[LN] PAS : Volume 2 Chapter 1.2

Volume 2 Chapter 1.2

The Fraudsters' Everyday Life, Surely the Ceasefire Agreement Will Not Be Upheld Part 2

Translator : PolterGlast

Jin Kirihara watched from afar as Nina and Emma, with red balloons on their heads, came out of the old school building.

Emma's inability to use her psychic abilities was unexpected, but in truth, Jin was not that worried. He trusted that Nina, who had deceived even the members of the <White Knights> in her family with her outstanding acting ability, would be able to get out of a pinch of this magnitude with a simple humming of her voice.

─Trust.

A word that was unfamiliar to Jin, but he had come to accept it for what it was. Incidentally, Nina might be the first accomplice he's ever had that he's connected to without involving money.

While feeling self-conscious about this, Jin moved into the bushes, away from the crowds.

After making sure no one was around, he muttered into the small walkie-talkie hidden under the collar of his uniform.

 

"Good job, Gasta-san. Nina passed the exam flawlessly."

[That's good to hear. Can I go home now?]

"I still have my turn. I'm sure I've already paid you for it, no?"

 

Gasta, the <landscaper> who will take care of all the work necessary for the fraud for a fee, laughed heartily with a voice tinged with alcohol.

He was probably still grinning at him from afar.

 

[But aren't you being too cautious? It's one thing to simply install explosives, but is it really necessary to observe from a distance with binoculars?]

"In this kind of test, the scariest thing is to be attacked by a suicidal attack. That's why, it is vital to know the enemy’s location."

[Well, you two are no match for any of the mobs here after all.]

"As you know, the heretics are truly terrifying."

 

Once the opponents' locations were identified, Nina, who was inside the building, would give the signal with a pre-determined line.

Gasta would activate the remote ignition device, and the explosives he had planted the night before would instill fear into the enemies. Nina would then use her unstable monster act to force them to surrender, and the job would be done.

Since this was a trick that required precise coordination, this time Jin had to lead the entire operation from outside the building.

The other reason is that it is better to work with a different party from time to time so as not to unnecessarily increase the number of people who try to find out the relationship between Jin and Nina.

 

[...... Look, Jin. Your beloved accomplice is walking towards you.]

"Don't tease me, it's annoying. Can you not call me again until it's my turn?"

 

Turning off the walkie-talkie, Jin turned his attention to Nina, who was walking toward him with her presence completely erased. The students, who were praising the monster who had won a spectacular victory, seemed oblivious to the fact that the person in question was here.

 

"...... Nina, can you please not invoke your monstrous skills every single time?"

"EH, what are you talking about?"

"Are you doing it unknowingly......? Well, never mind."

 

His accomplice, who did not seem to be aware of the miracle she was currently performing, turned her azure blue eyes towards him.

 

"Next is your turn, Jin. Who are you teaming up with?"

"A~, it's a guy named Bailey from the same class. He forced me to work with him."

"What kind of psychic ability does he have?"

"I think it's called <Cowardly Hound>. His sense of smell is enhanced to that of a dog."

"Hee, that sounds like a perfect person for this test!"

"It doesn't matter. I'm going to intentionally lose this time anyway."

"Huh?"

 

Nina looked unconvinced, but Jin explained in a nonchalant manner.

 

"My situation is different from yours, where you have to win all the time as an overwhelmingly powerful person. I'm being watched closely because I'm a rare user with the ability of nullification, so I have to leave some room for maneuvering. If the target won't even come close to me, everything will be all for naught."

"The <shepherd's dog>,...... huh?"

 

In the past, Jin's foster father, the legendary fraudster Rusty Yellowkid゠Wale, had accidentally obtained some information when he scammed a high-ranking government official, which led to his death by the <White Knights>, the Empire's intelligence agency.

The journal he had hidden away contained only fragments of various words, but Jin and his friends sniffed out traces of a grand scheme being hatched by the Heiberg School and the empire behind it.

