Chapter 6: The Hero rekt the punks
Pushing the rubble out of the way, I exited, finally arriving at bright and spacious open air.
「I’M-!! FREEEEEEEEE!!」
Having travelled through the long and dark underground passage, I had finally arrived there, where I can praise the sun. I let out a howling cry whilst stretching out my body and basking in sunlight.
These were the outskirts of the Royal Capital’s uninhabited grove.
Taking a deep breath near the stone passage’s exit, the smell of sunshine was incorporated into the refreshing odors of the verdant forest.
I saw the sun for the first time in three months, if you include my first time (though not even a day has passed yet since my second time started). After escaping the place I was killed-, Ryuudouden, I kept hiding. Before, I hadn’t been able to appreciate the sun, which is why I had been moved to tears when I saw the sun.
「Ah~, the sun… it’s great……」
After being deeply moved by the splendor of the world under the blue sky for a bit, a switch flipped inside my head.
My goal was decided. Having suffered from all the guys who tricked and betrayed me, and having had my dignity stamped on to the fullest, I will carry out my revenge.
That said, right now, I lack the power, time and preparation to do so.
As expected of a Lv1, I am limited to a play style without skill correction, and my stamina isn’t nearly enough to take on more than 500 knights.
For the time being, because only the Princess and the Knights in the palace know my face, I won’t need to be very cautious if I leave the town’s castle, unlike the time I was being chased after my face became well known for defeating the Demon Lord.
At the least, there shouldn’t be a situation where I won’t be able to enter a restaurant or inn, or even the town itself, without wearing a long robe to cover my face.
Turning my gaze back to the sun once again, I saw the sun was setting a little. It was approximately an hour past noon. I thought back to the time I was first summoned.
「With the skill of the Royal Court Magician, it will probably take around a full day for the castle to recover enough to report about me in detail. Well, I should have plenty of time if I don’t take a detour.」
I began to walk leisurely toward the Royal Capital’s main street and looked at the cityscape after a long absence.
To be frank, these residents of the Imperial Capital were people who had believed the declaration of The Kingdom and The Church and turned hostile.
I had actually thought I might have wanted to smack their faces really hard like I did the Princess and the Knights when I saw them, but that didn’t happen. Maybe it was because the majority were unrelated, ordinary members of the populace, and also didn’t incite the treachery either.
Of course, I disliked them at a level of natural thinking: “Aah~, it would be good if these people become unhappy. If only they would fall down and hit their head on a stone and become crippled tomorrow or something.” But, rather than spending my resources on them, I had people I wanted to kill even more.
In short, it was an issue of prioritization.
I paused my idle thinking. The first thing we must do concerns the procurement of war funds.
In regard to that, I had something of a prospect.
The heavy necklace that I had swiped from the Princess was kept in the pocket of my uniform.
Even if we disregard the fact that this item came from the Royal Family, with the mithril, colorful magic gem, and enhancements that apply some agility correction to the owner, the value is still good..
If this was sold, it would be possible to obtain sufficient funds quickly.
Of course, it must be sold carefully.
My current appearance was not noble in any aspect, and, to begin with, there weren’t any places that would buy this item nor any market place this can be sold at.
With that reasoning, I didn’t head to the people setting up shop facing the main street.
Instead, it was “The Slums,” which occupied the corner of the Kingdom’s Capital. It was a place shady people went to make a living.
I remembered that, if I entered the appropriate alleyway and advanced in the deserted, dirty direction, I would appear in a place where I’d wonder whether it’s the same town before long.
The cracks on and damage to the walls of this dirty, worn-out house stand out, and the smell of poop, piss, and garbage drifts everywhere, as if to scorn the concept of public health.
The people sitting on the roadside had gloomy and sunken eyes, or otherwise their eyes glittered as they glanced for prey to hunt.
Observing eyes and appraising gazes were split half each, and the ridiculing gazes mixed in occasionally must be newcomers to the slums.
The slums in any town are places where amateurs who judge by appearance can’t live long.
「Hey, Nii-chan in the unusual outfit, why are you in this place alone?」
「………」
「Oto~, that’s unlucky Nii-chan. I’m afraid to say that both the way forward and back are dead ends now. If you want to pass, it’s common sense that you’re required to pay a toll, right?」
Smirking and laughing, 5 or 6 people surrounded me.
「I’ve always thought about it, but this cliche….. No, rather, it’s nice because the conversation would be quicker.」
It can’t be helped, they think this person is an easy target having seen me alone with this appearance, but in general, for what reason do gangs like these pop out during the first time I come to whatever town’s slums?
I know the slums of each town I’ve become well-acquainted with, as a fugitive, I know that they are varied, and the back areas are convenient. So not utilizing the slums during the second time around is something I can’t do, though I feel a little weary at the thought of having to repeat this cliche at every town.
Since I’m alone in this second time around, I thought this was inevitable, but for this kind of development to be heart-throbbing is limited to only the first time, or second time at best.
Anymore would absolutely only be bothersome.
