、それでもこんな、頭を使って戦う事ができない木偶を量産するなら、その時は潰す」
ヴェルドレに投げ捨てられ、隅に散らばった強化兵を指差し、一二三は鼻を鳴らす。
「と言われても、実感が無いとどうしようもないよなぁ」
だから、と一二三は悪びれずに続ける。
「この国が作った凶暴化する魔法具な。あれを世界中の適当に強そうな魔物に付けていく事にした。そのうち国のあちこちで被害が出るだろうから、急いで対策するんだな」
玉座から飛び出さんばかりに叫ぶ。
「そのような事をすれば、民衆の被害も増える! どれほどの戦力を巡回させればいいのか......」
「だから、索敵の方法も頑張って確立しないとなぁ。突然襲われる可能性も考える必要があるし、街道も安全とは言えなくなるよな」
後は防壁も工夫したりしないと、等と他人事のように言う一二三を、王は怯えの混じった目で見据える。
「まあ、頑張って民衆を守る策を考えるといい。そこで提案があるんだが......」
もはや悪魔の囁きにしか聞こえないが、スプランゲルは話を聞かざるを得ない。
「俺の領に兵を送るなら、鍛えてやってもいいんだがね?」
しばらくは言葉がなかったスプレンゲルだが、駆け込んできた兵から実験体が脱走して暴れているという報告を受けた時点で、その為の助力も合わせて、一二三の提案を受けることになった。
The king as well as Yugu couldn't do anything else but be dumbfounded at Hifumi's sudden intrusion.
Veldore, who should be ruling the place if everything had gone as originally planned, had fainted and didn't even twitch. The enhanced soldier, who had eradicated the designated enemy targets, was waiting for a new order and didn't even quiver.
"You already started, huh?" (Hifumi)
While being troubled with a "I'm late, eh?", Hifumi calmly surveys the hall's interior.
As he takes an unimpressed look at the spectacle of corpses littering the whole area, he only confirms that there are still people alive.
"You are... it can't be..." (Yugu)
Yugu, knowing of Hifumi's features, shook his head in disbelief.
"Okay, from the fact that you know about me, it means that you are the mastermind of the plan to lure me in, doesn't it?" (Hifumi)
With a "So, you are this country's king?" Hifumi looks at Horant's king, Suprangel.
It was a simple surveying look without him bearing any malice.
"You are, Orsongrande's hero... ?" (Suprangel)
As Hifumi drew closer from the entrance without addressing the king's words, Yugu yelled at the enhanced soldier,
"Just how did you get here while making enemies of all soldiers within the castle... ? Anyway, enhanced soldier! Kill him!" (Yugu)
"At last it starts, eh?" (Hifumi)
The enhanced soldier, charging in from the onset, runs up to him while brandishing the large sword above its head.
"Uuh-ohh?" (Hifumi)
While raising such voice due to the unexpected long reach of the large sword and the movement, that became quicker in comparison to before, Hifumi makes a half step and wedges himself into its bosom.
Accompanied by a sound of something crushing, the pommel of Hifumi's katana smashed the armour, including the magic tool at the chest, and the enhanced soldier crumbled down.
"I guess that will happen if you know about its weak point. On top of that, it won't change the fact that it doesn't have the ability to thrust." (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who shook his head with a sigh mixed in-between, slipped between the arms of another enemy soldier, who came slashing at him with the sword he held, without even avoiding.
In contrast to Hifumi, who doesn't even move an inch as he firmly set up his stance, the enemy enforced soldier, who bumped into him vigorously, has his chest hit by Hifumi's shoulder and was sent flying, tumbling and stopping when he hit the wall at last.
Hifumi, who cuts down two other enhanced soldiers, is watched by Yugu with his face coloured in dread. Horant's king, who stood next to him, observed the way of slaughtering with great interest.
And, another survivor has come to his senses.
"Gu..." (Veldore)
Veldore, unable to move at once thanks to the headache, groaned for a while as he lay on the ground, but he was able to comprehend what was happening in his vicinity during that time.
(That man is that aforementioned...)
Even now the enhanced soldiers are easily getting killed within his field of vision that was dyed red with blood.
While I, the royal grandson, am grovelling on the bloodstained floor, that man is gleefully achieving an extremely easy victory.
There was still one enforced soldier, however having its abdomen severed sideways in a straight line, its entrails were scattered and it fell over.
