Otherworld Company Chapter 168.2: It’s Hard To React When You Know The Outcome.

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“Then, should we just cut the entire magic circle? No, should I cut through the surrounding rocks and bury it? Or should I try to cut through the surrounding miasma?” (Jiro)

　More and more muscle-brained ideas started running through my head, but none of them seemed to fit the situation neatly. [T/N: LMAO]

“*Sigh*, I thought I’d try to solve the problem with a little force, but I guess what can’t be done can’t be done, right? The most effective plan to do this is to summon Ms. Valus and freeze this space. But that’s not it either, is it?” (Jiro)

　I remind myself that I should not take action without thinking.

　The last resort is to summon a spirit.

　The method is only a postponement, not a solution.

　Is it better to move in the direction of obediently exterminating the surrounding enemies and wait for the Supervisor’s unit to arrive?

　I thought that Ms. Valls would definitely laugh at me for doing nothing, but I decided that since I couldn’t do anything, there was nothing I could do, so I decided to take action once that was decided.

“Huh!?” (Jiro)

　The intuition that the instructors had drilled into my body that I should be sensitive to the possibility of being killed sent a jolt of electricity through my brain.

　A chill ran down my spine, and I followed my bad premonition and swung the Mineral Tree with all my might toward the space behind me, where there should have been nothing.

　I felt a sharp snap and something was severed.

　Immediately after that.

“Aaaaaaaaaaa! My arm!? My arm!?” (Voice)

“Who are you? That sword.” (Jiro)

　A scream rises from the space where I swung it.

　He wasn’t there a moment ago.

　There is no doubt about that.

　But then I realized that something was about to attack me, and I reflexively swung the sword, there was a spray of blood and a man on his knees with his arms clutched in his hand.

　I quickly turned around and checked the man’s face, but all I could recall was that it looked unfamiliar, probably.

　However, I knew of something that would apply to this situation.

　I looked at the dagger lying on the ground near the man, and I was convinced that it was a dagger with his dismembered hand still gripping it.

　I decided at first glance that it was dangerous and smashed it with the Mineral Tree.

“Phew, this is it, huh?” (Jiro)

　After smashing the dagger between us, I confirmed that the suspicious atmosphere had disappeared, and once that was done, I turned his attention to the attacker.

　Dark hair, dark eyes, and a face that looks Japanese no matter how you look at it.

　I don’t have to wonder why he is alone in a place like this, but I guess that he is the culprit of the magic sword incident.

　The fact that he attacked me and the dagger that looked like a magic sword earlier are all circumstantial evidence.

　I wondered why he was quiet now when he was screaming in pain at first, so I checked.

“It’s gone, it’s gone, ah, it’s gone.” (Young Man)

　The man who had been screaming in pain when he saw the dagger broken in two had disappeared and was now mumbling incoherently, giving off some kind of dangerous vibe.

　I didn’t want to get involved with a man who was clearly insane, but I didn’t want to just leave him like this.

“Damn it.” (Jiro)

　Without hiding the troublesome atmosphere, I took out a potion from my waist and poured it over the man’s hand to stop the bleeding, then I collected the man’s hand, and the sword and gauntlet that I had destroyed were also recovered, and I left the scene carrying the man whose hostility had vanished.

　I was wary that he would do something while I was holding it, but the man only let out a dry chuckle.

　While running fast, the man just kept repeating that his hand was cut off while staring at the missing hand, and I couldn’t help but mentally cringe just hearing him say it. [T/N: It’s the sword, not the hand, Jiro.]

　After ten minutes of running, I dropped the man off in an area where the miasma had started to become thin enough and the magic circulation was no longer necessary.

　I let him sit leaning against a tree, but he never shifted his gaze from his hand.

“Hey! Do you know me?” (Jiro)

“Hahahaha, it’s gone, it’s gone.” (Young Man)

　I tried to force him to make eye contact with me by grabbing his face, but his eyes were out of focus and I couldn’t tell where he was looking.

“I’m not a psychiatrist, what should I do?” (Jiro)

　I click my tongue and realize that I can’t handle this guy.

　Potions can’t cure the sick mind.

　I can’t tell under the circumstances if he’s been drugged or if he’s really mentally ill.

　I brought him here for information, but there is nothing more I can do.

“Oh? Your timing is good.” (Jiro)

　Just when I was at a loss and confused, I felt a presence.

　It was not the disturbing presence of an undead, but the presence of a living person.

　And this peculiar dark presence is peculiar to demons.

　I am sure that my senses are not going crazy, and they must have found me.

　The group with a thickening presence changed course and appeared.

“Jiro Tanaka, why are you here?” (Demon)

　The leader of the group was probably the man in the lead.

　The male demon standing at the front of the group called out my name and asked why I was here.

“I’ll report the details later. I ran over here to help you out with a problem, but I couldn’t do anything about this, so I just turned around. Thank goodness your timing is good. There was a magic circle up ahead. That’s probably the cause. And this guy is the probable cause of the tester attacks.” (Jiro)

“What?” (Demon)

　Let’s stop throwing tsukkomis for later.

　The forest camouflage-wearing demons came out and I explained the situation honestly, judging from the lack of hostility and the emblem on his shoulder that he was a member of the supervisor’s unit.

　Finally, I pointed to the man who had made me lean against a tree while lighting a cigarette.

“So? What’s going on now? How are the other testers.” (Jiro)

“They are safe. The evacuation is complete, and they are waiting in the village. So, what you just said is true?”

“There’s no point in telling a lie here, the magic sword here is also my evidence. He’s the culprit of the recent commotions. Probably because of the magic sword, or other factors—or my fault that he lost his mind after cutting off his wrist along with the gauntlet, maybe. So, is there anyone in this unit who can use healing magic? I want to heal his mind and attach his hand.” (Jiro)

“Understood. We’ll collect the magic sword here. I’ll have my subordinates deliver it to Lady Evia.” (Demon)

“Yeah, please.” (Jiro)

　After handing over the magic sword and the man’s wrist with the broken gauntlet, one of the unit members approached the man and began to heal him.

　Three others went ahead of me to check the magic circle, and I let out a sigh that this would finally resolve the situation.

　I was relieved to see the end of the task at hand, not knowing that this was just one part of a plan that was still barely an appetizer.

　Another Side

~3^rd Person Perspective~

　The man had been smiling behind his hood the whole time.

　This was in spite of the fact that the magic sword user who was supposed to be the key to this plan had been captured.

“I would have liked to see a little more of him anyway, but I guess it would have been too much for him even if he used a magic sword. He’s not going to go into the next round. But the ending was good. He did a pretty good job. I was going to let him die here as a pawn, but as a reward, I’m going to give you the right to live.” (Robed Man)

　Now that this man has now been rendered useless.

　The disturbance in the Spirit Forest is gradually coming to an end.

　The summoning of the undead was in the curtain call.

　Finally, the magic circle that was the starting point of the summoning using the ley lines was also seized.

　The man with no more cards in his hand quietly flips his cloak and leaves the scene, to see off the end of the play.

“Oh, I’m looking forward to the harvest.” (Robed Man)

　The man leaves by spatial transition, with only his words echoing in the air.

　Another Side End

Note for the Day

The future direction of one’s life depends on one’s reaction to the inability to do something that is right in front of one’s eyes. That is what I thought that day.