So, the present situation is.
I, who shake off Rena and the firefighter’s, stupidly dive into the roaring flames, somehow manage to arrive at a strange forest alone.
I force my way into the sea of flames, even then i managed to get into the kitchen, and grab the Santoku knife in my hands.
Right at that moment, the building let out a terrible sound and collapsed…... I, while roasted by fire and black smoke, was supposed to already be squashed with the Santoku knife
Yet, there is not even a single burn mark on my body.
And in my hand, there is the Santoku knife which should have burned with me.
“After all, Is this the place you can call the afterlife?”
When i try to pinch my cheek, as a matter of course, it hurts.
Of course it is. Wherever or whatever this is, It"s clear that this is not a dream or illusion.
The sullen smell of deep gra.s.s.
The lukewarm and humid wind.
Feel of sweat running down the cheek.
The smooth texture of my shirosaya. (TL: in case you guys forgot. its the knife"s scabbard/sheath)
This can’t be a dream or an illusion.
“Then as expected, i did die!”
While screaming to n.o.body, once again, i lie sprawled out on the ground.
It can’t be helped that i died. Because there is no way i can still be alive after jumping into sea of flames like that.
But….I can’t ignore that.
I do that outrageous thing because i don’t want to see father in despair.
Nevertheless, on top of failing to protect the santoku knife, i also died, this is bad.
10 years ago, losing his wife to sickness.
Losing the store.
Even losing the son.
If even this “Sakaki-ya” Santoku knife is lost….after this, could father live in that condition?
While clasping the santoku knife, i clench my teeth. If i don’t do it, i would likely have burst into tears.
That Rena, she would cry too.
My childhood friend’s baby face suddenly come into my mind.
During busy Sat.u.r.day nights, she would come helping as a free part time worker.
She also doesn’t complain when she tasted my cooking.
Even when studying in school, i always gave her troubles.
I can’t meet Rena and father anymore….Even “Tsurumi-ya” got burned.
“What is the meaning of my life?”
When i thought that way
The bush beside me rattled.
Following that, “Bururururu”.......sounds come out, i didn’t mishear it, it’s the growl of a beast.
While lying down, i turn my head slowly.
On the other side of the bushes, in the darkness.
I see a red, burning like eye.
“Now what…..the appearance of demon or devil?” (TL: Oni and ak.u.ma)
I thought this place was a tropical Heaven, I wonder if this is h.e.l.l rather than Heaven.
When i think of that, the red eyes shine with hostility.
“Give me a break. I don’t remember doing something evil while i was alive?”
To not stimulate that thing too much, i get up slowly.
That guy doesn’t look big, it’s eye position is lower than a human child.
But, the pressure that comes from the other side of the darkness is not normal. Wild animal’s smell also drifted through the wind.
I raise my knee and arrange my posture so i can run away anytime.
Then...that guy, abruptly appear.
“Uwa……"
It’s a wild boar.
Or something resembling it,maybe.
That thing which looks like a 90 Kg gigantic figure, is similar to a four legged wild boar.
A blackish brown fur that looks hard like wires, at the top of its head, there is a Mohawk-like mane.
Its limbs are short with an additional thickness on its thighs.
To its snout is 2 sharp fangs.
Small eyes attached to the side of the face.
The body is plump, bulky round like.
The more i look, it’s becoming more and more similar to a wild boar.
But, this guy cannot be a wild boar
I’ts because.
On its forehead, 2 big horns are growing, and it has 2 more pair of tusk on its lower jaw.
0022
“....Uwaaaaaaaaa!”
When it leers and kicks the ground with its hind leg, I run like a scared rabbit.
The wild boar i know can run to 40 km. I wonder if this boar is also the same?
The wild boar i know should be omnivorous but doesn’t eat live bait. I wonder if this boar is also the same?
While my head is thinking like that, I desperately run.
Even though i already had enough of running when i was alive, why am i still running in the afterlife?
I don’t think i need to fear it since i am already dead, but if i get pierced by that sharp nail and tusk, it will be far more painful than twisting my cheek.
That is why, i desperately run.
I don’t have time to look back, leaping over bushes, breakthrough branches and leaves, slipping between big trees.
Run run, run like crazy…..and in the end, i fall.
“Owaaaa!”
I had no idea that vines were hidden in the overgrowth gra.s.s, I fell with my head first to the ground
I managed to clutch the santoku knife with my right hand, and let my left hand free.
If it’s possible, with my hand, i can immediately stand, and with the momentum, I can immediately run!
I calculated for a bit, while thrusting my hand on the ground.
Then.
The ground, is not there.
I was supposed to fall to the abyss.
The world is circulating around.
When i got into abyss, i b.u.mp my head there and there.
“It hurts…...what the h.e.l.l, is this!”
I don’t even know what’s happening. No matter what i think, this is a pitfall trap. A good one..
