Chapter 293: It was an irreconcilable enemy

TLN: Happy New Year everyone!! YAAAAY!

What a year it has been! We have had our high and lows, but it has still been an awesome year with you guys! And what better way to begin the year than with the very thing that began this website; Tsuki ga Michi! But felt like that wasn’t enough, so I brought out a batch of World Reformation as well!

I wanted to bring out a good haul for this new year, so I pushed myself real good for this!

Now, excuse me while I drop dead! :DDDD… orz

As fast as possible.

It is my intention to deal with the Tomoki fanatics, but there was a single miscalculation.

It looks like…I am being incredibly hated by these people.

I understand that for the Tomoki side, I may not look like a likeable person, and I am aware of this. But to think that they would be hating me this much… Even a person like me who isn’t aiming to be liked by thousands would get depressed by this.

As a result, I, who was thinking about reuniting with Jin and the others, ended up being attacked by high level adventurers one after the other.

Until now, I have somehow appeased around 60 of them with the needle.

“Tch.”

What was reflected at the side of my vision made me click my tongue.

I saw people driven by their hatred killing the attackers that I had incapacitated.

Suddenly having their city burned and thrown into chaos, and some having their family and important people killed, it is obvious that there would be hatred born inside the hearts of the citizens.

Just that…if I was planning on killing the attackers, I would have done so myself.

Can’t they take a hint that I have a reason why I am leaving them alive?

Impossible huh.

I am completely sure of my safety even in a situation like this. It is just by chance that I have enough power and I am able to think in this kind of way.

I currently don’t have the leeway to complain about the actions of the citizens.

The most I can do is warn them with the writings I do with magic power.

Slipping through three attacks of approaching weapons, I stick a needle in one of the attackers. While at it, I offset the magic that they cast at me without caring, not only of the city, but even their comrades getting dragged in it.

Really, this is a battle in a city, and yet, this way of fighting doesn’t make me think that’s the case at all. In a sense, you could say that these attacks are quite manly.

If this were the outskirts, I would also have more options you know!

A light armored girl suddenly jumped out from the shadow of her comrade.

A thief skill, maybe? But I don’t see anything weapon-like on her—wait, oi oi oi!!

“Gunpowder?! I thought it would be something like a molotov c.o.c.ktail, but that thing can already be considered an explosive!” (Makoto)

Without a single trace of hesitation, the girl approached me with her body wrapped in explosives.

The needle won’t be enough for this.

In a moment, I did an arialess fire element nullifier magic.

It is originally a spell that would create a veil that nullifies the element, but in this occasion, I had it slip in between the girl and the explosives wrapped around her, and covered her body in it.

Ah geez.

I can’t tell how much power it has.

Gotta pray this is enough then!

“Raidou, die.”

“I refuse!” (Makoto)

I hug the woman that had finally spoken something.

Ah, I could have made the Magic Armor bigger.

If this weren’t in this kind of situation and she were a bit more of an adult, this would have been a nice situation where a girl is wishing to hug me.

An explosion occurs inside our curled up bodies.

The sound wasn’t that big of a deal.

Now then, the girl is…okay, she is alright!

Well then, excuse me while I stick this needle in you! OK!

While at it, I also stick the needles to the neck of the other two that were stiffened.

“But there’s no end to them. When thinking about the damage lessening due to them swarming towards me, this is not that bad of a situation, but…” (Makoto)

It is troublesome that they are not caring about the damage they cause to the city.

The next wave is already heading towards me.

My location has already been completely grasped between them it seems. Even so, if I were to leave this place, I wouldn’t know how the gathered up people would move next.

It is fine for them to just chase after me.

But in that case, they could have just form an enclos.e.m.e.nt at the entrance of the dungeon. Now that they have attacked the hotel and the city, I don’t think they are only moving in order to attack me.

I should reduce their numbers for a bit more in this way, and go to where Jin, Iroha, and the others after I am done with that. It seems like they are together after all.

(Waka-sama! I have secured the warehouses. The miso, soy sauce, and craftsmen are safe as well.) (Mio)

(Thanks, Mio.) (Makoto)

Mio’s thought transmission.

