「キヒッ!」
衝突は、一瞬だった。そして、彼我の実力差は初撃ではっきり出た。
自身に向かって全速力で迫ったレイスに対し、レイラは軽くハエを払うかのように手を振ってレイスの顔面に張り手を当てたのだ。その威力は、並の冒険者の拳よりも重く、鋭い。
突撃の勢いと、壁にぶつかった様な衝撃に一瞬意識が遠のいたレイス。ハッと気付いた時には己の身体が宙を舞っていた。直ぐに体勢を立て直して着地する、が、身体がふらついて膝を付いてしまった。
Sランクの犯罪者とSランクの魔族。同じSランクであろうが、『犯罪者』と『魔族』というのは格が違い過ぎる。犯罪者であろうが、所詮は
「―――ッハァ......! なんだお前、女のビンタにしちゃ威力高過ぎじゃねぇか......?」
「うふふうふふふ♪ きつね君はこの程度なら平気で耐えるよ♡」
「マジか......あいつ、マジで化けモンかよ......キヒッ......クハハハハ......!! 面白れぇ、心底殺したくなるぜ......!」
「分かるよ、その気持ち♪ きつね君は面白いし、可愛いし、格好良いし、美味しいもん♡ だから好きなの♪」
レイスはこの時、自分の死を覚悟していた。
相手の実力が分からない程落ちぶれたつもりはない。目の前に居るこの
―――このでけぇ壁をぶっ壊したら、この腹は膨れるか?
「殺してみれば、分かんだろォ! クハハハッ!!」
だから笑った―――死んだとしたら、その時はその時だ。
殺して殺して殺して殺して殺して、何度も何度も、心臓を潰して、肺に風穴を開けて、肝臓を切り裂いて、腸を引き摺り出して、目玉を刳り抜いて、脳を潰して、筋肉を引き千切って、骨を圧し折って、四肢を捥いで、残虐の限りを尽くして人間という人間を殺し抜いて生きてきたのだ。
今更、この快感は止められない。
レイスは地面を蹴った。剣を煌めかせ、己の限界を越えようと、必死でもがく。殺せないのなら、殺せるまで成長すれば良い。この一秒の中で成長すればいい、限界など幾らでも、越えれば良い。
「っ!?」
先程の初撃は、間違いなくレイスの全速力だった。
しかし、この二撃目は、初撃を上回る速度でレイラに肉薄してみせた。限界を越えたのだ。その狂気が、その貪欲な殺人欲が、快楽を貪る殺人鬼の本能が、彼を更なる高みへ手を掛けさせた。
その予想外の速度に驚愕し、レイラは迫りくる剣を、咄嗟に瘴気を固形化させて止めた。
―――その位置は、レイラの首寸前。
瘴気で止めなかった場合、レイスの剣はレイラの首を刎ねていただろう。一瞬遅れて、若干レイラの白髪が数本切れた。
「キャヒヒッ! あと一歩だったなぁ......!」
血走った眼を見開いて、瘴気で止められた刃を尚たたっ斬ろうと押し付けるレイスは、狂ったように笑った。理性はあるようだが、明らかに今のレイスが出せる力を大きく越えている。レイラもまた、眼を丸くしていた。
「......うふっ♪ うふふうふふふふ♪ あはぁ......♡ いいよいいよぉ♡ ぞっくぞくする!」
レイラは自分の身体を抱き締めるようにして、だらしなく笑った。赤い瞳が、爛々と煌めいている。狂気が、彼女の表情に滲み出る。そう、『赤い夜』としての狂気が。
そして次の瞬間、レイラの身体から真っ黒な瘴気が勢いよく噴き出る。まるで噴火の様に、猛々しく、死の猛威を体現する。
「貴方は不味そう♪ 不味そうだけど―――私が残さずちゃあんと食べてあげる♡」
二人の狂気が、ぶつかり合って火花を散らす。
「クハハハッ! あの眼の色が違ェガキ! アイツ一体何なんだァ!? アイツ自体もそうだが、こんな化けモン侍らせてやがるとか、マジで頭イカれてんじゃねぇの!!」
「うふふうふふふ♪ 殺させないよ、きつね君は私の♪ だって私はきつね君が大好きだもん♡」
互いに地面を蹴って、レイスの上段から振り下ろされた刃と、レイラの瘴気で作った黒いナイフが金属音を鳴らす。剣戟の音が二度、三度と繰り返される。一瞬の内に、何度も衝突する。
一見すれば互角、だがその実レイラのナイフは幾度もレイスの身体を傷付け、レイスの剣は全て防がれている。
「ッチィ......キヒヒッ!」
剣戟の音が止まり、二人の間に距離が開く。
レイラの両手には黒いナイフが一本ずつ握られ、くるくるとジャグリングの様に弄んでいる。
対して、レイスの剣は所々欠けていた。武器にも大きな性能の差があることは明白だ。
「まだ届かねぇのかよ......クハッ! 面白ェ......!」
だが、レイスはまだ諦めない。いや、此処に来てまだ戦闘を楽しんでいた。
寧ろ、レイラの底の見えない実力に、一周回って恐怖心がなくなったのかもしれない。
「ほらほら、もうちょっと楽しませて?」
レイラは相も変わらず笑ってそう言う。レイスは冷や汗を一筋流しながらも、また地面を蹴った。
一方その頃、ゴブリンキングとの戦いは熾烈を極めていた。予想していた通り、冒険者達は劣勢。未だ一人も死んではおらず、その経験と知恵を用いてゴブリンや剛拳猿を倒していたものの、やはり数の差は覆らない。
少しずつ、じりじりと冒険者達が押されていた。
