kscans

Chapter 2 - The Mummy Is Moving for Some Reason

I was just your average reincarnated Vampire Bat, and when I came to, I had a human body.

"What is happening to me?!"

Seriously, what’s going on?! Somebody, tell me! In times like these, in times like these, I need someone knowledgeable… a Senior Vampire Bat! No… that won’t work. The senior bats are knowledgeable as Vampire Bats, but they don’t have any specialized knowledge. I remember times when they’d get some important info but fail to realize its significance and forget to report it. My Master would put a hand to his brow and sigh, "I suppose it’s true. You lot don’t possess the intelligence to understand such things."

Incidentally, since I had memories of being human in my past life, I made sure to report any information that seemed important. Because of that, my Master would praise me, saying, "You may be small, but you are quite perceptive," and would even give me fruit sometimes.

"Ah, that’s it! My Master! If I ask my Master!"

My Master might be able to understand this situation—no, he definitely will! So, I decided to hurry back to the castle where he resides… but.

Pyon pyon!

"Huh? I can’t fly?!"

I tried to fly home, but for some reason, I couldn’t!

"Oh, right. Because I have a human body now!"

What have I done?! I can’t fly back like this!

I guess I have no choice but to walk. Fortunately, I know which direction the castle is in. Just as I resigned myself to walking back, I heard a kachan sound from behind me.

"Hm?"

When I turned around, a Mummy was standing there.

"Eh?"

Huh? The Mummy is standing. Um, dead bodies don’t stand, right? Oh, wait, this is another world, so maybe it became an undead and started moving.

"But undead are…"

My Master once said that undead come into being because they have lingering regrets in this world. And unless they are controlled by special powers or magic, they act on instinct according to those regrets, which usually means they attack any living thing nearby. They might mistake someone for the source of their regret and attack, or they might envy the living and try to use that life to resurrect themselves.

And right now, I have a human body, not a monster’s. And I can’t fly.

With a zuzah, the Mummy staggered toward me, clutching its sword.

"D-don’t tell me I’m its target?!"

This is bad! It’s going to attack me! I panicked and started to run away. But my legs got tangled, and I couldn't run properly. You can’t blame me; it’s been so long since I had a human body!

As I ran, the Mummy chased after me.

"Gah! It’s chasing me!"

Luckily, the Mummy’s gait was also wobbly, so it couldn't catch up to me. Me, fleeing with clumsy steps, and the Mummy, chasing with staggering steps. From an outsider’s perspective, it must have been a ridiculous sight, but I was desperate!

"S-someone… help…"

Just then, someone emerged from the rustling bushes.

"Ah?!"

But it wasn't the convenient helping hand I’d hoped for. It was something far more terrifying.

"Grorororoh."

"A Mad Tiger?!"

The Mad Tiger, the killer of the forest. It boasts a body four times the size of an Earth tiger, and its abilities are, by my estimation, more than ten times greater. What’s more, thanks to its otherworldy nature, its fur has dozens of times the defensive power of an Earth tiger's, its claws are many times sharper than a katana, and they pack more of a punch than a Western sword (again, by my estimation).

When I used to scout from the sky, I saw many human warriors fall prey to its deadly fangs. And now, that Mad Tiger was looking at me, lowering its body. I’ve been completely locked on to!

"Grooooh!"

And then it leaped.

"H-h-help me!"

A cry for help that barely formed into words. But there was no one to answer it, and this time, I was surely going to di—

Zashuh!

"…!"

Dozaaaa!

Something incredibly heavy slammed into the ground, and the surroundings shook. But I didn't feel any pain. Was it because I died instantly?

A powerful scent of blood wafted toward me.

"…Eh?"

Lured by the smell, I opened my eyes to find that my body was completely unharmed. Instead, the Mummy stood before me, holding its pale blue, glowing sword at the ready.

"Huh? When did you…?"

I turned to the source of the scent behind me, and there lay the massive body of the Mad Tiger, split clean in two.

"Did… did you defeat it?"

When I asked, the Mummy nodded.

"Um, you… saved me."

I asked again, and the Mummy nodded once more.

"…Why?"