, thinking this far, he looked at the throne rebuking his unmoving body and saw the figure of Yugu, who was lying down unable to stand up due to fear, and the king, who showed a calm facial expression for some reason and was still in good health.
Veldore, already dominated by a hatred to destroy all of it, grabbed his sword with his still numb right hand and the magic tool affixed to his waist.
"I will... destroy everything..." (Veldore)
At the time he turns his body over, Yugu who discovered the thing Veldore held in his hands, shouts,
"Veldore-sama! If you use that... !" (Yugu)
Before he finished speaking the magic tool was forced into Veldore's chest making Yugu's restraining words vain.
While seeing this with a sidelong glance as he was in the midst of battle, Hifumi let his feeling show with a quiet smile.
Hifumi, who quickly broke into the audience hall, of course stormed into the castle without asking any pointless questions, but the soldiers outside the castle couldn't avoid dealing with another problem before calling for reinforcements from within the castle.
"They went that way!" (Soldier)
"Don't let them escape into the city! Get rid of them here!" (Soldier)
The soldiers, moving about in confusion following the orders of the magicians, are chasing the experimental bodies who escaped.
Of course they didn't really escape by themselves but Origa set 4 of them free close to the castle for the sake of causing a disturbance.
The experimental bodies, which were discovered close to the castle, had already slaughtered several residents, who happened to pass by, as they were possessing weapons for some reason.
The soldier, who discovered this first, immediately called for reinforcements, but even though their numbers increased they haven't been able to capture or kill them until now. Gradually victims among the people and the soldiers are appearing.
Although they have been requesting support while also knowing about the abnormality of the castle, they have no news about the situation either.
"Tsk! How the hell did they get out of their restraints!?" (Magician)
While cursing in irritation, a single magician arrived at the research institute.
"If I don't check upon the remaining group..." (Magician)
"There's no need for that." (Origa)
The magician, who entered through the open door, was stopped by Origa quickly thrusting her dagger at him.
"Wh..." (Magician)
"You finally came, huh? I got tired of waiting." (Origa)
During that time, the soldiers of Fokalore have promptly closed the door and adopted an approach of wait-and-see by looking outside through a small opened gap.
"I believe it to be faster to ask directly rather than searching the entire institute." (Origa)
While showing a lovely smile with a broad grin, she presses the dagger lightly against the magician's throat.
"As we can't find the stock of magic tools used on them, I'd like you to help us out by telling us the location." (Origa)
While saying this, Origa points at an experimental body limply hanging in the chains restraining it.
"Th-That is..." (Magician)
Suddenly the magician felt his left ear getting hot.
Once he hears a slurping sound, his ear has fallen to the ground.
"U-Ugyaaaa!" (Magician)
"Silence!" (Origa)
Swinging the dagger even more condemning, she chips off the tip of the nose.
"It's fine for you to only tell me the necessary things." (Origa)
As his mind was already solely focussed on getting away as fast as possible, the magician spilled the vault's location being in a separate building talking rapidly. He ended up crouching while suppressing the blood, which flowed with a dripping sound, with both hands.
"I see. Thank you very much for informing me in detail." (Origa)
Swinging the dagger straight down the nape of the neck, she wipes the blood with a paper she took out from her pocket as if it's a trivial matter.
"Well then, you heard the story just now, right?" (Origa)
The Fokalore soldiers, who saw her look, nodded while being scared.
"Because it looks like it won't do to be at this institute for much longer, let's finish releasing the remaining experimental bodies towards the castle and city." (Origa)
And thus all the staff members being at the research institute were killed by Origa's group and the insane, enhanced soldiers were released towards the castle.
"Well then, let's move as planned." (Origa)
Within less than 30 minutes Origa's group escaped from the capital city, Adolamelk.
"Guuoooooooo!" (Veldore)
As Hifumi sees Veldore fainting in agony with a sidelong glance, he wards off the downward-swung sword of the last enhanced soldier and kills it by slicing the carotid artery with the raised katana.magic
During that time Veldore, whose appearance with a large head and his muscles having swelled several times across his entire body became strange , stood up slowly.
There's no sanity left in his eyes anymore. With the blood vessels standing out on the surface of his face, it has even reached the point of fangs having grown on top of his bared teeth.
