Chance meeting

I think that road was really the path that the investigation team uses to go to the disposal ruins.

I traverse through the forest while being careful that I don’t lose sight of the road. On the way, the road had split up into two paths. I can’t find any signs that could tell the destination that each path would lead. Now then, where should I go? I was about to try asking my partner, Pigimaru… …but it was at that time–

I felt someone’s presence.

Ever since I’ve been living in the disposal ruins for days, I have become sensitive to presences. Did the keenness of my nerves became honed after my experience in the ruins?

Gasaaa…

[Hm? Who the heck is this? This is the wrong guy, right?]

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It was humans who appeared in front of me. Four people. All of them were men. They’re all wearing attire that looks like they came straight from fantasy. However, I can’t really classify their attires as something close to those beautiful fantasies. All four of them had weapons. I think over the words they said in my mind.

“Hm? Who the heck is this? This is the wrong guy, right?”

Based on their response, are they perhaps in the middle of looking for someone? It’s definitely not me, but… The air that these four had been releasing is making me uneasy. At least, I’m sure that they don’t seem to be looking for someone just like those in a pleasant drama where they’re in pursuit of a lost child. An intrepid man who had a scar on his face looked at me. It’s as if he’s looking at garbage.

[It’s just a dirty brat. Ugh, he looks unpleasant.]

One of the men turned towards the man with the scar.

[What do we do, Zalash?] [Let’s just leave it. It’s just one of those countless irrelevant small fries.Why did I even go to this place? It’s not interesting at all.]

The man with the scar had an atmosphere of someone who is calm and collected. That man should be the leader. This man kinda resembles Kirihara a bit. Another man who looks like a shark glanced at me.

[The robe he’s wearing is old, but its quality is good.]

Next, the man with a greatsword who had an unusual behavior, relaxes his stance and turned to me.

[Well then, for the time being, how about you leave all your belongings in here? Ah, strip all your clothes and imitate a peeing dog? We’re kinda in a hurry here.] [No— we’ll kill this one.]

A slender guy came forward. It’s that guy who said “This is the wrong guy, right?”. He’s playing with the scimitar in his hand. The man with a scar replied back to him.

[You’d even bother killing such a small bug? It’s just a waste of time.]

The man gently brushes the edge of his scimitar on his abdomen. …with a face full of affection.

[I realized that I have yet to test the sharpness of my new baby to a living human… So, I’ll try it on this trash. Anyway, it’s trash. In the first place, we came here to kill someone.] [Funnnn… If you want to do it, just get it done already, Magatsu. We have another goal to do in here, right? Well, I think it’s about time that she has run out of energy. I guess our job here is almost done.] [Kuku, I know this is a time that “you’re looking forward to”, but can you please get it over already~? It’s not interesting to just kill him. Oi~ after we get the bounty from capturing that woman, let’s go to Abrom’s brothel~.] [I don’t want to. I’m tired of the well-trained women they have there… I’d rather find some high-class prostitutes. Or maybe I’ll just go to the neighboring city and find a good-looking lass. I’ll have her accompany me for about half a year… or just until she breaks.] [Half a year!? Don’t f*cking kidding me! By how you bastard break all those women, I doubt that woman would even last half a year!] [Shut it. I know it’s my fault that they break. In the first place, we’re talking of me breaking a woman… when I haven’t even met the woman in question.] [As soon as I saw that woman, I can’t settle with just humans! How about you be my proxy for me while I go for a search for a woman in the neighboring town~!?]

The man with the scar looked at his left hand.

[But, as expected I couldn’t put my hands towards the prey… it’s a request from our client, and we should fulfill it.] [Well, yeah.] [Anyway—]

The man with the scimitar declared that he’s about to kill me as he took a step towards me.

[Don’t even try of running in fear, okay…? I mean, where could you even run to?]

The men were closing in to me. Please stop that, I’m begging you— as if saying something like that, I extend my arms toward their direction.

[I beg of you… j- just ignore me… in this place… having no meaning… I don’t want to die…]

The face of the man looks like he’s filled with sadistic thoughts.

[That’s no good~♪. I have to start trying out my sword already~. We still have a job to do after all~♪.]

The man with the cursed sword prepares his stance.

Mishiii…

The man’s muscles became supple. He raised his scimitar over his head, diagonally behind his back.

