Chapter 313 – Citizens Released

Translator – Agni

The citizens swarming towards them were like a Zombie army without any expressions on their faces. Different from Zombies, the color of their skin and a certain air around them implied they were alive but, they headed towards Hiiro and party while fixedly staring at one point. Their hands equipped with all sorts of lethal weapons.

「Those eyes……are hypnotized」

Liliyn snorted as she found the situation not interesting. But what she said was not wrong. Normally one would be bewildered at such a ma.s.s hypnotism, but since she had already received the information that the people were being controlled, it did not warrant much fl.u.s.ter.

「That d.a.m.n Avoros, is he planning on using the citizens to hinder us?  」

Said Judom while clicking his tongue but,

「This kind of thing was well within expectations from the start. Anyways, I will teach that Template Demon Lord a lesson. 」

Hiiro took a step forward in front of everyone.

「If it is hypnotism, then all we need to do is release them from it」

Both of Hiiro's forefingers lit up with a Bluish-white light. It was a faint and frail spectacle, but the magic power poured into it was humongous.

Even Judom made a gulping sound and stared at Hiiro.

「……what do you plan on doing, Hiiro?」

Judom asked but Liliyn answered.

「Whatever already, be silent. You are going to witness his true worth with your own eyes」

Hiiro ignored Judom who had a warped expression of unfathomability. Facing the crowd heading towards them, he started running.

The citizens reacted to Hiiro's charge. While suddenly shouting「OOoooooh!」, they came swinging their weapons.

They kept pouring out in droves from even the cracks of the buildings.

Like swarming ants to an ice cream that fell to the ground. Dealing with so many people one by one is a pain. Even if they are not individually strong, if one is negligent, he would end up being ganged up on.

Hiiro, who rushed into the crowd was surrounded in only a moment and lost his escape route……no, there was still one.

It was the sky. Hiiro made a big leap and climbed on top of the roof of a building. But what was surprising that the citizens were there too.

Targeting Hiiros' head they came swinging the hoe in their hands. Hiiro quickly dodged by moving towards his side. The sound of cutting wind reached his ears. Like that, he kicked the opponent in the stomach and pushed him off the roof. But looking at the citizens climbing the roof one by one,

「Just like a horror film」

Looking at these people chasing him with cold expressions, he remembered a horror film he had seen in the past. A bitter smile floated on his face.

「Well then, shall we end this?」

From behind, a man came swinging his club trying to hit him but Hiiro kicked off the roof top and jumped up into the sky.

『Flight』

Using this installed word that he prepared in advance, he rose up in the air.

The light on his forefingers had still not extinguished. From the sky, he looked down on the crowd spreading out below.

『Normalcy』and『Citizens』

An eye-blinding brilliant light spread out with Hiiro at the centre. At the same time, it engulfed the citizens below.

Deprived of any thought prowess, the citizens who had their eyes open in a daze had light return to them, as they closed their eyes one by one to the dazzle. After the light died down, the citizens were bewildered as to what they were doing in a place like this. Seeing this, Hiiro thought that he was able to release the hypnotism but then suddenly, a worry came over him.

(……are these ALL the citizens?)

[TN - the caps for emphasizing the word]

The number of citizens below him were certainly many. Could not be counted even. But from the perspective of the scale of a country, it looked to be rather insufficient.

He thought that he was feeling this unease because he was concentrating on one place, but he felt like there was a catch.

Then, screams could be heard from below.

「Oi, have you seen my kid?」

「Mine is not here too」

「Where are you, Riisuu? 」

One by one kids' names were being called out. Finally, Hiiro had noticed.

(The kids……are not here?)

He quickly moved his gaze to confirm the situation below, but he could only find the adults. If there are these many adults, there should be a proportionate number of children too.

But there were none in his field of vision.

「What is going on……?」

Why are there no kids? Even for Avoros, was he reluctant to let the kids partic.i.p.ate in the war?

