Ossan, grapples for chickens
The poultry farmer, from whom Iris and the girls received the request, lived in a farming village located less than an hourās walk from the city of Santhor . He used to be a high-ranking mercenary, but when his father died from an illness, he gave up his profession to take over the farm and support his sick mother . As a mercenary, he had a considerably high ability, yet it would have been exceedingly difficult to provide for his family with only his earnings as one . Even more so when it came to the money needed for her sickly motherās medical care; there was no way an ordinary farming household could afford it .
Medicine fetched for a high price in this world, and a doctorās income was comparable to that of a rich merchant . Moreover, most doctors hailed from families that had produced doctors for generations, and the majority of them were employed by noble households . Naturally, the compounding methods for medicines and other techniques were kept secret . Therefore, if someone wanted to become a doctor, they necessarily had to come from one of these families given that they wouldnāt be able to access said knowledge otherwise . At the same time, because of the low number of hospitals, they had no choice but to abandon the lives of people that could have been saved were that not the case . The monopoly of knowledge was the norm in this world, or perhaps it was the treatment of the nobles and merchants that which took priority over the lives of the people, with little regard for their needs .
In such a situation, peasants would sell themselves as slaves, hoping that their self-sacrifice would save their families . The fact that they had no other way to cover the cost of treating an illness could only be described as administrative negligence that, nevertheless, went on unremedied .
Therefore, the mercenary came up with the idea of selling theĀ Wild Cuckooās eggs . They have a high nutritional value, and theyāre considered to be luxury products, so both their demand and their price were high . For someone aiming to get rich quick, there was no better resource to exploit . However, the biggest hurdle to this plan was that the eggs came from a monster . The moment he tried to collect the eggs, they came attacking all at once, becoming an endless battle . And now, theĀ Wild CuckoosĀ in question were finally stronger than their owner .
He didnāt have to cover medical expenses anymore, but on the other hand, with the ferocious beasts staying in his home, he couldnāt lead a normal life either . As a result, he eventually placed a subjugation request . Unfortunately, the monsters had become too strong .
The ferocious chickens drove back the mercenaries time and time again, helping them become stronger each time . The now well-trained chickens had grown to be too much for the Mercenariesā Guild to handle .
āAnd so, the three of you attempted the request, but got beatenā¦ I wonder what kind of chickens they are, Iām getting excitedā¼āŖā[Zeros]
The easygoing middle-aged Zeros was smoking a cigarette while walking with easy steps, probably because he managed to get soy sauce after making a deal with Kaede .
āMy blood is boiling . I canāt wait to fight . ā[Kaede]
āKaede-chan, Youāre really hot-headed, huh? Itās hard to believe youāre an elf . ā[Iris]
āYeah, sheās different from the elves living around here . Kinda to be expected that she would be when her environment is different as well, right?ā[Jane]
āSpeaking of which, Rena disappeared before I even realizedā¦ Ah! Not again!ā[Iris]
One of the mercenary girlsā trio, Rena, vanished before they noticed . A slight sense of foreboding started to bud within Zeros, but he wasnāt sure whether he should ask about it . In the end, he decided to voice out his question anyway given that he had nothing to do but walk .
āThat woman had her eyes glued to those kids guarding the merchant caravan we passed a short while ago! Could it beā¦ā[Jane]
āOh, I seeā¦ she went hunting, right?ā[Zeros]
āThey were around my age, you know? Rena-san doingĀ thatĀ is a crime, right?ā[Iris]
āShe looks like a sensible person, but sheās a carnivore . A few of those mercenaries were young boys, so Iām genuinely wondering whoās her target . N-No way, I had my doubts, butā¦ā[Zeros]
An unpleasant thought came to his mind, and when he looked at Jane, she quietly nodded while looking as if she had given up . Rena was undoubtedly a complete degenerate obsessed with young boys . [1] Her ideal age range was also somewhat narrow, roughly between the ages of 11 and 15 . The problem was that although she would usually act like a normal, sensible adult, she had the habit of going after the boys that passed by her . Normally, she could suppress her desires for the most part, especially in front of Jane and Iris, but at a specific date each month, her instincts take over, and she disappears to hunt for prey . It seems today wasĀ thatĀ day of the month .
