WeTried Translations

Translator: Nemui

Editor: Nemui

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◈ Scum of the Brave

Chapter 26

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The church stood in the snow of Hokkaido.

Originally, I had no idea what history it had or who had lived there. Maybe that bastard Priest had killed the caretaker or monk and stolen it.

At any rate, the church in my memory was modest, a building that suggested a simple life.

"What is that?"

Sara muttered blankly.

It absolutely had not been lit with neon and covered in signs like an arcade or pachinko parlor. Worse, the building had been expanded and remodeled until it looked almost like a hotel. The sign read Brave Hot Spring. Giving off tasteless light, it shone brightly even under the red evening sun.

On top of that, the road leading to the building had been carefully cleared of snow.

I felt madness.

And when it came to madness, there was this one.

"What, so there is a hot spring after all."

Jogamine happily nudged me with her elbow.

"As expected of Master! The people-handling technique of lowering our expectations before raising them! You wanted to go to a hot spring with beautiful girls like us, didn't you? I understand. I understand."

"You looked at that and thought it was a normal hot spring? You're amazing."

"Thank you."

Jogamine blushed. As far as I knew, this girl did not know what common sense was. It would not surprise me if she had been raised by monkeys somewhere deep in the mountains. And there was one more person whose common sense was thin.

"Yukine, did you bring the proper hot spring tools?"

"A float ring and... snorkel? Swimsuit? Are those really tools for a hot spring?"

"I heard they are essential for bathing. I have seen it on television, so I know a lot."

"I see. Then fine."

"Huh. Wait, that means..."

Sara looked shocked and glanced back at the backpack she was carrying.

"No way. Are you serious? Thinking I carried those things all this way suddenly made me even more tired."

"Do not worry, Sara. I have yours too. I am a prepared woman."

Sara gave no answer to that. Instead, she looked at me.

"Hey, Sensei."

"How should I know?"

I could not answer either. Instead, I looked at the sky. The sun had slanted considerably and was about to sink beyond the valley. The western sky was beginning to burn red, and the area was already being soaked in darkness.

"For now, use E3. All of you."

I pressed my own E3 to my neck and injected it immediately. My senses sharpened quickly.

"Sara. From your point of view, how is it? Do you feel anything from that, what should I call it, former church building?"

I had roughly guessed the traits of Sara Pendragon's Ether Perception. Most likely, Sara could perceive things that were a threat to her and measure the degree of that threat. It was a variant of future prediction and remote vision.

As a scout, it was a very effective Ether Perception.

"Mm. At this distance, I can't tell that accurately."

Sara crouched and narrowed her eyes, glaring at the building with the insane neon.

"I think there is definitely something there. Unless it's some automated security system or something. It is pretty bad."

"How bad?"

"That..."

Sara looked at me, then Indo, and grimaced hard.

"Probably about the same as Sensei. I think."

"I see."

In other words, the opponent was super first-rate. I only knew five or six Braves with skill on my level.

"Human. And multiple."

Jogamine, who muttered that, was already holding her one-handed sword.

"At this distance, I cannot hear clearly either, but I hear voices."

"Are they saying anything?"

"I am sorry. Not that much."

"We move closer little by little. Leave the backpacks here. Follow about ten steps behind."

"Master, I will guard your rear."

"Jogamine."

I grabbed this fool by the collar.

"If the opponent is on my level, this is no joke."

Saying only that, I began walking. Indo, the last one I met eyes with, nodded silently. I had observed her ability enough times now that I had a rough grasp of its range.

If she kept about ten steps away, she could jump to me with one use of Instantaneous Movement. I could expect support.

After that, we were silent. I lowered myself, stepped across the snow path, and moved as quickly as possible. There was nothing around to hide behind. Maybe because of the surrounding cold, my nerves felt strangely sensitive. I heard the wind far away.

