“Oi! What happened, Ai-Fa!?”
While getting up on one knee, I called out over the rock.
Even this, even if my feet just slip, if such a punchline came true then I’ll really be killed1, so I can’t move unnecessarily.
However, no reply came back.
There was only the sound of bashabasha violently splashing water, the echoing was a little ominous.
“Oi! I’m going to look at you! If it’s nothing, respond within 3 seconds!”
Wondering whether or not she understood “seconds”, I continued to call out to her.
However, she still didn’t answer.
While enduring a feeling of impatience that made my heart hurt, still I counted 3 seconds.
“One……two……three!”
I rose, and looked toward the river.
At that place一一there was no one.
However.
In a rocky place a short distance away, was a bunch of familiar clothes, and a large and a small sword rolling around.
And.
The surface of the water next to it, was violently rippling and splashing about.
I threw off the leather mantle, climbed over the rock that I was leaning against, and immediately ran up towards it.
At that same time, Ai-Fa’s face appeared from the surface of the water.
Painfully distorted, was Ai-Fa’s face.
“Ai-Fa!”
In the mouth of Ai-Fa gasping for air, the water of the river relentlessly poured.
Even though it seemed that if you stood up the depth would only reach about your waist, Ai-Fa seemed to be unable to pull her body out of the water any longer.
“What are you doing! Come one, hold on!”
From on top of the rocky terrain, I held out my right hand.
While struggling like crazy, Ai-Fa’s eyes, looked at me without power.
“Near……don’t come……”
Thin and faint, Ai-Fa’s voice.
Her body, was slowly being swept downstream.
“Don’t mess around! Grab me, oi!”
If it came to this, then it can’t be helped.
I plunged my right foot through the surface of the water, while holding on so as to not get washed away, I stretched out my arm to grab Ai-Fa’s body.
Those fingertips, when they touched the smooth skin of Ai-Fa’s shoulders, at that moment.
A strange object, wrapped itself around my right arm.
“Uwah!?”
Suddenly, an intense pain ran through my right arm.
Merimeri, I could hear the creaking sounds of bones.
The object wrapped around my right arm, was squeezing it with a tremendous force.
As thick as my arm.
Covered in bluish-black scales, the strange object.
That, was the tail of a giant snake.
The moment I realized that, Ai-Fa groaned with a “Uugh” painfully.
Extremely violently, the water of the river splashed.
Both of Ai-Fa’s arms, were thrusted out above the surface of the water.
In her fingertips, the neck of the giant snake was held.
The sickle-like neck2 that was about the size of a rugby ball, peeled it’s fangs towards Ai-Fa.
Ai-Fa, had been wrestling with the big snake underwater.
“This bastard……!”
While enduring the pain in my right arm, I stepped further back. The ankle I injured yesterday was throbbing, but I can’t get caught up in such a thing.
Bones are crushed by the superhuman strength, but if it won’t let go, all the better. I’ll drag it out of the water as it is.
The river’s current is gentle, and Ai-Fa’s weight is negligible3, there’s nothing I can’t do.
I mean, I’ll do it even if I die.
“Oraa!”
With a flash of spirit, I pulled my right arm with all my strength, and Ai-Fa’s body who was wrapped by the giant snake, neared the edge of the river.
I pulled my right foot out of the river, and locked the giant snake’s head with my left arm.
“Nuuu……ryaaa……a!”
The only thing left to do, is just some weightlifting.
Well, I’ve never done any weightlifting before.
“……Damn it!”, Ai-Fa let out a faint voice.
Once again, I strained all the strength in my body. With that, I was able to drag Ai-Fa’s body onto the rock.
It was wrapped around her chest, stomach, and right leg, while the remainder stretched towards my shoulders, and wrapped itself around my right arm.
The thickest part of its torso, was about the same as my thigh.
Its thickness, and length, it was of an unusual size.
If you looked closely, its bluish-black scales were ripped and torn here and there, it looked like this giant snake was originally injured, otherwise every bone in Ai-Fa’s body may have already been long crushed.
“Yoshi! Don’t let go of that hand, Ai-Fa!”
I grabbed a rock near me, and slammed it into the giant snake’s head.
With a numenume, the body of shining scales, convulsed in surprise.
Snakes don’t feel pain, it seems to be a superstition. If you are struck, then naturally it should hurt.
On the giant snake’s head that Ai-Fa had fixed in the air, I swung down the rock several times.
On the fifth shot red blood splashed out, and at that moment, “Aah” Ai-Fa screamed.
My right arm too, squirmed and creaked.
“Damn it! Don’t contract! Relax!”