In order to win the game of uncovering the truth, Jin and his friends are searching for the identity of the <shepherd's dog>, a spy under Headmaster Jill Will Weiser, who is also a member of the <White Knights>.

If the information is correct, there is one <shepherd's dog> in each grade, and it is said that they are in charge of secretly dealing with those who are doing harm to the academy. In other words, if one could get in touch with this person, one might be able to extract the school's secrets.

Jin's slanted eyes flashed sharply.

 

"The <shepherd's dog> will definitely come in contact with us in the future."

"They're trying to figure out whether we're a danger to the academy, ...... right?"

"If they identify us as enemies, they will try to eliminate us without mercy. As far as I've heard the news about the <White Knights> thoroughly killing all the enemy spies and insurgents in the country, I don't think we can expect any human compassion from the empire."

"...... Speaking of which, Jin..." Nina said, her whole body radiating anxiety, "When you searched Bennett's room, you found a strange note, right?"

 

What was left there was a piece of paper with just one word written on it: [Nice to meet you].

Could this be a declaration of war from the <shepherd's dog>?

Had they already discovered what we were up to?

Nina clearly had a look of anxiety on her face.

 

"Don't worry. We are still just under suspicion. They won't attack you, the daughter of the Stingray family, without any evidence. ......At least, not until they have conclusive evidence."

"But we should be suspicious of everyone who approaches us, right ......?"

"Oh, so you knew. From now on, we'll keep doubting and distrusting everyone."

"Ugh, what a lousy school life ......."

 

The two have already attracted the attention of the entire school year after defeating Bennett Lohr, one of the students exempted from the entrance exam. Even Jin, who had assumed the air of a lone wolf, was being swarmed by students who wanted to hear his tale of heroism.

But there is no need to search through the crowd of students one by one.

The candidates for the <shepherd's dog> have been narrowed down to a certain extent.

 

"Nina, let's review again. What are the requirements to become a <shepherd dog>?

"A child from a family with close ties to the upper echelons of the empire. And also an overwhelming ability to get rid of anyone who gets in the way."

 

Nina's expression stiffened a little.

It's understandable. The only people who would meet the requirements she just mentioned would be those who were exempt from the entrance exam - monsters with supernatural powers.

 

"But how do they plan to approach us?"

"I think they're going to try to contact us right after school today."

"......Eh? Do you have any basis for that?"

"All the students who are exempted from the entrance exam will be summoned by Instructor Isabella after class today."

"W-Where did you get that information from?"

"From that handy slav- ..." Jin cleared his throat once as he was about to say what he really meant. "This information was leaked to us by that kind and gentle Rudy-sensei, who has been so devoted to helping us out."

 

Ever since Jin and Nina previously blackmailed him with a scam, Rudy, the history instructor, has become Jin's puppet. For the most part, he must be coaxed to report every suspicious activity in the instructor's office.

 

"Jin, you shouldn't treat him like a convenience tool too much!"

"He begged me to cooperate with him, you know? I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart."

"Ugh, I can easily imagine the scene......"

 

He's the kind of guy who would rub his head on the ground with impunity to get a debt collector to let him off the hook. Down the road, if they were to be exposed as incompetent, the relationship might not even change.

At that moment, a voice over the loudspeaker called out Jin's name.

Shrugging his shoulders in a troubled manner, the fraudster walked toward the old school building.

 

"...... Don't get hurt, Jin."

"Huh~, since when did you become so overprotective?"

"I-It's not that I'm worried about you, but..."

"Alright, alright. Well, I'll just go out there and get defeated pretty badly."

 

At a school where everyone is aiming to become a candidate for the <White Knights>, the heroes of the country, only Jin is fighting on a completely different board.

Nina secretly felt a sense of dependence on her accomplice, who has always been looking at the big picture and is cleverly trying to manipulate even his own reputation.

