Chapter 150 – Come Out And Play (1/2)
“What the hell is happening? What happened to Tannin!?” (Kuzemu)
Kuzemu, who confirmed the disorder at the front from his carriage, shouts at the surrounding soldiers.
However, those, who indulged in the safety of being in the centre of the ranks, had no means to know about the sudden changes at the front line.
If Kuzemu himself ordered them to check the situation and report to him at this point, the outcome might have been quite different. However, it was likely necessary for the soldier with the duty of checking to be “exceedingly” excellent for that to happen.
In any case, there wasn’t anyone at Kuzemu’s side who was able to explain the chaos at the front line.
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“Gyaah!!”
Even the soldier, who was in the vicinity of the carriage transporting the immortal soldiers that were deployed to the front, has been killed by Hifumi’s party before being allowed to choose the option of running away.
With the majority of immortal soldiers lost, the rest is handled by Origa and the other girls.
Half of the soldiers engages Hifumi, who applies pressure on them by attacking after plunging deeply into the centre of Kuzemu’s army, to finish him off while the other half escapes.
Excluding those who unluckily headed in the direction of Origa’s group, the escapees hid themselves by taking refuge in a nearby cities and prolonged their lives by surrendering to the troops of the nobles governing those cities.
The ones who saw hell were the soldiers who chose to stand in Hifumi’s way.
“Stop him! Stop that guy!”
“Call the magic soldiers!”
Even during the commanding officers’ yells, the losses amongst their subordinates continued to spread.
Precisely stabbing eyes and throats, which aren’t protected by the helmets, with the sharp point of the katana, the brains and arteries are destroyed.
Among them, a small number of those, who received Ma Calme’s unit’s teaching, are apparently able to move properly.
Three soldiers use the opportunity to close in on Hifumi when he squats down to avoid swords thrown by soldiers from Horant who have jumped up to strike from left and right.
Two swords aim at his feet and waist by sweeping sideways and one sword is swung downwards from an overhead stance. Moreover they are approaching from three different directions.
“Hou?” (Hifumi)
While releasing a voice similar to admiration, Hifumi grabbed the arm of the soldier, who came to attack his waist, and changed the location of the soldier by vigorously turning his own body around.
“Uwaah!”
The soldier, who stumbled a step or two forward due to being dragged into Hifumi’s rotation, suddenly appeared in front of the slashing attack of his ally.
“Wai….!”
Receiving the heavy long sword on his head, the soldier faints.
Hifumi, who evaded the slash by switching with his enemy, cut down the remaining two while in the process of turning around due to the momentum of that.
Noticing that the soldier, who was at the very bottom of the three piled-up bodies, is still breathing, Hifumi stands in front of his eyes.
“Where’s your guys’ ringleader?” (Hifumi)
“… Further behind, is, I think…”
“What his name?” (Hifumi)
“… Tannin…”
Hifumi delivered the final blow to the soldier, who answered while gasping, with a *pierce*.
Watching Hifumi who easily dealt with the simultaneous attack by three soldiers, the surrounding soldiers take a distance and form a circle around him.
“… Over there, huh?” (Hifumi)
Ignoring the mob, he confirms the carriage visible ahead of the enemy army.
Different from Orsongrande that absorbed Fokalore’s way of organizing a military supply unit to transport goods, something like a carriage stands out on Horant’s side as they are still using the system of everyone carrying their own supplies.
“Move it! Clear the way!” (Hifumi)
The soldiers retreat in fright from in front of Hifumi who began to run towards the distinct carriage.
However, they are too slow.
A soldier, who turned his back on him, stares with an expression of surprise due to the katana’s point protruding out from his throat after it has been stabbed into the back of his neck.
“Did you think that you would have the time to retreat? The time for that has already passed. Do your best while fighting or strive to escape. If you retreat while simply showing your back, that will settle your death, won’t it?” (Hifumi)
Hifumi pulls out his katana with a short *slurp* and wipes it with a paper.
While the paper, which was tossed away, dances in the wind, the remaining soldiers have already lost the willpower to fight and are gradually backing away.
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The moment when Kuzemu grasped the state of affairs was the time when he saw Hifumi’s face.
When Hifumi entered the carriage by smashing the carriage’s door with a kick as if bursting it open, Kuzemu’s face was about to have its jaw dislocated due to surprise and he wore a miserable expression with his mouth open.
“Y-You are…” (Kuzemu)
“Let me ask one thing? What are those puppets? They disqualify as toys as they break far too easily for a present which was carried after carefully packing it into a box.” (Hifumi)
While tapping the katana at his waist, he glares at Kuzemu.
“You thought it will go well if there’s a large amount of them? Having the scariness of numbers on your side means an increase in the number of moves and choices of possible reactions. Even if you had gathered countless of those dolls that turn up one after the other, there wouldn’t be any kind of meaning to it.”
“You know, I”, Hifumi draws his katana and thrusts it in front of Kuzemu’s eyes.
“don’t want to see a puppet show. I’m sure I told you. Let’s have a war where plenty of people die is what I said.” (Hifumi)
Unable to take his eyes off the gradually approaching tip of the katana, Kuzemu started to quiver.
“I-Isn’t there anyone…?” (Kuzemu)
It doesn’t seem likely that his small, trembling voice reached the noisy outside of the carriage.
Besides, currently there are the three members of Origa’s group around the carriage.
Far from getting close, everyone has started to back off from the carriage due to the shuriken and spells which are hurled at them even as they leave.
“Even though I gave you teaching advices after expressly coming to your place, you are in this situation. I wonder how I’m supposed to release this seething anger?” (Hifumi)
“E-Even if you tell me, nothing…” (Kuzemu)
“Really? I see.” (Hifumi)
He withdrew the katana and sheathed it into its scabbard.
Seeing that, Kuzemu took deep breaths making his shoulders go up and down as if he was finally able to breathe.
However, it was also a momentary relief.
“Like this!” (Hifumi)
He seizes Kuzemu’s throat with the right hand that separated from the hilt.
With his carotid artery being pressured by Hifumi’s thumb and index finger, Kuzemu ended up fainting quickly after a short interval of struggling.
Throwing down Kuzemu on the ground of the carriage, Hifumi leaves.
Countless corpses are piled up outside and the stench of blood drifted about.
“Thanks for your hard work, Hifumi-sama.” (Origa)
The one who approached him directly was Origa.
“I will go to Horant’s capital next. Since I will be using this carriage to go there…” (Hifumi)