The Salvation Ninja (9)
The flustered Queen Bee dropped the Soft Sword King to the floor so she could free her hands.
But it was already too late. I was right in her face.
One second until the intercontinental ballistic missile hit.
—Eek!
Desperate to live, the Queen Bee lashed out with a pair of antennae—the same special move that had blocked me earlier.
I wasn’t the kind of idiot who fell for the same pattern twice.
Half a second until impact.
Ta-tat!
I spun my body in a full circle and kicked the antennae aside. My speed dipped a little, but it was still fine.
Two-tenths of a second left.
Mid-spin, my eyes locked with the Queen Bee’s.
“—Surgeon Shen Nobin.”
My ninja blade spat fire.
Not literally. It just looked that cool when I brought it down.
Pikak! The blade sank dead-center into the Queen Bee’s forehead.
—Aaaaaaah!
The yokai’s hand, mid-swing to crush me, went limp like a deflated balloon and slapped against the floor.
Any yokai that got a ninja blade stuck in it was finished. That was just the rule.
“—Campaign Poster Slash.”
I put even more force into it and drove the blade all the way down to her jaw.
The Queen Bee’s face split open like a perfectly ripe watermelon—exactly the way I’d torn up countless politicians’ faces back home to keep our village clean.
—…
Kuuung!
She collapsed without even managing a proper scream.
All the royal jelly she’d gorged on over the years couldn’t save her now.
Should’ve picked up regeneration while she was at it, if she was going to be that greedy.
“—Evil has been purged.”
The Queen Bee’s hind legs twitched a few times, then went still.
And just like that, the long, glorious battle came to an end.
I flicked the blood from my ninja blade, sheathed it, and turned to search for the sacred artifact—
“Aileen’s murderer—!”
The Soft Sword King, blood streaming from her left shoulder, swung the Soul Devourer at me.
Is this what they mean by repaying kindness with enmity? I saved her life and this is the thanks I get?
“If you’re hurt, take some medicine and go to sleep. Call the Red Flash or something.”
“Shut that mouth of yours!”
Her stance looked terrifying, but her movements were a full beat too slow.
I dodged easily and plucked the Soul Devourer from her grip.
Exhausted and badly wounded, the Soft Sword King was no match for me.
“Ah!”
“I’m confiscating this until you calm down.”
I wanted to just keep it, but a Runaway Ninja doesn’t steal from righteous people.
I only meant to scare her a little and send her packing.
“Give it back!”
She charged, snorting through her nose. Without a weapon she was suddenly a lot faster.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—
She attacked with only her right arm, but the strikes came in an endless chain. Just dodging was getting hard.
Afraid I might actually take a hit, I hurled the Soul Devourer far away and settled into a boxing stance.
“Lady, just go to the hospital already. It’s over.”
“L-Lady?! Die!!!”
She took the word way too personally and started throwing punches even faster.
The sound of her fists cutting the air was no joke.
“Where’d you even learn to throw hands like that?”
“You bastard—!”
I tried to catch her fist with a golden-hand technique, but it wasn’t working.
Wounded or not, her skill wasn’t below mine.
Looks like I’d have to put her down for real if I wanted this mess to end.
“Hah—I didn’t—want it—to come to this—wah!”
I was trying to deliver a cool line, but her jabs kept interrupting me.
Totally ruined the vibe.
“Ninja Punch!”
She was one of the tough Seven Sword Kings, so I figured I could hit her as hard as I wanted.
No political issues either—she wasn’t pregnant.
I threw a punch straight at her gut with zero compromise.
“Cheap tricks!”
“Gyaah!”
She blocked with her left elbow and smashed me right in the nose.
Something warm dripped down. Oh for—nosebleed?
“I’ve been holding back, you dried-up old maid!”
“Murderer! Take off that mask and hood and show your face!”
What made her think she had the right to yell like that?
Defending trash like Aileen while beating up a kind, righteous guy like me… yeah, she needed some serious re-education.
“If you want a beating that badly, I’ll give you a thorough one!”
“Bring it! Let’s see what you’ve got!”
Thud-thud-thud!
“Hundred-Pace Divine Fist!”
I shouted a technique that sounded just strong enough to make her wary and swung.
“What? What kind of—!”
Just as planned, she flinched. Unfortunately the punch grazed past her.
“Eighteen Arhat Palms!”
“…High-Speed Gale Strike!”
“Supreme Island Hand Art!”
“Raging Fist Wind!”
“Cloud Dragon Eight Forms!”
“Crimson Flame’s Howl!”
“Immaculate Pure Light Great Dharani Sutra!”
“That technique name is weird!”
I’d run out of cool technique names from books.
I’d only meant to smack her around a few times and call it done, but she wasn’t making it easy.
Still, I was a seasoned Runaway Ninja. I defended patiently and waited for an opening.
“Runaway Ninja! Stop backing up and fight me!”
Attacks from below, from the side, from above, from below again—I blocked every single one. Then a brief window opened.
Flushed with confidence, she wound up for a big finishing blow—
“—Swallow Leg Breaker.”
Also known as the Nolbu Divine Fist. I twisted just enough to slip past, hooked her leg, and sent her flying.
Just like Delamion after losing an arm, she lost her balance and went down hard.
“Khuh…!”