「くっ......切りがねぇ......!!」
「余所見しない! はぁぁぁ!!」
「グルァアアア!!」
あの先導を切った新人冒険者に襲い掛かる狼を、女冒険者が切り払う。戦闘が始まってから背中を護り合う戦いで、誰も死んでいない現状が維持出来ているのだ。
「悪い! おおおおお!!!」
「ブガァァァァァ!!」
剣を振るう冒険者達にも、けして少なくない疲労が見える。倒した魔獣の数も、まだ五十やそこら。まだまだ勢いが止まらない魔獣達を全て倒したとしても、最後の最後にはゴブリンキングが待ち構えている。
状況は、最悪だった。
別に臆した訳ではないが、それでも決定的な何かがない以上、このままでは全滅は免れない。冒険者達の内心には、少しづつ焦燥感が募っている。
それでも、希望が無いわけではない。グランディール王国から実力ある冒険者達が応援に来てさえくれれば、この状況は一気に覆すことが出来る。
しかし、本国から此処まで、どんなに急いだとしてもおよそ五時間は掛かる。戦いを始めてからまだ一時間も経っていないのだ、それは希望とは到底言えないもの。
それでも、それしか希望がない以上、彼らに出来るのは精一杯戦う事くらいだ。街を防衛しなければならないという意思が、彼らを支えていた。
「ッ!? 皆下がれェェェ!!」
そこで、冒険者の一人が叫んだ。瞬間、その場の全員が魔獣達の変化に気付く。
―――後方にいた筈のゴブリンキングが、前に出て来ていた。
そして冒険者達が後退しようとした瞬間、ゴブリンキングの持っていた棍棒が、地面を抉る様に冒険者達を蹴散らした。
「ガッ......!!?」
「あぁ......ッ!!」
「ゴフッ......!!」
比較的前に居た数名が棍棒の攻撃に吹き飛ばされ、後方へと転がった。
まるで、塵の様に吹き飛ばされる様子を見て、全員がゴブリンキングの格の高さを思い知る。今の自分達では勝てないことを思い知る。
その光景に、募った焦燥感が爆発したのか、一人の冒険者が自棄になって、ゴブリンキングに向かって駆けだした。止める声が出るが、聞こえていないらしく、その冒険者は止まらない。
「フン......」
ゴブリンキングが鼻で笑う声と共に、
「――――!!」
その冒険者が、振り下ろされた棍棒に潰され......死んだ。
「な......!」
誰もが絶句した様子の中、誰かの呻きが聞こえた。
そして、棍棒をゆっくり持ち上げたゴブリンキングは、冒険者達を見下すように視線を向けると、その大きな口を開いた。
「邪魔ダ......キザマラ程度、相手ニモナラン......」
ゴブリンキングがそう言うと、絶句していた冒険者達に、他の魔獣達が一斉に襲い掛かる。ゴブリンキングに気を取られて硬直していた冒険者達は、一瞬反応が遅れた。
だが、戦闘の中ではその一瞬が命取り。狼に腕を噛み千切られ、ゴブリンに棍棒で殴られ、冒険者達の戦力が大幅に削られていく。保たれていた均衡が、一つの罅から崩壊していく。
一方その頃、領主の部屋では、散乱した書類と荒らされた部屋の中央。一人の少年と中年の貴族が向かい合っていた。少年の背後には剣を提げた少女もいる。
少年は薄ら笑いを浮かべ、少女は静かに展開を見守るスタンスなのか、背後に立っていた。対して、貴族の男は少年に対して出来得る限り距離を取っている様だった。
もっと言えば、貴族の男の表情も、何処か怯える様なものに変わっている。
原因としては、少年のスキル『不気味体質』が原因なのだろうが、それでなくとも彼は少年に怯えている様だった。
「あはは、そんなに怯えないでくれよ。僕はただのHランク冒険者だぜ?」
少年の言葉に、貴族の男は歯噛みする。
「えーと......オルバ公爵だっけ? 僕は貴族の偉さとか、格の大きさとか、良く分からないからさ......無礼は許してね?」
「............貴様......何故あのガキに味方する......!」
「僕子供好きなんだよ。ほら、僕って保父さんに向いてるじゃない?」
「知っとけよ、相手の事くらい。あんな殺人鬼差し向けてくるくらいなんだからさ」
少年は飄々と、何が目的なのかも分からない様な口調で、まるでちょっと遊びに来たかの様な態度だ。本当に何をしに来たのかと、貴族の男は冷や汗を流す。
すると、少年は一歩ずつ貴族の男へと近づいてくる。その手に黒いナイフを生み出して、じりじりと近づいてくる。それに応じて、貴族の男の中の恐怖心が大きくなる。
「......く、来るな!」
「いやいや、公爵なんて大層な名前を持ってる人にこんな所で会うなんて幸運なわけだし、ゆっくりお話ししようよ」
「ッ......!」
「あはは、そう緊張しなくてもいいんだぜ? 僕は巷じゃフレンドリーな少年で通ってるんだよ、きっと仲良くなれるさ」
少年の言葉に、静観する少女は内心で思った。呼吸する様に嘘を吐くな、と。
「ほら、公爵の好きな色って何? え? 僕? 僕は......赤い色以外ならなんでも好きかな?」
そう言って、少年は黒いナイフを貴族の男に突き立てた。
"Kihi!"