āM-Maybe sheās gonna take on all of them . She, is umā¦ sheās a goddamn nymphomaniac . ā[Jane]
āItās fine, you didnāt have to say it if was that embarrassing . I didnāt want to hearĀ thatĀ much anyway . More importantly, though, there were five of them, you know? No matter how you look at it, doing it with all 5 isā¦ā[Zeros]
āNah, she definitely can . And then, sheāll blast my ears off happily talking about itā¦ Even though I donāt wanna hearā¦ā[Jane]
āEh, really? I wanna hear, too!ā[Iris]
Even though Jane might come across as being a big sister type, in reality, she was a delicate, pure-hearted maiden . She had a low tolerance against such vulgar stories .
āStillā¦ five at the same time? What if it becomes a permanent trauma in their lives and end up being afraid of women? Itād be just too pitiful . They might even start being friends of Dorothy[2]ā¦ā[Zeros]
āSo, sheās gonna end up corrupting them, huh? I kinda wanna witness aĀ chain of corruption[3], thoughāŖ!ā[Iris]
āIrisā¦ what the hell are you so happy about?ā[Jane]
āIris-san . You were one ofĀ thoseĀ people, too? You know, spending your nights drawing doujinshis, and stuff? In that case, Iād like to have some more distance between us . ā[Zeros]
Iris averted her eyes with all her might . Moreover, they were swimming all over the place . Most likely, Zeros was right on target .
āY-Youāre wrong, okay? Itās true that Iām just a bit into that, but Iām completely normalā¦ā[Iris]
As one would expect, it was a problem for a junior high school student to step into that fathomless world, but from her desperate attempts to excuse herself, it seemed that it might be more accurate to conclude that she hadnāt fallen into depravity, but was on the verge of straying into that realm . Still, he was concerned about the fact of how quickly she reacted .
āI wonder if you can actually do it with six people [at the same time] . As for Rena, would she be the ābottom,ā or the ātop?āā[Iris][4]
āI donāt have to think too hard to guess that sheās going toĀ tortureĀ them, right? I can see it happening already: She will definitely tie up those innocent young boys, and with an eerie smile reminiscent of a crescent moon, she will pounce and thoroughly fiddle with them one by one, imprinting such terror in their hearts that they will never be able to forgetā¦ Goodbye good old days[5]ā¦ and may God bless you, boys . ā[Zeros]
āTheyāre gonna corrupt themselves little by little as they growā¦ā[Jane]
āNo, itās not likeĀ theyĀ are going to corrupt themselves, right? Rather, Renaās going to do it for themā¦ Should we return and call for the guards?ā[Iris]
In the eyes of Zeros and the girls, Rena only appeared to be a sensible, normal adult on the surface, but in reality, she was a complete pervert[hentai] . Unfortunately, given that there was no one there to report her, she couldnāt be handed over to the authorities . It could be said that she was a capable person just like a certain feudal lord[DelSasis], although in a different sense .
āThat is of no concern to me, this one would like to know where the beast that will serve as my opponent is . I want to test my blade soon . ā[Kaede]
āI see youāre diligently treading down the path of carnage, huh? Just how bloodthirsty are you?ā[Zeros]
Kaede was unable to quell her raging passion . Though given that she was an elf, there was something obviously wrong with that .
āJust a bit longer . Do you see that orange roof over there? Thatās where those ferocious chickens live . ā[Jane]
āThere, huh? I wonder if a fearless warrior capable of quenching my thirst is waiting there . Iām truly looking forward to it . ā[Kaede]
āKaede-chan, are you really an elf? Are you sure thereās no ādarkā attached before it?ā[Iris]
The middle-aged Zeros couldnāt tell them apart anymore . The high-ranking race of the High Elves was synonymous with bloodthirsty beasts at this point, fading away from his preconception of them being a race of aloof and free-spirited people . He realized that asĀ highĀ as they might be, they were just animals with a sense of ego in the end .
They saw it as they gradually approached their destination, the poultry farm . A man that looked like a mercenary suddenly being thrown up high in the air . When they noticed him spiraling down toward their direction, they swiftly moved from the spot .
The mercenary pierced the ground head first, digging through the earth while still spinning around, and ending up buried all the way down with only his feet peeking out of the hole, similar to a certain tragedy that happened in a certain village .
