“B, But ”
“Nishino, we are not heroes who can save everything, much less gods. With our limited power, we can only do the best we can. Nishino has done just that. I think that’s admirable enough, don’t you?”
“I’m the worst when it comes to that, you know? I’m the worst. I’m a thief, and I don’t care what happens to others. As long as I can protect myself, Momo, Ichinose, and the people I care about, I don’t care what happens to the rest. I still think that way.”
“Kudou is such a–“
“That’s the kind of person I am. That’s the kind of small human I am.”
I think you’re overestimating me, Nishino.
But I’m not someone to be respected like that, and I’m not a hero.
I’m just a small, ordinary person.
“‘I was just desperate, that’s all. I desperately tried to do something about the situation in front of me, and I struggled and worked hard, and with everyone’s help, I managed to get through it. That’s all. It’s the same for you, isn’t it, Nishino?”
“So I don’t blame you, nor do I judge you. I think this is just a matter of listening to your problems and complaints.”
“ You really are an unusual person, aren’t you, Kudo? No normal person would say something like that.”
“I was shocked when she called me a murderer, but I knew there was definitely a reason for it.”
“No matter what they say now, Nishino is one of us. That will never change.”
“Kudou ”
“Thank you for telling me this. And I will be counting on you in the future as well.”
“Me too. Thank you . Kudou.”
No matter what happened to Nishino and Rikka-chan in the past, I will not change my mind.
I’m sure Ichinose feels the same.
“Do you feel better now that you’ve told me everything?”
“Yes, I do .”
“Then, that’s fine. If you feel refreshed after complaining, venting, and spitting everything out, you can do it again tomorrow.”
“See you . tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Tomorrow we will be busy looking for that intelligent zombie and the Wolf King. So let’s do our best, so that we can definitely win and face tomorrow together again.”
“ Yes, that’s right. Yeah, absolutely.”
Nishino firmly grasped the hand I held out to him and squeezed it.
The expression on his face was clear, without a hint of hesitation.
“I think now I am okay.”
Is what he must be thinking.
“I’m surprised. Do you really think that tomorrow will come?”
Suddenly, I heard a man’s voice.
It was a familiar voice, one that I would never forget.
I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw the intelligent zombie outside the window.
We’re in the “Safe Zone”.
So why are you–?
“You’re pretty slow.”
Immediately afterwards, a boom! And darkness erupted around the intelligent zombie.
In an instant, the room was blown apart and debris flew up like a storm.
I barely managed to avoid it.
I managed to sink Nishino-kun, Ichinose-san and Rikka-chan who were on the first floor into the shadows.
I managed to protect them in the shadows, but this attack is–.
“Yes, this accuracy is quite good. I knew she had talent. It’s a wonderful talent that will only flourish in this world.”
“ What are you saying?”
“Huh? What are you–“
The intelligent zombie chuckled.
“I’m claiming my victory.”
In the next moment, the entire landscape was tinged with darkness.
This is . No way Dark Wolf’s ?
“Let’s end this, owner of Precocious. I’ll kill you this time.”
“ As if I will let you!”
Roar! With that, my ninjutsu and the darkness collided with each other.
The intelligent zombie and the Wolf King.
At the worst possible time, a battle against the most formidable enemies was about to begin.
CH 224
In the swirling, expanding darkness, my thoughts accelerated.
How can he – a monster – enter the “safe zone”?
No, there is an alternate way for a monster to enter a safe zone.
It’s to join a human party member, like Momo and Aka.
Who’s that?
Who let him, this intelligent zombie, into the safe zone?
Betrayal? No, if you use brainwashing skills like Chairman Igarashi, you can force your way into someone’s party membership. ?
(Or is it because of that Queen Ant ?)
No, the Queen Ant could only be here as an exception because she was contained in my shadow.
If I let her out of the shadow, she will immediately be repelled, and so will her companions.
But is it possible if one of them is human ?
Damn it, I didn’t do enough research.
There were so many things to do, so many priorities, that it was always put on the back burner.
Even so, since the mayor’s “Town Planning” LV has improved, it should have been possible to take care of that.
It was supposed to be–
“–you shouldn’t do that. Letting your mind wander like this in the middle of the battle.”
Boom! I felt as if I had been hit on the head.
My head jolted and my vision wavered.
Now that I look at him, I see an intelligent zombie with armor-like darkness on his arms and legs.
“It’s not over yet.”
He used the spreading darkness as a foothold to close in on me.
I quickly clad myself in shadow to guard against it, but it is difficult for my ‘shadow’ skill to fully defend against the ‘darkness’.
Still, by using my perception skills, I managed to block his attack.
(Somehow, I have to get away from him )
This is not a good time to use the Item Box or Ninjutsu.
But the burden of using Shadow Imitation of the High Orc is too risky.
“–Somehow I have to keep my distance. You’re thinking that, right?”
As if he had read my thoughts, he laughed.
“I told you. You’re too easy to read.”
I felt a chill run through me.
The intelligent zombie drew his sword from his waist.
Even in the midst of the darkness, it radiated an unusual presence.
Almost horizontally.
The sword strike shook the air.
Zon! The space exploded.
“–hah, hah, hah, hah .!”
It was a close call.
If I had been even one second too late in evading, I would have been cut in half by now.
When I looked back, I saw that all the buildings that he had swung his sword towards had been cut in half.
( Is it a skill that extends the range of the slashes?)
That’s troublesome.
If the slash can ignore the guard, neither the Alter Ego nor the item box can prevent it.
There is no way to avoid it.
“Isn’t it amazing, this sword? It’s a weapon from my world, and not only does it increase the owner’s status, but it can also be used for skills like this.”
“You’re boasting?”
“It’s a service. Even if I tell you this much, my ‘advantage’ will not be shaken.”
More darkness poured out from beneath his feet like a thick layer of mud.
“ Is that the Dark Wolf’s skill?”
“Yes, it’s right under my feet. Does it bother you?”
He snapped his fingers.
Then the darkness beneath his feet widened, and the Dark Wolf emerged.
“Uuu . Grr .”
That figure was unmistakably the Dark Wolf – the Wolf King Schwarz.
But there was a shiny silver collar around his neck and a chain that was connected to it.
The chain was dangling down and connected to the darkness beneath his feet.
(That chain and collar is what’s keeping Schwarz in line .?)
Rebel said that ‘Pride’ could not be used to dominate others.