Even with its head fixed in the air, it seems that the damage is spread out.4
If so, then the belly.
I aimed at the part that was touching the ground, and swung down with all my might.
The unpleasant feeling of crushing flesh, it was clearly transmitted through the rock.
“…………!!”
The snake’s hold, uraveled with a shurushuru.
From my arm, as well as Ai-Fa’s body.
I quickly lifted up Ai-Fa’s body, and kicked the giant snake’s body that was trying to escape towards the river.
With a heavy thud, the giant snake sank to the bottom of the river.
After confirming that it was slowly getting swept downstream, I called out a “Oi!” to Ai-Fa.
“Hang in there! Are you alright? Please don’t die, Ai-Fa!”
I laid her body down on the rock once again, and then shook her bare shoulders firmly.
Ai-Fa groaned weakly, and from her mouth she spat out a large amount of water.
Her long golden hair which was usually tied up, clung to her face and chest.
Ai-Fa who was weakened to the point where she was like a different person, kept her eyes tightly closed, while she dug her nails into the back of my hand.
“Is it painful? You’ve still drank some more water didn’t you?”
I turned Ai-Fa’s body who had lost its strength, patted her back a little harder, and then a large amount of water was spat out.
“Ugh……Asu……ta?”
“Are you okay? I dropped that snake bastard into the river so! You don’t need to worry about it anymore”
Her still not yet focused blue eyes, looked at me blankly.
Such a weak expression.
But, she’s alive.
I, raised up Ai-Fa’s body, and hugged her slender body with both of my arms.
In hindsight, I should reflect on what I did to the Ai-Fa who had just escaped the hold of the giant snake, but as expected I seem to had lost myself as well.
“That’s great (T/N: よかった)……don’t worry me so much……”
Immediately my body got soaked, but I didn’t care about that.
However.
Ai-Fa’s arm, with an unexpected strength, pushed back my chest.
“Let go……that arm, let go!”
“Eh?”
In a moment of surprise, my arm loosened.
At the same time, my chest was thrust away.
I, fell flat on my butt.
“Wh, what’s wrong?”
Ai-Fa’s eyes, blazed like a fire.
Her fingertips, grabbed the hilt of the barbarian sword that was lying at her feet.
“Wh, what? What the heck is going on?”
I was amazed by the extent of the transformation before my eyes, while Ai-Fa unsheathed her barbarian sword from its sheath.
The face that was weak like a sick child until just a while ago, was filled with unmistakable killing intent.
Did I somehow, commit a taboo on Ai-Fa?
Although it was due to an unexpected situation, is it because I saw her naked body?
Because I inadvertently hugged her body?
(Well……if it’s that much of a sin, then it can’t be helped)
Too many things had happened, maybe I’m not able to keep up with my thoughts.
But, rather than see Ai-Fa die, it’s better to be killed by Ai-Fa, such a stupid thing was the only thing I was able to think of.
Naked, while on one knee, Ai-Fa held her barbarian sword between my eyes.
For some reason the back of the sword was aimed at me instead of the blade, well, with such a thick blade even the back of the sword would end up killing me.
I, stared into Ai-Fa’s eyes.
However.
Ai-Fa’s eyes, weren’t staring at me.
Those eyes that blazed like blue fire, seemed to be aimed at the space behind me.
Bururururu……, a heavy exhaust sound-like sound, from an unexpectedly close distance, sounded out.
Behind me一一something, is there.
“Teyaah!”
From Ai-Fa’s mouth, the spirit of the fissure bursts.5
And then.
I, was crushed by something.
“……gue”
Something with a tremendous weight, came down on my head with a tremendous force.
It, was hard, burly, and still yet, it smelled absurdly animalistic.
Exhaling with a “fuu”, Ai-Fa sat down flatly.
From the gaps in her loosely hanging golden brown hair, her blue eyes glared at me like usual.
“Don’t get distracted just because you averted one disaster. If you’re like that, then you won’t be able to survive in the forest”
Someone who’s still naked, shouldn’t be that conceited.
But well, I was finally able to grasp the situation.
(……Just a little longer, I wanted you to stay weak. Brute)
While muttering such a thing inwardly, the crushed skull of the jerking and convulsing Giba’s huge body, I pushed it off of the top of my head.
__________________________________________________________________________
1. By Ai-Fa
2. As in what the shape of the snake’s neck was bent in.
3. This part wasn’t very well clearly translated, so feel free to give alternatives if you want.
4. Not sure how to TL (固定されているとはいえ空中にある頭部では、どうもダメージが拡散されてしまうらしい。)
5. From what I found, it’s basically a high and sharp yell/battlecry.