Chapter 23 Edge
Once I woke up,
“Oh, I regained consciousness!”
There was a skull in front of me. Normally it would be a beautiful girl that would take care of you in such an event. This time it is reversed.
“What happened to me?”
I remember coming near the village. But I think that I lost my consciousness there.
But why am I in a bed and not on the ground? I felt relief for the meantime because my body has not melted.
I looked around, I think that this is Alice or Mina’s house; but how on earth did they carry me all the way here?
“This skeleton called Miss Mira; I ask to bring you back in secret because it is not possible for this skeleton to carry you.”
The Butcher needed to be transparent to enter the village. If he carries me in such a state, then I would appear as though a slime is floating in the air. I was honestly grateful for the Butcher’s quick wits as there is no way we can avoid being discovered in such a strange state.
I will not stroke your ego by telling it to you though. I can see him getting cocky.
“I advise for you to not move just yet. You more seriously injured than you think. It would not be weird to say that you died. It took a ridiculous amount of recovery potions to restore you.”
“Thanks for the advice. But, it was in a way pointless.”
I cannot move even if I try to move. My body is slugging just like when I first got reincarnated, it is heavy. My eyes are able to move though.
“Hey, what was that all about?”
The opponent who I got beaten up ever since I got reincarnated, the hobgoblin. Its strength was overwhelming. It looked like a middle-aged man, someone who is not that strong, but I cannot deal damage to it. Moreover, I cannot even hit it.
However, you can feel its strength even though it is only a higher species of goblin. He is named after all, Naka-Oni Hobgoblin, then that means that there should be a guy named Dai Oni. It would be hard to imagine how much stronger it would be.
I am only the frog in the well, I wonder if this is normal in this world. If that is so then there will only be despair ahead.
“I do not mind you losing to this decree on such a special individual. If you continue to grow, in time, you will be able to gain that power.”
“What do you mean?”
Its good enough that the guy is special, does that mean that I will end up the same as him?
“It was named, it is a special kind of individual called a named monster.That is not particularly accurate, it is the head of the heard simply put, you can think of it as a boss class. Do you understand?”
“Well, sorta.”
Boss, as the name suggests, it is a formidable and powerful being that appears during end game events. That’s it isn’t it.
That strength is certainly abnormal, it might be natural for me and other monsters to feel the difference.
Will I be able to become such an existence if I continue to evolve? No, it is very much possible if I aim for it since I am the owner of a mighty soul. Nevertheless, I simple understand it based on experience, there is a sense of wonder and conviction.
I am clearly different from a regular monster, too different.
“Really, I wonder what will happen.”
The damage done by the viper is gone, I would have been in danger if I have been discovered. The destruction of the village is inevitable if it attacks the village.
“Is the possibility that he is going to attack a human village high?”
The Butcher placed his hands on his chin and started to think, he slowly opened its mouth.
“The next few days will be fine, but we are currently at a very dangerous situation. It looks pretty hungry in its current state, it’s only a matter of time before it will hunt for food all over the area. Of course, they will try to ward off the lesser monsters, but it will not be effective since they do not work as normal.”
Warding off monsters, a word that I never heard of, but I somehow know what it means. It would only be natural since a village in the middle of a forest full of monsters without any countermeasures would be crazy.
“But, but that would be the case if food was hunted all over the area. Isn’t that what you said?”
“No, most goblin type monster in this area have already been hunted or moved to another place. They ran away from you because they were scared, it was captivated by the meat there, so it decided to pass through. It would have been missed the very weak you if it did not.”
I certainly had wounds all over my body but to think that I was not able to finish it off. At that time, it would be reasonable to think that they were attracted by the smell of meat and went there.
“In that case then the operation was fortunate, though on the other hand, it means that there will be no extensions. So that’s why the goblins were strangely active and the Viper behaving abnormally. Every single one of them was hungry.”
“The goblins and that monster are from the same family that is why they cannot be killed even though they do have enough when they are searching for food; the Viper was feeling hungry because it could not get a decent meal at that area. It is a troublesome story.”
I jokingly said even though it is not funny. Every single one of them around this area has been eaten by a single monster. I wonder how much appetite it has.
It looked like a starving old man, even though it was a joke, it is quite possible that it could eat up the entire area.
