Day 391-400/Day 393

Day 393
After things settled down we decided to stay overnight in the village of the Nahán tribe.
The night passes without incident, and the gleaming sun rises in the desert.
The breakfast item is a cooked litter of citrus fish which the clan chief caught.
It's early in the morning, so the fresh food seems to be especially invigorating, making me feel like I could move around all day.
With us set to leave today, I handed a card to the clan chief and promised, "If there is an opportunity, I will come by again" "Hmm, if so, I will host a grand feast in your honor at that time".
There was a good encounter and parting, but as we moved back down the river slowly, a winding valley appeared.
The river is flowing through the valley floor, with walls that are likely to be more than 200 meters high. Here we were able to feel the magnificent power of nature.
It would have been eroded by the water and wind over an incredibly long period of time.
The walls are basically reddish brown throughout, but the subtle scenery makes it possible to feel the long history of the surroundings where the strata are clearly distinguishable by the difference in color.
There was no human hand in creating this.
It was all a natural art that was built over a long time.
It can be said that enjoying the unique nature of these areas is one of the real pleasures of travel, as well as cooking your meals off the land.
I would like to see more of the various kinds of natural vistas if they look like this.
But it seems that anyone can come here, regardless of their character.
As we were going through the valley, a group that seem to be something like [pirates], which is the same classification as [bandits] and [thieves], struck.
Perhaps they were focused on quick raids, there are about twenty boats with only a few passengers, making up a fleet and heading for us.
Other than that, some of their number cut into the valley wall to build footholds, and there are [Pirates] riding the bow of each small boat equipped with bows and arrows or stones to line up a flurry of shots.
It seemed like the [pirate] were on that scale in planning large scale attacks, with the numbers to match.
It seems a Jamal with red-brown body hair is leading the attacking [pirates]. Does he have a flame or heating ability, because the surroundings are vaguely shaking.
Maybe it is kind of [Legendary] ability? Although I tried to look into it a little but, apparently, it seems just be a [Kago Possession].
While slightly disappointed, I ignore the voice saying "I will overlook your trespassing if you share a part of your shipment" and just thrust into the battle.
The [Pirates] who are surrounding us in their small boats get close enough for us to see its passengers and get on if we want, but after all they are small boats. Although it was in its ship state, the [Sharkhead issue] was definitely certain to sink the ships by lightly scraping alongside them.
After being thrown overboard, the enemies floating on the surface of water before being eaten by [Shark Head].
Apparently, and without upsetting the water, in tens of seconds the enemies who were on board were annihilated.
Some were eaten, others were sliced by the sharp scales, and the remains were eaten by a group of piranhas leaping energetically.
While looking at the slaughter by a somewhat unreasonable ship, [Big Boots] was on the cliffs but, following the panicked orders of the reddish brown Jamal leader who returned earliest, they shot arrows towards us all at once.
The arrows rained down while drawing an arc.
It may be wonderful under normal circumstances but, for the members who are out, they now may not even pierce the skin.
Although it is a meaningless attack, but I dared to intercept them with swing of my arms.
Roaring, with a violently swirling atmosphere, instead of playing with the rain of the arrows, it is accelerated them several times over and sent them back.
Most of the arrows could not bear the momentum of the storm and broke, but the remaining arrows struck the shooters.
Some pierced the eyeballs, others have thousands of splinters sunk into their flesh, others seem to be attacked by their fellows who were blinded by pain.
None seems to have not died yet, but they had a wide range of injuries, from minor to the seriously wounded people, who were better off dead.
A devastating amount of damage was caused with just a swing of my arm, but it did not finish all of them, a part of the storm became a blade, cutting off the scaffold on the cliff and reforming it smoothly, and all the remaining [Pirates] remained fell down.
The bottom is water, so they did not just hit the ground and die, but there seems to have been a shock either way, there are many people who are struggling with the pain from hitting the water. Besides, it seems that some of those people are drowning, they must not be good at swimming in a place with so much land.
The consequences for the attacking [Pirate] is truly daunting.
Just before the small [Sharkhead] overran them I stopped it, since some reward money may be available, we will lift out a few of the leaders and executives from the remaining survivors.
Although they could have been picked up with a net, but since it's troublesome to use, I just moved the water by using [Origin]. Like a caricature of an octopus or squid, water moved at my signal and a dozen people who were already breathless were thrown in.
Desperately spitting up water while catching their breath, I am watching over them with a fearsome eye. It seems their hearts have already given up, since there is no resistance from them.
I think that the inside of the ship may get dirty if they go down as wet as they are so, for the time being, I battered them with hot air without mercy.