āS-Seriously, aĀ Hurricane Mixer[6]!? Werenāt they chickens!?ā[Zeros]
āNo, well, theyāre supposed to be chickensā¦ And, what is with that move?ā[Jane]
āDo chickens usually have a Power Level of ten million!? Theyāre stronger than yesterdayā¦ā[Iris]
āDidnāt you see their fighting strength with ć Scouter [Appraisal] ć? They started to feel like a really powerful enemyā¦ā[Zeros]
āItās not like Iām from some race of warriors, I donāt have that kind of super useful item!ā[Iris]
Iris purposely kept her ć Appraisal ćskill at a low level . From the beginning, she chose not to raise it to enjoy her adventures in the game, and preferring to strengthen her magic skills and the like, instead . In a sense, she could have been called a true adventurer [in the game], but now after her reincarnation, it was merely a source of concern to her .
āFufufuā¦ I feel the presence of a strong person . An opponent stronger than me has appeared!ā[Kaede]
āWait, where!? Kaede-chan, hold up, donāt be hasty!ā[Iris]
Ignoring the buried man, the four of them shuddered in terror . Aside from Zeros, Iris and Jane had been defeated once before . If the chickens were stronger than when the girls confronted them, it would mean that their growth speed was considerably fast . TheĀ Wild CuckoosĀ were monsters in a different sense of the word .
āI seeā¦ Come on, pull yourselves together, alright? How scary can this monster be, anyway?ā[Zeros]
āI want to kill them, slice them up, let my tachi[å¤Ŗå] soak in their bloodā¦ā[Kaede]
āKaede-chan, thatās super scary stuffā[Iris]
āAre you really an elf? Iām starting to think youāre actually a different speciesā¦ā[Jane]
Taking along a bloodthirsty beast ā although in a different sense ā the middle-aged Zeros and the girls stepped into the poultry farmerās dwelling . However, what they found was a ruined house tragically razed to the ground . In the yard, the mercenaries, who had been cruelly defeated, were piled up like a mountain, and countless chickens were glaring at the mercenaries . They were very powerful .
ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼
ć Grappler Cuckoo ć ć Slasher Cuckoo ć ć Sniper Cuckoo ć ć Shiro Obi Cuckoo ćć Archer Cuckoo ć ć Kendo Cuckoo ć
Mutant evolutionary forms of theĀ Wild Cuckoo .
Strong and belligerent chickens that surpass their final evolutionary form, the Cockatrice .
Theyāre a marvel of a chicken, specializing in sniping, striking, and slashing .
Including the Shiro Obi, the last three types of chickens follow the rule of the strongest, and therefore theyāre akin to being followers of the former three birds .
They are highly intelligent and have some understanding of human language .
These monsters follow the rule of the strongest . (T . N: yeah it was repeated again)
Their meat might be unpalatable, but their eggs are a delicacy .
ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼ļ¼
āā¦They arenātĀ Wild Cuckoos? Well, it seems they already evolved . ā[Zeros]
The chickens glared in their direction on top of the mountain of beaten-up mercenaries . Commonly referred to as the āStaredown Look,ā that way of glaring gave them the impression of being part of a band of hardened delinquents .
āFumu, this one would like to fight that chicken with wings shining like steel . May I?ā[Kaede]
āHey, itās crazy difficult, you know!?ā[Jane]
āMore importantly, though, whereās the uncle that put up the request?ā[Iris]
Aside from the middle-aged Zeros, if Iris and her party donāt get in contact with the client, they wonāt be able to accept the request [because they wonāt get paid] . However, as much as they needed him, the client in question was nowhere to be found .
āWell, it canāt be helped, then . Since it seems that these chickens can understand human language to a certain extend, letās ask them directly . ā[Zeros]
āMister, thereās really no way they understand human language, you know?ā[Iris]
āIt does not matter to me either way . This one only asks to be allowed to fight, quicklyā¦ Blood, I want to see blood . ā[Kaede]
Not daring to address the girlās dangerous thoughts, Zeros approaches the evolutionary form of theĀ Wild Cuckoo, theĀ Grappler Cuckoo .
āWhereās your owner? No, your former owner, I should say . ā[Zeros]
TheĀ Grappler CuckooĀ pointed toward one of the knocked-out mercenaries with the tip of its wing . There laid a middle-aged man collapsed on the ground, completely swollen and covered in blood, and looking like some ham sent as an appreciation gift* . [7]
Looking at him more closely, the man had been beaten up severely and was swollen to the extent that every part of his body seemed to be all bloated up . It was hard to say he was lucky considering the state he was in, and perhaps the most appropriate way to save him was to quickly put an end to his suffering . Incidentally, the heart mark tattooed on his forehead looked particularly impressive .
