馬の背にうつぶせの格好で乗せられ、ゆらゆらと運ばれているうちにヘレンはぼんやりと目を覚ました。
兎耳をピコピコと揺らし、目の前を地面が通り過ぎていくのを見つめて、少しずつ覚醒する。
「あ......あれ?」
それなりの時間、同じ体勢だったのか、鞍に当たっているお腹が痛い。
「あっ! 目が覚めたんだね、ヘレン!」
ニコニコと駆け寄ってくるレニを抱き寄せ、ヘレンは一二三を睨みつけた。
「わたしたちをどこへ連れて行くつもり!?」
「知らん。道はそいつに聞いているだけだ」
あっさりと答え、レニを指差した一二三を見て、ヘレンはレニに振り返った。
「一二三さんの話は本当だよ。気絶しちゃったヘレンを運んでもらったの」
「俺の名前だ。それより、気が付いたなら自分で帰れるな。それじゃ、これで終わりだな」
「はい。ここまでありがとうございました」
レニは深々と頭を下げて、ヘレンは状況がわからずにとにかく一二三を警戒していた。
こちらも道中で充分な話が聞けた、と一二三は焼き菓子をいくつかレニに手渡すと、馬に飛び乗った。
「ああ、ついでにもう二つ教えてくれ」
「さっき俺に襲いかかってきた虎の奴らがいただろう。あいつらの集落の場所は知っているか?」
一二三の質問に、レニとヘレンは顔を見合わせた。
「あ、あんたね! 二、三人に勝てたからって調子に乗りすぎよ! 集落といっても虎獣人たちが何十人もいるのよ? 荒野に一人で来るだけでもおかしいっていうのに、死にに行くつもりなの!?」
ヘレンがまくし立てるのを、一二三は涼しい顔で聞いている。
「そうだな。正確に言えば、俺を殺せそうな奴を探しているってところだな」
一二三の答えに、ヘレンは絶句した。
だが、レニは一歩前に出る。
「ウチ、知ってます」
「あの三人が出てきたところから、北東にずっと進んだ大きな泉の近くです」
なるほど、と一二三が頷いたのを見て、レニは嬉しそうに笑った。
「どうして教えたの?」
「一二三さんは、多分虎の人たちよりずっとずっと強いよ。お父さんが言ってたよ。本当に強い人は、とても優しいんだって」
だから、こんなに美味しいお菓子をくれる優しい一二三さんは、誰にも負けないくらい強いはずだよ、と無邪気に笑うレニを見て、ヘレンは肩を落とした。
「仕方ないわね......。あんた、怪我をしたらこの辺まで逃げて来なさい。わたしたちはいつもこの辺りで木ノ実や薬草を集めているから、お礼に怪我くらいは治療してあげる」
「そりゃどうも。で、もう一つの質問だが」
なんですか、とレニが首をかしげた。
「この荒野でしか食えない美味い物とかあるのか?」
馬にまたがり林を抜けて、一二三はレニに聞いた方角へと向かっている。
目印にした虎獣人の脇を通る。動物たちの仕業だろうか、三体とも早々に食い荒らされて無残な屍を晒していた。
「ふむふむ、目的地が一緒だと、楽でいいな」
腰の刀を指先でトントンと叩きながら、上機嫌で馬を進める。
レニが教えてくれた“美味い物”は、大きな蔦が絡まりあって伸びている特徴的な木にできる果物で、一口かじると爽やかな甘味がなんとも言えない美味さだと言う。
レニだけでなく、隣で聞いていたヘレンも口の端から糸を垂らしていたあたり、本当なのだろう。
ところが、ここ数年はその木が群生する泉の周辺を虎獣人が占拠してしまい、林の恵みの中でも特にそれを楽しみにしていた羊と兎の獣人たちはがっかりしているという。
丁度いいので、虎と会ってからその果物も話のタネに食べてみよう、と一二三は止めようとするヘレンを無視してやって来た。
林に入り、しばらく進んだところで陽が傾き始め、馬も疲れた様子を見せ始めたので、一際大きな木を見つけた一二三は、ここで一夜を明かす事に決めた。
馬からおりて適当な木に手綱を結ぶと、餌と水をやり、自分は焼き菓子を三つほど頬張って水を飲む。
この焼き菓子、実はカイムの手作りだったりする。料理や掃除も得意で妙に女子力の高い男だが、菓子作りはストレス発散らしい。規定事項通りに物事を進められない奴と仕事をしてストレスが溜まると、きっちり分量計算をした菓子を大量生産するらしい、と一二三は他の文官に聞いたことがある。