[That’s why, let’s finish this quickly—!]

Securing that there’s a safe margin between us…

[–that you have became this Magatsu-sama’s prey, I’ll make sure you understand–!]

He’s now within my range.

[<Paralyze>]

[—with… your… body…!? Ngh…?] [Hm? Wh..at…!? Guuhh…?] [What… the…? My body—] [I can’t… move…?]

The paralysis was successful. It seems that all four of them have been successfully paralyzed. They’re all treating me as if my trash, but I’m confident with the powers that are held in my hands. That’s why I stayed within a range where I could target all of them. Well, they’re way inferior compared to the oppressive feeling I’ve felt from the monsters in the ruins.

[Well then…]

I guess this confirms it…

[My abnormal state skills would be successful even against humans…]

They’re not just effective against monsters. They’re also effective against humans. It seems that the exceptional success rate of my skills also haven’t changed.

[As I thought, that f*cking goddess must have something special…?] [That… just… now—] [Hmm?]

It seems the leader is saying something.

[Is… that… abnor…mal state… magic… just… now? Furth…ermore… they’re… unrecor…ded magic…?]

Fumu… He can still talk even when he’s paralyzed huh. It’s difficult to judge it when I’ve tried it with monsters back then. It’s not like I can understand the difference between their roars anyway…

[More… over… to cast… it to… four peo…ple at… the same time…]

According to what the goddess had said back then, didn’t she say that the system of abnormal state techniques in this world have no use at all? A smile started lifting up on my face.

[Well, well. Do I look like I’m a “failure” now?] [What…?] [Well, you don’t need to reply… You tried to kill me and nobody in your group tried to stop you. That’s why don’t mind me as I use you people as my “test subjects”.]

The mood of these four people changed. It’s as if they don’t understand what I am saying.

[<Poison>]

Pokopoko… Powawawa…

[Ahh….!? Guuggiiiieee…!?] [Kuh… Guruuu…jiii….] [Goooeee… This.. is… imposs…booaa….] [What the… heck did you…ngh!?]

The four people began screaming in pain as their skin began to be dyed in the color of poison.

[Pigi!]

Pigimaru suddenly cried out. Pigimaru’s protrusion came out from the side of my neck.

[Pigimaru? Are you perhaps… angry?] [Pi!]

It seems that Pigimaru felt a strong displeasure against these four people. Did my senses sync with him?

[Well— It would hurt my heart even if these guys were to die. Rather, I would even feel refreshed.]

Facing killing intent with my killing intent. Returning malice with malice.

I’m just applying those simple rules.

These guys feel like they’re brimming with dark yet familiar thoughts. It’s like them, just like how Kirihara and Oyamada speak.

[The point is, I can do it against someone like them.]

I look at my hands. I see. It seems that I also felt no hesitation even up to the last moment.

[Even if they’re my opponents, I can still do it.]

I waited for the death of the four people. They look miserable as they slowly died full of suffering. They can’t even struggle because of paralysis. In the end, they begged for salvation. But, I don’t think they have ever listened to the plea of those who have asked them for salvation. I don’t think they can do that. I don’t think that they would ever do that. That’s why I ignored their pleas.

[Giiiiii….]

After a while, the last person had finally died. My level didn’t even increase by 1. Was the experience value they give that low? Or is it that…

[…You can’t get any experience from human beings– That being the case is quite possible after all…]

While contemplating about this, I started fishing for things that I can use in their luggage. It seems that there’s no uniformity in their sizes. Well, if I suddenly meet one of their acquaintance somewhere and they would recognize their clothes that I supposedly took… ..Then, it would be really troublesome. That’s also the case with their armor. If I were to be traced because of these, it will be really troublesome. That’s why I would only be taking their gold, silver and copper coins. I stashed them in my small pouch, which I put back into my leather bag. It’s hard to track of someone who just took their money. In that sense, they could be considered safe for the taking. I quickly finish rummaging their things and stood up.

[—-Piii.]

The previously meek Pigimaru suddenly cried out.

[Hm? I see, so you felt it too? Yeah, I know—]

There are some targets that I had poisoned earlier with a poison that I had set into non-lethal. But, I have also made sure to paralyze them just now.

An intimidating aura that’s really unusual.

It’s a mixture of killing intent and willpower.

[There is another person nearby, I wonder who that is…]