Kanna no Kanna Chapter 56

gozaru..

100% accuracy and grammatically correct not guaranteed. revisions, corrections and edits are periodically done. only on my site tho

obligatory text shakin

Reactive Ice field

koori death

I was aware that someone was approaching.

The air also felt out of place.

But my reaction got delayed because there was quite a bit of distance and I only paid attention to magic. The reason was because I only encountered long range attacks in the form of magic ever since I came to this world.

I was under the impression that magic was the only method of a long range attack. Attacks unleashed fully through physical mean are, as a matter of course does not contain magic. Whether it is an arrow shot with a bow or a bullet fired with gunpowder, if the process does not include magical element, then there would be no magic present.

The culprit who shot me with a [gun] -that n.o.ble botchan- screamed at the top of his lung and got dumbfounded after he fell on his b.u.t.t. He must've thought that I got killed after that shot. Then the next thing he saw was me waking up like nothing had happened.

When I unfasten the slightly distorted iron breastplate, I see a small burnt hole. By holding it against the sun, a ray of light s.h.i.+nes through the hole.

The bullet had done its job well I see.

Now then, there is a good reason why I'm still alive and kickin' in spite of the bullet hole in my iron armor. Placing my hand on my chest, a bullet still having residual heat is stuck in a thin ice sheet covering my body.

When an additional image got superimposed into an ice construct created by spirit art, the ice are able to transform freely. But, the change is not limited to [immediate] effect. If I use a precise image, various additional effects such as [delayed activation], [remote activation] and [conditional activation] can be given to my constructs.

I realized that perks when I accompanied Chloe in her [new magic] developing session. Can't I do the same with Spirit Art just like how she's creating a [new magic]? That was the trajectory of my thoughts.

As a result, I was able to produce some result albeit with a different direction I initially aimed for. I call the new technique [addition of trigger condition].

The spirit-type defensive technique [Reactive Ice Field] was completed a few days after I got promoted to D-rank.

ーーーThere is something called [reactive armor] developed back on earth. Once an enemy's bombardment comes flying in, the impact will cause explosive installed within the armor to detonate. It's a highly romantic defense mechanism created to lessen the impact of a sh.e.l.l.

Referencing to this mechanism of [responding to enemy attack], I conditioned the defensive spirit art to activate the moment a deadly attack reaches the vicinity of my body which will then create an [ice sheet] to defend me against the incoming attack. The effect was proven when it managed to prevent the bullet that penetrated my armor before it bore a hole into my body.

The greatest feature of this Reactive Ice Field is, it will activate the moment it determines an attack as a [lethal attack], regardless of my will.

Someone's cooperation was indispensable to clarify this image. What I did was, I asked Chloe to [attack] me. It took a lot of trial and error to determine how much power a fatal attack would produce.

Well, though I say trial and error by using fatal attack, I won't survive if she attacked me with the intention to kill. Chloe also rejected doing that.

Therefore, we instead measured for a [level that hinders battle-ready state]. To that end, I configured more kinds of attacks as a trigger condition.

Sounds like a fairly versatile defense but there are drawbacks to it.

First of all, this Reactive Ice Field is [disposable.] If the actual reactive armor detonated to prevent enemy's sh.e.l.l, explosives for that particular area are consumed and cannot function as intended until it is replaced.

In my case, I use ice crystal [image] instead of explosives, but once activated, the ice crystals break up. Furthermore, my Reactive Ice Field has a very limited sensing range. The range that one crystal can sense is a distance similar to the length from my fingertips to my elbow.

For that reason, I applied crystals on various parts of my body. And because of the gunshot, the ice I deployed for my chest got broken and is currently unusable. Until I deploy a new ice crystal, my chest area's defense power are back to flesh and blood level.

Another major drawback to the technique is that it takes some time for the image to consolidate.

One crystal per day………

……is not how long it will take but I do need a calm time and place to do it.

