46.We Will Rock You 【狩りは囲い込みが肝心】
ミダスとサブナクは、イメラリアからの命令で王城内の警備として武装したまま歩いていた。
すでに夜の帳が降りた城内は、最低限の魔法の明かりだけが灯され、長い廊下の先は暗闇へ向かってどこまでも伸びているかのように見える。
「ミダス先輩と警備なんて、ぼくが騎士隊に入る時の研修以来ですね。
まともに鎧を着るのが久しぶりで、なにか違和感があるのか、時々鎧の留め具を調整しながらサブナクは努めて明るく言った。
「少し静かにしないか。いつ戦闘になるかわからん」
「でも、城の中に賊なんて入ってこないでしょう? 出入りは第一騎士隊が固めてますし、城周りも第三騎士隊が何人か巡回していますよ?」
ミダスは城の中が安全だと思い込んでいるサブナクにため息をついた。
「今日何が起きたか、お前も知っているだろう」
「イメラリア様が王位を継承される意思を示されたことですか?」
「で、この城を警備しているのは通常は第一騎士隊なのに、なぜ俺たちまで動員されたと思う? ......これが答えだ」
進む先に人影を見つけたミダスが立ち止まり、剣を抜く。
目の前には、第一騎士隊の隊員が三名、槍を持って立っていた。
「これより先は立ち入り禁止だ」
第一騎士隊の一人が言う。
ミダスはこの男に見覚えがあった。騎士隊の中でも優秀で、間も無く副隊長に昇進すると噂されているのを聞いたことがある、フレデリックという奴だ。剣の腕で言えば第三騎士隊の中でも中の下レベルのミダスではどうにも分が悪い。
だが、はいそうですかと引き返すことはできない。
「この先のイメラリア様のお部屋に呼ばれている。通してもらおう」
「ふっ、第三騎士隊ならそれらしくこそこそと隠れて通ってみたらどうだ? そうすれば、私たちは堂々とお前らを殺して手柄にできるんだがな」
フレデリックに鼻で笑われても、ミダスは冷静に相手を見ている。
「何が狙いだ......。いや、狙いはわかる。だが、こんなに早く動くとはな」
「この国で最も権力を持つお方がそう望まれたのだ。誰にも止めることはできん。そして王城を守る我々は、王国の安定のために寄与すると信じてここにいるのだ」
「それが年若い少女の命を奪う行為でも?」
「一人の命を守るために、国を危機にさらすわけにはいかん」
ミダスの質問に、フレデリックは当たり前の話だと答えた。
「少女の命って......ミダスさん!?」
「どうやら、女王陛下はイメラリア様の排除に動いたらしい。第一騎士隊は陛下の味方をするそうだ」
「そういうことだ。お前の顔は知らんが、若い方はサブナクとかいう奴だな? 優秀だと聞いているから、今ならこちらに味方すれば、第一騎士隊へ引き上げてやるぞ」
引き上げるという言葉に、サブナクはムッとした。
本来、第一とか第二とかいう呼び名は、騎士隊が編成された順番に過ぎない。だが、割合高級貴族の出身者が多く、華やかな城内警備が基本の第一騎士隊は、他の騎士隊を下に見ている者が多かった。
フレデリックも、その例に漏れないのだろう。
挑発には乗らない、とサブナクは自制する。
「馬鹿なことを。今のイメラリア様の側に立つ人の事を考えたら、自殺行為だとわかるだろう」
「馬鹿は貴様ら第三騎士隊の連中だ。あのような下郎をのさばらせ、あげく伯爵だと! どこの馬の骨とも知れぬ者を調子づかせたのは、他の何者でもない、あの王女だろうが」
槍の石突を床に打ち付け、怒りを露わにしたフレデリックの顔は、醜く歪んでいる。