āHe seems to be the client . Iām amazed he didnāt explodeā¦ā[Zeros]
āShit, really!? He was a pretty ripped old guy last time we met him, you know!?ā[Jane]
āMaybe they hit his secret meridian points or something?[8] Itās impossible to swell up to this extent, right?ā[Iris]
While the group stood dumbfounded, theĀ Grappler CuckooĀ walked up to their side, and with a powerful kick in the head, it sent the man flying .
āUgh! Fuh Fih Dah Duhā¦! (Fucking demonsā¦)ā[Man]
āI canāt understand anything youāre sayingā¦ Canāt be helped then, ć High Heal ćā[Zeros]
āOld man, you could use recovery magic, too!?ā[Jane]
āWell, weāre talking about Mister here . I guess itās to be expected . It was impossible for me, so I never learned . Maybe I should buy a scroll?ā[Iris]
After receiving Zerosā recovery spell, the swelling of the client-slash-middle-aged manās body gradually went down . His true appearance revealed ā a buff macho skinhead .
āWhat happened to your hair, Bohan-san? It was all fluffy and luscious before . ā[Iris]
āThose bastards took everything from meā¦ Hurry up and exterminate them!!!ā[Bohan]
āAs for me, I would like to take those chickens in . They might be useful as a crime prevention measure when Iām not at home . Even soā¦ for you to be crying blood tears, they must really be problematic . ā[Zeros]
āMy chickens, huhā¦? Take āem all if you want! Go and beat up all those goddamn chickens, right here and now!ā[Bohan]
āOld man, canāt you see how much of a problem they are when you look at the pitiful sight of all those mercenaries piled up in front of us?ā[Jane]
With the same tone as the last words left behind by a certain pirate king right before his death[Gol D . Roger], Bohan was more than eager to get rid of the chickens . However, only their eggs were appetizing . Their meat, on the other hand, was quite unappealing . It would be quite aĀ big missed steakĀ to eat them . [9]
Above all, Zeros purely wanted to get the chickens . He had no intention of killing them in the first place, rather, he had raised chickens in his former world, so he was willing to take care of them . However, it was a completely different story for the hot-headed high elf plunging through the violent path of carnage .
Given that she was planning to fight since the beginning, she didnāt hesitate to grab the hilt of the tachi hanging at her back and start running at full speed . Her opponent was aĀ Slasher Cuckoo, a chicken with silver wings that specialized in slashing . The way it put a toothpick in its beak was also strangely dignified . Moreover, the birdās ability to send mana to its plumage transformed its feathers into powerful blades .
Kaede drew the sword from its scabbard and greeted her opponent by swiftly swinging her blade in the form of a downward diagonal slash . But, with a high pitched āClink!ā her blade was repelled, revealing a momentarily opening in her stance .
Without missing the opportunity, theĀ Slasher CuckooĀ jumped sideways from Kaede and entered her striking distance at a high speed as if it had turned at a right angle and flown straight at her .
She immediately pulled back her sword and barely managed to parry the attack by intercepting its trajectory, promptly leaping backward in order to withdraw from theĀ Cuckooās own striking distance . Then, she closed the space between them, and unleashed a continuous onslaught from her tachi .
The sound of metal striking against metal reverberated time and time again . One elf and one bird traded blades at a dizzying speed, with silver flashes and sparks flying all around . It was an intense exchange of techniques .
āI knew Kaede-chan was amazing, but whatās with that chicken!?ā[Iris]
āYeah, thatās not the strength of a chicken . Thatās a swordsman, no doubt ābout it . ā[Jane]
āA mutated chicken vs . an atavistic elf . Now, this is a fight worth watching . ā[Zeros]
The back and forth between attacking and defending continued in front of them . But suddenly, Zeros extended his arm in front of Janeās head .
āWhat are youāā[Jane]
She was stunned for a brief moment, but when she realized what happened, her face started to grow pale ā there was an arrow clasped in Zerosā hand .
