Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 8

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Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 8 Page 12

by Ryo Shirakome

At Yue’s words, Kaori bit her lip.

  “I’d like to preserve my mana as much as possible. Restoration magic takes up a lot, and I’m the only one capable of using it right now, so... This is still just the beginning of the labyrinth, so there’s no telling what’s waiting for us further down, and I already used up one of my spells...”

  “Indeed. In that case, I suppose you should take care of things before that boy attempts to use Limit Break.”

  Hajime was a little worried that Kouki and the others wouldn’t be recognized as people who’d contributed to conquering the dungeon if he kept helping them like this. And if they weren’t able to obtain ancient magic, then he wouldn’t be able to use them as pawns for the upcoming battle against the Noint army.

  That was why he’d wanted Kouki and the others to handle this monster, so they’d have proof of their contribution. However, Kaori definitely had a point. There was no telling what was waiting for them further down, so wasting more mana than necessary was not a wise decision. Sure, he did have a stock of jewelry charged with mana still, but Yue and Tio weren’t in fighting condition, and Hajime had no idea when they ’d be back to normal.

  To make matters worse, their equipment had been taken from them as well. If they got too cocky, Hajime didn’t doubt they’d find the tables turned on them.

  “Master, I can more or less guess what your worries are, but I think you needn’t concern yourself so much with whether or not they achieve any results in battle.”

  “Hm? Why not? Does it have something to do with the theme of this labyrinth?” Hajime tilted his had, and Tio nodded. She might have been an incorrigible pervert, but her vast wisdom and intellect meant her words were worth heeding. Though it didn’t change the fact that she was a pervert.

  “Correct. This is merely conjecture, but I believe Haltina’s labyrinth is meant to test our bonds.”

  “Our bonds, huh...? Come to think of it, the stone epitaph at the entrance said something like that too.”

  “Precisely. Those words referred not only to forging a bond with beastmen and having them guide us here but also to the fact that our bonds would be tested within this labyrinth. Discerning which of our comrades were fake, finding and accepting those who were transformed, all of this is testing our bonds. Testing whether we will protect our powerless partners, or leave them to die.”

  “I see... If that really is the goal of this labyrinth, then all of these trials would make sense. And... Amanogawa’s already accepted Sakagami and fought together with him. Hell, he even entrusted his life to him back there. Since they’ve already proven all that, it shouldn’t be a problem if I finish everything else off from here on, huh. As long as Amanogawa and the others keep overcoming the trials that test their bonds, anyway.”

  “That is what I suspect. But remember, this is still conjecture.”

  Conjecture it may have been, but it was backed up by a good deal of evidence. If Tio was right, then this labyrinth, which wasn’t interested in testing its challengers’ martial prowess, was probably the most fitting one to have brought Kouki and the others along for.

  Hajime mulled over Tio’s words one more time and glanced over at the giant Treant. Its attacks had grown even more ferocious, so it was getting irritated that it couldn’t break through Suzu’s Hallowed Ground or Hajime’s spatial barrier. There were so many leaves and branches flying around that Hajime could barely see in front of him. At that, Hajime made his decision.

  “Taniguchi, I’m gonna blow everything away. If you don’t want to die, keep your barrier up no matter what.”

  “Say what?” Cold sweat poured down Suzu’s back as she digested Hajime’s warning. Kouki and the others looked curiously over at Suzu. And a second later, their jaws fell open in shock.

  Hajime had taken out his specially crafted chakram and was controlling them with the spirit stone ring on his finger. His chakrams tore through the storm of trees and branches, shredding everything in their path. There were more than twenty of them whirling through the air. A few of them flew above the trees and started spraying a black liquid down on them.

  The black liquid was, of course, the same flamrock tar that burned at 3000 degrees Celsius. He was transporting it from his Treasure Trove via the spatial gates he’d attached to his chakrams.

  Shea, who’d realized what Hajime was planning, balked.

  “Whoa...” she muttered as she looked over at Hajime. After all, while Hajime’s method was the most effective way of wiping out the forest of trees that had sprouted in front of them, it was also quite extreme.

  Hajime, however, ignored her chastising gaze and threw a tiny ember through one of the chakrams next to him.