Looks like the seasonings have not received any damage.

…Well, I wasn’t so worried about that though.

There was plenty of a possibility that they would be destroyed as collateral-damage, but I didn’t think it would be a priority, moreover, Mio went there, so there was nothing to worry about.

Even if the boss of the bunch were to try to destroy the miso and soy sauce as if their life depended on it, I think it would have been impossible.

Boss huh.

I can tell that there’s one clear individual that’s a cut above the rest. An individual that I would have to wonder if Lime and Levi, who stayed at the Chihiro Manrai Restaurant, can actually defeat.

But well, there’s no doubt that Lime and Levi, who are prioritizing keeping the people in place, will be enduring for a good while.

That person’s strength is around the middle of Azu-san’s group and the adventurers. It is a woman and, in truth, I can somewhat tell her ident.i.ty.

If possible, I want to be wrong, but…no way I am.

(Then, I will also be helping out Waka-sama—) (Mio)

(No, this place is fine.) (Makoto)

(Eh?)

(Mio, can you bring out the name of the Osakabe household and Iroha-chan in order to evacuate the residents in that district to a place that’s slightly separated from the city?) (Makoto)

(B-But I want to be by your side too…) (Mio)

(There’s Tomoe already, so I will be fine. Sorry, this might be a pain for you.) (Makoto)

(No no! Understood.) (Mio)

(Okay. There’s a strange gathering of people outside the city that are heading this way. Be careful.) (Makoto)

(Yes, Waka-sama as well.) (Mio)

Mio was trying to come to where I am, so I gave her a reason not to.

Hah…did I make her sad?

It felt like she wanted to say something. But if possible, I don’t want Mio to fight too much today. That’s what I thought when I heard about the fight Mio had with Rokuya-san.

Good grief, I am…truly pathetic.

Sorry.

(A~h, test test. Makoto-kun, is it working? It is Rokuya) (Rokuya)

(…Yeah, I can hear you, Rokuya-san.) (Makoto)

(To be frank here, there’s apparently people who agree with the Empire’s hero heading towards the city.) (Rokuya)

The information that Rokuya-san had brought to me was something that I had already grasped with Sakai.

(Yeah, they are approaching from several directions, and their total numbers might surpa.s.s the ten thousands. I am aware of this.) (Makoto)

(!! As expected of you. But from several directions…and tens of thousands huh. Fumu…) (Rokuya)

(When I finish doing something about the inside of the city, I will deal with them while at it—) (Makoto)

(No.) (Rokuya)

?

(I will do it.) (Rokuya)

Rokuya-san will?

I was internally surprised by what he said.

Rokuya-san is strong. But I don’t feel like his strengths are oriented to fights against groups. On top of that, in the case of the Tomoki fanatics, just crushing their leader won’t work. There’s the need to kill everyone or incapacitate them.

(No, that’s just…) (Makoto)

(Hahaha, I overdid it a bit underground against you guys after all. Please let me atone a bit here. More importantly, Vivi and the others are helping out in the evacuation, but the bandits’ way of doing things is way too extreme.) (Rokuya)

(…Yeah.) (Makoto)

I experienced a suicide bomber just moments ago, so I agree with what he said.

Evacuating the residents to a safe place against people, that do things in such ways, is close to impossible.

(And so, I want to increase the allies.) (Rokuya)

(Allies, you say?) (Makoto)

(You know, the saying ‘the enemy of my enemy’ kind of thing. It is a man named Kougetsu. In the matter that they are trying to bring a revolution to Kannaoi makes him no different from an insurgent, but he is someone that can cooperate in the matter of dealing with the people that are going as far as burning down the city to smoke you and princess Iroha out.) (Rokuya)

Kougetsu.

If I remember correctly, he is the older or younger brother of Shougetsu-san. Well, they are brothers.

From what I have heard, he is a person that didn’t really welcome us since the moment we entered the city.

From what Rokuya is saying right now, Kougetsu probably doesn’t have a shallow connection with the Tomoki fanatics.

