「 I don’t know, while playing dead I had my eyes closed. However once everyones voices died out, I heard someone’s footsteps approaching. I heard a voice say “Still lack control” and then the footsteps faded away. I saw neither the face nor the form. 」
「 I see. Origa, Kasha. Return to the town by horse and bring Pajou. 」
「 Understood. 」
Seeing Hifumi see the two off, Alyssa asked timidly,
「 Um…. the sword, could you-」
She stopped mid-sentence when Hifumi returned his katana to it’s sheath.
「 Th-thank you.. 」
「 If you have time to thank me, you have time to run. 」
「 Fue?! 」
Alyssa tilted her head in confusion on seeing him disregard her. Hifumi returned his katana to storage, replacing it with the kusarigama.
「 Wh-what….. 」
As Alyssa muttered that, the atmosphere grew heavy. A shadow rushed out from the stronghold towards Hifumi, with the intent to strike.
It was the escaped Gothras.
「 In the past few days you’ve become considerably sickening. 」
Hifumi sneered, easily avoiding the incoming fist.
Gothras’ appearance was very dirty, to the extent that one would not think he was a former Knight. A body bulging with swelled up muscles, drool dribbling down a face twisted in pain.
He grasped a weapon tightly, blood dripping from the fists.
「 Kill…. KILL… 」
「 He’s lost his sanity huh. How boring. 」
While saying this, Hifumi had thrown the counterweight of the kusarigama, capturing Gothras’ arm. Faced with the abnormal strength pulling the kusarigama, Hifumi easily let go of it.
「 Hm, brute force huh. Pretty good. 」
「 B-but the weapon! 」
Alyssa yelled at the carefree Hifumi’s back.
Facing Gothras’ barehanded second strike, Hifumi too was empty handed.
A simple head movement dodged the fist to the face. An elbow met the fist.
Bones were definitely broken, but Gothras continued his strikes without hesitation.
「 No sense of pain either eh. 」
Stepping some distance away in consideration for his opponent, Hifumi was wearing a huge grin.
Seeing that, Gothras attacked furiously, shouting incoherently.
A few palm strikes to Gothras’ sides broke his ribs. Just that alone did not stop him, but a well-placed kick to the broken ribs did the trick. Gothras’ movements noticeably slowed and he was throwing up blood, his internal organs seemed to have been damaged.
「 Pain and fear are valuable sensations. This guy has lost them, he’s a boring opponent now. 」
Gothras’s throat was crushed, courtesy a finger strike from Hifumi, a two-fingered strike to the eyes immediately followed. The onslaught was complete with a pulverizing kick to the now-prone Gothras’s chest.
Gothras trembled for an instant, his movements then stilled permanently.
「 …… Amazing 」
Alyssa was unable to take her eyes off Hifumi.
Pajou and Sabnak arrived with Origa and Kasha just as Gothras died.
It seemed that a sentry in Fukaroru had seen someone resembling Gothras heading towards the border, and the report had made it’s way to Pajou. Eventually, they had given chase, but overtaking a single fugitive was impossible on the highway.
「 This…… Sabnak, return immediately and bring soldiers immediately for emergency border security. And then send a report to the capital about this incident. 」
「 Roger. 」
Receiving Pajou’s backing, Sabnak turned back immediately.
Hifumi briefly told her the situation, Pajou approached Gothras’ corpse to inspect his equipment.
「 As expected, Hifumi-san is proactive…… In any case, this is a completely changed form of Gothras…. This is..! 」
On tearing off Gothras’ shirt, there was a tool resembling the one on Strauss’ chest. However, the shape was a little different from Strauss’. There was a portion that had collapsed, a result of Hifumi’s pulverising kick.
「 This thing, was it the cause? 」 (Hifumi)
「 I fear that is so, there was something similar on Strauss’ chest as well. 」
「 In that case, there may be something like that there. 」
Hifumi was pointing at the corpse of the large man who was acting violently earlier.
While Pajou was looking at Gothras’ corpse, Hifumi observed the large man’s body. A magic tool similar to that of Strauss and Gothras was slightly ensconced in the chest area.
In front of everyone, a hand was thrust into the large man’s chest.
「 Uee~…. 」
Alyssa unintentionally squeaked, unable to look away.
「 Wh-what are you doing? 」
Kasha asked timidly, Hifumi wiped his hand on the large man’s clothes and answered,
「 A thought came to mind. There is a wound reaching his heart. My strike was not the cause of death. 」
Hifumi turned his gaze to Pajou.
「 Judging by the shape and depth of the wound, It’s probably a weapon like Strauss had, similar to the size of that dagger he had…. 」
Origa brought a cloth soaked in water from a nearby well for Hifumi to wipe his hand on.
「 Besides, Alyssa, this man seems to be an official from your side. 」
「 Ueh? H-how…. 」
「 That fellow’s clothes have the same seal engraved in the handle of your sword. They are issue-only goods, yes? 」
「 That is…. 」
「 If you simply think about it, people from Horant have slipped into both Orsongrande and Vichy for something, wouldn’t you agree? 」
Listening to his conclusion and the question that came to light, Alyssa and Pajou both began to understand the sheer weight behind it.
Credits
Translator: Trinity Archive / Infinite Novel Translations
Epub: Estevam / dotNOVEL
Summoned Slaughterer - Book 1 Page 16