 

◇

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[WN] God Slumbers : Volume 2 Side Story 10

Volume 2

Side Story 10

Cheeks Soaked in Divine Tears, Perplexed but Distant 1

Translator : PolterGlast

―Kokuten Province, in the mountains.

 

"Guh, ku, kuha,..."

 

Every time he coughed, his lungs ached with burning pain, and Fuwa Naotoshi writhed his body in excruciating agony.

Is it the remnants of the night dew? As he scratched at the wet rock surface, remnants of green moss coiled thickly between his fingernails.

 

Crap. Understanding that there would be no assistance for a while to come given that the surroundings have lost all signs of life, he turned the cursing words that loomed at the tip of his throat into a loud sigh.

 

...... A blunder. A great one at that.

Desperately running along the surface of the cliff from which he had slid down, he rolled his body down into the shade of a boulder.

 

The cold, wet surface of the boulder was draining him of his stamina, but he didn't care, and he went deeper into the cliff to hide his presence.

At that moment,

 

―ko, ko, ko, ko.......

 

The wailing of an emotionless, cold, hard cry fell on the mountainside where Naotoshi was hiding.

 

...... There were no footsteps, and the source of the wailing was simply weaving its way across the heights beyond human reach.

 

Even as he was trying to hold back the dull ache that ran through his body, he encased himself in multiple layers of concealment formations and looked through a gap in the shadows of the boulders to the voice's source.

 

―Ko...,

 

Standing ahead of him was a deformed figure in the shape of a monk wearing a kesa (priest's robe).

It was about six meters tall. The head of the figure is so smooth and slender that the border between the head and the body is so vague that one can see beyond it.

 

"Who said that it was Tsuchikorobi!? It is none other than Hidarugami! This is not the kind of mistake one can simply brush off!!"

 

When Naotoshi was on his way home after successfully completing his mission to support the extermination in Sangamisaki territory, he was right on the doorstep of Samidare territory.

Naotoshi's return, caught up in the frequent occurrence of miasma, was delayed from the original schedule.

 

Naotoshi had come to assist in the extermination of the Tsuchikorobi, a group of medium-level defiled beasts that infested the eastern part of the territory, with the aim of joining forces with the local people who had requested a prolonged residence in the area.

 

Although Tsuchikorobi is one of the largest of the medium-sized defiled beasts, they are timid and weak even among the defiled beasts, despite their huge stature.

However, the people of Kokuten Province, who belonged to the water elements, were not a good match for Tsuchikorobi, who belonged to the earth elements, and the garrison of such a small territory, which did not have a sufficient number of defenders, was suffering serious damage.

 

Then, a guardian from the Eight Families, and of the wood elements, came to their aid.

Seizing this opportunity, the feudal lord welcomed Naotoshi with open arms.

 

Naotoshi was not so reluctant to accept the request, partly because he was renting the house.

The other reason was, that wood conquered earth. Naotoshi had a track record of defeating Tsuchikorobi single-handedly, even when they were in a group.

 

―However, as Naotoshi and his men were on their way to defeat the Tsuchikorobi, the Hidarugami, who were of the same height but belonged to completely different elements and posed a completely different threat, attacked them from behind the trees during the daytime, when the sun was still high in the sky.

 

After all, this yokai is so strong and troublesome that it is enough to be considered a deity.

Moreover, it belongs to the metal elements.

Metal conquers Wood. For Naotoshi, who is part of the wood elements, Hidarugami is his worst match.

 

The garrison that had been assembled was helplessly crushed by the unexpected daytime assault, and even Naotoshi, who managed to avoid a direct hit, was blown off the cliff by the impact.

 

―It would be lucky that only a few ribs were broken.......

 

Naotoshi judged calmly that the worst he could get from the resounding pain would be broken ribs at the very least.

He put his hand around his waist and fiddled with the talisman case that had been fastened there. However, the clasp might have been detached by the impact, and the fingertips that sought for the regeneration talismans only ended up scratching the bottom of the case, where only a few offensive-type talismans remained.