「俺がいれば、あのような男は直ぐに始末できた! 領地へ戻っている間に王城内は一二三という男に対する恐怖に震えている。こんな無様があるか! 今日の所は女王陛下のお考えで一二三が居ない間の作戦だが、本来なら正面からあいつを八つ裂きにしてやるところだ!」
激昂するフレデリックを見て、サブナクは思わず吹き出してしまった。
「何がおかしい!」
「いや......そういう風に一二三さんを過小評価していると、ロクなことにならないと思ってね」
そういえば、パジョー先輩ももう少しだけ慎重であれば死なずに済んだ、と彼女の顔を思い出し、サブナクの笑いは苦笑に変わった。
「なんっ......」
フレデリックの怒声は、首筋に吸い込まれるように突き刺さった手裏剣で止められた。
そのあまりの勢いに、血を吹き出すフレデリックはのけぞって倒れる。
「うわっ!?」
「フレデリック!」
両脇に居た同僚は、素早く彼の身体を支えたが、既に息絶えているのがわかった。
「これは......」
一二三かと思って振り向いたミダスとサブナクの目に映ったのは、怒りのあまり白い顔が無表情になっているオリガだった。
「......騒がしいから見に来てみれば、汚い口で一二三様の事を悪し様に......!」
オリガが自分たちなど目もくれず、第一騎士隊の生き残りたちを見ているのに気づき、まずいと判断したミダスは、サブナクを引っ張って廊下の脇へと逃げた。
「貴様! 何者だ!」
一人の騎士が槍を突き出してオリガに迫るが、彼女は右手を前に突き出したまま動かない。
何をしようとしているのかわからず、立ち止まって槍を構え直した瞬間、オリガの風魔法で兵の首が落ちた。
「貴方たちのような下衆どもに名乗る名前はありません」
聞こえていなくてもいいとばかりに小さな声でつぶやき、視線は生き残った騎士を見ている。
「なんだかあの子、以前よりだんだん怖い感じになってきてないですか?」
「しっ! 黙ってろ!」
サブナクの言葉は聞こえたのか無視されたのか、オリガは視線を外さない。
正体不明の攻撃と、初めて見る杖を使わない魔法を見せられ、残った一人は槍を構えながらもジリジリと下がっていく。
それでも足を止めないオリガは、懐から30センチ弱の棒を取り出したかと思うと、片手で優雅に開いた。
それは鉄製の扇だったが、この世界の者は見たことがない。
この場にいる誰もが、正体不明の金属細工に戸惑っているのを気にも留めず、オリガは鉄扇をうっとりと撫でた。
「また変なモノを出しやがって......」
この言葉がいけなかった。
「変......? 私が一二三様からいただいたこの鉄扇を、変とは......」
翠の瞳を暗く光らせ、オリガはつかつかと騎士へ歩みよると、扇を左から右へと払った。
「ぅべっ......?」
オリガの動きに反応できず、頬の肉をごっそりと持って行かれた騎士は、目を白黒させていた。
「この武器への侮辱は一二三様への侮辱。死んで詫びなさい」
バシッと音を立てて折りたたんだ鉄扇を、顔を押さえてもがく騎士の喉へと突き刺した。
ぶわっと口から血を吐いた騎士が倒れ、ピクリとも動かなくなると、オリガは一二三を真似て懐から取り出した紙で鉄扇を拭い、大切に仕舞った。
その視線が少しだけ柔らかくなってミダスたちに向く。
「ミダスさん、サブナクさん、貴方がたは今の武器をどう思われますか?」
「つ、使いやすそうで、良い武器だと思う」
「そ、そうだね、何だか優雅でよく似合うと思うよ」
慌てて必死に褒め言葉を並べた二人に、オリガはにっこりと微笑んだ。
「ありがとうございます。お礼に先ほどの失礼な言葉は、忘れることにしますね」
(聞かれてた!)
