Jujutsushi Wa Yuusha Ni Narenai Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Betrayal
"-Life is great"
I escaped the crisis of a lifetime.
No idea how long I was out. However, seeing as the Armor Bears corpse was still lying there, and as wild animals or other monsters haven’t appeared sniffing out the blood, I think its safe to say it hasnt been that long since I lost consciousness.
The wound on my belly, for now the bleeding has stopped. My abdomen was black from all of the dried blood I had shed, but I could feel scabs from 4 large strokes. Seeing such big scabs on my own flesh really makes me shudder.
I remember hearing that bear nails are pretty bacteria infested, and rather than the flesh wound, the diseases they cause makes it especially nasty. It cant possibly be that my own saliva, that Id used when doing the mouth mashing, actually worked as a perfect disinfectant and anti-bacterial... No, no use worrying now. Ill be ok, lets just pray.
"Uu...a bit unsteady..."
Now then, I cant bask in the joy of achievement forever. Its too dangerous to stop here. Forget Armor Bears, even if its just some carnivorous animal, right now, Im completely helpless.
But which way to go. No, I know the direction with the compa.s.s function, rather, how long till I get to that dungeon-
"O-oh yeah, the dungeon!"
Theres the body of a cla.s.smate, i.e. Takashima-kun, here, implying, isnt this the dungeons starting point? If it is, my hypothesis would be correct.
Though, every direction looks like the same forest scenery-
"-there!"
Looking around a bit better, I notice a stone shrine just over there. The mossy surface covered in vines mixed well with the green of the forest and, though it was hard to notice, but once you do, its impossible not to.
Standing at 4 meters13ft tall, the oblong structure strongly a.s.serted itself as something artificially built in the deep forest. This has to be the entrance to the dungeon.
Even so, not noticing something like this, I mustve been extremely preoccupied till just now. But I feel like I showed quite the quick-wittedness and swift action somehow defeating the Armor Bear.
Ooh, maybe Im the type whos a straight up genius if I just make an effort?
I happily praised myself while heading to the dungeon shrine when-
"-Oh man, The outsides really a friggin forest."
A familiar voice, I heard it. That was undoubtedly emitted from inside the shrine... Meaning, one of my cla.s.smates was about to appear.
"Heey! Anyone there!"
I dont care who. Having been here where theres that kind of monster lurking around, being able to meet an actual human being, theres no greater relief.
For now, lets be glad I can join up with a cla.s.smate.
"Ah? Momokawa? What, so youre still alive."
From the other side of the dimmed shrine appeared, with brown hair and piercings, the cla.s.s punk. Higuchi Kyouya.
"Eh, Momokawa-kuns there? wow, he is!"
Appearing next, the blond twintail loli, Reina A. Ayase.
"R-really! Kotarou!?
And finally, appeared my chubby friend.
"Masaru!?"
"Oohh! Kotarou, youre safe!"
Saitou Masaru. The joy and relief from meeting this familiar chubbster, now tears really felt like gushing out.
Isnt that natural? This is more than just relief from meeting other people, theyre reliable comrades whove been given powers of a vocation. If its 3 people, chances are that theres a warrior or fire mage among them. It cant possibly be that theres more shamans in there.
Also, wit
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h some support my shamanic powers can also be made useful-
"Oi, hold up, Momokawa."
But then, my legs, that were rushing over in the overwhelming excitement, stopped. No, they were stopped.
By a knife that struck right in front of my feet. In barely another 3 cm1 inch, these indoor shoes along with my toes would have been lopped off.
"Wh..."
"Oi, what the f.u.c.k are you doing, Higuchi!?"
Masaru shouts out in place of me.
"Shut it, and add a -san ya fat f.u.c.k. Just shut ye’r trap and go pick up the core from that big one o’er there."
"Kotarous been alive! We gotta help!-"
"Then you wanna die in his place, f.a.gget?"[1]
From a pocket in this trousers- I couldn’t really tell, Higuchi instantly took out a b.u.t.terfly knife and stuck its sharp blade at Masarus throat.
"We got 3 people already, dont ya f.u.c.king forget it."
"H-hey guys hold on! Why are we fighting amongst each other! We need to work together and-"
"Ha! Momokawa, you lil s.h.i.t, ye’r head okay?"
He scoffed at my very reasonably shouted complaint.
"Didncha read the text message? Ya must be an absolute r.e.t.a.r.d not ta notice."
Yeah, dont need this, he sneered, as Higuchi withdrew the knife from Masaru.
"Saitou, stop yer w.a.n.kin and get that core rnow. Ill take good care of Momokawa for ya. Ah, Reina-chan, you can wait inside, its gonna get a bit b.l.o.o.d.y."