It's not a very complicated process but it's not so simple a process that I can perform in the middle of a hectic battle. In other words, there's no other way but to avoid another lethal attack from landing on the same area.

In addition to that, since it's not directly controlled by me, I wonder about the maximum load it can withstand? Will it deteriorate with the pa.s.sage of time? There are various issues to address, such as whether a malfunction will occur or not but that will have to be resolved later.

However, even with all the drawbacks, it's hard to deny the advantage my Reactive Ice Field provides, namely its capacity to prevent an instant death attack, even if it's limited to only once.

Now then, let's set aside the wall of text.

I reequipped my pierced breastplate and approach botchan who is still dumbfounded from shock. I grab his collar with both hands and lifts the stunned botchan up.

「Humph!」

「Gah!?」

His face got a headb.u.t.t from yours truly.

Shocked by the impact right to his face, the light of consciousness returns to botchan's eyes who is having a nosebleed at the same time. When I confirm his consciousness, I let him go but he plants his b.u.t.t on the ground again.

Though, unlike before, he's glaring at me while rubbing his bleeding nose. Did you recover enough for a conversation?

「Be thankful yo. Cuz I'm willing to settle the price of killing me with only a headb.u.t.t.」

「WhYou bast」

Botchan seems furious, so I immediately produce an ice spear and thrust it in front of his nose. He swallows his words at at that point.

「Don't get any funny ideas. Regardless of your position, it's undeniably me who is making a concession right now. Unfortunately, I'm not a saint enough to just laugh it off when I almost got killed.」

If it wasn't for my Reactive Ice Field, I would be dead by now, or seriously injured at the very least. He sure is bleeding profusely even from a single headb.u.t.t. With the spear tip in front of his face, botchan miserably went [hii].

「ah More importantly, is the egg safe?」

Though I was able to defend against the bullet, I couldn't absorb all of the impact, so I toss the bag containing the egg's case before I got blown away. I check the contents of the hunting bag in a hurry and take out the egg's case.

Fortunately, not a single egg inside the case got harmed. Relieved that my eggs didn't go to waste, I turn my attention back towards botchan. Imagine my surprise when I see him sobbing while spilling tears.

eh? Was the headb.u.t.t too painful?

Well, though it's surely painful but I don't think that was enough to cry about. But he's been glaring at me since a while ago y'know.

Looking at him again, I can see a different ambience compared to the time of the duel. His exquisite looking armor got replaced with a tattered leather armor and his overall appearance looks somewhat dirty.

He is the epitome of a [fallen n.o.bility]. His escorts are also nowhere in sight.

「I-I am inferior even to eggs………」

Apparently, he got shocked to be treated more casually than eggs.

No no no, you're not that kind of character y'know. You are supposed to be the epitome of a no-good n.o.bility, with a more unscrupulous or rather, shameless att.i.tude.

If that was only crocodile tears to invite my negligence, then I'll beat the c.r.a.p out of him, no questions asked. But the problem is, he's genuinely bawling his eyes out. I don't have a grudge against him so much that I'm willing to deliver a final blow in his crying state. (At this point, I kinda forgot the shooting bit.)

As I'm standing still while being troubled at the sight, botchan starts narrating on his own accord. It starts after the duel with Chloe and me. His two escorts' breach of contract, followed by a reminder from the debt collector and ending with a letter of disownment from his parent. It was exactly a month of tumbling downhill for him.

Well, bluntly speaking, 90% of it was him getting his just desserts but I'm not cold-hearted enough to cut into his crying narration. And lastly. As soon as he saw me in this forest, he already fired his gun before he noticed what he's doing.

With that line, Botchan's story is over. After listening to his story to the end, I first put in a few words.

「………Y'know, you should've vent out your pent-up resentment when the person in question isn't in front of you.」

When I said that and sigh in exasperation, botchan averted his swollen eyes. Well, it's not my intention to spit it out in front of botchan in particular. Its just that, I just wanted to spit it out to someone. After sending me a brief glance, botchan opens his mouth again.