 

How fortunate that the monster had followed me. Naotoshi let out a sigh of pain that almost made him feel depressed, and he leaned back against a boulder, not caring if he got soggy from the wet surface.

 

...... Ever since he heard the news of Akira's death, there have been a series of troubles around him.

 

Although each individual was able to keep up with the smallest problems, what could be the plight of those who would have to pay the price for this?

 

―It is natural that the blessings would be reduced if one leaves the domain of the land god, but even if that were the case, this is .......

 

Naotoshi could not feel the blessing of the land god now, to the extent that he almost thought that the blessing had been removed.

In addition, he felt that the surrounding miasma had become much thicker.

It would have been unthinkable a month ago that a medium-level defiled beast (yokai) would be walking around during the daytime in an area that is not even a miasma pool.

 

"Is it a dead end for me? ...... No, wait."

 

After pressuring his brow to shut his mouth, which was only feebly leaking out a few words, he picked himself up, forgetting the pain rushing through his body at the slightest glimmer of light that passed in his memory.

His fingertips, gliding with impatience, explored the hidden pouch sewn into the back of his collar, and plucked out its contents.

 

Between his fingers, there was a single regeneration talisman, visible through its poor handwriting. It was the regeneration talisman that Akira had created.

In the past, almost all of the regeneration talismans created by Akira were sold by Naotoshi in order to secure money for Akira, but Naotoshi kept the first completed talisman as a good luck charm because he could not bear to sell it.

 

Since Akira created it, it was an empty container with no spiritual power, but fortunately, Naotoshi's spiritual power remained almost intact.

If he could infuse his spiritual power as an emergency, he would be able to heal his broken ribs completely, even though it was merely a child's poorly crafted talisman.

 

Naotoshi carefully kneaded his spiritual power so that Hidarugami wouldn't detect it.

Although the fine wave of pain almost dredged up his consciousness, Naotoshi managed to channel his spiritual power into the talisman.

 

―*Snap*.

 

"...... Impossible."

 

Naotoshi's eyes opened in shock as he heard the quiet blasting sound.

His spiritual power interfered with the spiritual power of the regeneration talisman, and the proof of resistance was scattered with sparks.

 

It can't be. Denying the reality, Naotoshi cut the sacred thread of the regeneration talisman.

As a result,

 

―*Flash*.

 

The black spiritual power flared up from the released talisman, and after it was released, a healing ember engulfed Naotoshi.

Akira who possessed no spirit shouldn't be able to contain spiritual power. This was the common understanding not only for Naotoshi, but also for all those who were members of Ugetsu.

 

―Naotoshi has been watching the entire process of Akira creating the regeneration talisman.

 

Akira was able to store spiritual power into the talisman.

This fact drew further questions into Naotoshi's mind.

 

"...... I can't just fall and die here."

 

The healing embers caressing Naotoshi's body erased the pain as if it were all an illusion, and his body, having regained its freedom, moved away from the boulder's surface.

―Naotoshi unsheathed his tachi, which he wore at his waist, and after bracing himself, he leaped out from behind the boulder where he had been hiding.

 

His body floated in the air, and his haori fluttered in the wind.

 

Hidarugami, who was roaming below the cliff, sensing Naotoshi's presence, turned its body to point its huge physique along with its sword at him.

 

Slow.

Its slow speed allowed Naotoshi to take one step further.

 

The swirling spiritual power within the blade surged forth.

Hariin-style Spirit Technique, Shoden―

―Enbi

 

―Ko!

 

"Kuh!!"

 

A surprise attack. It was an advantageous and ideal attack.

Nevertheless, Hidarugami's roar transformed into a shockwave, and Naotoshi was sent flying backward along with his spirit technique.

 

Hariin-school is the best short-range offensive technique.

However, it also means that they lack the means to respond outside of the attack range.