"The heck is that... ?" (Suprangel)
"It's the newest magic still under development. Raising the transformation to a level above enhancing the body, the target loses its mind in exchange for explosive power and abnormal physical strength..." (Yugu)
Yugu, in the same condition of having dropped his waist as before, answered the king's question. Originally he brought it along with the intention use it on someone, if the situation required it, and escape during the resulting chaos.
"Did he fall into despair when the enhanced soldiers were done in? I didn't expect him to use it on himself." (Yugu)
"He already even stopped being a human, huh... ? Veldore..." (Suprangel)
In front of the lamenting king Veldore turned into a giant with a height of 4 m while making groaning sounds. He brought down his fist that had grown to the length of an arm.
Of course his aim was Hifumi.
Even while avoiding the fragments of the smashed ground flying about, Hifumi made a huge leap and rolled over.
"Practically it is a large monster. Now that it has come to this, the techniques that are used against people won't cut it, I suppose." (Hifumi)
As he throws the kodachi sharply, it pierced the lower leg of Veldore as if being sucked in. But Veldore doesn't stop moving, let alone give any kind of reaction.
"Looks like he doesn't even have a sense of pain, eh!?" (Hifumi)
He avoids getting crushed by the following largely swung arm by rolling to the side.
Even during that time, Hifumi keeps his eyes open staring at the state of the increased muscles, his physique and movement.
Furthermore Veldore threw the large swords, scattered about within the hall, one after the other at him.
His strength being absurd, each of them pierces the wall and stone floor down to hilt.
"This is already a weapon." (Hifumi)
While smiling wryly, he tried to repel one of them with his katana, but as expected of the speed and weight, the most he could do was to have it stray from its course.
"W-h-a-t d-o y-ou... Scar-ed, are... n't yo-u?" (Veldore)
Although the words are groans, broken syllables are audible.
"No." (Hifumi)
Even though Veldore threw the corpses of the enhanced soldiers next, Hifumi, who got used to the speed, easily evaded those.
"How enjoyable." (Hifumi)
Smiling broadly, Hifumi takes the katana, he previously held with only his right hand, into both hands and gets into a firm seigan stance.
"I regret it as I wanted to use it in a match of techniques with a human, but I guess this much is fine. If it's the strength of a monster, it will be alright." (Hifumi)
"Guuuuuuuuu..." (Veldore)
While raising his voice as if it was resounding from within his stomach, Veldore grasped his right hand tightly, to the degree of a grinding sound appearing, in front of Hifumi, who doesn't waver in his firm stance.
While facing the approaching straight punch of the tightly grasped right fist, Hifumi doesn't show any inclination to avoid it.
(It's completely like the iron ball used to dismantle buildings.)
Even while thinking about pointless things like that, he is enveloped in a moderate feeling of tension in order to trace the path of the "feint skill" his body learned before.
Although it was even more unreal than the technique to knock down a fired arrow he displayed in the slums before, he was successful at testing it out a few times. It's something like having two swords sliding across each other deflecting their round blade tips upwards at the time of thrusting out the swords. Veldore is able to reproduce a similar motion with his fist.
(If I compare them, it becomes easier because the target is so big.)
Persuading himself, he decides to aim for the second joint of the approaching fist's middle finger.
He had grasped through the earlier observation that Veldore's movement of the joints wasn't any different from normal humans. Once that was the case, he estimated that he could use a grazing motion with the katana.
The lengthy consideration passed in a moment and he experienced a dry metallic sound in the instant of clashing.
Striking the bone with the katana, the fist passes slightly overhead of Hifumi.
But at the same time it took away the katana which was pierced into the fist.
"Guu!" (Veldore)
The averted fist was outside Veldore's expectation. But at the same time he was overjoyed at the opponent parting with his weapon. With this the enemy won't be able to put up a resistance.
In the instant of turning back his sight towards the enemy to smash him at last, that enemy was right in front of his eyes.
The second Hifumi averted the fist, he escaped below Veldore's arms while letting go of his katana and jumped up in front of him planting his knee into his face.
"Don't take your eye off your enemy." (Hifumi)
Stabbing the suntetsu grasped in the right hand into Veldore's chin, he seizes his hair with the left hand.
As he rotated Veldore's head once, Veldore collapsed raising an earth tremor, afterwards his large build twitched for an instant and didn't move anymore.
