CHAPTER 6: SOUL REAPER

I was about to leave the house, was suddenly beaten up by a trio of men who broke into my house.

　Not knowing what had happened, I became very confused.

　However, the confusion soon subsided.

　This is because the men’s attacks did not hurt at all.

　I was shocked by the attack but the pain was just as painful as a baby’s pat.

　I knew I was not endangering my second life, calmly observed the other people.

　The man who broke into the house was a man in his late twenties to early thirties.

　His hair color is the same as that of the villagers, and his body looks stronger than that of Lid.

　I did not want to invite the other person so I asked the other person directly.

(–Hie!?)

　I took a breath as I looked at the men.

　Their eyes were bloodshot, and foam had accumulated in the corners of their mouths. The appearance is similar to a person possessed by a demon.

　The aura around them was strange.

　The [Intuition] skill felt that they had something not quite human in them.

　Lid’s memory tells me about the three-man group that was attacking.

　They were villagers named Clement, Robert, and Tuck.

　They are the people who killed Lid this morning.

　He is also one of the people who killed Lid’s parents.

　When Lid’s memory conveyed that, my brain grew calm.

　However, behind that calmness, [Thought Acceleration] begins to activate at high speed.

(The reason why these people are weird is that someone is manipulating them.)

　I did not think they were ordinary villagers.

　There is magic in this world. I know very little about what magic can and cannot do. However, there may be “magic to manipulate people.”

　Therefore, I pretended to have fainted.

　Even if they continue to beat me like before, I will not die.

　Therefore, I let them proceed and observe what they are doing.

　If they want to kill me with their weapon, I can just run away.

　However, if they head for the person who uses “mind manipulation magic”…

　I have to confirm it for Lid’s sake.

　The men are murmuring something.

　I was unnerved by their constant murmuring repeatedly saying “kill” endlessly.

(They’re being scary!)

　On the other hand, I feel elated that [Language Comprehension] is working properly.

　I was worried if I could talk to the other party, but now my worry has been resolved.

　My first word from the people of Eargard is “Kill”. I am feeling anxious about my future.

　The only thing left is whether the other person can talk normally.

(Are these people able to make a decent conversation?)

　I could not help but hold such concerns.

　After leaving for a while, I felt that I had returned to the limestone cave that I had just been on.

(Why are they back here…)

　I was just overthinking.

　They had no such instructions.

　They killed Lid and his parents at their own will.

~3rd Person Perspective~

　Discouraged by his disappointment, Toru quickly escaped from his restraint between Robert and Tuck.

“I wonder what I’m going to do they are going to kill me again. I don’t ever learn.”

“…Ah, eh?” (Clement)

　Hearing Toru’s voice, Clement turned around and looked completely astounded.

“Oh, hey, Robert, Tuck! Lid is awake! Why didn’t you restrain him properly!!” (Clement)

“Oh, I did! But when I realized it, he pulled away from my hand.” (Robert)

“Dude!” (Tuck)

　The sound of teeth grinding can be heard from Clement.

“How can you feel smug Lid? There are three of us and you are alone. Even if you resist–” (Clement)

　Clement is filled with murderous intent.

　The next moment.

　The figure of Robert next to Clement disappeared.

“Waa!” (Robert)

“”-!?” (Clement)

　Robert fell from a cliff.

　The head fell on the ground, making a smashing noise and his skull broke open.

“One down, two to go.”

“…!” (Clement)

　Clement had no idea what Lid did.

　However, what happened was that Lid probably kicked Robert off the cliff.

　However, Clement has known that Lid is by no means strong. He was a person who could be defeated easily if surrounded by three people as strong as Clement.

　A strong adult who has been trained in farm work.

　On the other hand, Lid is just a boy who has never done farm work and had trouble eating.

　From a common-sense point of view, the former should be stronger.

　Therefore, Clement could not accept the fact.

“What did you do?” (Clement)

“What the hell did you do?” (Tuck)

　Lid looked at Clement.

　Clement’s body froze when he was stared down.

　There is no hate or murderous intent on Lid’s face.

　However, he was staring at Clement and Tuck as if they are not people.

　Perhaps I have touched something I should not have, Clement tought.

　However, it was too late.

　While thinking about what to do, Tuck fell over the cliff.

　An unpleasant sound of smashing meat echoes in the limestone cave.

　The sound reverberates, but Clement keeps his eyes on Lid.

“You cursed child…!” (Clement)

“What? Should I die if my eyes and hair color are different from you?”

　Lid’s hand, which swung down, suddenly had a black sword in his hand.

　Immediately after seeing the sword, Clément’s spine shivered due to an unknown fear.

