by Ennki Hakari
I nodded. From where we stood, I had a clear sightline to a treeless patch of ground on the other side. Traveling there would be relatively easy.
“So, you’d like me to teleport us over?”
Chiyome nodded. She and Ariane put their hands on my shoulders in a now-familiar movement.
“Dimensional Step!”
An instant later, we found ourselves on the far side of the gorge. Looking backward, I could see the overhang where we’d just stood.
“The village is on the other side of this mountain. Let’s get going.” Chiyome was already several paces away.
This part of the Calcut mountain range was less a series of distinct mountains than an undulating mass of earth covered in dense foliage.
Just as Chiyome had warned before we teleported, we encountered much more dangerous monsters in this area, the likes of which we hadn’t seen on the gorge’s opposite side. They didn’t pose much of a threat to the three of us, of course, but any normal person would have been easy prey. Considering the sheer number of monsters we saw, it was difficult to believe that this place was suitable to live in.
Sure, the mountain people might not need to worry about humans infiltrating their domain, but simply surviving here seemed like a struggle—hardly what I’d call a peaceful existence. When I thought of the women and children we’d saved from the slave market and sent to this village, I got a little worried.
At one point, we killed a monster that Chiyome and Ariane called an “umbra tigris.” It was a massive, tiger-like creature with blood-red eyes, stiff purple horns, and a black-spotted pelt. It was about four meters long—five if you counted its tail—and the large fangs extending from its upper jaw gave it the appearance of a saber-toothed tiger. Felling an umbra tigris usually required several groups from Chiyome’s clan to work in unison.
Daytime encounters were practically unheard of, but we ran into that particular creature as we made our way through the dense underbrush. At night, it released a dark, mist-like gas to conceal its movements, but that only made it a larger target during the day.
When the umbra tigris came in to strike, we responded aggressively, ending the battle so quickly that your instant noodles would still be warm long after we finished.
“Are you okay, Arc? Isn’t it heavy?”
Chiyome had asked me to carry the umbra tigris back to her village. Apparently, the villagers would pulverize the monster’s horns and mix them with steel to make incredibly sharp and durable blades. According to Chiyome, the dagger at her waist was one such weapon.
The umbra tigris’s pelt also provided much-needed warmth up in the mountains, and its teeth were ground for use in medicines. If the villagers sold the pelt with the head attached, it would fetch a high price at the human markets, providing money for food, weapons, and other supplies.
“Honestly, it’s nothing compared to the giant basilisk I took down.” I laughed lightly and, to emphasize the point, hopped a few times with the umbra tigris still on my back.
Ariane, who trailed behind us with Ponta held firmly to her chest, butted in, her voice clearly annoyed. “You’re something else, Arc. You remind me of my mother sometimes.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure how comfortable I am with a compliment like that.”
Ariane furrowed her forehead. Apparently, she hadn’t meant it as a compliment.
As we reached another clearing, Chiyome stopped and pointed toward a mountain on the far side of a steep cliff. “My village is opposite this valley. At this pace, we should reach it just before sundown.”
I hefted the umbra tigris. “I’m happy to keep going. Ariane?”
“Sounds good to me.”
I teleported us across the valley.
***
Just as the sun began to dip behind the mountains, we looked down on Chiyome’s hidden village.
Wooden posts formed its outer perimeter; an inner wall of spiked stone served as the second line of defense against would-be attackers. Honestly, it looked more like a fortress than a village.
A hinged door, like a drawbridge—which I assumed to be the entrance—was shut tight to prevent anyone from entering.
The buildings inside the village seemed to cling to the mountain’s slopes. Beyond the walls, I saw homes and windmills huddled close together near the summit. Farther down, crop-filled fields supported by stone walls covered the mountainside.
It reminded me of Machu Picchu.
“I can’t believe they’ve built a village on such a steep slope.” Ariane’s eyes took in the impressive sight.
The Calcut range was full of mountains and valleys, leaving little in the way of open plains. This peak must have been the flattest land Chiyome’s people found in the area.
“Building a village this size so deep in the mountains is certainly praiseworthy, but I don’t imagine it could support many people.”
It seemed rather cramped compared to Lalatoya, Ariane’s hometown.
Sadness washed across Chiyome’s face, her azure eyes fixed on the village. “Ever since we rescued the enslaved from the capital, the population has grown to over a thousand.”
“That’s…that’s quite a lot.”
Back in my world, a thousand people wasn’t much, but that population would severely overcrowd a small settlement like this. Ariane nodded in agreement with my shocked assessment as we looked down over the village.
Ponta let out a loud yawn, lazing in Ariane’s arms and letting its large tail sweep back and forth slowly. It was good at noticing when food was around, but not much else. If we ran across a problem big enough to bother Ponta, that would truly be cause for concern.
After taking a look at the carefree Ponta, Chiyome broke into a broad smile. “Let’s go meet the twenty-second elder, then.”
I shifted the umbra tigris’s weight on my shoulders and followed her down the well-worn footpath into the village.