愛想笑いが凍りついたサブナクを無視して、ミダスはオリガに頭を下げた。
「助けていただいて礼を言う。あのままでは私たちに勝ち目はなかった」
「礼には及びません。私はただ、一二三様の指示でミダスさんたちを探しに来ただけですから」
「ぼくたちを?」
「ええ、“これから夜明けまで、城から誰ひとりとして外に出すな”との事です。私もそのお手伝いをいたします」
イメラリアの寝室に踏み込んだのは、第一騎士隊の中でも精鋭10名だった。
ドアの前に待機していた侍女を腕づくで退かせ、槍を握ってそっとドアを開た騎士たちは、寝室とは思えないほど広々とした部屋の中央にある天蓋付きのベッドを睨んだ。
今そこに眠っている少女を殺害するのが、彼らの任務だ。国のためだと自分に言い聞かせながら、ジリジリとベッドへ近づく。
「覚悟!」
少女が死ぬ瞬間を見たくない一心で、薄いカーテンの外から、掛け布団の膨らみに次々と槍が突き込まれる。
肉を貫いた感触が、騎士隊に罪悪感を植え付けるが、これは正義の任務だと、心を押さえつけた。
「残念だったな」
カーテンの向こうから突き出された刀が、一人の騎士の首をかすめて頚動脈を絶った。
降りしきる血の雨の中、カーテンから刀を揺らしながら出てきたのは一二三だ。
左手には、槍で穴だらけにされた女の死体が掴まれており、たじろいだ騎士たちの目の前に放り捨てられたそれが、女王の死体だと分かったとき、騎士たちは事態が飲み込めずに狼狽える他ない。
ただし、騎士の中でただ一人だけは違った。
「全員、構えろ! 狼狽えるな、敵の目の前だぞ!」
構えを緩めない騎士の一喝で、他の騎士たちも目の色を変えて槍を構え直した。
心底嬉しそうな顔をして、一二三はベッドから降りてきた。女王の死体を蹴り飛ばして脇にどける。
「トオノ伯爵、邪魔をしないでいただきたい。イメラリア様はいずこへ?」
「そんなことはどうでもいい。お前の名前は?」
「第一騎士隊副隊長のデウムスと申します。トオノ伯爵、どうか王女の行方を教えていただきたい」
「お前たちの主は、そこで死んでいるが?」
まだやるのか、と聞く一二三に、デウムスは歯を食いしばった。
「我々はアイペロス王子を王とするよう命ぜられています。まだ終わったわけではありません。......邪魔をなさるなら、死んでいただきます」
「なら、やろうか」
両手で掴んだ刀を、左足を前に半身に構えた自分の背後に隠すように立つ。
一件無防備に見える姿だが、デウムスは槍を突く隙を見つけられない。視界に入らない刀が、どのように出てくるかも見えない。
(これほどとは......)
デウムスは、報告書でしか一二三の強さを知らない。だが、今初めて実感した。
ジリジリと間合いを図るデウムスに対し、一二三はゆったりと構えている。
緊張に耐えられなかったのは、他の騎士だった。
「う、うおぉお!」
猛然と突きを放つ騎士に対し、一二三は斜めにすくい上げるような一閃で槍を切り落とし、更に袈裟懸けに斬りおろして騎士の足を根元から断ち切った。
片足で転げまわる騎士は、間も無く血を失って絶命した。
誰かがつぶやく。
デウムスには辛うじて剣線が見えたが、他の者には何が起きたか把握できていない。一二三は一歩も動いておらず、腰の返しのみでひと呼吸のうちに二度の斬撃を見せた。
「さあさあさあさあ、まだまだお前らの方が
左足を前にして再び同じ構えに戻った一二三は、おどけた調子で言う。
「お前たちは手を出すな。......私がやる」
デウムスはむしろ邪魔になると判断し、他の騎士たちを後ろに下がらせた。
逆に一歩だけ踏み出し、腰を落として槍を構える。
「あなたは危険だ。刺し違えてもここで終わっていただく」
「いいね。試してみるといい」
「ぬぅっ!」
先に動いたのはデウムス。
先ほどの一二三の刀に負けず劣らずの速度で、穂先を一二三の顔面へと叩き込む。
一二三は左足を引いて半身を入れ替え、ギリギリ届かない位置までさがり、そのまま刀を切り上げる。
「一度見た技を!」
素早く槍を引いて穂先で刀を叩き落とし、その勢いで再び突いた。
刀を引き寄せながら槍の穂先を横から摺りあげて外へと逸らす。
一瞬の攻防のあと、デウムスは距離を取った。
「いい腕だ。槍の使い方をよく知っている。だが、行儀が良すぎるな」
デウムスは答えない。
一二三は姿勢を変え、刀を正面に正眼の構えをとる。
「まだ殺さないといけない奴もいる。眠いからそろそろ終わりにするぞ」
一二三の言葉が終わる前に、デウムスの槍が一二三の心臓を目掛けてはしった。
避ける動きを見せない一二三に、デウムスは勝ちを確信する。
(とった!)