When i gaze overhead from the bottom of the hole, it was likely to have about 3 meters to surface.
Moreover the size, two of my arms extended is the limit.
“Sigh...This prank is just too much”
Fortunately since the inside ground is a soft black soil, my head and back didn’t hurt that much. The santoku knife is also fine. But my prided Cook clothes is dirty.
“I don’t know whatever this is, but if this keeps going, my body won’t hold”
When i try to stand, a dull pain appeared on my right ankle.
There is no injury on the head and back, but i seem to twist my ankle somewhere.
With my hand on the wall, i tried to stand.
When I put weight on my feet..the pain instantly comes.
“Oioi, don’t kid with me”
I put the dirty Santoku knife to my breast pocket, and gaze overhead again.
The shadows of the forest rounded.
The sunlight through the leaves of the forest shine, but it seems to be dim if compared to a while ago.
Night time is probably close.
“Oiii! Is there anyone there?”
My sound sounds empty. Neither a saviour or wild boar appeared.
With leg like this, it’s impossible to climb the wall that collapsed after being touched a bit.
I discouragingly drop my shoulder and lower my back just as it is.
“Staying up all night in a place like this…”
Being thrown into the midst of an unknown dense forest, chased by an unidentified animal, and falling down to a pitfall with an ankle sprain as the bonus.
It’s completely the worst.
It’s too worst that I started to laugh it off.
“No, I will not laugh!”
Because i can’t cry, i try to be angry.
“Dammit! I don’t know whether you are a G.o.d or a devil, what do you want with me!? My life...Is it really that of a mistake? Even if my life is so much of a mistake and i can definitely say to others that it’s wrong, I don’t remember doing something that deserve this punishment game! If you got a complaint, then push me down to a more appropriate h.e.l.l!
“You are quite a noisy guy”
Like being hit in the back of the head with a metal bat, i was surprised.
When i didn’t see the sky for a while, unexpectedly a black silhouette appeared
“Why are you playing around in a place like that?”
Speaking with a tone like a man, but it is the sound of a young girl.
Choi and Husky, It’s a pleasant voice to my ear.
(TL: ちょいとハスキーで yeah that katakana translate as Choi and husky. wtf)
I can’t see what she looks like because of the sunshine filtering through the forest.
Still, i was relieved that there is another human in this world. At any rate i have to give an answer back.
As you can see, i have fallen to a pitfall. I don’t know who or where this is, but this was a terrible prank.
After a bit of silence, with an irritated sound, the girl let out her voice.
“This...is the trap i prepared”
“Eh?”
Although this trap was supposed to catch a giba, looks like human can also be trapped. How much trouble do you think i have gone to, to set this trap?” (TL : ギバ = giba. maybe that is what the boar called)
“Eh? Well….i am very very sorry? eh? Am i the one that should apologize?”
“.......”
“Un. But, because, by me falling into this trap ruins your effort. I will apologize. Because i have apologized, please help me get out of here?”
“....If it’s only this height, it should be possible to climb on your own”
Because the silhouette want to go away, i correct my words in a hurry.
“No! Actually my ankle was twisted when i fell! It isn’t a bad injury but it’s impossible to escape without help. I feel bad, but please lend me your help”
“...I don’t care. Just die there alone”
The black silhouette….is out of frame.
“Wait a minute! That is too cold-hearted! Oiiii, please help me!”
There is no...answer.
No way....am i really abandoned?
“Oiii! I beg of you! If i stay like this i will starve to death! If you still have the heart of a human please come back!”
“....Such a noisy guy”
Without her being visible, only her voice is heard.
Then, a tall and thin strange object falls in front of my eyes.
It’s the vine that was spreading everywhere on the jungle.
“...Go up quickly”
What, she is going to help me from the beginning.
Sigh, what a girl with a bad behaviour. Is this what they called a tsundere?
(TL: for tsundere haters out there, she is not that tsun. more like kuu)
Either way, when a person’s mercy comes in, especially in this kind of situation, i should be grateful to her. I was thinking that while i put my foot on the wall and start climbing.
Although the twisted ankle still hurts, it’s not at the point where i can’t hold it. While having a hard time climbing because the black soil easily crumbles, i desperately climb.
“However….it has become a situation where i don’t understand more and more.”
In case this is h.e.l.l, it’s weird that there is someone that wants to save a troubled person. And comes with it is that i can still cope with this unchanging reality and feel through my five senses. Actually, i don’t get the feeling that i am actually dead.
“Well, what happens, happens”
and while i use my last strength, struggling to come out to the surface. I successfully escaped the pitfall.
“It hurts….Thank you very much. I am saved”
When i squat down in the gra.s.s and lowering my head a bit to thank her.
The girl who was standing there with niodachi position, remain silent, and point something to my nose.
(TL : niodachi : was, a silver colored machete.
(TL: 蛮刀 : machete i guess)