  The forest was bathed in flames for a second time. The Treant ignored the flames and continued its assault, but it wasn’t able to last very long in the hellfire Hajime had drowned it in. Though it had no mouth, the party could have sworn they heard a scream as the flames burnt it to a crisp. The updraft caused by the heat made the flames condense into a whirling tornado which burned so hot it liquified everything it touched.

  Hajime really had created a hell on earth. If Suzu or the others stepped even one foot outside her Hallowed Ground, they’d be scorched so thoroughly not even ashes would remain.

  But while the tar burned hot, it didn’t burn for long. Within fifteen minutes, Hajime’s flames had exhausted themselves. Because the Treant and its trees had thrashed about in their final moments, the fire had spread to the regular trees in the forest too, but Kaori’s timely water spells had prevented the entire forest from burning down. As Kaori was the only mage in Hajime’s party still capable of combat, she was being run pretty ragged.

  “We’ve already met up with Yue and the others, you could have just let the whole forest burn, you know...?”

  “Hajime-kun. It’s not right to destroy everything around you just because you can.”

  “Wherever Hajime-san goes, destruction is sure to follow... If my dad had seen this, he’d probably start thinking up another new nickname for you right about now.”

  Unable to meet Kaori and Shea’s gazes, Hajime looked away awkwardly. Honestly, he didn’t care even if he burned the labyrinth to the ground, but when even Shea gave him that look, he felt a little guilty.

  However, Yue, who was with Hajime on everything, and Tio, who preferred her master to be a merciless monster, seemed to agree with his declaration that destroying the labyrinth was no big deal. For the moment, opinions within Hajime’s party were split evenly.

  “That just now was... No, forget it. I’ve already seen rocket launchers and cluster bombs, so I shouldn’t be surprised at this point. This is normal for Nagumo-kun. I need to get it together...”

  “Don’t worry, Shizushizu. I totally get what you’re feeling, but you’ll get used to how crazy everything is eventually... I hope. Anyway, it’ll be alright.”

  Suzu and Shizuku stared at each other with dead eyes. They’d just witnessed a crimson inferno up close and personal, and it had done a number on their mental state. Ogre Ryutarou looked worriedly over at the two of them, but he couldn’t find any words to say. After all, even he’d broken out in a cold sweat seeing flames inches from his face.

  A short distance away, Kouki glared at Hajime and bit his lip. Even his strongest attack hadn’t been able to defeat the Treant, yet Hajime had taken care of it like it was nothing. He’d come here to shorten the gap between him and Hajime, but he was beginning to worry if he’d even be able to obtain the ancient magic if Hajime ended up saving them from everything. After a while, Kouki shook his head in an attempt to dispel such negative thoughts, then whirled around in a panic when he heard a creaking noise behind him.

  “Is it regenerating?” Just as Kouki said that the scorched ground began to shake, and a tree sprouted from the earth. It grew at a prodigious rate, and in seconds it was the size of the Treant Hajime had just burned. It really had regenerated.

  Kouki and the others instantly drew their weapons, but the resto
red Treant didn’t attack. Instead, its bark started to split open, similar to how the Grand Tree had when it had first let them inside.

  “I figured this was the mid-boss, but I didn’t think it’d also be the door to the next stage.” Hajime nodded to himself and strode confidently into the opening made by Treant. Yue and the others followed suit. Then, Kouki and his group sheathed their weapons and hurried after them.

  The inside of this tree looked as unassuming as the last. However, the moment they all entered, the bark closed in around them and the area around their feet began to glow.

  “Guess we’re getting teleported again...”

  Hajime hugged Yue and Tio close, noting that this magic circle looked almost identical to the previous one. Chances were, if the magic circle wanted to separate the party, hugging the two goblins wouldn’t do much. But still, he figured it was better than doing nothing.

  Since neither of them was capable of fighting in their current state, even a weak monster could kill them easily. Even if there was a slim chance of this doing anything, Hajime still felt compelled to do something at the very least. He couldn’t afford to let either of them die.

  “Hajime...”

  “M-Master... if you’re this kind to me, I won’t know how to respond.”

