Manowa Chapter 269

The Birdman warrior Matthew didn't discover the White Party by chance.

The cause was the giant dragon that suddenly appeared in the Birdmen's hunting ground one week ago. Despite having a giant body, the dragon would suddenly appear and disappear, and it would occasionally appear at their hunting ground on the northern end of the island and eat their prey.

In the first place, they had never seen nor heard of a dragon that was more than 30 meters long. Naturally, there was no way they could hunt with such a dangerous monster around. There was no doubt that they would be killed if they tried to attack him, and there was the risk that if they incurred his wrath, or even if he simply learned of their whereabouts, the whole village would be destroyed. Therefore, they had no choice but to monitor him pa.s.sively.

Though with that said, the opponent immediately disappeared. So Matthew and the three other Birdman warriors with him scouted the area, and just now, the giant dragon's figure was discovered. He had landed at the northern extremity.

They chased after him, and when they arrived, there were wingless people, 『Humans』, with the giant dragon. They were on guard as they wondered why humans were together with the giant dragon, and when the small human girl said something to the giant dragon, he immediately flew away and disappeared into the northern sky.

After seeing that, Matthew concluded「That human is controlling the giant dragon.」Controlling the dragon, that human came from outside and threatened the peace of the village. Matthew saw that as an unforgivable deed.

The hot-blooded Matthew thought that in that case, they should first capture the humans. He thought they should capture them and force them to order the dragon to stay away from the hunting ground. Besides, most of the opponents were women and children. There was also a man that seemed tough, but he thought that if they stopped him, they would be able to manage somehow. Matthew instructed his unwilling companions to line up side by side, and when he was about to fire a shot to make the man incapable of combat without killing him,

「Ah, that's no good.」

He was attacked by a silver-haired wolf girl who suddenly appeared. He was slammed to the ground in an instant and had a spear thrust before him. And when he noticed, his companions were attacked by three silver wolves and pinned down. It was an instantaneous event.

Then Matthew and the Birdman warriors were all captured in a short time.

********

「They tried to shoot Jinrai-san. Then it can't be helped.」

Golem Maker's arm-shaped Tebasaki-san Golems were restraining the unpardonable a.s.sailants. Just before, Kazane had asked Yumika about the situation, then so replied.

Jinrai said that it didn't seem like they had any intention to kill, but they were out the moment they tried to shoot. That only meant that the opponent had judged that they should capture without killing. They still would have seized the power to decide their life and death.

Also, Kazane and the others noticed the approach of the Birdmen with the usual Kazane's『Dog's Sense of Smell』. Kazane's sense of smell could now also detect Astral bodies, so it was difficult to evade. The Birdmen only seemed to be monitoring them at first, but the moment the dragon disappeared, the consciousness of one of the Birdmen changed from vigilance to hostility.

It was highly likely that they would take hostile action as it was, so Yumika reluctantly used her G.o.d Wolf Transformation to use its Sneak Skill to stealthily approach them, but just as she arrived, she saw that the person who looked like the leader was about to shoot Jinrai, so Yumika immediately decided.

Let's capture them at once... she thought. And now, back to the present.

「Well, there's no way I would be subdued by a single arrow.」

Jinrai said. Jinrai had sensed the indication that an arrow would be coming in his own way, so even if he had been fired at, he likely wouldn't have been hit. But that wasn't a good reason to forgive them.

「But if you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are also warriors, you know what drawing a bow at a warrior means, don't you?」

Jinrai stood in front of the captured Birdmen and looked at them with an icy gaze that pierced their entire bodies. The faces of the other three captured Birdmen paled, but Matthew alone glared back at Jinrai. Perhaps his pride as a Birdman warrior didn't allow him to show any sign of weakness in front of an enemy, but that was counterproductive.

「I see. You seem a little capable, but... Kazane.」

「Okey-dokey.」

Kazane came in front at Jinrai's signal.

Matthew tilted his head. When he wondered what the Shorty that came in front of him was going to do...

「Skill・Devil King's Intimidation」

A scream reverberated in that place.

『Devil King's Intimidation』was a superior Skill to the Pa.s.sive Skill『Fabricated Coercion』, so it could similarly be fired in all directions pa.s.sively. However, the Skill could also be used as an Active Skill with directivity. That directivity was line of sight. The output was 50 percent, and Matthew's face turned into a splendid ahegao after receiving Kazane's gaze. A middle-aged man with an ahegao. Naturally, it was only unsightly.

(Ah, I overdid it)

Jinrai didn't mind, but Kazane made a (yikes) expression after seeing it. Well, Kazane was angry that Matthew had tried to shoot Jinrai, so she had no sympathy for him. She was purely regretting her error of judgement.