āā¦TheĀ Sniper Cuckoo, huh? I guess it wonāt be easy to tell where it is sniping at us . ā[Zeros]
āItās not in the same direction the arrow came?ā[Iris]
āSniping from the same spot is a rookie mistake . It is likely moving between different sniping points . ā[Zeros]
From the fact that he felt but a minute presence the moment it sniped, the chicken seemed to have terrifyingly high stealth abilities . Since it appeared to be able to use a bow, the skeletal structure of its wings must allow it to perform a wide range of motions . its bones were already unlike a birdās, rather they were more akin to a dinosaurās .
Zeros picked up two pebbles and prepared for the next sniping attack .
āJane-san, Iām not sure you will be able to exact your revenge . They seem to be incredibly strong . ā[Zeros]
āYeah, no way . Theyāre totally gonna beat my ass . I donāt feel like I even have a chance, seeing theyāre stronger than before . ā[Jane]
āWere they going easy on us yesterday? Thatād be pretty depressingā¼ā[Iris]
On the other hand, Kaede was still exchanging blows with her opponent, but without being able to connect a decisive hit . Likewise, theĀ Slasher CuckooĀ was unable to position itself in an optimal striking distance due to its small body . And, while it might seem that Kaede was being overwhelmed due to her opponentās nimbleness, she was actually parrying its attacks time and time again with the slightest of movements; defending while countering with her own sword strikes .
The waves of attacks going back and forth between the two were happening at a terrifying and dizzying pace, with swordsmanship and speed one wouldnāt expect from a battle between a young girl and a chicken .
āYouāre quite skillful for a chicken, huhā¦? Were you a human, you would have definitely become a legendary warrior . How unfortunate . ā[Kaede]
āKikeri kiki kikerikikiĀ (To be a swordsman, it is of no relevance whether one is a human or a bird . To say otherwise is an affront to this warrior[10] . )ā
āAh! That was rude of me . You seem like a splendid warrior . I sincerely apologize . ā[Kaede]
Somehow, they managed to strike up a conversation . Setting aside theĀ CuckoosĀ being able to comprehend human speech, was Kaede able to understand them due to her being a High Elf?
While these two people(?) were enveloped by a tense atmosphere, the peanut gallery looking at them could only tilt their heads at the situation .
Kaede sheathed her sword and took a drawing-strike stance, and as if to respond to that, theĀ Slasher CuckooĀ spread its wings in its own characteristic pose .
āThe fight is probably gonna be decided by this next attack, right?ā[Iris]
āI think so, too . She has a terrifying potential . With that skill at that age, imagine how much stronger sheāll get if she keeps growing like this . ā[Jane]
āThat elf lass is stronger than the mercenaries that came here before, just who even is she?ā[Bohan(probably)]
Both Kaede and theĀ CuckooĀ stopped moving, and instead started to inch closer and closer into their respective striking distances while concentrating on their next attack . The peanut gallery also watched with bated breath . With each step, the air seemed to get heavier .
Their foreheads were drenched in sweat, focusing their minds to such an extreme degree that they could feel every passing moment as an eternity .
Just as Iris said, the next attack would probably decide the victor . Both could sense their opponentās spirit rising .
āā¦Whether I win or lose, I will bear no regrets . ā[Kaede]
āKiki kikeriki!Ā (I agree! Now, letās have aā¦)ā
As they were drawing closer to each other, Zeros felt the presence of someone in hiding about to take action in such a tense situation . On the rooftop located on the opposite side of Kaede, theĀ Sniper Cuckoo, a bird that evolved to be able to use its wings as arms to wield a bow[11], was aiming at him .
āKikeri kikiĀ (Fair fight!)ā
The very instant the two started moving again, theĀ Sniper CuckooĀ released its arrow . It intended to catch him off-guard while he was preoccupied by the fight going on in front of him, but the middle-aged magician intercepted the arrow with a finger-flick shot, and then, fired once again at the boorish chicken on the rooftop that tried to migrate after realizing its attack failed . The sniper was counter-sniped .
While theĀ Sniper CuckooĀ was falling to the ground from the rooftop, both sword demons crossed their swords (and wings) with each other at insanely high speeds .
Kaedeās tachi and the birdās wings clashed, and although it was supposed to be a sword fight, the collision created a shockwave that blew Kaede away . Fortunately, Zeros, who happened to be in the perfect spot, managed to catch her . TheĀ Slasher CuckooĀ was also blown away in the same way, and crashed into a group of his fellow chickens
āKaede-chan, are you okay?ā[Iris]
āSheās fineā¦ It seems that she just fainted due to the impact . ā[Zeros]
āAnd the chicken? Did it die?ā[Jane]
āItās still alive . If you take a closer look at her sword, youāll see the edge is completely dulled . ā[Zeros]
Although theĀ CuckooĀ also fainted, it somehow seemed to have a satisfied smile on its face . Despite being a chicken, it was quite the manly fellow .
