Arifureta Vol 9 Chapter 10 (2/2)
Even in all of the man’s life until now, it was an attack that satisfied him the most. Having premonition of death, he instinctively did a sure-kill attack. However, the sure-kill attack pierced into the mouth of the white eyed fish and was easily stopped.
“Eh? What? H-How…”
When Hajime swung the fish, the man was dumbfounded after seeing the unbelievable spectacle, and thus the spear was easily s.n.a.t.c.hed. The swinging momentum made the spear fly out from the fish’s mouth, directly hitting the face of another person of Sea-dweller tribe. Leering at the person from Sea-dweller tribe who groaned as the blood gushed out from his bleeding nose, Hajime once again swung fish.
The man whose spear was taken and thrown away had cramped cheeks because of the nonsensical scene of the white-eyed fish approaching his face with its opened mouth and somehow s.h.i.+ning in bright red.
Then,
BAM!!!
“Hmmm?!”
He was blown away just like the man earlier.
“Munch, munch… gulp… Now then, I actually don’t want to fight against the Sea-dweller tribe. As such, why don’t we calm down and have a talk here? However, indeed I can’t stay silent if someone tries to hurt my companion… Ah, the people blown away wouldn’t die because I held back, okay?”
With the limp fish in one hand, which lost its s.h.i.+ne, Hajime proposed after deactivating his “Pressure.” Hajime himself didn’t really want to fight the Sea-dweller tribe’s people who were of the same tribe as Myuu. Although the other side tried to kill him, he actually didn’t even see them as a neighbourhood uncle (totally ignoring them).
However, the Sea-dweller tribe didn’t seem to accept his proposal. It was because their pride seemed to have been damaged by Hajime who looked down at them expressing “you are not even my match” even though humans were at a disadvantageous position in the sea, and he had blown away their comrades even though he said they didn’t die.
Moreover, because of their abnormally high alert against the human race, they could not trust Hajime’s words at all. We must not let our guards down! They took distance from Hajime’s party, and took a stance ready to throw the short harpoons on their backs.
“I see. It’s not enough to kidnapping that child, huh? That’s why you come here again to kidnap other children of ours?”
“We won’t give you the time to cast any magic! The sea is our territory, don’t think you can return unhurt!”
“We will make you spit that child’s location even if we need to chop your limbs!”
“Don’t worry. We will keep you alive until we hand you over to the Kingdom. Your safety isn’t guaranteed though.”
It seemed to be an abnormal situation. Rather than being cautious, strong grudge could be seen lodged in their eyes. Hajime somehow understood the cause of their agitation from the words “kidnap other children.” These people were likely to have misunderstood him as the one who kidnapped Myuu. Riding on unknown transportation and taking along a slave from Rabbitman tribe while wandering around the territory of Sea-dweller tribe… It wasn’t so strange for a human like him to be misunderstood.
The Demi-human race held a very strong unity and affection towards their race. It was certainly so for their own race, but it was even stronger among their own tribe. Haulia tribe went out of the Sea of Trees just for s.h.i.+a, while the Bearman tribe ignored the decision of the Chiefs’ conference to take revenge on the one who injured their chief. Even the Sea-dweller tribe wasn’t any different. Any children of their tribe are important, even they weren’t their own.
Secretly, Hajime was sulking a little as he complained, “Even if she doesn’t go her way to treat me as her father, she has these people treat her like their daughter, eh.” The mutter mixed with a wry smile was aimed at Myuu who wasn’t here. Following that, Hajime tried to say Myuu’s name to solve the misunderstanding.
“Ah~, you know, about that kidna-…”
“Get ’em!!”
However, faster than his words, the Sea-dweller tribe began to throw the harpoons one after another. Even though the lower half of their bodies was underwater, treading on it, the harpoons were flying with a considerable speed and indeed they were aimed at the shoulders or feet, and not to kill them. In thoroughness, they were also stabbing the submarine which shook it intensely.
If it was a normal human, he would have his balance broken and would either be pierced by the harpoons from being unable of taking evasive maneuver or fall into the sea and suppressed by the Sea-dweller tribe. Well, if it was a normal human.
