Chapter 45~47 – Red tiger and『north』and the worst demon

This place was......a hilly area somewhat far from the『Flower City』.

In the cave, that was set up as the entrance in the shade of a rock.

It was dark and air was also bad, however based on appearance alone it wasn’t easy to discover it......and this was a cave with likeable environment to『them』from Hunting Tribe.

There ten-odd men were sitting encircling a dim bonfire and were talking in that place where it was difficult to see after some metres.

「What about those two idiots? Did they die after all? 」

「Who knows. But they haven’t returned. It is better to think it like that」

「Tch, this why hired hoodlums are shit......wouldn’t it have been better if we ourselves went? 」

「Don’t say it like that, they were quite familiar with the work of kidnapping, it was a great harvest the we got out the wiles from them......as for the rest, its better to do it by ourselves」

「Yeah, for hunters like us everything is easy as long as we know the know-how. We『North』are......different from『South』which lives a comfortable and relaxed life」

They were talking while satisfying their hunger by eating jerky. It was just like Minato and others had guessed......they were the current generation of people from Hunting Tribe, who parted ways with『Migration Faction』in the generation of their grandfathers or great-grandfathers.

They were employers of the two hoodlums Minato beat, but were killed cruelly by some unknown assailant......these people were who learned the wiles of kidnapping from the two people.

Their goal was the abduction of Dryads.

However, they neither were thinking of selling them, nor making them into their playthings.

The source of everything was......the current condition of『North』.

They had been living a stoic lifestyle, like hunting and swidden agriculture (it had different names though), since a long time before, and they were living in that difficult environment while being blessed with prey.

With that much, the people had been living vigorously and resolutely.

However, the answer Mother Nature gave out to them, who had lived a stoic lifestyle for several hundred of years, was something terrific.

The agriculture by burning the land would uselessly diminish the forest and destroy the environment, unless appropriate rotation means weren’t taken, this was something Minato, having previous world’s memories, knew about. Finally the limit came for the land because they had no such knowledge.

The forest kept on disappearing, land kept on becoming infertile and demons kept on leaving.

All things were serious matters for the hunting tribe people because it was related to their livelihood......and the negative effect of destruction of nature that had been going on for a long time span finally occurred and broke their livelihood foundation.

Even among that the most severed was the annihilation of forest which blessed them with fruits, mushrooms, and meat of prey etc. That had been rapidly increasing in the past ten-odd years.

And recently they finally understood that the reason it was happening wasn’t just because of their burning forests. The rapid speed was because of the other reason.

It was......the existence of『Dryad』.

Although being demons, they were a spirit race, and were called as the incarnation and guardian deity of forest. They were an existence born from the plants and magical energy of forest, but they weren’t an existence that were just born from forest and protected it.

Dryad and Alraune with power of sprites had the ability to purify the magical energy in the atmosphere of forest to benefit the forest. That ability worked even without their awareness, with them being there it would automatically function.

In simple words, the forest Dryads were born had clear and affluent nature and environment. ......and with the Dryad being there it would become more clean and affluent.

In the forest that once spread all the way to the『Green Canyon』had Dryads living in it, but because they weren’t as much in numbers as in South, that the habitants didn’t knew about them.

However there......the humans living in the northern grounds kept on burning down their forest, and the Dryads of『North』understood that this place was now gone. In the past few decades they all moved to『South』, where there were friendlier humans and affluent environment.

Because it was the same as a『forest』, and naturally the southern side was affluent that they were able to migrate without any problems of dying from the lack of life force.

On the other hand, in the northern forest, the birth of Dryad itself stopped.

And finally: ten-odd years ago.

Not even a single Dryad was present in the northern forest. No new ones were even born. With that as the turning point, the forest rapidly started decaying......nowadays the numbers of prey was only walking on the way of decline.

The wild animal species demons were only increasing that couldn’t be eaten even if boiled or grilled.

The people of『Reside Faction』realized that face, but it was already too late!

It was obvious that the damage dealt had reached a point of no return, and the forest would completely die if they kept on living the same way.

However, even for living after leaving this place was a thorny path for them, because compared to the『South』they had cut off any contact with outside.

Thinking that, a group of people from the nearly dead North colluded and commenced the solution strategy.

