Part 5[แก้ไข]
The sixteen-days-old moon was out that night.
After leaving the mansion that Kuro Usagi led them to, Sakamaki Izayoi stood like a guardian Deva King in front of the building where the Community's children were sleeping, with his hands folded.
"Ooi.... If you don't decide soon, I won't be able to take a bath."
Zaa, the trees were swaying in the wind. At first glance there wasn't any sign of anyone being around, but Izayoi kept talking to himself with an annoyed expression like it was directed at someone.
"Are you going to attack this place, or not? If you're going to, then make up your mind already and do it."
Zazaa, still only the trees swaying in the wind. It still didn't look like anyone was hiding around there.
The disappointed Izayoi picked up a few stones and threw them lightly towards the shadows of the trees.
"Yo-!"
Zudogaan! An absurdly large sound of explosion, unthinkable from that light throw, blew away the nearby trees, threw the newly appeared shadowy figures high up in the air in all directions, and shook the windows of the nearby building.
Jin hurriedly came out of the building and asked Izayoi what is going on.
"Wha-what happened!?"
"Looks like intruders. Maybe from those [Fores Garo] lot?"
Shadowy figures and rubble were falling to the ground one after the other.
Those that were still conscious stood up with great difficulty and watched Izayoi and Jin intently.
"Wha-what absurd power....! The talk about him defeating the Serpent God was true after all."
"Yeah ..... with this they may be able to win the Game against Galdo......!"
No animosity could be felt from the intruders' gaze. Izayoi may have noticed this, since he walked closer to the intruders and started talking to them.
"Ooh? What, you are not humans?"
Every one of the intruders had some body parts that were very different from humans.
Some had dog ears, some long body hair and claws, and some had eyes like a reptile.
Izayoi was looking at them with great interest, like he was browsing from them.
"We are people with a human base and different Beast-type Gifts. But since the level of our Gifts are low, we can only perform such an incomplete transformation."
"Hee..... so, you wanted to talk to us about something, that's why you didn't attack right? Hurry up and tell me."
Izayoi spoke to them with a smile. However the intruders all fell silent looking dejected.
After they exchanged looks between themselves, they lowered their heads with determination.
"We shamefully ask of you! Would you please completely destroy our..... no, the Community in league with the Demon Lord, [Fores Garo]!!"
"Don't want to."
He easily refused their desperate request. The intruders stiffened and were at a loss for words. Next to him Jin, who was only observing the situation until now, was dumbfounded and his jaw dropped slightly.
Izayoi's expression on the other hand became bored, and he turned his back on the intruders.
"You are probably one of those that had hostages taken from them, right? You were ordered to come here and kidnap a few kids, something along those lines right?"
"Y-yes. We didn't think you would be aware of even that, please forgive our ignorance and rude behaviour.... We all have someone taken as hostage, so we can't disobey Galdo."
"Aah, those hostages. They are already dead. There, this topic is done."
"............wha-?"
"Izayoi-san!!"
Jin quickly cut into the conversation. However Izayoi was speaking with the same cold tone to Jin too.
"Is there any reason to hide it? If you win tomorrow's Gift Game then it will all come out anyway, right?"
"Ev-even then, there are more appropriate ways to say it!!"
"Ha-, are you telling me to care about their feelings? You are joking right? Ochibi-sama. Think about it carefully. Who were the ones that kidnapped those killed hostages? None other than these guys."
Jin suddenly turned around. If they kidnapped even more people to save the hostages.... then it's not an understatement to say, that they are responsible for around half of the hostages' deaths.
"It's a cool thing to hunt down villains, but I won't do it if I'm asked by the same kind of scoundrel."
"The-then, the hostages are really....?"
"....Yes. It seems Galdo killed the hostages the same day they were abducted."
"No way....!"
The intruders all lowered their head. They all soiled their hands until today for the sake of those hostages, the shock from knowing that those hostages are no longer in this world must be immeasurable.
Seeing them sinking into despair, Izayoi had a sudden flash of insight.
(A lowlife scoundrel in league with a Demon Lord..... Maybe I can use this?)
He quickly turned around. He patted one of the intruders on the shoulder with a smile of a kid who just thought of a new mischief.
"You lot, do you hate [Fores Garo]? Do you want it to be destroyed?"
"O-of course! The things that we went through because of him....!"
"I see, I see. But you don't have the power to do just that, right?"
The men bit down on their lips.
"H-he is still a subordinate of a Demon Lord. His Gift is much higher class too. Even if we challenge him to a Game there is no way we can win! No, even if for some reason we win and we draw the Demon Lord's attention..."
"What if there was a Community for taking down that Demon Lord?"
Ha? All of them raised their heads. Izayoi grabbed Jin shoulders and pulled him closer.
"I'm saying this Jin-bocchan is building a Community to defeat the Demon Lords."
"Wha-!"
The intruders of course, but even Jin was shocked. That was very close to their Community's ambition, but at the same time not at all. Jin's plan was to protect the Community and defeat only the Demon Lord who took their Banner.
However Izayoi's explanation was almost like their Community was working towards defeating all of the Demon Lords.
Probably because such a Community was without precedence, the intruders asked them again with confused looks.
"A Community to defeat the Demon Lords? Wh-what is that...?"
"Exactly as I said. We will protect everyone from the menace of the Demon Lord's Community and their subordinates. And everyone we protect should advertise this: 'Amazing Deal. Attention. Those with Demon Lord problems. Please enquire further from Jin Russel' "
"It's a-"
'It's a joke right!?' is what Jin wanted to say, but his mouth was covered. Izayoi was completely serious.
Izayoi stood up quickly and spread his arms like he wanted to catch a strong wind,
"What happened to the hostages was regrettable. However, you can rest easy. Tomorrow our members with Jin Russel's leadership will take revenge for you! You don't even need to worry about what comes after that! And that is because our Jin Russel has risen up to defeat all the Demon Lords!"
"Oooo....!"
Izayoi was speaking in an exaggerated manner, but the intruders found hope in that. Jin was desperately trying to escape from his arms, but Izayoi's brute strength kept him pinned down, he couldn't even make a sound.
"Now, go back to your Communities! And tell all your fellow Communities too! That our Jin Russel will defeat the Demon Lords!"
"U-understood! Good luck for tomorrow Jin-bocchan!"
"Wa-.........Wai...........!"
Jin's shout didn't reach them, the intruders all retreated in the blink of an eye. After he was released from the oppressing arms he fell on his knees thoroughly confounded.