Chapter 23 – I’m back!

───Zashu…

「…… Fuu…」

I hope I managed to take it down!

『… Behind… !』

「Ne?」

『Behind you!』

「Eh──」

The ghost girl tells me to look back.

The headless figure, dazed, grasped its weapon and was just about・to・swing・it・down.

『『『─────!!!』』』

「!!」

I turned around as quickly as I could, which put me in an odd position.

──I can’t avoid it

This attack would most certainly kill me. I gaze at the scene as if it were in slow motion and close my eyes. I’ve let my guard down…

───Gyiiiin!!!

I opened my eyes in shock when it didn’t hit me in a long time.

A・man・with・black・upturned・hair takes on the attack of the deformed using a single・large・sword that is as tall as he is.

「Oy, oy, Ayane. What are you standing there for?」

The man smiles in a relaxed manner and talks to me.

The first person I met in this world.

「Cain-san!?」

「I’m glad you remembered me! Well, we’ll talk later. Uraa!!」

Cain repels the heavy attacks of the deformed.

In the aftermath, the arms of the deformed form swing open from side to side, leaving the torso open.

「《Ittōryōdan》!!」

Tl. Meaning: cutting in two with a single stroke

Cain-san slashed down from the neck to the lower half of the body, following the trajectory through the heart.

『『『─────!!??』』』

──Dosuuun…

「Got… it… ?」

「Yeah. It’s been a long time, Ayane!」

「L-Long time no see!!」

「Maa, don’t be so rigid. More importantly, make sure you stay alert until the end, okay?? That thing will keep moving if you leave its heart alone. That said, if you crushed the heart, it would work!」

「Ugh… Yes… Speaking of which, how did Cain-san end up here…?」

「…… It’s just a coincidence」

「「……」」

「…… Are you sure…?」

「Y-Yeah」

「Fu ~un… Maa, that’s fine. Now to report on the quest」

「R-Right!」

(That’s dangerous!! I saw her on the street and decided to stalk her… I almost got caught following her!!)

『You took it down… Thank you…』

「I think it’s more accurate to say that I was defeated than that I defeated it」

『Even so…』

「Yes, it is」

『Here, take this…』

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

【Name】Pearl of Evil Spirit: Quality 7

【Description】A pearl that contains the soul of an evil spirit. Many souls are contained, and voices are heard occasionally. If you have it, you are less likely to be targeted by the undead (Minor), you take less damage from the undead (Minor), and occasionally you become a spirit.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

「Eh!? C-Can I really take this… ?」

『Un… I don’t need… it anymore…』

「… I see…」

『Then I’ll see… you around…』

「Un… Ah!」

『───』

I looked back as I remembered something, but the ghost girl ended the conversation by saying something and disappeared.

「Maa… What? Should we go back to the city?」

「Yes…」

And so we returned to Selkadia, discussing the events that had just transpired.

──────

───

「Thank you so much for helping me! Let me thank you in some way!」

「Don’t thank me… Ah…」

「???」

「No, when we first met, I was wondering if you could make me a weapon? Do you remember when I asked you to do that?」

「Yes!」

「Then make me a greatsword, will you? Aah! Of course I’ll provide the materials!」

「I understand!」

「Then I’ll give you the materials──」

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

【Name】 Magic Iron: Quality 6

【Description】An iron containing magical power that is sometimes found in caves and dungeons where magical power has accumulated. It is about 3 times harder than ordinary iron.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

【Name】Kurāgan’s Feet: Quality 5

【Description】Kurāgan’s 15 feet. At the tip of the foot is a tube, from which water bullets are ejected that can shatter steel.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

「Kurāgan? What does that mean?」

「N? Ah, that’s a huge squid from the East Sea」

「Squid… Is it… It’s a combination of Kraken and a gun…」

「That’s what I thought, too. I thought I could use it for now, so I took it out」

「… I’ll do my best」

「Oh!」

Then, in addition to these, I was also given ordinary iron, copper and other metals.

「No, I don’t think I’ll use this much…」

「If you have any left, you can have them」

「Eh!?」

「Because it’s been so long since I’ve seen you!」

「I-Is that so…」

That’s a little embarrassing…

(I actually came all this way to see the bulletin board and get a weapon made… The girl from the bulletin board is probably this one… Definitely!)

He was one of the top players in the game.