ConvergenceAfter the chaotic night pa.s.sed, once again they destroyed a large amount of food and unusually, for them, they began making preparations. Even though usually they would become dull with full stomachs and laze around.
From the experience of that fight, each and every one of the Demons of Gluttony Brigade learned of it, and stuffed their backpacks with mineral water.
“Since we can defeat Honoo-Hi-Atama-Ma (flame-rook-head-demon) if we cover it in water, let’s have each person have one bottle.”
“And, let’s also carry some food. When we have to be apart from this box and our stomachs are empty.”
It’s the food prioritizing Pell, but it’s the right idea so all members nodded and chose products. Kara’age won’t keep, so let’s line up snacks and long-lasting can products.
“This magic box is amazing, ne. When we want to eat kara’age, it puts out kara’age. Right now it’s lining up preserved food. It’s almost like it can understand us, naa.”
Ooo-, Pell, you get it!
So these guys might finally be able to understand that I have a will.
“Welcome.”
“No way, no way. Look, even now it doesn’t say anything other than ‘Welcome’.”
Waving his hand in front of his face, Mikene completely denied it. Dammit, from now on I’m giving out cold kara’age.
Haa, maa, I get it. If I could say “Yes” or “No”, then they might get it eventually, but it’s impossible with “Welcome”, na.
It’s not like they’re trying to harm me, so for now this is enough, huh? My goal for now is to have them transport me to area around the opening of the maze, and find people from the Seiryu Lake Level.
On that occasion I need to think about what would be good to give as my thanks. But they might be happier of I give them a discount for purchasing things from the vending machine.
“Alright then, today let’s give it our best!”
“O-!”
Aa, how soothing. Even though we’re in a situation where monsters prowl nearby, just watching the Demons of Gluttony Brigading seems to make me smirk. If I wasn’t a vending machine, my face would be something horrible.
As we proceeded with those guys taking turns pus.h.i.+ng me, quite far ahead along the course that we’re taking, you can see a cloud of dust being raised. Is someone fighting? The distance is much too far so you can’t tell whether the targets of interest are human or monsters.
“Guys, it looks like someone’s fighting up ahead; what do we do?”(Mikene)
Mikene noticed. All members stopped their feet and stood on tiptoe to look ahead.
“I can’t see very well, but it sounds like someone’s having a scuffle.” (Shote)
“Un un, I also hear it.”(Pel)
“It’s kind of Hunter-ish, ne. There’s a lot of them, too.” (Suko … I think)
I also … na, I can’t hear it. These guys’ ears are really good.
“What should we do? Like this, continue and merge, and then help them?”(Mikene)
“If we do that, this magic tool box might get stolen.”(Shote)s
“But but, for just use to get out of the Maze Level is going to be tough, na.” (Pel)
“That’s right, ne. Because life’s important. There might be benefits to seeing what happens with negotiations.”
They disagreed a bit, but these guys reached the conclusion that, if the fighting Hunters are hard pressed, then if they cooperate and the Hunters are put into their debt, then it probably won’t go poorly.
“First, I’ll go peek at the situation alone. Check to see whether there’s a possibility of negotiations. Mikene and the others can come slowly, so bring that along and get closer.”
“Understood. You absolutely must be careful, Shote.”
“Leave it to me.”
Shote leapt forward; in the blink of an eye his figure became tiny.
I and the leftover three together progressed forward a little at a time while peering at the situation. Even now you can’t distinguish anything other than the fact that they have arms and legs; I can’t make it out at all.
“The Hunters seem to be the stronger side.”
“Somehow, isn’t there a human who’s raising a weird yell?”
“Un, it’s unintelligible, ne. A woman, na.”
Raising a weird voice while fighting, huh, it’s probably a unique warcry. Hammer-throwing athlete’s also screech meaninglessly as they throw. I’ve head that if you do that, you add more power into it.
Slowly, slowly we get closer, and a shadow comes towards us at high speed. If you focus your eyes, that is – – Shote, huh?
“O-i, guys, it’s the President! He wants to talk. Come quick!”
“E-, the Hunter President of Seiryu Lake?”
“I wonder why he’s on a lower level.” (Suko)
“But that saves us, ne. If it’s the Bear President he’ll properly hear us out, and he won’t steal treasure that Hunters got for themselves.”
Those guys are talking calmly and having a relieved look on their face, but I’m also at least that relieved. So the Bear President came. I’m saved … –tte, then Ramis is probably here.
She’ll probably scream and cry again, but I will accept it completely. Since it’s proof that she was worried.
“That’s right. Among the Hunters, there’s a really amazing one. Ha-kooooon; with that mysterious yell, there’s a human Hunter that smashed an Iwa-Jin-Ma (rock-person-demon) with her bare hands.”
Yup, Ramis is accompanying them. Looks like I’ve worried her greatly. Like this, no matter what abuse or sermon she’s going to give, it can’t be helped; I’ll take it obediently.
“You’re lying-. A human can’t destroy an Iwa-jin-ma(rock-person-demon) with her bare hands.”
“No no, it’s true, Pel. And it was even a small-figured woman. I’m pretty sure she was also saying, she’s so worried that she won’t forgive unless she’s allowed one punch, or something.”
… If I use she’ll probably get mad. Is my Defense enough… I should probably raise it more, na.“Are, didn’t this box suddenly get heavier? It’s getting harder to move.”
“A, un, you’re right, it’s amazingly heavy.”
It’s your imagination.
