NOVEL NEXT Chapter 36: (2)
The plump man, the slave trader, raised one of his hands. Right after, the group of armed men who had been waiting behind him slowly came forward. However, as they were about to lay their hands upon the closest girl, a shadow suddenly obstructed them.
「Don’t touch my sister!」
「… Kanabun.」
The beastman boy, Kanabun, stood up to protect his sister. The slave trader spoke to Kanabun with a disgusting smile on his face.
「Well, well, it appears that we have quite a naughty child here. This is a contract exchanged between us slave traders and this village. We’re the one guaranteeing the safety of this village. In exchange, we’ll have your sister and the other girls to work for us. This is an official business, you know? I don’t know what you’re misunderstanding about… Oh, let’s see. In that case, why don’t you just come with us as well? If you want to work together with your sister, we will welcome you with open arms.」
The slave trader exchanged looks with the man who was reaching out his hand. The man began to move again and grabbed Kanabun’s arm.
「Wha, what are you doing?! Let go of me!」
「Kanabun!」
To take back Kanabun, who was about to be taken away, Kanabun’s elder sister held him in her arms.
「Take them both away.」
As the slave trader coldly said that, the man put more strength on his arm in an attempt to forcefully take them both away. At that moment…
「Gyaaah!!」
The arm of the man, who was intending to take those two away, suddenly disappeared from around the elbow. Uproars began to echo from every corner of the area soon after.
「I see, so that’s the case, huh.」
All eyes shifted to the man who was the source of these words. Of course, that man was our protagonist, Tanaka.
「So you’ve chosen to live a long but thin life, huh. That’s indeed a common occurrence, but I can’t honestly say that I’m fond of it.」
That was right. In order to survive, the beastmen had offered their brethrens as slaves. That was why they couldn’t honestly rejoice as they reunited with those who had returned. And then, right now, the deal was about to be carried out again, based on the contract.
If no one had acted, Tanaka might not have done anything, either. However, the boy, Kanabun, moved. He desperately tried to resist this unreasonableness. It was the boy’s stout heart that moved Tanaka. It definitely wasn’t because Kanabun’s elder sister was an attractive woman!
「What is it with you? Are you trying to interfere with this legitimate business?」
The slave trader looked down on Tanaka with a grimace. And then, Tanaka faced the man without being perturbed by his reproach in the slightest.
「What legitimate transaction? You lowly evil trader who toy with lives.」
Tanaka, awakened by the attractive body, was in super strong mode.
「For an unrelated person to uselessly interfere… Oi, give him a good beating.」
A group of armed men were closing in on Tanaka.
「Playing a hero? I’ll make you regret ever entertaining such a stupid idea.」
A man who seemed to be the leader called out to Tanaka.
「Everyone, stand back.」
Tanaka was concerned about the beastmen around him. The beastmen were bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Thus unfortunately, none of them was able to move.
「Hurry up! Do you want to die?!」
Tanaka raised his voice. There, perhaps Tanaka’s strength and kindness had finally dawned on them. The beastmen began to back away.
「Hold your horse there, you bastard! Why are you the first one to back away after arrogantly spouting those words?!」
The leader’s shout was pointed toward Tanaka, who was moving back faster than anyone else and was ready to flee the scene anytime.
「…Phew, it seems that some of you understand a little bit about tactics, huh.」
Tanaka begrudgingly came back. A man of ingenuous schemes, that was Tanaka. Being able to spontaneously come up with such an idea was something that could only be said as expected of Tanaka, however, for being able to stop him even as he had already made his move, the leader ought to possess considerable wisdom himself. Given his ingenuity, it was hard to believe he was actually someone working under a slave trader. Then, Tanaka suddenly realized. That this was another scheme prepared by the world. He wouldn’t be able to overcome it with a half-baked method. Moreover, he had the beastmen on his back. He judged that it wasn’t a good idea to engage in a prolonged battle of wits while shouldering such a heavy burden… Tanaka showed no slightest movement. While the group of armed men moved to surround such a Tanaka.
「What’s wrong? You seem to have gotten quiet there. Are you getting cold feet now? Huh?」
With a relaxed expression, the captain put pressure on Tanaka, trying to break his heart. However…
「… Kukukuku, you fell for it. Did you think I’d continue to entertain you in battle of wits? How Foolish, did you honestly think I’d fight you on the table you’ve arranged?」
「What?」
The captain couldn’t understand what Tanaka was talking about. And then, Tanaka began to make his move. He invoked Levitation and floated into the air, before making a declaration from above.
「You have splendidly surrounded me as I expected, huh. You are hereby standing in the presence of me, the ruler of all demons. Have you prepared yourselves?」
Everyone froze due to the unexpected turn of events. In the midst of this all, Tanaka’s death sentence rang out.
「The suffering we experienced in hell, where the concept of warmth was nonexistent, upon being casted down from heavens. Feel free to enjoy it to the fullest. A Drop of Lamentations River – Cocytus Tears.」
This was Tanaka’s secret technique to open up a gate and unleash the power of Hell upon the world by borrowing the assistance of his comrades sealed in the lowest stratum of Hell, the Freezing Hell. Of course, it was just the setting he came up with.
A gigantic lump of ice appeared out of the blue. It then engulfed the armed group along with the slave trader. Based on its gigantic size, no one would’ve ever believed that it was a live-support magic.