Incidentally, theĀ Sniper CuckooĀ was actually targeting its owner . It might have been one of its habits as a sniper, or it simply had enough resentment piled up that it wanted to kill him in such a way, but the bird had carefully plastered the arrowhead with a lethal neurotoxin . All in all, it was clear that theĀ SniperĀ was thoroughly determined to kill Bohan .
āWell then, thereās only one bird remaining, theĀ Grappler Cuckoo, isnāt it?ā[Zeros]
āI wanna get back at āem, but thereās no way I can fight like that, can I?ā[Jane]
āI canāt, either . Iām a magician, you know?ā[Iris]
Since Kaede was unconscious, Zeros was inevitably the only one left to be their opponent . Heaving a deep sigh, he faces theĀ Cuckoo .
āIād like you to come home with me if you couldā¦ that way we could avoid this fight . ā[Zeros]
āKikki kike kikirikiĀ (I canāt help but feel my blood boiling after bearing witness to a fight like that . Iād like you to accompany me for a bout . )ā
āHaahā¦ Donāt have a choice now, do Iā¦ hāhuh? It seems I can understand what youāre saying . Whatās going on here?ā[Zeros]
Somehow the middle-aged Zeros also felt like he could understand what the chickens were saying . He managed to catch a glimpse of the mysteries of this otherworld .
Resigned, Zeros takes a battle stance . There wasnāt much enthusiasm in him, but on the other hand, his feathery opponent was brimming with fighting spirit . Knowing that refusing here would tarnish his honor, he had no choice but to confront the chicken .
However, the moment he faced it, Zeros experienced the real strength of theĀ Grappler Cuckoo . It had a vigor unlike a normal chickenās, rather it exuded the presence of a strong warrior, even more so than his other two comrades .
For an instant, he felt the chickenās body blur .
As he crossed his arms, he received a blow with an amount of force he didnāt expect to come from a small chicken . The next instant, theĀ Grappler CuckooĀ was assaulting him with its arm-like wings . He managed to avoid being sent flying a couple meters by putting strength in his legs and holding his ground .
āWoahā¦ Itās been a while since I had to brace myself like this . ā[Zeros]
A dangerous glint was ignited in his eyes . A return to āThe Zeros of that Time . ā He started to regulate his breathing, and circulate mana, or rather Qi, to strengthen his body .
He activates his Fist God skill . However, the ability changes when used by a magician instead of a martial artist . While magicians manipulate both the mana inside their bodies and the mana from nature to perform their magic, martial artists refine and circulate the mana inside their bodies to strengthen their fighting abilities . The caveat is ā they are unable to use magic when they utilize their inherent abilities, therefore, they are left no choice but to specialize in hand-to-hand combat . In other words, it gets more difficult to fire long-distance attacks . Nevertheless, it was still possible to use other skills at the same time, with the exception of magician-type ones, which posed no obstacles for the current Zeros .
āHere I goā¦ā[Zeros]
He entered theĀ Cuckooās striking distance[12] in the blink of an eye and aimed to kick it in full without killing his momentum . The next instant, the bird jumped away, to which Zeros responded with a barrage of blows . Even so, perhaps acknowledging his strength, theĀ Slasher CuckooĀ unleashed its own offensive battery to counter him .
āāGashi! Doga!! DoDoDoDo!!
Sounds that would be impossible to normally hear, reverberated through the air . They punch, block, miss, aim for each otherās openings; sometimes going on the offensive, other times dodging by millimeters .
āKike!? Kikikiki! (Tch! Strong . Never expected this man to be this strong . What a supreme bliss . )ā
āYouāre looking pretty content there! Did you want to fight that much!?ā[Zeros]
āKikeke, kikiriki!Ā (To challenge the strong is the only way to grow as a warrior . It is the duty of those who live by the sword . )ā
āI see youāre quite the enlightened fellow! Then, come and show me your strength!ā[Zeros]
āKikeeeee!Ā (Here I go!)ā
TheĀ Grappler CuckooĀ broke the pace of their high-intensity exchange of blows for a moment, and making the best of its nimbleness, it quickly closed the distance between its opponent while leaving an afterimage . TheĀ CuckooĀ then proceeded to deliver a flurry of kicks .