「Why did you…」

「hn?」

「Why did you b.a.s.t.a.r.d listen quietly to the end?」

「What are you even talking about after all that one-sided narration.」

「I was spewing my grudge against you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, did I not? Why did you not bash me with abusive language like the other day?」

「Don't lump me spewing insults together with someone who habitually sing poems and praises everyday.」

How rude.

………How terribly rude.

I say it twice to emphasize its importance.

「Besides, there should have been many opportunity for you to turn the table. Why did you not kill me?」

「………Beats me.」

The time when botchan (misunderstandingly) shot me to death, supposing if he goes joyful and went [hyahaa~~!] , then I would've responded in kind with an ice axe. But, far from rejoicing, he was heavily colored with confusion and dismay, dropping his gun in the process.

It was probably an impulsive behavior, instead of a planned crime. As far as I can tell from his story, his one month of struggling to the death had cast a long shadow onto his pent-up resentment. And as soon as he saw the main culprit -me- of his misery, his emotion went out of control I guess. That indescribably bad feeling not unlike a tangling, nasty presence is probably due to [that].

To be honest, there is no room for taking his extenuating circ.u.mstance into consideration. Normally, retaliatory self-defense would be pursued. Even so, why did I not retaliate immediately? If I have to put it into word, the strongest reason would be [sympathy].

The stunned look of him immediately after shooting me. The tears he shown afterwards. And the color of his emotion which I felt as he hurl all of his pent-up resentment. All of them are laced with strong regret.

「Instead of answering your question, Imma ask mine.」

I stare into botchan's eyes earnestly.

「Even now, do you still resent me?」

「O-Of course! It was because I lost to you b.a.s.t.a.r.d that I'm in such a filthy looking drab!」

「If that's the case, then why didn't you ever come to kill me?」

「T-That is………because you b.a.s.t.a.r.d was not in front of my eyes!」

「Then, why didn't you search high and low for me? Like you, I'm also an adventurer. If you stalked the guild for a few days, you could've found me when I'm going there to receive a request. After that, if you ambushed me with your gun when I entered an area devoid of people, you might've stand a chance to kill me.」

「Th-That is………」

Botchan who couldn't retort immediately is faltering. Well, even if that happened, I'll be able to cope with it, I think. In the event of botchan pointing his gun at me with clear murderous intent, I would've been able to react despite being surprised.

Because his action this time was almost fully driven by impulsive thinking, there was a nasty presence crawling all over my skin but the signs of killing intent itself was thin. The outcome was Reactive Ice Field proving its usefulness. He worked hard, desperately so, for the first time in his life.

Thanks to that, he didn't have any extra time to think about much else. It can also be said that all his extra thoughts are gone. To put in another way, his murderous intent and resentment against me were included in that [extra].

There is mistake in saying that botchan was a foolish one. It's not hard to imagine how he had been freely throwing his weight around with the power of the n.o.bility. In fact, that was the primary reason he got disowned.

In spite of that, he is not truly rotten to the core. Otherwise, he wouldn't have considered repaying his debt legitimately.

On top of being disinherited, if he can't pay off his huge debt, harsh punishment in the name of force labor awaits him. He was under a lot of pressure. If he gave in to despair and pointed his grudge towards me and Chloe, he would've done anything in his disposal that even a surprise attack from the darkness wouldn't be surprising.

ーーーThere was a similar fool by my side when I was young. That guy could do anything provided he'd be given instruction. He could even do more than the one who taught him. And even without tutelage, he could still do anything. But he was more foolish than anyone else around him.

However, he's not foolish in the truest sense of the word. Even now, that guy is still a hetare (good-for-nothing) despite being a ikemen as well. That hetare was able to get back on his feet. The idiot in front of me too should be able to do the same.

At the very least, if he's stunned after killing a person he hates and express genuine regret over it, then there is a possibility for it.