That was the abduction of Dryad living in the South.

They were trying to『regenerate the forest』with the power of Dryad they kidnapped from South and thrown in the northern forest.

They were trying to revert it into a forest that would give them blessings like before.

It was a plan relying on the legend that seemed like a fairy-tale, but concerning the results this method was correct.

And they had no other means, so they desperately cling on the straw of hope, and commenced the plan.

「It was having a humans figure? It should be a demon, no problem, hehe, right? 」

「Yeah, just the living place will change to a little north side. We will accomplish this」

「However, there is a problem. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the disappearance of the two hoodlums, but......there is an A-ranker adventurer in『South』as a hired escort. And there is a high possibility of that guy being in contact with the Dryads of South」

「Is that true? 」

「Yeah, I have conjectured his information before, but......the possibility is really high. In the bad case, he had sniffed out about us and would hinder in the abduction of Dryads」

「Is that authentic? Isn’t that information from that bastard of South? 」

「Don’t worry, he isn’t a guy who doesn’t know his situation......and there’s no profit for him to lie currently」

「But well, that is a problem in itself......it is a A-Rank Adventurer, a true monster」

「Don’t worry about that......I have thought out a plan for that」

A man among the men said that. Hearing those words, everyone’s stares gathered upon him.

「Mwhahaha, An eye for an eye and......An A-ranker for an A-ranker!」

☆☆☆

Few Days from the day of assault.

These couple of days went by peacefully without any incident occurring.

The negotiations of traders from sis’ place had been advancing favourably.

Let it be kidnapping, let it be assault by demons, with all these dangerous estimations flying about, I thought that something dangerous would surely happened, but nothing happened.

We didn’t let down our guard......but because we didn’t know against what to be vigilant for that we were just having a contact with Neil-chan at periodic intervals while using Elk as intermediary. Elk had now truly completely mastered the『Telepathy』, and could, at will, send transmissions and receive them.

Zari being Zari, continued on his work as an information broker, and apparently was worrying about if there were any strange people.

Basically he was a person who put the saying ‘a wise man keeps away from danger’ into actual practice, but even that him wasn’t as cruel to keep quiet and see little girls being abducted.

Also, Sherry-san also thought that this situation was strange and......was on her guard, more or less, but just that much. It seemed like she would be first one to move out if something happened.

Well it was only natural, neither us nor her are police.

Incidentally, we haven’t told Sherry-san about.......either Dryad girls or the kidnappers.

No, it wasn’t like I doubted her, but I didn’t trust her enough to speak about everything completely. In the exchange of information, the discreet caution was needed. Conversely, she also wouldn’t have trusted us completely as comrades.

I decided this dealing method along with Elk.

Incidentally if that Zari hadn’t wiretapped, or noticed about the existence of Neil-chan and other Dryads (Neil-chan was an Alraune though), then this would’ve been a secret from him too.

......Ah also, later on, we had a strange story by the Eldest old woman.

The『Telepathy』used by Dryad and Alraune was a magic from a different system than the telepathy used by common people, apparently. Hence the talk between two Dryads’ couldn’t be heard by normal people.

The people who could talk with spirit species, even among the demi-humans, were like Elf, or other species that had power near to that of spirits.

As exceptions were, the extremely rare, humans with talent to catch and contact via that telepathy......so by chance Elk had a talent like that?

Zari had a Magic Item, but Elk didn’t have any item like that to use......I can’t think but feel that it was because of her inherent talent......

Like that, while maintaining the minimum wariness, and with the clever way of enjoying the city we patrolled here and there, like that, we headed to the last day of our stay in this valley.

According to the information from traders, in a couple of days, Trader Groups from other Trading Associations of other cities and villages would arrive here. And, we, having come here first, would be able to return first and deliver the fresh flowers.

This only meant the difference in the tact of information gather ability and gathering the escorts. Even for the flowers that come out in market during『season』, had dispersion during the time of harvest, so the moment sis got the information of well-selling『flowers』being harvested, she made a Trader Group and sent us out; like that we outwitted the others.

While being impressed by the information gathering ability of sis’ association, it felt like this quest would end without any problems other than our over-anxiety......

......There was also a time I thought that.