だが、真正面を向いていたはずの一二三の身体は、いつの間にか横を向いており、槍先は左の脇と腕の間を虚しく抜けていく。
そして左手を離し、脇で槍先を押さえた一二三の右手一本で握られた刀が、真っ直ぐにデウムスへと向かった。
「ほ、穂先を抱え込むとは......非常識な......」
鎧の隙間から腹を貫かれ、口の端から血をにじませながらも、デウムスは痛みよりも驚愕が顔に出ていた。
「どうせ押すか引くかしなけりゃ切れんのだ。しっかり挟めば問題無い」
「なんて奴......」
デウムスが崩れ落ち、一二三が血振りをすると、残った騎士たちはどうして良いか分からず、とにかく目の前の敵を倒すべきだと、遮二無二襲いかかってきた。
「遅い」
残った八人の騎士たちも、しっかりと鎧を着込んでいたものの、最小限の動きで順番に喉を断ち割られ、次々に自らが作った血だまりに倒れた。
全ての騎士を死体に変え、納刀した一二三は血の匂いを吸い込んで、笑った。
「楽しかった」
Chapter 46: We Will Rock You
Sabnak and Midas patrolled the king's castle upon Imeraria's order while armed.
The veil of darkness had already descended within the castle. Having only a minimal lighting by the magical lamps, the darkness further down the long corridors appears to be spreading forever.
"Something like patrolling with Midas-senpai, that's something that happened during training when I entered the Knight Unit, right?" (Sabnak)
It's been a while since they wore normal armor. Wondering what this feeling of discomfort was, Sabnak occasionally adjusted the armor's fasteners while making an effort to be cheerful.
"Can't you be a bit more silent? We don't know when it will turn into a battle." (Midas)
"But, a thief or such won't break into the castle, no? Those coming and going are thoroughly checked by the First Knight Unit and there are also some members of the Third Knight Unit making their rounds in the vicinity of the castle, isn't that so?" (Sabnak)
Midas sighed at Sabnak who was under the impression that the castle's inside was safe.
"What happened today? Even you should know that, I suppose." (Midas)
"Are you talking about the matter of Imeraria-sama announcing her intention to inherit the crown?" (Sabnak)
"So, though the First Knight Unit usually is guarding this castle, why do you think we were mobilized? ... That's the answer to your question." (Midas)
Discovering the figures of people ahead in front, Midas stops and draws his sword.
Before his eyes there are three members of the First Knight Unit standing holding their spears.
"Going beyond this point is forbidden." (Knight)
One of the First Knight Unit's members said.
Midas remembered this man. He was an excellent knight amongst the Knight Unit. He heard that there were rumors of him being promoted to the rank of vice-captain soon. He is called Frederik
But he can't simply turn back while saying "Yes, that's how it is."
"We have been summoned to Imeraria-sama's room farther down this hall. Let us pass." (Midas)
"Hah, if you are from the Third Knight Unit, why are you trying to sneak around and conceal yourself? In this situation it will become an achievement if we boldly kill you guys." (Frederik)
Even though Frederik is laughing scornfully, Midas is watching the other party calmly.
"What is your aim... ? No, I know what you're scheming. But to move this quickly." (Midas)
"This was commanded by the lady possessing the most authority in this country. It is impossible for anyone to prevent it. And, each of us, who protect the royal castle, believe that we are contributing to the kingdom's stability." (Frederik)
"Even the act of stealing the life of a young girl?" (Midas)
"We can't expose the country to danger just to protect a single life." (Frederik)
Towards Midas' inquiry, Frederik answered as if it was a natural matter.