  The two of them had picked up on Hajime’s worry, and they smiled happily. Though they were still goblins, anyone would have been able to tell those smiles were ones of joy. And for once, Tio seemed embarrassed. Shea and Kaori tried to throw themselves at Hajime too, but they were a moment too late. Just before their arms reached him, the light swallowed the party.

  Chirp, chirp, chirp. The soft chirping of birds, along with the sunlight filtering through the curtains, heralded the arrival of dawn. Annoyed, the resident of the room grabbed his pillow and covered his head with it. However, there was a demon in this room that wouldn’t let him sleep.

  Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep!. A loud ringing noise assailed the ears of the boy attempting to sleep.

  “Ugh...” The boy tried to dive further into his fortress of bedsheets and pillows, but ignoring the demon’s wail proved to be impossible. He reluctantly stretched an arm out and started indiscriminately slapping the desk next to his bed. He’d had a little over a decade’s worth of experience quelling this demon, so on the third try he was able to bash it on the head, silencing it. But while he was well-versed in demon busting, it didn’t change the fact it took a lot out of him. The boy’s arm flopped, drained of all strength. He then sluggishly returned to his fortress, and stopped moving. A second later, he was woken once more.

  “Hajime! Wake uuuuuup! No sleeping in, get up!”

  He heard a familiar voice, his mother’s, calling him from downstairs. Half-awake, Hajime processed his mother’s words and decided to resist to the last. He pulled his covers over him and tightened the defenses of his fortress.

  “Guess he’s not listening. Can you go get him for me? Sorry I have to ask you every day.”

  “Ah...”

  Hajime’s mom spoke loudly, to make sure he could hear her. Considering who she was probably talking to, regardless of how badly she wanted Hajime up, he had no intention of leaving his bed. After all, being woken by the person Hajime’s mom had enlisted was one of the few joys of his daily life. There was a sharp rap on his door. Hajime didn’t respond, but the person on the other side seemed to have been expecting that and opened the door. They tiptoed over to where Hajime was sleeping and poked his curled-up body.

  “Wake up, Hajime...”

  “......”

  Still no response. Though he was only partially conscious, Hajime wanted to hear this beautiful girl’s voice for a while longer.

  “If you don’t wake up...”

  “......”

  The girl caressed his back. The soft sensation caused Hajime to involuntarily smile.

  “I’ll have to rape you.”

  “Okay I’m getting up, so please don’t say such dangerous things this early in the morning.”

  Chills ran down Hajime’s spine, and he quickly jumped out of bed. A tuft of his black hair stood on end, and his brown-black eyes struggled to focus. Standing in front of him was a blonde-haired crimson-eyed beauty. She smiled seductively and licked her lips. At the sight, Hajime grimaced and spoke up.

  “Morning, Yue.”

  “Mmm... Morning, Hajime.”

  Hajime stretched, glad that he was able to see his girlfriend first thing in the morning. His parents both teased him as he went down for breakfast, after which he left for school together with Yue.

  Hajime stifled a yawn as he walked down the familiar path to school, and Yue looked up at him curiously.

  Every one of her gestures is just so cute! Yue’s looks captivated everyone they passed by as well, and plenty of people accidentally walked into poles or fell into ditches because they were staring at her. Yue remained oblivious to the carnage she was causing, though. She dashed ahead of Hajime and whirled around to face him. Since she was wearing a standard school uniform, her skirt flew up a little as she did so. Her golden-blonde hair shone in the sunlight and gave off a faint smell of shampoo. She continued walking backward in step with Hajime and scrutinized his expression.

  “Did you stay up late again?”

  “Yeah, I got a little too engrossed in the work dad gave me. By the time I realized it, the sun was starting to rise.”

  “It’s good that you’re passionate about your hobbies, but don’t overdo it. You need to take care of your body.”

  “Yeah, I will.”

  The two were just having a normal conversation, but it looked like they were flirting. Hajime and Yue had been dating for a while, but the flames of their passion hadn’t dimmed in the slightest. At the beginning, Yue had been so enamored with Hajime that she’d forcefully convinced his parents to let her homestay with them.

