Chapter 75 Heavy Caliber
Chapter 75 Heavy Caliber
“Ah, fuck me…” Iryoku cursed as they retreated from a small town, a group of demihumans chasing after them—hurling spells and magical arrows as the gang made their escape.
Rhogan darted in a zigzag pattern, trying to dodge the barrage of attacks. Iryoku’s harpoon danced through the air, deflecting as many incoming projectiles as he could, while Reika frantically cast barrier spells to shield them.
Yumi hesitated—but then raised her bow and fired a magic arrow behind them. It didn’t aim to kill, only to force the pursuers to fall back.
“They’re all the same,” she whispered weakly. “They hate humans…”
At last, the demihumans gave up and returned to their settlement. The group kept riding until they were sure it was safe.
“That’s the third time…” Reika muttered, eyes downcast. “Another red zone for us.” She pulled out the map and marked an X.
They had continued traveling west in hopes of finding Alessandra—but every settlement they came across in this region was the same.
Humans weren’t welcome.
They were attacked on sight—no questions asked.
“Fucking hell,” Iryoku muttered under his breath. He was still tired and sore—his stamina drained from the battle with Lunara a few days ago, and he was still wounded from the fight with the demihuman fox warrior just yesterday.
They needed a place to truly rest. To heal. To get provisions.
And they still had to find out where Alessandra had gone.
After pushing deeper into the forest, they finally came across a river and decided to rest for a while.
Yumi and Reika knelt beside Iryoku as he lay face-down on the ground, his shirt off and his back covered in bandages. They had removed the old ones and were gently cleaning the wounds.
“It looks better,” Reika said, applying a soft glow of healing magic over his skin. “Almost completely healed… If only I were better at healing magic,” she muttered with a frustrated sigh. Her healing spells were still low-level—just enough to stop bleeding and ease pain.
Yumi silently cleaned Iryoku’s back with a wet cloth, her touch gentle and focused.
“I think you’re doing a good enough job, Reika,” she said softly.
Iryoku, eyes closed, gave a tired but grateful smile.
“Thanks, girls… I really appreciate it.”
After hunting a strange, mammal-like creature and building a campfire, the three of them sat around the flickering flames. Iryoku skillfully skinned and prepared the carcass, his dagger moving with practiced precision.
The girls watched him in amazement.
Eventually, he skewered the meat on sticks and set them over the fire. The rich aroma of roasting meat soon filled the forest clearing.
Yumi swayed her head from side to side, humming a soft tune.
“Hum hum hum…” she sang quietly as she waited for the food to cook. After a moment, she glanced at Iryoku.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you… ever since back then. How are you so good at preparing animals like that?” Her head kept gently swaying with the rhythm.
Reika turned to him as well.
“Yeah, I’ve wondered that too. It’s kind of uncharacteristic,” she said with a teasing smile. “I always thought of you as the lazy delinquent with a sharp tongue who only knew how to brawl.”
Iryoku gave them a calm look, then smirked.
“Hey, your husband’s actually pretty capable, girls. I think a real man should know how to provide for his women—food, shelter, comfort… and nightly activities,” he added with a chuckle.
Both Reika and Yumi blushed lightly at his bold words.
“There you go again with your daring comments,” Reika said, rolling her eyes but smiling.
Yumi added, “We haven’t agreed to marry you yet…”
Despite her words, she flopped against him, resting her head on his arm with a soft sigh.
Not wanting to be outdone, Reika moved in as well—wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face against his naked torso.
Iryoku stared into the fire, lost in thought. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke—his voice low and distant.
“Back when I was little… I learned a lot from this anime I used to watch. Survival Boy, hehe.”
A faint, nostalgic smile tugged at his lips.
“It was about this small kid surviving alone in the wilderness—hunting, building shelters, stuff like that… Supposedly, they used real survival info.”
He trailed off, eyes still fixed on the flames.
“Anyway… it was kind of an obscure show. Not really popular or anything.”
Then he fell quiet again.
Reika stirred beside him. She still wanted to know more about him—things he kept buried.
She tilted her head just enough to whisper, her voice brushing softly against his skin.
“If it’s okay with you… could you tell us what happened at the Holy Mountain? After we escaped?”
Yumi swallowed hard. She wanted to know too. Her eyes didn’t leave his face.
Iryoku’s gaze drifted to the harpoon and the white rope lying beside the fire.
His expression grew distant—haunted.
“I… I was saved by someone,” he said quietly. “I wasn’t strong enough to survive there on my own. It was… a very dangerous place.”
He paused, his voice dropping lower.
“I was weak… She protected me. But I couldn’t protect her. She…”
His voice cracked for a second, breaking the rhythm of his words.
His eyes returned to the fire—then to the harpoon and the rope.
Silence fell again.
Both girls were surprised by the sudden crack in his voice—and by the mention of an unknown woman. Reika tensed slightly. Yumi’s breath caught for just a second.
Uncertain of what to say, they simply held on to him a little tighter.
Reika, still resting against his torso, slowly looked up at him. Her eyes met his—gentle, full of feeling. She could sense the weight he carried.