"It's not really a swordsmanship match. It's only natural to let go of something like weapons at any time." (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who leapt away to avoid getting dragged down by the falling Veldore, leisurely picked up his katana. Once he confirmed that there was no warping or damage to it, he approached the throne as he held it close to the ground in his right hand.
"... Well done!" (Suprangel)
"Thanks." (Hifumi)
Hifumi lightly responds to the king's praise.
Unbeknownst whether Yugu had heard this or not,  he looked at Hifumi trembling in shivers.
"I'm the king of Horant, Suprangel Gengh Horant." (Suprangel)
After he named himself, the king looked at the miserably caved-in Yugu besides him.
At the thought of that small-timer, who could do nothing but tremble in fear without even giving his own name, acting as advisor of his grandson, the king judges him to be pathetic.
"... He is a friend of my grandson, the guy who died just now. They were right at the point of attempting to usurp my position." (Suprangel)
"Uee!?" (Yugu)
Even though Yugu looks at the king surprised by his words, the king only sighed without looking at him.
"I wonder, why do you think I would protect a bastard like you this late in the game?" (Suprangel)
Due to the king's words, Yugu tried to escape from his current place in panic. Falling over as his feet were tripped by Hifumi, he struggled to move his feet and hands squirming like an insect as his back was tread on.
"Your name is?" (Hifumi)
Seeing that Yugu had no intention to answer, Hifumi looked at Suprangel.
"That guy's name is Yugu Yutileft. I regret to say it, but he is a noble of this country." (Suprangel)
"I see." (Hifumi)
Hearing the king's words, Hifumi severed Yugu's head easily holding his katana in a backhand grip.
"... Well then, Orsongrande's hero. Do you want to obtain this country by killing me? No matter how much you even aspire that..." (Suprangel)
"Don't need it, something like a country." (Hifumi)
Muttering that it would be too troublesome, he sheathed the katana.
"... What was that?" (Suprangel)
"I told you, I don't need it. I only fight for the sake of killing people." (Hifumi)
"Wh-What a..." (Suprangel)
For the first time now, the king noticed that the man in front of him wasn't a hero but a lunatic.
"Since I was able to talk with you, I plan to go back at this point today." (Hifumi)
"D-Do you want to tell me that you don't even want any kind of military exploits having come this far?" (Suprangel)
The king immediately saw through that there was no falsehood in Hifumi's eyes, though he still couldn't believe it.
"It's not only this country. It's the same for Vichy and Orsongrande... which reminds me, doesn't there seem to be an area of beastmen on the other side of this country? Dragging them into it as well, I want to steadily turn this world into one of fighting and killing each other. And I will have you desperately refine your skills by using schemes to escalate the wars even further." (Hifumi)
Hifumi talks with sparkling eyes similar to a child with a large dream of the future.
"For that reason, I only came here to agitate your country a bit. However, once you mass produce these dolls, who aren't able to use their head in battle, I will crush this country." (Hifumi)
Hifumi snorts as he points at the enhanced soldiers scattered about in the corners thrown away by Veldore.
"Even if I tell you, there's no way for you to understand unless you have experienced it yourself." (Hifumi)
"Therefore", Hifumi continues calmly,
"The magic tools developed by this country to make people ferocious, I decided to use those on suitably strong-looking monsters around the world. Since there will probably be victims here and there in your country before long, you better hurry to think of countermeasures." (Hifumi)
He shouts as he is about to jump off the throne.
"If you do such thing, it will increase the victims among the populace! Just how much military forces will be necessary to patrol... ?" (Suprangel)
"Therefore, isn't it better to do your best in finding a method to search for the enemy? It's also necessary to consider the possibility of sudden attacks. Though the safety of the highway will be lost as well." (Hifumi)
The king gazes with eyes tinged in panic at Hifumi, who tells him some of the consequences if they don't figure out a method of protection in the future.
"Well, it's fine's if you do your best at thinking of a plan to protect the populace. I've got a suggestion there, but..." (Hifumi)
It can't be called anything but the whispers of the devil by now, but Suprangel has no other option but to listen to Hifumi's words.
"Won't it be fine if you send soldiers to my territory for training them?" (Hifumi)
Although Suprangel was speechless for a little while, at the time he received the report of the experimental bodies having escaped and rampaging around from a soldier, who came rushing, he had decided to follow Hifumi's proposal including his support as well.
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