Chapter 61: A Series of Troubles
“Hah, Captain! This man is suspicious.”
“Hmm, is it strange for a Tamer to have Tamed Beasts with him?”
“However, this guy says he’s Tamed two Forest Wolves and even a Fang Cat. To think such a lie would pass…”
“Captain-san, please look at my Guild Card. This person doesn’t seem willing to listen even if I explain.”
He took my Guild Card from the man making a fuss and examined it closely.
“This Divine Protection, is it the Divine Protection of the Tamer God?”
“That’s right. My Divine Protection seems to be a bit unusual; I have three beasts of two species with me, but since my ability is 1, I’ve even been provided with escorts.”
“Escorts? Not those wolves?”
“Yes, please look up.”
The Bee-chans I called because it looked like trouble was brewing were starting to gather in the sky above.
“Hey! Aren’t those Killer Bees?!”
“That’s right. If anyone tries to harm me, they will attack. Even now, they’ve sensed that this person started getting angry at me with malicious intent, so they’re gathering.”
“Wait a minute! You’re not controlling them, are you?”
“Insects… Do you think I can Tame bees? I think there are hundreds of them up there alone, but commanding something like that is impossible. A few people who tried to harm me have been stung to death, but I just ask them to stop stinging or to help me when I’m in danger.”
The buzzing of the Killer Bees gathered a dozen or so meters above my head resonated like a deep bass, and those waiting in line clutched their heads and ran off seeking cover.
The Guard’s colleagues also looked up anxiously, but they couldn’t run away in front of their superior and were fidgeting impatiently.
While glancing at the sky, he looked at my Guild Card and Hoo-chan and the others, thought for a moment, then returned the card, telling me I could go.
It’s a pain to explain in every new place that I’ve received the Tamer God’s Divine Protection and have Killer Bee escorts.
I’ll have to tell the same story wherever I go in the future, but I’ll just have to endure it until it’s understood, as things should go smoothly after that.
The journey to the Adventurers Guild was much the same. I told Hoo-chan and the others to glare and growl at anyone who tried to cause trouble, and if that didn’t work, I gave them permission to step on them.
“Aah, you want to go to the Dismantling Area? What’s your game?”
“Black Wolves, Gray Wolves, and Carrion.”
“You’ve got a kitten with you, so you must be a Tamer, but I won’t stand for it if you’re messing with me!”
Arguing was a hassle, so I summoned a Gray Wolf right in front of the old man’s eyes.
“What does this look like? If you can’t see it, shall I pile up more?”
“Idiot, don’t summon it in a place like this!”
“You’re the idiot! You didn’t believe what I said, so I just proved it. Don’t complain!”
I directed a brief burst of killing intent at the pompous old man, and he flinched and started trembling.
“So, it’s okay for me to go to the Dismantling Area, right?”
He was nodding desperately. How can he sit at the purchase counter with that attitude?
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While I was eating steak and drinking ale, I received a somewhat hesitant telepathic message: 《Master, I’m holding down a noisy guy.》
I was in the middle of my meal, but I couldn’t ignore it, so I went outside. There was a man pinned down by Hoo-chan, surrounded by six other men who had drawn their swords and nocked their bows.
Hoo-chan No. 2 was facing them, growling and keeping them in check.
“What do you think you’re doing to my Tamed Beast?”
“Your Tamed Beast, you say? Don’t bring such an ill-mannered mutt around here!”
“That’s strange… I haven’t Tamed any mutts, and she’s more polite than you lot. I don’t know what that guy did to Hoo-chan, but she’s just doing as I ordered: ‘Don’t kill him, just step on him.’ You meddled with someone else’s Tamed Beast and got away unharmed, so don’t complain.”
“Haven’t seen your face around. You’ve got a big attitude for someone who Tames mutts. How about we settle whose story holds up in a Mock Battle, ours or your mutt’s?”
“Fine by me, but I’m in the middle of eating. I’ll deal with you when I’m done. Hoo-chan, pee on him and then kick him away.”
Hoo-chan removed the paw pinning the man down, urinated on him at length, and then kicked him away with her hind leg.
The man, drenched in urine from head to toe, was stunned for a moment, but when he was kicked, he let out a cute shriek, “Kyaah!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the unfitting scream coming from his grimy face.
Laughter erupted from the Adventurers who had been watching our exchange, and the men who had picked the fight glared at me, their faces bright red.
Hoo-chan had acted exactly as I’d said, proving she was a well-trained Tamed Beast, so they couldn’t complain.
In front of them, I ordered Hoo-chan, “If there’s any more trouble, you can bite them to death.”
“I’m going back to my meal. If you want a Mock Battle, go call the Guild Master, you cowards!”
With that, I returned to the dining hall. If they ran away after being provoked that much, they wouldn’t be able to show their faces in this town.
It would be interesting to see if they turned tail and fled, or if they showed some backbone and went through with the Mock Battle.
“They wouldn’t pick a fight and then run away, would they?”
