New chapter of Ordinary Person is out! (3/3 chapters)

 

 

Chapter 100

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

“That way is to the left!!?” (Kouta)

Ah, blast it. Once again, I had mistaken left from right. This is a flaw I can scarcely ever correct. It must be the fate of one born left-handed, so I beg that you pardon me for it.

The terrorists noticed my charge, but their reaction was far too slow. I swept around the vehicles, cutting them down one after another. Some hesitated, fearing they might strike their own comrades at such close quarters. Others, without hesitation, fired through their allies regardless.

To Japan, they may be nothing but terrorists. Yet these men are surely soldiers from some army. Still, with training this poor, could they truly belong to a military? Even as another’s concern, their disgrace makes me worry for them.

When even an RPG came flying, I abandoned that position and rushed the next car instead. It was a deadly game of tag around the vehicles. Naturally, I was the oni, and I did not permit any exchange of roles.

So long as I minded the line of the barrels, I would not be struck. When things grew difficult, I merely placed my blade across their line of fire. It was simpler than flailing wildly. A grenade rolled toward me, which I kicked back with a gentle touch. No problem, if one stays calm, such things can be done.

Unlike the smooth floors of the guild, however, the plaza torn by gunfire made for treacherous footing. The harsh scraping of my boots against the ground revealed the immaturity of my technique and filled me with loathing. At such moments, I cut down another terrorist to relieve my frustration. Once calm again, I returned to minding my footwork.

Just when I thought the field cleared, reinforcements arrived.

“Hold the front of the plaza! Do not let them into the guild nor the dungeon!!” (Unidentified Commander)

“Avoid shots landing beyond the street! Do not expand the combat zone! No warning shots, kill them outright!” (Unidentified Commander)

“What of civilians!?” (Unidentified Soldier)

“There are no civilians here!! If they are explorers, they shall flee on their own! Those who do not flee, watch them carefully! They may be enemies!!” (Unidentified Commander)

Being mistaken for terrorists and clashing with the Self-Defense Forces would be disastrous. I searched for that Jietai-san I had met earlier and rejoined him.

“You are reckless, you know. Still, thanks to you, we were saved.” (Jietai)

“I just… confused my left and right for a moment.” (Kouta)

“…Could it be, you are left-handed?” (Jietai)

“Yes, that is the case.” (Kouta)

“I see. That must be troublesome. If you can still fight, then try not to err next time, all right?” (Jietai)

“I shall take care.” (Kouta)

We attacked from the left flank. For the defenders to take the offensive was a notion that struck me as novel. As one ignorant of war, I had believed defenders merely held their ground.

“We shall cover you! Do not be–…” (Jietai-san)

Before he could finish, I had already charged the foe.

Later, I wondered if I had been drunk on blood at that time. By all reason, as a mere civilian, I ought to have left matters to the Self-Defense Forces and withdrawn. Yet in that emergency, I hurled myself against the terrorists without hesitation. Plainly, this was madness, yet I had not thought so in the least.

The enemy fired from behind their vehicles as shields.

“…How tiresome, repeating the same thing again and again…” (Kouta)

Of course, it was the natural course of action.

They were soldiers, and soldiers repeat the fundamentals. Fundamentals are fundamentals because they are effective. That they could perform them unerringly was a mark of their training. Were they explorers like us, they would attempt all manner of tactics. But these men relied only upon repetition, and that repetition wearied me.

“…What a bother. Very well, I shall cut through the cars themselves.” (Kouta)

Truth is, I have ever been slothful.

With little thought, I began slicing apart the vehicles wholesale. A spark caught the gasoline. It nearly ended in catastrophe.

“Ah? …Blast!” (Kouta)

I escaped in that instant, suffering only a brush of flame. Thanks to my equipment, I felt neither pain nor heat.

“Too close, too close. Sloth must not be indulged.” (Kouta)

I had learned that as one’s level rises, one may weather much. Yet to test roasting myself alive was something I had no desire to attempt.

Closing with the enemy, I caught an RPG warhead mid-flight in my right hand and gently diverted it aside. By turning its inertia into a U-curve and releasing softly, I avoided imparting shock to the projectile.

As Jietai-san stood behind me, I dared not evade, but to my surprise, it worked rather well. Though it sped at a hundred meters per second, visible to the eye, my dexterity value blazed forth. It struck a terrorist vehicle cleanly. I waited for another shot, but none came. Such weapons were not meant for anti-personnel use.

“…I thought I had found an easy method…” (Kouta)

“Not that I am ungrateful, but you are utterly insane.” (Jietai)

What on earth is this man!? How cruel of him!

After some time, the battle came to its end.

As it ended, the burden upon my body told me the support had also faded. I gave heartfelt thanks to Haruka-kun, who had aided me with such superb timing.

“Kouta!!” (Emilia)

“Eh, Emilia…?” (Kouta)

Emilia leapt into me, and I caught her with my right hand.

“C-careful, Emilia, my weapon…” (Kouta)

I hesitated but refrained from saying anything boorish. Instead, I let my partner, Kokimaru, rest upon the ground a while, and with my freed left hand, softly embraced Emilia’s back.

 

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