Being the decision-maker sucks. Yet I’m the leader of this party. Kyou-san stares at me with all her unwillingness and it seriously annoys me to a degree where I can’t think straight. Rine is between tears and righteous anger, which makes it difficult to calm myself.
“We have one advantage: I know where Ara-san is. That’s about it. It seems that they’re better in this terrain as we are, they found our ambush and could counter it, yet they also couldn’t foresee our rock-slide-traps, otherwise things would have gone very differently.” Yet, I should have known about that. They had this rock-masking skill and heroes learn a ton of skills related to their situation, so just because my own skills are often rather randomly picked, it doesn’t mean that it’s the same for them.
“So what do we do, Ken?”
“Ara-san said she’ll join us later, so let’s assume that she’s in control, possibly sabotaging them as we speak. So we don’t need to mount a rushed rescue attempt.” At these words Rine begins to tremble. She wants to do that rescue attempt, I guess. “This isn’t a battle against monsters or even mercenaries, this is a battle against heroes. This was a first taste at how diverse heroes can be and it exceeded any assumptions.” This wide array of possible skills and spells is really a headache. “Then we have Hoshibashi and Yoshimura. I’m honest, I won’t stand a chance against Hoshibashi on my own, the gap between us has widened. Last time, I could fend him off with Ara-san because we were fighting underneath that magic tree, which boosted Ara-san’s spells. Plus, they were wounded and it became a battle of attrition. Rine, how do you think you’d fare against him?”
“Hn… … … I should win? He has a lot of power, I give him that, but his technique is very predictable. You can do it as well, Kenta. You’re good at discerning movements.”
“For a minute or two, sure. But Hoshibashi has [Regeneration]. I really doubt that I can make enough damage as a [Ranger] to counteract it, and as [Pikeman] I can’t discern his movements at all.” For this, I’d need the [Focus]-skill, which is tied to [Perception], which is an [Ability] I only have with [Ranger].
“Is his [Regeneration] worse than the oni?”
“No, but the oni is a one-trick-pony and you just reminded me that we haven’t seen her yet either. Phew… and I only know that Yoshimura will be a headache as well…” I rub my temples as I can feel a heavy pain coming over me. It would be so much easier if we could just whittle down their numbers by killing Fake and his posse, but Kyou-san will never agree to it and I also have qualms about unnecessary killing. Tiny qualms if it’s those assholes, but hey, crippling is still an option.
“So…”, Kyou-san asks with a skeptical look: “what’s your plan?”
“Divide and conquer. Establishing win-conditions.”
“What?”
“They have the advantage, so they want to take the offensive. Yet they have Ara-san and her status is stable, therefore she’s taken prisoner. Dealing with her will bind their hands. Of course, they can use her as a lure, but we’re in the wilds and anything can happen. Any of us can run into monsters, so there are plenty of opportunities for surprise attacks. Yet Correo’s oni used monsters before and we haven’t seen her today as well, so a lot of wild cards out there. Seriously, it’s a headache to think about everything.”
“So you don’t have a plan?”
“Like I said,” I repeat myself, showing my annoyance: “divide and conquer. You won’t like any of it, but if things go well, you might have a chance to talk to the jerks you call friends, while we can take out Hoshibashi or Yoshimura. These are our win-conditions.” Like Kyou-san said, it’s not a real plan, more like a tactical intention, but she doesn’t need to know that. It’s full of holes I’ll have to patch up as things go on, but we don’t have a choice. With our ambush attempt, I unknowingly put us in a disadvantage because I narrowed my mind too much.
“Kenta?” Rine asks in a soft voice: “Are you troubled?”
“Of course I am! I know what to do, I have ideas of how, but seriously!? Everything is a mess and I’m not satisfied with any of them.”
Rine takes my hand in hers and suddenly, I see another girl, the more self-confident and serious girl I met months ago on Mauerfelsen, the princess I tried to capture: “Kenta, do you remember when we fought the fourbirds? When we needed to climb up that cliff?”
“Yes, it was the worst!” I piggybacked the non-hero Rine so that she wouldn’t be totally exhausted while climbing the cliff, as at least I could use SP-potions to replenish my stamina quickly. My body hurt! …still better than what happened afterward.
“Kenta,” Rine continues: “you’re sounding just like before you came up with the idea how to conquer that cliff.”
…yes, that was also a headache. I mean, it was a natural fortress with no path upwards, only free-climbing. I was stressed because Kyou-san was taken away by the fourbirds and- shit, this is essentially the same situation.
I also remember Rine’s words back then that snapped me out of my hysteria: “Rely on our own strengths, right?”
“Yes!” The blazing smile of Rine calms my heart down, the warmth of her hands transmits into my inner depths.