With feelings of wanting to meet and feelings of not wanting to meet mixed in, those guys continued transporting me towards the fighting.
—
“E-, Ha-kooooooooon!”
When we had just reached the distance were we could confirm each others’ forms, with good timing, the Hunters’ battle ended. Ramis caught a glimpse of us and, leaping so that she left an imprint in the ground while running, that girl plunged in this direction.
Stepping so hard that you cave the ground in, coming full speed, please stop!
If you put in that much vigor into it, you’re really going to fly-!?
At several meters before me, Ramis spread out both her hands a soared over. … no good. To repel a crying girl leaping towards, not as a vending machine, but as a man it’s the lowest.
The option to choose is … to take it!Looking at her teary face coming closer and closer, I – – it’s fine, I raised my Defence to 50 so it will be fine. I said to myself.
The heavy sound that filled the area was to the degree that it shook the atmosphere; the shockwave produced by the crash blew away the Demons of Gluttony that were transporting me.
《10 Damage. Endurance has been reduced by 10.》
Guwaaa-. N,no way, I raised Defense all this way and I still took 10 damage!
“Hakkon! DUUUMMMMYYYYY-! I believed, I absolutely believed that you wouldn’t be broken!”
《2 Damage. Endurance has been reduced by 2. 》
Y,you’ve grown, Ramis. And now, I wonder if you wouldn’t please stop *don don* hitting my body?
I was thinking that I’d like to say something to get her to let go, but on seeing her press her tear-streaked face against me and sob, I made the decision to keep quiet and take it.
Until she’s satisfied, I will accept her feelings.
《3 Damage. Endurance has been reduced by 3.》
This – let’s repair myself.
—
When she had somehow calmed down and I got out of her vice-like grip, the other people have come up to meet us. It’s a bunch of faces I remember all lined up.
“Dammit, ye worried us. Haaaa, I also believed. That you’d be okay, na.”
Hyurumi hit my frame lightly with a fist. It looks like she had really been worried, but her voice was barely different than her usual.
“Hakkon, we meet again.”
“Somehow you aren’t broken. If Hakkon was broken, we’d by completely troubled you know? As much worry as if you were a beloved girlfriend.”
So the gatekeeps Gols and Karios came to help. As thanks, I’ll ask Ramis to set me near the gate area.
“Hakkon, you saved us. If we weren’t able to find you then…”(Leader)
“It was dangerous ne, White…”(Red)
“That it was, Red…”(White)
The men of the Fools of Whimsy Brigade let out a relieved sigh, and their shoulders drooped. E, that reaction is, exactly what did that mean?
“Hakkon-san, that you’re safe is the best over anything else. When we told Ramis-san that we had left you behind”(Fulmina)
“She approached Leader with an amazingly menacing look; if we didn’t find you, I don’t know what would have happened, ne…”(Shui)
When I heard the explanation from Vice-Leader Fulmina and the archer Shui, I understood.
So the girl sitting at my feet and glaring at me with upturned eyes threatened someone, huh? I’m sorry, I’ve worried you terribly.
“Hakkon. But really, how were you saved? For someone to fall safely from a Level Break, I’ve never heard of it before.”
Even with the wheels the Bear President was staring down at the top of my head, and he asked that question.
It’s true that if you fell from that height, normally it would be instant death. Even I thought that my future as sc.r.a.p was decided at that time.
“President, President, long time no see!”
The Demons of Gluttony Brigade that had been blown off in the shockwave had all revived at some unknown point, and they were now crowding around the Bear President.
“Oo-, the Big Eater Brigade is all over here, na. On top of finding Hakkon, you protected him too, huh? I am grateful.”
N? Are, the Demons of Gluttony Brigade … so it’s just a name they call themselves.
“E-, President. What is a Hakkon?”
“It’s not impossible for Mikene to not know. This magic tool box is called Hakkon, a resident of Seiryu Lake.”
“Resident?”
Every member of the Demons of Gluttony Brigade(self-named) aka Big Eater Brigade tilted their ears.
So the Bear President recognizes the vending machine me as a resident. I have been blessed with the people I’ve met since coming to this other world. Dammit, if I get too happy, I’ll probably spring a leak in the vending machine. (aka, cry)
“Aa, a resident. He lives in the Seiryu Lake Level’s community.”
“E, but, this is a convenient magic tool…”
“Aa, I see. So you didn’t realize it yet. Hakkon has a will and is capable of comprehension. Naa, Hakkon?”
“Welcome.”
“But President. Look, it can’t say anything other than ‘Welcome’.”
“Hakkon is limited in what words he can say. ‘Welcome’ is ‘Yes.’ And ‘Too bad’ is ‘No’.”
Since they don’t believe it even after hearing the Bear President’s explanation, the Big Eater Brigade look at me with half-closed eyes.
“Uum, Hakkon, was it? What we the Demons of Gluttony Brigade ate with you was meat kara’age, wasn’t it?”
“Welcome.”
“Uuum, then, that guy’s name is Shote.”
The fat one is Pel, so “Too bad.”
“N,no way. Then, you understand everything we were saying?”
“Welcome.”
Their mouths are open so wide that it looks like their chins are going to fall off, and their eyes are open so wide it looks like they’ll fly out of their sockets.
Maa, these guys didn’t think that it was possible for me to have a will at all.
For those guys who thought a lot of money was going to roll in for them it was quite the shock, so even though the Bear President continued his explanation, it didn’t enter their ears at all.
A, un. After this, I’ll treat them to free kara’age, so I wonder if they’ll pardon me with this.