The clash lasted for but a moment. In that short moment, the difference between their prowess could already clearly be seen.
In response to Reis charging at full speed, Leila simply waved her hand lightly as if brushing off a fly, and slapped his face. Its force was heavier and sharper than the average adventurer's fist.
Due to his charging momentum combined with the impact as though bumping onto a wall, Reis lost his consciousness for a moment. When he came to, his body was already flying in the air. He soon rearranged his stance and landed, but as his body suddenly lost strength, he fell to his knee.
S-ranked criminal and S-ranked demon. Although both were similarly S-ranked, the difference between "criminal" and "demon" was simply too huge. Even if they were criminals, in the end they were merely people who took pleasure in killing others-- reaching out toward world destruction level monster was simply as though reaching out to heaven itself.
"-haa...! The hell with you, for a mere woman's slap, wasn't that unusually too powerful?"
"Ufufufufu  Kitsune-kun could easily withstand something on this level, though."
"For real?... so that guy really is a monster, huh... Kihi...Kuhahaha!! Interesting, now I'm wanting to kill him more and more...!"
"I understand that feeling  Kitsune-kun is indeed interesting, cute, cool, and above all tasty, after all"
That moment, Reis resolved himself for his death.
He wasn't so incompetent to be unable to perceive how powerful his opponent was. Instinctively, he understood that the woman in front of him, Leila, possessed much more overwhelming prowess than him.
--if I destroy this huge wall, will I be able to cut her abdomen?
"I'll confirm that when I kill her! Kuhaha!"
So he laughed-- should he die, then that was that.
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, over and over again, crush the heart, cut open the lungs, cut off the liver, pull out the intestines, gouge out the eyeballs, smash the brain, tear off every muscle, pulverize the bones, dismember the limbs, he was someone who'd been living through cruelly murdering others as such.