「You, gimme your hand.」

「ha? What are you…………」

「Just do it.」

Botchan didn't understand my reasoning but still holds out his hand, albeit hesitantly. I drop one of the jewel for emergency purpose that I had onto his palm. Botchan got surprised when he recognize the high quality article on his palm.

「Use that to pay off your debt. I guess you can sell that thing for around 5 gold coins.」

「Wh……I will not accept your d.a.m.n charity.」

「But if ya don't prepare 5 gold coins by the end of the day, you'll go through forced labor. Having said that, ya got no other way to obtain five gold coins.」

「Wh-While that may be true, that is no reason for you to pity me!」

「Don't be stupid. I'm just making a [loan] to you. I'll collect it later without fail. Rest a.s.sured, this is a long-term plan with a low interest rate. It's only at a low 10% interest rate every 10 days.」

「Don't take me as a fool! Even though I was disowned by my family, I still take pride in my origin! I have not fallen low enough to borrow from the likes of you peasant!」

「Frustrated?」

「Of course!」

「………If that's the case…」

I grab the collar of the indignant botchan and bring his face closer as I yell at him…

「If that is your case! Look into my eyes! If only you could get by without being helped by this kinda guy! If only you could get by without being shown mercy! The more you regret it, the more you should make up for it by gaining fame and spreading your name! Go and earn lots more money! While you're at it, be successful enough to show it off to those who cut you off! Be successful to the extent that they will double down on their decision and think about how they shouldn't have done it! If ya don't at least do that much, then you'll just be a genuine loser, ya hear me! !」

Botchan who got initially stunned by my words gradually gains strength in his eyes and clench his teeth to show his determination. There is now a strong light dwelling inside his frail-looking eyes.

「There's no next time yo. Next time ya hit me with a surprise attack, I'll beat ya to death, no questions asked. Be prepared for that time.」

「…………Do not underestimate me anymore.」

Botchan grabs my collar in return.

「Fine by me. Bring it on! Let it all come cras.h.i.+ng down! You and my house, I will make all of you regret your decision! Be it the money or the insults, I'll smack it to your face along with a great deal of interest! The words I just said, do not ever forget those!」

「Oo~ Is that so? I'm looking forward to it.」

「I'll surpa.s.s you! The likes of you, I can easily leave you in the dust, just you watch.」

With that said, he let go of my collar to push me away. I also follow the motion without any resistance. Looking angry while standing up vigorously, he then enquires.

「b.a.s.t.a.r.d, your name?」

「Normally, it should've start with your self-intro, isn't it?」

「………No, you should have heard mine once during the duel.」

「I'll return those words back to you.」

Botchan clicks his tongue and then…

「Ruks. I have been disowned. Just call me Ruks.」

「Then, I'm fine with only Kanna too.」

The reason why I didn't give out my surname is because, in this world, only the upper cla.s.s people has surnames. Though I don't worry about it that much.

「ah If you're going to gain fame and spread your name, be sure to do it properly and in an honest way ‘kay. Yer not a n.o.ble anymore, so if I find ya bothering someone, I won't hold back and crush ya.」

When I give him that warning, he shot back with an amazing expression. And to think the reason we got into this situation was because of the duel.

Well, I guess it's all right now. I'm not much of a saint to sympathize with someone who tried to kill me unless I'm softhearted enough to help people indiscriminately. But there's no punishment in being nice to people once in a while.

They say that the good you do for others is good you do for yourself after all. It may even turn around and come back to me. If I can sell a favor on the side, isn't that a good thing in and of itself?

With this, it is up to him whether he will bounce back up or fall back down.

Oh, I forgot to say one thing.

「Actually, I'm already a D-rank. I'm already one step ahead of ya.」

「b.a.s.t.a.r.d, just how far are you going to make a fool of me!」

The enraged botchaーNo, the enraged Ruks' exclamation of annoyance reverberates deep in the woods.

o yasas.h.i.+ san desu ne~

future ally? in the form of a man? how truly rare