episode_0115

Boom─

I lowered my sword, looking at the monster lying on the floor after being split in two.

Even though it was torn in two, the monster wriggled its body around as if it was struggling, trying to somehow reattach its broken body, but it was not successful.

Perhaps it would have been possible to restore the body to its original state as originally intended.

Even now, shadow-like tentacles were growing from the fallen sections and trying to cling to each other.

However, despite such efforts, the monster never recovered.

And I was confident that that would probably not happen anymore.

The fact that the opponent was me and that I was the one who caused that wound should be considered bad luck for that monster.

What I did was not simply cut the monster in two.

Using my will, I cut down the ‘existence itself’ of that monster.

Therefore, no matter how awesome the regenerative ability is, it cannot regenerate those wounds.

So, this guy’s life should end here.

“… … .”

With this, it would be safe to say that this matter is over.

‘… I hope Max is okay.’

After taking care of things like that, the image of Max, who was hurt, came into my mind.

I know very well that what Max suffered was not a fatal wound.

It’s true that it could have been a fatal wound, but that’s because I unleashed my energy and put the brakes on his movements.

An ordinary person might not know this, but Max, a warrior who has reached a certain level, does not have to worry about his life being affected by an injury of that magnitude.

Even though I knew that, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

I also didn’t want something like that to happen.

However, it was unavoidable to keep Max’s gaze and the gaze of those around me away from me.

Originally, it would have been best for it to be resolved without my involvement, but I noticed something along the way.

If I don’t intervene, this situation, that monster, won’t be solved by Max and the others alone.

I wish I had stepped forward as soon as I noticed it, but I couldn’t.

Because Max’s eyes were always on me.

The moment I left my seat, Max would have turned on his eyes and looked for me, and the attention of those around him would have naturally gathered.

That’s why I let Max get hurt.

To chase after the guy without anyone paying attention.

To finish him off with my own hands.

Of course, there was a catch when making such a plan.

That’s right, even I couldn’t trace its energy.

The guy was completely avoiding the detection of magic power with what was presumed to be a special ability, and my detection, which had reached the level of consciousness, was no exception.

That’s why I invested a lot of time and effort into tracking down his energy.

And after trying for several days, I finally succeeded in reading its energy.

‘I guess I should thank Cheryl.’

Maybe if it were me before, I wouldn’t have been able to trace his traces.

Yes, if it was me before training in Cheryl’s space.

Through half a year of training in that space, I made definite progress, and thanks to that, I was able to successfully track him down.

Additionally, cutting it down and preventing its regeneration was a skill that I was able to use through that training.

I thanked Cheryl again in my heart and returned my mind to the person in front of me.

The life force was so strong that the monster was still breathing and squirming even though quite a bit of time had passed since it was cut in two.

The reason I took Max’s attention away and chased him like this in a rather violent way was, of course, to get rid of him with my own hands.

However, that wasn’t the only reason.

There was also an attempt to find out the identity of the guy.

The monster in front of me is even more bizarre than the monsters in the forest, which is full of all kinds of strange creatures, and is special on a level that has never existed before.

Regardless of its appearance, everything that makes up it is like that.

From the intelligence to hunt humans, to the ability to steal and learn human skills just by looking at them, to the growth power that gets stronger day by day, and to the stealth that even lets go of the senses of an unmanned person who has reached the level of suspicion.

I haven’t seen the entire history of the forest, but I can assure you that it is.

Someone so special has never existed before.

If that were the case, it would have been one of two things.

Either its existence remains as a legendary monster and has been passed down to this day, or humanity has perished.

This is not an exaggeration, he is such a special and yet so strange being.

It made me wonder if such a monster could even exist.

That’s why I was curious about his identity.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

That’s why I ‘saw’ him.

We went beyond the simple shell and looked into its essence.

And, I found out.

What is this guy’s identity?

This guy was a remnant of the ‘devil’.

A dust that cannot be called a part left behind by a demon who descended on the continent in the distant past and destroyed a huge and brilliant empire in an instant.

The flower that bloomed there and was born was the bastard.

That’s why it was more special and dangerous than any other monster.

When I found out about this, I thought again that it was a good thing that I had come forward.

If he had been left alone, the situation would have escalated out of control, or even if that had not happened, a huge number of people would have died.

Although I felt a bit of relief, at the same time I couldn’t help but shake my head.

