14 – Episode 14. Maple Leaf Village (5)
Armed and ready, Orphe and Bonita stood at the entrance.
A pungent smoke reached the tips of their noses.
“Robin, are you going to be okay alone? A Monster Village… I’ve never heard of it.”
Someone passing by from behind fiddled with their bow and asked.
She was armed with a bow, a dagger, and a leather armor, with five quivers piled up next to her.
“If Robin can’t handle it, then there really is no way. If you choose to stay here and fight, I have no choice but to believe in you.”
Orphe’s grip tightened on the spear.
From the Maple Leaf Village, the sound of beasts howling continued to echo.
“Of course, we have to fight together. I’m just worried, that’s all.”
It was a confident statement, unexpected from someone with a timid personality.
Bonita smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. We’ll handle it quickly and go help. Robin is strong, she can handle it alone.”
“That’s right. With us, we’ll be able to win in no time!”
The three of them looked at Saten, who was still walking and complaining, unable to finish equipping his weapons.
“Why are you all looking at me like that? The touch of an artist is delicate, so it takes time.”
“I suppose so.”
Saten, who had regained his appetite after Orphe’s harsh reaction, stood behind Bonita.
The group fell silent in an instant.
Dragonkin.
The guild’s compendium described them as intermediate monsters with tough skin, sharp teeth, and claws.
“It’s only the fourth quest, and it’s already intermediate level.”
Saten, who had been sweating cold, looked at the woman tied to a tree a little further away.
Even by Saten’s demanding standards, the unconscious appearance of Lamina was that of a beautiful maiden.
He still couldn’t believe that this woman was a Dragonkin.
“Well, let’s think positively. If we can handle such a big task for the fourth quest, you might even be able to get an adventurer’s badge without going to the fifth.”
Bonita tried to speak positively.
Everyone gathered here knew that it was going to be a tough fight.
At that moment, when everyone was preparing themselves and looking at the entrance.
Sshh!
Something flew through the air.
Thud!
The girl who resembled Lamina fortunately landed in a place full of grass.
“She must be Diana. Mr. Saten, please tie her arms and legs. Place her where Lamina fell.”
Orpheus was the quickest to react.
Nodding his head, Saten tied Diana’s arms and legs.
It was not a lie that his touch was delicate; Diana’s small limbs were carefully bound without any injuries.
Saten wiped away his sweat and stood up.
“Huh!”
In front of Saten stood a reptilian humanoid.
It was Lamina, holding a sharply cut rope.
“I’m not here to attack.”
Lamina knelt in front of the group running towards her to stop her.
Saten, taken aback, also sat down next to Lamina, as if his legs had given out.
“I want to help save my little sister. I want to help too. Please.”
Lamina looked at Diana with eyes full of affection.
Seeing that, Bonita’s gaze wavered as if she had sensed something.
“Alright.”
After hearing Orpheus’ words, Lamina finally stood up.
Saten was still sitting.
Thud! Thud!
The sound of knocking on the entrance door could be heard.
The group took combat positions and held their breath.
“Is Robin in danger?”
A worried Satan finally lifted his heavy buttocks and asked Bonita.
“No, she’s not. I can’t see Delamion.”
Ramina, who was surveying the burning Maple Leaf Village, answered instead.
“Delamion? Who is that?”
“The strongest warrior of the dragon tribe. A living legend of Maple Leaf Village who has been hunting humans for 500 years. If Robin had been defeated, Delamion would have crossed the fence. As Orpheus said, he was an incredibly powerful being.”
After a brief conversation with Orpheus, Ramina sensed something and perked up her ears, spreading her hands.
Sharp claws quickly grew.
“They’re coming.”
Bam!
The entrance door broke, and seven dragon tribe members rushed out.
Their four-legged bodies looked as if they had pierced through the flames, blackened.
“This time.”
He would be of help.
Orpheus aimed his spear at them and took aim.
The battle began with an arrow shot as a signal.
In my childhood, there was a masterpiece that turned me, weakened by the cold gazes of the bullies, into a true man.
– Mutant Ninja Dinosaur~! Mutant Ninja Dinosaur~! Invincible warriors!