It is bothersome to assign a guard for these prisoners, so I are have no choice but to deal with them myself.
Either way, it is not a painful transition, so I don't worry about it too much.
As their tempers are high and they are covered in wet clothes, I take the opportunity while drying them thoroughly to disarm them.
It would be troublesome if they have a small weapon hidden behind their back and go on a rampage or harm themselves.
It's hot, so it's okay if we only leave them in their wet underwear.
After that, I put them in an iron cage and push it into a room inside the ship. As well as arranging several tough "Torture Demon Tuchar Road" equipped with a black hood and an apron as guards.
If they still rampage, they will be strapped to a restraining chair used as a guinea pig for biological weapons and "discussions" using torture devices that are treated like biological weapons as well.
As I finished, I went outside for a while and thought about the battle.
Then, a torture demon, a truly atrocious sadist, entered the cage saying, "If you want to leave this boat, I will have to tattoo you with each of your sins, one by one, so you do not forget them. It will be very painful, but it's okay, if you listen to what I say, you will be able to escape from here." He spoke gently and encouraged them to escape.
It is obvious that we will not actually let them escape, but we are looking forward to how deep into despair they will sink from crushing their hope.
The [Pirates] are puzzled by his apparent heinousness, but what will they choose?
I am not overly interested, so I left them there.
I still have such a feeling, though I am only a little interested, I will still move on.
At the next city state, I was able to confirm the existence of reward money being offered for any [Pirate] and, if nothing else, I would have eaten the leader of [Kagosho Hold], what else could I do?
Even if they wanted to work as a subordinate, it is not necessary anymore because there are already more capable members now.
If I force them to work, I will not get much out of them.
Do you kill for the experience gain or sell them?
Yes, I will sell them to slave merchants. For the captives, it may be somewhat better than being killed.
It would be, unless the torture demon had broken them.
Shallow behavior is something I want to refrain from.
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“三百九十三日目”
　結局ナハーン族の集落に一泊する事となった。
　何事もなく夜は過ぎ、燦々と輝く太陽が砂漠に上る。
　朝食は氏族長が捕まえた魚を、飯勇達が調理した品である。
　朝なのでサッパリとしながらも活力が漲るような魚料理で、今日一日も元気に動けそうだ。
　別れ際には氏族長に名鉄を渡し、『機会があればまた来ます』『ふーむふむ、ならばその時も盛大に接待しよう』などと約束も交わしている。
　良き出会いと別れがあり、再びゆっくり遡上していくと、曲がりくねった渓谷が出現した。
　高さは二百メートル以上もありそうな谷底を流れているここでは、雄大な自然の力を感じる事が出来た。