And at that moment, such feeling was flooding within him.
Reis kicked the ground. Brandishing his sword, he charged forward in full strength with the intention of surpassing his own limit. If he couldn't kill her now, he simply needed to grow enough until he could kill her. He simply needed to grow this very moment, he simply needed to surpass his limit however many it was.
"!?"
At the first charge, that was without a doubt his full power.
However, during this second charge, he was charging at Leila in even faster speed than the first one. He was surpassing his limit. The madness, the greed of murder, the instinct of a pleasure-seeking murderer, they propelled him to a higher height.
Surprised by his unexpected speed, Leila solidified the miasma at once and blocked the looming sword.
--it was just a breath away from Leila's neck.
Should she don't manage to stop it, the sword would've cut her neck. Due to a few moments late, some of Leila's white hair was cut.
"Gyahihi! Just a bit more...!"
Reis bloodshot eyes were wide open, he madly laughed as he pressed forward his sword that was blocked by the miasma. He seemed to be still sane, but the power he was currently exerting was without a doubt much stronger than before. Leila also similarly got her eyes wide open.
"...Ufu Ufufufufufu Ahn... feels so good, it makes my heart throb fast!"
While hugging her own body, Leila slovenly laughed. Her red eyes were ablaze. Madness was oozing out of her face. That's right, the madness of "Red Night".
The next moment, jet black miasma were vigorously exuding from Leila's body. As if it were an eruption, the embodiment of ferocious menace of death itself.
"You seem to taste disgusting very disgusting, but-- I'll still eat you without leaving anything behind."
Both of their madness collided and created sparks.
"Kuhahaha! The color of your eyes have changed! Just what the hell is that guy? The guy was a monster himself, but to also have this kind monster around, has he gone crazy?!"
"Ufufufufufu I won't let you kill him, Kitsune-kun is mine Because I love Kitsune-kun very much, after all."
Kicking the ground at the same time, Reis' sword that was swung from above was faced with Leila's miasma-made black knife and made a metallic sound. The sound of weapons hitting each other resounded for the second, third time, and so on. In an instant, they clashed over and over again.
At a glance they were equal, but in actuality Leila's knife had left injuries on Reis' body several times, while she managed to block all of his attack.
"Tch... Kihihi!"
The sound of sword collisions ceased, and both of them took some distances.
Leila held a black knife in her respective hands, she played with them as if she was doing juggling.
On the other hand, Reis' sword was chipped here and there. It was obvious that there was also a big difference in their weapons.
"Still not enough, huh ... Kuha! Interesting...!"
However, Reis hadn't given up just yet. No, he still wanted to enjoy fighting.
Rather, against someone whose prowess limit was unknown, perhaps he might be able to eventually overcome fear itself.
"Come on, entertain me a little more."
Smiling as usual, Leila said so. Even with cold sweat pouring down, Reis charged forward once again.
Meanwhile, the battle against the Goblin King was very intense. And as expected, the adventurers were the ones in disadvantage. Although none of them had died yet, through their experience and wisdom after defeating several Goblins and Crazy Monkeys, they had deemed that overturning such differences in number was nigh impossible.
Little by little, the adventurers were pushed backward.
"Kuh... there's no end to it...!!"
"Stay focused! Haaa!"
"Gruaaa!"
When the newbie leader pushed a wolf demonic beast away, the female adventurer finished it off. They'd been protecting each other's back, thus they could still maintain the state where none died.
"Watch out! Uooh!!!"
"Bugaaaa!!"
Fatigue could start be seen from the other adventurers as well. The number of demonic beast killed was still around fifty. Even if they somehow managed to kill the seemingly never-ending horde of demonic beast until the very last one, there was still the Goblin King awaiting them.
The tide was totally against them.
It wasn't like they were scared stiff as before, but given the fact that they still had no conclusive solution, it was impossible to avoid annihilation. A sense of impatience was accumulating little by little within the adventurers' minds.
However, it wasn't like there was completely no hope for them. When the powerful adventurers from Grandile Kingdom came to their aid, they'd be able to reverse the tide at once.
However, no matter how fast they marched, at best they'd still need five hours to arrive there from Grandile Kingdom. And as it hadn't even been an hour since the battle begun, that hope could be said to be outside their reach.
