Chapter 25: When the blade reaches (2)
They rode the horse for half a day. Though they departed at dawn, the sun had sunk down already.
「This is the last village attacked?」
While moving his hand to Risty’s waist, Yuuto looked around the area.
It’s a farm village. It had that sort of atmosphere, Yuuto remembered a strange sense.
(There’s no sign of people…)
Remains of the people who lived in the other day are left everywhere in the village. However, there’s no existence of any crucial villager anywhere.
There’s a possibility of them secluding in a house, looked at the window of the open private house.
「I know it already but, they’re wiped out. There’s no trace of blood nor mess from eating. …Get down, Yuuto. Asuka too」
Looking at the state of Risutei village, she spoke indifferently. Yuuto and the tandem noticed the change of tone, Yuuto and Asuka kept silent.
「There’s no monster. Is it a demon?1 or a demonic being2? Either way, it’s intelligent」
Risty steps cautiously on the village ground. Without delay, she tiptoes as if warming up.
「Yuuto. You too, apply that properly」
「I know」
Asuka stares at the necklace on the neck of Yuuto. Asuka confirms the existence on the tip of her chest then she pulled out her Scarlet sword from the sheath.
「Demonic being? …Since it’s a bloodsucker」
「That’s true」
Asuka and Yuuto recalled the fight with the beautiful count several months ago. Certainly he introduced himself as a noble in the Makai.
「That guy was strong, but how is it this time」
「It’s okay. There’s captain too」
Risty began to investigate the village, Yuuto and Asuka followed her. Different from Risty walking naturally, the two had their hearts beating hard. The tension is different so far.
It drifted.
Asuka remembers the fight with the vampire and fixed her feelings. Able to control his own blood, a powerful enemy who uses a blade. Though it was knocked in one blow, it was only possible because Asuka’s defense was perfect. Without Yuuto’s armor, she’ll never be able to win.
A rank. Confirming the strength of the opponent she defeated, Asuka inhaled deeply. She never expected that she would be thankful to that masked count, Asuka laughed a little.
「The three people who faced it before, were useless as expected?」
Watching as she throw out the farming tool, Yuuto asked Risty. Risty said that the tables were turned, but that’s a guess when the communication was stopped. There’s a possibility that they’re alive, that’s uncertain.
Yuuto had a faint hope, Risty slightly frowned.
「Well, they’re probably wiped out. There’s also the possibility of it being draw. Thinking of that three man cell team, it’s better to give up your hope」
Risty said that it’s better not to think that they’re safe. However, Risty calmly anlyzed the situation, so Yuuto shut his mouth. Asuka closed her eyes to pray for a moment.
「…N? Don’t. Be careful」
The moment Asuka gripped her scarlet sword tightly, Risty in front of her muttered. The startled Asuka looked up, Yuuto opened and shut his right hand.
Yuuto expanded his 『16 floating war maidens Rossweisse』at that moment. In an instant, Yuuto had the blades.
「ーーー!?」
Asuka reacted in surprise. Each and every blade appeared on the opponents with incomprehensive speed.
But, Asuka had seen it.
It’s the three figures dressed as a hero.
「Wha!?」
Why? Asuka’s body hardened when she’s about to shout. There’s no time to think, Asuka closed her fighting spirit momentarily.
「Idiot!」
A word. Risty’s words reached Asuka’s ears. At the same time, the three heroes neck and limbs burst out and flew to Asuka.
Asuka and Yuuto’s eyes chased the flying arm and neck.
*Dochari*3, The three’s bodies fell on the ground. Still, the body swing while clattering.
The two with blue mantle, and the girl wearing a red muffler. The head only girl opened her eyes wide and approached Asuka little by little.
Her spine froze in disgust, Asuka bowed to Risty.
「T-thank you very muー」
「Don’t thank. The user must be near. Necromancer. No, Marionette. It’s the type that operates by a thread using magic」
While drawing Asuka’s attention, Risty traced air with her sword. A thread was cut off literally, the body clattering and moving up until now has stopped.
「…Uu」
Yuuto held his mouth as he saw the body of the three. It’s natural, it was his first time seeing a person’s neck fly. Looking at the eye of the girl, Yuuto managed to hold down his nausea.
Seeing something unbelievable, Yuuto looked at Risty. Even though they’re manipulated, Even though they’re already dead, how can she be so calm?
「Kuku. …I see. He’s the kind that mocks the dead. Very well. I don’t have to become attached」
Then, Yuuto breathed small. Risty’s face from the side is a never before seen ferocious distortion. It was different when she fought with him, it was real muder intent, Yuuto and Asuka’s body shook.
「Here it comes. The main body」
Then, Risty grinned and looked at the top. Both Yuuto and Asuka turned their face to the sky immediately.
「…Hii」
Asuka was the one who raised the small scream Yuuto wasn’t even able to raise a scream.
Kumo4 Yuuto made that sort of impression from the silhouette.
How did she hide herself5 Suddenly, the three people jumped to the spider in the sky, it’s like they enshrine it in the sky while looking down.
The invisible thread was set up above the village. It’s the perpetrator who set it up.
However, there’s no reason for Asuka’s scream.
「As expected. It’s a good hobby」
Risty chewed her molar. She laughs on her face but her pupils selfishly deflate.
The corpse was casually stitched together. The distorted silhouette of the spider is in front of Yuuto’s eyes.
A man, a woman. Elderly, children. Everyone of them are bare nude, that body is a strange body, it became a part of it’s leg.
A hundred people? More than that? Seeing that large number of people, Asuka stopped unconsciously
《Kakeba Kakeba Kakeba Kakeba Kakeba!!》6
A cry. It’s played on the gap of air on the corpses, they cry utmost.
Then, an invisible thread gushed out from the head of the spider.
That numbers 10,000.7 If you look at it, it’s no longer a string, it’s already a torrent of thread.
Does it absorb life, it stopped it’s movement and manipulates it A simple, strong ability.
It’s body enclosed to the corpse, Nekyuara had a twisted enjoying face.
She obtained it with troubles, it’s a rare corpse item. Because it’s made of compensated materials, it rolled in front of their eyes.
Where will you stitch that brown skin?
While thinking that, the nekyuara had already jumped in the air.
「…Ha?」
A double edged blade pierced it’s body. The nekyuara’s brain recognized it earlier, with the work of it’s own disjointed body, the brown woman that’s supposed to be on the ground disappeared.
「Sleep peacefully at least」
Risty muttered, the nekyuara wasn’t able to turn around.
However, there’s no time to consider the meaning of her words, the heads and limbs of the lone demonic being 72 pillar 『Artist』Nekyuara flew up to the sky of the village.
・・・ ・・・ ・・・
The three cottage brothers
Shaurus (108th) Kuromie (132nd) Ricotta (167th)
Supplement: The three heroes who originated from Cottage village. Though they introduced themselves as brothers, they’re not blood related. They’re childhood friends that came from the same orphanage. They invested their dreams in the orphanage, they strive in the harsh hero work. The three had an offensive power of a rank 50 hero, especially the leader, Shaurus is a rookie with expectations. Ricotta who was always struggling day and night in order for the insensitive Shaurus to notice her love, Kuromie hides his love to Riccota to support her.