Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash: Volume 2

by Ao Jyumonji

  Haruhiro turned the corner, halfway ready to collapse.

  “Crouch down!” a low, husky voice shouted at him.

  When he did so, something flew over the top of his head.

  No, not something— a sword.

  Someone was around the corner, the owner of that husky voice, and that person had swung the sword.

  The sword struck the orc that was chasing after Haruhiro.

  “Ogoh....!”

  “...Huh?” Haruhiro turned around.

  The orc’s head had been lopped off. It was the silver-haired man with his back to him that had done it.

  Renji, Haruhiro thought.

  He had become a volunteer soldier on the same day as Haruhiro— Or at least, I’m pretty sure he did, even if it doesn’t seem like it. On top of that cool-looking armor, he’s wearing a fur-trimmed cape. The sword he’s got looks sturdy and awesome, too. I knew he was different from the rest of us from the very beginning, but still, the gap between us is big. Huge. I mean, he did that in one blow?

  With just one blow, he took down an orc.

  “You okay?” Renji asked, and Haruhiro nodded shakily.

  Wow. So lame. I’m pathetic. My face is burning with shame.

  Standing up in a hurry, he was about to at least say thank you when someone shouted, “Renji, there are still more...!”

  When Haruhiro looked, a man with a buzz-cut who was wearing a fine suit of armor was pointing off into the distance.

  It’s Ron. There are orcs coming from the direction he’s pointing. More than one of them, too. There are two... no, three.

  “Zeel, mare, gram, fel, kanon,” chanted Adachi the mage, a man wearing black-rimmed glasses, drawing elemental sigils with the tip of his staff.

  What kind of magic is that? Haruhiro didn’t know at all.

  Regardless, a blue elemental flew out, wrapping itself around one orc’s leg. It tripped the orc up, and though it didn’t fall over, the orc seemed to be having trouble walking.

  However, even with their buddy slowed down, the other two orcs charged in like it didn’t matter.

  —Then, a long leg popped out of the alleyway, landing a flat-footed kick on one orc’s knee.

  The timing was perfect. There’s no dodging that. It was probably the thief fighting skill Shatter.

  The orc let out a “Gyaoh!” and stumbled.

  Who did that? That flashy outfit. That exposed skin. So sexy. Sassa, huh?

  “Well done!” Ron stepped forward and traded blows with an orc. Ron wasn’t a small man, but the orc was pretty amazingly well built. Even so, Ron seemed to be pushing it back.

  “Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah...!”

  However, the orc Sassa had hit with Shatter was steadying its feet through the pain and getting ready to go aid its comrade.

  In order to stop it, one girl rose up in the orc’s way—

  Is what I would say, but she’s way too tiny. She’s got to be less than 150 cm. She’s wearing priest’s clothes and carrying what looks like a short staff, but she just looks like a kid playing dress-up. What on Earth does Chibi-chan plan to do?

  “No...!” Chibi held her staff out in front of her.

  The orc shouted “Fah!” and swept the staff aside with its sword.

  “Wha...?” Haruhiro lost his voice.

  Rather than be knocked away, the staff traced an arc. Chibi-chan gave it a hefty spin. Using the momentum, Chibi-chan slammed the staff into the orc’s lower body.

  “Yah...!” she cried.

  “Go, fuh...?!” the orc didn’t collapse, but it stopped in its tracks.

  Chibi-chan leapt back and Renji patted her on the head with his big hand.

  “Nice work, Chibi,” Renji said.

  “Aw...” Chibi blushed a deep red.

  The next moment, Renji’s sword bit into the orc’s shoulder. Even though the orc wore sturdy armor, that apparently didn’t matter against Renji.

  Renji tore his sword free, planting a boot on the orc’s chest and kicking it away.

  As it spun away, the panicked orc was no threat to Renji anymore. Renji stabbed his sword through its throat and gave it a twist.

  “Ohhhhhhhhhhh...!” the orc moaned.

  Ron attacked and attacked, finally forcing the orc to take a knee. At this point, he had won. Ron swung his sword down in a flurry of blows, splitting the orc’s head open.

  “There! Take that...!”

  ...His strength is incredible. Also, man, is his voice loud.