執務室に入って甘い香りがすると、カイムが不機嫌な証拠なので緊張するとか。
丁度いい間食になると思った一二三が持っていく分にいくつか作ってくれと依頼すると、どこかの商店の仕入れかと思う量が用意されていた。配って回っても減った気がしないほどだ。
「寝床はこんなもんか」
毛布を敷いただけの寝床に横になる。枕は丁度地面にせり出していた太い根だ。少しゴロゴロとするが、熟睡するのも危険なので丁度いい。
刀を左手に触れさせたまま、一二三は静かに目を閉じた。
猫獣人のジャレドが一二三の姿を見かけたのは本当に偶然だった。
人間が荒野の、しかもこんなに人里から離れたエリアにいるのは珍しいし、まして一人でいるなど初めてのことだったからだ。
最初は純粋な興味で、しかしそっと追いかけていくうちに何かの儲け話に繋がらないかと舌をペロリと動かしたのは、彼の生来の欲によるものだった。
動物相手にせよ植物にせよ、狩りによって生活の糧を得ている獣人たちにとって、物欲と言ってもせいぜい美味い物が食べたいとか、頑丈な皮で服が作りたいと言った程度だ。当然、通貨など存在しない。
だが、ジャレドは生まれつき珍しい物を集めたがる妙な癖があった。あまり帰らない粗末な家の中には、綺麗な石や珍しい植物の種、人間が落とした物や死体から盗んだ使い方もわからない道具など、狭い室内を足の踏み場もないほどに埋め尽くしている。
(あの人間の持っている武器は初めて見た)
興味本位であとをつけているうちに、刀に引き込まれるように視線を注いでいたジャレドは、人間が寝ている間に頂いてしまおうと決めた。
そして今、そのチャンスが訪れた。
夜の帳がおりた林の中は、曇の覆い空模様も手伝い真っ暗で、夜目が効くジャレドでも何とか見えるという程度だ。
(起きるなよ。命が惜しければな)
ジャレドは獣人としての戦闘力は低いが、人間相手なら力も速度も上回っているという自信はある。それに、彼は獣人としては少数派だが武器を使う事に抵抗がない。
今も、抵抗された時のために骨を削って作ったナイフを握りしめているし、人間が持つ武器を手に入れたら、それも持ち歩いて使おうと思っている。
だが、必死に抵抗されたら思わぬ怪我をするかもしれない。だからそっと盗みとる事を選んだ。
そろりそろりと近づいたジャレドは、めいっぱいに見開いた目をキョロキョロと動かし、周囲に他の人間や獣人が隠れていたりしないかを警戒した。
(この辺りは虎獣人の集落も近いからな。あいつらに見つかったら面倒だ)
そっと刀へと手を伸ばしたとき、ふと足元辺りにある人間の顔を見た。
目が合った。
全身傷だらけで、右腕の肘からしたをブラブラと揺らしながら猫獣人が虎獣人の集落に逃げ込んで来たのは、早朝の事だった。
「た、たしゅけて......」
最初に見つけた虎獣人の男に必死で懇願する猫獣人ジャレドに、すがりつかれた方は混乱せざるを得ない。
別に虎獣人と猫獣人は交流があるわけでも助け合っているわけでもない。むしろ虎たちは猫を見下しており、顔を合わせて女ならば攫って、男ならばなぶり殺しにする事もある。
「なんだよ、誰かこいつを痛めつけたのか?」
ジャレドの怪我を仲間のせいだと思い、虎獣人は周りにいた仲間に声をかけたが、誰も彼もが知らないと返事した。
「ガーファンたちじゃねぇか? 昨日から帰ってきてねぇしよ」
仲間の一人が言うと、近づいてきてジャレドを蹴り飛ばした。
「ひぃい......ち、違うんだ! 人間が、人間が......」
錯乱してわめき散らすジャレドを、虎たちは朝から変な奴が来た、と笑って真剣に考える者はいない。
「人間がこんな荒野の奥まで来るわけねぇだろ」
「そうでもないぞ?」
ガサガサと茂みをかき分けて顔を出した一二三は、やっと着いたか、と息を吐いた。
袴に貼り付いた草を丁寧につまみ上げて落とす一二三の姿を見て、ジャレドは悲鳴を上げた。
「本当に人間が出てくるとはな」
「だが、来た場所が悪かったな。ここは俺たち虎獣人のテリトリーだ。久しぶりのおもちゃだからな。簡単に死ぬなよ?」
ゾロゾロと集まってくる虎獣人の男たちは、全員が筋骨隆々で一二三と比べるとふた回りは大きい。