The former church, glittering with neon, came closer. The cross on the roof was barely the only trace left. The distance was about fifty meters. I still could not see inside. I narrowed my eyes at a dirty window.

I thought something moved.

It came.

My Ether Perception was powerful exactly at times like this. I slowed my sense of time, stared at that something, and recognized it accurately.

A human silhouette. From the build, a man. He was holding something with both hands. Long and thin. A rifle. Bolt-action. A hunting gun or something.

Fire lit at the muzzle.

"Indo, come! Do it!"

I shouted and broke into a run. The window glass shattered, and a bullet flew. But against a Brave using E3, it was almost useless as a weapon. Worse for him, the opponent was me.

I stared at the bullet's path and dodged it by less than a centimeter. It had been aimed at my leg. I quickly approached the building. The shooter at the window immediately pulled back. Was he trying to draw me indoors?

"Sensei!"

Sara shouted.

"Above! Something bad is coming that way."

I saw a human-like shadow fall from the second-floor window. In its hand was a sword, no, a katana. The blade flashed in the remaining evening light. My eyes dazzled. I desperately twisted my body, flicked up the bastard sword, and received the blow.

In that instant, impact ran through my arm like it was being pierced.

"Seriously?"

I may have actually said that aloud.

The strike was so sharp and powerful that deflecting it was out of the question.

I was pushed in. I stretched one instant many times over and realized my hopeless disadvantage. In raw strength, the opponent might be above me. Yet even when I tried to twist the blade and let the force escape, the opponent did not resist the flow of power and skillfully followed it.

To counter my reaction speed while using E3, you first needed prediction. A godlike natural intuition, or experience on that same level. This person could do it. What a ridiculous opponent.

Trouble. Should I use Closing? It was a small gamble. If I failed, he would hit me with the slash.

"Master!"

I sensed Jogamine approaching. Shut up, I thought. The next instant would decide it.

I relaxed the force on my sword by the tiniest amount, about one finger's worth.

The opponent did not play along. Instead of sliding the blade and pushing in, he tried to bring his tip to my neck.

He knew what he was doing.

But I used that move too. Like prying open the opponent's blade with the tip of a tool, I pushed up while sliding my own tip. My aim was, of course, his neck. This became a contest between my physical reaction speed and his prediction. Which blade would arrive first? An instant stretched dozens of times further.

And then I noticed the opponent was smiling.

It was a filthy smile.

"Hey."

I lost all strength. I only knew one person who smiled like that. When I stopped my blade, the opponent's blade stopped too, right around where its tip touched my neck.

"What the hell. No wonder I thought you were such a damn annoying opponent."

"Thanks."

With a filthy smile, the man withdrew his blade.

"So? What are you doing here, Yashiro?"

"I could ask you the same. Maruta, you..."

I poked the dirty man, Maruta the Unlicensed, in the chest. After disappearing, he had ended up in a place like this.

"What are you doing here?"

"Obviously, part-time work."

"Part-time?"

"Yeah. Look."

Maruta turned around and exaggeratedly presented the tasteless building with both hands.

"Brave Hot Spring! Amazing, right? That bastard Priest came up with a good business."

"What is that?"

"Selling a night's meal and bed to the mercenaries around here. There's a hot spring too. Mostly just hot water, and a fake with no approval, though."

Showing his yellow teeth as he laughed, Maruta grabbed my collar and whispered.

"Perfect timing. Yashiro, you grabbed some clue and came searching around here too, right? I got here first. Impressive, right? Anyway, let's talk inside."

Apparently, that was best. I silently nodded and turned around. The three students did not understand what had happened and had similarly stupid looks on their faces. Apparently, they did not understand the situation. Then again, neither did I.

"Good for you."

For the moment, I raised both hands toward the three in surrender.

"For some reason, it seems there is something resembling Hokkaido gourmet food and hot springs."

"Right, right."

Maruta smiled with irritating friendliness.

"Welcome to Brave Hot Spring! We welcome you, young ladies."

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