“”Wave Castle.””
With Yue’s mutter, the sea water compressed as it surged, obstructing the harpoons coming from all directions. Following that, while the Sea-dweller tribe were still astonished by the non-chanted magic, Yue made around 20 thunder b.a.l.l.s floating around her.
At the same time the sound of upsurge seawater had literally became a rampart, returned to normal. The people of Sea-dweller tribe witnessed the floating and sparkling thunderb.a.l.l.s around Yue.
“Kh!? R-Retreaaatt!!”
A scream of order rang out. The paled tribe members panicky turned on their heels to run away. However, they were too slow.
Fwoos.h.!.+ Bzz! BZzz! BzZZzz!!
Each of the thunder b.a.l.l.s flew towards a different direction, not letting even one of the Sea-dweller tribe away… mildly electric shocked them. “ABABABABABABABAh,” such a scream could be heard from them. After a while, the 21 people of Sea-dweller tribe were floating on the surface.
“Yue, cheers for the good work.”
“Nn… Hajime, about the thing these people were saying.”
“Well, it must be about Myuu.”
“A lot of things happened even when we were going to Elisen. As expected of Hajime-san. Not even having the time spent in a town, a problem had already appeared…”
“Please stop, s.h.i.+a. I am actually a little worried about that, too… d.a.m.nit. There should’ve been no problem here if Myuu was here…”
Hajime was sighing while he worried about it. Then, for the time being, he moved to gather the people of Sea-dweller tribe’s drowned bodies.
After he instantly remodelled the sub by making a carrier where he put the afro-haired, white-eyed people of Sea-dweller tribe, the party continued their voyage.
Yue effectively weakened one of the thunders, which made the person immediately awake. That person guided the party into the harbor after they explained the situation to him.
At first, because Hajime knew Myuu’s name and characteristics the man said, ‘So you are the culprit after all!’, as he raged. However, Hajime was already irritated, so he expressionlessly slapped him until the man calmed down, and the man heard the party’s story after being disciplined.
Following that, when the party told him Myuu was currently in Ancadi and will immediately returned to Elisen. The man asked the party to allow him to tag along with them to Ancadi. For the man, he could not just swallowed Hajime’s party’s story without any proof, so he wanted to go along with the party to Ancadi to at least find a clue about Myuu.
Beside the young man before them who was guiding them, the people who previously were bellowing at Hajime were those who directly knew Myuu. Myuu’s mother was also injured when Myuu was kidnapped, thus these people were becoming emotional. And, because he would feel awkward when he reunites with Myuu after having beaten up her acquaintances, Hajime reluctantly accepted the young man’s request.
Following that, after advancing on the sea for a few hours,
“Ah, Hajime-san! It has come into view! The town is! Finally, a place with people!”
“Nn? Ohh, it really is in the middle of the sea, eh.”
s.h.i.+a was pointing at «Elisen» with sparkling eyes and said to Hajime. Moving his gaze, indeed a big town floating above the sea had come into his view.
Hajime moved the submarine towards the place with a lot of protruding piers. After leering at the Sea-dweller tribe, human tourists and merchants who became pop-eyed after seeing Hajime riding on an unknown vessel, the party moored at a vacant spot.
The people of the Sea-dweller tribe came before the party, witnessed the tens of unconscious people of Sea-dweller tribe on the submarine’s carrier, and raised a commotion. However, Hajime thought it would be okay because he had explained the situation to the young man, so for the time being, he and the young man unloaded the fainted people onto the pier.
After they did that, fully-armed people of Sea-dweller tribe and human soldiers had already crowded in. The young man took a step forward to explain the situation and began to talk like a big shot. Hajime had wanted to quickly return to Ancadi and meet Kaori’s group so when he watched the young man, he became irritated and said inwardly, “Just decide who will travel with us already!”
Hajime wanted this to end peacefully, but it indeed couldn’t be that smooth. Pus.h.i.+ng aside the young man who was confused, the soldiers rushed to the party. Hajime’s party were surrounded without a place to escape on the small pier.
“Be obedient. Let us restrain you until we can clarify the truth.”
