12 – Episode 12: Maple Leaf Village (3)
– hehehe
Everything around was pitch black, as if covered in ink.
When I moved my head to check, my hands, feet, and even my body were nowhere to be seen.
No, it felt like they didn’t exist at all.
It felt like my two eyes were floating in a black space with no floor.
“What’s going on? Where am I?”
I don’t have a mouth, so how can I speak?
I don’t have a brain, so how can I think?
Could it be that after hearing Bonita’s story, I’ve gained enlightenment and reached a higher realm?
But my mission is not yet finished.
I can’t leave the surface like this without completing the eradication of all evil and even the fourth quest.
– It’s been a long time since I met you directly after that forest, kiddo.
The voice of a woman echoed throughout the entire space.
It felt as if the entire space was speaking, not just a specific place.
Like the feelings of a nerd surrounded by bullies.
It is the harsh reality of group education.
– You are the only survivor who resisted the internal faction.
My head is spinning.
– Most of them went crazy and committed suicide.
“Damn it…”
Really, it’s truly disgusting.
– Your mental barrier is so thick that it’s exhausting for me to speak again.
“Space out your words, you f*cking loser-!!!!!”
I couldn’t take it anymore!
When sh*theads find themselves in a situation where they can insult others, they shoot their mouths off without considering other people’s feelings, reveling in their enjoyment.
Just looking at recent examples, there’s this little sh*t.
At least that little sh*t spoke clearly, but this crazy b*tch’s words were so confusing that they were incomprehensible.
To the thorough literary ninja Shinobin, spacing and punctuation are the epitome of “etiquette.”
For grammar gangsters who don’t abide by etiquette, there is only firm retribution.
– Kyaaahhhhh!
Everything shattered!
The dark world broke apart.
Soon, all sound vanished with a scream.
That bastard is messing around.
As soon as my strength returned, I jumped up.
Did I wet my pants in my sleep?
No f*cking way, is this all sweat?
It feels like I’ve already slept through the entire night, but it’s still early.
Something strange is going on.
I’ve never had a nightmare before.
Yeah, there’s no way I would have a nightmare.
All of this is a plot by the wicked Pig Demon King, burning with a desire for revenge after losing his loyal subordinate, Okul.
It’s clearly a vile scheme to plant a seed of doubt in my mind and turn me into a spy. It can’t be anyone but that truly despicable woman.
I stood up, trying to take off my pants like a ninja, but then I locked eyes with Orpheus, who was about to come into the tent.
Orpheus was startled when he saw my eyes.
Luckily, I hadn’t taken off my pants yet.
“W-were you awake?”
“Ninjas never sleep deeply.”
It wouldn’t be cool to say I woke up because of that Pig Demon King brat.
I got up on my own will, after all.
No one can control a runaway ninja as they please.
“Can you come outside for a moment? It’s something important.”
“Nin-nin.”
I quickly dressed and followed Orphe out.
This deep anger won’t fade until I cut someone.
Today, I am Shin Nohbin, obsessed with moonlight and bloodlust.
Orphe led me to the fence.
Could it be that she also tasted the peephole?
“I brought him. He’s the strongest, most responsible, and trustworthy person I know. You can tell him now.”
A pair of eyes popped out from the crack in the wooden plank.
“Hello, adventurer. I’m Lamina. I sent the application secretly on behalf of the villagers.”
“Hello, Miss Lamina. I am Robin, the wandering swordsman.”
“…The people in this village eat human flesh.”
Well, I wasn’t surprised, to be honest.
Just as predictable as Hitler using Homenklus to fake his suicide and then laying eggs of monsters in Dalkijiji, or Osama bin Laden becoming a reptilian and ruling the underworld.
The grotesque imagination of monsters knows no bounds, so a runaway ninja who must confront their madness must consider all possibilities.
For me, who received gifted training in tinkbic from the age of seven, it was a given.
“We are not human. We are the descendants of those who were cursed and turned into monsters during the mythological era… known as the descendants of the Draconians.”
“It was just a myth…!”
Orphe was astonished.
I didn’t understand what he was saying, so I just laughed.
“hahahaha. What an amusing story, yakisoba.”
Whisk-!
But the word ‘yokai’ was clearly heard.
“Eek!”
Immediately, with a takoyaki skewer, I stabbed Ramina’s eye.
Unfortunately, the yokai immediately withdrew, only causing a little damage.
As expected, their reaction speed is different from humans.
“Ro-Robin! Please continue the story…”
Orphe’s voice could no longer be heard.
The yokai must be exterminated.
Thud!
It jumped over a fence that was about 3 meters tall.
To prevent idiots from crawling over, nails were hammered into the wooden boards, but it’s simple to just jump over.
After looking around the quiet village, where everyone must be asleep in their homes, I grabbed onto Ramina’s hair, which was sticking to her forehead.
“Ow!”
I have to kill it barehanded since I didn’t bring any weapons.
Finally, the time has come to unveil the Ninja Hand Cutter.
“Child…”
“Yes. I’ll soon send your child to hell too.”
Still, since the yokai is revealing its true identity, I plan to send it off peacefully.
