Chapter 35

<strong>The S-Rank Hero has decided</strong>

Several days have passed since I was summoned here in another world .

I, Sogou Ayaka, was walking in a forest located in the southwest of the capital city .

I need to be vigilant towards my surroundings .

Suddenly, I can hear the sound of some branches breaking .

I instantly prepared my stance .

Wielding the long spear in my hand, I vigilant look towards the direction where I heard the sound .

[Gururururu… . guaaaarrrggghhh!]

Appearing before me is a dog who have drool dripping down from its mouth, a Mouthy Dog . (T/N: kuchi inu)

The dog have golden eyes .

It’s opened, large mouth shows a set of glittering fangs .

It’s mouth is so irregularly big .

I have never seen a creature just like back in our own world .

A different world .

This is really a different world .

The feeling that this is really a different world haven’t actually registered to my mind yet .

Towards the direction of the dog, I took one step forward .

[Let’s have a match, shall we?]

Is that question directed towards me?

Or is it directed towards the monster before me?

I don’t know .

[Guru ruru ruuooohhh!]

The Mouthy Dog also looked like it’s prepared for battle as it threateningly growled at me .

[Wheeeere do you think you’re going, huh!? Take this, you f*cking dog!!!]

I can hear Oyamada Shougo shouting from where I stand .

It’s coming .

The one who’s making that useless noise is approaching .

Basaaa~

Brandishing a greatsword, Oyamada jumped out of the thicket .

[–uwo!? Gaoouuuu!?]

The moment that the dog have noticed Oyamada’s arrival, the Mouthy Dog immediately leapt away .

The Mouthy Dog swiftly ran off towards the opposite direction of where Oyamada came from .

I can’t help but start being bewildered of what I’m seeing .

From where I’m standing on, I can definitely block the way where the Mouthy Dog was running off to .

But,

[That’s my prey, Sogou!? You cold woman, don’t even think about it! You’re not a member of our advanced group! There’s no reason for me to hand over such a prey to you!]

Oyamada doesn’t want to receive any kind of help from me .

[Well, if you just accept my invitation for you to join our group– I can give that Mouthy Dog for you to kill, you know!? That’s why it’s best for you to think about it! This may decide what would happen in your future, you know!?]

After leaving those haughty words behind, Oyamada went back through the thickets again and disappeared from my sight .

Now that I’m alone, I started looking around my surroundings .

I can’t hear any suspicious sounds anywhere .

My vigilance began to wear off .

I guess I’ll rest for a bit .

[…fuu]

By the goddess’ decree, the heroes of 2-C are currently training to do well in battle .

The forested area beside the capital city had been established as the training area for the class .

Enormous walls have been erected around the circumference of this area .

Now, ferocious monsters have been freely living around this area .

However, I’ve heard that the current heroes have already adapted towards the strength of the monsters in this area .

(Saving this world from evil, huh…)

I rest my back against one of the boulders nearby .

My grip towards the spear I’ve been holding became tighter .

It happened just a few days ago .

It seems that the goddess had the students kill the monsters that the people from the castle had captured .

So that we could get used to killing creatures .

That’s what I heard was the purpose of those killings .

This happened while I was sleeping in one of the rooms in the castle .

It’s because the goddess had knocked me down at that time .

By the time that I had woken up, this “qualification rite” had already finished .

However, there are some students that did not pass the “qualification” .

They couldn’t take killing any monster .

They’re either stuck on their place or vomiting towards the side .

There were also some who broke down in tears .

There were also some who fainted .

There were even those who are still confused with all the things that had happened .

It’s only natural .

They are being told to take the life of other creatures by their own hands .

All of us had lived in a world where such actions and thoughts were deemed irrelevant to life .

Or so that’s how I think I had lived so far .

When I had finally woken up, the goddess had came to meet me .

The first thing that the goddess has talked about was about those “dropouts” who were not able to pass the qualification in that rite they had conducted .

The next thing she told me was the fate of those “dropouts”, she told me that she would be “disposing” them .

[It’s quite a shame that I would have to dispose them off . They would have the same fate of the late Touka Mimori…]

I was also told how the last moments of Mimori Touka went .

It’s just that… I felt that he differed from my impression of how Mimori Touka would have acted .

[……… . ]

In any case, it’s a fact that I was not able to save him .

[Sniff… I’m really sorry, Sogou-san… It’s frustrating, but the policy in Allion is quite firm . It’s how the regulations work in here . It can’t be helped… I’m greatly sorry… I extremely apologize…]

I immediately understood the intention of the goddess .

[I will just clear this out so that you could understand, goddess-sama . ]

[Yes? Ah, please say it . What would you like to say?]

[I can’t approve of the way you do things, goddess-sama . ]

[Hmm~? What? Which way of doing things do you not approve of?]

[…your way of cutting off the weak from the rest, just like how you did it with the ones you talked about earlier . ]

[Ufufu, I see that people from a different world have their own opinions of how the society works . I’m still open-minded about how you think since I am after all, a God . That’s why I wouldn’t mind even if your way of thinking from how we do things here~ . But… if they can’t even fulfill their duties as a Hero, it’s obvious that we have no choice but to make them leave…]

[The worth of an S-Rank hero should be high, right?]

[Yes! They have a really high value!]

There were no other options .

I replied the words that the goddess had been expecting .

[I will be performing my duties as an S-Rank hero in place of the students who have failed on passing this “qualification rite” that the goddess-sama have conducted . So, would you please don’t “dispose” them?]

[Wow~! That’s quite a courageous and wonderful proposal! As expected of an S-Rank Hero! Although your uncomfortable with how we do things in here, you would still go out of your way and cooperate with us!? It’s so that we could save the world!]