「It’s the demoooooooons!, the demons are comiiiiiinnnnnggg!!!!」

「Minato!! A transmission came from Neil-chan, it’s those kidnappers from before!!」

「Yeah, I had a bad feeling, but if possible, it should’ve been just one thing out of these two!!」

Today I truly thought that, what if these two incidents were related.

For the time being, I couldn’t leave the situation as it was......so I sent Elk to Dryads, and I went to take on the demons. Although, after quickly getting rid of demons, I intend to quickly meet up with Elk and others.

I sent Alva with Elk.

It, recently, had been able to put up a barrier, so it could fight on both sides of offence and defence.

On my side were demons of level C and B, if I didn’t give a damn about the eyes of people then I could’ve insta-killed them all. Well If Alva were with me then it would’ve been easier with its extra-long distance attacks.

Hence, thinking about the safety of Elk and the Dryads, I let it go with her.

But in truth, even the current Elk would be fine against bandits as opponents, I think.

Well, the point of worry......was that Alva made a mistake and it led to deforestation, just that much.

While thinking that, I reached the entrance of village......and sure enough the demons from before were attacking, like wolf, ox, winged-snake, scaled-gorilla, and various others.

The majority were E or F Ranked small fries, but among them there were some D and C Ranked demons here and there. If I let others handle it, it would be difficult.

Hence, it would idiotic to take my time, and after politely shaking off other adventurers and escorts, I got done with strong looking demons within 30 seconds using everything at my disposal, punches, kicks, stick and iron ball.

「H-hey brat! Don’t be reckless to take on that many demons alone! 」

「That’s right, don’t put on airs! We’re both adventurers, it’s better to fight by cooperat (*crack crack boom*)......Ah......um......」

After finishing, I felt other people looking at me as if, I were some adult who rammed in a teenager fighting completion and won decisively and was happy too. Just why look at me like that?

......Well whatever.

After going out a little bit seriously I finished half of the demons and said to others in a roundabout way: 『I finished about half of them, so leaving the rest to you?』

It seemed like I was saying a fair reasoning, but it was just me pushing the other work to them, but to make up for that I was boosting up the pride of other adventurers and bodyguards, yeah, something like that......

It wasn’t funny for the seniors that a child like me defeated so many while they didn’t a thing, so after my proposal they all pleasantly agreed to it and started killing the remnants of demons.

The rest were mostly F and E......as for the some D and C ones left would be done in by that guy (Zari), without any causalities, right?.

I was thinking that......but I didn’t notice a certain thing.

The person, who was killing in front of everyone in the raid some days before, wasn’t present right now.

And that person appeared when......I almost entered the forest, where Elk and others might be fighting.

「Hey, young man......how about playing with me?」

Not in her usual battle dress......but while wearing steel armour covering her upper body, she took out the sword hanging on her waist, just by looking it could be understand that she was in her full armed state. And like that......Sherry-san stood in front of me, who was trying to enter the forest.

☆☆☆

That day,

The plan of『North』was put in practice.

If they let go today, then from tomorrow and after that, new Trader Groups –the people who got information later and would simultaneously enter the Flower City for 『restocking』-, would come, along with strong adventurers.

If they were sensed by anyone of those adventurers and were hindered in their plans, then they would be in more disadvantages. If Compared to now. Hence, their decision was that it was current time best for putting their plan in practice.

And to them......other than meddling adventurers, one more obstacle existed.

Those were the demons living in the forest.

They were in a coexisting relationship with the Dryad......no, the forest itself, and hence wouldn’t attack the Dryads. Moreover there even some among them who would attack those that tried to harm the Dryads.

Even without doing that, the people from『North』, were an existence that would normally get attacked by demons. And it wasn’t just danger, but it would be problem if other Dryads heard their fighting sounds and escaped.

There the method they chose was......using a drug made from a certain flower found in northern forest, and temporarily making the demons submissive. In that time they would abduct the Dryads and finish everything before the adventurers in the city knew about it.

However, there was a side effect in that『drug』.

It was a type of incense type odourless colourless drug used by burning. In turn for calming down the demons temporarily......it would later make then in an extremely agitated state, so they start indiscriminately killing everything in the surroundings.

The assault of the other day and this time was......because they weren’t able to finish the abduction in fixed amount of time that the demons got back their brutal nature in a boosted state.

