Fist King - Chapter 1 - Episode 17: Adventurer Beginner's Course ⑤ Repelling Extortionists

Fist King: I Will Save the Earth from Zero in Another Reincarnation, Starting from Real World

Adventurer Beginner's Course ⑤ Repelling Extortionists

"How can you say something like that?"

"How do I say it?"

"So, please tell me why it's better to go with you guys than with Ōta-san."

The group seemed agitated by my words.

Certainly, a normal 12-year-old, if surrounded by people larger than themselves, would probably nod obediently.

However, I felt no threat from the group in front of me.

To use a metaphor of presence, a Horned Rabbit would be more formidable.

Another man glanced at the pile of crests on the counter before beginning to speak.

"If you come with us, we'll finish butchering this much in a flash."

"Really?"

"Yeah, because we're all butchering pros."

The man swayed unsteadily, grinning as he spoke.

His way of speaking made me not want to go with them at all.

However, I also considered that my senses might be dulled.

(Are they really butchering pros?)

Wanting to confirm this, I noticed that one of the women in the group was holding a carving knife.

"Excuse me, could you show me your carving knife?"

The woman, suddenly singled out, nervously handed me her carving knife.

I examined the carving knife I received closely and noticed a chip in the blade.

There's no way they could butcher a monster with a carving knife this poorly maintained.

(Well, my intuition wasn't wrong after all.)

I was convinced that the group in front of me was trying to use me.

Then, with the knife I was holding, I forcefully slashed my left arm.

"Huh?"

The group couldn't comprehend what was happening before their eyes.

I showed them my cut left arm and the knife, appealing to the group in a threatening manner.

"There's no way I can believe a monster can be butchered with a knife like this!"

"Eh? Eh?"

"I don't trust a group that has people carrying knives that can't even properly cut a human arm!"

"More importantly, your arm!"

Looking at my arm, blood was vigorously dripping onto the ground.

I cast Heal on my arm, healing the wound.

Seeing this, the group became even more bewildered.

"You all saw my wound, and no one tried to heal it."

"..."

"The knife is useless, and you can't even provide support. There's no way Ōta-san is inferior to a group like that!"

Hearing my words, the group fled as if running away.

I stopped one of them and practically shoved the carving knife back at them.

Looking at the floor, it was covered in a large amount of blood, and I started to wonder how to clean it up.

Just then, Ōta-san rushed over from the side.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Here, use this."

Ōta-san, worried, lent me a towel.

When I tried to wipe the floor with the towel, Ōta-san stopped me.

"No, you idiot, you're supposed to clean your arm."

"Oh, that's what it was for."

I hadn't particularly cared about the blood on my arm, so I hadn't intended to clean it.

In the first place, my clothes were already stained with cockatrice blood.

In that case, I felt bad using the towel, so I wiped my arm with my clothes and returned the towel to Ōta-san.

However, even though I tried to return the towel, Ōta-san forcefully wiped my arm.

"Why are you doing this..."

Ōta-san muttered this as he wiped my arm.

I thought the earlier exchange had nothing to do with Ōta-san, so I remained silent.

While we were doing this, Shimizu-san returned from the back.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Huh? Why is Mao-chan crying!?"

Shimizu-san hurried over to Ōta-san, patting his back.

Hearing Shimizu-san's words, I looked at Ōta-san's face and for some reason, he was crying.

"I don't know!"

Ōta-san said with a voice that sounded like he was angry, or perhaps not.

Having finished wiping my arm, Ōta-san seemed to be about to go somewhere.

I hadn't thanked him yet, so I called out to Ōta-san.

"Ōta-san, wait."

"What is it?"

"Thank you very much for today. I look forward to working with you again."

I bowed deeply to Ōta-san.

When I finished bowing and looked at Ōta-san's face, it was bright red.

Just then, Shimizu-san, as if remembering something, spoke to Ōta-san and me.

"Ōta-san, please wait a moment before going home. The Guild Master is calling for you to come with Satou-kun to the back."

"Alright..."

Ōta-san said this and headed towards the Guild Master's room.

I followed Ōta-san, and behind us, Shimizu-san walked carrying the crests.