“What are you going to do?”
The butcher asks but I could not answer. If this is the case, then Alice and as well as the entire village may die. I would like to do something but with my current power it is impossible. What can we do if we cannot even compete?
“Is there a way to avoid fighting? Like evacuating all the villagers and abandoning the village.”
“We can do that but in reality, it will be difficult. It would be difficult to travel long distances if there are children and old people; there would even be attacks from goblins along the way if you think about it. Firstly, how are they going to live after they are evacuated? Are they going to be out in the cold?”
I wonder if there is anything else, a plan where everyone can survive.
“Earlier I saw Miss Mira, she was calling for reinforcements by using magic; telling them that there was a named monster that appeared south of the village.”
I hate it when the butcher crushes any or all possibilities. This guy is calmly talking while being in this situation, that is why I feel so irritated.
“Then what, abandon them and run away!?”
I told you before. You would not be here if it can’t be done, I cannot abandon Mina who was innocently laughing on my back earlier. I can’t do it, that kind of thing.、
I know that I was just venting out my anger, it would be unreasonable to strike the butcher while I am angry.
“No, I also cannot recommend it.”
I stopped after hearing these few words. It was something unexpected. I just thought that this guy will recommend abandoning the village but what’s with these turns of events.
“Currently you are deeply wounded. There is a high risk of wasting your life if you act in this state. You cannot even get through this forest if you are unskilled, it would not be impossible for us to be killed by a goblin.”
“Then what are we to do!?”
“Well? I do not know.”
My thoughts halted in an instant with those words. This guy, what are you saying.
(Could it be, has he forsake me in this situation?)
No, it would be a strange thing especially if you think about it in a profit or loss case. There is no longer a reason for the Butcher to serve a guy who is no longer ahead. That’s why I came here to show my potential but I never thought that it would cut off in such a way.
Checkmate. There is no way to beat it once the Butcher’s cooperation vanishes.
“I can only say is that we have no luck. If possible I would like for you to do your best to survive. Well, with the price you paid as a customer, just like before we do our best and cooperate.”
The compensation that I have paid is not that high. It will not be enough for me.
The Butcher has not changed his position since I met. This guy continued to be a merchant. He still continues to do so and will probably continue even after this. It may be natural from my point of view; you cannot blame me. We understand that we are using each other.
I know that but,
“Do, don’t fuck with me! Temee (Youu), you betrayed me!”
I could not resist but blame the butcher. In this situation where this guy knows a way for me to recover but is willing to abandon not only Alice and Mina but also me, there is also a high chance that even Mira will lose her life.
I am fully aware that this is irrelevant to this guy. But, that’s why there is no way to find a clear solution.
“Oya oya, please don’t get me wrong. This skeleton has yet to completely abandon you. If there is an effective idea then I would not mind supporting you with an upfront investment. ”
“In that case!”
Then what was that thing you said earlier.
“If you have an idea, that is. It’s like this, a miracle is needed if you are to survive. But, if the opposite happens and that you are able to overcome this, then it shows that you are very capable by making the impossible possible. This skeleton wants to see that.”
The Butcher’s expression was like a Noh mask except that he is a skeleton. No emotions, he should have no emotions.
“How do you defeat something unreasonable such as a named monster? Or is it going to be a disappointing death. This is a final test from the Butcher. Whether you are truly the owner of a mighty soul, don’t you think?”
This guy really has an air of arrogance. It is an existence known only as a merchant, there is no hesitation in winning, they act just to make a profit. He made it this far, there is nothing else to say other than admirable.
“Damn it, I understand. I have no choice.”
It is useless no matter what you say to him. I can’t be helped but using force is impossible.
It is impossible to change his mind except when he sees results. Now I have to think how I can break this situation.
“Well then I will excuse myself since it will get in the way of your thinking. Please do your best.”
“Drop dead! Rotten skeleton!”
I am not joking. His attitude, it really irritates people.
The Butcher wears the ring, becomes transparent and leaves the room. If the attack was effective, I should have sent three hits in.
tte, that may not be the case.
(But how can we recover from this hopeless situation?)
I cannot move but I will be a thinking machine, I will be immersed in my thoughts.
But, I am unable to get an answer no matter how much I thought about it.
