Chapter 216: Hakoku and Sage

The sixth Bakemono suddenly appeared.

Wait, he’s — the only one who didn’t seem like a Bakemono was him.

His appearance was identical to the other five, but the mana reserve within him was comparable to trash.

Still —

“Ah, Original-san, thanks for the hardwork.”

“We’re waiting for you~”

“Everyone else except for these guys have been dealt with as planned.”

For some reason, the other five seemed to act respectfully towards this newcomer.

I-I don’t understand.

But, this might be our chance.

Let’s just bet on this sliver of hope.

So that Sitri-sama may be saved.

“T-there’s something I want to discuss.”

“Hm, what is it?”

The sixth guy replied to me when I called out to him.

“Those guys said that they wanted to Tame me a while ago. It’s true that they interfered with magic, but they can never tame me with just that level of power.”

“Hm, hm. So?”

“You’re their boss, right? Won’t you fight with me? If I acknowledge my lost against you, then I’ll agree to be Tamed.”

“...and if I lose?”

“In that case, you can still Tame me. In return, please let this person go.”

“C-Chief, what are you saying!?”

Sitri-sama was about to kick up a fuss, but I held her back with a glance.

“Why do you agree to be Tamed by me even if I win? Won’t it be better if you just take that girl away and run together?”

“...I’m not a nitwit that doesn’t know how to gauge the opponent’s power. I’m not foolish enough to expect that I’ll win against those five after I defeat you.”

“I see, so you think you can win against me if it’s just me alone.”

“Probably, yes. At any rate, if you want to Tame me, then you can only fight against me. If you won’t accept my proposal, then I will never agree to be Tamed, even if I die.”

So, how about it?

“Okay~ That’s fine. Let’s fight.”

“—!?”

Wish granted.

“I-I’m indebted. Thanks for accepting my proposal.”

“Well, even if I lost against you, you will still become my comrade, no? The pretty lady over there seems strong, too, but I have long wanted a monster like you to be my Floor Boss.”

F-floor boss?

I don’t understand what he’s saying.Whatever he was spouting no longer mattered.

I stood up and faced the sixth guy.

“By the way, aren’t you worried that I won’t let that girl escape even if I lost?”

“There’s nothing I can do but trust you on that. Besides...this is the first time I’ll say this to a human, but I can sense the air of a warrior in you. You shouldn’t be a man who goes back on his word.”

He looked weak, but for some reason, I could keenly feel that it wouldn’t be a good idea to lie in front of this guy.

That’s why I was frank.

“Got it, thanks. Well then, it’s a promise. As long as you don’t acknowledge your loss, we won’t lay a finger on that girl. You guys, protect her.”

“Okay~”

“Gotcha!”

“Original, good luck~”

“Be careful, he’s really strong.”

“He can make his arm big.”

The five Bakemono broke their formation around Sitri-sama and I then they gathered in one place.

Of course, I would never escape.

I will win against this guy and help Sitri-sama escape!

“By the way, I’m Halt. Halt Ernol.”

“...Sorry, but I don’t have a name to go by.”

Yeah, we can speak the human language, but we monsters don’t have anything that can identify us, such as name.

The dragon race would be the exception.

Those guys are a capricious bunch that can imitate people.

“Hmm, it’s inconvenient if you don’t have a name. Alright, if I win, then I’m going to name you. You’re fine with that, right?”

“Do whatever you want.”

Names don’t matter. Once I win against this guy, everything else aside from Sitri-sama’s escape is nothing but trivial.

“Ah, by the way, can I handle a weapon?”

“Of course you can.”

Halt seems to be empty-handed.

Oricalchum blades couldn’t even pierce my hide. It doesn’t matter what kind of metal he used.

Is he planning to use the bows that the Bakemono were using earlier?

Those things sure do hurt, but it’s not like something I can’t endure.

Just when I was thinking about it, Halt suddenly opened a chasm in space.

I-is he… sort of, a hero!?

That’s when I realize that Halt’s move was familiar.

The hero that I fought against a long time ago had also opened a hole in space, and then he took out a lot of weapons and attacked me.

Well, not one of those weapons managed to inflict a single wound on me.

That’s why it didn’t matter what kind of weapon he would take out — there’s nothing to fear..

Halt pulled out his arm from the chasm.

A ginormous sword that was almost as huge as Halt appeared.

The instant I laid my eyes on it —

My arms, torso, feet, head — I couldn’t even put up a wife before being cut into pieces with a single stroke.

“GAH!?”

I knelt.

S-strange…

I was sure that I had been slashed to pieces —

And yet, my body was still fine.

W-what the heck is happening here!?

I was about to raise my head to check the situation when —

I couldn’t lift my head.

My instinct as a monster was screaming not to chin up.

My entire body was trembling.

I-is this...fear?

N-No way!

Me, get scared by that sword?

...No, wrong.

It’s not the sword.

Just one look at Halt carrying the sword and bells of instinct rang inside my mind in full blast.

— You won’t win.

It’s not like that’s a premonition for Sitri-sama’s sake, and it’s not his perspective.

The moment I stand up, the illusion that I saw earlier will become reality.

I won’t be able to do a single step and my body will be mangled.

This wasn’t just a mere prediction or hunch.

It’s a future set in stone.

“S-Sitri-sama....I-I deeply apologize..”

“C-Chief? What happened!?”

Sitri-sama was worried as I knelt in front of Halt.

I was bowing my head in front of a mere human, but there’s no trace of anger in her voice.

She was simply worried about me.

Sitri-sama probably wouldn’t resent me for what I’m going to do from now on.

And it’s tormenting me.

I understood.

Still, I couldn’t stop my own actions.

“Halt-sama, it’s my loss….I agree to be Tamed.”

I’m a nitwit.

I had no idea just how deep the power of Halt-sama, this person standing in front of me, is.