女も相当数いるうえ、彼女たちも戦う気らしく、スラリと伸びた腕の先には男達に見劣りしないほど鋭い爪が見える。
それでも一二三は意に介さず、ゆっくりとジャレドに向かって歩き出す。
「あ、あああ......」
もはや喉を震わせるしかできないジャレドは、尻餅を付いたまま後ずさるが、あっという間に追いつかれた。
「忘れ物だ」
硬い物がぶつかる音を立てて、ジャレドの脳天に骨で出来たナイフが突き立てられた。
ぐるりと白目を剥いて、ジャレドはしばらく痙攣していたが、ほどなく事切れた。
「で、だ」
ジャレドが死んだことを確認した一二三は、近くにいた虎獣人に声をかけた。
「泉はどこだ? 美味い果物があるそうじゃないか」
「聞こえなかったのか? 泉の場所だ」
小馬鹿にしたような一二三の態度に、虎獣人たちは素早く一二三を取り囲んだ。
「おお、なかなか素早いじゃないか。ガーファンだったか、あいつよりよっぽど速い」
あいつらよりは長持ちしてくれよ、と嘯いた一二三に、獣人たちはいよいよ怒り心頭となった。
「ほざくな!」
爪を振り下ろしてきたのを迎え撃つように、一二三は人差し指と中指の関節を立てた拳で手首を殴った。
ピンポイントに痛覚を打たれた獣人が腕を引くと、がら空きの顔に手を伸ばした一二三が、頭と顎の毛を掴んだ。
「こりゃ掴みやすいな」
笑いながら毛の抜ける音と骨が折れる音を響かせて、獣人の頭をぐるりと捻り折った。
声も出せずに死んだ獣人が崩れ落ちる。
「に、人間が......」
弱いとタカをくくっていた人間相手に、しかも素手で仲間が殺され、獣人たちは驚いていた。
「ぐ、偶然だ!」
叫びながら飛びかかった獣人には、鎖鎌の分銅を投げつけ、足を絡め取ったまま横向きに引き倒した。
脇腹を強かに打ち付けた獣人は、悶絶する間もなく引き寄せられ、鎌で喉を裂かれた。
「もっと考えて動けよ」
一二三が呆れていると、獣人たちの壁の一角がざわめく。
「お前、どうやら普通の人間ではないようだな」
獣人たちが道を譲り、開かれた場所から一二三に向かって歩いてくるのは、他の虎獣人よりもさらに大きな体格をした男だった。
「お前がここのボスか」
「そうだ。朝から好き放題やってくれたようだな」
虎のボスは、三つの死体を見やってから、牙を向いて威嚇した。
「歯を見せて何が楽しいんだ? それよりも、だ。責任者がお前なら言うが、教育がなっとらん」
「教育だと?」
フン、とボスが鼻を鳴らす。
「お前たち人間と俺たちは違う。敵と見たら殺す。わざわざ話し合いなど......」
「そうじゃない」
話を遮り、一二三は腕を組んで口をへの字に曲げた。
「戦いに卑怯もクソも無い。敵ならすぐに殺すか利用する。それでいい。実にいい」
だが、と一二三は獣人の死体を指差す。
「なんでお前らは爪で切りつけるしかできんのだ! その牙は偽物か? 硬いものを噛んだら簡単に折れるのか! 虎ならしなやかに動き回って翻弄して見せろ! 鈍足しかおらんじゃないか!」
突然憤怒をぶちまけた一二三に、虎獣人たちは呆然とする他ない。
「俺は少しは人間よりも強い奴がいるだろうと思って荒野まで来たんだ。それが、蓋を開ければバカの一つ覚えな虎とコソ泥の猫、戦いとは無縁な羊と兎だ! 馬鹿にしてんのか!」
言いたい放題の一二三に、虎のボスは眉間を震わせて吠えた。
「人間風情が吠えるな!」
他の獣人とは比べ物にならない速度の攻撃が、一二三を襲う。
辛うじて首を下げてやり過ごしたが、前髪を数本持って行かれた。
一二三が声を上げた事に、ボスはにやりと笑った。
「何とかかわしたか。だが次はそうは......」
「やればできるじゃないか!」
輝くような笑顔を見せた一二三は、鎖鎌を収納して刀を取り出す。
予想外の反応に、固まってしまったボスの目の前で、一二三は刀を抜いた。
鼻から息を吸い、口からゆっくりと吐き出す。
「よし! じゃあ始めようか!」
With a posture of being placed upside-down on the horse's back, Helen dimly came to her senses while being carried with a slow swaying.