Zeros blocked the enemy onslaught using both of his arms just like water flowing down a river . The moment he found a gap, without a momentās delay he unleashed a powerful series of punches . However, as if it were expecting it, the chicken twisted itself around his arms in an attempt to use the momentum to hurl him away . Nevertheless, noticing his opponentās intentions, the magician slightly contorted his arms to loose the chickenās grip on it . Then, he drew them back toward the top of his head, while firmly grabbing theĀ Cuckoo, and in one breath, he attempted to slam it on the ground . Unexpectedly, it instantly reordered its stance by contorting its body, and like that, it flapped its wings and managed to withdraw outside Zerosā striking distance .
āA-Aināt this dude way too strong?ā[Bohan]
āThat much is easy for him, you know? Heās an ć Annihilator ć after all . ā[Iris]
āWhatās with that disturbing nicknameā¦ What in the world did he do to get it?ā[Bohan]
āA lot of thingsā¦ā[Iris]
āWhatever . Hey, little lass . Thereās no way you can call him a magician, you know? Who the hell is he?ā[Bohan]
The battle was not in favor of theĀ Grappler Cuckoo . However, its fighting spirit didnāt wane, in fact, it increased if anything . It even looked delighted .
Once again, they clashed with each other, starting a fierce exchange of fists . With their arms (and wings) strengthened with Qi, the vivid sound of fists clashing against fists continued to be heard . While exclaiming āoraoraoraā and āhoatatataā like the characters of a certain popular series, they exchanged blows at insane speeds leaving afterimages behind, and without taking a single step back . The power behind each punch was enough to not let either of them get away scot-free in case they received one in full . The reason such a devastating side-effect didnāt take place was because the force of each of their punches canceled each other out, and so, the shockwaves scattered and spread in a circular fashion around them, instead .
At times, they separated and took distance away from each other, jumped high in the sky and traded flying kicks mid-air, or unleashed their fists while coming down toward the ground .
āEhā¦ Wouldnāt a single hit kill you? Rather, wasnāt that man a magician?ā[Bohan]
āWhat Iāve heard is that heās an all-rounder type, closer to an assassin . A type of magician whose specialty is jumping in the middle of the enemy lines and sweeping them clean with ranged magic . ā[Iris]
āHey little lassā¦ Iām pretty sure thatās not how magicians fight . No matter how you think about it, aināt that what the special forces do!?ā[Bohan]
Zeros, who was currently firing off a chain of attacks, was unaware of his own occupation currently being denied . Though, he might be the one most conscious of it to even attempt to deny it . [13]
Their grand fight was said to have continued the whole day .
At dusk, as the world began to be enveloped by the curtain of darkness, theĀ Grappler CuckooĀ laid exhausted after using up all his strength during the fight . Nevertheless, it wore a bright expression with a refreshing smile on its face, as if content with having given it all it got .
On the other hand, the middle-aged man in front of it hadnāt perspired even a single drop of sweat . Instead, he was trembling in fear after realizing the extent of how absurd his stamina was . Even so, from theĀ Cuckooās point of view, he was a serious opponent, at least at the beginning . However, after noticing his own absurdity in the second half of the fight, it finally registered how it wasnāt even a challenge to him . Zeros was supposed to be giving it his all, but he was able to observe and think things through calmly . He felt dizzy thinking what would have happened if he turned to attack in earnest . His mind hadnāt caught up with how tough his body really was .
While he was ruminating about such things, the rest of the evolved chickens were prostrated in dogeza to signify their submission toward him .
āUh, umā¦ Iād like you to come with me for now . ā[Zeros]
āKiki kikeriki kiki!Ā (We are in awe of your strength . O esteemed personage, please become our master . )ā
āKike kikiriĀ (My one-hit, certain kill technique has been beaten . I lack trainingā¦)ā
The group of chickens evolved from theĀ Wild CuckooĀ had the habit of revering the strong . Once they recognize someone as their master, they will follow them until theyāre strong enough to stand on their own, and consequently, leave their nest . Eventually, they form their own flock, pass on the skills they have learned, and become infinitely stronger . In a sense, they were more wicked than theĀ Cockatrices; they were the worst kind of monster .