It was a memory from my childhood.
– A dinosaur brought back to life by an archaeologist who received a message from Buddha, using advanced science and the power of scriptures!
That memory.
“Wow…”
“Hmm?”
This damn monster has ruined everything!
“Wowja-!!!!”
I ran towards him, unable to contain my anger.
I had to snatch his hood right away!
“Are you driven by fear?”
Without hesitating, I crouched down like a rhinoceros and rushed forward.
At an incredible speed, his hood fluttered in the air.
I wanted to crash into him without backing down, but there was a high chance of me becoming the one who gets discarded.
This time, that bastard is Thomas, and I’m Gornida.
“Ninja Lineage.”
Tatatatatata-
I had no choice but to slow down the speed I was running and veer to the left just before the collision.
Shack!
“Hah!”
In an instant, Delamion’s fingernails scratched the spot where I was.
In an instant, the ground split into five pieces. Damn, so fast?
I quickly looked around for anything that could be of help.
Damn it, this place covered in flames had already turned into a burning arena.
Do ninjas fight without any cover? Their combat power is reduced by half.
Splat!
The shin guard on my thigh, scratched by the sharp claws, fell off.
If I hadn’t turned my body immediately, it would have been cut off.
From Noble mtl dot com
Taking advantage of the tight gap, I tried to stab a sword near the heart, but Delamion suddenly turned his body and swung his tail.
Boom!
I narrowly avoided it and stepped back.
I have no idea how to deal with this bastard.
Fast and strong.
Despite its appearance, it had real skills.
If I had recklessly gone wild in excitement, I would have been sliced into five pieces by Delamion’s claws full of venom.
“I have killed thousands of people.”
Delamion’s elongated nails shrank, and his fist was covered with scales.
Seizing the opportunity to transform, I threw three throwing knives, but he easily dodged them with footwork.
“But that was only for the survival of our species.”
Delamion takes a guard stance and narrows the distance.
Their skill in pushing the fire towards me, as if refusing to give me an escape route, is quite impressive.
“Why did you kill the villagers?”
Buzz-
Their relentless jabs strike my ears.
Not a ninja dinosaur, but a boxing dinosaur.
If even one punch lands, my weakened body will surely turn into a soft, chewy rice cake.
The attack is too heavy to deflect with my sword.
The moment I try to block such a crude attack with the sharp edge of my blade, my arm will snap like a dried twig.
Using afterimages, I try to leave traces and evade, searching for a chance to escape.
“The village never intended to kill you. They just wanted to let you go.”
Delamion lectures and unleashes a barrage, just like a principal.
If all principals had this level of attack power, there would be no sleeping students during homeroom.
“Perhaps it’s because we are monster that eat humans that you killed us?”
The situation is too tense to move with a weapon that can’t deliver a valid blow.
I simply throw the sword I’m holding at Delamion.
If I want to kill, I have to survive first.
Thud!
The sword bounces lightly off their skin.
Oh, where did the ninja go?
How wonderful would it be if the cool Kakashi appeared right now and handed over the ninja tools.
But that trash ninja girl won’t show up.
“We’ve been cursed since the moment we were born. It’s a curse that if we don’t eat humans for a long time, we lose our sanity.”
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
I dodged the attacks and struck the body several times with my fists, but she didn’t even flinch.
Instead, she landed effective blows with her punches.
Where can you find such crazy deal exchanges in the world?
“For us, cannibalism is not a choice but a survival instinct. Did you know that?”
Damn it!
Since I couldn’t see any chance of winning, I took the risk and jumped into the fire.
Damn, it’s so hot.
But at least I covered my face with a hood, so I didn’t get a major burn.
“I’ll ask again. By what right did you mercilessly slaughter the people of the village?”
Delamion keeps preaching, this bastard is a real “denture.”
But the rogue ninja doesn’t fall for the enemy’s mind games.
I ran towards the path where the fire was dying out.
“Sigh.”
After burning for several tens of minutes, the Maple Leaf Village had now turned into a village of mist.
I could hardly breathe in the hot smoke, but I could endure it for now.
