三十八話
————どうか上手くいってくれよ。
内心で密かにそんな事を考えながらも走らせる白刃。円弧を描く剣線。
そして、ソレは完成する。
皎皎たる望月より尚、眩い輝きを放つ————それこそ、星のような輝きを伴った軌跡が十数と虚空に奔った。
「—————」
生まれる一瞬の空白。
鼓膜を殴り付ける大声量。
痛苦に塗れた醜い絶叫が辺りに響き渡る。
迫り、降り注ぐ星光。
「......はは......ははははははは......!!!」
身体を支配するは筆舌に尽くし難い高揚感。
ここぞとばかりに俺は笑う。縦横無尽に逃さんとばかりに剣を振るい、軌跡を描く。
描いて、描いて、斬り裂いて。
抑え付けていた感情の箍に罅を入れながら、馬鹿みたいに笑って、無心で剣を振るう事で漸く————痛みを限定的に無視する事が出来た。
自身の状態を確認。しかし関係ない。
何かが軋む音。
何処からともなく垂れ流れる鮮血。
全身を奔り抜ける突き刺すような痛み。
しかし、関係がなかった。
「—————!!!」
転瞬、憎悪のような憤怒のような。
どす黒い感情を湛える〝ジャバウォック〟の瞳の色が変わるのが分かった。
直後、星光に所々貫かれながらも、〝ジャバウォック〟は己の翼を広げ、はためかせる。
〟を調整する事は不可能。
がむしゃらに撃ち放つだけの俺に、翼を狙うなんて行為は出来る筈がなかった。
「————っ、たく、これはオレの奢りだッ!! 受け取りやがれ————っ!!! 〝刺し貫く
それは、シヴァの叫び声であった。
言うが早いか、大地と天から黒い刃が突として出現。そしてそれは〝ジャバウォック〟の翼へと一直線に向かって行き。
「く、は、見事に釣られやがったよ!! なぁっ、あんた今、オレを警戒したな?」
〝ジャバウォック〟へ向けて明らかにそれと分かる嘲弄を顔に貼り付けて、シヴァはここぞとばかりに盛大にせせら笑う。
最後の逃げるタイミングを自分で潰しやがったよと、その嘲りはどこまでも轟いた。
「ここで逃げるなんて野暮な真似はよせよ、なぁ————〝
シヴァの本当の狙いはその一撃。
翼を狙った一撃に〝ジャバウォック〟が躊躇いを見せ、迎撃の構えを取ったその一瞬を狙って展開されるは————四方覆う黒剣の大群。
まるで取り囲みでもするように〝ジャバウォック〟の頭上、そしてその左右を俺とフィオレ、そしてシヴァすらも巻き込んで囲い尽くす。
「っ、て、何してんの!? キミッ!?」
「覚悟決めろ〝屍姫〟!!! ここまでダメージを与えちまったんなら時間稼ぎはまず無理だ!!! 倒し切るしかねえよ! いいから手ぇ貸せ〝屍姫〟!!」
「〝屍姫〟、〝屍姫〟ってああああああもう!!! そう呼ぶなって言ったでしょうが、うるさいんだよ!!! それに、そんな事わたしも分かってる!!」
————本音を言うと一人で倒してやりたかった。
けれど、既に感覚のない右腕。
怒りに心なし全身を赤く紅潮させ、憤怒に身を震わせる〝ジャバウォック〟。
流石に、無理があるかもしれないと思わざるを得なくもあった。
だから、今は受け入れる事にした。
何より、それら全てに対していらぬ世話と言えるだけの技量は今の俺に備わっていない。
そして気づけば、
己の右腕は力なく剣を取りこぼし、だらりと垂れていた。右腕の至る場所から悲鳴が上がっており、何らかの治療を施さない限り、こちらの腕は最早使い物にならないと断定出来た。
そして、息が詰まる。
右腕から伝う激痛のせいで全身が痺れ、硬直。
激烈な痛みは脳を焼き、ほんの一瞬だけ、思い通りに身体が動いてくれなかった。
〝ジャバウォック〟の憎悪の矛先は俺一人。
散々に貫き穿たれ、痛々しい断面覗かせる巌の如き巨大な図体。抵抗の姿勢は一切揺らがず、明らかに重傷を負っている筈であるのに、闘志の炎は未だ衰えず。
程なく俺へと襲い来るは、複数の鋼鉄の尾による突き。迫るその速度はここにきて最速。
右の腕は役立たず。
......後先考え無さすぎた。
そう後悔しながら重力に逆らわず、下降する俺は目蓋を閉じる。
無防備の死に体。
だけど、予感があった。
何とかなる気がするという、勘としか言い表しようのない予感が。
そして、なされるがままに身体を宙に放り出した俺を————鋼鉄の尾が刺し貫く瞬間はいつまで経ってもやっては来ず、
「......無茶し過ぎだから」
代わりに、呆れの声が鼓膜を揺らすと共に、背中に若干の衝撃が伝わる。
気付いた時にはフィオレが使役する魔物の背に乗せられており、どうやら俺は間一髪のところで彼女が助けてくれたのだと理解をして、口角を曲げた。