[Yes . ]

[I’m really happy~! Well then, let’s shake hands as a sign of reconciliation! I was also sorry about that time that I’ve struck you right on your stomach, Sogou-san was also really confused at that kind of situation and I think that making you calm down was a good thing . ]

I shook hands with the goddess .

Her hands feels as cold as ice .

It seems that the saying where humans who have cold hands are kind people was a lie .

That’s what I thought at that time .

(I was confused, huh… that’s right… I was so confused that I don’t even know how many days had it been since we were summoned in this world…)

However, I have to do this .

I have to this for their sake .

It’s for the sake of those students who were not able to pass through the rite .

As soon as I heard their names, I knew that they were the kind people of our class .

I’ve also heard that the one who manages their group was Zakurogi-sensei .

But, it seems that he was thoroughly drained out of his willpower .

When I had just woken up, I thought I was looking at a different person .

[No~ I’m actually relieved that sensei is a D-Rank Hero~! Even if you ask if you ask me to respect him, I would unconsciously refuse~! Just the thought of respecting him scares me~! Ah, it’s obvious but our group have no need for such thing like a teacher! That’s right! Something like washing the dishes in the castle’s kitchen should be perfect for you, right!? Zakurogi-kun!?]

It seems that his heart has been thoroughly broken down by the words that Oyamada had said .

I had tried warning Oyamada for his excessive words .

Zakurogi-sensei is too pitiful for receiving such words so I tried calling out to them .

However, even Zakurogi-sensei ignored my words and had unsteadily walked away .

[……… . ]

(I have to get stronger…)

Everyone can freely choose the weapon they want to wield from the weapons that are in the castle .

Kirihara Takuto had chosen a katana .

Oyamada Shougo had chosen a greatsword .

Yasu Tomohiro had chosen a pair of swords .

Takao Hijiri had chosen a longsword .

Takao Itsuki had chosen a rapier .

It seems that katanas exist in this world .

I’ve heard that a hero they had summoned before had spread the knowledge regarding this weapon and the techniques to wield it to some places in this world .

I had chosen a spear .

This is the weapon I had chosen without hesitation .

I am already familiar wielding this weapon .

My grandmother used to be an instructor for an ancient school of martial arts called “Kisou-ryu” . (T/N: The Way of the Demonic Spear)

I don’t know even how she had married my wealthy grandfather .

Anyway, I was taught Kisou-ryu by my grandmother back when I was really young .

Kisou-ryu wasn’t originally a martial art that focuses on spearmanship .

If you trace it down to its origins, this martial art was developed in an era where you were not allowed to wield a spear .

I secretly enjoyed the times when I was training with my grandmother after I finished studying .

After I finished my training for the day, I would take a shower to wash off the sweat I’ve got from my training then I’d read a book until I go to bed .

That’s how my daily life used to go .

Now, those days were just something I am quite nostalgic of and reminisce everyday .

(I’ve never thought that the ancient martial art that I had learnt would be useful though…)

I really loved my grandmother .

That’s why I continued to practice what she had taught me .

(Who would have thought that the “Kisou-ryu” that I had learnt from my grandmother would be useful here?)

But I can never be relieved .

Danger may fall towards those students who failed in the rite if I were not able to produce any results .

If I were to get a result that is not expected from someone who is an S-Rank—

(Mimori-kun… Just like him…)

It’s wrong .

The idea of just cutting off the weak from the weak .

Noblesse Oblige .

It used to be phrase that got popular a long time ago .

A person with power must fulfill his responsibilities .

That’s why this must be done .

I have to strengthen my determination .

I have to kill a monster first so that I could “level up” .

It seems that killing monsters in this world makes you stronger .

Then, this experience (Is that something like an energy within others?) will be absorbed within my body after I killed monsters .

[Status Open]

LV 1

HP: +700

MP: +300

Attack: +1300

Defense: +300

Physical strength: +500

Speed: +700

Wisdom: +700

I have received some explanations from the goddess .

The correction value of my status would increase whenever my level goes up .

It seems that the concept of leveling up only exists for the summoned heroes .

These concept of experience and correction values doesn’t exist towards the locals of this world .

They can’t even check their own status .

The additionally displayed number beside the one next to speed is the effect of my unique item .

I lightly felt the earrings hanging in my ears .

It seems that most unique items have the effect of adding some correction value next to your status .

I could certainly sense that my legs were a little faster than when I were not wearing them .

(Experience points…)

You won’t get any experience value for killing other humans .

You won’t be able to level up that way .

It would be natural to say that it’s obvious that’s how this world works .

If you could easily become stronger just by killing other people, murders would have been rampant all over this world .

What’s worse is that the Heroes they were depending on, would kill the humans that they should have been protecting .

Assassinating others by poison would have been something that would occur frequently .

There are also two types of monsters where you could gain experience points .

One of them is the one who gives quite a lot of experience points, the golden-eyed monsters .

The golden-eyed monsters were strong and ferocious…

(Next is…)

–would be checking out the entry on my skills .

I’ve already gotten used to the operation of my status .

My inherent skill slot have been gray for all the time that I had seen it .

It’s only just that menu that was displayed there .

Will I ever be able to use magical abilities?

Incidentally, I’ve yet to kill any monster after all this time .

My level is still level 1 .

(Killing monsters… Can I even do that? No—)

I have do it .

Failure to do that is not an option .

It’s also for the sake of Mimori Touka who I wasn’t able to save .

That’s why I will make sure I can protect them this time .

I will not let anyone be killed .

I will save those who doesn’t have the power .

I will not Mimori Touka’s death be in vain .

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