“We’re betting on you guys, so don’t lose!”
“It’s a Mock Battle between The Wolfpack and a drifting Tamer!”
“Surely they won’t run away, right?”
Aah, they’re being egged on.
It seems it’s become even harder for them to back out now. What will they do?
As I was chewing the last bite of my food, a roar of cheers erupted from outside.
“It’s a Mock Battle!”
“A drifting Tamer challenged The Wolfpack to a fight!”
“It’s a seven-on-one Mock Battle! Place your bets, everyone!”
Hey, hey, they’re getting worked up even though the Guild Master isn’t here yet.
“It’s the Guild Master! Make way!”
“Are you the one who accepted the Mock Battle?”
“That’s right. I can’t just stand by and watch when someone messes with my Tamed Beast.”
“Tamed Beast? You mean that kitten?”
“No, I mean the wolves I have waiting outside.”
“Hmm, if that’s also a Tamed Beast, then you have two beasts of two species?”
“Guild Master, they’re magnificent Forest Wolves, two of them!” someone from the crowd shouted.
“Let me see your Guild Card for a moment.”
When I placed my Guild Card on his outstretched palm, the surroundings buzzed.
“Hey, it’s a Silver card!”
“Does that mean he’s D-rank or C-rank at such a young age?”
“Hey, hey, can The Wolfpack even win?”
“The Wolfpack has three D-rankers, so they should be fine, right?”
“A solo D-ranker is stronger than a group that makes D-rank together.”
“You idiots from The Wolfpack, don’t you dare lose!”
“Surely they won’t lose seven-on-one, right?”
“This is where you aim for the long shot, bet on the drifting Tamer!”
“If we bet on The Wolfpack, the payout won’t be much, huh.”
“How can this even be a bet?”
Urged on by the Guild Master, I entered the training grounds, which were overflowing with spectators.
Voices appraising us rose from here and there, but it seemed The Wolfpack was being rather underestimated. I sat Mii-chan down in a special seat and drew my favorite Wooden Sword from my Magic Pouch, then waited.
The one pushed forward by his comrades was the man who had received the urine shower; he was holding a rather long club.
He glared at me resentfully for being shamed in front of his companions, but what do I care?
At the signal “Begin!”, he rushed forward, swinging his raised club down diagonally, but he was slow.
I lightly parried it, slipped past him to get behind, and as he stumbled to a halt, I kicked him in the groin.
I meant to kick lightly, but he became knock-kneed, clutched his groin, collapsed to his knees, and then fell face down.
“Too weak! This isn’t even a bet!”
“Aargh, did you even pay your betting fee?”
“That’s why I said it’s not even a bet!”
“Next guy, at least put up a bit of a fight!”
The second one was a large man wielding a wooden sword modeled after a greatsword. He swung it around, but after dodging about three times, I hit his shin, and that was it.
I was holding back, but he clutched his leg, rolled around, and let out a pained cry.
“Alright, who’s next! Hurry up and come out!” the Guild Master called out for the next person in an irritated voice.
The next to appear seemed to be a Longsword user. He stood before me, seriously practicing his swings.
This guy seemed to favor thrusts, but perhaps the wooden sword was too heavy to wield with one hand, as his thrusts were weak. When his arm was fully extended, I grabbed it, swung him around, and threw him away.
“Hey, hey, he went flying!”
“He’s ridiculously strong, isn’t he?”
“This is hopeless. It’s not even a match.”
“Guild Master, they’re too weak. Let me take on the remaining four at once.”
“Yeah, this isn’t much of a match. If you’re fine with it, I’ll ask them.”
The Guild Master went over to the four and started talking to them, but it didn’t look like I’d get a favorable answer, so I decided to provoke them a little.
“Hey! You treated Forest Wolves like puppies and now you’re running away? Cowards who can’t even fight four-on-one should quit being Adventurers!”
《Did you hear that? Running away from a four-on-one fight, how shameless.》
《More like a flock of sheep than The Wolfpack.》
《Even the tavern girl has more guts!》
《Don’t run away!》
Ah well, it looks like they got riled up by the hecklers and went berserk, but that’s exactly what I wanted.
Each of them grabbed their weapons, lined up side-by-side, and with the signal “Begin!”, they charged forward with desperate shouts.
Just as the man in front was about to swing down the Wooden Sword he’d raised, I hit them with my full killing intent and King’s Pressure.
Oh my, they’re all completely frozen, so I go around kicking them in the crotch from the front, but it’s like dealing with scarecrows; there’s no challenge.
As expected, when they take a shock to the family jewels, they show some reaction like foaming at the mouth, their eyes rolling back, or collapsing, but it’s boring.
My killing intent has silenced the spectator seats too, so I thank the Guild Master and leave the training grounds, but Mii-chan grumbled that I was scary.
I hand over the assessment form at the settlement counter, tell them to deposit everything with the Guild, and go for another drink.
I thought about sightseeing around Brun’s town for a while, but it’s boring, so I decide to head to the next town.