chapter 87
87 – Welcome to Yongjugol (6)
I won’t run the ninja village like the chaotic tail organization members of Sagal, who have no rules, wise sayings, or even parents.
Before starting the big cleaning, this had to be made clear.
“From now on, all candidates will respond with ‘Nin-nin’! Got it?”
“Nin-nin” and “Wajabeot”.
It is the basic means of communication that all ninjas, not just runaway ninjas, should use.
“Yes?”
“Nin-nin!”
“What? Who the hell said ‘Yes’?”
Most of them were quick-witted, having lived on the edge, but idiots are everywhere.
“Haap!”
A woman covers her mouth with an exaggerated gesture and widens her eyes.
A pose that could only come from a stupid girl comic from the 88th year.
“Joker, it’s you again?”
“Ugh.”
She called him Joker, but the answer was Occulius, a monster who absorbs genetic information to become a symbiote.
It may seem cute at first glance, snuggling up in Joker’s arms, but you must not let your guard down.
Even if they receive a rabies shot and attend human classes, monsters are still monsters.
During a one-on-one battle, like Delamion, whose eyes went crazy when he saw my blood, you never know when they’ll go berserk.
“Joker, as a candidate, your turn comes after the big cleaning.”
“No way!”
“Yes, there is.”
They finished this pointless conversation.
They couldn’t waste time chatting during an important opportunity for deep cleaning, where they had to put the candidates to work without lifting a finger.
Thunk!
Orphe kicked a jet kick to the collapsed entrance, and it was reconstructed.
The jet kick was the cheat code to restore the entrance.
“Now! From now on, the candidates will line up and follow me! Commence!”
The sight of 50 candidates, like well-trained soldiers, following Orphe into Yongjugol… It stirred something in the heart.
Suddenly, memories from childhood came flooding back. Was I in middle school? I remember it was during summer vacation.
I had been sent to the house of a marine corps veteran that I’d never seen before.
– Go and receive some discipline and come back!
That’s what he said. I can’t remember the name of the marine corps veteran.
– Nice to meet you! If you’re Dae-sik’s son, you’re like my own son! I’ll turn you into a ‘man’!
The marine corps veteran, who claimed to have shared ‘brotherhood’ with Powerd-Mountain Gorilla, interfered with every action and word of mine.
He was really annoying and troublesome, but he wasn’t useless.
– Ah!!!
He taught me combat techniques (he called it special forces martial arts, but I don’t know if it’s real) and showed me clearly that nothing was impossible with ‘kihap’.
– You… You have kiyul…! You monster!… Get out of our house right now!
Everything was fine, but the problem was that my mental strength was too weak.
When I tried to ambush her while she was sleeping or eating, she kicked me out like a seven-year-old girl seeing a fossil of Eromangasaurus australis Sachs, 2005 for the first time.
I was greatly disappointed at that time.
They said she could beat ghosts, so I thought she would be as strong as a ninja, but she wasn’t.
“Nin-nin.”
Lost in thought, I ended up inside Yongjugol.
“Candidates, enter!”
“Nin-nin!”
The candidates who imitated like baby birds were quite cute.
“Um… Is this the Ninja Village?”
Heidi looked around Yongjugol with an anxious expression and gaze.
Well, I understand.
This place, which used to be the Aioji Mine, has transformed into a hardcore dungeon in just a few years.
“Hmm.”
From the scattered unidentified bones and broken glass bottles to the enormous spider webs filling the cave and the red letters carved on the walls.
– S a l l y j u e o
– Liberate tuteme ex inferis
The red paint dripping on the floor while it hardened is quite impressive.
Kikirik. Kikiririk.
Strange sounds can be heard from afar, as if there are groups of monsters.
– The place we’re standing on is the Ninja Village.
“…Yes?”
“From now on, we will begin the major cleaning!”
Talju Ninjado raised his voice.
“Whether it’s objects or living beings, it doesn’t matter! Clean up everything that exists here!”
After all, it’s the candidates who have to clean up, whether it’s monsters or bones.
“This is also a test, so take it seriously!”
Of course, this is not just a simple test.
Did you notice?
The ones I brought here are not ‘ninjas’, but ‘ninja candidates’.
Just because I brought them all the way to Yongjugol doesn’t mean they will all be accepted as ninjas.
“I hear strange sounds from far away. They seem like monsters.”
“These spider webs…they’re Arachne. Quite annoying monsters. They have low intelligence, so the cure doesn’t work on them.”
“For at least a year, it seems like they’ve designated this place as their habitat. If it’s Arachne, who lays a lot of eggs at once, there might be over a hundred adults.”
Lunox, Maximos, and Hook said in turn.
“Excellent.”
Ninjas who find answers on their own while moving. This is the picture I wanted.
As for the other candidates…
“Ugh!”
“Oops! Oculius! That’s not something to eat! Spider webs are for support!”