‘I can’t believe such a monster was created with just traces.’

It was about the monstrous nature of the ‘devil’.

This monster was born from something that could not even be called a part, was the size of dust, and was literally a trace.

It was hard to imagine just how monstrous and absurd that body was.

Sheryl did not mean for nothing that she described it as closer to god than devil.

You really have to be a god-like being for something ridiculous like this to happen.

Anyway, just like that, my doubts about the guy itself were resolved.

but.

“… … .”

There was nothing that bothered me.

Of course, it was a long time ago when the devil descended on the continent.

Considering the power of the original being, it is not surprising that traces still remain.

However, I just think it’s strange that it has started its activities now.

If I was going to start working, I would have started a long time ago.

Because of this, I began to suspect that someone had intervened here.

I also know of a group that could and could commit such an act.

… Well, there’s no way you can find evidence in this situation, and nothing will change if you find evidence and confirm that it was those guys who did it.

“… … .”

I look at him slowly.

A monster that is still alive even though it is torn in two.

“in, gaaaan… … .”

Even with his mouth half full, he was making sounds and pronouncing them.

The sight, appearance, and voice clearly resembled a human, but to be honest, it just felt grotesque.

Perhaps, if this guy had been left like this and time had passed, he would have truly achieved human-level intelligence.

And, it would be possible to communicate perfectly with humans.

However, that doesn’t make it human.

Also, it does not mean that it will stop harming humans.

No matter how intelligent it is or how much it evolves, it will still harm and kill humans.

I had that confidence.

so that.

I decided to finish him off right here.

I picked up my sword.

And, I swung the sword I had raised.

***

“At some point, you said it was time for me to retire, but what is this?”

“… … .”

In a fairly large tent built in the forest, two men were having a conversation.

No, more precisely, one man was longing for another man.

The man being longed for was, of course, Max.

“The world’s Max has gone as far as he can go now, right? I wonder if it will be broken by a monster I have never heard of.”

Max’s eyebrows twitched at Hector’s humorous teasing, but Max didn’t say anything in the end.

Since he had done something, there was nothing he could do to get it back.

Hector teased him for a while and giggled.

Of course, Max just frowned and didn’t answer.

After such a friendly yet funny time.

“… Well, I’m glad though. I wasn’t seriously hurt.”

Hector finally revealed his true feelings.

“Besides, for some reason, he didn’t show up after that day.”

“… … .”

At those words, Max’s expression became serious.

“Look at the expression. Are you that worried about that?”

“… You know because you saw it, but that guy—”

“Yes. He’s a dangerous guy. But what can I do right now? You should consider yourself lucky that it doesn’t show up.”

However, even with Hector’s words, Max’s expression did not seem to improve.

“Is something going on? If you’re really worried, wouldn’t it be okay to form a search party again later?”

“… That’s right.”

But as Hector continued to speak, Max eventually reluctantly nodded.

As they say, it’s probably because they know that nothing will change if they keep worrying.

… Well, this was largely because I dealt with him quietly without anyone knowing.

Because Max and other people don’t know that he’s no more.

Especially from Max’s perspective, who felt the danger more clearly than anyone else, he couldn’t help but feel anxious and anxious.

With that in mind, I initially thought of throwing its corpse in the direction the party was heading, but considering that it evolved and not only did not have its original form left, but that it was born from the remains of a demon, even if it didn’t breathe, it would have died. Even if it was a corpse, I didn’t know what else could happen, so I erased it without a trace.

This made it difficult for Max to shake off his anxiety, but it was something that could not be helped.

Anyway, it seemed like the conversation between Hector and Max would continue like that.

“Okay, no more. Max is a patient so he needs to get some rest.”

Johanna interrupted the conversation between the two.

“Huh? Hey, we’re still talking about it─”

“That’s it. Stop leaving.”

Johanna forcibly pushed Hector away when he tried to refuse the wedding invitation.

In the end, Hector had no choice but to be pushed out of the tent by force.

“Hey, what kind of patient do you say I am? A wound like this is just─”

“Be quiet. Because you have no right to speak.”

Max also tried to protest, but was quickly suppressed by Johanna’s firm words.

Johanna seemed quite upset that Max had pushed her away and got hurt instead.

Of course, there will be some level of guilt involved.

After watching the two of them bickering for a while, I left the tent.

Anyway, this is how one case came to an end.