kscans

Chapter 28 - The Gem and the Fool

Bardos and I conducted a perimeter survey.

We went through the forest, into the caves around the rocky mountains, and so on. We investigated the places where monsters lived, confirming their ecology and breeding habits, and determined whether they posed a threat. Caves, in particular, are perfect hiding places for monsters. With that in mind, Bardos and I entered a cave.

As soon as we went inside, we smelled the scent of beasts.

There were definitely monsters here. Convinced of this, I drew my Kodachi and Bardos his Machete, and we began to explore the cave's interior. Before, due to the length of our weapons, we had relied solely on magic. But this time, we had taken that into consideration and crafted weapons that could be swung freely even in tight spaces. I was quite pleased to be able to put them to the test right away.

Perhaps my thoughts were reflected in reality, as we sensed a presence from the depths of the cave.

Bardos and I stopped where we were, crouched down, and sharpened our senses. There were multiple presences. From the rhythm of the footsteps, they were bipedal monsters. There were light sounds and heavy sounds. The light sounds were probably goblins.

The heavy sound was a heavy monster, either an orc or an ogre.

I've never met an Ogre before, so it must be a demon-like monster.

I was actually a little excited about this.

As a child, I had often fantasized about meeting an oni. But I quickly dismissed such thoughts. This was a place of life and death. Survival was paramount.

I hardened my resolve and glared into the depths.

Then, ten goblins and two two-meter-tall ogres emerged.

Seeing this, I thought to myself, 'Lucky.' To be so thrilled to meet an Ogre... But when it saw us, it let out a roar and gave a command to the goblins, and I immediately shifted my focus. It was a battle in a cave. Bardos and I cut down the approaching goblins one after another with our Kodachi and Machete.

Specifically, we dodged their clubs and knives and cut their necks and torsos in two.

It was almost an instant kill.

After all the goblins were wiped out, the ogres, seeing this, retreated deeper into the cave.

It didn't seem like they were running away in fear. They were probably trying to lure us to a place where it was easier to fight. Bardos and I nodded to each other and went deeper.

The back of the cave was slightly brighter and about the size of a children's park in a city.

Against the back wall, two ogres stood waiting, clubs in hand.

Bardos and I sheathed our Kodachi and Machete and switched to our sword and great axe. We split to the left and right, and the ogres mirrored our movements.

It was a one-on-one fight for each of us.

In my fight with the Ogre, it attacked first. It brought its club down vertically, but while it was faster than a goblin, it was still slow.

I easily dodged it, cloaked my sword in lightning, and thrust it into the Ogre's open side.

"Thunder Strike Thrust!"

I shouted, and lightning ran through the Ogre's body.

As the Ogre was paralyzed from the lightning and hunched over, I sent electricity into my arm to strengthen my muscles. Then, from an overhead stance, I aimed for the Ogre's neck and brought my sword down.

As a result, the Ogre's head fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, in Bardos and the Ogre's fight, they both ran at each other, and their great axe and club clashed. For a moment, it seemed their strength was evenly matched, but Bardos was pushing with more force. Then, his great axe knocked the club aside, and the Ogre lost its balance. Not missing the opportunity, Bardos swung his great axe sideways and slashed open the Ogre's stomach.

As a large amount of blood flowed from its stomach and the Ogre writhed in agony, he swung his great axe and sent its head to the ground.

Both of our fights ended at almost the same time.

Bardos and I looked at each other and checked for injuries.

We were satisfied that we were mostly unharmed. We had consumed little stamina, and it wouldn't hinder our next actions.

Then, I looked around.

Inside the cave, there were pots and wooden boxes containing water, fruit, and meat. The meat had been processed, so I figured they had attacked and stolen it from humans while it was being transported.

I thought about taking it back, but it was slightly rotten, so I decided against it.

Just then, I felt something hard under the sole of my shoe.

It felt different from a stone, so I lifted my foot and saw a transparent yet sparkling stone. I analyzed it.

It was a mineral made only of carbon, with a hardness resistant to cuts and friction.

In short, it was a diamond.

I was quite shaken. Even a one-carat diamond was a gem that easily exceeded ten thousand yen. And this one was this big—at least ten carats. It might be worth a million, or even ten million.

As I trembled at such an object, Bardos said,

"What's wrong? You're trembling just looking at that little stone? Is there something special about it?"

At Bardos's words, I said,

"A little stone? Is this diamond worthless here?"

To my bewildered words, Bardos replied,

"Yeah, that stone, a diamond. There are as many of them around here as there are rocks and stones. They're hard and resistant to slashes, but they're weak to impact, so they're useless for defending against monster attacks. You can't do much with them even if you process them, and there are plenty of harder minerals. So they're treated the same as any other stone around here. They're not rare at all. But Shinsuke, you looked surprised to see it. Why?"