“D-Diana, no one has killed her yet… or eaten her…”
“Nin?”
“Diana can live without eating meat. Unlike us…”
Monsters don’t kill or eat people?
I’ll stop eating sh*t.
“Lies, nonsense.”
“It’s not a lie. I can put my life on the line.”
“But your life is in my hands?”
“…I swear on the sky, sincerely.”
Bonita’s words, “Monsters are just monsters,” came to mind.
Why is Laminar protecting a monster named Diana even in a life-threatening situation?
“Is this Diana monster your leader?”
“Y-You mean a monster? Like a monster? No.”
A fleeting emotion passed through Laminar’s eyes.
Does a monster have emotions other than anger and pleasure?
“She’s my younger sister.”
Does a monster even have the concept of family?
This won’t work.
“Cry.”
“What?”
“Cry to prove your humanity.”
“…Our kind cannot shed tears.”
Are these little ones hybrids of mammals and something like an ocular creature?
Come to think of it, they did mention the dragon race earlier.
“And I, too, have taken the lives of many, just like others… I am nothing more than a monster. It doesn’t matter when or how you kill me. I just hope that I can live outside the village like a normal human, like Diana.”
“Why are you talking so much? Are you planning to unleash monsters into human society?”
“Diana has the purest dragon blood. She is freer from the curse of the observers compared to others. If someone as wise as Ms. Robin teaches her common sense and guides her properly-“
“You’re going to make me a third-rate ninja?”
“I don’t really know what that means…”
Converting the evil that has not yet committed a sin.
But is that the job of a runaway ninja?
I honestly don’t know, even in the case of Satan.
How about killing all the villagers first and then deciding what to do with Diana?
“Tell me more about Diana’s appearance.”
If she’s too hideous, we might accidentally kill her.
If Jecheon Daeseong were a cute little monkey instead of a mountain gorilla, the Samjang wizard would have immediately smashed a wooden basin on its head and killed it.
“For now, she’s about 15 years old, with blonde hair like mine and orange eyes like mine.”
“Shut up. That’s enough.”
You’re really bad at describing things.
Just say she looks like you, why make it so complicated?
Your lack of vocabulary shows that you’re truly a monster.
“Thank you. I will bring Diana with me, so please prepare to leave. Even if you kill me afterwards…”
“Nin?”
“Yes?”
“A runaway ninja does not condone evil. It is an extermination of your entire village.”
A sparrow cannot simply pass by a barn.
Especially if it is Shin Nobin, a bloodthirsty rogue ninja starving for the blood of evil.
If I let these little ones go, the seed of the people around this village will wither away.
“Well, that’s an absurd thought. Although we have degenerated, we are the descendants of the most powerful beings in this realm. Please reconsider-“
“Ninja hands are weak hands.”
“Kkak!”
I immediately thrust the bamboo splinter into his belly and sent him to dreamland.
Those who constantly cause trouble must be put to sleep immediately due to lack of rest.
“Ro-Robin. What are you trying to do…”
Orpheus’ startled voice seeped through the cracks in the wood.
First, I picked up Lamina and threw her outside the fence.
Swoosh! Thud!
From Noble mtl dot com
“L-Lamina?”
“That little one is a monster for now, so tie her up tightly and wake up the rest of the group for an explanation. Arm yourselves and wait at the entrance of the village. Kill all the little ones who escape. If someone who looks like Lamina flies in from outside the fence, bring them here and tie them up too.”
“…Are you trying to fight alone again?”
Someone has to explain. We don’t have time, so hurry. Oh, and go right now and bring me my ninja suit.”
“I understand.”
Orpheus left with a skip in his step.
Finally, the time for real action had come.
Unlike the urgent atmosphere of the abandoned mine, today the Maple Leaf Village would become a hotspot that burned even hotter than the Martolan Festival, with plenty of time to spare.
“-Ah.”
This was truly the breaking of maple leaves.
Pay the sweet price for waking up the sleeping ninjas.
***
After throwing clothes to Shinobin, Orpheus woke up the rest of the group.
“Ugh…”
Vonita and Saten let out a big yawn, while Jina, still dazed, blinked her eyes.
Though Orpheus urged them on, the group, awakened from a short nap, moved slowly with tired expressions.
Orpheus bit his lip. It was difficult to explain the situation like this.
Whoosh-!
“Huh?”
Suddenly, the inside of the fence brightened, and the light began to spread.
The awakened group gradually stood up from their spots.
“W-What’s on fire? What is this!”
Saten, who quickly got up, rushed out in her pajamas.
Surprised, Orpheus hurriedly followed Saten.
“Arm yourselves and go! Uh…!”
The sight they witnessed was truly shocking.
The Maple Leaf Village was on fire.
Crackle, crackle!
– Kiyaaah!
– eeek!
– Krrr!
The sound of burning trees and the screams of beasts echoed beyond the fence.
The companions who hurriedly followed were frozen in place, seemingly chilled by the spectacle.
– Wajaboset!!!!
And then, the sound of a man’s battle cry swallowed up all the noise.