Ch.4Chapter 4 – Escape (2)

The instruction to show respect was actually nothing special.

Just fold your hands and bow your head slightly.

…That should be right. Everyone else was doing it.

I didn’t immediately remember, so I quickly glanced sideways to copy them. I hoped no one noticed.

As I was praying inwardly, the bishop began to speak.

“It’s an honor to meet you all for the first time.”

That’s a lie.

I don’t know exactly when, but after being kidnapped, I saw him enthusiastically explaining everything like he was describing fish in an aquarium one by one.

Back then, he really seemed like a salesperson, but here he’s giving off major CEO vibes.

Is this the typical strong-weak-weak-strong style?

If so, then that platinum-haired man I saw before must be of very high rank?

“I am the person in charge of this facility, and as one of the humble bishops serving the great god Emiris, I have heard news of you all…”

If you’re going to lecture us, could you at least let us raise our heads? My neck hurts.

I wanted to make that sarcastic comment internally.

While my fellow test subjects probably aren’t thinking much about it, I bet some of the priests would agree.

“…As the priests have been informed beforehand, a new Holy Knight Order will be established with these people, and five of them will be selected and promoted.”

The bishop paused briefly before continuing.

“We will reorganize the formation, even if just for show, and those five will be specially ‘adjusted,’ so consider various factors in your selection.”

Apparently, these fanatics were planning to create a new Holy Knight Order with us test subjects, including myself.

It would have been strange to just leave us on this island after kidnapping us and enhancing our bodies so much to make us into obedient tools.

Perhaps we were destined to become the bishop’s personal armed force.

Or maybe we were destined to be offered to that platinum-haired man I saw before.

Having finished what he had to say, the bishop turned and left.

As he departed, the priests who had been bowing their heads straightened up, rotating their necks as if they were sore.

“Geez, if that old man wants to lecture, he should at least let us raise our heads.”

“Leave it. He just likes unnecessary formalities.”

“How are we going to select the five?”

I could hear the priests grumbling.

They gathered briefly for what seemed like a meeting, then spoke as if they had reached a decision.

“We’ll just do it like we discussed yesterday.”

“That’s right.”

A priest on the second floor nodded to a priest near us, who nodded back.

“Now all of you, raise your heads and wait in the waiting room.”

“Come out when your name is called.”

I really wanted to stretch my neck, but since no one else was doing it, I followed along cautiously.

While sitting in the waiting room, people were soon called out in pairs.

At first, I didn’t understand why, but when the sounds of fistfights reached the waiting room, I realized what was happening.

‘A tournament, huh.’

They must be matching people in pairs to select the top five.

I recalled what the bishop had said earlier.

‘He definitely said they would be newly “adjusted.”‘

He even added the word “specially.”

Being in the top ranks would absolutely not be helpful.

So I thought it would be better to lose naturally.

I had just regained my sense of self, and there was no way that “adjustment” would work in my favor.

‘How should I lose…?’

I quietly calculated in my head how to lose.

+

And finally, it was my turn.

But for some reason, I was called to the arena with four others.

Something felt off.

Let’s look at the composition first.

A boy who looked like a high school student

A woman with long black hair

A muscular man with golden hair and tanned skin

An old man with completely white hair

These were the four people.

Just earlier, they were clearly calling people in pairs for the tournament.

Why was I called with four others?

With this question in mind, I began to face off with them, maintaining a certain distance and circling around.

I didn’t rush in since there was no signal to start yet.

“As you know, you five are the final five.”

One priest said this.

Wait, what did he say?

“Now what remains is to see who among you is the strongest, who will become the leader.”

“The rules are the same as before. The last one standing wins.”

“The last one standing becomes the leader.”

While I was too dumbfounded to speak, the priests were proceeding with their own agenda.

Even if I wanted to object, doing so would ruin everything, so I couldn’t.

“Specially, you will each select a weapon for this match.”

“Choose whatever you like.”

I saw the boy choose a mace, the woman a spear, the old man a greatsword, and the blonde man an axe.

I casually picked up a sword.

There was no particular reason. I just grabbed whatever was left.

It did look rather plain compared to the other weapons.

Of course, the priests had no reason to care about that.

“Begin.”

With that command, all four of them rushed at me.

Sensing their determination to crush me, I ducked and quickly moved backward.

‘But you know.’

The top five were clearly the targets for special adjustment.

And those already standing here are the top five.

‘Why is it already over as soon as I came up?’

While feeling frustrated by the lack of information about these strange proceedings, I heard something while dodging and deflecting attacks.

It was the voice of the priest who had gone drinking with me yesterday.

“Why is No. 13 exempt?”

It was about me.

I was curious about that too, and I felt like applauding him for asking.

Meanwhile, I dodged an attack from the woman who tried to strike my face with the end of her spear using flashy movements.

“That one was included in the five from the start because he survived group fights the most times.”

“He was particularly good at surviving for a long time.”

My past self.

Why did you do that?

‘This is a bit troublesome.’

Now that my plan to secretly lose and avoid this had fallen apart, I needed a new plan.

‘But everything’s already ruined.’

I dodged attacks while cursing the priests above.

“We need to do the special adjustment tomorrow, so there’s no time.”