"A girl's life... Midas-san?!" (Sabnak)
"It appears that Her Majesty the Queen is moving in order to remove Imeraria-sama. It seems that the First Knight Unit sides with Her Majesty." (Midas)
"That's how it is. I don't recall your face, but that young fellow is called Sabnak or something, right? Since I am hearing that you are an excellent knight, I will promote you to the First Knight Unit, if you support us now." (Frederik)
As he heard the talk about being promoted, Sabnak got angry.
Originally, the popular names like First or Second are nothing more than the order how the Knight Units are organized. But, having a high percentage of high-ranking nobles as alumnae, the First Knight Unit, based on their showy defense of the castle, has many members who look down upon the other Knight Units.
It seems that even Frederik hasn't escaped this custom.
Sabnak restrains himself.
"What a foolish thing. If you think about the people standing on Imeraria-sama's side currently, you should know that this is suicidal." (Sabnak)
"The fools are you guys of the Third Knight Unit. Letting such trash as that risen earl do as he pleases! Becoming enthusiastic about someone you don't even know where he comes from nor what kind of person he is, I wonder what's up with that princess." (Frederik)
Slamming the spear's pommel onto the ground, Frederik's face, warping unseemly, revealed his rage.
"If it were me, I would have already gotten rid of that man! He is returning to his territory while those within the king's castle are shivering in fear where this man called Hifumi is concerned. Such unsightly behavior! Although the point of today's operation by Her Majesty's plan focuses on the time Hifumi isn't here, originally it would have been better to properly cut that guy to pieces straight from the front." (Frederik)
Watching the enraged Frederik, Sabnak ended up bursting into laughter unintentionally.
"What's so funny!" (Frederik)
"No... I just think that it isn't smart to underestimate Hifumi-san in such manner." (Sabnak)
Which reminds me, if Pajou-senpai had been only a little bit more careful, she might have avoided dying.
"Wha..." (Frederik)
Frederik's angry voice, trying to inhale, was stopped by the shuriken stuck in his neck.
Owed to the overwhelming force, Frederik's head was thrown back as he collapsed while spurting out blood.
"Uwa?!" (Knight A)
"Frederik!" (Knight B)
His colleagues standing on both sides quickly caught his falling body, but they knew that he had already passed away.
"This is... " (Sabnak)
Thinking it was Hifumi, Sabnak and Midas turned around and saw Origa, whose face had become white and expressionless due to overwhelming fury.
"... I decided to come and have a look since it became noisy, just to hear this filthy mouth slandering Hifumi... !" (Origa)
Origa, without paying Sabnak and Midas any attention, was looking at the surviving knights of the First Knight Unit. Midas, judging it to be dangerous, escaped by dragging Sabnak to the side of the corridor.
"Bastard! Who are you!" (Knight B)
One of the knights approached Origa pushing out their spear, but she didn't move while holding out her right hand in front.
Without understanding what she was trying to do, at the moment he stopped to fix his spear stance, Origa removed the soldier's head from the neck with her wind magic.
"There is no need for me to tell scum like you guys my name." (Origa)
Murmuring this in a small voice as if it is fine for them to not hear it, her line of sight turns towards the remaining knight.
"Hasn't that girl somehow gradually turned more scary from before?" (Sabnak)
"Shh! Be quiet!" (Midas)
Without it being clear whether she didn't hear Sabnak's words or decided to ignore them, Origa's gaze didn't waver.
After seeing that she didn't use the wand to display her magic, he judged it to be an unknown attack and readied his spear while slowly retreating.
Even so, without stopping her feet, just as he thought so, Origa took out a rod, that was a little longer than 30 centimeters, from her bosom and gracefully held it in one hand.
It was an iron folding fan, though it was something that no one in this world had seen before.
Everyone, who were at the scene, couldn't contain their feeling of perplexity due to the unknown metal craftsmanship. Origa caressed the iron-ribbed fan with rapt attention.
