Chapter 23

The Way of Trampling Someone

The horde of monsters seemed to be looking for something .

It’s like they’re looking something that ought to be around here .

They are clearly looking for me .

Maybe they traced me by my smell .

Though, it looks like this foul-smelling zone had hidden my scent .

But... I can’t take action against them .

Something is different from these minotaurs and birdheads .

They are certainly giving off the impression of a “flock of animals” .

However, I can feel a hint of intelligence from them .

The monsters stepped on the bones that had been scattered .

Pekkiii!

[Kaaaahheeeeee, guuuooooohhh, gggeeerrrriiii, ggeeeerrrriiii? Gguuee, guueeguuueee, gguueegguuee gggguueeeeeerrriiiihhhh!

Pekkii! Pakkii! Beekkkiii!

“gwhere!? gwhere!? gwhere!?”

That’s how their calls sound to me .

[It would be impossible to escape from here without being noticed–]

I pull out my body from the hole between the bones .

[In the end, it’s not like I plan to run anyway . ]

I didn’t take any measure to hold this fort .

It’s not possible to specifically target all of them from here .

The nest is slightly elevated than the surroundings .

There’s also a rock wall on the back .

It seems that the circumstances this time is favorable .

Most of the monsters I see are humanoid lizards .

It looks like they were the so-called “Lizardman” .

But they look worse than the Lizardman I know .

There are those black objects protruding out from its shoulder that strangely looks like tentacles .

The tentacles looks like they’re twisted rag as they’re moving about in the air .

There’s also those liquid that were dripping from the tip of those tentacles .

Drip, drop...

Shuuuuuuu...

Are those acid too?

I think it’s better if I give up on the thought of eating this monsters here .

Their pupils are colored like a muddy gold .

While the area around his eyes are completely black .

That opening in its forehead— is that another mouth?

Does it have two mouths, one above and another below?

Their leg parts are more remarkably developed compared to their arms .

Their size is also bigger than the others .

It was even bigger than the minotaurs, which were already gigantic .

There were 20 of such monstrosities, or so I estimate .

[Gii gyuueehh?]

The first lizardman who noticed me made a hoarse cry .

[Giiguuueeaaahhh!!!]

All of the monsters looked at me at once .

Their killing intent is spreading even from where I stand .

But it’s not just pure killing intent .

[Giiyooo, giiyyooo, giiyyyooiiiihhh!!!]

[Hmm?]

Someone from the back lifted something in its hand as it moved forward .

That something is stuck on a long pole .

It was a skeleton .

It’s probably a human skeleton .

What’s more, the skeleton was dressed .

No– is it dressed by them?

[Uuueeehhh, uueeehh, uueehhehhehh~ ♪ ]

The lizardman swings the bones it’s raising left and right .

The guy next to him makes a gesture as if it’s planning to play a trick .

It’s squinting its eyes and it seems that it’s acting like it’s crying .

The guy who is imitating a crying child looks up towards the sky .

[Iiyaaaahhhhhh!!!]

It feels like it’s trying to change it’s voice .

Is it imitating someone screaming this time?

[Ah...]

I see, so that’s what they’re doing .

It’s an imitation of the dressed skeleton, a woman’s skeleton .

This time, another lizardman holding a soot skeleton came forward .

The skeleton this time is dressed like a man .

This skeleton certainly looks more solid than before .

A soot-colored skeleton .

That’s what I imagined .

One of the lizardman lied down on its back .

[Giieehhh, ggiiieehhhh, gggiiyyyooeeeeehhhh!?]

It’s swinging around it’s limbs as it screams loudly .

The lizardmen around it looks like they’re speaking with each other happily .

[Guueee, ggiiiyyaaa, giiiyaaa, giiyyaaaahhh ♪ ]

[Gggeeee, ggeeeee ♪ ggeee hhiiiiihhhh ♪ ]

They’re laughing at it .

The plight for life of a dying disposed person .

That disposed person probably is burned or beaten to death .

These guys enjoyed seeing the disposed person’s shriek of agony .

Doshhiiinnn!

After a few moments, another one with a bigger body came out from the back .

That guy put a skull near its feet .

The skull was also from a human .

Meryii—beekkkiii!!!

The big guy trampled the skull with the sole of its foot and crushed the skull .

Its eyes narrowed down and looked as if it’s squinting .

Its sharp fangs could be seen and the corner of its lips are visibly raised .

It’s smirking .

Now, be frightened!

We will kill you this way .

We will crush you to pieces .

We will trample you like so .

Or so I think what they’re trying to say .

Even if I’m clueless about their language, the thought completely came through .

I had already understood .

The lizardmen haven’t started attacking yet .

Their making light of me .

An E-Rank with a low correction value .

The growth of all my stats except for MP is really bad, even if my level has greatly increased .

It is overwhelmingly inferior compared to the other disposed persons .

They had already judged the “weakness” of the disposed people .

Even back in the past, they had already encountered the strongest of the low-level disposed people .

Therefore, there had no need to kill immediately .

There is no need to take initiative .

Why, you ask?

It’s because they could kill you anytime .

It’s because those people from the bottom can never get out of this predicament .

A cruel preference along with their killing intent .

I see... it seems they’re a bit different from the other monsters I’ve encountered so far .

I don’t think they’ve even thought that I have killed the dragon zombie here .

I’m just a “human” who had been secretly hiding in the dead carcass of the dead dragon .

Perhaps, that’s what they have perceived .

[......... . ]

They look the same .

The current situation is just like the scene before I had been sent here .

