Chapter 51: Chapter 51 - Into the Unknown
Chapter 51 – Into the Unknown
Author's Note: After that little incursion into what Arcium was up to while Satoshi was gone, now we're back to Glass' World where Satoshi has just escaped the labyrinth. Enjoy!
We carefully ran through the vast forest until we finally reached a road. Since we were pretty far from the shrine and the labyrinth, we let down our guard and continued along the road.
"So, what's next?" Naofumi asked.
"What do you mean?" Kizuna asked confusedly.
"We only teamed up because of the circumstances, right? So, what do you want to do now? Split up?"
"Why would we do that?"
"I think Rishia and I should head off on our own." I suggested. "Our friend Indigo might be in danger, and we must look for him wherever he is. He is like a brother to me. He is like the son I never had."
"What about me?" Naofumi asked. "What do I do?"
"You should head with Kizuna to find Raphtalia and Filo. You're practically like their father, so it's your responsibility to do so."
"Wait, Satoshi." Kizuna asserted. "You sure you want to do this."
"Positive. I must do what it takes to save my family."
"Ah. Very well then. Anyways, how do you plan to cross the border?"
"I have a few methods up my sleeves. Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"If you insist." Kizuna sighed.
"Wait. Before you go."
I rummaged through my backpack for a bit. Ugh, where was it?
"It seems like I lost my portable wireless telegraphs. I swear I had two in here."
"Aww, seriously?" Naofumi and Kizuna complained.
"Well, Kizuna, can you tell me approximately where the country you were summoned is?"
Kizuna then proceeded to give me some approximate directions leading to her country.
"Well, Kizuna, it was nice meeting you. As soon as I find Indigo, I swear I'll find a way back to your country."
"Good luck out there, Satoshi! See you around!"
We strolled down the road until we hit a crossroads, where a town lay on one side and wilderness was on the other. I chose the latter path because there was a higher chance that Indigo landed in the vast wilderness than the sparse cities, and Naofumi and Kizuna chose the former in order to make some money.
After slaughtering scores of monsters along the road and in the numerous forests and rivers littering the landscape, we had finally reached the border. As far as I had seen, this world, or at least this country, was very similar to medieval japan. It was almost like a recreation of it.
Border guards were wandering around, keeping close tabs on all passersby. If I wanted to get across that wall, I would have to be creative. Rishia and I were around level 40 or so, so we might be able to barge through, but that would be too risky.
In the distance, I saw a stupid looking man that had two horses drawing a cart full of hay. Presumably he wanted to sell the hay in the next country over. This was a golden opportunity.
"Rishia! Come on!" I exclaimed as I dragged the girl through the forest and onto the road.
The man was taking a break and sitting on the side of the road. His head was slumped, and he was clearly worried about something.
"You look worried, my friend." I consoled as I walked up to the man. "What seems to be the issue?"
"I'm a horse dealer, but if I sell my horses, I won't have anything to pull my cart, so how will I get home?"
A lightbulb lit up in my head. Thank god I read every Asterix and Obelix book out there.
"You should change your job! Be a horse dealer! You can sell your cart and take your horses home!"
The man slapped my shoulder and jumped up and down.
"Wonderful! Marvelous! Brilliant idea! How can I ever repay you!"
"Take me to that country over there!" I spoke as I pointed in that direction. "You were going to go there anyways, and it's the biggest cart mart in the whole world!"
"Really? You're such a big help, pal!"
"But how would we know if that country is the biggest cart mark- Fueeeee!"
I held Rishia's mouth shut with my hands.
"My friend here didn't mean to say anything. She must be sick. Please forgive us."
Carrying Rishia, we both jumped into the haybales in the cart.
"Friends, why are you hitting the hay?"
"I plan to play a practical joke on my friends in the country over there!"
"Haha! I love practical jokes!"
As we rolled along the road, I couldn't help but think this guy was remarkably stupid. Once we reached the border crossing, a guard drew his katana and walked up to the cart.
"Halt! Who goes there? What have you got in that cart, citizen?"
"Nothing! Hahahaha!"
"Are you trying to make a fool of me?"
"HAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!"
The clearly mentally unsound cart dealer was laughing hysterically, presumably at the joke that he thought I was going to make. If he continued at this, he would spoil our plans.
Luckily, the gods must have been listening to me. Another guard walked up to the guard heckling us.
"Let him through! This guy is harmless!"
The first guard sighed.
"Very well, if you say so. Let's check your papers and then you're through."
I sighed a breath of relief. Today was my lucky day.
After the cart rolled through the gate and into the other country, and I was sure no guards were watching, I hopped out of the haybales along with a ruffled Rishia.
"Thanks for the help, friend! I hope to see you around!"
"I should be the one thanking you! I'll be rich!"
Waving the rather dumb but kind man goodbye, I took another branching road and walked into a forest. However, this one was like no other.
The leaves were molten red, glistening with morning dew. Alien fruits plopped down from the tree branches onto the leaf-ridden floor, like the beautiful autumns of the Northwestern United States. A spicy scent emanated in the air, like my grandmother's pumpkin spice drinks. A cool breeze blew a swarm of leaves into my face, and something that resembled a sparrow was chirping harmonically. Truly a beautiful sight to behold.
I continued calmly wading through the forest, fully taking in all of its natural beauty. The flora, the fauna, the women? Why was there a woman in the trees?