The heavy headache plaguing me begins to feel lighter and I notice how my shoulders relax. I didn’t even notice that they had stiffened. “Give me a minute.” I sit down and mind my breathing. I really haven’t learned much since the fourbird-incident. Always making the same mistakes, making the wrong decisions despite beating myself up for them over and over again.
I can get stuff done. This is a truth I found in the Spirit Swamps. Yet I also know that I can’t compare in terms of combat-capabilities with Rine. It’s just the truth and I have accepted it. For the most part at least.
This short break isn’t a total reset, but at least I feel like I have space in my head left again. “First, we need to retreat a bit. They’re good with rocks, we’re good with plants. We don’t have a forest, just some scrubs, but they have to be enough. Kyou-san, you write a letter to Ara-san. She needs to send part of them our way. Even when we’re at our best, all of them will be too much.” Maybe she’s already on it, I don’t know. I also don’t expect her to be able to check her backpack, it’s most likely taken by her captors, still, I’m clinging to this hope. “Our end-goal is to split them further and further apart, so that Rine can take down Hoshibashi.” I really wish that we had more preparation time, but with the curse at the door, even under the best circumstances, we have around a day left. If I consider our enemies, though, I give us a few hours at best. “…shit.”
“What?”
“I forgot… Correo has most likely a relic that can track heroes… they may have access to it.” It just slipped my mind with what’s going on. Depending on how it works, it can screw with every strategy. If it’s as reliable as [Spouse Location], we have good chances. If it’s precise, then any plan that involves us splitting up will fail… “We have another win-condition: Take away Correo’s relic.”
It’s strange. Other than the Bloody-Nosed Mercenary Company, I know exactly what we’re facing, but somehow I feel more uncertain about everything than back then…
I look at my spear for a second and close my eyes. This will become messy.
―○●○―
Akiyama-kun, the girl with the pirated ponytail, stares at me from afar while talking to Kurosawa-kun, the vertically challenged girl. They’re currently discussing what to do with my staff and backpack. “Maybe we could put her stuff in one of our backpacks?” Using the [Inventory] is usually a good idea, as this pocket-dimension is the perfect storage-room, only accessible by the hero who owns that particular backpack.
However, “I wouldn’t suggest that.”
Their heads are turning to me, Akiyama-kun then asks as both of them come closer: “Did you overheard us?”
“Akiyama-kun, my apologies. While I know that your human’s lacking hearing causes you to consider this volume as ‘private talk’, I wanted to warn you, before you try something you might not have the time to regret.”
“What!?”
“First, the wood in the staff is still alive, so it can’t be stored in the [Inventory]. This would just be a waste of time, something that’s not concerning me. Yet a hero’s backpack in another causes… consequences.”
“What kind of consequences?”
“You’re moving a pocket-dimension into another one, which causes the host-dimension to carry the load of both, causing a forceful collapse that will lead to a sudden expansion of the holder of said host-dimension and will become a sight I want to avoid.”
“What?!”
“I will dumb it down for you, so that you can understand it.” She’s trembling, so she’s either angry that I called her stupid or she’s so excited to listen to me that she can barely hold it in. As I can’t read her face, I can only guess, but both work for me. “A hero’s backpack is a pocket-dimension, right? Ever wondered why only the respective hero can open it? It’s because the backpack is a part of that hero and the pocket-dimension is actually inside the hero, contained by the hero’s enhanced and divinely changed body.”
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“So we’re storing our items in ourselves!?”
“I just said that. Yet the backpack serves as the connection, the distance between it and the pocket-dimension is zero, yet it will only open by the action of the hero, in this case by reaching into the backpack. Now we have the scenario that a backpack with zero distance but no access is stored inside another pocket-dimension.”
“But isn’t the backpack just the access?”
“Like I said, the distance is zero. If you carefully listen to me, I won’t need to explain basic functions… let’s dumb it down even more… It’s like a math equation. Hero’s body = pocket-dimension = backpack. It’s a perfect stand-in in all spatial matters. So like I said, we have a pocket-dimension in another. Both have the same size, yet one is ruptured from the inside, the one that thoughtlessly let another one into it. It bursts like a freezing jar full of water. Inside the hero.”
Both human girls gasp at the mental picture of bursting asunder, organs and blood flying around, and a very pitiful death,
Of course, this is just a theory I had at some point that proved incorrect. Whenever a hero’s backpack enters another, both [Inventories] are just inaccessible. Yet I want them to leave the backpack close to me, as otherwise they might believe it’s a better option to take it with the force that will hunt after Momo and the rest.
There is still another matter though: “May I have my backpack back for a moment? I’d like to get my portfolio.”
“You think we’ll let you?” Akiyama-san asks in disbelief.
“At this point, I don’t know. I’ve been led to think that you don’t like me.”
“Why should I?”