The blood on the fangs of demons the other day was not of city guards......but it was of people from『North』, who thought the drug was working perfectly and let down their guard.

And this time, using this method they incorrigibly started their work of kidnapping the Dryads......and for not having meddling adventurers affecting their tactics, they led the demons to the city and let those adventurer take their time in defending.

......And there was one more problem.

They had also put their plan in practice to hinder the『A-ranker』who wouldn’t be stopped with just demons.

......They took on the method to make two『A-rankers』fight each others, and not hinder their work.

The result their plan brought was told by the current scene.

「......I’m the, mastermind?」

「That’s right. I have heard from the town head? That night......when demons attacked the first time, you were meeting with some men in the darkness, right? They were the perpetrator who instigated demons to attack the city......and you are their co-operator, or so the town head is doubting」

「No, even if you say something crazy to me all of a sudden......I don’t have a memory like that at all」

Minato was trying to enter the forest.

However, he was put in the testimony of falsehood and doubt, and Sherry, standing in front of him, wouldn’t allow that.

She seemed to not show any considerable reaction to the words of Minato.

「Isn’t it some misjudgement by the town head? I was truly......no, well I surely didn’t participate in defending the city, but I indeed have not met with suspicious men like that」

「Hmm~......」

Then......for a short amount of time, Sherry shut her mouth up.

Her facial expression and complexion didn’t change a bit. She was just staring at Minato.

As though......she were waiting to see his reactions for seeing through Minato’s lie.

Minato also, in this situation without a reply coming back for several seconds, squint his eyes.

.......And,

There were some people in the forest......watching them in a way to be discovered by any of the two.

It went without saying that those were the people from『North』.

「......Hey, how is it, is it going well?」

「Yeah, from the looks of it......it is going fine for now. The woman seems to completely doubt the guy......it doesn’t feel like it will end so easily」

「I see, then fine. ......Looks like the town head of『South』did his work properly」

While talking like that, the several men from『North』kept on watching a pair of black and red, boy and girl standing in front of each other.

「Even so, that woman......sure has a sexy body, right」

「You’re right......there is not even a single one like that in our village. Even I can now understand the reason for starting the work of kidnapping」

「Hey, stop thinking anymore. A-rankers are called monsters. Even if we assaulted her, it would end up us being killed」

「I know. Isn’t that the reason we are making two A-rankers fight each other? 」

While they were chatting......the all noticed the change in the atmosphere between the two people standing.

「......Is it my imagination?」

「What is?」

After ten-odd seconds of silence, both of them opened their mouths.

「Sherry-san......you don’t seem to stop me because you suspect me and have a chivalrous spirit......it seems like you found stopping me as an excuse to fight against me and seem quite happy about it」

「......*chuckle*, you’re sharp」

In an instant,

The Sherry-san that seemed like a normal girl before......now seemed to have a brutal colour on her, maybe because she was emitting her belligerent presence without any stopping, and in her eyes was a fiendish light.

On the contrary the brow of Minato was slightly raised up.

「It isn’t like......you’re not suspicious, right? In that case I will『stop you』before you go inside the forest and call other demons......it is completely normal thing to do as an adventurer for controlling the causalities, there’s nothing strange in that」

「......Like I said, I don’t know anything」

「You want me to believe it? Just impossible, there’s no proof or anything」

At a glance, it looked like they were having a question and answer debate......but the atmosphere around them wasn’t something that would be flowing during a『chat』.

After all, no matter how one looked at it......Sherry seemed to have been『enduring』till now.

「If you don’t want to fight, then it’s simple. Just go back and participate in the defensive battle. I will also go there. If you don’t have a reason for not doing it......our fight is inevitable」

「......That is unreasonable. I have some work to do in this forest, though I can’t explain in details」

「It’s so sad that you wouldn’t say a thing. Do you not trust me enough to tell me about the problems......or do you have some shady business to do in here......well, whatever. The negotiations......have failed」

Then,

*Swish*

Sherry took stance with the sword『in her hand』and an obvious fighting spirit......as though she had been waiting to say those words since the start.