I have no idea whats happening, but its painfully obvious how its not good. Then, the situation takes a turn for the worse.
Masaru turned dead pale, and following Higuchis order, began going towards the Armor Bear.
And, as for Reina, she listened to his annoying nice-guy voice saying "wait inside", and as if completely nonchalant about this clearly bizarre turn of events, retreated back into the shrine.
"So yea, Momokawa, sorry but die for me will ya. Ill thank ya for takin out that big guy oer there. Thanks for the loot."
And with real murderous intent and a sinister grin, Higuchi came at me with his b.u.t.terfly knife.
"Eh, no wait! WAIT, whyre you-"
"Oi, stay still. Im trynna get yer vitals in the first shot, whyre you not lettin me show my kindness and put yat peace?"
He said it as if messing around, but this was completely serious. I can just tell. Higuchi is really coming with the intention of stabbing me. No hesitance, no regrets, as if its natural.
In fact, his knife was already raised.
"Now, make it rain-"
"When you stab me, my shaman powers will kill you too!"
Higuchis hand, stops.
"Dont be a smarta.s.s, pipsqueak"
Well, then whyd you stop. Higuchi is clearly wary now. Right, this guy must know too, how absolutely bizarre the powers of a vocation can be.
"I can return any and all damage back to my attacker. Thats my power."
"Shing, he folded in the b.u.t.terfly knife with a high-pitched sound. With the blade inside, the fist holding the handle-"
"Buha!?"
Exploded on my face. It hurt, no rather, Im more shocked at what happened.
"-Hk! f.u.c.k. G.o.d f.u.c.k!"
I see Higuchi with the same knuckle marks on his face as me. Wonderful, with Pain Return, even a weak beta like me wont lose out when Im hit.
Fortunately, my nose or front teeth didnt break. Instead, I did feel blood flowing out of my nose. No problem, I dont even need any Non-delionsfalse dandelions for this.
"H-hey, Higuchi-san, Kotarous"
"Shut it lard! Just get the d.a.m.n core!"
Perhaps because I hadnt been killed, Masaru made a relieved face.
But, my friend who, not only made no attempt to stop Higuchis attempted murder, but was still listening to him, earned quite a bit of my displeasure and distrust. Higuchi-san, the f.u.c.k man. Masarus out, cant depend on him.
"Higuchi, whats this core, explain."
"Momokawa, dont f.u.c.king test me-"
"You get what my power is right? You stab, and you die!"
Higuchi was so mad, seemed like his veins would pop. But, looks like he wasnt stupid enough to use his knife in a fit of rage. Im glad I dont have to face the worst bad end of dying along with this a.s.shole.
"Tch, fine, Ill tell you."
After a few seconds of silence, Higuchi spoke up. His words seemed like those of a loser, but for some reason, as if his sourness abated, he sneered at me again.
I have the worst feeling, but Ill listen to what he has to say.
"Its the item needed to activate the Transfer Gate, the core. You grab it from monsters like that dead one over there. its in their corpse."
Looking to my side, Masarus been poking around the Armor Bears body with a knife in hand. That knife was different from Higuchis b.u.t.terfly knife, a strangely old-fashioned design. Oh right, the knife Higuchi threw was also like that... I wonder if they got it inside the dungeon.
Nevertheless, theres no way you can break the Armor Bears hard sh.e.l.l with a simple knife like that. Masaru probably figured that too. Giving up on breaking the sh.e.l.l, he resolved himself to get smeared in blood and fats, and shoved his hand into the wound.
Can you really retrieve the core like that- I was thinking when,
"Nice! Found it!"
Apparently he did retrieve it. On his right hand soaked in blood, was a dazzling red jewel.
"So thats, the core..."
"Not bad, its got a big body, and a big core to boot!"
From Higuchis broad grinned statement, I learn that theres a size distinction in the cores you can get from monsters. This core think is probably crystallized energy like mana or something. If theres magic, theres bound to be some form of energy or mana that enables its usage.
Therefore, these transfer gates that warp you to other places must need an adequate amount of mana to run. If not, its like a car with no gas in the tank.
"I beat the Armor Bear, so that cores mine."
A reasonable claim. The cores an indispensable key item to escaping this place, I have not a bit of intention to hand it to Higuchi.
"Oi Saitou, pack up, were heading back into the dungeon."
Forget listening, Higuchis straight out ignoring me.
Masaru follows his orders, and comes up beside Higuchi, core in hand. He met my glance for an instant, and awkwardly looked away.
Silently, he hands Higuchi the red core.
"D-dont mess with me!"
"What, Momokawa, ye sayin ycan take this core from me, lil s.h.i.t?