  While Haruhiro stood there impressed by Ron’s voice, Renji was closing in on the last orc, the one delayed by Adachi’s magic.

  Haruhiro watched with admiration.

  That stride.

  Barbara from the thieves’ guild has a way of sliding her feet to run or walk without making noise. It’s similar to that.

  That sword handling.

  It’s a heavy-looking sword, but Renji swings it like it’s his own arm.

  Renji cut through the orc’s neck like it was made out of paper.

  No, you can’t cut through it like that. Bones are hard. Or so I thought, but, as a matter of fact, he really did chop right through it, so that’s a mystery.

  “That’s one done,” Ron patted himself on the shoulder with the flat of his blade.

  Haruhiro stared in a daze.

  Though, perhaps thanks to that he was able to notice it. Rather than focusing on a single point, he was looking at the whole scene, not really trying to look at anything specific when—

  Something moved. On top of the building. On the roof.

  Haruhiro shouted. “Renji, above you...!”

  Renji instantly jumped aside.

  Had he been a moment later, Renji would have been cut down.

  That guy jumped off the roof and came at Renji.

  It’s an orc. Of course it’s an orc. Its hair is white. It’s got a luster to it, so it could look silver, too. Coincidentally, Renji’s hair is silver, too.

  Is there a rule saying silver-haired guys have to be insane? Because that orc is clearly insane, too. Its body is big, and on top of wearing black armor, it’s got this cape with a tiger stripe pattern that’s actually probably real tiger fur, which is insanely flashy. Those tattoos all over its face are insane. The look in its eyes is insane. Its yellow eyes look so wild, it’s insane. Despite that, its expression is calm and it looks pretty smart, which is insane.

  And then there’s the sword. The one-edged sword that orc has is purpleish, long, thick, and sharp-looking with a jagged back side that looks insane.

  On top of that, when it turned back to face Renji, there were about ten more orcs that showed themselves on top of the nearby buildings. The situation was hopelessly bad.

  As the orcs were about to come down from the roof, the boss in the tiger cape raised his left hand to stop them. Then, it said, “Me.”

  —Huh? “Me”...?

  “Me Ish Dogran. What your name.”

  It spoke.

  Broken or not, that orc spoke human language.

  Renji’s lips loosened a little. Apparently, he was smiling.

  I’m amazed he can smile. In a situation like this, isn’t that weird? It’s weird, right?

  “It’s Renji. You want to fight me, Ish Dogran?”

  “Ongashurahdu!” When the orc boss whose name was apparently Ish Dogran raised his voice, the other orcs lowered their weapons.

  Was he declaring it’s a one-on-one battle, maybe?

  “Don’t any of you interfere,” Renji said to his comrades in a low voice.

  You’re doing this?

  You’re really doing this? You’re serious? Apparently you are.

  Or, rather, they’re already going at it.

  Which of them swung first? Haruhiro couldn’t tell.

  However, there was a clatter of metal on metal as their blades collided. Sparks flew.

  Their blades locked.

  They pushed back and forth.

  That wasn’t all; with slight changes in positio
n, they slammed their hips into each other. If Haruhiro took a hip thrust like that, he’d fall over in one shot. They were trying to unbalance one another, but neither fell.

  They leapt apart.

  Ish Dogran aimed for Renji’s legs. Renji leapt out of the way, slashing at Ish Dogran’s head.

  Ish Dogran deflected it with his forearm guard, taking a deep breath—

  His cape.

  He threw the tiger cape at Renji. Haruhiro was caught completely by surprise, but not Renji. Without haste or panic, he grabbed the cape and stabbed at Ish Dogran with his sword.

  Ish Dogran had probably hoped to startle Renji with the cape, creating an opening to attack. That plan failed, so he backed away. He backed away, falling into a fighting stance.

  “Good. Human. You good warrior.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Renji responded shortly as he closed in on Ish Dogran.

  They exchanged blows again. However, this time, Renji was on the attack.

  Haruhiro unconsciously tightened his hands into fists. He can do it. He can beat him. Go. Go get him. Do it! Take him down...!

  Haruhiro had thought he had him.