"She took out a strange thing once again... " (Knight A)
These words were prohibited.
"Strange... ? You are calling this iron-ribbed fan I received from Hifumi-sama strange..." (Origa)
With her green pupils shining darkly, Origa briskly walked up to the knight and swung her folding fan from the right hand side to the left.
"Ubeh... ?" (Knight A)
Without reacting to Origa's movement, the knight was bewildered as the flesh of his cheek was torn off completely.
"Insulting this weapon is like insulting Hifumi-sama. Apologize by dying." (Origa)
With a sound of *bashitto* she folded up the iron-ribbed fan and stabbed it into the throat of the knight who was writhing as he held his face.
The fallen knight spurt out blood from his mouth with a *buwa* and died without even twitching. Imitating Hifumi, Origa retrieved a paper from her breast pocket and gently wiped the iron-ribbed fan clean before putting it back with great care.
She turns her gaze, which had become only slightly tender, towards Midas and Sabnak.
"Midas-san, Sabnak-san, what do you think about the weapon you have seen just now?" (Origa)
"I-It seems e-easy to use. I-I think it i-is a fine w-weapon." (Sabnak)
"T-That's r-right. I-I think it s-somewhat matches y-our elegance." (Midas)
As the two desperately lined up words of praise in panic, Origa smiled sweetly.
"Thank you very much. As thanks I will pretend to forget about your impolite comments from before." (Origa)
(She heard them!)
Disregarding the frozen Sabnak with his forced smile, Midas bowed towards Origa.
"You have my thanks for saving us. Had it stayed like that, we wouldn't have had a chance of victory." (Midas)
"There is no need to thank me. I just came looking for you guys following Hifumi-sama's instruction." (Origa)
"Us?" (Midas)
"Yes, I am to tell you, "From now on until dawn, not a single person is allowed to leave the castle." I shall help  you with this task as well." (Origa)
It was 10 elite soldiers picked from among the First Knight Unit who broke into Imeraria's bedroom.
Shoving the maid standing in front of the door on standby by brute force aside, the knights clasped their spears tightly and quietly opened the door. They glared at the bed with its canopy attached situated in the middle of the room you wouldn't consider to be a bedroom due to its sheer degree of vastness.
Their mission is to kill the girl sleeping there currently. While persuading themselves that it is for the sake of the country, they are slowly approaching the bed.
"Prepare yourself!"
Wholeheartedly not wanting to watch the moment the young lady dies, they are continuing to stab their spears one by one at the bulging bed cover from the outside the thin curtains of the canopy.
As they sensed the spears penetrating flesh, feelings of guilt were planted within the knights, but they suppressed their hearts by reminding themselves that this was a just cause.
"How regrettable"
As a katana protruded from the other side of the curtain, the carotid artery of the neck of one of the knights was severed.
Within the downpour of blood Hifumi comes out from within the curtains while swinging his katana.
In his left hand he is holding the corpse of a woman riddled with spear holes. He tossed it in front of the faltering knights. At the time they comprehended that this was the corpse of the queen, the knights couldn't do anything but lose their presence of mind unable to swallow the current state of affairs.
However, there was only one single knight amongst them who was different.
"All hands, get ready! Don't get panicked in front of the enemy!"
Due to the roar in a thunderous voice for the knights to not let down their guard and prepare themselves, the other knights fixed their spear stance having life return into their eyes.
With a completely delightful facial expression Hifumi descended from the bed. He kicked the queen's corpse to the side in order to put it out-of-the-way.
"I'd like you to not obstruct us, Earl Tohno. Where is Imeraria-sama?"
"Who gives a damn about something like that. What is your name?" (Hifumi)
"I am called Deumus, vice-captain of the First Knight Unit. Earl Tohno, please, I'd like you to tell us the whereabouts of the princess" (Deumus)
"Even though your master has passed away over there?" (Hifumi)
"You still want to go on?" hearing this from Hifumi, Deumus clenched his teeth.
