ch41-ch60 · 056-ch55

Chapter 55

After driving for a while — not that Toru was driving, of course — they arrived at a building in an odd location near the prefectural office.

What the building had originally been used for was unclear. It looked like a multi-tenant building, but also seemed built for some single purpose. Not that it mattered. Following Soma Kengo and Maisaka Risa, who'd gotten out of the car, Toru and the others also exited and entered the building. Not through the front entrance, but through a back door near the parking lot.

Whether the electricity was on or not, the first-floor hallway had no lights, and the lack of any human presence made the building itself feel cold and chilly. The sense of alienation was similar to accidentally walking into a bar that only regulars frequented.

Soma and Risa descended stairs shortly after entering the hallway, and by the time Toru followed them and reached the basement door, he noticed something terribly off.

First, the iron door was crushed.

Inside was a spacious basement space whose original purpose was unclear, but it was in a terrible state.

The damage looked like it would have been better if a few gorillas had gathered to play dodgeball with bowling balls. Several sections of the basement walls were gouged out, the steel beams in the ceiling were warped, and some pipes running along the walls and ceiling were bent, their brackets apparently torn off, dangling limply overhead.

Miraculously — or perhaps not — the electricity seemed to be on, with several surviving LED lights in the ceiling illuminating the basement's devastation.

There had clearly been some spectacular destruction. Concrete fragments from the gouged walls were scattered across the floor, and there was even a large amount of bloodstaining in one area. In a relatively intact section — near the wall — a man lay on his side. Prefectural Assembly Member Sasamori Takeshi. His clothes were disheveled but he seemed to have no external injuries, and he appeared to be breathing. Probably alive.

And then... Toru had absolutely no idea what to make of this, but Hamamatsu Nanami, her pantsuit torn to shreds and her face beaten black and blue, was suspended by her bound hands from a ceiling beam.

She'd been adjusted so that raising her bound wrists just barely allowed her feet to touch the ground. Her shredded suit was inexplicably blood-soaked, yet there was no visible bleeding.

"...What are you doing, Habaki Ryo."

"Sensei!? What happened here!? Nanami's condition is..."

Soma said, pressing his fingers against his temple as if enduring a headache — not the brim of his hunting cap — and Kagurazaka Chizuru let out a surprised cry.

Standing close to the semi-suspended Hamamatsu Nanami was a tall man. Soma Kengo was also tall and well-built, but this man was slender and long-limbed. Probably taller than Soma or even Sadoyama. His limbs were like wire, and it was unclear whether the light gray suit suited him or not.

He wore suspicious-looking round glasses, and his glossy long black hair was tied behind his neck, with one section hanging in front of his face. That must be incredibly annoying, Toru thought.

"It's been a while, Soma-kun. Risa-kun, I've been seeing you occasionally. Chizuru-kun, my apologies for the infrequent visits. And — 'Cursed Blade User' Hayasaka Toru-kun and 'Holy Sword User' Tia-kun. I am Habaki Ryo, Labyrinth Agency Labyrinth Inspector General."

He looked straight at Toru with a cheerful smile, but with an assault victim hanging semi-suspended right next to him, there was no way Toru could think of him as a nice smiling person.

More to the point — that smile itself rubbed him the wrong way.

It definitely wasn't just because of the suspicious round glasses.

"Uh... the one hanging there is, if my memory serves, Anthem's manager... aren't you gonna help her down?"

The rope binding both her wrists together and connecting to the ceiling beam seemed to be at a precise length, and Hamamatsu Nanami — conscious or not — swayed slightly with each breath.

It wasn't that Toru liked or disliked Hamamatsu Nanami, but there was no way he could feel good watching a person beaten up and hanging half-suspended. He hadn't even felt glad when that strange Demon was getting beaten up.

"Ah, Nanami-kun, is it? I gave her a little disciplining, you see."

With the same cheerful smile as before, Habaki said.

"Huh?"

"No, I apologize for putting you through this, Hayasaka-kun. Despite your efforts to help, it seems our incompetent manager caused you unpleasantness. Moreover, not just as Anthem's manager, but as a Labyrinth Agency employee, she's made quite a few blunders. She was about to die pointlessly without providing any useful information, you see, so after healing her serious wounds with high-grade potions, I gave her a fresh beating."

He said it in the same tone one might use to boast about interior decorating, maintaining that cheerful smile as he carelessly pushed Hamamatsu's back — not hit, simply pushed.

"Nngh...!"