  That was what it looked like. Renji had the advantage. He should have had it, but suddenly, Ish Dogran’s sword cut deeply into Renji’s left arm.

  Why...? I don’t get it. Haruhiro didn’t understand at all.

  Renji put some distance between them, shaking his left arm. He had a pretty bad wound near his elbow, and it was bleeding profusely. Renji’s comrades all either shouted out or gulped, while the orcs gave a cheer.

  Renji let his left arm slump to his side.

  Looks like he plans to use his sword with just his right. Or, rather, with that wound, he doesn’t have much choice. Renji’s sword’s huge. He’s at a disadvantage now.

  Despite that, Renji took a deep breath and smiled.

  “Not bad.”

  This smile was different from the last one. He didn’t just loosen his lips, he grinned with his whole face.

  That made me shudder. Haruhiro honestly thought Renji was frightening. Renji’s scary. Well, he’s always been scary.

  Renji went on the attack again. Ish Dogran turned his blade aside.

  Ish Dogran’s wielding with two hands, while Renji only has one. Renji’s slashes are always going to be lighter. He can’t win this with a straight up exchange of blows.

  In fact, Renji’s sword looked like it was going to be sent flying and, though he managed to hold on to it somehow, he was left wide open from his face to his chest.

  This is bad.

  “Eek...!” Chibi screamed.

  Ish Dogran slammed the back of his fist into Renji’s face.

  He’s not bare-handed. Ish Dogran’s forearm guards are probably metal, and they cover his fists as well. Renji’s nose was broken and smashed, and there was blood everywhere in an instant.

  Even so, Renji was still smiling. He attacked again.

  He attacked and it was deflected. His blow was knocked away and he suffered a counterattack.

  As they watched, Renji became covered in wounds all over. Renji was wearing armor, but not the type that protected him everywhere. There were gaps in it. Ish Dogran’s attacks precisely targeted those gaps. On top of that, with Ish Dogran’s wicked sword, he could cleave through a little armor.

  “Ohshu! Ohshu! Ohshu!” the orcs stamped and cheered loudly.

  Renji’s continuing his attack, but it’s painful to watch. Stubbornness is all that’s keeping him going at this point. That, and because if he goes on the defensive, he’ll be taken out immediately, so he has to keep attacking, or something like that.

  “Ron!” Haruhiro couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you okay with not helping Renji? Adachi! Chibi-chan! Sassa! Renji’s gonna die!”

  “If we did that,” Sassa said, looking pale. Even as she sweated, she forced a mocking laugh, “Renji would kill us later.”

  “Uwah...!” Chibi-chan said something with an incredible look on her face. Like she was trying to tell him something telepathically.

  I don’t think it was a signal, though.

  Renji attacked and Ish Dogran turned his blade aside. The scene looked similar to what had happened a little earlier. Renji’s sword was almost sent flying, but he somehow managed to hold on to it. However, his face and chest were left wide open.

  This is bad. It’s the same as last time. He’s gonna die.

  Had Ish Dogran tried to punch Renji in the face?

  Renji didn’t let him.

  He’s wielding with both hands. Renji suddenly switched to a two-handed grip and swung upwards. Ish Dogran leaned back and avoided it—

  But, that shouldn’t be possible. Wasn’t his left hand unusable? Still, Renji is holding his sword tightly with both hands right now.

  “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!” Renji roared like a bloodthirsty beast.

  It was doubtful that it had made Ish Dogran falter, but he did look like he paused for a moment.

  Renji’s sword swung down crosswise, burying itself in Ish Dogran’s shoulder.

  In the next moment, Renji let go of his sword.

  He pushed Ish Dogran down and punched him.

  He punched again, not even pausing for a breath.

  He punched him systematically, meticulously.

  Ish Dogran moved no more.

  The area fell silent, with only the dull sound of Renji punching Ish Dogran echoing. Renji’s body was the only thing moving.

  Finally, Renji clasped his hands together and raised them high. Then he slammed them down on Ish Dogran’s head. Then, with a deep sigh, he snapped his head back and forth.

  “You weren’t bad. Ish Dogran. I’ll remember your name.”

  Ron snorted. “You’re a mess.”

  Adachi’s eyes flashed, and he was glaring at the orcs on top of the building.

