ch81-ch100 · 090-ch90

Chapter 90: Frenzy

SIDE: Umemoto Atsushi (the man who became a 【Berserker】)

"An ogre?"

"Wait—someone's here."

"This guy... Umemoto?"

Crap. Spotted.

The Forest Ogre that popped up behind me shoved me right out into the open.

The current me wouldn't lose to a Forest Ogre even head-on.

Calmly dodging its claw thrust, I slash diagonally down.

One strike.

But the price seems to have been steep.

I'm surrounded.

In that one instant.

Flawless coordination—nothing less to call it—as all nine of them ring me in a circle.

The one who hasn't moved from his spot is Hasegawa.

He was leader of my old party to begin with, and it seems the other party follows his lead too...

"Yo, Umemoto. Look at you, all capable now. Apparently you made high-rank. And it's the combat job you always wanted, at that."

Hasegawa comes over grinning, looking delighted.

"Hey, this guy's got a camera. It's running. Was it recording everything we just said?"

One of my former party members spots the camera with a sharp eye.

At those words, the color drains from the others' faces.

"I see. And here I wondered what you were up to—so you came for revenge..."

The 'I just happened to be passing by' excuse won't fly...

Even if they believed it, it would be no reason to let me walk away alive.

"So what are you going to do?"

I provoke them and watch how they move.

If I run, I need to figure out where to break through.

"You bastard. You think this is funny?"

"Your methods are scummy."

"Yikes."

"Now, now. Hold on."

Hasegawa holds back his former party members, who look one step from lunging at me.

"Listen, Umemoto. Why not come back to us? We were played too—by that woman. Remember? The one who caused you to get kicked from the party. She's wrecked us because of that. But if you came back, I think we could go back to how things were."

Hasegawa keeps talking as he closes in.

Fall for that? Not a chance.

I'm an ex-【Scout】, you know.

【Presence Detection】 tells me another one is closing in from behind.

Hasegawa holds my attention while another one ambushes from the rear.

Then Hasegawa cuts in too—that's the play.

"Come on, Umemoto. With you around, these guys wouldn't pull anything reckless either."

Here it comes.

The one slashing at me from behind with a sword is one of my former party members.

I catch it with my own sword, then kick him in the gut and open the distance.

(All right, now Hasega... guh—)

A blade across my back.

Hasegawa.

There should still have been distance between us...

He closed it in an instant?

That's way too fast...

"Kah-hah-hah! Didn't die, huh? Pretty decent armor you've got there. Pretty cocky, for an Umemoto."

My armor is bought gear—a drop from the Floor 40 range.

It's got to be far better than the Orc General armor these guys are wearing...

And even so, it couldn't stop Hasegawa's attack.

I fight down the urge to buckle and end up in a blade lock with the still-advancing Hasegawa.

What... strength.

I'm a 【Berserker】, you know?

Losing a contest of strength should be impossible...

Wham—this time I take a kick to the gut and go tumbling.

"Surprised? My job is 【Vile Knight】. The more evil I do, the stronger I get. The me of right now is stronger than a 【Sword Saint】."

Stronger than a 【Sword Saint】?

What kind of nonsense is that?

And yet even me—a 【Berserker】—can't seem to match him in Strength or Agility.

"Hyah-hah-hah! I did something wicked just moments ago, after all. 'Course I'm strong!"

The others close in too.

"Hey, Hasegawa. Don't kill him. Let's have some fun with a guy for once. Heh heh heh."

"Ugh. And here I was wondering why you kept going on about Umemoto, Umemoto. That's what this is? Gross."

"Heh heh heh. Umemoto~ let's be good friends~"

The other party's leader approaches with a slimy grin.

"Don't you dare mock me."

One flash of the blade.

From a half-kneeling position, I slash him across the face.

"GYAAAAAAH! My face—!"

Did I cut a little too deep?

He won't die, though.

Roll around over there for a while.

"You bastard!"

"How dare you touch our leader!"

"I'll kill you!"

"Seriously? You got got by Umemoto?"

The other party joins the fray.

(Damn it. Is this the end?)

Nine against one. No—eight against one now?

And to begin with, I might not beat even Hasegawa alone...

What followed was me getting carved up, one-sidedly.

︙

︙

...Am I... dead...?

(...)

The attacks stopped... did they...?

But... I don't think I can get up anymore...

...It's a wonder I'm alive at all.

How... do I survive...?

Some kind of... skill...

...I do... have skill points...

"Tch. He's a stubborn one. High-rank jobs really don't die easy."

...【Frenzy・Self-Regeneration】? Not the same... as HP recovery...? If it's this, maybe even this foot... pointing the wrong way...

"Beaten to a pulp and still getting up again and again. Is that what they call the thirst for revenge?"

...【Frenzy・HP Recovery・Minor】? So there is HP recovery. The only reason... I'm not dead... must be... that I still have HP...

"Huh? What're you doing with that camera? Turn it off already. No—smash it. Pull the card out first, then stomp it, got it?"

No good... So they only... take effect... while 【Frenzy】... is active...?

"Hey, hold up. For an Umemoto, he handles a camera well. What's this guy's deal? Looks like he came alone. Hm? Are these pictures of his party? Looks like he joined a new one."

That's right... they'll see... everyone...

"Hey, d'you think this one's a woman?"

"The one with the shield? Can't tell. Built like a guy, though, isn't she?"

...Jun... I'm sorry.

...about your... next adventure...

"Should we do these guys in too? They might know something."

...

"No way—how? We'd get found out. And what do we do about Umemoto, anyway?"

"Hey. This guy's still alive."

"Oh, come on. Is he a zombie?"

"I'll kill him personally, so hands off. I'll send him to the afterlife with the strongest skill of the 【Vile Knight】. Ubwah."

"Huh? Hasegawa? Where's Hasegawa? Gobah."

"This guy's gone mad. Surround him!"

"No—run—"