It was so damn frustrating that I immediately turned my gaze away.
“There seems to be a monster.”
“Did you bring your equipment?”
“The one who kills the most is the real ninja.”
“But look, Lord Runox is there, and that’s a bit…”
“Look, the ‘Black Bull’ Maximos has taken out his double axes.”
“They’re mercenaries. Even if they don’t know people, they’re not good at killing monsters.”
Other candidates, who seem to have rich combat experience, eagerly draw their weapons.
Even though they were told to clean up their belongings, are they distracted by the monsters?
“Ugh…”
Heidi was using a stick she found somewhere to gather bones.
It was clear that she understood the intention behind my words.
Even Choker, like Heidi, needs to find something he can do…
“Shall we go?”
“Ew.”
He doesn’t seem to have any intention of rushing with a short dagger as small as a finger.
The third-rate novelist Seton, the siren poet Muka, and the mad comedian Choker… Could they be the scourge of this world?
They might also be inevitable existences.
“What are you thinking?”
Orpheus approaches me again, as if his mood has improved.
“Guess.”
“Well, the ancient warrior’s sword?”
“Why would it be here?”
“…You got it here. You brought it yourself.”
“Did I?”
I don’t remember much about the past.
It’s not because of my bad memory, but because I fought with the demonic king, Monica, in the spiritual world for a long time.
…
Many candidates have left to catch monsters, so the surroundings are empty.
Orphe and I chatted while living in Yongjugol.
A slightly gloomy yet wide and deep cave.
I wonder if there’s a dimensional gate around here that leads to another dimension.
Like the Gana-Da Kingdom… or the Virgin Ghost World…
“Ugh, my head…”
It feels like I’ve seen a parallel world that I shouldn’t have seen. It feels like remembering an unpleasant history.
“Stop thinking strange thoughts, let’s follow.”
Orphe grabbed my hand and pulled me.
“I was just thinking about the future of Yongjugol.”
“Liar.”
…
Taking a stance optimized for hitting with a fist is an unavoidable habit.
“Arachne is not an easy monster. The fully grown adults are bigger than young children. If those creatures gather around, even the candidates will be in danger.”
“I think they’ll handle it well on their own.”
Orphe, who usually didn’t show much interest in anything else, seemed unusually intrigued today.
Has it been like this since I mentioned creating a ninja village? Is it because he’s interested in ninjas?
If he hadn’t inherited the items of the ancient warrior, he could have become a super ninja.
It’s regrettable.
Squeak! Squeaksqueak!
“We’re going there! Get them!”
“These bastards finally met their match today!”
As I expected.
The candidates were sensibly slaughtering the spider monsters on their own.
“Orphe, it seems you need to sharpen your ‘instinct’.”
“…You did well.”
They were all doing fine, but the ones who left an impression were all the ones I marked.
“To sever it, is it only a matter of life?”
Lunox smoothly swung his sword, uttering a quite impressive line.
I wonder if he carries around a book of famous quotes like me?
Shirik! Chakchak!
As he skillfully swung his double-edged sword, slaughtering the spider monsters, I couldn’t help but think of the Black Swordswoman Agatha.
Come to think of it, he mentioned being part of the Crimson Flame Dragon Knights.
Did you learn it directly from Agatha?
Then it would be like I stole Agatha’s disciple.
“…”
There’s no problem with following someone stronger. It’s human instinct.
“I dedicate this to the runaway ninja!”
Maximus swung his Viking-like double-headed axe down on the monster’s head.
At first glance, it looked like he was just recklessly charging in and striking, but I could tell.
He lured the spiders to a place where it was easy to swing the axe, then struck their heads and pushed them away with his feet, effortlessly pulling it out without exerting much force.
The movements of a master who had used an axe for decades. He certainly seemed to be a renowned mercenary.
“Die, die, die, die! This is for Father! For my little sister! For Grandma!”
Hook was muttering while fiercely stabbing the monster’s belly with his knife, resembling a horror movie killer.
He seems a bit mentally weak, but he’ll improve once he undergoes my mental training.
“Hoeeeng~!”
“Ugh~”
Joker and Oculius were desperately running away from the monsters.
Well, if they can’t catch at least three, they’ll be eliminated, so it doesn’t matter.
“I hope they disappear quickly.”
I quickly surveyed the area, and now I just need to quietly find a secluded place until the major clean-up is over.
“Let’s go.”
I went deeper into the cavern with Orpheus.
The spider yokai, rushing in without even understanding the topic, were all torn apart.
“Let’s take a break.”
I roughly spread out a mat on the floor and sat down.
Since I couldn’t sleep in the carriage because of Orphe, now is the chance.
“…Oh? Um, there.”
Orphe, who was looking around, widened his eyes and raised his finger.
“Why?”
I naturally turned my body to look…and there was a metal barrel wedged between the rocks.
“Treebo?!”
Did this guy lose his way here?