(No, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d is not such a sweet fellow)

[TN - Hiiro's monologue]

He had heard from both Eveam and Aquinas that he is the kind of fellow that would not bat an eye before making kids into sacrificial p.a.w.ns if they served him a purpose. Besides, when the two of them met, he said that he won't do things fair and square.

「Then, what exactly……」

Right then, a big lump of black headed towards Hiiro at an astonis.h.i.+ng speed. Reacting to the hostility in the air, he turned his entire body towards the direction of the incoming attack.

Hiiro thought if it would come ramming into him but suddenly, the black object stopped moving before his eyes.

「……you are……」

The black lump glared at Hiiro. That was an existence he had met before. It had also caused him to experience hards.h.i.+ps.

Appearance like that of an ominous bird, covered with beautiful black feathers.

「———————————————–follow me」

Hearing that voice, Hiiro's shoulders twitched.

「You COULD speak after all」

The fact that it could speak, Hiiro had known this since the time he confirmed its ≪Status≫. He recalled their first meeting when it had not talked at all and was looking at Hiiro as if it was looking down on him.

「————————————————-that guy is calling」

Towards the black swan's invitation, a faint smile floated to Hiiro's face and then,

「Alright. hold on for a bit」

Hiiro turned around to return to Liliyn and the others. Judom was trying to restore order to the chaotic crowd. In times like these, having a reliable acquaintance like this is welcome. Though, since he was the stand-in for the king, it was not exactly at the level of being an acquaintance.

「What happened Hiiro? What is that existence?」

Liliyn asked while staring at the black swan. But the one with the worst countenance was,

「Hiiro-san……he was here after all?」

Kuzel. He is looking up at the sky with an expression as if he had consumed large quant.i.ties of something bitter.

「Aa, I am going to have a fight now」

「What? What does that mean?」

Liliyn asked so, obviously. The others also looked like they were expecting an explanation.

「That guy is an enemy who stole my food」

「……which means, return what is due to him?」

「Aa, that guy and another guy, I will have to properly reward them」

「……in that case, I shall also go」

「Ha?」

To the sudden declaration, he opened his mouth unconsciously.

「The enemy must at least be two, right? Besides, the invitation is not necessarily a trap. Since I have decided to support you, in my name I shall keep my word. I won't accept any refutation.」

Towards her powerful words that allowed no question, a sigh escaped.

「I too……will go」

continued Camus,

「I will also follow my s.h.i.+shou, desuzo!」

[TN - 'master' is 's.h.i.+shou' in j.a.panese. Keeping the j.a.panese counterpart since it sounds better.

Also, adding the j.a.panese sounding stuff at the end, to show the chirpiness of the character.]

Nikki also dished out these words. Their loyalty is admirable but even if the entire crowd went, since Hiiro was going to fight solo anyways, it will become an unnecessary accompaniment.

Then suddenly, a puddle of water had appeared in the vicinity. In a moment, everyone a.s.sumed a status of high alert and distanced themselves.

As they were staring fixedly, from the puddle, something gradually rose. There were two people. One of them was,

「————————————Hiyomi———————————–」

It was Camus's eternal nemesis, a man with a cross shaped wound on his cheek, Hiyomi. The other one was wrapped in black, his face could not be identified. The figure, clad in black,

「Hiyomi, end this fast」

said only this and disappeared into the water. After the puddle had completely disappeared, Hiyomi groaned in his deep voice

「You said you were……Camus? I will let you be my opponent. Follow me」

「……Hiiro」

Camus looked at Hiiro with unease but Hiiro returned a light nod and,

「Go. And win」

「……hm」

With vigor, Camus nodded and glared at Hiyomi again, but the latter's gaze was strangely directed towards Nikki.

「……you are……?」

「Hm? M, me?」

「……I have seen you somewhere」

「Wa, was not that during the previous duel?」

That was meeting Hiyomi for the first time, or at least that is what Nikki and the others should be thinking.

「……no, you……I see, you are the kid from that time」

「……eh?」

「Did you forget? You and me, have met once before. At that……beautiful bamboo hill」

An impact ran through her entire body.