Watching the ground pass by in front of her with her rabbit ears shaking with a *piko piko*, she is waking up gradually.
"E... Eh?" (Helen)
Was it because I was the whole time in the same position?
"Ah! You woke up, Helen!" (Reni)
Being embraced by Reni, who came rushing over with a bright smile, Helen glared at Hifumi.
"Where are you planning to take us!?" (Helen)
"Don't know. I'm only following that person." (Hifumi)
Looking at Hifumi, who answered readily and pointed at Reni, Helen turned her head towards Reni.
"Hifumi-san's story is true. He accepted transporting the fainted you, Helen." (Reni)
"It's my name. Putting that aside, you can go back home now that you recovered your consciousness. Well then, with this it's the end." (Hifumi)magic
"Yes. Thank you very much until here." (Reni)
Reni bowed very deeply. Helen, not understanding the circumstances, was at least cautious in regards to Hifumi.
"I heard plenty of stories on the way here", Hifumi handed over several baked sweets to Reni and jumped on the horse.
"Ah, while we are at it, please tell me two more things." (Hifumi)
"Do you know the location of the village of the tiger fellows, who attacked me some time ago?" (Hifumi)
Reni and Helen looked at each other due to Hifumi's question.
"H-Hey, you! Don't get too cocky over winning against two or three. Although it's called village, aren't there several tens of tiger beastmen over there as well? Although you are already strange with just crossing through the wastelands by yourself, do you plan to go to your death!?" (Helen)
Hifumi is nonchalantly listening to Helen rattling on and on.
"That's right. To be precise, the point is that I'm searching for a fellow, who looks like they can kill me." (Hifumi)
Helen became speechless due to Hifumi's words.
However, Reni takes a step forward.
"I know where it is." (Reni)
"From the place those three appeared at, always head north-east. It's close to a large spring." (Reni)
Seeing Hifumi nodding with a "I see", Reni laughed delightfully.
"Why did you tell him?" (Helen)
"Hifumi-san is probably a lot, lot stronger than the tiger people. Papa said it. Really strong people are very gentle." (Reni)
"Therefore, Hifumi-san, who kindly gives me such tasty sweets, should be strong enough to not lose against anyone." Watching the innocently smiling Reni, Helen dropped her shoulders.
"It can't be helped, I guess... You, escape to this place, if you get injured. Since we are always gathering fruits and medical herbs in this area, we will at least treat you injuries as thanks." (Helen)
"Well now, thanks for that. I have another question though." (Hifumi)
"What is it?" Reni tilted her head to the side.
"Isn't there anything delicious to eat you can only find in these wastelands?" (Hifumi)
Straddling the horse and exiting the woods, Hifumi is heading in the direction he was told by Reni.
He passes the signs left by the tiger beastmen.
"Hmm, I see. It's nice and easy that our destination is the same." (Hifumi)
While tapping on the katana at his waist with his fingertips, he rides on the horse in a good mood.
The "delicious thing" Reni told him about is a fruit growing on a tree characteristically growing large ivy's entangled with each other. It's flavour can't be called sweet but it's refreshing with a single bite.
Not just Reni, even Helen, who listened next to her, had strings of drool hanging from her mouth, thus it was likely the truth.
However, for the last few years the surroundings of the spring, where that tree grows en masse, is occupied by the tiger beastmen. The sheep and rabbit beastmen, who particularly looked forward to those among the blessings of the forest, felt dejected.
As it is just the right occasion, let's try to make the topic of conversation eating that fruit after I meet the tigers.
Entering the woods, the sun began to sink when he progressed for a while. As the horse started to show signs of exhaustion, Hifumi, who discovered a conspicuously large tree, decided to intentionally pass one night without sleeping here.
Once he dismounted the horse and tied the reins to a suitable tree, he gave it fodder and water, stuffed his own cheeks with around three baked sweets and drank some water himself.
These baked sweets were in fact handmade by Caim. He is a man, who has an oddly high level of femininity with his forte being cooking and cleaning, but he seems to vent stress by making pastry. If he works together with people, who don't go forward according to the prescribed regulations in everything, he will build up stress. Apparently he produces large amounts of pastry by accurately calculating the necessary amount. Hifumi heard that from the other civil officials.