“Isn’t it normal to unconditionally accept people from entirely different cultures into your own?”
“No!”
“I see. I just thought so, looking at Masahiko-kun’s behavior.”
“Masa is special!”
“Eri-chan,” Kurosawa-san finally speaks out. “Maybe we should just continue. This one is creeping me out.”
“Can I take it as an act of racism or rather speciesism?”
“Your face moves almost never. It’s like speaking to a doll. You also are talking about things like rape and exploding people like it’s nothing.”
“I’m not letting my emotions guide me. My people are led by logic.” And fun. “Maybe it’s you humans who are too emotional?”
“Come, Eri-chan. We need to prepare. Elf, if you’d like to talk, then talk to Yoshimura-kun, Hoshibashi-kun, or Correo-san.”
These are the ones that will be left behind with me, in case that Kenta-kun circumvents the rest. Correo will point Masahiko-kun’s party into the right direction with the relic, a pendulum I had to touch so that it will exclude me in finding the closest hero. This is important information I’d like to tell Kenta-kun, but it seems that our backpack-to-backpack communication is currently unavailable.
So the people trying to capture Kenta-kun will be:
Masahiko-kun as the squad-leader. After a heated discussion Yoshimura has accepted to let him go and stay behind himself. To use the bigger group was the sensible choice, especially seeing how good their teamwork is.
Then there is Kurosawa Tetsuko-san, their scout and stealth-specialist.
Akiyama Eri-san as the healer and magical support.
Yamauchi Daichi-kun as the front, capable of offense and defense.
Kita Katsuo-kun, their archer and ranged support.
“Ara’ainn?” Masahiko-kun comes to me after gearing up: “We will capture Katsuragi-kun and then he will explain himself. Don’t worry, we got this. We have prepared for this day.”
“You will never be prepared for what is to come, Masahiko-kun.” Especially after listening to my advice.
“Wish us luck.” Masahiko-kun leaves together with his party, leaving me alone with Yoshimura, Hoshibashi, and Correo. All of them people I guess might want to kill me.
“I guess that you might want to kill me.” I say to them after the other humans have left my sight.
Yoshimura exchanges a look with Correo who smilingly shrugs his shoulders, then the hero changes his class, his muscles recedes, then answers: “Not if we can help it.”
“So my choices are either to die or to become your plaything? Poor me.” Whenever humans are involved, it will ultimately lead to this. I was expecting that Kenta-kun would be my first, forcing himself upon me due to his physical supremacy, while the only thing I would say is that I like it, out of fear that answering otherwise would just make it worse and being the human he is, he’ll actually believe it.
Yoshimura begins to inhale and exhale loudly, most likely reigning back his sexual desire. “Let me re-introduce myself. My name is Lent Wood.”
“This name is stupid.”
“Wha-”
“I mean, I can see that what’s left of you doesn’t really identify itself with Yoshimura Rentaro, but from all the names you could have chosen, it’s Lent? This was the perfect opportunity to have your name reflect your role or personality, like Smirky Jerkass, or Lousy Pimp.”
“Bwh…hahahaha!” Hoshibashi bursts out in laughter while Wood tries to find his voice back after my flawless argument. “Seriously, Lent. Just relax.” This was the strongest reaction I have seen of him since meeting him again.
Correo has lowered his head, but I can hear him snickering, so I have two people with a sense of humor here, which is a vast improvement of what I’m used to with humans.
Wood begins to calm down a bit: “Ara’ainn, we’re not here to harm you in any way.” Exactly what a rapist would say, he will now assure me that I will enjoy it. “We want to ask you to join us.” …that’s indirect.
“I do not wish to sexually join any of you, but if the three of you force yourselves upon me, I also won’t stand a chance, therefore-”
“It has nothing to do with sex! At all! I mean, join our cause!”
“Your cause of raping people?”
“{Just shut up and listen!}”
There is something pushing against my [Mind Shield] which repels that mental attack. “No.”
“Wha-”
“Lent,” Correo says in a serious tone: “Remember what I told you: Two kinds of people.” Two kinds of people of what?
“You’re right. Her antics just made me impatient. Ara’ainn, my partner Star, Corre-”
“Star? This is his new name?!”
Losing any sense of humor he has, Star comes closer to me, puts his hand on my head and lifts my whole body from the ground, my legs dangling in the air. “Silent.” I feel a bit of force as he wants to show me that he can crack my head, but at this point I’m ready to start listening. I have triggered all of them at this point, which fulfills me with enough satisfaction for now to concentrate on the important matters.
“Like I said,” Wood picks up the conversation: “My partner, Correo, and I are servants of a great deity which will rise to supremacy. When I swore fealty to her, my new divine quest is to convince twenty heroes to join her cause.”
