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Volume 1 Chapter 13-3: Tower of Reitoku

My mind had drifted for a moment, and sensing an opening the wolf leapt towards me forcefully.

This was a situation where it wouldn’t be odd if I lost straight out.

I managed to roll to the side and dodge.

「Oops, your opponent isn’t me ja.」

The wolf ignored me and passed by to attack Hotaru-san, but she simply smacked it back with the back of her blade.

No good, I got scared by the fangs pointed at me and couldn’t help but roll to the side. This was bad…if I ever did the same thing in a group of enemies I would end up surrounded with a big opening.

Even worse, the companions behind me would meet with danger.

Maybe it would be better to open up some more space.

I decided to move a bit when the wolf charged at me low. Woah! Oh! I dodged to the side and struck with the sword in my right hand, but by that time the wolf was no longer there.

Damn! It’s faster than I thought. Well, if you’re gonna attack then bring it on one-pattern pup! If you charge at me again I’ll slice you in two.

Look at it…match the timing…and Eh? Where is…

「Ah! Look out to your left Soujirou-sama!」

I heard Sistina’s voice and looked but suddenly I felt a shock on my left arm and my consciousness faded for a moment.

「Soujirou-sama!」

Ku!

「Uoooo!」

Before I knew it the wolf was attached to my left arm staring at me with bloodshot eyes.

This is bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad! I’M GOING TO GET EATEN

「It can’t be helped ja…Get off you’re in the way!」

Hotaru-san said with a nonchalant voice as the wolf in front of my eyes disappeared and was replaced by Hotaru-san’s white thighs.

「Sistina, hold that thing off for a bit, don’t kill it ja.」
「Okay!」

I heard footsteps running past me.

「Now…stand up Soujirou.」

She said as she lifted me under my arm. My knees were still shaking. I timidly looked at my left hand. The gauntlet on had been bitten and my arm was scratched up and bleeding, but it didn’t seem badly injured.

I let out a huge sigh of relief. I thought it had been bitten off.

「Hotaru-san…I’m sorry.」
「Why are you so tense Soujirou?」
「Well…I’m fighting a monster after all and…」

Hotaru-san slowly opened my hands and took the two weapons.

Behind her Sistina continued to repel the wolf with her battleaxe.

「Alright, then let’s change our thought process ja.」
「Thought process?」
「If the monsters in the Tower aren’t defeated then they will be sent outside right?」
「Eh? Ah yeah, I heard that.」

Why is she talking about that all of a sudden?

「If those monsters are released into town, what do you think will happen?」

Umm…well they are monsters so they’ll atta—

「That’s right. They’ll attack people. Men and women of all ages.」

Hotaru-san saw my face change and answered before I could open my mouth.

「They will kill people for nothing. For people, monsters are no doubt evil.」

Something in my mind began to cool.

「Hotaru-san…my swords.」
「Umu, do it properly this time.」

I accepted my swords back from her hands and turned to face Sistina’s direction.

「Sistina…thank you. I’m alright now so switch with me.」
「But…Ah, yes!」

For a moment she looked back with worry but upon seeing my face her expression looked happy for a moment before she moved to get behind me.

The wolf that Sistina had sent flying back glared at us wrathfully. It must have been angered that things weren’t going the way it wanted.

Despite that, my fear had subsided. What an enemy thought or desired did not matter to me. All I had to do was exterminate the evil before me.

The wolf leapt again and I used Sakura to block its fangs. I took the opportunity when it was slowed to slice sideways with my longsword.

It was a bit too light. I had wounded it, but not enough to affect its movements.

The wolf pulled back momentarily, but soon leapt forth once more. Again the wolf disappeared for a moment. No…it didn’t disappear. Before colliding with me it leapt to the side then jumped off the wall to attack me. I see, that’s why I didn’t catch sight of it.

I dropped my center of gravity, stabilized myself, and slid to the side to watch the wolf pass me.

I then swung my blade after estimating the distance and cut the wolf’s head off as it ran behind me.