The people in the slums around the area quickly skedaddled in fear of getting involved. A person can only live long in the slums by having both wits and strength.
「I’ll ask just in case, are you my enemy?」
「Haa? What did this wild goose just say?」
「Listen here, just answer me. You are not my particular target for revenge, so I don’t care if you leave because it’s also troublesome to kill you.」
「What, I thought you were an idiot or something for coming to the slums alone, but you’re a genuine self-conceited bastard? He doesn’t understand the reality of the situation, this bastard is a real sitting duck!!」
When the bald, tanned man that seemed to be the leader roared with laughter, the followers also started a large ruckus following him.
「Hey! Lay down all your valuables and goods, then I won’t kill you; I’ll just sell you as a slave!!」
「I see, so this is your answer.」
Since these punks came striking all at once, I step in first and with【Fire Spider Leg Sword】, and cut off all their limbs from below the ankles.
「Ga? GiyAAAAAAAaaaaa!?」
Suddenly having lost both ends of their legs, the entire group of punks, without support, collapsed on the unpaved ground.
「W-What is this, it hurts, IT HURRRTTTSSSS!!」
「Guuuaaaa. what did- GUKAAA!!!!」
Because I hated being covered in my victim’s blood, I used the【Fire Spider Leg Sword】, which produces a high temperature from the sword itself, to cut so the wound is thoroughly cauterized and blood doesn’t spurt out. Another feature of this sword is to quickly transmit the heat to the things it comes in contact with.
The uniform I’m wearing now is what I used as every-day clothing during the first time around. Though immediately after setting out on the journey, I was attacked by night bandits, and it ended up being ragged after repelling them.
My obtaining a sword with a cloth-mending effect after I was abandoned and feeling down were bitter memories.
「Hmm, this time it succeeded. Status Open」
Ignoring the punks’ shouts behind, I checked my status.
Ukei Kaito | 17 years old | Male
HP: 531/545 MP: 75/412
Level: 1
Strength: 224
Stamina: 324
Endurance: 545
Agility: 587
Magic Power: 117
Magic Resistance: 497
Inherent Skills: 「Spirit Sword▽」 「Language Comprehension」
Skills: 『Punch Lv1』 『Magic Manipulation Lv1』『Sky Walk Lv1』『Night Vision Lv2』『Haste Lv1』
Condition: Excellent
As expected, I was able to obtain the skill 『Haste』. I must’ve obtained 『Night Vision』 when passing the underground passageway.
Like the name states, the skill 『Night Vision』 allows me to see in the dark, and the skill 『Haste』 allows me to temporarily raise my agility level by imbuing magic into my legs.
To be honest, just when I started this second time, in other words, a few hours ago when I grasped the neck of the Princess, I also used it when I tried to slip past the knight, I failed and felt a little backlash in my foot.
If it succeeded, a HP knockback shouldn’t have occurred, so I probably hadn’t acquired 『Haste』.
Though I didn’t recover HP because I didn’t rest, my MP that I was recovering through the passage of time had recovered to about 30% or so, but since 『Haste』 was used, 20% was spent.
It will be hard to train this haste skill with it’s large consumption rate.
「However…」
Since my magic wasn’t consumed all at once, it didn’t feel unpleasant, but according to my senses, it hasn’t even been a quarter of a day since the second time started.
Even though I understood this in my head, the inability to use the skills that I had treated as an extension of my own limbs was a sensation I was not accustomed to in any way.
「Ah, Oi~, Don’t run. Aren’t you the leader?」
「GYAAAAAAAAAAaaa!!!」
Having lost his feet, with 【Fire Spider Leg Sword】I hacked the arms off the punk who tried to flee by crawling away.
「Guaaaa, It’s hot, It hurts, Guaaaa!!」
「Hmm, this is alright, not drenching me in spurting blood is a high point.」
While I was casually saying this, I observed the man who was still screaming, even now.
Unlike when he was cut, the man whose wounds were cauterized while being stabbed bursts tears, mucus, and saliva due to the pain of having his body burnt.
「If I don’t produce a fireball, most of my magic will not be consumed, there is no blade length so it’s easy to manage, and above all, there’s little blood loss, so he won’t die easily. Until now, I only used it to the extent of making coal, but with this it’s a convenient spirit sword.」
「Mo, mon, monster…..」
「Ah, AAaaaAA…..」
When I laugh in high spirits, the petrified punks wet their pants with terrible faces.
「Aa, it’s a filthy picture. It’s different for them, but even when I see those expressions of yours, you know.」
Still, my target for vengeance are those who betrayed me directly last time.
Even if I clobbered these guys, I wasn’t happy at all.
「Oh whatever, see ya.」
Saying just that, I infuse magic into 【Fire Spider Leg Sword】 and unreservedly slash at their necks.
With one swing of the sword, the smell of burnt flesh spreads and dripping sounds echo.
「Well, I guess it’s time to go?」
Grumbling to myself in such a manner, left behind in that alley were bodies that were missing their parts below the ankles and above their necks, feet from unknown owners, and faces set into horrified expressions with wounds burned until they were scorching black.