A pained groan escaped her mouth, and Hamamatsu Nanami's face, swollen all over, swayed more violently. The pain was apparently severe, as her breathing grew ragged.

"Sensei! This is going too far, no matter how you look at it! What did Nanami even do in the first place!? Regarding any discourtesy toward Toru-sama — since Toru-sama himself has said 'it's fine,' it's wrong for anyone else to try to place further responsibility on Nanami!"

"Is that so? But I think the inconvenience she caused Hayasaka-kun needs to be compensated for in some way. Well, as you can see, I've thoroughly beaten her, so please consider this my apology for her foolish behavior and kindly forgive her. Come now, Nanami-kun, you need to say 'I'm sorry' properly from your own mouth too —"

"Oi, Habaki. Shut up a moment."

Soma said irritably, moving the hand that had been pressing his temple to his waist, pulling out something like a wooden sword from his magic bag, and tossing it to Toru.

Toru caught it on reflex and examined it — a wooden sword. Not just an ordinary wooden sword, apparently; streaks of light ran through the wood's interior. How to put it — if wood had veins with glowing blood flowing through them, this might be what it looked like.

"This is a wooden sword made from a processed rare drop from an ancient tree demon that appears in S-rank labyrinths. Excellent magic conductivity, easily adjustable power output. Even without channeling mana, it's durable enough that ordinary weapons can't scratch it. With mana, it can trade blows with Kagurazaka's blade without damage. The promised reward. I'm giving it to you in advance."

"Ah... thanks. By the way, Soma-san — you friends with that Habaki guy?"

"That's quite an insult."

Soma said, his expression crumpling. He seemed to be giving a wry smile.

"Oh dear, how sad. I've given him plenty of work, and I respect Soma-kun, you know. If reliable people of ability like you don't kill criminal explorers, social order can't be maintained. Humans really are foolish."

"Don't talk to me."

He declared sharply, then stepped back a few paces. He also grabbed Risa's arm and forcibly pulled her back — the lie detector was apparently too valuable to risk.

Toru exhaled, shouldered the wooden sword in his right hand, and stepped forward just one step. One step closer to Hamamatsu, who was breathing raggedly while enduring pain, and to the man called Habaki, who was still cheerfully smiling beside her.

A pricking mana pressure against his skin — an overwhelming magical presence comparable to Soma Kengo's was leaking out uncontrollably even while just standing there.

Thinking about it now, maybe it was this pressure that made Toru find Sadoyama frightening. The feeling that just being near him was strangely terrifying.

That made sense. Even without deliberately touching it, an ordinary person would naturally feel scared when seeing a blade spinning at high speed.

But now — he wasn't scared.

If he felt like it, he could cut that high-speed spinning blade.

"Hey, Habaki-san, was it? Let me check something."

"Yes, go ahead. Do you have a question?"

"I don't really get the situation, but this Hamamatsu-san is a Labyrinth Agency employee and the manager of Kagurazaka-san's Anthem. And Habaki-san is Hamamatsu-san's superior, is that right? 'Inspector General' — I don't know how high up that is."

"Hmm, that's correct. The management of Anthem and the explorer training school they graduated from... managing those is also part of our work."

"Huh."

Toru nodded lightly, exhaled, and then swung the wooden sword he'd been shouldering.

——Slash.

A cutting wave formed of mana flew between Hamamatsu Nanami and the ceiling beam — then the cutting wave continued straight, slicing through the ceiling for about a meter before dissipating.

The wooden sword looked somewhat unsettling, but as Soma had said, its mana conductivity was excellent. It felt over a hundred times easier to channel mana through than the rebar bludgeon.

Thud. Hamamatsu Nanami collapsed to the floor.

That was natural, since he'd cut the rope suspending her, but apparently she didn't even have the strength to stand on her own. Maybe both her legs were broken — Toru couldn't tell at a glance.

"Want me to use healing magic?"

Tia said just that. Not telling him what to do or how to handle it — just a simple question.

"Do whatever you want."

He answered, then wryly thought that was a bit underhanded. Saying it like that meant Tia would definitely use healing magic on Hamamatsu Nanami.

Poof. Tia released something like a ball of light from her palm, and the moment it hit Hamamatsu rolling on the floor, her body was enveloped in a faint glow. But it seemed weaker than the healing magic she'd used on Lugardo — enough to turn serious wounds into light ones.

"Oh my, how kind of you. But after I went to the trouble of beating her as a form of recompense, are you sure it's alright to heal her without even hearing an apology?"