If one enters the office and there's a sweet fragrance drifting about, Caim is tense since it's a sign of him being displeased.
Once Hifumi, who believed it to be perfect for snacking, requested of him to make a few as take-away share, Caim prepared an amount where you could wonder whether he was planning to stock up some shop. It's to the degree, that it doesn't feel like they would decrease, even if Hifumi were to go around and distribute them.
"This thing is the bed, eh?" (Hifumi)
He lies down on a spread out blanket. The pillow is a root, which was protruding from the ground in the right way. Although he tries to roll around a bit, it's just right since it's also dangerous to be sound asleep.
While touching the katana with his left hand, Hifumi calmly closed his eyes.
It was truly by coincidence that the cat beastman, Jaredo, caught sight of Hifumi's figure.
It's unusual for a human to be in the wastelands and even more so in an area, which is separated this far from human habitations. Not to mention that it was the first time for one of them being alone.
At the beginning it was genuine curiosity, but while secretly following him, he stuck out his tongue wondering whether it's not connected to some way to get rich quickly. That was because of his natural greed.
Although it is called greed, beastmen, who are procuring their food for living by hunting animal opponents and plants, at most wanted to simply eat delicious things or to produce clothes out of solid hides. Something like currency naturally doesn't exist here.
However, Jaredo had the strange habit of collecting rare things since his birth. His plain home, to which he doesn't return often, is filled with things like tools, of which he doesn't know the way of using stolen from corpses, and things dropped by humans, to a degree that there's no space to place one's feet indoor.
(It's the first time I have seen the weapon, that human possesses.)
While tagging along out of curiosity, Jaredo's look was obviously drawn to the katana. He decided to take it while the human is sleeping.
And now that chance finally came.
Within the woods, where the veil of darkness descended, it is pitch dark due to even the sky being covered by clouds. Even for Jaredo, who has night-sight, it is only at a level of him being able to see somehow.
(Don't wake up, if you value your life.)
Jaredo's fighting strength as beastman is low, but he has confidence that he can exceed in speed and strength, if his opponent is a human. Besides, he belongs to a minority among beastman, as he isn't opposed to using weapons.
Even now he is tightly grasping a knife, which has been created by sharpening a bone, for the time he runs into resistance. He is certain that he will carry and use it, if he can obtain the weapon the human has.
But there might be unexpected injuries, if the human struggles desperately. Therefore he chose to take and steal it secretly.
Jaredo, who approached slowly and quietly, changed his position and looked around restlessly with his eyes wide open. He was cautious whether there would be other humans or beastmen hidden in the vicinity.
(This area is close to the settlement of the tiger beastmen after all. It will become troublesome, if they find me.)
At the moment he quietly extended his hand towards the katana, he accidentally saw the face of the human, being next to his feet.
Their eyes met.
It was early morning when a cat beastman came taking refugee in the tiger beastmen settlement while swaying with his right elbow dangling having his entire body covered in injuries all over.
"H-el-p m..." (Jaredo)
It cannot be helped that confusion sprang forth by the way the cat beastman Jaredo clung and frantically begged the first male tiger beastman he found.
Even if there is interaction between cat beastmen and tiger beastmen, that doesn't mean they will particularly help each other either. Rather, the tigers despise cats and there are situations, where they will kidnap if it's a female and torture to death if it's a male upon meeting each other.
"What's up? Someone gave this fellow a beating?"
Believing the injuries of Jaredo being caused by his mates, he called out to his tiger beastmen mates, who were in the vicinity, but all of them answered that they didn't know.
"Ain't that Gafan's group's work? They haven' come back since yesterday."
Once one of his mates said that, the tiger beastman kicked Jaredo, who drew close, away.
"Hiii... i-it's different! A human is... a human is..." (Jaredo)
As Jaredo, who ranted and raved on in confusion, there's no tiger taking him serious and they laugh at him with "a strange guy came in the morning."
"There ain't no way for a human to come this deep into the wastelands."
"That's not true either though."
Hifumi, who made an appearance by pushing his way through the thicket with a rustling, took a breath and said "I finally got here, huh?"
Looking at the figure of Hifumi, who is carefully picking up the weeds clinging to his his hakama and throwing it away, Jaredo screamed.
"A human has really appeared."
"However, it's a bad place he came to. This place is our, the tiger beastmen's, territory. It's been a while since a plaything came along. Don't die too quickly."
All of the male tiger beastmen, who are gathering in groups, are muscular and they are twice as big as Hifumi.