There were towers on either side of the entrance. The guards inside banged mallets on hanging wooden panels as soon as they noticed us—some kind of warning system, no doubt. The panels made a hollow sound that resonated throughout the village. Even from outside the walls, I could hear people murmuring inside.
After a few moments, the drawbridge door lowered, making a loud “thunk” as it hit the ground. The door was made of a double layer of thick logs. It must have been incredibly heavy.
“The sun’s about to set,” Chiyome said. “We should hurry up and get inside. More monsters will start appearing soon.”
Ariane and I followed her through the entrance.
No sooner had we set foot in the village than the door rose behind us. At the same time, the door to the inner wall lowered. That door, too, closed as soon as we were through.
I followed Chiyome toward the village’s tallest building, located in the center. I looked around, taking in as many sights as I could. A large crowd—mostly children—filled the streets, watching me with great interest. They represented a wide variety of species, various types of ears twitching with excitement as they pointed toward the umbra tigris over my shoulder.
Chiyome paid no attention. She stopped in front of the two-story building at the village center and motioned toward me.
“This is where Hanzo, the twenty-second elder of the Jinshin clan, lives.”
The building looked almost exactly like the shrine near the hot spring, although this one was much smaller. Despite its compact size, a lot of love had clearly been put into its construction. Intricate engravings covered its walls.
The surrounding buildings were also well-built. It didn’t seem as though the mountain people were doing all that badly for themselves here.
I followed Chiyome into the building, and found myself in a spacious entry hall, facing an elderly man with cat ears.
The man stood around 180 centimeters tall. Long white hair ran straight down his back. His thick, bushy eyebrows and long beard gave him the appearance of an old mountain hermit. His arms were crossed behind him, res
ting at his lower back.
The old man looked at me, raised a single bushy eyebrow, and turned his attention to Chiyome.
“Ah, Chiyome, you’ve returned. This man you bring with you, is he the one who comes from the same home as our great founder?”
“Yes. The armored one is Arc, and this is the dark elf Ariane.”
Ariane and I bowed our heads.
“Kyiiii!” Ponta introduced itself from Ariane’s arms.
The old man smiled. “We are honored that you grace us with your presence. I am Hanzo, the twenty-second to hold the name, and to be granted charge of the Jinshin clan. I know how much you two have done for us, and I offer you humble thanks on behalf of our people. Am I correct in assuming that your presence means you have agreed to help us once again?”
I set the umbra tigris on the ground and straightened. “I, too, am honored to meet you. I have come here at Chiyome’s request. I hear that your village finds itself in dire need. If there’s anything I can do to assist you, I will do it.”
I did my best to respond to Hanzo’s formal greeting in kind, although the whole thing felt a bit like a period drama.
Ariane bowed her head toward Hanzo. “My full name is Ariane Glenys Maple. I am a soldier of the Great Canada Forest. I’m here as Chiyome’s friend and Arc’s travel companion.” She smiled at Chiyome, who blushed in response.
What had she meant by “travel companion”?
Hanzo gestured at the umbra tigris. “And this monster next to you, Arc, may I ask what it is for?”
“We encountered it on our journey here,” I said. “Chiyome told me how valuable it is, so I’ve brought it as an offering to the village.”
The wrinkles in Hanzo’s forehead deepened as he smiled broadly. “We appreciate it greatly, and humbly accept your gift.”
Hanzo raised his right arm, and several people in ninja garb similar to Chiyome’s silently stepped from the shadows and carried the massive umbra tigris out of the building.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ariane tense up for a split second when the newcomers appeared. Apparently, even she could be rattled sometimes.
Hanzo smiled again. “You must be tired from your journey. I have already prepared rooms for you two, so please, settle in and rest your weary bodies. We can talk more later, over dinner.”
Two cat-eared women appeared.
“These two will show you to your rooms. I will call you once dinner is ready.”
Hanzo turned to leave. Chiyome jogged after him.
“Have you learned Sasuke’s whereabouts?” She spoke in a low voice, but I still caught what she said.
I hadn’t heard the name before, but I assumed Sasuke was another of the Jinshin clan’s top fighters.
Hanzo simply shook his head.
“Sir Arc, I will take you to your room.” A woman’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked at her. “Ah, yes. Thank you.”
The women led us to the second floor, and down a hall to the two rooms prepared for Ariane and me.
Mine was relatively simple, lit during the daytime by sunlight shining through a slatted shutter on one wall. It contained a raised platform, about two meters square, covered in animal pelts. I assumed that was the bed.
Next to the platform was a gorgeous writing desk of elaborately carved wood, and a long, wooden chest for storing my things. Both looked well-made and built to last. An oil lamp, the room’s sole source of illumination, hung on the wall by the door. Its dim light cast long shadows into the corners of the room, causing my imagination to run wild.
“It seems like a ghost could pop out at any minute,” I mumbled.
“What’re you talking about, Arc?” Ariane called from behind me. “You’re practically a ghost yourself.”
“Wah!” I cried in surprise.
When I turned to tell Ariane off for scaring me, a green furball suddenly latched onto my face, plunging me into darkness.
“Kyii!”
“Mmmph! I can’t see, Ponta.”
