Chapter 287
Bullying the weak is something I'm not too fond of.
There are more than a few players who delight in attacking novice players.
That number increased significantly once the VRMMO game genre was established and spread.
Things you can't do in the real world, you can do inside the game world.
The latent violence sleeping within oneself, or the frustrations built up from daily life, or perhaps a conscious desire to unleash that ferocity.
At the time, there were even movements calling for legislation to restrict this, to prevent the blossoming of such violence.
And while some game systems were actually regulated, in underground circles, games were created using those very restricted systems, and news broke of players who became engrossed in them and displayed that violence in reality, leading to arrests.
The culprit said, "Because fighting is fun." However, the people this player fought in reality were timid salarymen.
I don't understand the pleasure derived from allowing no resistance and delighting in one-sided bullying.
Perhaps it's just my own sentiment that fighting is fun precisely because both parties can fight and there is mutual risk.
"What the hell are you?"
At the very least, I couldn't find any enjoyment in continuously beating down a Jakaran who was weaker than me.
He'd throw a punch, I'd dodge it, and I'd return a single punch.
I was just repeating that endlessly.
Even back when I was playing FBO, I detested the character Jakaran.
Among all the various villain characters, I thought he was the one I could never like.
No, I still think that now.
He's cowardly, timid, and underhanded.
He's intoxicated by power, only picks fights with those weaker than himself, and if he can't do that, he runs away.
"Come now, get up."
So, I'd been thinking ever since I heard about Jakaran, what emotion should I face him with?
I don't like bullying the weak.Then, what emotion is necessary when defeating him?
A sense of justice? No, I don't possess anything that noble.A sense of duty? No, I'm not carrying such a mission.
So what is it? While pondering that, I reached the conclusion that the closest thing was a defensive instinct, a desire to prevent trouble, and I accepted that.
But a fundamental solution isn't possible right now.
At the very least, to prevent further harm, I decided to create a pseudo-equal footing and implant in his consciousness the idea that there exists someone stronger than him.
Since Jakaran was using his bare hands, I would too. And since my level was higher, I sealed my first strike. I imposed a restriction that for every one attack Jakaran landed, I would counter only once, using only my non-dominant left hand.
There exists an enemy he absolutely cannot defeat.
I watched Jakaran's eyes, filled with confusion, fear, and then desperate bravado, with a cold gaze.
This world is reality, not a game.In truth, I have no desire to engage in an act that's just crushing a weak existence.
But the fact that I feel not a shred of guilt when it's this guy... is it because I'm gradually being dyed by this world's common sense?
I still remember the sensation of killing that mad jester, whom I'd classify as detestable, back then.That sensation still clings to me, making me recognize my aversion to killing people.
I cannot kill someone simply because I dislike them.Even if they are dangerous, I hesitate to kill them unless it's absolutely necessary.
The members of this organization who were just killed by slimes... I recognized that leaving them alive would cause major trouble. I told myself it was necessary and resolved myself to do it.
One might think that because I've experienced pseudo-killing in PvP in the game, the barrier would be lower, but that's not the case.
In PvP, after it's over, your opponent might say something.It might be a voice praising your effort, like "You're strong!", or a voice hurling insults, like "You cheated!!"
But either way, it serves as proof that the other person is alive, so I could fight without heavy feelings.
But, like in the incident broadcast on the news, and like now, if I deliver the finishing blow here, they will never utter a sound again.
"Damn yooooooooou!!!!"
Like this, I'd dodge his roar and his slowed, accumulated-damage attack, and then.
"Guhoh!?"
I'd punch his stomach again.
I often hear protagonists in manga and anime say they've lost their resistance to killing.And in isekai stories, I often see depictions where feeling aversion to killing is treated as strange.
Regarding that, I often wondered if someone from Japan, where killing is considered evil, could really adapt so easily and become able to kill.
When I actually killed a person for the first time, I felt a chill, as if all the heat had left my body.While I thought I never wanted to experience that feeling again, I also realized that humans, through experience, can learn to rationalize as a defense mechanism.
I was too greedy to abandon everything and surrender to this disgust.
I still have things I want to do, and I still want to live.
It was precisely because of these two desires that I reached the mentally stabilizing conclusion that maintaining Japanese ethics was acceptable only to the extent of 'not becoming an abnormal person.'
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.I keenly felt that it's stranger to impose Japanese ethics on another world.
Well, if that's the case, one might think it would be okay to surrender to the disgust and kill a pest like Jakaran.While I have an aversion to killing people, after seeing something ugly, it becomes easier to rationalize that it's okay.
But, this guy is bait for the snake.And if I keep rationalizing this easily, the threshold for that rationalization would drop too low.
"Damn yooooooooou!!!!""Too slow.""Guhoh!?"
How to deal with a guy who tarnished the title of hero.And to use his movements to probe for the snake's whereabouts.
To reliably eliminate future troubles, I need to let him live.
The spectators here are witnesses, mouths to spread the fact of his defeat.Although, with the slimes approaching moment by moment due to this commotion, who knows how many will survive.
I've been punching the same spot in his stomach over and over, so it's all bruised blue, and Jakaran's breathing is becoming ragged.
"Hmm, is it time, I wonder?"
