Chapter 20: A life-or-death game of tag between a persistent wolf and a tenacious wandering child. And a mysterious old man appears!
{A/N: Omake no Tensei-sha, Volume 3 begins.
It continues.
It will continue.}
<Previous
Next>
Autumn!
The leaves of the trees growing sparsely between rugged boulders on the mountainside are being dyed red these days!
The cold air is torn apart! Fallen leaves soar, as if caught in a storm of wind! I am sprinting! As fast as I can!
Because!
"Gyaoooh!"
"…Yoh… to!"
Pouncing with a howl, the wolf’s sharp claws skim the air above me, as I duck with brilliant form!
Yeah, I’ll say it, that was brilliant!
I shift my body at a right angle and continue my escape!
Yes!
I'm currently running for my life from this persistent monster, "Reaper Wolf"!
It’s an annoyingly stubborn wolf monster, named because "it's as inescapable as the grim reaper and never lets go of its prey"! It’s a stalker!
I’ve been running away from lots of different monsters until today, but in terms of persistence, this guy’s number one!
Has it been chasing me for three hours now!?
Yeah three hours, three whole hours!
Chasing me for such a long time, this stalker wolf has got crazy willpower!
But to keep running away, my vitality isn’t bad either!
I think I might be the toughest six year old in the world!
Ah, about that, I turned six the other day.
Omake-sama and I celebrated by topping a base of white insects with red insects to have a (thing that looks like a) cake (from a distance). Yay!
It's been a few months since I left my home village (forest)…
"Eh? You’re still wandering? You didn’t go to any cities or villages?” is what you might think, but it's more that I couldn’t enter than that I chose not to.
Now that we’ve lost the Naso Forest base, as Omake-sama says, <<the safest place to make camp>>, it would be better to find some city or village to stay in.
I really did want that.
But I couldn't do it.
Ever since Trash Village got destroyed, it seems like the neighboring towns are in shock and the local governments (?) are on alert, so suspicious wandering children with no identification have some trouble getting accepted. That’s reason number one.
Reason number two is that the discrimination against black-haired, black-eyed “cursed children” is way more intense than I expected.
I didn't think there’d be a town with a gatekeeper who would, no questions asked, drive me away with a spear!
I thought this black-haired, black-eyed discrimination was just some Trash Village hick superstition, but apparently it's not that simple.
This problem’s roots go deep.
Omake-sama doesn’t know why there’s such discrimination either because it’s <<not in the isekai reincarnation broadcast>>.
What the heck is going on?
Well, since I’ve been wandering around like this, about three hours ago I was going through a meadow and got spotted by this persistent stalker wolf.
From there, I crossed a river, passed through a forest, and ended up running around on some mountain, all the while playing a game of tag where I die if I get caught.
Seriously, where the hell am I!!
"Gyaoooh!"
"…Hoi… sattoh!"
I don’t know how many times this is now, but I dodge reaper wolf-kun’s attack again.
This guy’s an idiot, so he always shouts before he attacks.
Once I figured that out, it was easy to avoid his claws.
Don’t these guys suck at hunting?
Since they’re so bad, they probably went, “then, let’s have the endurance to chase prey until it’s exhausted,” and that’s the direction they evolved in.
No, just get better at hunting.
For the time being, my response is the same as before.
After crouching to avoid the claws, I change direction and start running, increasing the distance from the wolf in that gap!
Wait, ah…
<<Aah! Emmy!>>
Omake-sama reflexively screamed too.
Yep, I forgot.
That reaper wolf kept on chasing me, and before I knew it, I was on the side of some mountain slope.
The rocks under my feet are unstable and uneven.
I hit the ground and roll after my foot catches on one that juts out.
Even though I haven’t obtained the advantage of civilization called shoes yet, my bare feet are fine to kick against rock.
Thanks to [body strengthening], which has recently become stronger and more accurate, my body doesn’t suffer.
However…
I get up.
My eyes lock with the wolf sneaking closer.
The red glow of his eyes contrasts his jet-black coat.
Drool dripping from his tongue licking his teeth is the spitting image of an evil grim reaper.
But, don't underestimate me, stalker wolf!
This place is full of rocks! Meaning, it’s a treasure trove for my main weapon!
I snatch up the tumbling pebbles and immediately, [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwiinnngggg]!
A rain of gravel drenches the wolf.
However, no matter where or how many times the pebbles make contact, he just gives a look of annoyance and doesn’t show any signs of pain.
Ah, this is bad.
It ’s the same as that scum boss thief.
This wolf’s [body strengthening] overpowers my [stone throwing].