「さあっ!! 今度はオレの番だ!!! ユリウスばっかり追いかけてんじゃねえ!!! オレにも付き合えよ!! なぁ、なぁ、なぁ......なぁぁああぁぁあ!!!!」
咆哮。
それは〝ジャバウォック〟に勝るとも劣らない叫び声であった。
加えて、シヴァの周囲を埋め尽くす程の漆黒が浮かんでおり、その規格外ぶりに思わず人間技じゃないとドン引きしてしまう。——ただ。
むくりと上体を起こし、俺はフィオレへと焦点を合わせた。
「分かってるとは思うけど、その腕、間違いなく折れてると思うよ。まだ戦い足りないのかも知れないけど、流石に剣が握れないんじゃどうしようもないでしょ」
一部とはいえ外殻を破壊し、相当なダメージを与えた。十分、キミは良くやった。
だから、後はわたしとあの赤髪男に任せてと俺の内心を見透かしてか、フィオレが言う。
けれども、俺はその言葉に返事する事なく、己の身体に無言で視線を落とした。
「ん」
痺れは薄れている。
やはり、あの硬直は一時的なものであったかと思いながらも、ひっきりなしにやって来る痛みに表情をあからさまに歪めた。
いくら鍛錬などで腕をボキボキと折ってきたとはいえ、痛いものは痛い。
痛みに鈍くなるだなんて特技は勿論、持っていないので堪え忍ぶ事くらいしか出来ないのだ。
ただそれでも、それら全てに対して強引にでも背を向けられてしまう理由があった。
故に。
「あの。俺、あんまり人には言ってない特技があるんですけどね」
面白おかしそうに笑いながら、俺は言う。
特技というには些かおかしく感じる部分もあったけれど、俺にとってはそのお陰でこの状態でも尚、
「実は、両利きなんです」
「......それが何?」
「いや、だから、右が折れても左で振るえるって話なんですけど」
チャンスは一度きりだった。
右腕でケリをつけるチャンスは、確かに一度きりだった。
やがて俺は無手となっていた左手に意識を向け、胸中にて〝
そんな俺に対し、返ってきたのは無言の呆れ顔。正気か、こいつ。みたいな。
真底理解出来ないと言わんばかりの表情であった。
俺は、記憶の中に存在するあの男と比べるとやはり凡人でしかないから、多少の痛みくらいは当然として受け入れなければまともに前にすら進める筈がないのだ。
そして、強敵を己の手で打ち倒すたび、己が憧れに近付きつつあるのだと確かな達成感を抱くことが出来る。それが、堪らなく嬉しいのだ。
抱いた目的の前では多少の痛みなど、比べ物にすらなりはしない。
〟は俺の獲物ですから」
シヴァであろうと譲る気はこれっぽっちもない。俺の手で息の根を止めて、糧とする。
「だからそろそろ、あの喧しい口を閉じさせないとね」
宣言と共に身体を再度、宙に投げ出した。
あー、もう好きにしろよと、耳朶を掠めるフィオレの投げやりな言葉に苦笑いを向けながら、もう一度だけ駆け上がる。
「おい!!! あんたはもう戦えねえだろうが!! オレに任せてすっこんでろユリウス!!!」
「えぇ、シヴァはなぁに言ってんだか」
頬が痙攣する。その発言が面白おかし過ぎて、笑む事をやめられない。
「片腕が折れたくらいで何言ってるの? まだ後左手が残ってる」
戦えないって言うのは、両腕が折れて、出血多量で立てなくなって、這いつくばるしかなくなって漸く、戦えないと言えるというのに。
たとえ胸を大剣で抉られようとも、立てるのなら、それはまだ戦える範疇。
出血多量で視界が歪んでいても、剣を握る事が出来るのならば、それはまだ戦える範疇なのだ。
「早い者勝ちの獲物争奪戦は、まだ終わってないんだけど?」
「っ、く、はっ、ははははっ!! はははははははははは!!!! いいぜ、いいぜ。そう言う事なら止めねえ!! 好き勝手やれよ!! だが、オレも好きにさせて貰うがな!!!」
弾けたような笑い声を轟かせながら、シヴァは左の手を掲げた。連動するように、俺達を囲っていた漆黒の剣全てが〝ジャバウォック〟に切っ先を向けた。
既に〝ジャバウォック〟を覆う外殻の大半は傷付きひしゃげてしまい、無防備な断面を晒してしまっている。
そんな中、これだけの剣が殺到した暁には、最早考えるまでもなかった。
続くように、俺も剣を掲げる。
放つのはこれで二度目。
時間はもう、掛けてはいられない。
「撃ち墜とせ————」
言葉が重なる。
そして、僅かに先んじて迎撃を試みる〝ジャバウォック〟の顎門が俺へと向けられた。
それは何かを撃ち放つ際に幾度となく耳にしてきた音であった。
......迎撃のつもりなのだろう。
しかしならば、それすら斬り裂くまで。
軌道に変更はなく、持ち得る全てを手にする剣に注ぎ込む。
Chapter 38
...Please work out.