And she was exquisitely beautiful. Like nobody I've ever seen before. Not even in television ads or fashion magazines back in my world.
She was elegantly perched on the tree branches, like a swallow or a finch. She resembled a girl in her late teens, radiating elegance and coolness all around her. She was dressed in an ivory white sleeveless short kimono, sharply contrasting the scenery behind her. She wore a black fabric belt that spanned the distance from her ample hips to her taped chest, that had a white ribbon above where her belly button would be. It perfectly complimented her slender waist and toned stomach.
She also wore thigh high socks and a pair of opal black boots, made of some sort of leather, that shimmered and reflected the brilliant morning sun. She was wearing a pair of armguards on her arms, exposing a decently sized chunk of her slim arms. She also had a cashmere and relatively translucent scarf around her neck, flowing in all directions because of the fluttering wind. And best of all, she had a bountiful "Absolute Territory" between her kimono and the thigh highs, revealing a glimpse of her unblemished and perfect alabaster thighs.
As I was gazing at this scene of unnatural beauty, the woman glided down from the treetop with the grace of a swan and softly landed at my side, katana in hand.
"Good morning!"
"Huh?"
I was too focused on her gracious figure that I forgot she was talking to me.
"I'm asking for your name, dummy."
"Oh, uh…umm… I'm Satoshi Sera, the Bow Hero. Pleased to meet you."
Oh, crap. I probably wasn't supposed to say that. Who knows what people around here would do if they knew another world's holy heroes had arrived?
"I'm Kana, a wandering samurai and the katana hero! Wait, what were you saying about being the bow hero? I've only heard of four holy weapons and eight vassal weapons, and none of them are a bow."
Oh no. What was I supposed to say? I really slipped up.
"Satoshi's the bow hero! He's one of the four holy heroes back in our world!"
What the hell Rishia? Why would you say that? We don't even know if this girl is friend or foe!
"You're from another world?" Kana asked. "What are you even talking about?"
"Sorry, but we have to leave. Pleasure meeting you!"
Saying that, I grabbed Rishia by the ear and dragged her off into the distance.
"Oww! Owwww! Fueeeeee! What are you doing!"
"Hey!" Kana shouted. "Where are you going?"
As I turned my head back to see where the sound was coming from, Kana appeared in front of me. Unable to halt myself, we crashed headfirst into her and we all fell into a pile.
"Hey, watch out there!"
"Sorry." I apologized.
"Anyways, you didn't answer my question. How are you from another world? That doesn't make sense!"
I didn't really want to tell her anything, but this girl was on another level. She could probably kill us in an instant just judging by her skill, agility and speed. Besides, her face was really pretty as well. Not like that's my main reason or anything.
"Fine. You have to keep this a secret though."
"You bet! Kana always keeps her word!"
"I'll tell you what I know, but we should probably head deeper into the forest, so we don't get overheard."
"Alrighty!"
Kana disappeared in a flash and reemerged quite far away in an isolated patch of the forest.
"Hurry up, slow pokes!"
"Geez, you're so fast! Rishia, let's go!"
By the time we reached where Kana was standing, we were out of breath. I pulled out a water canteen and began chugging the thing to recuperate my stamina.
"Alright, Kana. So, it all began when I was browsing the internet on my computer, and I received an email…"
"What's a computer? What's an email? What's the internet?"
"Uhh… I'll skip that part. I was summoned, if you know what that means, to a country called Melromarc. I was summoned along with three other heroes, the Sword, Shield and Spear Heroes, and the king of that country wanted to meet us."
I proceeded to give her a summarized but still extremely detailed account of the events that had occurred before I met her. She just sat there, criss cross apple sauced, patiently waiting for me to finish my story.
"Woaahhhhh! So that's what happened! Since you told me all that, it's only fair that I tell you my story."
Long story short, Kana was born into a respected family of samurai in a country far away and was considered such a genius at the art of the sword that many respected master swordsmen claimed she would be the greatest swordsperson in history. She eventually discovered a long-forgotten technique that allows her sword to be like the wind. She spent four years mastering this long-forgotten technique and set out on a journey to become the greatest swordsperson in history.
During her journey, she instantly learned the "Secret Sword; Swallow Return" technique that could slice a swallow in midair, and the "Lightless, Three-Stage Thrust" technique that attacks so fast it is virtually impossible to block, from two different hermits that refused to teach their techniques to anyone else but her. Eventually, just a few weeks ago, she came across a country that had the vassal katana in a rock. As she approached the crowd, the katana flew out of the rock and directly into her hands. Many people challenged her for the weapon, but she defeated each one in less than three slashes. Thus, everybody accepted her as the new wielder of the vassal katana, and the greatest swordsperson in world history.
"Wow." I sighed. "That might be one of the coolest stories I've ever heard."
"Your story is pretty cool too!" She exclaimed. "You rebuilt a whole country from scratch at a nearly impossible speed! I'm super proud of you!"
"Thanks. So anyways, where are you heading to right now?"
"I'm heading to that country over there." She pointed.
"Are you kidding? I'm heading there as well!"
"Do you want to go there together?"
"Of course!"
We returned to the main road and started walking towards that country. It was time to find Indigo, this time with some new company tagging alone with us.
Chapter 52 out soon! From now on, chapters will be this long on average.
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