Is there really no way to get out of this?
<<How are you so carefree?! If you don’t hurry up and run away…!>>
Yeah, you’re right.
You’re right, but… this is bad.
Both my physical strength and magical power are already at their limits.
My legs are trembling but won’t move.
That’s when I realize, this is the fear of death that I’m feeling.
The tremors in my body aren’t just a product of my fatigue.
Trash Village, overrun and destroyed by monsters, flashes through my mind.
The randomly scattered corpses of the villagers, rolling about.
If I’m this weak, will I just die like they did?
"Gyaoooh!"
The reaper wolf leaps in.
This doesn’t seem like something I can avoid.
Somehow, time feels slowed.
One after another, my memories in this world run through my head.
This is that life flashing before your eyes thing.
My father beating me when I was young.
My mother abandoning me for a handsome merchant.
Out of reach, children like Torch-kun happily playing in the village..
Adults villagers throwing stones and kicking me out.
Bandits robbing my home…
……I have no good memories!!!
Will I die?
Will I die in a place like this?!!
I will definitely survive and eat a delicious feast with Omake-sama!!!
But reality is heartless!
I have no way to dodge those deadly claws!
Closer every moment, the grim reaper swings his scythe.
No.
I don’t want to die.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!
My mind is racing, but my body still doesn’t budge.
The next moment, everything turned white.
Ah, I'm not dead, though.
I just couldn't keep up with the sudden turn of events.
But I can still see it when I close my eyes.
For the reaper wolf who jumped at me.
There was a person lying in ambush on the side.
A hand flashes like a sword.
With that alone, that monster’s head, which was so tough that I couldn't even scratch it with my [stone throwing], was separated from its body and flew off.
The torso hit me with the continued momentum from the attack.
I rolled, soaked in wolf blood.
Still shocked, I raised my face to look at the person who saved me.
Although he’s relatively slender, clearly trained muscles show through his clothes.
Old wounds criss-cross his body and face.
Deep wrinkles are engraved on his stoic face, and his wavy white hair is smoothed back.
And eyes so sharp they could kill with a glare.
A tremendously powerful old man stood there, as if saying, "I am the embodiment of dread".
Magical power overflows from his body.
And bloodthirst.
Feeling that bloodthirst.
The moment after I met that old man.
My consciousness slipped.
Chapter 20: A life-or-death game of tag between a persistent wolf and a tenacious wandering child. And a mysterious old man appears!
{A/N: Omake no Tensei-sha, Volume 3 begins.
It continues.
It will continue.}
<Previous
Next>
Autumn!
The leaves of the trees growing sparsely between rugged boulders on the mountainside are being dyed red these days!
The cold air is torn apart! Fallen leaves soar, as if caught in a storm of wind! I am sprinting! As fast as I can!
Because!
"Gyaoooh!"
"…Yoh… to!"
Pouncing with a howl, the wolf’s sharp claws skim the air above me, as I duck with brilliant form!
Yeah, I’ll say it, that was brilliant!
I shift my body at a right angle and continue my escape!
Yes!
I'm currently running for my life from this persistent monster, "Reaper Wolf"!
It’s an annoyingly stubborn wolf monster, named because "it's as inescapable as the grim reaper and never lets go of its prey"! It’s a stalker!
I’ve been running away from lots of different monsters until today, but in terms of persistence, this guy’s number one!
Has it been chasing me for three hours now!?
Yeah three hours, three whole hours!
Chasing me for such a long time, this stalker wolf has got crazy willpower!
But to keep running away, my vitality isn’t bad either!
I think I might be the toughest six year old in the world!
Ah, about that, I turned six the other day.
Omake-sama and I celebrated by topping a base of white insects with red insects to have a (thing that looks like a) cake (from a distance). Yay!
It's been a few months since I left my home village (forest)…
"Eh? You’re still wandering? You didn’t go to any cities or villages?” is what you might think, but it's more that I couldn’t enter than that I chose not to.
Now that we’ve lost the Naso Forest base, as Omake-sama says, <<the safest place to make camp>>, it would be better to find some city or village to stay in.
I really did want that.
But I couldn't do it.
Ever since Trash Village got destroyed, it seems like the neighboring towns are in shock and the local governments (?) are on alert, so suspicious wandering children with no identification have some trouble getting accepted. That’s reason number one.
Reason number two is that the discrimination against black-haired, black-eyed “cursed children” is way more intense than I expected.
I didn't think there’d be a town with a gatekeeper who would, no questions asked, drive me away with a spear!
I thought this black-haired, black-eyed discrimination was just some Trash Village hick superstition, but apparently it's not that simple.