On top of there also being females in considerable numbers, they apparently are thirsting to fight as well. Having arms, which are long and slender, their sharp claws, which can't be compared to the male ruffians from before, are visible.
Even so, Hifumi, without feeling worried, slowly walks towards Jaredo.
"A-Aaaah..." (Jaredo)
Jaredo, whose voice is already unable to do anything else but tremble, fell on his backside while retreating, but Hifumi caught up to him in the blink of an eye.
"You forgot something." (Hifumi)
With the sound of hard things clashing against each other, he stabbed the knife, made out of bone, into Jaredo's crown of the head.
Jaredo convulsed for a short while with his eyes rolling back, but before long he died.
"So, that's that." (Hifumi)
Confirming the death of Jaredo, Hifumi called out to the tiger beastman close-by.
"Where's the spring? Aren't there tasty fruits close to it?" (Hifumi)
"Didn't you listen? The place of the spring." (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi's behaviour being similar to that of a fool, the tiger beastmen quickly surrounded Hifumi.
"Oh, aren't you fairly nimble? Was it Gafan? You are a lot faster than him." (Hifumi)
As Hifumi asked them "Please last a bit longer than those guys", the beastmen became more and more enraged.
"Don't babble!"
As they attacked by swinging their claws downwards, Hifumi hit the wrist with a fist, formed out of the joints of middle finger and index finger.
Hifumi, who extended his hand to the defenceless face once the beastman drew back his arm, which was hit with pinpoint attack causing a sense of pain, grabbed the hair of the head and chin.
"See, it's easy to grab it." (Hifumi)
While he was laughing, the sound of pulling out the fur and breaking their bones resounded. Then he twisted the beastman's neck and broke it.
Without even leaking a voice, the beastman dies and crumbles down.
"A-A h-human has..."
Due to taking human opponents lightly as being weak, and even more so as their mate was killed barehanded, the beastmen were surprised.
"A-A coincidence!"
The beastman leaped at him while roaring. Throwing the counterweight of the kusarigama, it entangled their feet and they were pulled down sideways.
The beastman, who was severely knocked into their flank, fainted in agony, was drawn close in no time and had its throat sliced open with the sickle.
"Move once you think a bit more." (Hifumi)
Hifumi is disgusted and a section of the beastmen wall stirs.
"Somehow it doesn't seem like you are a normal human."
With the beastmen making a path, a male, who had an even bigger physique than the other beastmen, came walking towards Hifumi through the open spot.
"You are this place's boss?" (Hifumi)
"That's right. Looks like you did as you please since morning."
After the tiger boss looked at the three corpses, he threatened Hifumi by baring its fangs.
"What's so fun about showing your teeth? Rather than that, although you say you are the person in charge, you have no education." (Hifumi)
"Education, you say?"
"Humph", the boss snorts.
"You humans and us are different. We kill if we consider them an enemy. Something like expressly talking it out..."
"That's not the case."
Interrupting his speech, Hifumi folded his arms and his mouth curved into a he.
"There's no unfairness or damnation in fighting. You say you immediately kill, if it's an enemy. That's fine. That's truly great." (Hifumi)
"But", Hifumi points at the corpse of a beastman.
"Why are you unable to do anything but cutting with your claws!? Are those fangs a decoration!? Won't you easily break something hard by biting it!? If you are tigers, you have to lead your enemies by the nose by moving around! Aren't you just slow-footed dimwits!?" (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi suddenly bursting in anger, the tiger beastmen can't do anything but being dumbfounded.
"I came to the wastelands wondering whether there are fellows slightly stronger than humans. And once I look at the results, there were tigers, I can only remember as idiots, a thieving cat and a sheep and rabbit, which are unrelated to fighting! Are you looking down on me!?" (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi saying all he has to say, the tiger boss' eyebrows trembled and he roared.
"The likes of humans don't bark!"
Hifumi is attacked by a strike that can't be compared in speed to the other beastmen.
He let it go past by barely lowering his head, but several strands of his forehead bangs were ripped away.
Due to the situation of Hifumi raising his voice, the boss grinned broadly and laughed.
"Somehow you dodged it, eh? But the next will..."
"Aren't you able to do it, if you try!?" (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who showed a sparkling smile, stows the kusarigama away and retrieves the katana.
In the presence of the boss, who ended up hardening due to the unforeseen reaction, Hifumi drew his katana.
Inhaling his breath through the nose, he slowly exhales it out of his mouth.
"Alright! Shall we begin then!?" (Hifumi)
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