I envisioned a canvas of a sky, drawing an arc on it with the swing of a sword as I ran.
And it came to life.
Their trails were even more dazzling than the bright moon-- and they flashed across the sky like a star.
"----"
A fleeting moment of blankness was born, and a momentary silence followed suit.
A loud voice pierced my eardrums.
It was an ugly and painful scream that resounded throughout the vicinity.
Starlights soon descended rapidly from the sky, so fast that it didn't give enough time to even blink.
"...Haha... HAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"
What took over my body was an indescribable feeling of elation.
I swung my sword in all directions, drawing trails of stars wherever I ended up swinging to.
I drew, drew, and swung my sword in hopes of tearing through my enemy.
Swinging my sword mindlessly while smiling like an idiot, I was finally able to ignore the pain to a limited extent while cracking the emotional restraints I had been suppressing.
I checked my own status. But it didn't matter.
The sound of something creaking.
The fresh blood dripping from nowhere.
And the stabbing pain rushing through my entire body.
It didn't matter one bit.
"----!!!"
A groan enveloped by hatred and rage soon shook the place.
The Jabberwock's eyes, which were now filled with dark emotions, changed colors.
Immediately after, the Jabberwock spread its wings and began to flap them while being pierced by the starlights in several places.
Even if I thought so, it was impossible to adjust the trajectory of{ Naglufar } .
I just desperately unleashed it, and I couldn't possibly hope to hit his wings by will.
"--Hey, this one's on me! Make sure to take it--!!!{ Gladiator } !!!"
It was Siva's scream.
And as soon as he said so, black blades suddenly appeared from the earth and the sky, headed straight for the wings of the Jabberwock.
"Heh-- you're hooked here pretty well if I say so myself! Did you really try to escape just now? Huh?!"
Siva took advantage of this opportunity to let out a chuckle in a grand manner, plastering a clearly recognizable taunt to the Jabberwock's face.
You ruined your last chance to escape, or so his taunting face said.
"Don't you dare run away from me now!{ Gladiator } !!!"
Siva's ultimate goal was that blow.
The Jabberwock displayed hesitation at the blow aimed at its wing, and at the moment it took a stance to intercept, a swarm of black swords was unleashed, surrounding him in all directions.
It was as if the Jabberwock was trapped between me, Fiole, and even Siva, no matter which direction it decided to look.
"Hey-- what are you doing?!"
"Brace yourself, Corpse Princess! You can't expect to stall for time if you've delivered this much damage! We've got to finish off this big fella, so just help me already, Corpse Princess!!!"
"DON'T YOU 'CORPSE PRINCESS' ME, I TOLD YOU TO NOT CALL ME THAT, DIDN'T I?! BESIDES, I KNOW THAT TOO!!!"
--To be brutally honest, I wanted to beat the Jabberwock by myself.
But I already felt nothing in my right arm.
The Jabberwock's whole body was flushed red with anger while trembling with utter rage towards me.
I hated to admit it, but this might be just impossible for me alone.
Thus, I decided to accept it for now.
I didn't have the skills to affirm that I didn't need their help after all.
And then I realized...
Screams were coming from all over my right arm, and it clicked to me immediately that this very arm would be rendered useless on the spot unless some kind of treatment was given.
And then, I choked.
My entire body went numb and rigid from the intense pain radiating from my right arm.
The intense pain burned my brain, and for a brief moment, my body didn't move the way I wanted it to.
I alone bore the brunt of the Jabberwock's hatred.
And although the humongous monster in front of me was evidently seriously wounded, the flames of its fighting spirit had yet to diminish.
Immediately after, multiple steel tails were thrusting toward me at an incredibly unbelievable speed.
My right arm was useless, and my body was no longer functioning properly.
...I was too careless.
With such regret, I closed my eyelids as I fell to the ground, no longer resisting gravity.
I was going to die a defenseless death.
However, I had a premonition.
I had a hunch that something was going to happen.
And the moment where I should've been already pierced by the Jabberwock's steel tail:
"...You're too reckless."
Instead, a voice of dismay shook my eardrums as I felt a slight shock in my back.
