'Onii-chan, wake up!' I hear Tsubaki calling me while I sleep.
"Hmmm? Give me five more minutes Tsubaki..." So I simply turn to the other side.
However, that wasn't enough, and she starts shaking me instead.
"They sent a mail saying the classes are cancelled for today, I`ll show it to you later..."
Suddenly, I start being slapped across my face!
"Wh-whoa! What the hell!?"
"It's your turn now. Wake me up at sunrise. I'm tired, so STAY. SILENT." Akane says, in a no-bullshit manner.
Talking to her first thing after waking up really makes you feel awake.
I`d call it instinctive fear…
"Yes yes, good night..."
But I do feel refreshed. It feels like I had some good rest.
I get out of the tent, making way for her.
As expected, it's still dark outside. The fire is still up, but much smaller than before... And... The moon still looks the same, it`s even at the same place, right above us. It must be just my imagination...
Well, whatever, I'm hungry.
Let's see, what do we have to eat for breakfast--- Wait. Since I just woke up, this does count as breakfast, and not as a late night snack, right? Right.
Let's see, what have we here…
Water and salt… That's not food…
Emergency rations that look like crackers... As the name suggests, best saved for an emergency...
And a ton of snake meat... Lots and lots of snake meat, plus their heads, where they keep their venom...
I'd better not stare too much or I'll lose my appetite...
…
But now that I look at them… Not only are they skinned, but also had their innards removed and were drained of their blood… When did Akane even do that? Not only is she a survivalist, she's also an experienced hunter? I have to thank her later…
I cut a sizable piece of meat, salt it, put it on a stick and then place it over the fire.
…
This isn't going to attract any monsters, right…?
Nah… We have a campfire. According to the book, 'weak' monsters from beginner areas are afraid of it…
Instead of monsters or beasts, it seems they behave more like animals…
…
Good! This is so tasty!!! Snake barbecue, rules!!!
I find it weird to have meat for breakfast. The meat is a bit hard and dry, and I keep thinking about how I decapitated them… But they do taste really nice! Hehe, don't underestimate my years of taking care of my sister! I should be called to one of those programs of culinary competition! As expected of the Demon Lord (lol)!
…
Lalala~ Nothing to do~ Singing in my head so Akane doesn't get angry~
…
I wonder if it's alright to continue travelling with her… Jokes aside, I'm not sure how having 'Demon Lord' in my status might impact my life…
…
Ah... Where`s the sun??? I can't read with just the light of the campfire, it`s way too dark and unstable!
…
…
…
Boring... Is there nothing to do over here…?
…
…
…
!!!
Wait, what was that?
I straighten myself and hold the handle of my sword with one hand.
.
.
.
Silence.
.
.
.
I'm not sure, but I think I saw something moving in the dark…
.
.
.
Silence.
.
.
.
There shouldn't be any monster in here that would approach us while the fire is still burning. Not even the wolves… Was the book wrong…?
Is it because I grilled some meat? But that was a while ago already…
Maybe it isn't a monster, but a person instead…?
Or am I just getting paranoid? Maybe it wasn't anything after all…
No. I have a bad feeling about this… My Demon Lord senses are tingling…
I continue to observe for a while. And I can't help but feeling like I'm being watched.
.
Silence.
.
Silence.
.
I have to warn Akane, but I feel like I shouldn't make any big moves yet…
I try to call her with a contained whisper "Akane! Akane!"
But there's no answer. I don't think she'll be able to hear me like this… Damn it, why did something like this have to happen right on my watch…?
The smell of cooked meat? Nope, I refuse to accept that hypothesis! This was in no way my fault! Except, maybe…
…
…
…
Silence.
Was I simply being way too paranoid after all…? I've been on edge for a while now, while maintaining a combat ready position… But nothing has happened yet. And honestly, it's starting to drain me mentally.
Maybe I should just leave it be, it must've been my imagination…
Instead of sitting back down, I slowly turn around.
As if!!!
