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Volume 5 Chapter 5: Encounter Part 2

Volume 5 Chapter 5: Encounter Part 2

「…Of course… Impersonating you goes against virtue, and common decency… {tl: identity theft is not a joke, millions of families suffer every year} And I am also holding back, maintaining the fine line, where they won’t be injured too gravely… In fact, I am not using my fist…」

「Well, you are right… It was an attack from a close created with mana, or rather, fighting spirit. With less power but higher speed.」

「That’s right. So even if it hits… It will only, leave them unconscious… Were I to swing my fist, it would destroy them. Better than that…」

「Well, that might be true. But in the first place, barely anyone knows what I look like, so isn’t it safe to recognize me by my face?」

Although in the past there were people that made helmets similar to mine, and went around using my name. But now my face can be see by anyone. When told so—

「…………」

Gale’s gaze turned distant as he froze in place.

「Ah, so you haven’t thought of that.」

「Nnm… That’s… Not so. …I thought… That it is an unlikely disguise… Since aside from us, heroes, barely anyone saw your face… But, just in case… …And I, remember people not by faces, but by their ability and muscles…」

That’s a bit of a poor excuse, but the last part is probably true.

…Gale is well aware of the fact that he hardly can be called sociable, and that his looks can be fairly intimidating, so he is avoiding staring at people’s faces.

That’s the reason why he ends up telling them apart by the build, and musculature instead of their faces. And I’m not the only one here who is familiar with him—

「This man never changes. Like, this slight air-headedness despite being so straight-laced, is just like before.」

「Yeah, it’s been a while since I saw this.」

「Even we begin to feel nostalgic.」

Saki and others commented.

Hearing those voice, Gale replied—

「……This mana, the Hero of Magic, the carbuncle, and Dragon Monarch, huh.」

「Sigh… Absolwent, you really remember us only by our special characteristics and skills, huh?」

「……Forgive me, Hero of Magic. I am trying to remember, but…」

「Yeah, I know. You are trying to remember, but your thoughts go to our powers first. …Well, personally, I don’t really care since you at least remember Axel’s face and name.」

「Speaking of which, you are right. How come that you remember my face?」

I’ve been curious about this for a while.

When we asked, Gale slightly furrowed his brows.

「Hm… Mm. That, I won’t forget. After all, trying to remember his face in that short time window of the helmets opening and closing, became a good training for my eyes… Associated with the training, it became engraved into my memory…」

And gave us such an answer.

「Well, after all, it was impossible to take that helmet off even for a second. Few milliseconds was the best I could get.」

「Yeah, people without our physical abilities or good eyesight couldn’t even notice that…」

「Yeah. Even with Saki and me channeling magic and Berzelia physically holding the helmet, it still would return to his head in a second.」

「Oh how I worked to burn the sight of beloved Axel’s face into my eyes. That alone is already a great memory.」

Everyone had slightly bitter smiles.

But that’s it, after all, it’s all in the past by now.

「Yeah… Well, I managed to remove the helmet, so let’s forget about it. I also don’t want to recall it too much. I’m more interested in what you were doing all this time, Gale. ……And why are you covered in blood? It doesn’t seem… Like your blood.

When asked, Gale took a quick glance at his hands and body and then pointed behind them.

「I hunted magical beast on the plane over there. But there were many that would not become magic stones when defeated. So I…」

Gale looked at the building right next to him, the local branch of the guild of adventurers. After that, he surveyed himself again.

「So I carried them to the reception area of the adventurers’ guild, but trying not to dirty the city with blood ended up like this. But this isn’t a good look. ……So leaving the guild, I thought about cleaning up, and saw you.」

「Ah, so you left cleaning for later and called out to us.」

「Yeah… There is no telling if I could ever meet you again, so I went straight to you. ……As I accomplished my goal, and was able to meet you again, I shall proceed with the cleaning, as in accordance with the original plan.」

Having said that, Gale turned the palms of his hands to the ground and positioned them around his waist. Thenー

「【Conversion】……!」

Exclaimed.

The next moment, his body shone with a faint white light.

In the blink of an eye that light enveloped his whole body, and when it came in contact with the dark red blood covering his clothes or skinー

「――」　

The blood stuck to him turned into a red light. Then, bloodstains that were turned into the light, were absorbed into Gale’s body.

「Hey, hey, Lysnoir. I’ve been wondering this for a while, but is that? I still don’t get the magic of the Hero of the Fist」

「I’d call it lack of education… but in this case, it’s understandable. That magic originates from the East, so it’s only natural that you wouldn’t know about it. Simply put, it’s a type of Breathing Technique. It converts the blood of other living beings into magical energy, which is then absorbed into one’s own body for recovery and mana replenishment. You saw it during the war, didn’t you?」

「Oooh. During the war he also often was smeared in blood, getting himself『Red Oni』nickname, and here I thought just what is he doing? So that’s what it was.」

As Saki and Berzelia made that exchange, the light enveloping Gale disappeared. In addition to that, all of the blood that covered the upper part of his body disappeared too.

「This, will do…」

「As one would expect. The fist technique from earlier too, your skills haven’t faded at all.」

「I still lack training, but I shall gratefully accept that praise, Axel. …Even so, after running around to several locations, I’m covered in sweat and dirt. That’s why I’m planning to head to the bath now to wash away the grime and fatigue. The hot springs around here have a purification effect as well, which makes them truly wonderful………」

「Oh, hop spring, huh. Sounds great. I also thought about trying one of them.」

Upon hearing that, Gale blinked a few times as if pondering for a few seconds before responding.

「Hm… In that case, how about, coming with me…? I would also like to chat with your for more.」

「Us too? Is it that spacious?」

「The inn where I’m staying is one of the hot spring inns in this area. They hot both huge spacious baths and small personal ones too. If it suits you, I can introduce you too. It’s a nice inn, personally, I recommend it.」

「Oh, if such a travelled man as you is willing to say that much, then it must be pretty good.」

He had been like that since his hero days, often traveling under the guise of training. Perhaps because he stayed at various inns in different towns, his eye for good accommodations is quite sharp.

Since he is the one recommending it, there’s no way it could be bad. It seems everyone else shares that thought as well.

「The Hero of the Fist personally recommends, huh. I wonder what sort of a place is that.」

「He has a pretty good eye for details. Which is a good thing in this case.」

「Right? I’m looking forward to it.」

They sound pretty enthusiastic. So…　

「Alright, then, please show us the way.」

「Understood. ……Follow me.」

And so, having reunited with an old comrade, we enjoyed the long-awaited reunion as we headed towards the inn.