　Do not let that touch you.

　A “voice” in Clement’s head screamed at him to run away.

“Then you, a person who has a different color than me means that I can kill you?”

“….” (Clement)

　Already, Clement’s throat was silenced.

　He was stunned and frozen by the overwhelming intimidation from the eyes of Lid.

(What on earth am I facing…)

　If there is an evil god or a god of death in this world, I’m sure they would have such an eye.

　Overwhelming pressure deprived Clement of freedom.

“Woooooooooooo!!” (Clement)

　However, Clement still raised his voice and desperately moved.

　The other party is not an evil god or god of death.

　It is just Lid. He is only human.

　By any means, this guy can be killed.

(Kill! Kill!)

“Kill!” (Clement)

“Break!” (Clement)

“Dye everything in darkness!” (Clement)

　According to the voice in his heart, Clement jumped at Lid.

　However,

“Ah?” (Clement)

　Clement fell as soon as he noticed the attack on his chest.

　Instantly, the voice that filled his heart and mind until now disappeared completely.

　It’s as if he never heard such a voice from the beginning.

　Clement crashed into the ground and looked up at the cliff, nearly fainting in pain.

　The figure of Lid looking down from the top of the cliff with his black sword in hand making him look like a completely different person from the one he knew for some reason.

~Toru’s Perspective~

　Clement and others before had an extraordinary amount murderous intent in their eyes.

　I fought against a large caterpillar and was used to murderous intent to some extent. But their blood-lust was different. The blood-lust swirls with an inhuman kind of darkness.

(Maybe all the people in this world are dangerous?)

　I was intimidated.

　If I was a weak person like when I was on the earth, I would have just been frozen.

　On the other hand, an unfamiliar urge was born in my chest.

　The impulse is

“How can you feel smug Lid? There are three of us and you are alone. Even if you resist–” (Clement)

　With Clément’s words, an unidentified urge exploded.

　I followed my impulse and kicked Clement and three others off the cliff.

　While kicking them off, I also slashed them with [Magic Sword].

　This is to attract the caterpillars that are attracted by the smell of blood.

　However,

“That’s weird. I should have cut them properly.”

　[Magic Sword], which I had use to slash them. I slashed the wrists of the three people as intended.

　There was a feeling of having slashed them.

　If my [Magic Sword] was working properly as a blade, their wrists would have been cut off from their bodies by this time.

　But their wrists were still on their bodies.

The [Magic Sword] has passed through the body.

“Why?”

　I was a little confused.

　I slashed the caterpillars a lot, but this never happened.

“Hmm. Right.”

　I threw away my doubts.

Although they could not be cut with the [Magic Sword], Robert’s head broke when he fell.

　From the cracked head, everything that shouldn’t come out spreads-out.

　With this, my aim has still been fully achieved.

　When I was still in Japan I have never seen a cracked head. Nevertheless, when I saw Robert’s head from the top of the cliff, I felt nothing.

　Ordinary people may go a little pale, but even that does not happen to me.

　I have fully accepted the life of my new body and life, so I was tolerant to harming others.

　Clement, who fell under the cliff, was hardly injured, probably because he had a good place to land on.

　However, his attitude suddenly changed from the previous one and he has calmed down.

“Li, Lid… What is this all about?” (Clement)

　Clement’s expression when he asked me looked like he had lost his memory because of the bad fall.

　The dark expression he wore before was completely wiped out.

　Are you acting pitiful because our positions reversed? I thought, but it seems it is not only that.

(They should have gotten angry when they were pushed down by me)

“Oi, Lid, answer me!” (Clement)

“Clement, do you not know why you are there?”

“I don’t know, I’m listening!” (Clement)

“Hah. Clement doesn’t remember trying to kill me or pushing me off the cliff?”

“That’s what we………? Why did we try to kill Lid!?” (Clement)

　The situation is strange. They don’t have the capacity to pretend to not be able to do it.

　I was in quite the rush that I had forgotten about it.

　No matter how much I think about it over and over again, the situation is strange.

“Hmm…I don’t get it.”

　However, I cannot confirm their true motives here.

　They indeed killed innocent Lid and his parents.

　And they tried to kill me.

　This is not earth. It’s a different world.

　There is no law saying I have to save them.

“Hmm, what is this sound. What is that?” (Clement)

　With a small noise, “Mozou…”, a large swarm of caterpillars appeared from behind the cave.

　A barely conscious Tuck was stunned by the appearance of the caterpillar.

“Dude is it a monster!!” (Tuck)

　Clement, on the other hand, hurriedly approached the cliff.