“There’s nowhere to run from my village.”
The sound of Delamion’s footsteps pierced through the flames.
Squeak.
I saw a house that looked relatively intact, so I entered through the window.
Inside, there were five yokai who had suffocated to death. Judging by the fancy clothes they were wearing, they must have held positions similar to village chiefs.
“Well, this is f*cked.”
I had already depleted a significant amount of mana even before fighting Delamion.
Ninja Power Surge, you magnificent piece of trash.
As always, arrogance kills a man.
Now, I only had three daggers left as weapons.
In this house, there were only a few clothes made of silk and a sturdy-looking large safe.
What should I do? Honestly, I’m at a loss.
Running away would be easy, but I have to stop that bastard here.
When a powerful yokai like him starts roaming the world again, it’s certain that the blood of countless people will flow like a river.
I must prevent that at all costs.
After all, I am a fugitive ninja.
“Hoo, hoo.”
I regained my composure using the Ninja Breathing Technique.
Even if it means dying, I will kill.
That’s what I decided.
Bang!
The door was smashed to pieces by Delamion’s body blow, as if it had been hit by an industrial iron rod.
Quickly, I hid my body behind the safe and held my breath.
This was my one chance.
Splat-!
As Delamion’s fingernails reached towards the safe, he exerted every ounce of his strength and flew into the air.
Ninja Viboing.
Swoosh!
“Takoyaki assassination technique.”
Thud!
Delamion’s right hand, which had been planted on the safe, climbed up his shoulder and stabbed his right eye with a dagger.
Even though he was a demon, his eye was soft and squishy.
Squelch.
Then, Delamion’s left fingernail sliced through my lower abdomen.
Crimson blood poured out.
Enough to fill a bowl of ox bone soup. But where’s the sundae?
I immediately sent mana to my lower abdomen, letting it flow to the injured area.
This should help stop the bleeding a bit.
It’s a shame I don’t have regenerative abilities.
Leaving Delamion, who was screaming in agony with the dagger still in his eye, behind me, I tightly wrapped the cloth in front of me and tied it tightly around my stomach.
It’s not over yet. It’s not the decisive blow yet.
As Delamion drew his dagger once again, he severed the right arm, trapped in the safe, with the nails of his left hand.
Truly a bold judgment.
Perhaps because it was a monster, the blood from his right arm quickly ceased.
Delamion charged forward as if he wouldn’t give an ounce of time.
I barely managed to move my body to dodge, as a hit would mean instant death.
“Shk, shk.”
The blood was flowing out so fast, making me feel dizzy.
I neutralized it with the ninja breathing technique and rushed towards the stumbling Delamion, who had lost sight in one eye.
Boom!
He swung his tail to create distance.
Damn it, a pebble got into my shoe out of nowhere.
“Ugyaak!”
In the end, I couldn’t avoid it and took a direct hit.
I flew away like a villain hitting the self-destruct switch.
The dagger I had in my hand had long since left.
Thud.
Should I have taught Orpheus more spells?
When it’s time to die, all sorts of thoughts come to mind.
Anyway, I have to take one more eye with me in the end.
As my right arm was not functioning properly, I drew the last dagger with my left hand.
The Last Takoyaki Recipe of Shin Nobin’s Life.
Since this punk isn’t Jatoichi, if I take out just one more eye, his combat power will decrease significantly.
Even a seasoned warrior like Delamion, who has become a boss, can be killed by several skilled warriors attacking simultaneously.
Perhaps Orpheus could kill him too.
His strength was gradually fading away.
It felt just like when he was hit by a speeding car.
“…”
I’m not afraid of dying.
I’m just disappointed that I couldn’t fulfill my mission.
…But why isn’t he coming?
“Groan…”
He barely lifted his head and looked around.
“Hack… Hack…”
Delamion, with his left eye glowing red, was licking the blood pooling beside the safe.
Did he suddenly go insane?
– As Danto’s eyes turned red, he screamed in horror and jumped up…
Ah, I see.
He forced his body, which was jerking like a scrap robot, to stand up.
“You… f*cking monster…”
I can’t die like this, you damn runaway ninja.