Extra: Crossing the River
The next day, we’d co to the river to make our way to South Donsama.
According to what Wataru told , the river was around a hundred ters across if you went straight. There were stairs that descended to a harbor around two ters above the water, along with a ferry docked there.
There was a slope for wheeled vehicles to descend as well, of course.
That said, we weren’t at the area to get onto the ferry.
“—and so we’ll be crossing the water today.”
“Oi, hold up.”
“What’s wrong, Kehma-san?”
“I an yeah, crossing the river is fine. But how’d it co to [Running Across the River] being a thing?”
“Because it’s sothing special in this town, water running!”
Yeah. Following Wataru here, it turned out that this was so sort of self challenge spot.
It seed he was a bit of a celebrity here too, since people who’d co here to challenge themselves were calling out to Wataru and seeming overall giddy at seeing him.
“Wataru-san! Please teach !”
“Over here! Watch run, Wataru-sensei!”
“Are those people with him his pupils?”
—that kind of stuff.
Incidentally, it seed that the number of people that were able to successfully cross the river was sowhere in the double digits, including Wataru.
“Alright then, how about you give it a go, Kehma-san?”
Heck no. I don’t feel like running over a river. Do I look like a sports junkie to you?
“Oh yeah, Ortega-san, the person who made the inn we were at yesterday, managed to do it, too. In this town, people who’re able to cross the river are called heroes.”
“Heeeh, thanks for the info.”
“Which is why, Kehma-san, I think you should at least give it a go.”
“Which is why my butt. I ain’t doin’ it!”
“I want to see if you can do it, Kehma.”
Rokuko supported Wataru from off to the side. Nope! Definitely not!
“It’d be bad if I fell into the river. I could drown.”
“Oh, don’t worry man. This place is famous, there’s a rescue team always swimming around.”
Famous? How much free ti do these people have to even have a rescue team? Monsters won’t appear? It’s safe? Oh, so it’s only safe during a certain ti range huh. Heeeh~.
“… Changing clothes after I get wet sounds troubleso.”
“You have [Dry] and [Cleanup]. That’d be enough.”
Kuh, life magic is too convenient!
It looks like Wataru’s wanting to do it, no matter what.
“C’mon dude, give it a shot. Maybe you’ll like it?”
“I can’t do the impossible.”
“When there’s a will, there’s a way!”
“I don’t have any rits like that.”
“Could you show that you do?”
Rokuko interrupted us with a self-satisfied look. But like… I don’t. It’s more like I’d just get another derit after I fall in—which I definitely would.
“… Goshujin-sama.”
at looked like she really wanted to try it. Her tail was wagging back and forth. She was definitely looking forward to it.
“Kuro. You don’t have to hold yourself back for , go for it.”
“Okay!”
“Oh, so Kuro-chan’s participating! Alright, let show you how to do it.”
Saying that, Wataru crouched in preparation to dash.
“Montum is important! Kehma-san, make sure you take a good look too.”
“I’m not doing it though?”
“I’m off! Hoh!”
Lot listening to in the least, Wataru took off running. No—it was more like he got shot from a cannon.
Each ti his feet hit the water, they sent out waves of force.
… Just before his left foot would sink, his right foot hit, followed by his left foot doing the sa.
After a mont, Wataru reached the other side and ca back.
“… And that’s how you do it. So how about it, think you go it?”
“That’s inhuman. As expected of a hero.”
“Hah, don’t flatter ~”
You took that as praise?
“Umm, Kuro, you don’t have to push yourself.”
“No, I’ll do it.”
“Kehma-san, see how hyped she is? You should follow her example!”
You can stop looking at like that—I’m not going to do it. You know that, right?
With that, at crouched to prepare herself to dash.
She was concentrating… and then started running. She then began to kick at and soar across the water.
Maybe she can do it?… But soon as I thought that, she sank around halfway across the river.
Collected by the rescue team, at was brought back to where we were standing.
“Ah, too bad. You almost made it across—you get brought to the other side if you make it more than halfway.”
“Muu…”
I used [Cleanup] and [Dry] on at, whose tail was sagging down in disappointnt.
Gozoh stepped up.
“Alright, I’m gonna give it a go! Roppu, see if you can figure out the trick.”
“Ooh, good luck, Gozoh. I’ll get you sothing good to drink if you make it.”
“It’s impossible for ! How ’bout ye get so to comfort after I fail?”
Gozoh was up to bat this ti. Again, with a crouch.
… He broke into a run, but sank on the first step. The rescue team nearby collected him and quickly brought him back.
“Kuh, guess it was useless…”
“You made it two ters at least. It’s okay.”
Seeming like he knew it was going to happen, Gozoh didn’t look too down about it. He used [Dry] on himself.
“Alright, next up’s Kehma!”
“Nope, not gonna. What’s with you wanting to cross the river?”
“Because I’m pretty sure you’ll make it.”
“I think so too. Kehma can do it.”
“I agree.”
“That’s a bit much… I can’t do what I can’t do.”
Haaah, oh well. If they’re going to be like that, why don’t I just try it?
“Alright, I get it. I’ll just go until I hit the other side.”
“Oh! So Kehma-san’s finally getting serious…”
Everyone took that crouching start so far, so I… didn’t.
I just prepared to run off normally.
“Hoh. So you’re going classic style, eh?”
Wataru said that, but I had no clue what he was talking about.
I didn’t pay him any mind and took a step into the water. And sank.
I then continued to just swum to the other side.
“Wh… at…!?”
It was a bit hard to swim with my clothes on, but even while being pulled downstream, I managed to keep going thanks to the golem assist.
With that, I made it to the other side.
“… Phew, that was tiring. Hey guys, c’mon and hurry up—!”
“You’re not supposed to just swim though!?”
Rokuko raised a complaint from the other shore, but I ignored it. I an, I never said that I would run across.
*
In the end, Rokuko and the others just ca along with the coach on the ferry. The heck, doesn’t that just make look stupid?
“That was an amazing defeat, Kehma-san.”
Wataru spoke with such a big smile that he was practically radiating light. I tilted my head.
“Eh? I never said I’d run across though?”
“That’s not what I ant! We’d overlooked the essence of river crossing to start with. Essentially, river crossing is for the sake of making it to the other shore. There was never actually a rule for running across! In other words, Kehma-san, the mont you decided to go classic style for your start, you won!”
What an abrupt, weirdly reasoned explanation. Very.
I just took it as Wataru’s usual, annoying goal of wanting to lose to . Given that he loves getting played around with by Nerune, he’s definitely an M.
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