At Habaki, who maintained his same cheerful smile, Toru slammed the wooden sword against the floor with a clang and exhaled. The breath that came out was hot — that wasn't his imagination.

"Is the Labyrinth Agency some kind of yakuza outfit? 'I beat up my subordinate, so forgive her'? Did I ask you to knock some sense into that woman? Did I tell you to beat her up because she pissed me off? I don't remember asking anyone to force her to 'atone' for unforgivable rudeness."

"Hmm? But Hayasaka-kun, weren't you irritated by Nanami-kun's attitude? Didn't you make it clear you were displeased because she only paid attention to the holy sword user next to you and not to you — that you felt she was looking down on you?"

Habaki's smile didn't change.

Like a salesperson greeting a friendly office worker in the morning with a cheerful "Hey, morning, let's do our best today!" — a refreshing, pleasant smile.

It was so completely out of place — and that was why it made him feel like throwing up.

"So what? That woman looked down on me. Sure, I was in a position and life where being looked down on was deserved. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna be pissed when someone actually does it. I was pissed because I felt disrespected. I don't like her much. That's it. That's the end of it. Don't take it further on your own."

"But since you seem to dislike her, it would hinder operations. She must take responsibility to express her apology. Money is the simplest way, but that might make it seem like she's still looking down on you, no? So I gave her a beating like this. Would you accept this as settling accounts? Are you dissatisfied?"

"It doesn't make me feel good. If you're the boss, then you're the one responsible. If the subordinate couldn't handle it, the boss should take the responsibility. You're the person in charge, aren't you. What are you grinning about?"

"Oh, my apologies. But responsibility, you say? Hayasaka-kun, I'd genuinely like to ask — how exactly do you want me to take responsibility?"

His smile still didn't change.

Toru exhaled once more, stored the wooden sword in his magic bag, and asked.

"Baka-ki-san or whatever. You don't actually feel any responsibility."

"It's Habaki, Hayasaka-kun. Of course I feel responsibility. Deeply, in fact."

"Yeah, right."

Toru shrugged lightly and looked at Risa, who had retreated to the basement entrance area. The Scales flinched slightly, but Toru didn't look away from her.

After two or three seconds of silence, Risa shook her head.

"Black. Habaki Ryo doesn't feel any responsibility at all."

"Yeah, figured. What was it, I heard this somewhere. Responsibility is something imposed on you by others, but a sense of responsibility is something you take on yourself... I think. Mission and sense of mission are probably similar. Ah... Saito Megumi said something. About how if people like you who can take on dragons and black knights don't go into labyrinths, it'd be against the public good."

"Isn't that right? Someone who was just a cleaner on the upper floors of a D-rank dungeon is now a multimillionaire thanks to picking up an incredible item. I watched your stream with the Kujo heiress. One Kumanoi Potion is worth 100 million. Quite a nice business, isn't it. Money rolling in, and submitting magic cores to the state means you're contributing to society too. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Hold your head high, Cursed Blade User."

Habaki Ryo's smile still hadn't changed. Toru felt nothing toward him anymore. No matter what background this wire-thin man had, he couldn't find any desire to discern or consider it anywhere in his heart.

"Sensei. We were in a position of being taught by you — well, to be precise, we were gathered by the state, so the fact that you taught us was ultimately for the country's convenience — but nonetheless, there was a hierarchy between teacher and student, instructor and trainee."

Kagurazaka Chizuru suddenly spoke up. She seemed about to step forward, but instead took three clear steps backward and continued.

"However, Toru-sama is different. He is a benefactor who saved us. A person we keep causing trouble for. There is not a single shred of evidence that you have ever taught him anything, and it is the height of arrogance to treat him the same as us. — Show respect, Habaki Ryo."

"I do show respect. That's precisely why I had Nanami-kun settle accounts, isn't it? Chizuru-kun, isn't it you who lacks respect for your teacher?"

"Do you not even understand who is and isn't appropriate to make uncomfortable with your usual 'implications'?"

"You've got a sharp tongue. So what if my attitude displeases you? He didn't tell me how to take responsibility either. Honestly, it's tiresome. All complaints about the sincerity I showed, but when asked what to do instead, no answer. Fools are insatiable no matter what. I'm not saying Hayasaka-kun is one, but——"

——Zorori.

With one sweep of the cursed blade Kagetsu, drawn from his left hand.