“Oi, oi, didn’t you hear the story?”
“Of course. And it is better if we are the one who go to confirm it. There’s no need for you to go.”
Words without any chance of refusal. Hajime became even more irritated, but he controlled himself because here was Myuu’s hometown.
“Listen here. Our companions are waiting for us there. But, even though we want to immediately head to Ancadi, didn’t we come all the way here to return those who mistakenly attacked us?”
“Regardless if it was a misunderstanding or not… even if the kidnapped child is indeed in Ancadi, you’re suspicious because you wandered around Elisen’s territory on an unidentified vessel. There’s no saying you won’t run away on our way to Ancadi, right?”
“What’s with this situation this time? If we want to run away, we can just annihilate these people and escape right after that.”
“There’s also that point. But, it didn’t change that you entered our jurisdiction without permission. Furthermore, you attacked the vigilante corps that discovered you, there’s no way we can release you that easily.”
“It was them who didn’t listen to us and attacked due to their agitation. Even so, you think we would obediently let you restrain us? … just cut it out already.”
Hajime’s eyes narrowed dangerously. The man who seemed to be the leader of the soldiers before him was frowning from the heavy aura overflowing from Hajime.
On the leader’s chest was the badge with Herrlicht Kingdom’s crest, surmising that he was the commander of the regiment sent under pretext of the Kingdom’s protection. Among the Sea-dweller tribe, there were people who might be from the vigilante corps, and they didn’t back away even though they were taken aback by Hajime’s aura.
For Hajime, this place was Myuu’s hometown and he didn’t want any problem in Elisen since he thought it was likely to become the party’s base because they would surely take time to search «Meljeene Bottom Sea Ruin», whose location was unknown. It was the truth that Myuu was in Ancadi, and he understood the suspicion could be solved. However, Hajime’s hostility to the injustice in this world could be called a conditioned reflex. As such, he wouldn’t easily accept this.
It was a truly explosive situation.
Within the raised tension, Hajime thought that he must not rampaging in Myuu’s hometown, and by the time he wanted to concede,
“Nn? Just now…”
With her rabbit-ears moving about, s.h.i.+a began to look around the sky. Hajime didn’t look away from the commander and asked, “What is it?” However, before s.h.i.+a could answer him, Hajime also felt a small presence and voice.
“—!”
“Ah? What?”
“—pa— !”
“Oy, it can’t be!?”
“—Papaa~!”
Hajime hurriedly looked up and somehow a small shadow was falling from the empty sky!
With arms spread, the shadow that was free falling full of smile was…
“Myuu-!?”
That’s right, it was Myuu. Myuu was skydiving. Without parachute. Looking carefully, behind her was the black dragonform of Tio, who was hurriedly descending, and riding on her back was Kaori who was also in a panic.
As soon as he recognized the falling shadow was Myuu, Hajime activated “Aerodynamic” and “Ground Shrinker.” He immediately jumped from his spot, ignoring the pier that was blown by the impact and the soldiers screaming as they fell into the sea.
Hajime that had instantly jumped for more than 100 meters in height thanks to “Aerodynamic,” to jump towards the place Myuu was going to fall through, and activated “Light Speed.” Inside the slowed down world, he made sure Myuu was in his arms, and he fell with a regulated, miracle-like speed, perfectly nulled any kind of shock.
With Myuu in his embrace, Hajime used “Aerodynamic” to hop and bounced until he reached the ground. Inwardly, the cold sweat was flowing like a waterfall.
“Papa-!”
Without even knowing a shred of what Hajime was thinking, Myuu rubbed her face on Hajime’s chest with a smiling face. Perhaps, it was Tio who told her Hajime was right under them.
Thus, although he didn’t know whether it was accidental or perhaps deliberated, she fell towards Hajime. Seeing how she was smiling as she fell, there’s no mistake she believed Hajime would surely catch her.
Even so, it took an extraordinary courage to do a free-fall with a full smiling face. Restrain yourself!Hajime retorted at the four year old child in his mind. Hajime was frowning as he thought of scolding her. But when they got to the ground, he patted Myuu.
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