Chapter 123: Versus S part 2
Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Weasalopes”
For roughly two weeks I continued my lifestyle intent at accumulating LP, eating cookery and frequenting lewd establishnts.
Thanks to that I beca pretty used to life in the castle town. During that ti I kept monitoring S.
His daily life was extrely ordinary.
No hostility towards nobles or royalty, no attempts to dispose of the guards.
He diligently worked at the at stall and was sowhat getting along with neighbors.
He doesn’t appear like a bad guy at all.
The only ti he acts as S is when he finds a person of outstanding ability. Naturally, he uses 【Brainwash】 to turn them into his comrades. However, as I saw it, he is very picky about his targets.
Strength alone isn’t enough. There is sothing else that he seeks. Maybe a character?
Perhaps the effect of 【Brainwash】 will expire if you won’t et regularly, but for so reason, he rents a building on weekend and holds assembly there.
That swordsman that got into the fight also went there, so there is no doubt about this.
As one would expect, I was too scared to infiltrate.
「It’s about ti to challenge him.」
Looking at the ceiling, I resolve myself.
I already have 11000 LP.
I did my best to accumulate them.
About two or three tis a week S visits bars during the nightti. It seems that he simply wants to drink.
That’s where I’d like to strike. What I should be careful about are his skills. I didn’t approach him close enough to confirm what is 【Freewheeling】. Since I didn’t want him to rember my face.
However, with this much LP, I should be able to deal with him.
「Noir, wake up. Breakfast is ready.」
Naina-san ca to wake up.
「Thanks for always waking up.」
「Since you are still growing I made your serving extra-large, and we also one day will have to defeat S together!」
She recognized as a comrade. It seems that people who want to take down S count as such. However, I’m putting so distance between us.
I feel like and they are a bit different. I want to return ho as fast as possible and see Emma and others – that is my motivation.
However, for her and her comrades, it’s all about revenge.
I feel like I might get influenced, so it’s a bit scary. And, S is also acting for revenge.
If my little sister, Alice, was killed by soone, I also wouldn’t be able to forgive that person.
「Did you get any information on him? Do you know his location?」
「I’m investigating that at the mont.」
「I see, let’s do our best. Also, there is a ssenger from the castle.」
「Roger.」
Without making eye contact with smiling Naina, I co down to the first floor.
I didn’t reveal S’s whereabouts to them.
It was because I wanted to try to the best of my ability to take him alive, while her comrades wanted him dead. If any of her comrades caught S, they most likely wouldn’t hand him over to the state.
They will end his life themselves. That’s for sure.
That’s why I thought I should act alone.
A few soldiers were sent with the ssenger so I ca to the inn’s back yard to et them.
「How is the progress?」
「I think of making attempt today or tomorrow when S will be drinking at a bar.」
「So you are going to aim for a chance when he is drunk. Not bad. Do you need assistance from guards?」
I’m not sure how to answer. I’d like to have so assistance, but chances are, they might get brainwashed and turned into additional enemies.
「At first I will try alone. However, I’d like to have sothing that I can use to restrain him.」
「Understood, you will have it by noon. Then, about S’s location.」
「Shh!」
I interrupt the soldier.
It was because I felt a human’s presence behind the inn’s back door. When I dashed there and opened it, there was Naina-san with an astonished expression on her face.
Looks like she was eavesdropping. Well, I could understand her desire to learn sothing about S.
「So-sorry. The food was waiting, I thought it might get cold.」
I wonder how much she heard. The door is pretty thick, so I think it should be fine, but.
Making eye contact with the soldiers I decided to continue my breakfast. Resting until noon, I then receive a rope from soldiers that once again showed up at noon.
Made with special materials, it’s supposedly can hold even those in possession of monstrous strength.
Putting it into subdinsion storage I head to confirm S’s situation.
「Welco. Thank you for your continuous patronage, ojichan.」
As a butcher, he really was a good young man. The custors also liked him. There was nothing strange about his action, so I went back to the inn and took a nap.
In the evening I continued monitoring and tailing him. Closing his stall eight hours past noon, S made his way to the bar.
「Hm, so it’s today, huh. So it’s today after all.」
Today it will be decided.
This thought makes nervous……
Two hours later, S ca outside. He walked as normal. He didn’t drink much? S returned the way he ca. Along that route was an alley.
The mont he entered it I resolved myself. There are no people nearby and it actually has plenty of space. It’s a reasonably fitting place for a fight.
Closing the distance I call out to S from behind.
「S, battle .」
「…How do you know that I’m S?」
S slowly turned around. His expression looked nothing like shopkeepers from the at stall. Seeing his cold eyes without a single speck of warmth to them my breath grows heavier.
He should have no intimidation-type skills, and yet, this pressure.
「I have Appraisal.」
「Were soone to stare at from the effective range I would’ve noticed. …… I see, so it was you that ti.」
He is talking about the incident when he got rid of the pickpocketing lady.
「You need money for Fangs of Counterattack to operate, right? Even so, killing her just because she failed to steal a wallet is too much.」
「Leaving her would’ve created a lead to . And above all, with the way she lived, it wasn’t strange for her to get killed any day.」
I asked what might that an, but S just pulled a knife from his pocket without answering. The length of the blade is about thirty centiters. Without a mont of delay, I use 【Item Appraisal】 on it.
【Tough Knife Rank A Skill: Strong Edge】
Strong edge is a skill that my double-edged sword had as well. Having or not having it makes a great difference in the durability and sharpness of the blade.
S dashes at head-on.
I calmly block the strike with my sword.
To , his prowess with short swords seems to be several levels below that of Emma.
He also didn’t have a skill for it. Just let’s make sure not to get cut by it.