I grabbed the fox by the scruff of the neck and pulled it away. It dangled, looking completely content and wagging its tail back and forth. It was probably thinking about dinner, since it had heard that word earlier.
Ariane watched Ponta absently. “Chiyome’s village is better-established than I thought it would be. Are they really going to throw this all away and move on?”
She had a point. The village’s defenses seemed more than adequate to keep forest-dwelling monsters at bay.
“Maybe they’ll explain over dinner. I’ll use teleportation magic to help them move, if they want. But it’s not my place to tell them what to do.”
“I suppose you’re right. Speaking of dinner, what do you plan on doing about…that?” Ariane pointed at my helmet.
I’d worn my armor ever since we arrived here, even during my introduction to Hanzo. I had shown Chiyome my skeleton body back in Lalatoya, but I hadn’t yet mentioned—much less shown—it to anyone else. Ariane was probably asking how I planned to deal with that. I didn’t really have a good way out this time, though.
“Don’t worry. I brought this with me.”
I dug in my bag and showed Ariane a leather waterskin that I’d tucked inside.
She caught on immediately. “Aah. Got it.”
The skin was filled with enough spring water to provide about two hours back in my body. If I drank it before dinner, I wouldn’t frighten anyone.
***
A short time later, the two women who took us to our rooms returned to let us know that dinner was ready. They led us back to the first floor, through a living room of sorts, and into a room with a raised wooden floor and a central hearth. A steaming pot hung above the fire, and the burble of boiling liquid filled the room.
The chamber reminded me of the old homes you’d find in a remote Japanese village. Nostalgia welled up inside me.
“Sit wherever you like, Arc,” Hanzo said. The white-bearded elder sat in front of the pot, legs crossed. “You know, I never would have guessed you were an elf, since you come from the same place as our great founder.”
I’d already taken off my helmet, revealing my dark elf face, temporarily restored thanks to the spring water’s curse-lifting powers.
“Ah, yes… My memory is still quite fuzzy. I’ve only recently been able to recall some of the details. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure that your founder and I truly come from the same village.”
I sat across from Hanzo, assuming his cross-legged posture, and set Ponta down next to me.
Ariane sat on my other side. She kept shifting and moving her legs, as if she wasn’t used to sitting on the floor.
Hanzo watched patiently as she settled. “Now, about our request for help. I hear that you are a mercenary, Arc. Of course, we intend to pay you for your services. But Chiyome mentioned that you might have another request.”
When Chiyome had approached me with her request, I agreed to take it on, so I was at a loss as to what sort of payment to ask for. I just wanted to help my friend, who was in trouble. I couldn’t really think of anything I needed.
“As I’m sure you have seen, our village is far from prosperous. If it is acceptable to you, I would like to offer you several of our finest women. What do you think? Heh heh.”
The old man raised a bushy eyebrow and gave me a suggestive smile. While that offer was tempting, I felt eyes drilling into me from the side. Replying to the offer, even jokingly, seemed like a poor choice.
Instead, I brought up my original request—the shrine. “I understand that this is a rather big favor to ask, but I would like permission to use the shrine your great founder built, near where you’ll be moving. That would be sufficient payment for me.” I mentioned that the Dragon Lord who watched over the region had already granted me permission.
Hanzo nodded. “After our great founder’s death, the third Hanzo abandoned the shrine, and it fell into ruin. Chiyome already retrieved our clan’s mystical treasure, so you are free to us
e the shrine as you see fit. Is there nothing else you wish to ask of us?”
I crossed my arms and thought it over.
Ponta looked up at me, cocking its head to imitate my posture. It wagged its tail, clearly impatient about the lack of dinner.
“From what I’ve seen already, your people are incredible at crafting,” I said. “I would like your help returning the shrine to its former glory. Would that be possible?”
It would take a lot of work to restore the shrine. I could easily buy the materials from human towns, but I didn’t feel remotely qualified to try repairing such a large building on my own.
Hanzo stroked his long, white beard. “We would gladly provide assistance. But is that all you want? I could find you a well-endowed young lady, you know…! Gyahaha.” As Hanzo spoke, his gaze turned quickly toward Ariane. Then he looked back at me and ended with a lecherous laugh. I couldn’t see for sure, but I was nearly certain that he was staring at Ariane’s chest.
Was this perverted old man really the Jinshin clan’s leader? I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was suddenly revealed to be a body double.
I felt Ariane’s death glare intensify, making the muscles in my neck tense up. This body was supposed to have the ability to bypass strong emotions, but Ariane’s glare was something different entirely.
Ponta pawed my lap, begging for food. I petted it to try and calm it down.
“Thank you, Hanzo,” I said. “That is incredibly generous.”
Hanzo nodded. “We’ll even lend you our best crafters. Chiyome!”
The cat-eared ninja girl glided into the room silently. She bowed once in the entrance before approaching.
Three others followed her, including a massive man around 230 centimeters tall, with hair the color of a tabby cat. I recognized Goemon, one of the six great ninjas, who joined Chiyome in our attack on the Etzat Market. This time, he wore the same form-fitting ninja garb as Chiyome. He entered the room in silence, offering only imperceptible glances as greetings.