  That had caused quite the uproar among the people who knew him. Especially since Hajime was a hardcore otaku who spent most of his time playing games or helping his dad make games. He was the last person anyone had expected to land a beautiful girlfriend. Hajime’s mother had worried he had somehow mastered the art of hypnosis and tricked Yue into being his girlfriend, while his father assumed he’d somehow manifested the power to make his waifu real. And when Yue had transferred into Hajime’s school and announced that she was Hajime’s girlfriend, the whole school had started talking about it.

  Afterward, Hajime had been forced to deal with the hordes of jealous guys who’d hounded him day and night. Yue’d had her own share of problems, and was called out by the school’s girls day after day. Finally, after a few months, things had reached the point where they were calming down. The reason Hajime could walk to school so leisurely now was because he’d braved such a storm of trials. Hajime stared at Yue’s glistening golden hair and thought back to how he’d first met her.

  He’d chanced upon her getting assaulted by a mugger, and after a vicious struggle had successfully managed to fight him off and save Yue. As thanks, she’d kissed him on the neck. Even now, he could clearly remember the sensation of that kiss. After that, they’d started dating.

  Honestly, I’m kind of surprised an otaku like me managed to beat up a mugger in the first place. I guess humans really do display amazing feats of strength when they’re desperate. He smiled to himself. That really had been reckless. But as he sifted through his memories, he realized something was off.

  Wait, come to think of it, where was that place I first met Yue anyway? And why was I there? Yue was obviously a foreigner, and the fact that she was homestaying at Hajime’s house meant she must have come from a different country. Hajime also vaguely remembered first meeting Yue in a foreign country. But he couldn’t for the life of him remember which country that was. Once he realized that, a bunch of other contradictory elements started popping up in his memories. The more he questioned his present situation, the more he felt as though something wasn’t right.

  “Hajime!”


  “Whoa. What’s up? Why’d you suddenly yell like that?”

  He was shocked out of his musings by Yue’s uncharacteristically loud voice. Upon returning to reality, Hajime noticed Yue was staring intently at him.

  “I kept calling your name, but you ignored me...

  “Wait, really!? I’m so sorry! I was just lost in thought...”

  Yue huffed and looked away. It seemed his indifference had really hurt her. He tried to comfort her as best he could, his earlier doubts completely forgotten.

  —Fall into bliss. Look only at me—

  Yue’s whisper was so quiet it didn’t reach Hajime’s ears. He smiled gently at her, glad she was at his side.

  They reached school without incident and as Hajime was putting on his school slippers, he felt something soft touch his back. Someone was hugging him from behind. No, not just someone. Hajime knew instantly who it was just from the sensation. It could only be her.

  “Hajime-saaan! Yue-saaan! Good morning!”

  “Mmm... Morning, Shea.”

  “Sh-Shea-san! How many times do I have to tell you not to hug him!? Get off already!”

  “Don’t be like that! How cruel do you have to be to steal my only happiness away from me!? You better make up for it by marrying me!”

  “How on earth are those two related!? Anyway, get off him! Look, Yue’s eyes have already glazed over! She’s glaring at me too now!”

  Hajime didn’t let the joy he felt at being smothered by Shea’s breasts show on his face, and he silently pushed her away. Shea was an exchange student who’d transferred into Hajime’s class some time back. The reason she was so attached to him was because a while back he’d also saved her and her family from a gang of muggers. Though she looked like a mature beauty, her trademark hairband and innocent smile made her appear childlike. Still, she had enough admirers to have her own dedicated fan club. If Hajime was honest with himself, he didn’t hate all the attention Shea gave him. He was a guy, after all. If he’d met Shea first, she might have been his girlfriend right now instead of Yue. However, there was no point in thinking about such what-if scenarios. As it was, Shea’s assertiveness was a problem for Hajime, since he already had Yue. Hajime racked his brains, trying to figure out why his memories weren’t matching up with Shea’s current appearance. But before he could arrive at an answer, Shea and Yue wrapped themselves around his arms. Seriously though, what kind of cliched set-up is this? I just coincidentally happen to save two different girls from muggers, and they just happen to both fall in love with me? Wait a second. Did Shea always wear a headband like that? I thought she was supposed to have... Hajime racked his brains, trying to figure out why his memories weren’t matching up with Shea’s current appearance. But before he could arrive at an answer, Shea and Yue wrapped themselves around his arms.

 

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