Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN)

Chapter 533

Abyss Lord’s Summer Vacation Arc Thaaaank God I Came to the Fairy World!!

At the east side of the base of the Divine Tree, a festive revelry was going on right now, or rather once more.

This time it was revelry to praise the revelry of Abyss Lord VS Oni Army, and also for welcoming their benefactor who took back how the fairy world ought to be.

If conflict was the style of the fairy world, then perhaps festival ought to be called as its splendor. Either way, apparently every single one of the fairy world’s residents loved making ruckus.

A great variety of cooking and alcohols were lined up at the place that served as the audience seats just before this. There a banquet where various different races were mixing in was unfolding.

A capital existed inside the Divine Tree. The fairies who were surviving there──lives with predestined length of life given birth by the apparitions who were born from thought──were carrying foods and alcohols one after another merrily.

Even the large hole at the improvised arena that was formed from the gravity magic’s secret art “Black Sky Destitution” had gotten buried in the blink of eye by a buddha from somewhere. Right now it was transforming into a boisterous venue filled with drinking and singing.

Of course, at the sky there were also dragons coiling up and gods and buddhas lying relaxed on their side.

The sight of gods and buddhas and apparitions merrymaking enjoying foods and alcohols would definitely cause any mythology scholar to faint if they could see this. In a sense, this was a miraculous sight.

Existences from not only different mythological groups but even from different worlds were having fun. In a corner of such banquet,

「Oi, your cup is empty there! Drink drink!! GAHAHAH」

「Why’re you acting reserved!! This meat is superb you know! Eat a lot more!!」

「The winner gotta be bolder than this!! Or what!! You’re saying you don’t wanna to drink sake with me huh!?」

「What a slender body you’ve there! Get some more muscle! Muscle!」

「Let’s have drinking contest! If you’re the head’s man then you should be able to at least drink us under the table!!」

There was a youth who was being pestered by a group of drunken uncles.

Of course, the true identity of the uncles were legendary onis who boasted huge bodies more than three meters tall──Ootakemaru and then ShuutenDouji’s four heavenly kings, HoshigumaDouji, Kuma Douji, TorakumaDouji, and Kane Douji. In addition, combined with the onis who participated in the battle, several hundred onis were sitting cross legged in multiple layers of circle around the youth while making merry.

Surrounded by the walls of muscles, the youth was making a forced smile like a new hire getting drunkenly pestered by his superior. Naturally, this youth was Kousuke. His spot was also above a root that was slightly protruding up, so it felt like being seated on the high seat of honor. It made him felt even more uncomfortable.

In any case, just as could be surmised from this situation, at that last moment he splendidly succeeded with the staged rescue.

Slaying oni. It was something extremely prestigious from the ancient time. Both for the slayer and the slayed.

That was why, it seemed Ootakemaru and others were greatly dissatisfied by the way it ended after they were defeated even with their full strength, but in Kousuke’s defense he also wished to be spared from the end that they envisioned. What he did was wholly for his own convenience, not because of good will or even pity.

(If they’re reborn after I killed them, it’s possible that it will be a different Ootakemaru and others than now right? They’ll absorb the present day’s thought the most. Then, they might challenge me for Hidzuki’s hand again ain’t it)

In other words, it was something like that.

Even though he fought to “convince” them, the reborn NEW Ootakemaru and co might be in a state of not convinced……

Then it would become another battle, killing, rebirth with different personality, and then another challenge……

Wouldn’t that be a dragging on bother(endless loop)? He thought.

It was completely for his own convenience but, naturally he also didn’t want to kill them.

Of course, there was a big possibility that there wouldn’t be any change to their personality even after they were reborn but……it was only human to want to crush the possibility if it was possible.

Although.

「Ah, no, no need for more sake, I think. I’ve drunk quite a lot……」

「AAA!? Your voice is too small I can’t hear you!」

「Speak clearer!」

「You don’t have enough sake right! Of course human sake ain’t enough at all for the man who beat us!」

「Here, I’ll give you some of my oni sake! Drink a lot!」

These onis, they were oni as expected. They had quickly forgotten the dissatisfaction of him not accepting the honor of taking oni’s head. Not only that, they felt refreshed after fighting with everything they got and lost and immediately got into a good mood. They were drinking and eating single-mindedly.