(The one that is in charge of the patrolling, insurgencies, and the suppression of foreign enemies is Kougetsu. He is currently desperately taking command in order to appease the chaos.) (Rokuya)

(…Can’t pity him though.) (Makoto)

(Umu. When this matter is wrapped up, he will most likely take responsibility in some form. He is an upright man at his core after all. But right now, it would go better if we were to have him help out. He is a specialist regarding this city after all.) (Rokuya)

True.

…Ah, right. In that case, if I had them arrest the people that I have already dealt with, we might be able to decrease the rampage of the residents like the ones just now, right?

That’s nice.

That’s a good idea.

(Makoto-kun?) (Rokuya)

(Understood. Then, I will try calling them.) (Makoto)

(Thanks. Well then, later.) (Rokuya)

(Wish you luck.) (Makoto)

(…Luck huh. Well, watch over me.) (Rokuya)

The thought transmission of Rokuya-san cuts.

I wonder how he will deal with that army.

…Ah! Maybe he intends to show me as atonement as well!

Is that his intention?

“Well, first of all, it is the army that’s outside the city and the patrol.” (Makoto)

The ones who are down with a needle pierced in them are the attackers and they haven’t died yet; in order to avoid having the residents make a panic and kill the incapacitated attackers, ask for the arrest of the attackers; and the members of the Picnic Rosegarden have come out from the labyrinth and are helping out in the evacuation of the residents, moreover, the Kuzunoha Company is partic.i.p.ating in that as well.

While evading the sharp attacks of a 4 member party that surpa.s.s level 300, I think of the situation.

Why are such high level people that can even manage in the wasteland attacking me?!

I create a template and somehow manage to send the writings to a place close to where the army and related party that ‘Sakai’ perceived is located.

“Hm?”

The boss is moving.

The barrier of Lime and Levi that was covering the Chihiro Manrai Restaurant has been destroyed.

Impossible. It is too fast.

On top of that, that should be where Tomoe headed to.

(Tomoe!) (Makoto)

(Waka, if it’s about Lime and Levi, they are still alive. I had something I had to confirm with Shiki and was slightly late. I am truly sorry.) (Tomoe)

(What happened?) (Makoto)

(It seems like even when they were inferior in numbers, they still managed to maintain a balanced fight, but our arrival seems to have worked in a bad way.) (Tomoe)

(…As in?) (Makoto)

Our arrival worked in a negative way?

(The two of them must have thought that with this they have won, and they must have relaxed their guard because of it. Levi got several of her legs cut off and went berserk; Lime prepared himself to challenge the enemy, but he couldn’t manage to do follow-ups on the rampaging Levi and the barrier ended up cracking…is how things happened.) (Tomoe)

Several legs, she says.

Levi turned into her scylla form?

In that form, she has thick octopus-like legs after all.

In reality, she has a mechanic in her fighting style of changing her leg shapes, and when Levi has become like that, her fights become pretty interesting to watch.

And even with that, she lost?

Good grief.

I have not seen a hyuman stronger than Sofia yet, but even if it’s not to that level, there’s still strong people in this world.

(Well, Levi is a battle-junkie after all. As long as she is alive, she can laugh it off.) (Makoto)

(…No well, it seems like quite the amount of steam has risen to her head. She is repeatedly muttering things like ‘I will kill that b.i.t.c.h’ and ‘I will bite her to death’.) (Tomoe)

(Levi is? I can’t imagine it at all. At any rate, if they need treatment, return them to Asora.) (Makoto)

(I will do so. Leaving aside Lime, Levi doesn’t have arms and legs after all. Truly disappointing.) (Tomoe)

…

Isn’t that incredibly serious then?!

What is she saying so nonchalantly?!

Hm, so that’s why she was consulting with Shiki huh. No, if that’s the case, the order of the events wouldn’t match.

Woops, the next opponent is a samurai huh.

He has a slower iai than that of Tomoe, so it doesn’t amount to a surprise attack.

I grab the katana’s blade with my left hand and break it, step in, and pierce him with the match-decider needle.

