The Classless Transferee's Skill Copy - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Sacrifice

Translator: Newton

Editor: TipToe

 

During the time when Aruto and his party were taking on Fille Cave…

 

Meryl was casting Heal periodically on Elle’s father, who was suffering from an illness, back at the village.

 

Though it didn’t cure his illness, it calmed him down, and he was able to head to sleep.

 

Elle, continually watching over her father, sat down next to Meryl, who had finished casting Heal.

 

Her expression was one filled with worry and sorrow.

 

Meryl gently pat her head.

 

“It’s okay, Elle-san. Aruto-san and the rest will definitely come back with the healing flower.”

 

“Yeah!”

 

Influenced by Meryl’s smile, Elle smiled too.

 

“Once your father’s illness is cured, what do you want to do?”

 

“Hm… I want to play house!”

 

“Playing house, huh! Since you’re a young girl, you’ll have fun! Let me join when the time comes!”

 

“Alright!”

 

Seeing the two talk just as if they were sisters, Elle’s mother smiled.

Then, she handed them red tea.

 

“You really believe in Aruto-san and the rest, it seems.”

 

“Yes. They’re important to me… Don’t you think the same too, miss?”

 

“Fufu, indeed.”

 

Just as Meryl placed trust in Eim, Magius, and I, Elle placed her trust in her parents.

 

Friends and family alike were like that.

 

Following that, there was a racket outside the house.

 

Elle’s mother peeked outside to see what was going on, and Meryl followed her.

 

Armored men stood outside the house.

 

Feeling suspicious, the two left Elle inside the house, went out, and talked to them.

 

“Excuse me, what do you need?”

 

Feeling suspicious, the other villagers also went out of their houses.

As this happened, the men in armor spoke.

 

“Sorry to disturb you at such a busy time. We are soldiers of the Tiger Demon Fang army.”

 

“Tiger Demon Fang army…?”

 

Why was the army here? Meryl thought, tilting her neck.

 

“The truth is… we’ve received intel that this village harbors an oni that has attacked places nearby.”

 

“(By oni, they must mean Magius…)”

 

But, as expected, this information was conflicting.

 

Elle and the rest said that other villages hadn’t been attacked, yet they still came here to investigate…

 

“Apologies. I have come to this village due to a certain commission, but I have found no rumors of nearby villages being attacked.”

 

“Right! And we aren’t harboring any onis!”

 

Meryl and Elle’s mother spoke, attempting to drive the army off.

 

But then Meryl heard the voice of someone familiar…

 

“Well, well… to find you in this village…”

 

When she turned around, she saw the person who had asked us to take out the oni.

 

“You’re…!”

 

“Seems like you weren’t able to fulfill the commission. Too bad.”

 

“I have something I want to tell you…!”

 

The man sighed disappointedly and asked a question.

 

“What is it?” he said, smiling wryly.

 

“We came here, as you requested. You said that other villages were attacked by an oni, but the people of this village say that no one has been attacked. Isn’t something off?”

 

“I see… you’ve been deceived. Not just you, but the entire village.”

 

“What do you mean?” Meryl asked the man, who shouted out.

 

“This oni… has brainwashed the whole village! It plans to build its own base! That’s why they’re protecting it!”

 

Listening to the man, Meryl turned to look at Elle’s mother, and the other villagers.

 

If they were brainwashed, they would’ve responded strangely.

 

But…

 

“We wouldn’t allow ourselves to be brainwashed!”

 

“Magius-san has been a big help to us!”

 

“You’re the one who’s lying!”

 

The villagers pelted the army with abuse.

 

Looking at this, there was no way that they were brainwashed.

 

“Good grief, this brainwashing is strong…”

 

“No, these villagers aren’t brainwashed.”

 

“What…?”

 

As Meryl assured the man that the villagers had not been brainwashed, the man raised an eyebrow.

 

“They believe in Magius-san from the heart. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be going against you this much!”

 

The man looked upon Meryl’s cry in disgust.

 

“I see. In that case… you’re all the enemy!”

 

The man, his tone suddenly changing, tried to slash at Meryl with a knife, but she stepped back and dodged it.

 

“W-what are you doing!?”

 

The man glared sharply at Meryl, as he and the other army members encircled her.

 

“If your attitude’s going to be this bad, I’ll get riled up… Ah, whatever. I’m sure that guy Shu’s already reached his objective.”

 

“Shu? His objective? What’s all this…? What are you doing all of a sudden…!?”

 

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Charles Garnett, leader of the guild Absolute Demise.”

 

“Absolute Demise…? That assassins’ guild…!”

 

There was a connection between the assassins’ guild and the army…!

Thinking this, Meryl was on guard.

 

“What’s your objective!?”