Those guys from 2-C .

Kirihara, Oyamada, Yasu, that sh*tty goddess...

An air full of scorn and curses, as if they’re throwing stones to those who were weak .

The air of someone who looks down on the weak .

The air of those who howl unsightly looking for hope .

Suuu...

I raise my arm and held it forward .

The lizardmen were feeling excited .

I get the feeling like they’re jeering at me .

Raising my arms forward may have given the impression of someone saying, “Please wait a moment!” .

[To all you bastards, I give my thanks . ]

[Ggiiyyoo?]

The lizardmen glare at me with cold eyes .

[For simple trashes like you all, I could kill you without hesitation . ]

Kuuuoooooooohhhhhh—

At that moment, one of the lizardmen’s eyes lit up .

A strange high-pitched cry reverbrated .

The back of its forehead and its eyes were shining red .

The upper mouth of the lizardman also became more reddish .

[]

[Gguuoo, guueee...? Geehh, ggeeehhh . geeehhh!? Ggeeggeeeehhh—]

Boggaannn!!!

The lizardman’s head that were turning red have exploded .

It had blown out everything above its neck .

The energy that it was about to release has lost its bearing and went out of control .

Did it get angry and was trying to threaten me?

Or is it that it got bored with me and now trying to kill me?

Whichever it is, I do not know .

I glance at the lizardman who has lost its neck .

[It begun, huh... when the enemies can use something like projectile weapons . ]

I had begun to take notice of something at this moment .

It’s thanks to the fact that I had passed a battle of life and death against those birdheads and minotaurs .

Have I become too sensitive as a result of my continued nervousness?

Have I become too adapted with this situation, that my instincts had adapted to the environment?

My reflexes to the opponent’s movements had been surprisingly high .

Now, I was able to react in just a moment .

I am now able to perceive their movements .

To put it in other words, I had gained the ability to forestall .

The sense of getting stronger by being placed beside death .

The reaction speed is not based on the correction values .

I think...

The thing that I, who had been always beside death, gained .

It’s a status(self-made) outside the status(correction values) .

Anyway, the key to this abnormal skill is that I had to apply this skill to them before they were able to move .

Victory is almost confirmed if I released my skill before the opponent could attack .

Therefore, improving my reflexes and prediction of the enemies’ initial movements were more important than anything else .

In that sense, it can be said that this place is perfect for honing my reflexes .

For a moment though, I suddenly felt lost for words .

The best training ground, heh .

Because this is such a place, even just a step forward made me keener .

[Guuu, ggiiieeeeehhh]

[Giii, giiggguuuu...?]

The group of lizardmen spread out like forming a fan in front of me .

Everyone of them seems to be feeling uncomfortable .

I can somehow get what they are thinking .

“How did that fellow miss that shot?”

The guys in the front row aren’t sure of what happened behind them .

They’re just stiffly standing there while facing me .

Yes— the lizardman can’t move already .

The composure in their face has long been lost already .

Perhaps that kind of face, is one expressing confusion upon their current predicament .

[Because I can now endow on multiple targets, it will be decided that I will endow it to them all together . ]

The lizardmen is confused as they felt the coming crisis on them .

[Ggggiii, gggeee, gggeeee...!]

[... . that’s quite a good expression, isn’t it? I see—]

Is that the expression of someone knowing they’re about to be trampled?

[Hmm?]

Something is coming...

Dododododododododododo... . .

A group of quadruped lizards which had string like tools wrapped around it’s neck .

It sounds like a muddy stream is approaching in here .

Maybe it’s that explosion before that might have attracted them here .

Are these the lizardmen’s pet mount?

Its eyes were golden .

There’s orange lines flowing within its black skin .

They number about twenty .

They also have those tentacles that squirts liquid from the tip .

It was those eyes though that caught my attention, it’s full of killing intent .

Its line of sight has caught me .

This lizard gives off the same feeling as those minotaurs and birdheads .

This guy, purely wanted to kill me .

[Ggiiiiyoooeeehhh! Gggiiggiiiyyyooooeeeeeehhh!]

[Iggiieeeeehhh! Eehhehhehhhhehhhh!]

They’re scrambling to rush towards here .

It’s like they’re trying to say that I were their prey .

[Ggyyooo, gggueeehhh!?]

The first lizard blows away the lizardman who were paralyzed in the furthest row .

...are they not their owner?

Furthermore,

Doooo—gggaaannnn!

Doooggaannn!

It happened around the back of the approaching quadruped lizard .

[[Ggiiiiyyyaaaaoooohhhh!!!]]

Two more dragon zombies appeared by destroying the walls .

Was it also drawn by the sound of explosion from earlier?

With its momentum when it broke through the wall, they opened their mouths and rushed towards here .

[Geez...]

...is everyone retarded these days?

[Why the heck are you bastards coming here just for you to pretend like you’ll kill me?]

I guess he’s going to kill me .

I guess he’s going to play around with me .

I still believe that the monsters here were the strongest .

They may not have thought of being defeated of such a meager human .

[Though I’ve said that earlier... it seems that having a low correction value is surprisingly not bad at all . ]

They can estimate the strength of their opponents that were weaker than them .

I look down on the lizardmen who had been ridiculing me just now .

A super strong enemy that gives off an enormous amount of EXP you may be, your splendid negligence had been the cause of your conclusion .

[Well then— good work on coming here, you sh*tty monsters . ]

I raise both of my arms forward .

[]

With my bared teeth — I can feel a crooked grin on my face .

[]

Thank you everyone, it’s now time for your death .