This completely drunken bunch who were like masters of drunken interaction already only lent half their ears to Kousuke’s words. It was like talking to the wall. They all laughed GAHA GAHA,slapped Kousuke’s back energetically, making the sake that he was doing his best to drink in order to get along a little bit better with them despite not used to it to almost reverse course in his throat.

Even though he actually wanted to be alone for a while……

Because, he had used Depth V. Although he had gotten used with the chuuniness from it, he still wanted to heal his mind with his usual self-torture and lamentation. He wanted to sit at the corner hugging his knees, and yet……

Because of these merry bunch!

(As I thought, perhaps it would be better if I didn’t save them……?)

A sharp turn followed by a push up of the sunglasses. Kane Douji was performing that signature pose of Abyss Lord as party performance. Ootakemaru and others burst into laughter seeing that. Killing intent boiled up from him. And of course along with embarrassment that surpassed it.

「Now now, you louts. Do not trouble mine beloved too much. Mine beloved too, you should try getting used with drinking sake.」

Right beside Kousuke was the objective of the battle, Hidzuki leaning coquettishly against him.

As befitting the name of ShuutenDouji, she had been drinking alcohol many times since the start of this party from a vermilion cup. Furthermore, it was a strong sake that had been especially distilled for oni. She seemed to be greatly pleased. The amount of alcohol she was consuming had easily surpassed ten large bottles.

Her slightly flushed cheeks and nape were truly captivating. She was gazing at Kousuke with the eyes of a maiden in love. Her glistening eyes were radiating sex appeal in amount that could only be called vicious.

Also, Rana and others couldn’t be found within these circles of oni. There was only Hidzuki beside Kousuke.

The duel of men fighting over her (Kousuke almost added in that he was only responding though) was finally settled. So it should be fine for her to be the main star at least for a little. That was the consideration that Rana gave to her.

This was slightly off topic but, to Hidzuki that thoughtfulness, or perhaps Hauria-style “sophistication” was also something she extremely liked about Rana.

「Whaat!? What do you mean that he isn’t used with sake!?」

「So loud……」

Ootakemaru roared. It was really unkind for human’s eardrum. Perhaps it got torn a bit……? He gotta drank potion……

Perhaps because Kousuke was being surrounded by onis right now, Rana and others were handling the great specters and gods and buddhas who wanted to talk with Kousuke. They got surprised by the loudness and looked his way.

Kousuke lightly waved his hand at them to say that he was fine and they sent back a thumb up at him.

Only Hinata was looking his way while looking extremely worried, but Vanessa and Claudia, and especially Zhu looked like they were having a lot of fun or perhaps feeling moved with this situation where they could interact with legendary beings.

That was one of their objectives coming to the fairy world, so Kousuke also felt relieved and satisfied seeing that.

「Mine beloved, he hath just gone through his coming-of-age ceremony seee」

「Whaaat!? Abyssgate! You’re still that young despite being so strong already!?」

This time it was TorakumaDouji whose eyes opened wide from shock. Of course, his voice was loud. The air and also his eardrums were shuddering. Ah, his eardrums might tore again……

「No, what era are you talking about. Right now it’s twenty years old……no, that’s the drinking age, the coming of age is eighteen years old but……anyway, at modern Japan “you can drink alcohol after turning twenty”.」

We’re at the fairy world so it’s fine isn’t it……Kousuke made excuse inside his heart while smiling wryly. The onis were dumbfounded.

「You can’t drink alcohol unless you’ve spent half of your lifespan? The country has become really absurd……」

「Aa, the average life span at the past was around forty wasn’t it? There are various theories but……anyway, our lifespan has become almost doubled now.」

「Eighty years ain’t that much different from forty years! Something like life without sake ain’t life worth living!」

The roar that was filled with Ootakemaru’s earnest feeling was met by nods from all the onis around them. For oni sake was just that important.