The next thing I knew, I was being carried on the back of the monster under Fiole's magic, and the corner of my mouth curved up into a smile realizing that she saved my life just in the nick of time.
"Hey, it's my turn now! Don't just go after Julius!!! I'm here too!!! Hey... Hey, HEYYY!!!"
A roar.
It was a cry that was no other than that of a guy named Siva, who, perhaps thinking that he wouldn't get close to the Jabberwock anyway, spreads his hands out in an exaggerated manner and shrilled his voice like an idiot to get his attention.
What surfaced was that there were a lot of jet-black swords floating around Siva, and given that it was such an out-of-the-ordinary technique, I couldn't help but think that it, too, wasn't a human technique.
So instead, I just jerked my upper body up and focused on the woman in front of me, Fiole.
"I know you're already aware, but I think your arm is undeniably destroyed. That fight probably still may not be enough for you, but if you can't even hold a sword, you can't really do much about it."
Albeit partially, you managed to destroy his outer shell and did a considerable amount of damage.
You've done enough, so leave the rest to me and that red-headed guy, Fiole said, seeing right through my inner thoughts.
But I didn't respond to her words and silently looked down at my own body.
"Hm."
The numbness was fading.
Although I thought that the stiffness was only temporary, the pain that kept coming up made my face twist into a distorted expression.
No matter how many times I broke my arms in training, what once hurt would still hurt.
Of course, I didn't have any special skill that made me insensitive to pain, so all I could do was endure it.
Despite this, however, there was a reason why I could turn my back on such things, even if forcefully.
And so--
"Um... You see, I have a skill I haven't told many people about."
I said, laughing in a funny way.
It's a little strange to call it a special skill, but for me, it's definitely one, since it allows me to wield a sword even in this kind of state.
"I'm actually an ambidextrous person."
"...What of it?"
"Well, I was just saying that even if my right arm breaks, I can still wield my sword using my left."
I only had one chance.
I only had one chance to settle this with my right arm, surely.
So I turned my attention to my empty left hand, and chanted my magic{ Sword: Creation } deep in my heart, clutched the sword that surfaced in my hand, and laughed...
What I got in return was a combination of dismay and exasperation.
She silently looked at me as if she couldn't understand what I was thinking at all.
Compared to the man in my memory, I was still an ordinary person, and if I didn't accept a little pain as a matter of course, there was no way I'd be able to move forward properly.
And every time I defeated a strong enemy with my own hands, I felt a certain sense of fulfillment that I was getting closer to what I longed for. And that made me unbearably happy.
This pain was nothing compared to the purpose I had in mind.
"In any case, that monster is my prey."
I had no intention of giving it up, even to Siva.
"It's about time to shut that big clamoring mouth of his."
Declaring just so, I threw my body into the air once again.
Telling me to just do whatever I wanted with a wry smile on her face, Fiole closed her own distance once again as well.
"Hey!!! You can't fight anymore, can you?! Just leave this to me and stay out of this, Julius!!!"
"Hm~? What are you talking about, Siva~?"
That very remark was so hilarious that I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
"To hell with my broken arm. I still have my left arm functioning just fine."
You can only say that you can't fight when both your arms are broken, unable to stand up due to excessive blood loss, and all you can do is crawl to the ground.
Even if your chest is slashed open by a large sword, if you can stand up, you can still fight.
If you only have distorted vision and can still hold your sword, you can still fight.
"The battle for the one who can take him down first isn't over yet though, is it?"
"Ku-- Ha-- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Okay, then. I ain't gonna stop you if that's what you want. Do what you want, but I'll do what I want, too!!!"
With a roar of laughter, Siva raised his left hand, and as if in tandem with his movements, all of the jet-black swords surrounding us pointed their blades at the Jabberwock.
Most of the outer shell shielding the Jabberwock was already damaged and crumbled, so there was an exposed unprotected section of his flesh.
In such a situation when so many swords are ready to come flooding in, I didn't need to think about what to do anymore.
I followed suit and raised my sword.
And this would be the second time that I was going to unleash this technique, and so I felt that I would be able to do it at least a little better than before.
Time was already running out, I couldn't afford to stay put.
"SHOOT HIM DOWN--"
Our words overlapped.
The Jabberwock's jaw was now pointed at me, and a familiar high-pitched sound soon shook my eardrums.
It was the sound I heard many times when shooting something off.
...It just might be his attempt to intercept.
But even so, I would tear through and slay him at all costs.
I then poured everything I had into my sword, following an attack that had no change in trajectory:
Star-Slaying Swordsman
星斬りの剣士
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/star-slaying-swordsman/
Action Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Shounen
Adapted to Manga Dark Fantasy World Male Protagonist Mature Protagonist Medieval Philosophical Romantic Subplot Sudden Strength Gain Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transplanted Memories
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7336gg/
アルト／遥月