　ここは長い月日を経て、水と風によって浸食されたのだろう。　
　基本的に赤茶色いが、微妙に色合いが異なる事で地層がハッキリと分かる周囲の風景は、現在に至るまでの長い歴史を感じる事が出来た。
　誰かヒトの手が入った訳ではない。
　長い時間をかけて構築された自然の芸術。
　こういった地域の独特の自然を楽しむのも、土地の料理などと同じく旅の醍醐味の一つだと言える。
　もっとこういう自然を見て、色々と感じたいものだ。
　しかし無粋な者はどこにでも居るらしい。
　渓谷を進んでいると、【山賊】や【盗賊】などと同じ分類になる、【河賊】らしき集団が襲ってきた。
　速度重視なのだろう、数人乗りの小舟が二十隻ほどで船団を作り、こちらに向かって来ている。
　それ以外には渓谷の岩肌を削って足場を構築し、そこには小舟に乗りきらない【河賊】達が弓矢や石などを装備してズラリと並ぶ。
　襲ってきたのはそこそこの規模の【河賊】らしく、数も準備も大掛かりだった。
　襲ってきた【河賊】を率いるのは、一人だけ赤茶色い体毛のジャマールだ。炎熱系統の能力があるのか、その周囲はぼんやりと揺れている。
　もしかしたら【英勇】の類かな？　と少し期待してみたが、どうやらただの【加護持ち】らしい。
　期待外れにガッカリしつつ、『積み荷を渡すなら見逃してやる』などという声を無視してそのまま突っ込む。
　周囲の小舟に乗る【河賊】達がそれを見て直接乗り込もうと近付くが、所詮は小舟。船舶状態だが、確かに生きている【シャークヘッド号】が軽く身震いするだけで呆気なく沈没していく定めにあった。
　そして投げ出され、水面でばたつく敵は【シャークヘッド号】によって捕食されていく。
　そして特に番狂わせもなく、数十秒もすれば小舟に乗っていた敵は全滅した。
　ある者は喰われ、ある者は鋭利なヒレによって斬殺され、その残骸は元気よく跳ねる肉食魚ピルラニアの群れに喰われたらしい。
　少々理不尽な船による殺戮を見てビビる崖の【河賊】達だが、いち早く我に返ったリーダーの赤茶色いジャマールの慌てた声に従い、一斉に矢を放った。
　弧を描きながら飛来する矢の雨。
　普通なら驚異かもしれないが、今外に出ているメンバーなら皮膚に突き刺さる事すらないだろう。
　無意味な攻撃だが、しかしあえて、それを腕の一振りで迎撃する。
　轟、と激しく大きく渦巻く大気。暴風と表現すべきそれは矢の雨を弾くどころか数倍に加速させて送り返す。
　暴風の勢いに耐えきれずにほとんどの矢は砕けるなどして破損してしまったが、矢の残骸は射た者達に襲い掛かった。
　ある者は鏃が眼球に突き刺さり、ある者は無数の木片が肉にめり込んだり、痛みでもがく仲間に突き落とされる者も居るようだ。
　まだ死者は出ていないようだが、軽傷者から重傷者まで幅広く、いっそ即死していた方が良かったような者もいる。
　腕の一振りで壊滅的な被害が出たかそれだけでは終わらず、暴風の一部は風刃となって崖の足場を切断して滑らかに成形し直し、何とか残っていた【河賊】を全て落とした。
　下は水なので墜落死する事は無かったが衝撃はそれなりにあったらしく、痛みでもがく者は多い。それに土地柄あまり泳ぎは得意ではないのだろう、溺れていく者もいるようだ。
　襲い掛かってきた【河賊】の結末は実に呆気ないものである。
　ペロリと【シャークヘッド号】が粗方喰ってしまったが、懸賞金がかけられているかもしれないので、リーダーと幹部らしき数名と残りの生存者を引き上げる。
　網で引き上げても良いがそれはそれで手間なので、【森羅万象】を使って水を操作。まるでタコやイカの触手のように水が蠢き、看板には打ち上げられた魚のように息も絶え絶えな十数名の【河賊】達が放り込まれた。
　喘ぎながら必死に水を吐き出し、恐怖に染まった眼でこちらを見ている。もはや心が諦めてしまったようで、反抗らしい反抗もない。
　とりあえず濡れ鼠のままでは船内が汚れるかもしれないと思い、情け容赦なく熱風を浴びせる。
　何だか囚人を苛める看守のような構図だが、自業自得だと諦めてもらうしかない。
　それに別に痛みを伴う訳でもないのだから、気にしなくてもいいくらいだろう。
　気温が高い事もあって濡れた衣服と全身がすっかり乾くと、手早く武装を解除させていく。
　小型の武器を隠し持たれて、下手に暴れたり自決されては面倒である。
　暑いので下着一つでも濡れていなければ大丈夫だろう。
　そしてその後は船内の一室に鉄の檻を出し、そこに押し込めた。見張り番として黒い目出し帽とエプロンを装備した筋骨隆々な“拷問鬼トーチャーロード”を配置。
　暴れれば生体武器扱いになる拘束椅子に貼り付け、同じく生体武器扱いになる拷問器具を使った“話し合い”が行われる予定だ。
　準備が整ったので一端外に出て、中の様子を窺う。
　すると生粋の加虐嗜好者サディストである拷問鬼は檻の外から『陸地に上がれば私は貴方達の身にこれまでの罪を忘れぬよう、一つ一つ刻まねばなりません。それは大変苦痛を伴うでしょう。しかし大丈夫です、もし私の言う事を聞いてくれたなら、ここから逃がしてあげましょう』と優しく語りかけ、脱出を促していた。
　実際には逃がさないし、希望から転じた深い絶望を楽しみにしているのは明らかだ。
　見た目の凶悪さから【河賊】達は戸惑っているが、さてどうなる事か。
　あまり興味は無いので、俺はそこを後にした。　
　そんな感じで、ちょっとしたハプニングがありつつも先に進む。
　次の都市国家についたら【河賊】の懸賞金の有無を確認し、何もなかったら【加護持ち】のリーダーは喰うとして、さて他はどうするか。
　配下として働かせるにしても今はもっと有能な団員達がいるので別に必要ない。
　それに強制的に働かせても大した成果は得られないだろう。
　殺して経験値になってもらうか、あるいは売るか。
　うん、奴隷商人にでも売るとしよう。本人達にとっても、殺されるよりかは幾分まし、かもしれないし。　
　だた拷問鬼が壊してなければ、になるだろうが。
　浅はかな行動は、控えてもらいたいものだ。
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Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 1
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