  Sassa looked ready to collapse at any moment. Chibi-chan was rushing over to Renji’s side.

  Renji pushed Chibi-chan aside, picking up Ish Dogran’s sword and pointing it at the orcs.

  “What’re you gonna do now? If you want a fight, all of you come at me at once. I’ll take you on.”

  No—isn’t that bluffing a little hard...? Haruhiro couldn’t help but feel that way. He was sure they were going to die, but in a situation like this, maybe you had to bluff big.

  One orc waved an arm. A number of orcs growled in protest, but when the orc who waved looked at them, they fell silent.

  The orcs all retreated at once.

  “We...” Haruhiro was ready to collapse on the spot. “We... survived?”

  All of that had unfolded before his eyes, but still he couldn’t believe it. Haruhiro looked at Renji. He looked at him again and again.

  Renji’s really amazing. He’s strong. It’s stupid to try to compare the two of us and then act jealous or servile because of it. ...Renji’s insane.

  Totally insane.

  “Ah,” Haruhiro looked down to his own hands. Then, he looked around. It was gone.

  Shihoru’s hat. Her mage hat was gone. When was I last holding it? There was too much other stuff going on, so I don’t remember. Anyway, it looks like I’ve lost it.

  “What’s wrong with me...?”

  2. Wishy-Washy Chairman

  “—and that’s how it went!” When he was sitting in a corner in Sherry’s Tavern telling the story to his comrades like this, the excitement never stopped.

  In fact, at some point he realized that not only Ranta, Moguzo, Yume, Shihoru and Merry were listening to him, the people drinking at nearby tables were as well, and he became a little embarrassed.

  Haruhiro cleared his throat.

  “...Anyway, they were just amazing. Renji and his party, that is. Actually, just Renji alone was amazing, really. That orc, Ish Dogran, was pretty tough, too, I think. Well, until halfway through, it was looking to me like Renji was going to get killed, after all. Oh, but, it was never actually like that at all, you know. He just sort of made it seem th
at way? You could say he was tricking us all, I guess? I mean, I was convinced Renji couldn’t use his left arm. Ish Dogran looked like he totally believed it, too.”

  “Whoa!” Ranta messed up his curly hair. “Basically, he turned a bad situation into his trump card, and saved it for when things got even worse! Damn, that’s so ballsy, I can’t believe it! Dammit, dammit, dammit! I wanna do that, too! I’ll do it, I swear! 100%, I’m gonna do it!”

  Yume looked coldly at Ranta. “Yeah, you go right ahead. If you fail, well, them’s the breaks, right?”

  “Like I’d fail! I’ll obviously succeed! I guarantee it’ll be a huge success!”

  Shihoru, who, in the end, had been forced to buy a brand new mage hat, looked at him with exasperation. “...What basis do you have to say that...?”

  “Huh? Basis? Well, you know, uh...” Ranta thought deeply, but apparently drew a blank. “You moron, I don’t need no stinking basis! Confidence is all I need! The confidence to say, yes, I can! You’ve gotta have that!”

  Merry lifted her porcelain mug to her mouth, then took a short breath. “I definitely think confidence is important.”

  “I know, right?! That’s Merry for you! She gets it. Because she’s had a longer career than any of you guys! She’s different! She’s not like you small fry!”

  Merry gave Ranta a silent but heavy look. “Overconfidence kills.”

  “Urkh...” It seemed Ranta had no comeback for that.

  Of course not, because Merry’s words had the ring of truth to them. After all, because Merry’s initial party had let it go to their heads when it had gone a little too well for them at first (to put it a little uncharitably), they had suffered a devastating hardship for it. Merry had lost three comrades.

  “B-But...” Moguzo mumbled. As much as he loved his helmet, he had left it on the table. “Th-They’re amazing. Really. Renji and his team, I mean. Even though they started at the same time as us, they’ve gotten pretty far ahead...”

  Once Haruhiro finished regaling them with “The Legend of Renji,” some of the customers near the table came over with grins on their faces, patting him on the shoulder and saying things like “You work hard now, Goblin Slayer,” then they left.

  Ranta clicked his tongue. “...Dammit, those jerks. They’re making fun of us!”