Because he knew a bit about oni culture, even Kousuke muttered 「T-that bad huuh」 half in surprise and half in admiration.

「If that’s the situation then I gotta raid the Imperial Court to complain at them」

「Seriously don’t do that okay? I’ll have to drop Black Sky Destitution right on top of you in retaliation then.」

「Oo! You wanna have another go huh! When! Where! How about now!」

「T-this guy-」

Looking at Ootakemaru-san’s happy face……as expected, no matter how they acted right now an oni would still be an oni. Oni sought conflict. Always.

If he got used to this rhythm then the abyss lord inside his heart would get lured out, and it felt like he would reach a point where he whispered 「Quick-quick slow♪ Let’s trip the light fantastic friend♡」 with a silky voice, like a certain AC pilot in the robot game, so it was very dangerous.

「Fufu……I agree about the matter of sake, however, I believe that the flow of the world right now is in a good current. After all menace of specter’s existence and the number of people perceiving them art on the rise. At this rate, just like the Heian era in the past……」

「Hidzuki-saa~n? Don’t say something so disquieting okay? If you run wild on earth, Nagumo will bring deeeath penalty even before I can do anything! That’ll really happen okay? Ootakemaru and everyone else too. My boss is scaary after all」

Hidzuki smiled bewitchingly. Kousuke reflexively sent her a fixed stare.

Hidzuki shrugged in respond. At the same time she also pressed her voluptuous chest on Kousuke. It naturally sucked in the gazes of the surrounding onis. Apparently human and oni were the same in this respect.

But, very unusually only Ootakemaru reacted differently. No, the four heavenly kings too.

Growl escaped from their throats, one hand rubbed their jaws, and their necks twisted. They looked at each other. Their expressions couldn’t really be said to be displeased, but all the same they looked unconvinced.

「W-what? Did I say something strange?」

Kousuke looked bewildered by the unexpected reaction.

He mustn’t think about specter’s sense of value with human standard. It was something that Hinata had warned him about in the past. He fearfully asked, scared that perhaps he had stepped on a landmine about specter’s sense of value.

「It’s nothing big, just that there’s something we’ve actually been ree~aal curious about all this time.」

Ootakemaru turned back toward Kousuke with a focused stare that was ascertaining him.

「Abyssgate」

「I told you just call me Kousuke. This is the fifth time.」

「I’m asking one more time……you bastard ain’t the boss ain’t it?」

Putting aside how he completely ignored about how to call him (because he was used to it), 「Aa, that huh」 Kousuke commented with a look of realization.

「I too am curious about that. Mine beloved is not the one at the zenith of your faction even with your strength……so it’s no wonder that all of us art curious. We art onis after all.」

Yes, onis were firm believer in strength. Whether the other was stronger or weaker, that was their supreme sense of value.

The human male who defeated them was actually nothing more than an underling. That wasn’t something that they could just overlook. Not in the sense that they couldn’t forgive it, but simply that it made them hopelessly curious.

「I hath also once requested Shia but……」

「Eh!? You mean asking about fighting Nagumo?」

「Indeed. However, it seems that person art awfully busy, so she firmly refused without any ground for negotiation. Or rather, she even told me “In the first place someone who can’t even win against me isn’t going to have any chance so it’s pointless”.」

Hidzuki smiled wryly, however, there was something ghastly burning in her eyes. It seemed that Shia’s words had instigated her pride very much.

Hidzuki sometimes had mock battle──actually those were serious fights that were practically almost fights to the death──with Shia, but even now she never had any chance to fight against Hajime, so the result of their fights could be easily guessed.

Putting it another way.

「A man who made such strong woman who couldst beat me down with her bare hands to fall in love to the bottom of her heart……how great is his strength? It is an oni’s instinct for such question to boil up inside.」

「That western oni……that woman who didn’t even take notice of me even if it was only my clone, from what I heard she’s also that man’s woman ain’t it?」

Ootakemaru continued after Hidzuki with his fangs bared.