His words almost made me lose my composure, but I pulled myself together and said,

"Oh, where I'm from, it was something often used in rituals. It was hard to find, and when someone found one, everyone rejoiced. I've never found one myself, so that's why I was surprised."

I told a pretty big lie.

At my words, Bardos seemed to accept it for the time being with a 'huh' kind of expression.

But to learn that diamonds were worthless in this world, as common as rocks and stones, and could be found anywhere, I felt a great sense of exhaustion and a loss of consciousness. I wanted to scream about how many people on Earth were struggling to find this mineral, but I held it in. At the same time, I had heard something good.

I learned that no one would complain if I looked for this mineral.

In that case, it wouldn't be strange to find even bigger stones lying around. I was inwardly pleased, thinking that I had found more items to put up for the black market auction.

The types of monster pelts were the same as the animals on Earth, but their horns, fangs, and physical size were different. If I put too many up for auction, there was a high possibility that the other side's tolerance for just observing would reach its limit. But if I put up these diamonds, which could also be obtained on their side, I thought I could at least reduce the possibility of being suspected.

I decided to start looking for them at night as soon as this job was over.

But before that, there was something I had to do. The gaze I had been feeling for a while now, and the killing intent.

I gestured to Bardos with my finger that there was someone behind us.

Bardos had noticed too and gave a thumbs-up.

And then I said,

"Why don't you just come out? I know you've been following us from town."

At my words, perhaps resigned to his fate, the one who emerged was the 'self-proclaimed genius adventurer,' Ave.

"Hmph. To have sensed my presence all this time and yet deliberately ignore it, luring me to a deserted place. You seem to have some skill. But choosing a deserted place is a bad move. If you get into a pinch here, no one will come to help you. As a passing grade, you're on the lower end."

Ave said in a condescending, mocking tone.

Bardos and I sighed. A guy this conceited... I couldn't help but seriously wonder what kind of easy life he had lived.

As I thought this, I said,

"I don't care about your evaluation. So? What do you want? And please be brief and to the point."

To my question, Ave replied,

"You're quite composed, facing a genius like me. Well, fine, I'll be direct. Be killed by me. Scum."

To that reply, I said,

"To think you would say something like that. 'Be killed?' It's so stupid it's not even angering, just exasperating. Don't you think so, Bardos?"

Bardos nodded at my words.

Seeing our attitude, Ave said,

"Hmph. You're the stupid ones. You suddenly came between me and that beautiful woman and scarred this face. If you hadn't interfered at that time, she would have accepted my offer. That is your mistake and your crime. It's common sense for a sinner to atone with death."

To Ave, who spoke such idiotic words with a graceful air, I said,

"Accepted your offer? She plainly refused you. Even when you persisted, Tina-san didn't even look at you. Your delusions and falsification of memory are nothing short of foolish."

At my words, Ave smiled with an air of leisure and said,

"What are you talking about? It was because you were next to her at that time. Because of you, she couldn't say what she really wanted to say, which was to accept my offer. And don't say her beautiful name so casually. Know your place, scum."

Slightly irritated by his words, I said,

"What I say about her has nothing to do with you. And Tina-san was only telling the truth. I've only known her for a short time, but I know that much. She hates lying."

At my words, Ave made a mocking face and said,

"Ha, that's your delusion. She was being held by a weakness by you, so she had to lie. Even an A-rank has to lie in front of a scum who knows something she doesn't want known."

"I am not so heartless as to stand by and watch such a beautiful and noble spirit be trampled by your filthy feet. I will kill you here and release her from her curse, like a knight!"

Ave said, drawing the greatsword from his back.

The discussion was over. He was radiating an aura that said, 'I'm going to kill you now.' Bardos readied his great axe, but I stopped him with my hand.

'I'll do it alone,' I conveyed with my eyes, and Bardos accepted.

To be honest, this type of person pisses me off more than anything, and I just want to beat them to a pulp. On Earth, people who act all high and mighty because their parents are rich or politicians, who use money to get by, and who succeed as a matter of course through their parents' connections, often look down on others and spew insults as if they were breathing.

Of course, there are people who aren't like that, but it's a fact that there are many who look down on others.

And those people insist that they are right, never admit their mistakes, never bow their head, and instead say that the other person is wrong and force them to apologize.

Shoplifting and violence were good examples.

When I saw such news or recorded programs, I couldn't help but get pissed off. But there was nothing I could do. I was powerless and miserable, unable to arrest or condemn them.

But now, it's different. This is another world. No one will blame me for using violence.

I shouldn't do it to ordinary people, but there's no problem fighting another adventurer. Especially if they're intent on killing me. More than anything, his defamatory statement that they were being forced to obey because he had a hold on them... I couldn't suppress the black impulse in my chest.

I drew my sword and said to the self-proclaimed genius,

"Sorry, Mr. Self-Proclaimed Genius Knight, but you're going to have to be my stress relief."