 

“We plan to revive a powerful monster sealed within this village. The sacrifice necessary to revive it is in this very village.”

 

“What’s all…”

 

A sacrifice to revive the monster… As Meryl was about to ask who it was…

 

“Mom, Onee-chan? Where are you?”

 

Unable to wait any more, Elle went out of the house.

 

“Elle-san!?”

 

“Elle! It’s dangerous! Don’t head out!”

 

Elle’s mother embraced her to protect her.

As Charles saw Elle, he sneered.

 

“Good thing our target came out herself!”

 

“Could Elle-san be…!?”

 

Realizing that Elle was meant to be the sacrifice, Meryl stood in front of her to protect her.

 

“Why did you ask us to defeat the oni?!”

 

“Firstly, it’s since the oni would get in the way between us and the brat. Secondly, it’s to get your leader to join our ranks.”

 

“Aruto-san…!?”

 

“Ah, I’m sure he’s met my people by now.”

 

Hearing what Charles said, Meryl couldn’t stay still any longer and assumed a fighting stance.

 

“I won’t hand over Elle! I’ll beat you, then go save Aruto-san and the rest!”

 

“Really now? I wouldn’t know about you, but do you know what it’s like to have an army go against you?”

 

Right now, the knights and the army were in a conflict…

 

If Meryl were to go against the army here, there was a chance that the conflict would escalate.

 

But Meryl didn’t stop…

 

In order to protect the small life in front of her…

 

“Even then… I’ll protect Elle-san!”

 

“I see… In that case, die!”

 

As Charles shouted, the other soldiers drew their swords and attacked Meryl in unison.

 

In response, Meryl made Elle and the rest step back and defended against the attack using Barrier.

 

“Fireball!”

 

Firing a fireball at the soldiers who were repeatedly attacking the barrier, Meryl blew the soldiers back to Charles’ feet.

 

“Heh, not bad. But you won’t-“

 

You won’t win against me…

 

Charles was cut off as a blade of wind cut his cheek.

 

Meryl sent it out using Wind Cutter.

 

Blood oozed out from the small cut, and dripped on the ground.

 

“Don’t get too cocky, bitch…! Alright! I was originally planning on merely capturing you, but it seems I will have to kill you right here!”

 

In a fit of rage, Charles took out a capsule—Monster Drug—and consumed it.

 

Then, Charles’ flesh rippled and changed, and he became a Lizard Fighter.

 

“A human… turned into a monster?!”

 

“You will die… by my fists!”

 

With a shout, the Lizard Fighter bumped his fists together, and violently approached Meryl.

 

He then sent out a vigorous flurry of punches.

 

Meryl activated Barrier, in hopes of preventing the attack, but against the punches, the Barrier cracked and broke apart.

 

“N-no way!”

 

Meryl took a punch to the gut, and was sent flying.

 

She crashed against a nearby tree.

 

“Onee-chan!”

 

Worried for Meryl, Elle shouted.

 

Hearing Elle scream, Meryl clutched her stomach and got up.

 

“Ugh!?”

 

However, as she took too much damage, blood was coughed out of her mouth.

 

“Oi, oi, we’re just getting started!”

 

Avoiding Meryl’s Wind Cutter, the Lizard Fighter approached her and rushed her powerfully.

 

Meryl’s pained screams echoed throughout the village, causing some villagers to turn away from the brutality of the situation.

 

At the end of the rush, the Lizard Fighter hit Meryl with a bullet of light at point-blank, knocking her back and causing her to hit the dirt.

 

Battered and on the verge of losing her consciousness, she tried to get up.

 

However, she couldn’t get up, and she stared at the Lizard Fighter.

 

“That’s what happens when you pick a fight with us, powerless girl.”

 

After grabbing the fallen Meryl by her hair and making eye contact with her, the Lizard Fighter tried to land a finishing blow on Meryl, but…

 

“Sir!”

 

With an impatient look, one of his allies rushed in.

 

“What?”

 

“Shu-sama has… been killed by Asou Aruto! They’re heading to this village as we speak!”

 

“Beating Shu was as expected of him. In other words, we weren’t able to recruit him. A shame.” 

 

The Lizard Fighter snickered as it slammed Meryl’s head into the ground forcefully, then stood up and approached Elle and her mother.

 

Then, he punched Elle’s mother, who was trying to protect Elle, and knocked her out.

 

“Elle-san!”

 

At this rate, they’d take Elle!

 

Meryl tried to stand up, but her body was too weak to.

 

“See you. I’m sure you’ll regret how powerless you are.”

 

With a high-pitched laugh, the Lizard Fighter turned back into Charles, leading his underlings away as he carried Elle.

 

Looking at the backs of those people, Meryl finally fainted…