She cracked the back of her head and sprawled out like a starfish.
She was wearing a helmet and her base physicals were excellent, so she probably wouldn’t get a concussion.
“This is the difference in our levels.”
I was really out of time now.
The warriors fighting elsewhere could show up any second.
I turned toward the exit—
—Bwehk.
A golden orb rolled out of the Queen Bee’s rigidly open mouth.
This bitch had been storing the sacred artifact in her stomach?
It had been right in front of me the whole time? You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Lucky break.”
I didn’t feel like touching something covered in spit, so I wiped it a few times with my sleeve before picking it up.
Mission complete, either way.
All I had to do now was hand this over to the wild tribes and head back to Evergreen Village like nothing happened so I could rest.
“St…op…!”
The Soft Sword King lay gasping on the floor, her lips turning blue.
Had she delayed stopping the bleeding because she was too focused on the fight?
Honestly, that was on her. She didn’t look like she was dying, so I decided to leave her alone.
“Why… why did you save those people?”
“People?”
Given the situation, she probably meant Bob and the others. The reason was obvious.
“I fight for the innocent.”
“Nonsense…! You killed Aileen!”
“She was a total bitch. She tried to frame a loving father and daughter and have them executed. You know why? For fun, apparently.”
“Lies! Aileen would never do that!”
“Stop acting like an ape. Accept the truth.”
“There’s no talking to you… Just kill me.”
“No.”
“Kill me the same way you killed Aileen!”
She shouted with a resolute face. Yelling like that while half-dead…
How close had they been for her to be this furious?
Affection has a way of blinding people to the truth.
“You’re no samurai.”
I had nothing more to say. Without looking back, I made a cool exit from the boss room.
I did poke around a little beforehand in case any royal jelly was left, but only briefly.
Eating it might have triggered a power-up event. What a waste.
“Th-this is it! Thank you so much! Runaway Ninja! Thank you!”
“Uhoo~!”
“Mako istako!”
Saserif clutched the sacred artifact and sang a song of joy with her tribespeople.
We were far enough from the hive that no one else could hear.
“H-how do we repay you? I don’t know.”
“I think a smile is enough.”
I’d already told her I didn’t need a reward, but she didn’t seem to get it.
Barbarians will be barbarians. I decided to let it slide.
“I’m heading out now. Live happily.”
I gave a little wave and turned away. A ninja’s back has to look cool.
“Wait!”
Saserif grabbed my shoulder and stopped me.
I’d kept saying no, and she still did this. Annoying.
I turned my head, ready to give her a sharp word.
“Hey.”
“My name, Saserif. High priestess of the Brown Rock Tribe. Remember it.”
“Remember? I’m leaving.”
“When you need. Anytime, I help.”
“Doesn’t seem like you’d be much help.”
“Got sacred artifact. Now grow strong. Like Mother.”
So she said.
“Fine. I’ll trust you, so go already. I’m a busy man.”
“Tribe’s children, their children’s children. Your name keep passing down. Hero who fight with no price.”
“Well, thanks for that.”
“They will revere you. I also bless you. Blessing with true heart, has strong power.”
“You planning to keep talking?”
“Words I say now. Not light. High priestess words, have supernatural power.”
“Must be nice being so strong. I’m really going now.”
I didn’t even have time to change clothes.
I gave the tribespeople a half-hearted wave and ran off.
“Don’t forget! My name, Saserif! High priestess of Brown Rock Tribe! When meet other tribes, tell them! We will help you!”
She said something, but I couldn’t make it out.
All I heard was the whoosh of the scenery flying past as I ran.
“Whew.”
Luckily my backpack was still buried in the dirt where I’d left it.
It reeked of soil, but better that than having a mole yokai run off with it.
“Time to go back to being Robin the wandering swordsman.”
I was getting hungry. Just thinking about stuffing myself with meat when I got back made me drool.
Orphe, Diana. Big brother’s treating today.
Tribo doesn’t have a mouth, so he can sit this one out.
“These slug-like bastards. Still haven’t found them?”
The Rehabilitation Corps member who’d been speaking with him carefully asked,
“It is taking rather long. Shall I go check?”
“Do it. Report back within five minutes. I don’t like being left alone.”
“Understood. Then—”
Beldergard watched the man’s back as he walked away, fingers trembling.
He was the type who got anxious whenever no one was around.
Ziiiiiing—
“Huh?”
The moment the Rehabilitation Corps member stepped into the hive, Beldergard’s eyes flooded with red light.
“Ah, this is Third-Class Officer Beldergard, Administrative Chief. Learning from the past, serving the present, advancing for the future. Lord of the Magic Tower? What is it?”
Beldergard’s eyes turned skyward.
“The response cut off? I’m right here on site… The interaction stopped?”
His expression twisted slightly.
“I don’t understand. Could it be the Watchmen’s doing?”
Ziiiiiing—
“Understood… It can’t be helped. I’ll refocus on locating the royal. The Absolute Sword King would be better suited than I am, of course. As always, thank you. Have a pleasant day.”
A moment later, Beldergard’s eyes returned to their normal color.
When he checked the hive again, Rehabilitation Corps members covered in slime were stumbling out.
“Lord Beldergard! The Soft Sword King has been critically wounded!”
“What?”
This was truly enough to drive a man insane.