I quickly use my feet to boost myself, and turn my body back. Only this time swinging my sword with full power, and strengthened by the full extent of my mana expression.
Someone or something fell for my bait, since as soon as I turned I could hear a sudden rustling noise coming from my back. But it didn't matter, since whatever it was that came out of the dark, it was met head on by my sword.
However, instead of the usual sensation of metal slashing through flesh to which I got used to in here; my sword is forcibly stopped mid-swing by an opposing force.
*Clank!* A loud sound of metal clashing with a hard object resounded through the dark forest.
!!!
"A-a bear!?"
Dark grey fur. It's difficult to make it out properly in the dark, but a huge beast had my sword clasped tight in between its great fangs.
We were so close, I could even feel its hot, smelly-breath to my face…
I-it managed to stop my slash with its jaw!? D-damn it, it's not letting it go!
Instead, the beast began to violently shake its head, as if trying to force me to let go of my sword.
Is this monster smart? Of course, I won't let it take my sword!
I grip it as hard as I can, and don't let it go. This sword was the only thing that would let me come out of this encounter alive. It's not an exaggeration to say that I was doing my best to hold on to dear life.
As such, we stood at a stalemate…
But it didn't take long for the beast to also start swinging its claws at me.
But since it's so close, I can feel precisely what it is going to do next. Also, since it is still biting at the sword, I can use my hands to move its head and slightly change the scratches direction, making them easier to evade.
Left. Left. Right. Left. Right. Right.
I manage to avoid them all, but… Damn, its speed is no joke! If it were moving freely, I wouldn't be able to avoid them at all!
Considering discretion won't take me anywhere anymore, I began to scream desperately.
"Airi! Airi!"
…
To no avail. It seemed help wouldn't come anytime soon…
"Wha---!?"
As if noticing its previous attacks had no effect, the beast suddenly raises both of its front paws from the ground, and decides to attack me simultaneously with them.
Hell!!! I can't avoid this if I keep holding on to my sword! But if I let it go, then I'm dead!!!
It was then that I saw it.
As the beast supported itself in its hind legs, it revealed its whole abdomen and something else further beneath it. A certain place that proved it was a male of its species…
Is this against the rules?
Rules? There are no rules on the battlefield! ... Ok, maybe there are some, or at least there should be... But this is not one of such cases!
I take this chance and kick it's golden balls while manifesting the full extent of my mana expression!
…
It's not very effective…
A true warrior is able to train any part of their body, I guess...
But I went all out, you know? Maybe my expression level isn`t high enough for me to cause harm with my bare physical attacks... Damn, being weak sucks... I can't take its attacks head on.
What can I even do right no---
!!!
"Crap!"
The beast brings its claws down, and without any other choice, I let go of my sword and jump back. The world seems to move in slow motion, as I see the claws missing me by a hair's breadth.
In this decisive moment, right after the beast ended its attack and had its paws cross in the empty air; while I was still mid-jump, close to landing back at the ground, my mind started racing like never before, with my life and Airi's on the line.
Safe. I managed to avoid its claws.
But what can I do right now? Without my sword, it won't be long before I'm the one in between its fangs…
What else do I have with me??? Armor, gauntlets, shirt, pants, boots, potions, book...
And a dagger!
This might just work then...
Mid air, moving in an uninterrupted flow and with trained accuracy that didn't seem to be mine, I take a mana potion from my waist pocket with my left hand. And I throw it at the beast face, with the intent of blinding it for a moment. Then I take hold of the dagger with my other hand.
Standing over its hind legs, the beast doesn't take the small pot as a threat, so instead of trying to dodge, it simply turns its head, receiving the glass head on. It is giving priority to moving its paws back to the ground to regain its footing. The glass then shatters over the side of its head, scattering the potion over its eyes, but without causing any damage.
However, it is a beast after all. It wasn't expecting for the glass to shatter and spill its contents over its eyes, so it flinches for an instant.
Taking advantage of that, in the next moment, just as I touch the ground, I quickly spring back in the beast's direction, holding the dagger firmly in my hands, as I stab one of its eyes! Blood immediately splatters over my hands.