Still, since that was their sole hope, all they could do was fight with all of their might. They were clinging onto their wish to protect the town.
"!? Everyone! Watch out!"
Then one of the adventurers shouted. That instant, everyone there noticed the change around the demonic beasts.
--The goblin king that was supposed to be waiting on the rear, was emerging forward.
Then, when the adventurers tried to retreat, the goblin king smashed the ground using its club and blew them away.
"Ga...!!?"
"Aah...!!!!"
"Gofu...!!"
Several adventurers who were relatively in front were blown away by that attack and rolled backwards.
Looking at them getting blown away as if garbage, everyone realized the difference between their prowess and the Goblin King's. They realized that with their current prowess, they had no hope of defeating it.
Looking at that scene, perhaps unable to hold the impatience, one of the adventurers gave in to despair and charged straight to the Goblin King. Someone tried to stop him, but seeming unable to hear it, the adventurer didn't stop his stride.
"Hmph..."
Along with the Goblin King's scornful laugh,
"---!!"
The adventurer was squashed by the swung club... and died.
"Wha...!"
As all of them were lost of words, the voice of someone gasping could clearly be heard.
Lifting the club leisurely, the Goblin King looked down on the adventurers, and opened its mouth.
"How annoying... a fly like that, shouldn't stand before me...."
When the Goblin King said so, the other demonic beasts attacked the lost of words adventurers at once. The adventurers, who were startled after being distracted by the goblin king, were slightly late to respond.
However, in battle a moment of negligence meant death. Getting their arms bitten off by the wolfs, getting beaten by the goblins' clubs, the adventurer group's strength was greatly shaved off. The maintained equilibrium crumbled due to a single crack.
Around the same time, on the other side, inside the devastated lord's room where documents were scattered about, a youth and a middle-aged nobleman were facing each other. Behind the youth there was a girl who was wielding a sword.
While the youth was faintly smiling, perhaps quietly observing the situation, the girl was quietly standing behind him. On the other hand, the noble man seemed to be trying to distance himself away as far as possible from the youth.
As additional notes, the noble man showed an expression as though he was terrified.
One of the reasons was probably due to the youth's skill "Eerie Constitution", but even without it, he was still terrified of the youth.
"Ahaha, there's no need to be that scared, you know? After all, I'm just an H rank adventurer, you see?"
Toward the youth's words, the noble man ground his teeth.
"Umm... Duke Orba, was it? I don't really understand things about the splendor of nobles, the height of their status, and so on, so do excuse me for my rudeness, alright?"
"....you bastard... why are you helping that brat?!"
"Well, actually I like children a lot, you see? Just look, don't I look totally like a caretaker?"
"Please do care, moreover now that I'm talking to you. Since you cared enough to even sent that kind of murderer to me, after all."
When the youth whistled, it was hard to tell what reason he came for, rather, he acted as though he came there just to play. With cold sweat pouring on his back, the noble man also pondered what reason the youth came there for.
Then, the youth slowly approached the noble man step by step. With a black knife in hand, he leisurely approached him. In response, the fear within the noble man grew even further.
"...S, stay away!"
"Please don't be like that, I'm very fortunate to meet someone with a grand name such as duke in a place like this, so let's have some friendly chat, alright?"
"Kh....!"
"Ahaha, you don't have to be that nervous, you know? Since people even say that I'm such a friendly youngster, I'm sure we'll get along just fine."
Hearing the youth's words, the girl who was standing quietly behind him inwardly thought 'Stop lying as though you're breathing'.
"Come on, what's your favorite color, Duke? Eh? Mine? Let's see... I think I like every color, except red, that is."
Having said that, the youth thrust the black knife into the noble man.
I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home?
【書籍化】異世界来ちゃったけど帰り道何処？
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-kinda-came-to-another-world-but-wheres-the-way-home/
Action Adventure Comedy Drama Fantasy Harem Shounen Slice of Life
Apathetic Protagonist Bullying Calm Protagonist Demi-Humans Demon Lord Demons Dense Protagonist Fairies Game Elements Ghosts Heterochromia Knights Level System Male Protagonist Murders Naive Protagonist R-15 Royalty R*pe S*aves Sword And Magic Transported to Another World Weak Protagonist Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2650bx/
こいし