* * *
“Hyaaaaah!!”
Prough shouts as he instantly closes the distance between us, raising the “sword” – or rather, the bread – overhead and swinging it down forcefully!
So fast!
I quickly sidestep to evade it.
ZUGAAAN!!
As the thunderous sound of the bread smashing into the ground echoes, I tumble and roll before using my arms to leap back up, regaining my stance.
Before my raised fists, the aftermath of that strike has left a gaping scar in the earth – a deep crevice several meters long!
“As expected of you, Emi! You easily evaded that much!”
Laughing jovially, Prough launches a series of slashing attacks with the bread!
I crouch to avoid an upward slash from bottom-left to top-right.
Then I leap over the following horizontal slashing motion from right to left, using that momentum to deliver a mid-air roundhouse kick – which Prough blocks by swinging the bread!
GAKKIN!!
A crisp sound rings out as my kick clashes against the hardened bread!
I intentionally let the bread’s force push me back, creating some distance for breathing room.
Time to reset.
“Hah! Hyyah!”
I continue evading the relentless bread strikes – dodging, dodging, dodging!
ZUGAAAN!!
Another of Prough’s slashes cleaves through the ground, opening up a new crevice!
Taking a closer look, the created crevice glows golden, with wheat stalks already sprouting forth from within.
<That’s proof of the Harvest God’s power imbued in his bread! Like before, it would be unwise to directly clash kicks and punches against it…there’s a risk of getting that divine power infused into you, brainwashing you again!>
Seriously?!
This is getting troublesome!
“You really are nimble! …But how about this?!”
Seemingly frustrated his attacks aren’t landing, Prough unveils a new technique.
Raising his right hand overhead, he begins chanting.
“O my God, grant me your power! 【Thousand Breads】!”
“!!!”
The next instant, countless small golden magic circles appear in the air…and from each one, a fist-sized bread is summoned!
The night sky became filled with glowing breads instead of stars.
“…Go!!”
Following Prough’s command as he swings his raised right hand down, the numerous breads floating in the air launch themselves at me in rapid succession!
While keeping an eye on Prough’s movements, I backpedal to evade the breads!
ZUGAGAGAGAGA!!
A sound akin to machine gun fire as the breads pierce into the ground where I had been standing mere seconds ago.
The areas struck by the breads glow golden as usual, with wheat sprouting forth.
Extra-sama! Those things are off-limits to touch too, right?!
<Yes! Evasion is advised! Please refrain from trying to punch or kick them!>
Aaargh, dammit!
This is so difficult!!
Wait, in that case, there’s no need to fight fair and square!
I briefly glance behind to check my escape route, but…
“I won’t let you flee!”
Perceiving my intent to run, Prough instantly maneuvers to cut off my path!
“Tch…!!”
I click my tongue in frustration!
Sidestepping again to change my trajectory.
Then placing my hands on the ground, I use my arms to launch myself airborne.
Kicking off a massive tree trunk to further adjust my path!
ZUGAGAGAGAGA!!
The barrage of breads continues unabated!
The tree I had just kicked gets riddled like a beehive, creaking as it topples over.
“Over theeere!!”
Prough rushes toward my landing spot, swinging his bread down with full force!
Too late to evade…no choice then!!
“Haah!!”
I deflect the bread shaft with a backhand strike, altering its trajectory.
ZUGAAAN!!
Prough’s bread embeds itself in the ground, causing another crevice.
“Gh?! Dammit!!”
With the bread stuck in the earth, Prough is briefly immobilized.
Unintentionally giving me an opening to get inside his guard.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance!
I’ll open up a hole in his gut!!
Channeling magic power and murderous intent into my fist.
But…!!
“?!”
Just as I’m about to punch Prough, a sudden dizziness assails me!
Memories of the months I spent in Grounoddka Village simultaneously resurface…!!
Everyone’s smiles, the beautiful wheat fields, the delicious bread, the happy daily life…!!
<Danger! The erosion from the Harvest God’s power! Emi, hold onto your sense of self!!>
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
I scream!
Happiness?
What is happiness?!
Because…in that place…in that place…!!
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
I scream! I keep screaming!!
I drown out those forced, imposed happy memories with murderous intent!!
Move! Move, my body!!
I force my body to move no matter what!!
Using 【Grasshopper】, I leap away from Prough to create distance!
Without pause, I backpedal to evade the incoming rain of breads while grabbing fistfuls of soil from the ground.