“Why is there no time?”

“Because we need to monitor the results afterward.”

The priests’ voices now sounded truly hateful to me.

If they were going to do this, they should have said so from the beginning.

Then I would have been confident in collapsing right at the start.

‘This is disgusting.’

I decided to calmly organize my thoughts.

Time was running out.

The knife at my throat was deeper than I thought.

Even now, blades were rushing at me from all directions, but that was a separate issue.

If I didn’t escape immediately, I would become their puppet again.

I had been slightly happy about regaining myself when I woke up this morning, and now this happens.

I had planned to gather information necessary for escape, such as guard personnel and composition, but that was a luxury now.

I had to move immediately, even if it was crude and dangerous.

If I became fixated on a perfect plan and didn’t move, I would lose everything.

‘Let me think carefully.’

I think while dodging the incoming greatsword and axe.

The location of the ship and how to move it, the location of the port.

I know these, so I can manage somehow.

Escape tools—that’s almost half gambling.

I just need to solve the problem of that green liquid.

The biggest issues are the security personnel and the forces that would pursue me…

Then, suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

It was risky, but there was one thing I could do right now.

I look at my fellow test subjects.

If I injured them, wouldn’t that reduce the number of pursuers in case of an emergency?

‘Normally it would be impossible, but…’

Their physical abilities are similar to mine, so it would be impossible under normal circumstances.

But now? We have weapons.

This is my chance.

The old man approached with a kick, and I dodged slightly.

I was about to feel sorry for what I was about to do, but I decided to harden my heart.

‘These people here, they’re priests after all.’

They’re priests who are good at healing arts and such.

‘They’ll fix arms and legs just fine.’

I kicked the old man in the abdomen, disrupting his stance.

At the same time, I gripped the sword in reverse with both hands.

‘This is more like a club now.’

In that state, I used the cross guard of the handle to strike down at the old man’s arm.

I was determined to shatter the bones of everyone here.

That was all I had been thinking about.

“ARGHH!”

Our test subject friends usually only make small grunts when hit or kicked.

That’s because of our tough bodies, but it seems even we can’t endure broken bones.

The old man grabbed his arm and dropped the greatsword.

Meanwhile, I saw the blonde man rushing toward me.

I quickly picked up the sword and threw it, and the man deflected it with his axe.

Not missing the opportunity, I grabbed the greatsword.

A rule against using someone else’s weapon?

Was there such a rule?

Lowering my stance, I aimed for his leg.

I struck with all my might using the blunt edge of the sword.

-Crack

Even with the blunt edge, metal is metal.

Definitely effective.

“Did No. 13 always move like that?”

Apparently, my movements just now were not what I usually displayed.

Ignoring the priests’ confusion, I stepped aside, disregarding the man who was collapsing in pain.

The woman thrust her spear toward where I had just been.

Was it because I had been beaten when six people rushed me at once before?

I felt like I could see the opponent’s movements more clearly.

I immediately stepped on the woman’s spear and struck the boy who was swinging his mace.

As the boy flew away, I grabbed the mace that was left hanging in the air and used it to break the spear.

Seeing the woman retreat, I picked up the broken spear shaft with my free hand.

Now I needed to neutralize these two as well.

I thought I saw a slight change in the expressionless faces of my two test subject peers as they saw me charging at them, aiming for their bones.

+

The four who fought with me could no longer move properly.

Each had at least one broken bone.

The priests came to treat them as they lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

Of course, some priests were treating them while others were writing something on paper.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him fight like this before…”

“No. 13 might have developed some special ability…”

I could hear the priests discussing this, and

“We should send them to the infirmary, right?”

“They’ll need at least a day or two of rest. Why is he breaking bones?”

“Ugh, those bone regeneration medicines are so expensive…”

I heard the priests talking like this while looking at the fallen four.

As I watched the four being carried to the infirmary, I decided to apologize silently in my heart.

I had preemptively eliminated the top four to prevent them from being mobilized as pursuers if test subjects were deployed for chase.

It’s absolutely not because I’m a pervert who gets pleasure from breaking bones, or because I was venting my frustration at a situation beyond my control.

I was just taking out insurance that I could get right now.

That’s how I consoled myself.

“Maybe we should examine No. 13 before adjustment.”

“We should. There might be something wrong with his combat technique.”

“We should check the other test subjects too.”

I heard the priests’ voices.

One of them, speaking in a flustered tone, suddenly called out to me.

“No. 13, return to the laboratory immediately. You, go with him.”

“Yes. Let’s go, No. 13.”

When one priest gave this instruction to another, he quickly escorted me out of the arena.

Soon after passing through the arena and arriving at the laboratory, he seemed to suddenly remember something and said:

“I need to prepare and add the experimental solution, go in first.”

As he hurriedly went somewhere, I examined the nail that had been stuck in the hose above the tank.

I pushed it in slightly more, confirming that green liquid was on the end.

‘It’s as I thought.’

I could hear several people approaching from behind.

Probably priests and my fellow test subjects.

It was now or never.

I pulled out the nail, tearing the hose as I did so, and entered the tank with the object from above the tank.

I gripped it in my fist.

As I felt the green liquid pouring down from above, I clenched my fist tightly and swung.