And right about then, time was up.
I gave a smile that reached my eyes to Jakaran, who looked up at me with a "What's going on?" expression while clutching his stomach, then turned my gaze towards the entrance.
"M-monsters!?""What is it!?""What about the guards!!""P-protect me!!"
There, slimes drawn by the human presence had arrived.
The spectators, stained with terror at their presence, fled to the walls en masse, trying to put as much distance as possible from the monsters.
"Slimes!?"
Sharia knew the true nature of these monsters.
Leaving Jakaran where he was, I approached Sharia, who was holding his wound and wondering if he could fight.
On the way, I pulled out the spear that was stuck in me and stored it on my back.
"Now then, we shall escape under cover of this commotion.""Eh? Hey. Wa-!?"
Even if he looks like a beauty, knowing he's a man, I unceremoniously hoisted him over my shoulder in a fireman's carry and without hesitation headed outside through the cut-open part of the cage.
"Now then, Hero-dono, I leave the rest to you."
And then, by raising my hand in an exaggerated farewell, saying "I leave it to you," I created a flow where...
"Th-that's right! We have the hero Jakaran, don't we!!""Please! Lord Jakaran!!""Defeat the monsters!!"
...the idea that Jakaran would handle these monsters took hold.Preparing the slimes was also for this purpose.
"Now, now, let's leave the monsters to the hero and escape.""Escape? But the entrance is...""It's fine! It will hurt a bit, but please hold on tight."
Leaving a dumbfounded Jakaran staring at the slimes behind, I charged towards the slimes with Sharia on my shoulder.
The entrance was packed solid with three slimes, making it impossible to pass normally.Just before colliding, using the technique for a Fosbury Flop, I jumped through the slight gap between them.
"Is that even possible!?""It is. Because I'm a ninja.""Ninjas are awesome!?"
Flying through the air, slipping through the gap between the slimes at the last possible moment, I succeeded in passing through.
Landing gracefully, I glanced back at the despairing spectators and Jakaran.
"If you survive, we'll meet again—""See ya!!"
I offered a sarcastic word of encouragement, and Sharia, forcing his pained body, was giving Jakaran the middle finger.
While thinking it was a bit much, even if he's trying to act manly, I ran, leaving behind the spectators screaming "That's cheating!!"
Well, normally, you'd think they could escape through the staff passage, but I discreetly tampered with that exit too while taking out the guards, making it impossible to open, so it's a bit of a shame I can't see them getting even more cornered and panicked.
I wondered when they'd notice, but leaving those guys panicking with the slimes, I headed straight for the exit.
Even if they were all wiped out, being eaten by slimes wouldn't count as a sacrifice, so it's safe.All thanks to the slimes that digest everything.
"Hey! Escaping is fine and all! But there are lookouts at the entrance, and this building is full of their comrades—""It's fine. I took care of them all.""For real!?""Because I'm a ninja.""Ninjas are awesome!?"
Not a single encounter on the way to the exit.Proceeding smoothly, I saw the ascending stairs, and for the first time, there were guards there.
"What!?""That guy! He's the adventurer we caught earlier!!""Dammit! Did his comrades break in to rescue him!?"
Naturally, if I took out the enemies near the entrance, the guys outside would notice and call for backup, so I left them.
Currently, I'm running with Sharia on my shoulder, so both hands are full.
But, no problem.
"Stop!!""What fool would stop at that!?"
I simply accelerated, closing the distance in an instant. The guards, unable to keep up with my speed, took flying kicks to their faces, resulting in all their teeth except the molars being shattered.
"Whoa, that's ruthless.""Because I'm a ninja.""You think you can just get away with anything by saying 'ninja,' don't you?""Because I'm a ninja."
Sharia, wincing from the pain during the movement, watched the scene of white objects dancing in the air with astonished eyes.
Running up the stairs, the large iron door that should be the hidden entrance awaited ahead.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey! Don't tell me!?""You should keep your mouth shut. You might bite your tongue!!"
I felt like I was overusing the "-de gozaru" speech pattern out of momentum, but that didn't matter.
Accelerating, I unleashed a full-power flying kick aimed at the iron door, which normally shouldn't be breakable with a kick.
A sound of impact that a human body shouldn't produce echoed, and the door was sent flying in the direction of the force, creating a disastrous scene.
Simultaneously, I activated the smoke bomb I used in the Wyvern dungeon.
"What was that!? An explosion in the basement!?"
The impact sound was mistaken for an explosion, and the lookouts outside were thrown into chaos by the suddenly billowing smoke.
Using that opening, I probed with Presence Detection, then headed straight for the entrance to escape.
It's only a matter of time before the dark division arrives, having heard the commotion.
I need to get away from this place before that.
And I need to meet up with Judeus and the others who escaped earlier.
"Ahahahaha! Amazing! You're amazing!!"
Carrying Sharia, whose mood had gone weird from pain and excitement, I ran at full speed through the bright streets.
While thinking I wished he'd be a bit quieter, I, having become like the wind, turned left and right through back alleys to shake off the pursuit of the dark division that would surely come.
"!?"
I located a dark division member with Presence Detection, kicked his jaw with all my might to create a gap in their surveillance net, and then continued my escape.