Countering the bread onslaught with 【Infinite Pebbles】!
GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!
The breads and pebbles fiercely collide in the air, thunderous sounds echoing all around!
Continuing this barrage for dozens of seconds.
Finally, I’ve weathered through the entirety of the airborne breads.
The area illuminated by moonlight is now a devastated mess of crevices and sprouting wheat.
Amidst it all stand two youths – myself, Emi, and the other, Prough.
“Hah…hah…”
I pant heavily, shoulders heaving.
Painful. Agonizing. Fairly battered all over.
“Haah…”
On the other hand, Prough merely sighs.
Having finally dislodged the bread he was using as a sword, he regards me leisurely.
Completely unhurried and showing no signs of exertion.
“Say, Emi. Why do you resist so desperately?”
Resting the bread over his shoulder, he speaks to me with an exasperated look.
“Calm down and think about it? You were living happily in Grounoddka Village, weren’t you?”
That’s true.
Even if I was brainwashed, I was undoubtedly happy there.
A world where everyone accepted me.
A kind world that acknowledged me as a person did indeed exist there.
<E-Emi…>
“Working in the fields diligently every day. A happy daily life surrounded by wheat fields. What’s wrong with that?”
A happy, daily life…
A tranquil, daily life…
<D-Don’t listen to him, Emi! Don’t listen!>
“Right, Emi? The time for running away from home is over. Come back to the village!”
Prough smiles warmly at me, extending his hand for a handshake.
My feet.
My body.
They start wavering, approaching Prough.
<No! No no no! Emi! Emi, wake up–!!>
And I…
Firmly grasp Prough’s extended hand.
“Welcome back, Emi!”
Hearing Prough’s elated voice, I raise my downcast face to meet his gaze.
Then, I forcefully pull on his arm.
“Eh?”
Caught off guard, Prough loses his balance.
Stumbling forward.
Right toward…
His face, slightly flushed,
I release my grip on Prough’s arm.
And tightly clench my fist.
With all my might.
I drive it straight into his face!!!
“Bubuwaaaahh?!?!”
As the blown-away Prough tumbles through the bushes, flying an untrackable distance, I declare!
“I won’t return to the village…never!!!”
* * *
“Hyaaaaah!!”
Prough shouts as he instantly closes the distance between us, raising the “sword” – or rather, the bread – overhead and swinging it down forcefully!
So fast!
I quickly sidestep to evade it.
ZUGAAAN!!
As the thunderous sound of the bread smashing into the ground echoes, I tumble and roll before using my arms to leap back up, regaining my stance.
Before my raised fists, the aftermath of that strike has left a gaping scar in the earth – a deep crevice several meters long!
“As expected of you, Emi! You easily evaded that much!”
Laughing jovially, Prough launches a series of slashing attacks with the bread!
I crouch to avoid an upward slash from bottom-left to top-right.
Then I leap over the following horizontal slashing motion from right to left, using that momentum to deliver a mid-air roundhouse kick – which Prough blocks by swinging the bread!
GAKKIN!!
A crisp sound rings out as my kick clashes against the hardened bread!
I intentionally let the bread’s force push me back, creating some distance for breathing room.
Time to reset.
“Hah! Hyyah!”
I continue evading the relentless bread strikes – dodging, dodging, dodging!
ZUGAAAN!!
Another of Prough’s slashes cleaves through the ground, opening up a new crevice!
Taking a closer look, the created crevice glows golden, with wheat stalks already sprouting forth from within.
<That’s proof of the Harvest God’s power imbued in his bread! Like before, it would be unwise to directly clash kicks and punches against it…there’s a risk of getting that divine power infused into you, brainwashing you again!>
Seriously?!
This is getting troublesome!
“You really are nimble! …But how about this?!”
Seemingly frustrated his attacks aren’t landing, Prough unveils a new technique.
Raising his right hand overhead, he begins chanting.
“O my God, grant me your power! 【Thousand Breads】!”
“!!!”
The next instant, countless small golden magic circles appear in the air…and from each one, a fist-sized bread is summoned!
The night sky became filled with glowing breads instead of stars.
“…Go!!”
Following Prough’s command as he swings his raised right hand down, the numerous breads floating in the air launch themselves at me in rapid succession!
While keeping an eye on Prough’s movements, I backpedal to evade the breads!
ZUGAGAGAGAGA!!