Then, without a word, she pushed herself up and leaned in—pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
Iryoku blinked, eyes widening in quiet surprise as he turned toward her.
Reika’s face was flushed, but her smile was warm and enchanting—full of tenderness and something deeper than she could say aloud.
Yumi, still nestled against his arm, watched them calmly. There was no jealousy in her gaze—only softness. Her smile was gentle, her eyes glimmering in the firelight.
She also leaned up and kissed Iryoku’s other cheek.
“Hehe.”
“Everything will be alright,” she said reassuringly.
Iryoku looked at them both, then lowered his head.
“Thanks… I needed that.”
They finally ate.
After the meal, Iryoku pulled out the cannon-like weapon.
He sat down with both girls beside him.
The cannon was crafted from a hard, lustrous brown material, etched with strange magical markings.
Iryoku examined it closely.
It was clearly heavy.
“I’d say it’s about 40 kilos—around 88 pounds,” he said, lifting it with one hand and pointing it easily at a nearby tree. “This would’ve been really hard to use if we had the same strength we had back on Earth.”
Then he gripped it with both hands, aiming at a far-off tree.
Yumi and Reika glanced at him, a faint blush rising to their cheeks.
He was still shirtless, muscles defined, holding the cannon like some kind of fantasy Rambo. To them… he actually looked kind of cool.
“Nothing’s happening,” he muttered, setting the cannon down. “I’m telling you, I’m really bad at controlling Leben—or magic, or whatever.” His voice carried a hint of frustration, his eyes dropping slightly.
Reika stood and tried to lift the weapon.
“Huh? I thought it’d be heavier,” she said, puzzled. “Is this really 40 kilos?” She held the cannon steadily with both hands.
“Wow, Reika!” Yumi clapped. “That means you’re super strong! I want to try too!”
She stood up eagerly and leaned in to examine the weapon herself.
Iryoku smiled wide as he watched them play with the cannon.
I wish I could take a picture of this, he thought.
They looked beautiful and brave—like action heroines or anime warriors, confidently handling a heavy weapon with ease.
“Now you’re supposed to focus your magic like when you’re casting spells,” Reika instructed Yumi, who looked both valiant and adorably out of place—moe gap—as she held the heavy cannon.
“Here goes nothing...”
The weapon’s barrel glowed slightly. Then, all at once—
BOOM!
An explosion burst out like a shotgun blast, tearing a half-meter hole into a thick tree trunk.
“Waah!”
Yumi was thrown backward by the recoil, landing flat on the ground. "owww"
“Yumi!”
Both Iryoku and Reika rushed to her side, but Yumi sat up quickly. “I’m okay.”
Iryoku offered his hand and helped her to her feet.
Reika looked at her with concern. “The recoil is too strong. I don’t think it’s feasible for us to use it.”
“Yeah, might as well just throw a magic arrow instead,” Yumi said, brushing dust off her butt.
Iryoku stepped in to help—giving her a couple of friendly slaps while pretending to be helpful.
Reika thought out loud, "Yeah, it makes sense. It’s a weapon built by and for dwarves. Suits their build and strength better."
Meanwhile, Iryoku continued “dusting” Yumi, his hands now trailing along her thighs.
Reika glanced back, narrowing her eyes.
Yumi just laughed. “Just admit you want to grope me.”
“What are you talking about? I’m just trying to help you clean up—oh, look, a little dust,” Iryoku said with exaggerated innocence, gently patting Yumi’s chest. “There you go, little Yumi.”
Yumi raised her arms without resistance, letting him do as he pleased.
“Hey! Don’t ignore me,” Reika pouted.
Iryoku turned to her. “We’re listening. And I agree, dear Reika—that dwarf we fought had impressive physical strength. For now, let’s hold onto the weapon. We’ll decide what to do with it later.”
Reika nodded, but her mind drifted elsewhere.
Then, with a playful spark in her eyes, Yumi bent down, pinched some dust off the ground, and walked over to Reika. Without warning, she tossed it onto her chest and butt.
“Hey! What was that for?” Reika exclaimed, brushing herself off in confusion. But Yumi caught her wrists mid-motion and leaned in with a teasing smile. “You’ve got a professional duster right over there,” she purred, tilting her head toward Iryoku.
“I’m okay,” Reika said shyly. Iryoku stepped in without hesitation, grinning as he approached. He placed his hands on her hips, then slowly ran them up her sides, brushing away imaginary dust. His fingers roamed with exaggerated care—palming her curves, tracing her waist, lingering just a little too long on her chest and butt.
Reika lifted her arms slightly, just like Yumi had done before, glancing away as Iryoku continued—clearly enjoying her body.
“There… all cleaned up,” Iryoku whispered, his voice low and teasing.
Reika stood there, red-faced and breathless, while Yumi giggled behind her, clearly enjoying the show.
Finally, Iryoku stretched with a content sigh, clearly in a better mood.
“Let’s keep moving, girls. Still some daylight left.”
The three climbed onto Rhogan and continued their journey down the road.