“Lid, I beg of you, help me.” (Clement)

“Have you helped Lid in the past?”

“That is…” (Clement)

“Lid just wanted to live. He has been trying to live without inconveniencing anyone. But you rejected him. You unilaterally made a decision and drop him over a cliff. You abused me, why should I help you?”

“So, why did you push us down? If you just wanted to live, you didn’t have to push us down!!” (Clement)

“It’s not the line that a person who pushed the person who just tried to live should say. And–”

　I let out the words inside of Lid’s chest.

“Can you forgive the murderer who killed your parents?”

“… Gu!” (Clement)

“I got the answer.”

“Waaaaa!!” (Clement)

　Clement started running towards the caterpillar with a screaming voice.

　He made a fist and punched the caterpillar.

　The force of the punch filled with muscular strength was spectacular.

　However,

“―― What!?”

　The skin of the caterpillar resisted Clement’s punch.

　Without showing any discomfort, the caterpillar targeted Clement.

　The caterpillar’s mouth split in three and opened wide.

“What the…” (Clement)

　His end happened in an instant.

　The worm bites off Clement’s head in an instant.

“Waaaaa!” (Tuck)

　Tuck panicked after Clément’s quick death. However, that scream also attracts the caterpillars.

　A large number of caterpillars appeared one after another from the back of the cave so they could also be drawn out by the sound.

“… there is still more of them?”

　I killed a lot of caterpillars, but it seems that I still missed quite a few. An overwhelming number of caterpillars were under the cliff in no time.

“That, ke… Ah, ah, ah…” (Tuck)

　Tuck is seeking for help but is soon eaten alive. Robert, whose head was broken, was also eaten in no time.

　Clement’s body is gone. Only his bloodstain was left and everything else disappeared in the belly of the caterpillar.

　When their bodies were eaten and none was left behind,

“–!?”

　An unpleasant sign filled the space.

　I manifests and readied the [Magic Sword] on reflex.

　A caterpillar appears again from the back of the cave.

　This time there is only one.

　But many times larger than the others.

“I think it’s the caterpillars’ parent. If I leave it as it is, it might come out.”

　At present, the caterpillars cannot climb the cliff. But as the numbers increase, the caterpillars pile up, eventually if they cross the 10-meter wall– a stampede will happen.

　Once a stampede comes, nearby villages will be destroyed.

　I don’t hate the villagers who didn’t hurt Lid directly.

　I don’t want to be involved with them again, but I don’t think I would want them to die.

　I wanted to prevent the stampede if I could.

　However, I was unable to take any action.

　My [Intuition] skill warns that I should never fight that huge caterpillar probably the parent.

　The caterpillar’s parent shared the “food” that the children had secured. Then its eyes focus on me.

　Chew, swallow. The chewing sounds echoed inside the cave.

　At first glance, there are plenty of opportunities. But that is my judgment as an Earthling.

　I know little about the strength of monsters in Eargard.

　Ignorance makes people reckless.

Therefore, I obediently followed the voice of [Intuition], which is the power of this world.

“But…”

　There is no reason to overlook this.

　I jumped up.

　At that moment, the caterpillar’s parent quickly looked up at me.

　Like it was saying, “If it comes near me, I’ll eat it like the others.”

　–also.

　Even if I was feeling quite tense, the caterpillar’s parent was not even seeing me as a threat.

　While I gaze at the caterpillar parent, I used the [Magic Sword].

　A moment later,

　Shattering sound echoes.

　Several stalactites on the ceiling began to fall all at once.

“””Eey!!”””

　A stalactite falls and crushed one of the smaller caterpillar. But it’s not enough.

“More!!”

　At the same time as before, I jumped again.

　I chop up the stalactites one after another and crushing the caterpillars under the cliff.

　Around the fifty stalactites that fell. Signs of living creatures diminished from under the cliff.

“…Did kill enough?”

　I shook my head. Still not enough.

　Although it was faint, I felt a sign of a caterpillar. I don’t know about the small ones, but the parent is still alive.

　A large amount of stalactite was cut off, which reduced the distance from the bottom to the top of the cliff. In this state, the caterpillar wants to leave the cave earlier than Toru’s idea.

　So I left the cave and swung the [Magic Sword] toward the entrance.

　A roaring noise echoed and the ceiling at the entrance to the cave collapsed.

　Now they cannot come out easily.

“……”

　I prayed in front of the collapsed cave.

“I hope that is enough to stop them-”

　――I avenged you from your enemies.

　I prayed to Lid’s soul.

≫ Acquire 150 skill points

≫ Acquired the title [soul reaper]