A sound akin to machine gun fire as the breads pierce into the ground where I had been standing mere seconds ago.
The areas struck by the breads glow golden as usual, with wheat sprouting forth.
Extra-sama! Those things are off-limits to touch too, right?!
<Yes! Evasion is advised! Please refrain from trying to punch or kick them!>
Aaargh, dammit!
This is so difficult!!
Wait, in that case, there’s no need to fight fair and square!
I briefly glance behind to check my escape route, but…
“I won’t let you flee!”
Perceiving my intent to run, Prough instantly maneuvers to cut off my path!
“Tch…!!”
I click my tongue in frustration!
Sidestepping again to change my trajectory.
Then placing my hands on the ground, I use my arms to launch myself airborne.
Kicking off a massive tree trunk to further adjust my path!
ZUGAGAGAGAGA!!
The barrage of breads continues unabated!
The tree I had just kicked gets riddled like a beehive, creaking as it topples over.
“Over theeere!!”
Prough rushes toward my landing spot, swinging his bread down with full force!
Too late to evade…no choice then!!
“Haah!!”
I deflect the bread shaft with a backhand strike, altering its trajectory.
ZUGAAAN!!
Prough’s bread embeds itself in the ground, causing another crevice.
“Gh?! Dammit!!”
With the bread stuck in the earth, Prough is briefly immobilized.
Unintentionally giving me an opening to get inside his guard.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance!
I’ll open up a hole in his gut!!
Channeling magic power and murderous intent into my fist.
But…!!
“?!”
Just as I’m about to punch Prough, a sudden dizziness assails me!
Memories of the months I spent in Grounoddka Village simultaneously resurface…!!
Everyone’s smiles, the beautiful wheat fields, the delicious bread, the happy daily life…!!
<Danger! The erosion from the Harvest God’s power! Emi, hold onto your sense of self!!>
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
I scream!
Happiness?
What is happiness?!
Because…in that place…in that place…!!
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
I scream! I keep screaming!!
I drown out those forced, imposed happy memories with murderous intent!!
Move! Move, my body!!
I force my body to move no matter what!!
Using 【Grasshopper】, I leap away from Prough to create distance!
Without pause, I backpedal to evade the incoming rain of breads while grabbing fistfuls of soil from the ground.
Countering the bread onslaught with 【Infinite Pebbles】!
GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!
The breads and pebbles fiercely collide in the air, thunderous sounds echoing all around!
Continuing this barrage for dozens of seconds.
Finally, I’ve weathered through the entirety of the airborne breads.
The area illuminated by moonlight is now a devastated mess of crevices and sprouting wheat.
Amidst it all stand two youths – myself, Emi, and the other, Prough.
“Hah…hah…”
I pant heavily, shoulders heaving.
Painful. Agonizing. Fairly battered all over.
“Haah…”
On the other hand, Prough merely sighs.
Having finally dislodged the bread he was using as a sword, he regards me leisurely.
Completely unhurried and showing no signs of exertion.
“Say, Emi. Why do you resist so desperately?”
Resting the bread over his shoulder, he speaks to me with an exasperated look.
“Calm down and think about it? You were living happily in Grounoddka Village, weren’t you?”
That’s true.
Even if I was brainwashed, I was undoubtedly happy there.
A world where everyone accepted me.
A kind world that acknowledged me as a person did indeed exist there.
<E-Emi…>
“Working in the fields diligently every day. A happy daily life surrounded by wheat fields. What’s wrong with that?”
A happy, daily life…
A tranquil, daily life…
<D-Don’t listen to him, Emi! Don’t listen!>
“Right, Emi? The time for running away from home is over. Come back to the village!”
Prough smiles warmly at me, extending his hand for a handshake.
My feet.
My body.
They start wavering, approaching Prough.
<No! No no no! Emi! Emi, wake up–!!>
And I…
Firmly grasp Prough’s extended hand.
“Welcome back, Emi!”
Hearing Prough’s elated voice, I raise my downcast face to meet his gaze.
Then, I forcefully pull on his arm.
“Eh?”
Caught off guard, Prough loses his balance.
Stumbling forward.
Right toward…
His face, slightly flushed,
I release my grip on Prough’s arm.
And tightly clench my fist.
With all my might.
I drive it straight into his face!!!
“Bubuwaaaahh?!?!”
As the blown-away Prough tumbles through the bushes, flying an untrackable distance, I declare!
“I won’t return to the village…never!!!”