It pierced through!
Heh! Not even the best of warriors can harden their eyes, right?
Huh? But, I can't pull off the dagger now! It seems to be stuck inside the beast's eye socket! Pull it harder---
"Grrrrrr!!!!"
!!!
The enraged beast, with my sword still in its mouth, wildly slashes it's claws in return. I let go of the dagger as well, but I couldn`t completely avoid them this time.
I can feel its claws ripping right through my armor like butter, followed by an acute pain to my chest.
!!!
"H-Hey, look at what you just did to my brand new armor... It was supposed to be an intermediary class, you know? C-Crap, I might have forgotten to strengthen it with mana expression, but even so… Are you sure you should be in this low level forest...?"
There's a clear mark of dilacerations in the armor. The hole is big enough to reach all the way to my chest, I might be bleeding a little, but I don't think there was any big injury. However just the impact has left me feeling a little winded by itself…
"I-I got you once and you hit me back… Can't we just end this here? I-I'm not tasty, you know…"
The beast drops my sword from its jaw, freeing its fangs. Its remaining eye stares at me with a mix of pain and anger, and it growls menacingly.
Well… WTF, here I was fighting thinking I had any chance of winning… But I only got it mad instead. Isn't this guy a little too OP!?
"H-hey, Red, in case you were waiting to make your heroic arrival, then now would be the perfect time…"
Silence.
Damn…
I feel my lips curving upwards. This might be getting a little too exciting…
Am I out of options?
I notice that during our fallout, I got closer to the spoils bag.
No… Maybe there's still a way…
I crouch and shove my hand inside the bag with the decapitated snake's heads.
"So… What are you waiting for? I'm out of weapons, haven't you noticed? But I don't want to hear any complaints about my taste later…"
The beast stares at me cautiously, with its remaining eye, preparing its final charge…
…
And then it pounces, aiming its fangs at my neck!
Kanade's smirk grows fiercer, as his eyes begin to shine in a malicious tone of red.
I hope this works!
I take one of the snake's heads from the bag, and place my hand in front of the beasts's trajectory.
The beast's jaws close and its fangs pierce through my intermediary gauntlet, properly reinforced with expression, and finally through my hand as well.
"Khg! Aaaagh!"
Khh! I was even using expression this time, goddammit!
"So? Is it tasty? Then just wait until you see the side dish!"
With whatever strength I could muster in my dilacerated hand, and taking advantage of the pressure exerted by the beasts jaws, I crush the snake's head, spreading all of its venom inside the beast's mouth.
But some of it also goes into my wounded hand.
"Ngh---! Fuck, it burns!!! Damn, this is worse than alcohol!!! Tel me, how does it taste!?"
"Guaoh!!!" The beast turns desperate and releases me. It then starts to shake its head, while blindly rampaging around the place.
What, your perfect palate couldn't handle it? I should have told you I might cause an indigestion…
…
Huh?
I-I can't move???
Whaaaat!!!???
I do the best I can to remain on my knees, while staring at the beast.
"Auuuu!" Luckily, still a little desperate, it gives me a last glance with its remaining eye, before running away, while colliding with many trees on its path.
Did it associate me to the poison? Or did the effects of the poison make it afraid?
"U-Ugh!"
I begin to feel pain all over my body!
Did I also get poisoned…?
"S-Sta...tus..."
Gabriel Kanade Aki
Status:
- Mortal
- Summoned from another world
· Mana Conversion: Incapable
· Mana Expression: Advanced
· Spirit Affinity: Godly
· Mana Capacity: High
- Health: Poisoned and Paralyzed
- Condition: Bleeding profusely
- Virgin
- Demon Lord: Soul 40%
Damn it; just take out the virgin part already!
"Ugh!"
No, I can't move myself to grab the antidote…
P-Paralysis... bleed…ing and... p-po...ison...
Out of the... fry…ing… pan...
Kanade passes out.