「If you tru~ly want to go in the forest......I will only have to hinder you, right? Just as an adventurer, my decision isn’t wrong......」

「......It’s fine now? I don’t care anymore, even if you speak out your mind」

「Oh, I see, then, accepting your offer」

One beat later,

「I’m happy......to finally fight with you in a serious battle, you’re the strongest among the ones I have met till now......!! In truth, I don’t care even a bit whether you are a friend or foe......well then......shan’t we fight with all our strength, for not having any regrets later! 」

Minato heaved a sigh seeing Sherry speak out her『mind』without any hesitation.

And on his face, an displeased, irritated expression appeared.

「......This is why I hate......battle maniacs......!」

He said as though to spit it out.

He let out his unpleasant feelings and glared at Sherry, if people who knew him saw this scene, they surely would be surprised.

And, he guessed that saying anymore wouldn’t help a bit that......Minato took his stance, putting his two fists in front of his chest......and kept on glaring at Sherry.

Then,

「Hehe, this......was unexpected, looks like we get a free side show, right?」

「Yeah......it isn’t seen easily, the battle to death of two monsters!」

While taking on the stares of people from『North』, who were given the job of observers......the two A-rankers kicked off the ground at the same time and with a *claannnnggg* ear-splitting metallic sound, they clashed.

☆☆☆

At that time,

In the depths of forest......there was someone that tried to move as if it was provoked by the noisy sounds coming from here and there in the forest.

The sounds of fighting, bellows of warriors resounded inside and outside of the forest.

The smell of blood came while riding on the winds.

As thought it were woken up by those, it secretly raised up its green-coloured big lizard-like body.

And......maybe because it just woke up, or it was like that from before......that it started moving in a slow manner, towards the direction he could find prey for satisfying his hunger.

Without anyone knowing, the woken up monster, didn’t take much time before......reaching the battlefield filled with the ulterior motives of adventurers and demons, 『North』and『South』.

☆☆☆

「You, bitch......don’t interfere! 」

「Unrelated people should just back off!」

「I will do it, do you slut!」

「Shut up, you scum assholes!!」

*creak creak boom!*

「「「Aaaaahh!?」」」

Holding the dagger in one hand, and using the recently improved Taijutsu along with Body Enhancing Magic, she had just recently started to dabble into......Elk was protecting the Dryads while beating the hunters of『North』.

Especially, she kicked couple of times more to the three men who said quite displeasing lines to her, at least to a woman it wouldn’t be good lines......like that she made then faint.

Moreover,

(......Their movements are slow......)

While protecting the Dryads and taking on several people head on, she still had the composure to judge her abilities.

To this feeling that the three-months-before her wouldn’t have even thought about, she felt the fresh novel feeling.

Compared to Minato she had always been sparring against......their movements were slow, had too many gaps and had too many useless movements. Reading the trajectory of their attacks, and predicting their next attacks were both easy. ......There was even time when she had enough composure to think that she hadn’t thought about the next attack following next attack.

While fighting, she remembered Minato always speaking that『The current Elk has the ability of a C-Ranker precisely』.

Elk had always thought it was just him flattering her, but......she was shocked at her power to overpower these men, who were『hunters』.

However, her shock didn’t remain for long and she didn’t show any gaps, while two people from the『North』were watching Elk as though they were seeing an annoying serpent and scorpion.

(......Minato and others (?) are also fighting right now......I will make it do somehow solely here!)

「You damn slut......why are you hindering us!」

「That’s right! Outsiders just fuck off! Why are you protecting them from before! They are demons, don’t ya know!? Yo don have any obligation to protect it!」

「Even if you ask, why......」

At the moment......Elk’s expression became strange because the words she was about to say were completely overlapping words that Minato would say.

However in the end,

「......Well, I got friendly with them, didn’t want to let them alone......just a whim, yeah whim」

She said those words that Minato, once said to her.

「......!? Don’t fuck around! Our future livelihood is at stake!」

Hearing Elk’s words one of the man lost his cool and spit out their goal of regenerating the『northern』forest.

“That, don’t hinder because we got an important reason for that.”

However naturally the Dryads behind Elk –Alraune wasn’t here, she was leading other Dryads for evacuation- raised their objections, as though saying, don’t kid around.

「Don’t go kidding around! We don’t want go to a place like that!」

「It’s you misters in wrong for burning the forest!」

「That’s right, that’s right!」

「Huuh!? you -->>

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