 

...... One of the few long-range offensive techniques available is Enbi, which he used in an attempt to bridge the gap until he could get into Hidarugami's chest, but unfortunately, he was pushed away due to the other party's spells.

 

―Is this the troublesome nature of Hidarugami, a Youkai that is said to be close to mysterious beings!?

 

After failing to close the gap, Naotoshi's chances of victory were slim.

―But even so, it would be a disgrace for a guardian to retreat. He held his spirit vessel in plain sight and kicked at the ground, making a twisting motion from his slightly lowered waist.

 

―Ko, ko, ...... ko~~!!

 

"Haaa!!"

 

Several layers of intangible flying debris, kneaded from the shockwave, were released by Hidarugami.

Using the excessive amount of spiritual power he had put into his body, Naotoshi dropped his body until it scraped against the ground.

 

The shockwaves passed over his back as he ran at full speed, just missing him by a hair's breadth.

Hidarugami's huge frame might have had an adverse effect, making it difficult for him to maintain a clear line of fire from his lowest position.

 

―Ko, ko~!

 

When Naotoshi's blade was only a few steps away from reaching it, Hidarugami's roar made him emotionally alert.

What it contained was a clear irritation―!

 

"Ugh!!"

 

In an instant, the miasma, which had turned into a cannonball, transformed into a surging wave and pressed down from above Naotoshi's head. His speed was slowed down by the enormous mass of the miasma.

 

Even so, he could not let the progress he had made to this point go to waste.

 

Hariin-style Spirit Technique, Shoden―

 

"Unari Nekoyanagi!!"

 

The spiritual techniques to strengthen his body, which were piled up on top of another, repelled the weight of the miasma that was trying to crush his body,

―Last step.

 

―Ko!

 

He, who was supposed to be inferior to Hidarugami. Perhaps pressured by Naotoshi's fighting spirit, whom it had underestimated, Hidarugami's footsteps yielded one step to the approaching Naotoshi.

 

"―Are you going to retreat!? Hidarugami!?"

A sharp provocation that caught Hidarugami off guard.

"Let me teach you what we call a dead end!"

 

A direct descendant of the eight families. The spiritual power befitting this title fiercely enveloped Naotoshi's body.

To keep Hidarugami from escaping, Naotoshi thrust his tachi into its solar plexus.

 

The Hariin-school, which never retreats.

If one has allowed them to close in to such a degree, there can be no word of retreat for Hariin-school, no matter how good or bad their suitability with their opponents may be.

 

Hariin-style Spirit Technique, Chuden―

 

"Aogi Suisen!"

 

The blade, which had penetrated halfway through, bared its fangs to rip Hidarugami apart using a gush of spiritual power.

*Thump*. However, just as he was making slight progress, he was blocked by Hidarugami's palm.

 

However, just as he was making slight progress, he was blocked by Hidarugami's palm.

 

The miasma responded to Hidarugami's struggle, chipping away the spiritual power from Naotoshi's blade.

 

―Ka!! "Fu!"

 

The breaths of Pseudo-deity and Naotoshi intersected in the fragility of the candlelight that was about to fade away at the end of the summer battle.

 

In the vortex of the enormous miasma, the tachi's blade screamed and Naotoshi's haori began to be eroded and scattered.

Even though he was pushed to that point, Naotoshi took another step forward, but the blade cuts Naotoshi was able to inflict on Hidarugami's huge physique were only minor wounds.

 

A nonlethal sword wound. Naotoshi was exposed to the miasma and driven to the brink of death.

Perhaps seeing an obvious opportunity for victory, the Yokai in front of him pressed closer to crush Naotoshi, using its massive 6-meter physique to its advantage.

 

"As what I expected."

 

―Koko!!??

 

However, the demon, who was gaining momentum, received a ruthless statement in return.

Both arms of the demon grasping the spirit vessel were severed in its midsection shortly afterward.