A single diagonal slash — and with that alone, Habaki Ryo's right arm below the elbow and both legs below the knee were severed. Despite having cut a person by his own will, Toru felt almost nothing. He felt neither disappointment nor satisfaction at being that kind of person.

He'd decided, so he did it.

What happened after that was none of his concern.

"—!"

Ignoring Habaki, whose face showed shock, another swing.

The severed right forearm and both lower legs were minced into tiny pieces by that swing, splattering onto the floor with a wet, disgusting sound.

Naturally, Habaki, having lost both legs below the knee, tumbled heavily onto the pile of minced flesh — but even seeing that, Toru's heart didn't ache.

"You've still got your left arm, right? Why don't you use a recovery potion or healing magic or something? I'll consider this settling accounts. Your style, right? I think it's shit, though, that style."

"...No, that won't be necessary."

Habaki Ryo, descending the stairs into the basement, said.

Toru didn't understand — he looked back and forth between the person he'd just cut to pieces and the person coming down the stairs — no, Toru didn't understand, but Kagetsu did.

Habaki Ryo's special ability.

The one he'd cut was probably a doll created by that special ability. The one receiving contemptuous looks from Soma and Risa was the real Habaki Ryo.

It seemed the doll was connected to him by some kind of magical link, as the original body was also bleeding from the right arm and both legs from the effects of Kagetsu's slashes, but they hadn't been severed. Or perhaps he'd severed the connection with the doll at the last possible moment.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself — Habaki Ryo. Hayasaka-kun, I apologize for my rudeness. And I'm pleased that you found my assault on Nanami-kun distasteful, and that you found my earlier attitude distasteful. You are a decent person, and you are insane in a decent way. A person worthy of being an explorer."

Saying whatever he pleased, he walked past Soma and Risa, passed slightly beyond Kagurazaka Chizuru, knelt on the floor, and placed both hands on the ground.

"Hayasaka Toru-san. I wish to apologize for my numerous discourtesies toward you, in the name of Habaki Ryo, Labyrinth Agency Inspector General. I am deeply sorry."

He bowed his head deeply.

A dogeza.

But Toru felt nothing special, so he swung Kagetsu twice. Red cutting flashes severed Habaki Ryo's right arm, and then the severed arm was minced into pieces.

Even as what used to be an arm splattered onto the floor with a wet sound, Habaki didn't stop his dogeza. He didn't even groan in pain.

Toru had forgotten to cut off both legs, but he didn't feel like getting thorough about it.

"...Um... you don't need healing magic, right?"

Tia said with an oddly wry smile, and Toru let go of Kagetsu, letting it dissolve into particles, and returned the wry smile.

Probably, this hero had been through something similar before.

Getting a weapon too powerful, producing extraordinary results, having some arrogant person in charge test him with a knowing look, and then bowing their head because they thought they could use him.

"Let's go home. Oh, Soma-san. I swung the sword, but I don't need the money. I'll gratefully keep the wooden sword though."

"I see. I might approach you with work in the future. Can I get your contact info from Sadoyama?"

He said flatly — as if nothing had happened right in front of him.

This old guy — Toru thought he might actually kind of like him. There was something different about him compared to the others, but what, exactly?

"Ah... sure, I guess. Not in the mood to exchange contact info right now."

"Understandable. The Labyrinth Agency people are shit. I'm not a Labyrinth Agency employee, but I'm a badger from the same hole. Since I'm saying it, you can trust it. Don't get into the same hole as us."

The flat way he said it made Toru laugh despite himself.

Probably — he had no proof, but — what Soma Kengo cared about was harm to ordinary people and society. What Hamamatsu Nanami and Habaki Ryo cared about was whether someone was useful or not. Whether they could be used or not. Whether it was permissible to use them or not. In other words, they were thinking about themselves.

But still, he'd crossed a line, he thought.

Just a few hours ago, he'd been happily exploring a labyrinth.

Would he be able to keep enjoying labyrinth exploration from now on?

He suddenly recalled the butler Kashiwazaki Joichiro, and thought he probably could. That silly butler surely knew things far darker than Toru ever would. Yet he still followed Kujo Reiko and looked cheerful doing it.

Surely, he could.

Getting distracted by all this shit was too stupid.

"I'm shit from a different hole. I'm just gonna dance and have fun."

That was all he said, and he walked up the stairs.

Tia followed silently, saying nothing at all.

It felt something like gratitude, but also something like a desire for her to give him a proper hero-style lecture. Though if she did lecture him, he'd probably talk back five times as much.