This problem’s roots go deep.
Omake-sama doesn’t know why there’s such discrimination either because it’s <<not in the isekai reincarnation broadcast>>.
What the heck is going on?
Well, since I’ve been wandering around like this, about three hours ago I was going through a meadow and got spotted by this persistent stalker wolf.
From there, I crossed a river, passed through a forest, and ended up running around on some mountain, all the while playing a game of tag where I die if I get caught.
Seriously, where the hell am I!!
"Gyaoooh!"
"…Hoi… sattoh!"
I don’t know how many times this is now, but I dodge reaper wolf-kun’s attack again.
This guy’s an idiot, so he always shouts before he attacks.
Once I figured that out, it was easy to avoid his claws.
Don’t these guys suck at hunting?
Since they’re so bad, they probably went, “then, let’s have the endurance to chase prey until it’s exhausted,” and that’s the direction they evolved in.
No, just get better at hunting.
For the time being, my response is the same as before.
After crouching to avoid the claws, I change direction and start running, increasing the distance from the wolf in that gap!
Wait, ah…
<<Aah! Emmy!>>
Omake-sama reflexively screamed too.
Yep, I forgot.
That reaper wolf kept on chasing me, and before I knew it, I was on the side of some mountain slope.
The rocks under my feet are unstable and uneven.
I hit the ground and roll after my foot catches on one that juts out.
Even though I haven’t obtained the advantage of civilization called shoes yet, my bare feet are fine to kick against rock.
Thanks to [body strengthening], which has recently become stronger and more accurate, my body doesn’t suffer.
However…
I get up.
My eyes lock with the wolf sneaking closer.
The red glow of his eyes contrasts his jet-black coat.
Drool dripping from his tongue licking his teeth is the spitting image of an evil grim reaper.
But, don't underestimate me, stalker wolf!
This place is full of rocks! Meaning, it’s a treasure trove for my main weapon!
I snatch up the tumbling pebbles and immediately, [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwing], [stone throwiinnngggg]!
A rain of gravel drenches the wolf.
However, no matter where or how many times the pebbles make contact, he just gives a look of annoyance and doesn’t show any signs of pain.
Ah, this is bad.
It ’s the same as that scum boss thief.
This wolf’s [body strengthening] overpowers my [stone throwing].
Is there really no way to get out of this?
<<How are you so carefree?! If you don’t hurry up and run away…!>>
Yeah, you’re right.
You’re right, but… this is bad.
Both my physical strength and magical power are already at their limits.
My legs are trembling but won’t move.
That’s when I realize, this is the fear of death that I’m feeling.
The tremors in my body aren’t just a product of my fatigue.
Trash Village, overrun and destroyed by monsters, flashes through my mind.
The randomly scattered corpses of the villagers, rolling about.
If I’m this weak, will I just die like they did?
"Gyaoooh!"
The reaper wolf leaps in.
This doesn’t seem like something I can avoid.
Somehow, time feels slowed.
One after another, my memories in this world run through my head.
This is that life flashing before your eyes thing.
My father beating me when I was young.
My mother abandoning me for a handsome merchant.
Out of reach, children like Torch-kun happily playing in the village..
Adults villagers throwing stones and kicking me out.
Bandits robbing my home…
……I have no good memories!!!
Will I die?
Will I die in a place like this?!!
I will definitely survive and eat a delicious feast with Omake-sama!!!
But reality is heartless!
I have no way to dodge those deadly claws!
Closer every moment, the grim reaper swings his scythe.
No.
I don’t want to die.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!
My mind is racing, but my body still doesn’t budge.
The next moment, everything turned white.
Ah, I'm not dead, though.
I just couldn't keep up with the sudden turn of events.
But I can still see it when I close my eyes.
For the reaper wolf who jumped at me.
There was a person lying in ambush on the side.
A hand flashes like a sword.
With that alone, that monster’s head, which was so tough that I couldn't even scratch it with my [stone throwing], was separated from its body and flew off.
The torso hit me with the continued momentum from the attack.
I rolled, soaked in wolf blood.
Still shocked, I raised my face to look at the person who saved me.
Although he’s relatively slender, clearly trained muscles show through his clothes.
Old wounds criss-cross his body and face.
Deep wrinkles are engraved on his stoic face, and his wavy white hair is smoothed back.
And eyes so sharp they could kill with a glare.
A tremendously powerful old man stood there, as if saying, "I am the embodiment of dread".
Magical power overflows from his body.
And bloodthirst.
Feeling that bloodthirst.
The moment after I met that old man.
My consciousness slipped.