With a devilish grin, Higuchi replies. Flaunting the b.l.o.o.d.y core at me.
s.h.i.t... this b.a.s.t.a.r.d found out I dont have offense skills.
"Yera shaman? Its the one that kills people right? Ey Momokawa, yer mad right? yer a geekotaku who thinks Im some s.h.i.tty DQNpunk right? right, then do it. Use yer shaman magic n curse me to death!"
His eyes are a.s.sured that I cant. In fact, I cant. I dont have a comeback.
"Hyahahaha! See? ya cant do it, f.a.gget! The f.u.c.ks a shaman, some s.h.i.tty vocation thats what. Yprolly killed that bigun just by chance right?"
Youre half right, and half wrong you f.u.c.king DQN.
"Ill take this core, n yll watch. Dont pull nothin, we got three people- Ah, right, riiight, wow, why dint I notice something this easy before."
So stupid, with a forced sigh, the highly-waxed-up-brown-haired Higuchi says. He mustve thought up something awful no doubt.
"Saitou, beat Momokawas s.h.i.t in for a bit."
The worst option. Pain Return reflects back damage to the attacker only. Higuchi wont even feel a scratch if Masarus the one hitting me.
"Eh, I, uh..."
"Do it. And dont f.u.c.kin stop till he cries. Wheres that line from? Whater, you like that s.h.i.t right?"
Masarus frozen. But not forever. He was just hesitating, if Higuchi says it hell do it. Hell beat me up. Without fail.
"Masaru... you being threatened by Higuchi?"
"Im sorry... Kotarou."
I knew without him saying. Masarus weaker than Higuchi. Even in a normal fight, though not as tall as Tendou-kun, he cant win against Higuchi whos pretty tall himself. Not even with his dual wielding sword style.
And, even now, after receiving his vocation, he cant.
Higuchi had come stabbing at me without an ounce of hesitation. Hes probably killed someone already. Hes used to it. Hes completely ready to murder.
With their life on the line, people will do anything. No questions asked. Its obvious, Id likely be the same.
I do get it- but,
"Dammit... even a friend..."
Accepting it? no way. No way I wont resent him when Im betrayed.
"Kotarooou, sorry!"
It hurt. His fist hurt more than the Armor Bears strike, more than Higuchis, much more. It caved in my cheek, along with my heart.
Straddling the fallen-down me, Masaru strikes me many, many times.
"Sorry...sorry..."
Tears come out. Mine and his too. Obviously, both of us are equally getting our faces punched in. His mounting me is of no relation.
The right cheek swells. The left one too. Nose also bleed. Both of us are a pulp.
"Ah right, I kinda forgot to say, the transfer gate here wont take more than 3 people it seems."
In the middle of the pain and humiliation, the last question is answered.
Ah, I see, only three people can be saved. So the 4th person, me, they cant. And they wont.
"If you werent some s.h.i.tty shaman, but something like a healer, Idve already left this useless lard and made you a pal."
haha, Masaru, youre a sacrificial p.a.w.n see. Why are you still hitting me? Get mad. Cmon, show even a bit of manly pride, and attack that Higuchi like youre gonna die!
With the irreparable crack forming in our friendship, my heart doesnt yell anything but curses.
"Hey, arent you glad Saitou, your good pal got a s.h.i.tty vocation. Thanks to Kotarou-kun being a shaman, I wasnt discarded by Higuchi-samaa, arent you thinking that while hittin’ away. Man, you really got a great friend there. Might be jealous."
s.h.i.t, s.h.i.t, shiiiit!
Ill curse you, curse you, Ill definitely curse you to death! Higuchi, you, I absolutely WILL f.u.c.king CURSE you to h.e.l.l?!
"Huff....haf...h-Higuchi-san... I cant..."
"Gyahahaha! Man, y’ve sure become handsome, Saitou!"
Higuchi points and laughs at his swollen face. G.o.ddamit, my face must be like that too right now...
"P-pl,ease..."
"Yea yeah, I get it. Cant really kill him now, whatever then."
Even Masaru wouldnt sacrifice his life to kill me. Haha, if he was that obedient a slave, itd really be super convenient.
I leered at Masaru with disdain, as he dismounted me. Youre heavy, fata.s.s. Ill be cursing you right after Higuchi.
"Seeya Momokawa, till we meet again, Ill think up something to kill ya. Not that Id mind if yget eaten by some monster- ptui."
Finally, after spitting on my face, Higuchi went back into the dungeon.
s.h.i.t, dammit... Pain Return wont return simple discomfort.
"Definitely... curse, you..."
I could talk all I want. But right now, I can only shed tears of bitterness while seeing the two of them leave.
The worst kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and the traitorous friend.
Ill never forgive them-