WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 315: I'm a Fan (2)

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3.

Curious events continued. Astonishingly, the boy who had introduced himself as my fan turned out to be a Constellation rather than a hunter.

"Can Constellations get lost or starve too?"

"Of course, King of Death."

The boy gave a broad smile.

"Constellations come in all shapes and sizes!"

We happened to be going in the same direction, so we decided to accompany each other for a while. We chatted as we walked along the quiet forest path, with the rabbits and deer that peeked out from the bushes as our audience.

"I really don't have a single follower... There was one 600 years ago, but not a single one since then. Essentially, I've been living like a complete pauper."

"Really? So..."

I looked the boy over with fresh eyes, from head to toe. Dressed in rags, he looked every bit like a child from a poor neighborhood.

"You’re at least 600 years old...?"

"Maybe even ten times that. Constellations have a different sense of time from hunters! It's quite common to count ages up to a thousand, but after that, we just give up. It's meaningless, unrewarding, and no fun!"

That's terrifying.

"As a Constellation, you must have an alias. What is it?"

"Ugh. Of course, I have both an alias and a true name, but it's a bit embarrassing to tell it to such a respected person such as King of Death... But I'll muster my courage and tell you! Yes! My name is..."

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"Wow."

I nodded.

Somehow, it felt like a good name.

It suited the brightly smiling boy before me so perfectly that it seemed to have been created just for him.

"It's a nice name. Why be embarrassed? It's a great name."

"I-Is it? Ahaha. If the King of Death says so, it must be. Um! I'm embarrassed..."

The boy laughed softly and scratched his cheek with his index finger. He looked remarkably innocent. I smiled warmly and glanced around.

"Now, where was it in this direction?"

"Is there somewhere you want to go?"

"I was thinking of stopping by a city or town to get some supplies. Preferably a large town..."

I wanted to buy at least one set of clothes for this boy who seemed nothing like a Constellation. As I was thinking that, the boy suddenly raised his hand.

"Ah!"

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"There's such a place just off this road!"

"Huh?"

I turned in the direction the boy indicated, enhanced my vision with aura, and peered into the distance. Just as he had said, there was a city there.

"Oh, really."

We headed towards it. Upon arrival, it was neither too large nor too small, exactly the kind of settlement I had hoped for in my mind.

I entered a clothing store. The wind chime on the door jingled. The middle-aged shop owner, who had been reading a book inside, looked up.

"Welcome."

"Hello. I'm here to look at some clothes."

I pointed out the window.

In the middle of the street, a small boy stood staring this way.

"I'd like to buy that child some clothes. Something easy to move around in. Do you have anything suitable?"

"A child?"

The shopkeeper looked puzzled as they peered out the window.

"Where is this child you are talking about?"

"Right there. That boy who is practically dressed in rags."

"Hmm? Sorry, but I don't see anyone. I don't know what you're..."

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"Ah, that child."

The elderly shopkeeper adjusted their glasses. Perhaps their vision had deteriorated with age? The elderly shopkeeper seemed slightly embarrassed by their mistake and smiled awkwardly.

"My apologies. The poor, frail child. You said clothes that are easy to move in? Wait just a moment and I will bring something out."

"Ah, thank you."

"Everything is business, after all."

I paid and handed the clothes to the boy.

Blink.

The boy stared blankly up at me.

"What's this for, King of Death?"

"It's a gift."

A wide, white robe.

Although white might seem prone to stains, it was actually a magic item impervious to dirt. The robe was enchanted with both warmth and cooling magic. It could even serve as a sleeping bag when camping, and with many pockets inside, it offered ample storage space.

"I thought such a robe would come in handy, more so than fancy clothes. Want to try it on?"

"......"

Hesitantly, the boy put on the robe.

"Oh, it looks good."

The white robe suited the boy's naturally innocent air. Feeling an inexplicable sense of pride, I looked him over from front to back.

"But isn't it a bit big?"

Everything else was fine, but the robe was far too loose for the boy's build. It looked nearly one and a half sizes too large.

"That's strange. I thought it would fit perfectly..."

"Mm... no."

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"It's okay if it's this size, I think."

The girl pulled her hand out from the sleeve. Just a moment ago, her hand had been buried in the sleeve, but now it barely overlapped her wrist. The fit didn't seem excessively wrong.

"Good to hear. I must have been mistaken."

I smiled warmly at the girl.

"It was brief, but I enjoyed our time together."

"......"

"Be careful not to get lost in the forest next time. You can't always count on someone like me being around. I'll be on my way now."

Just as I was about to turn and leave.

"Ki-King of Death! Wait a moment!"

The girl grabbed my sleeve.

"Yes?"

"Well..."

The girl hesitated. Her lips parted, but her tongue seemed to lose its way and circle inside her mouth. Once, she looked up at me and clenched her teeth.

I could briefly glimpse the myriad thoughts crossing through the girl's eyes.

"So..."

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What could it be?

Her gaze seemed to be asking for my help. Just as I was about to ask what was wrong in return, someone's muttering cut in.

“I've found you."

It wasn't the girl's voice nor was it mine.

"I've been looking for you for a long time."

"......!"

I swiftly turned towards the source of the voice, gripping the hilt of the holy sword. The voice had come precisely twelve steps away from me, and I had failed to notice any presence until [the other party came within twelve steps].

The implication was clear.

The opponent was an incredibly skilled master.

-Zombie.

'Yes.'

Guardian Spirit warned me in a subdued voice. Knowing well what he was warning about, I nodded.