While reflecting with that feeling of having overdone it, Kazane turned her gaze from Matthew, who had become useless. The other three were already docile, so she thought threatening them was unnecessary and smiled at them to show she wasn't hostile.

And Kazane's『Devil's Smile』made the faces of the three Birdmen pale even further to pure white. They could clearly hear the following words:

『You're next!』

Even though those words hadn't left Kazane's mouth, they heard them. They had narrowly heard Kazane's words when she activated her Skill, so they realized the true ident.i.ty of the girl before them.

One of them said it:「Devil King...」

Yes, the girl in front of them had made Matthew make an ahegao with the power of a Devil King. In a certain sense, that was true, but their imagination went further than that. In other words, they thought the girl in front of them was a Devil King. This Devil King could also cause them to make an ahegao like Matthew. They looked at Matthew's ahegao.

(((No. I don't want to become like that!?)))

It goes without saying, but after that, they revealed everything with teary eyes.

In the first place, they had no reason to keep their motive for being here a secret. They were the first to show their intention to fight, and they weren't killed on the spot, so they had no right to complain. Moreover, something needless had happened because Matthew glared back without showing obedience. Judging from Matthew, if it's just being captured by the enemy... they might have also had that intention.

For those reasons, Kazane and the others successfully communicated with the Birdmen.

◎ Elsta Floating Kingdom, Road to Forn Village

After Kazane and the others captured the Birdmen, the first thing Kazane and the others did after hearing the story from the young Birdmen warriors was solve their misunderstanding.

Azure Sky Dragon Paimon, who was here until a little while ago, wasn't a dragon controlled by Kazane and the others, nor a dragon that could be controlled. He was a G.o.d Dragon, the same cla.s.s as Naga.

Also, Kazane and the others were adventurers who had come to explore the island. Paimon had parted from them because they had told him the way to his destination, and he wouldn't be returning. They asked for guidance to their village.

It seemed the Birdmen were still alive and making communities on this island. Kazane and the others weren't outrageous outlaws, nor did they want to lay waste to the island. If they were to do something the Birdmen didn't approve of, they were willing to leave.

「Kazane-sama, we'll be arriving at the village soon. I'll quickly shoot any b.a.s.t.a.r.d who says anything, so please be relieved.」

「Yeah, thanks.」

Kazane replied while in a cold sweat as Matthew smiled at her from the front.

Apparently the medicine was too effective. In the first place, a Devil King was a magical power using ruling cla.s.s existence. Race didn't really matter. Since『Devil King's Intimidation』was an ability with Devil King in its name, it wasn't strange that such a concept was included in the powers it was granted.

It seemed reverence towards Kazane was engraved in Matthew's heart. Reverence, or in other words, fear mixed with respect... exactly the same things one would feel towards a G.o.d. It was simply the natural consciousness a lower being would feel towards a superior being, so it wasn't magical domination, and thus, couldn't be cancelled. Matthew had become a man solely devoted to Kazane.

By the way, considering her Skills like Fear Voice, Dragon Pheromone, etc., Kazane was already a being categorized as a Devil King in terms of ability. But at the moment, Kazane was the only one who precisely knew her Skills, so naturally, n.o.body had noticed that. As long as G.o.ds were omitted.

And the three Birdmen with Matthew had been amazed by his ahegao, but they were also scared by his change after that, and they would whisper「De, Devil King-sama」when they looked at Kazane.

Also, the young Birdmen warriors didn't talk to Kazane; Yumika, who was the one who first attacked them; or Tiara, who gave off an unapproachable aura. They walked together with Naoki, Lyle, and Emily and talked normally with them. Their ages were close, and it seemed that they were relieved that there were people they could speak normally with.

Unreasonable... Kazane thought sullenly, but since Matthew asked her「Should I shoot them?」she shook her head and endeavored to keep a normal facial expression.

By the way, Kazane and others were currently on foot. Kazane had said that she would summon Hippo Maru-kun and move with the carriage, but as might be expected, she was stopped. She was censured by her companions that using those would invite too much wariness.

It goes without saying that Kazane and Jinrai downheartedly responded to those reactions by saying「Even though it looks cool」「Even though it looks strong.」By the way, Lyle felt similarly to the two of them, but opportunistically didn't say anything. Was that behavior the reason why Naoki was considered more appealing?

Then, after more than an hour's walk, the village finally began to appear. This was『Forn Village』, where the Birdmen resided.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 36

Health: 145

Magic Power: 304+420

Strength: 67+20

Agility: 71+14

Endurance: 38

Wisdom : 72

Dexterity : 47

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror s.h.i.+eld』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material s.h.i.+eld: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『b.o.o.bies Plus』

Yumika:「That Devil King's Intimidation is scary...」

Kazane:「Matthew-san has become so obedient that it's scary.」