 

"This's the end―!!"

 

Naotoshi let go of the spirit vessel and instead grabbed another tachi that he carried at his waist.

It is not a spirit vessel, but a tempered blade.

 

And this is one of Hariin-school's hidden techniques of using a mere tempered blade as a substitute of a spirit vessel.

―Nairifusou.

 

As his spiritual power caused the tempered blade to disintegrate, Naotoshi's body dived deeper into Hidarugami's chest.

 

Naotoshi's determination was contained in the blade, and he sliced Hidarugami's knees in two, without allowing any resistance.

 

―Kooo~~!?

 

Naotoshi, who had already moved away from Hidarugami, who had lost both arms and legs and was lying on the ground, threw his tempered blade away and grabbed the spirit vessel that was on the ground once again.

Hariin-style Spirit Technique, Finisher Move―

 

"Kasane Sendan,"

Unable to resist, the Yokai rolled over, exposing its vulnerable neck. Naotoshi's blade plunged into it without a second thought.

A slashing blow that was dropped blasted away the protective barrier made of miasma,

"Kari Tsubaki―!!"

 

The second blow, struck at the same time, perfectly severed Hidarugami's neck.

 

――――――――――

 

"Phew―"

 

He sheathed his tachi along with his lingering fighting spirit.

 

Perhaps the edge of the sword's blade has been altered, he felt a slight resistance as he sheathed it.

This means I'll have to repair the spirit vessel, Naotoshi thought to himself at his own inexperience.

 

When he fiddled around in his pocket, the purifying water that had fortunately survived the battle touched his fingertips.

Although it had turned into a corpse, Hidarugami was still a mass of miasma. Before it could contaminate the land with the miasma, he must purify the corpse by sprinkling it with purifying water.

 

―*Whoosh*.

 

The corpse, perhaps doused in purifying water, turned pale and burned, then crumbled to dust.

As Naotoshi watched this scene, he let out a lamenting sigh, despite being aware that it might bring on depression.

 

What passed through his mind was the scene of the burning and scattering of the regeneration talisman he had used earlier.

―The healing embers.

 

"Who would have thought that Akira-kun was able to create a regeneration talisman?

...... Did he even aware of this?"

 

After saying this, he laughed at himself for asking such a foolish question.

He was a smart boy. At least, he should have figured it out not long after he was banished.

 

3 years. As far as he knew, it would take a lot of luck or money to survive for a 10-year-old boy who didn't even know anything about the world.

However, if he could make regeneration talismans, then that problem would be solved.

 

And here's the thing.

 

―The regeneration talisman used by Naotoshi earlier is the first talisman completed by Akira apart from the recovery talisman.

 

The creation of talismans requires, above all, precise control of the spiritual pulses.

For this reason, there is a method of training that deliberately fatigues the spiritual pulse and makes the practitioner aware of its pulsation.

 

Although he was not aware of it because he couldn't sense the spiritual pulse in the talismans, he had instructed Akira to create about 100 regeneration talismans for Akira's own future.

 

And Naotoshi witnessed the whole process.

 

*Shudder*. A chill ran down Naotoshi's spine at his own misunderstanding.

 

There is no unit to measure spiritual power, but even if an Onmyoji who possesses a medium-ranked spirit puts his spiritual power into a regeneration talisman, the limit is five talismans a day.

 

100 of them. Moreover, there was no sign of strain imposed on the spiritual vein in the creation of the talismans.

Since all of them were completed, then, Akira would have the spiritual power of 20 Onmyoji, even by simple calculations.

 

"......I must hurry and get back to Haraku."

 

Naotoshi turned on his heel, his excitement at having defeated Hidarugami, a formidable foe, fading.

What was in his heart was the determination to cross the territorial border, even if it meant pushing himself a little harder than he had to.

 

Could it be the survivors of the garrison? The presence of several people making noise reached the tip of Naotoshi's toes.

 

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