In a bit of exaggerated motion, I swing downwards my for counterattack.
「Nnguh.」
S avoided it with a backstep, but because his clothes were cut, his expression turned grave.
I can actually compete with him in lee! Or rather, I actually have an advantage.
「Your skills are impressive. I’d like you to use them for my sake.」
「Not possible. What you are doing is a cri.」
「Nobles and the king are no different from criminals as well. They are playing with the lives of innocent people for their own amusent. I rely want to save this city from the wrongful ruler. I want you to lend your strength for this as well.」
For a mont my vision gets distorted. Furthermore, my mind goes blank. The calm voice of S resounds in the depths of my brain.
Lend your strength. Lend your strength. Lend your strength. Lend your strength.
I should help him, I thought, but imdiately changed my mind.
That was the effect of 【Brainwash】 !
I could imdiately return to senses because of the level difference and ntal skills I had.
I’m so glad that I learned them.
「You would’ve been better off with brainwash. Now the only option left for you is to die.」
S’s mood changed, or rather, he was now seething with killing intent. At the sa ti, a purple puddle appeared under my feet. I imdiately move back. This is the skill that killed the pickpocketing lady.
★
S arracks repeatedly.
「Kuh, stone bullet…?」
What makes question it, are ten stones floating in S’s vicinity. This isn’t 【Stone Bullet】.
One after another stones fly at .
I dodge or deflect them with the sword, but this is pretty tough. And just when I thought that I blocked them sohow, he closed in on and cut my arm.
How great it would’ve been if I had enough composure to comnt on this outstanding sharpness. Surprisingly enough, S didn’t make a follow-up attack and took distance.
*Clang!*
The next mont water splashed onto from above, leaving completely soaked.
「Huh?? What???」
For a mont I thought that it was rain, but there was none today. In the first place, the amount of water wasn’t that of rain. It doesn’t seem like I was hit with any fast-acting poison, so for a mont, I felt relieved.
「Can you dodge it this ti?」
S smiled boldly. And once again hurled stones at . I see, he made my clothes heavier with water in order to slow down my movents.
It’s fine. As long as I don’t lose my cool everything should work out… Eh, my vision? No, my body is swaying?
When I tried to confirm my footing, I saw that the stone pavent was moving. But I had no ti to be astonished by this bizarre phenonon. Stones about the size of an adult person’s first were approaching .
Direct hits… From three of them. First the biceps of the left arm, then a thigh. Of course, it hurt, but the last hit was the most severe.
「Uugh……」
Being hit in the temple, I sway and crumble to the ground. The floor wasn’t rocking anymore. I don’t think it’s a serious injury, but it drew blood and I can feel a dull pain.
If he tried to attack with a knife right now I would die. Through the sheer force, I manage to get up. For so reason, S is out of breath.
「Haa, haa.」
Using my 【Edit】 I investigate his other skill.
【Freewheeling】
〈Manifest imagined phenonon in reality. Phenona that directly affect living beings are not possible. Moreover, the more abnormal it is, the more concentration and stamina it consus.〉
Seeing this skill makes want to scream.
Making imaginative real is extrely brutal. The only saving grace is that he can’t directly poison or paralyze a person. And now I also know why S is out of breath.
He is tired after repeatedly making one thing after another. It can be more or less counted as him showing a weakness. However, I also wasn’t in condition for fast and agile movents. Thus 【Edit】.
Erasing 【Manifest in reality】 is 25000 LP.
That’s a lot… It looks like destroying the skill is impossible and S appears to have recovered.
「You seem to be strong. Then I guess I’ll stop you from moving. 」
Two hands erged from the buildings nearby, one from each side, and grabbed both of my feet. They seem human, but a lot longer. The grip strength is also considerable. What a great imagination you have there!
Cutting off both of those hands I ran in the opposite direction from S. I’d like to retreat for now and plan counterasures.
「As if I’d let you escape.」
One after another hands stretch from nearby buildings. While being struck with a sense of dread from that scene, I avoid the hands’ pursuit by sliding and jumping.
After I left the alley several arrows flew at from the ground. Suddenly, out of thin air. Though I panicked for a bit, I burn them down emitting 【White Fla】 from my hand.
I managed to calmly counteract it.
Way to go, .
And while glancing behind I run with all my might. Though S left the alley, he made no attempts to chase any further.
He likely judged that with his current fatigue he won’t catch up. I’m saved……
For the ti being, I didn’t relax and managed to return to the inn. My heart is about to jump out from my chest. Inside the inn was Naina-san, cleaning the interior.
「Noir? Your head is bleeding.」
「I walked through a dark alleyway and bumped into a building. It’s fine, nothing serious. Good night. 」
「Su-sure, good night.」
I can’t tell her that I just fought S. I already decided that I won’t ask her or her comrades for assistance. Returning to my room I apply a healing salve to the wounds.
Having my share of tough fights I beca sowhat stronger. Such wounds are nothing. Rather, the ntal damage might actually be more severe.
Making your imagination reality…… That is just unfair!
Lying down on the bed I think of counterasures.
Destroying the skill is impossible, but making it weaker might be feasible.
Using 【Grant】 to hinder him might also be an option. I consider one idea after another. Perhaps due to the fatigue, but I gradually doze off.
While feeling my eyelids grow heavier, I think. In truth, I don’t really want to fight him. So part of sympathizes with his situation.
Those noble battles are simply ridiculous. But there is nothing I can do. So even though my level got higher, I’m still powerless after all.
「Just what is the right thing to do.」
Muttering so, I close my eyes.
My consciousness imdiately faded and I fell asleep.
Not sure how much ti has passed, but so ti later I heard a sluggish and low voice.
「Fairytales need a hero.」
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