“I have never heard of a quest like that. Seeing other quests, I suppose that anything is possible.” The quests are diverse, my own is to steal forbidden scripts from a god, Kenta-kun and Momo are to kill the demon king, the ss’rak hero from the Spirit Swamps had to find relics. Yet if I cross-reference the legends and tales of heroes, the picture would be that the gods are fighting among themselves and use heroes to further their agenda. The real question would be why otherworlders like myself are used instead of transforming native people like Katarine-san. Her hero-transformation via the Lion’s Wedding Ring is irregular, but shows a possibility that would make more sense. Especially considering that heroes return home if their quest is fulfilled.
“Ara’ainn, join us in serving Kami-sama.”
“Who is this Lady? Correo already talked to me about her.” He definitely didn’t, but I was able to overhear some bits. “What are her goals? What benefits are in for me, is there a dental plan?”
“Her name is only for the worthy. Serving her is reward enough, but if you want to have something more tangible…” He shows his hands, on both ring fingers are rings. “With Correo, we have an abundance of relics, like these power rings, who makes us even more powerful than usual. She can summon an army at any time and transport people instantly, she has connections everywhere. However, the moment you meet her, you will see that just being herself she’s worthy of being served.”
“And what if I refuse?”
“Star has a quest on his own. To kill a hundred heroes.”
“So I would be added to the count?”
“You understand well.”
“I refuse to make any decision until I’ve had a talk with Kenta-kun.”
“Fine. You’re coming with us then.”
“Where to? Aren’t we supposed to wait here?”
“We’re going to see how everything turns out. If we find a possibility to have a talk with your party first, we’ll have it. Otherwise, we’re going to see how Inoue and his friends fare. After all, they’re the perfect way to weaken your party before we step into the fray ourselves.”
“So in the end, you don’t believe that Masahiko-kun will win?”
“I have underestimated him, so I’m not sure. But his goal is to capture Katsuragi and ‘rescue’ the princess and Momokawa Kyou, so even if they win, it won’t interfere with our plans. It would be even easier, as we know by now what they’re capable of and they wouldn’t stand a chance, even if they were at their top-form.”
Sending Masahiko-kun’s party as bait, convincing them that their usual size and make-up is the best chance, boosting their self-confidence with pretended trust. It makes no difference whether they fail or succeed, as then they will snoop in and take the price regardless of the outcome. An elaborate scheme and even though I haven’t seen any of them fighting, they were able to come out of an encounter with Katarine-san unscratched.
“Can I get close enough to see them fighting? I’m the hero-sage after all, so I want to witness it and add it to my data.”
“Not unless you swear your fealty to the Lady.”
“Bummer.”
―○●○―
An old man walks on the safe route through the Red Rock Canyon, the one most traders will use despite its length, as there is little chance that any monster will come. The old man scratches his beard for the thousandth time, his thoughts still with the youngsters. Three in particular.
Kenta, the Red Ranger. A dangerous fellow, but still green. Someone who knows that he kills and still mourns it. He goes his way, not caring about the people around him. Yet it’s not out of arrogance, but because he values his opinion and lets others have theirs.
On the other hand, Masahiko-boy, someone who radiates so much it hurts to look at him. A kind of person the old man never met before. He genuinely worries about the Kyou-girl, that’s why the old man told him what he knew.
Finally, that bearded youngster who talked with Masahiko, most likely an ally of his. All of the old man’s instincts told him that this one is especially dangerous. A ruthless fellow without a shred of mercy. The kind of man the old man started to hate the most.
Sighing, the old man reminds himself that he should pay more attention to the road. There is a caravan in front of him. He used to raid them a lot in his younger days, so whenever he sees one he starts asking himself what valuables they may have.
There are only two dozen guards, if they ever ran into barbarians, they would be easy prey. Some of the tribes will be here at this time of the year, like Brimm’s or Ulf’s people… The old man wonders if the two of them are still alive. It has been so long.
Mistakes. Age. Violence. Grief. Despair. Darkness. The old man had his share of it, yet it will continue for the rest of his life.
Again, his thoughts returned to the teens. Kenta, Masahiko, that beard-boy. The old man wanted to help Masahiko, but his instinct tells him that he might have invited trouble for Kenta instead. Yet, this is none of the old man’s business. He needs to go to Zethtrin, one final journey to find a glimmer of hope.
Masahiko and Kenta need to manage it by themselves. The old man has his own share of trouble.
Suddenly, his mouth starts to sour. “What am I doing!?” The old man exclaims, roughing up his gray hair. “I’m still the same!?” He did a lot of bad things in his life, but yesterday he made another mistake by mentioning where those kids went, and he’s still not trying to mend this still evitable situation? “I’m as stupid as most people my age!”
Turning on his heels, the old man begins to increase his pace to avert another misfortune he caused in his too long life of regrets.