'...Among the hunters I've met on the 60th floor, he is the strongest by far. That guy.'

He was a man dressed in dark robes.

"I thought you'd run somewhere, but hiding in a village of all places. I wonder if you were trying to hide a tree in the forest, but you weren't the only one with that idea."

The man wore a conical hat, which was so tattered that it was full of holes. It did nothing to shield from rain or snow, and it even failed to hide the man's face.

Through the holes in the conical hat, the man's eyes flicked toward me.

"You’re hanging around with strange folks, I see."

"......"

"Come with me. You wouldn't want to see blood flow in the streets, would you?"

The grip on my sleeve tightened.

The girl, completely terrified, clung to me.

"......Hmm."

I subtly shifted to shield the girl from the man's gaze. The man with the conical hat frowned.

"What are you?"

"I don't know who you are or why you want to take this child. But the moment you ask [what are you] instead of [who are you] upon first meeting someone, it already shows what kind of person you are."

"Interesting."

The man with the conical hat sneered.

"You know how to judge a person's character but you can't assess strength. Usually, such people die first. You've done well to make it to the 60th floor."

"Perhaps it means I'm not your average person?"

"If you do not die even after your head comes off, I will acknowledge that."

Chaaang!

What happened in the following instant was as follows.

The man drew his sword and swung it first. A black aura surged, slicing through the air between us in an instant. However, when the distance of twelve steps was reduced to six, my sword stroke intercepted the man's attack.

"......."

The man's eyes widened, seemingly surprised.

Then, whoosh! From three directions, southeast, behind, and west, throwing stars flew towards me. The man wasn't alone; he had brought accomplices and had them lie in wait, but I had already sensed the hostility of the three, and before the throwing stars could come within twenty steps, I intercepted them.

"Huh."

The man's eyes widened a bit more.

One of the apparently ordinary pedestrians near me suddenly drew a dagger from their clothes and lunged. They too were one of the man's companions. I reinforced my right hand with aura and caught the dagger in a crushing grip. I twisted their hand, and at their cry of "Kuhak?!" shattered the arm through the shoulder and hurled them backward.

That was the full account of what transpired in that brief moment.

"…Not bad."

"Hiiieek!"

As if time, which had briefly paused, started to flow again, screams erupted from the streets. People, belatedly realizing there was a fight, hurriedly moved away.

Only I and the girl remained.

The man with the conical hat and his companions remained on the road.

"You’ve got the nerve for such bold words, huh."

"Let's just say I have the ability to discipline the arrogant."

"You knew who we were before you resisted, didn't you?"

"Well, I'm not sure. Hmm. I don't really know."

I stroked my chin.

"Maybe, just a bunch of scumbags trying to drag away a powerless Constellation...?"

"......"

The man with the conical hat's expression became increasingly interesting to watch. Still, it lacked entertainment value. A man's life is his face. Let's make it more interesting.

"Ah. So you're so poor you keep wearing the same conical hat because you can't afford a new one. I see your organization is broke. Should I sponsor you? I have so much money it's practically rotting. I can save up to four beggars like you. Five is tough though. You guys decide who to drop out by drawing straws."

"Decided."

The man in the conical hat adjusted his grip on the long sword.

"I'll cut off your tongue and feed it to the dogs."

The blade gleamed with ominous energy.

It wasn't honed through ordinary means of cultivating aura.

"King of Death..."

Behind me, the girl's anxious voice trembled. Wondering whether she should seek help or if she was just being a burden. I gently winked at her, who was caught between two emotions.

"It's okay."

"......"

The girl bowed her head deeply.

Meanwhile, the man with the conical hat assumed a stance.

"I am the leader of the Blood Demon God Cult, the Blood Demon."

"......Huh?"

I blinked.

"The Blood Demon?"

"Yes."

"The Blood Demon Cult? You mean, a Demonic Cult? A Demonic Cult with 'Blood' stuck in front?"

"Indeed."

The man with the conical hat smirked, seemingly pleased with my reaction.

"It's too late for regrets now. Of course, if you cut off your own tongue as an apology, I might forgive you. Spend your life as a mute, repenting for your arrogance. I am generous to those who can chastise themselves..."

"What's that? A total pseudo-religious cult?"

"......"

Abruptly.

The man with the conical hat stopped talking.

I was flabbergasted.

"Why is some sham cult leader roaming around calling himself 'this exalted one' over and over? Blood Demon? Divine Cult? A Demonic Cult should be the Demonic Cult, and a Heavenly Demon should be the Heavenly Demon. What hole did a mongrel like the Blood Demon crawl out of?"

"What..."

"Hey. Who gave you permission to put 'Demonic Cult' in your organization's name? Now I see you are not beggars. My mistake. Even the Beggars' Sect has more pedigree than you. If the Beggars' Sect picked a fight with you by asking what rootless rabble you were, even the authorities would take their side."

"......"

"And listen, the Blood Demon is one of the Four Demon Lords I keep with me. It is a title used not by the cult leader, but by someone below the person below the cult leader. Tsk. How dare you strut around calling yourself 'this exalted one'? Want me to teach you a lesson? Want a beating?"

"You......"

"In any case, the more someone comes from a martial world, the less manners they seem to have. Please act your level. Your level. Now for my assessment, so listen carefully. First, take the 'Demon' off your signboard. Take off 'Divine' too. I will recognize you as the Blood Cult, at most."

"I'll kill you."

The man's face twisted like a demon's.

"I'll definitely kill you!"

No.

Why is the sham cult leader the one getting angry?

The one who farted is throwing a fit.

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