(So, what did you talk with Shiki about?) (Makoto)

(A bit about the reason why the students are here.) (Tomoe)

…Ah, I see. It is true that I want to know that too.

(What did Shiki say?) (Makoto)

(He said he wanted to explain it to Waka directly. It is just that…) (Tomoe)

(Just that?) (Makoto)

(His explanation was…something that, in my opinion, I agree with.) (Tomoe)

Tomoe says it in a way that bothers me.

In her opinion, she says.

In other words, maybe it is a reason that I wouldn’t agree with?

(Ah, no. I am not saying it in the meaning that Waka wouldn’t agree with it, okay? It is about Mio. She most likely wouldn’t agree with Shiki’s action. That’s all I thought. In regards to what Waka will think after hearing the explanation of Shiki, well, there’s a fifty-fifty.) (Tomoe)

Mio?

And I am fifty-fifty?

Hm?

(Well, okay. I will hear what Shiki has to say later.) (Makoto)

I don’t think it is something that can be resolved while listening to it in a battlefield.

In that case, there’s nothing the both of us would gain from hearing it at this moment via thought transmission.

(So, about that woman, she isn’t moving her gaze away and heading directly towards where Iroha is. Fortunately, there’s an idiot in between that can’t even hold the reins properly and is moving around in confusion outside the city, so there’s still some leeway in time.) (Tomoe)

The idiot she is talking about must mean Kougetsu.

And when Tomoe says that woman, it is already a given who it is.

Osakabe Haruka.

Iroha-chan’s…mother.

Don’t like this.

Even so, we just had a talk not that long ago about leaving the idiot alive being better.

Can’t be helped. Let’s request this of Tomoe.

(Understood. I will head to where Iroha-chan is. Sorry but, can you please safeguard that idiot?) (Makoto)

(Hah? Safeguard?) (Tomoe)

(Yeah, there’s a matter in mind, you see. For now, I am dealing with the Tomoki fanatics without killing them, but the people of the city, you see…) (Makoto)

(…I get it. Using Kougetsu and his subordinates, you want them to apprehend them?) (Tomoe)

After a small silence, Tomoe answered.

She splendidly deduced what I was thinking.

(Yeah, something like that.) (Makoto)

(As you wish. Well then, I accept the duty of safeguarding and persuasion of Kougetsu. By the way, Waka.) (Tomoe)

(Hm?) (Makoto)

(You said ‘without killing’.) (Tomoe)

(Yes?) (Makoto)

(This is just a possibility but, could it be that you are utilizing that thing that Mio and the Arkes showed off not that long ago?) (TOmoe)

…Tomoe is seriously incredible.

She even pinpointed the magic that I selected for this occasion.

It is a mystery why her voice is slightly raspy and trembling though.

(Correct. How scary, Tomoe. Is it that? The power of that so called Mother Dragon thing?) (Makoto)

(N-No. Honestly speaking, what I was worried about was exactly that. I myself can tell that my strength has jumped up, but uhm…it is quite the mischievous one, you see. I am currently in a state where I would heavily overdo it even when doing only one illusion…) (Tomoe)

(As I thought…) (Makoto)

(That’s of no importance right now, Waka!!) (Tomoe)

(Uoo?!) (Waka)

(Meaning that! Right now! Waka is! Using that spell, right?!) (Tomoe)

(Y-Yeah.) (Waka)

(At that place! Waka is!) (Tomoe)

W-What is it?

What’s making Tomoe so excited?

Did I miss something again?

(Doesn’t that mean a theater play of Shikake-nin Baian is taking place there?!) (Tomoe)

Jin and the others are also moving as they defeat a decent amount.

Incapacitating the attackers would be an impossible request, so they are killing them, but in terms of level and battle experience, the opponents that are going full bloodthirst at them are in the advantage, so the situation is difficult.

Jin and the others are clearly bringing out more than their current strength when fighting.

If possible, I don’t want any of them dying.

No matter the reason, having a student die when the teacher is at their side would make it impossible for that teacher to face them.

I have already dealt with the people that were fighting me in close range.

My head is hurting already.

So, let’s go finish this!