「That was one fine woman. I’m gonna make that woman mine too one day──」

「Stop! What’re you gonna do if that person come!?」

The reaction was like when an ordinary wizard got scared of a certain dark wizard with absolute penchant for bowing and scraping from his followers.

If by some chance Hajime heard those words of wanting to try something with Yue, who knew what would happen. In Yue’s case, she even had a sixth sense that could sense the presence of woman who wanted to try something with her husband even from another world, so the reverse could also be true.

Terrifying…….Kousuke thought while looking around restlessly.

That behavior seemed to provoke their curiosity even more.

「A man who not only can make even a man at your level to be satisfied playing second fiddle, but even be that careful……a man served by the woman who overwhelmed ShutenDouji and me! It really fires you up! Right, Abyssgate」

「How many times I need to tell you to call me Kousuke──」

「Just tell us. A real fight to the death without any hesitation and mercy! If you bastard and that guy do that……who’s gonnawin?」

All the onis were focusing on their conversation with serious expression right now. A man who won against a hundred of elite onis head on. In the end how much did such man think his chances of success was. Even Hidzuki was staring intensely at Kousuke.

In actuality, there was only a limited number of specters who knew about Hajime’s strength. At best it was only limited to those who migrated to “miniature garden”.

The specters weren’t in their right mind when Hajime and co first came here to protect the Divine Tree. And it was Yue who did the suppression during the “Dragon Incident”. Even Hidzuki, she was aware that Hajime dispatched unrivaled reinforcement their way and also supplied power to everyone on top of that, but she had never seen him fighting directly.

The man who the manly goddess gave the greatest consideration for. According to the rumors among the fairies and also from Kousuke and Yue’s words, they understood that he was strong but……

Hajime was also super busy and wasn’t that involved with the fairy world, so the actual state of affairs was his strength hadn’t left the realm of rumor in this place.

Amidst that atmosphere, Kousuke answered them with almost no pause at all. His tone was just too indifferent as he answered.

「Ha? There’s no way anything like chance of winning exist.」

Chance of victory zero. That, was what he declared. Uneasy murmurs spread among the onis.

「……Wait wait. Think properly. You bastard has a lot of skills and your mind is also sharp. Rather the way you take anyone by surprise is really eyepopping even for gods and buddhas. I heard that guy has unlimited power and also an army but, if it’s you then you should at least have some chance of winning regardless of the difference in strength or ability──」

「I told you there’ s none. Impossible, totally. I absolutely can’t win.」

This time the place felt silent like a graveyard. Half of the onis looked incredulous, while the other half looked bewildered.

「Mine beloved. By that do you mean it’s because Shia and others wouldst not stay quiet if you lay your hand on him?」

「No? I mean that I’ve no chance to win even against just him alone. Rather……even if Yue-san and others join hands and you ask them this question, I think they’ll also answer the same like me.」

「……You art saying that seriously?」

「Yep, seriously. At the very least that’s what I think.」

Even though it was the words that came straight from her beloved’s mouth, Hidzuki found it hard to believe right away. Even Hidzuki who knew Shia’s true strength and Ootakemaru who knew of Yue’s strength that was at higher dimension were making similar expression of not knowing what to say.

They wondered whether Kousuke was just being considerate right now because they knew that Kousuke and Hajime’s relationship was more as friends rather than as boss and subordinate.

Kousuke seemed to sense that atmosphere of disbelief and took a breath before speaking once more.

「See here, it’s the reverse from what Ootakemaru said.」

「The reverse? What do you mean?」

「About there’s a chance to win regardless of the difference in ability as long as you have better technique and wits. It’s Nagumo who’s constantly doing that.」

「……Even though he’s called the demon god?」

「Yeah, that guy hasn’t changed even after getting to the point where he’s called the demon god.」

That was why, it was the reverse. It was impossible to even consider, but if by some chance Yue and co fought seriously against Hajime.

From Voldemort of [Harry Potter].

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