"We have sworn our lives to the duty of Prince Ayperos to become king. For that reason we can't stop here ... If you plan to hinder us, I will have you die." (Deumus)
"If that's the case, let's get going." (Hifumi)
Grabbing his katana with both hands, he stepped forward with his left foot by half a step in order to hide his back.
On a first glance this can be seen as defenseless stance, but Deumus isn't able to discover a gap he can thrust his spear into. As the katana doesn't enter his visual field, he can't fathom in what way it might approach him.magic
(This much...)
Deumus doesn't know anything about Hifumi's strength except what he read in the reports. But now he experiences it for the first time himself.
In contrast to Deumus, who is attempting to close the distance between them impatiently, Hifumi sets up calmly.
Another knight couldn't stand the tension.
"U-uooo!"
Against the knight releasing fierce thrusts, Hifumi cut off the spear diagonally in a flash as if scooping it up. And moreover, as he was using the blade to slash it diagonally from the shoulder he severed the knight's foot from its root.
The one-legged knight, rolling around in circles, died before long due to loss of blood.
Someone mutters.
Deumus barely managed to watch the sword's path, but the others didn't grasp what happened. Without even taking a single step, Hifumi executed two slashes within a person's breath visible only by him turning his waist.
"Come, come, come on, there are still a lot of you **left!" (Hifumi)
Hifumi, returning to his previous stance of halving his left foot in front, says in a jesting tone.
"If you lot don't get going ... I will." (Deumus)
Just that they would instead become a hindrance to Deumus, the other knights retreated to the rear.
Conversely, making only one step forward, Deumus, lowering his posture, prepares his spear.
"You are dangerous. I will end it here even if it means stabbing each other." (Deumus)
"That's good. It's fine for you to try." (Hifumi)
"Nuu!" (Deumus)
The first to move was Deumus.
Equal to the speed of Hifumi's katana just now, Deumus drives the spearhead into Hifumi's face.
Hifumi shifts his stance by drawing back the left foot a half step. He moves back until Deumus' attack just barely doesn't reach him. Without changing his posture, he cuts upwards with his katana.
"That's a technique I have seen before!" (Deumus)
Swiftly pulling back his spear, he deflects the katana with the spearhead and used that force to thrust the spear a second time.
While drawing the katana back to himself, Hifumi averts the spearhead coming for him from the side to the outside.
After this instant of offence and defence, Deumus took his distance.
"You are well skilled. You are using your spear quite proficiently. But your manners aren't very good." (Hifumi)
Deumus doesn't answer.
Changing his posture, Hifumi adopts a stance of directly aiming at the eyes with his katana.
"There is still a hopeless guy I haven't killed yet. I will finish it soon because I am sleepy." (Hifumi)
Before Hifumi finished his words, Deumus drove his spear aiming at Hifumi's heart.
As Hifumi doesn't show any intention to avoid it, Deumus is confident in his victory.
(Gotcha!)
But, Hifumi's body, which should be turned to the front, is turning sideways before Deumus noticed it. The spearhead passes by through empty air on the left side in the space between the arms
And, separating his left arm, Hifumi, holding the katana in his right hand, pinned down the side of the spearhead and faced Deumus directly.
"Pinning down the spear by holding it between your arm and body... How absurd..." (Deumus)
Piercing the abdomen through the gap in the armor, though blood was leaking out from his mouth, Deumus showed a face of astonishment rather than pain.
"At best you are able to push or pull before it snaps. There is no problem to get in-between that." (Hifumi)
"What a guy..." (Deumus)
As Deumus crumbled down, Hifumi shook off the blood of his katana. The remaining knights, without knowing what would be the right thing to do, recklessly came rushing in as they wanted to at least kill the enemy in front of them.
"Too slow." (Hifumi)
Even though there were eight knights left and although they wore proper armor, their throats were cut sequentially with a minimum of movement. One by one they dropped into the pool of blood they had produced themselves.
Changing all of the knights into corpses, Hifumi, returning the katana into its scabbard and inhaling the smell of blood, laughed.
"That was fun." (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