āWell, I donāt mind as long as you guys let me have your unfertilized eggs . I wanted eggs, you see, and I have the appraisal skill, so I can distinguish an egg thatās been fertilized from one that hasnāt . ā[Zeros]
That was the reason why these chickens orchestrated a rebellion . Naturally, chickens lay eggs with the intent of conceiving their offspring . And so, the freshly laid eggs can be classified as unfertilized or fertilized . There was no problem with the former being eaten since no offspring would be born from them . However, it was a grave matter for them when it was the latter since a chick was expected to come out from one .
Bohanās ignorance and him randomly taking eggs, caused the chickens to lose faith in him and lead to the aforementioned rebellion . In other words, it was the revenge of the parents who lost their children . No matter how harsh the world is, a child is still a precious thing for their parents . That being the case, Zeros didnāt have to worry about the birds resenting him due to his appraisal skill .
āWhat do you feed them with, Bohan-san?ā[Zeros]
āJust tell me where you live and Iāll arrange it for you . After these little shits are gone, Iām gonna start keeping cows instead . ā[Bohan]
āThatās totally a death flag, Mister . ā[Iris]
āAnyhow, that means this one will have a sparring partner living nearby, doesnāt it? How wonderful . ā[Kaede]
āKaedeā¦ You still wanna fight?ā
The bloodthirsty elf seemed to be walking farther down the path of carnage with theĀ Slasher CuckooĀ as her rival . The three of them, including Zeros could only sigh in response . Ā (T . N: i think the author forgot about Jane)
On this day, the middle-aged magician got thirteen chickens . In exchange for their eggs, they would be trained by him, and at the same time, they would serve as powerful guards for his house . Which realm they are aiming for and how far will they actually go remained to be seen . What is certain is that they will continue to train and become the strongest they can be .
By the time he arrived home, it was already late into the evening; the cityscape engulfed in serenity . Zeros used a magic stone to turn on the lights and proceeded to sit on a randomly placed chair .
For the time being, the thirteen chickens had taken residence in the nearby forest area, and it was decided that they would supply him with eggs henceforth . However, he just now started to worry about the high possibility of there being new victims . They were smart enough to understand human language, so he decided to teach them little by little .
As he was about to start preparing dinner, he noticed a long strand of hair stuck on his robe . The translucid and thin hair ended up there when he held Kaede in his arms . Nevertheless, that wasnāt the problem here .
āFumu, so I have aĀ Mutated Magic SpecimenĀ and theĀ Hair of a High Elf, right? If I were to mix my blood, I would be able to create a homunculusā¦ā[Zeros]
The magician had intended to make a homunculus in the future, but currently, he had some reservations regarding that . It was the act of creating life, and this new life would practically be Kaedeās clone . Moreover, by adding his own blood, it could be said that the homunculus would be his and Kaedeās child, and he couldnāt help but feel that it was a completeĀ OUT, ethically speaking .
Suddenly, the evilest item in his possession flashed through his mind .
āTheĀ Evil Godās Soulā¦ Letās see, the question is whether to stir up some trouble for the Four Deities or not . To do or not to doā¦ā[Zeros]
Anyhow, he didnāt have all the materials needed for the creation of the homunculus, the other essential one being theĀ Spirit Crystals .
āWell, Iāll think about it once I happen to come across someĀ Spirit Crystals, I still have time, after all . ā[Zeros]
Zeros could not forgive what the deities of this world did . He was reincarnated into this world, but it was purely meant to be an apology toward the god of his original world, and even so, they reluctantly did it because He complained, which goes to show how irresponsible they were .
Moreover, although they reincarnated him, they did it quite carelessly . He ended up being thrown in the middle of a demonic realm infested with fiendish monsters .
They should have made all the victims appear in the same place, but instead, they acted with terrible negligence, as if saying āWe gave them cheat abilities, so itās fine, right?ā giving the impression of being quite the hedonistic existences .
Granted, there were people who genuinely enjoyed this world, like Iris, so he wasnāt going to do anything that would plunge this world into war, but that didnāt mean Zeros was planning to do nothing .
āHow troublingā¦ kukuku . ā[Zeros]
Zeros laughed with a rare shrewd expression, his smile cloaked in malice he didnāt usually show . As in response to his hidden wickedness, the metallic equipment in his basement was ringing eerily . All the pieces had fallen into place, so as long as he had the materials, he was ready for his next move . Everything depended on how the situation would play out .