An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

But Ælfrelik seemed unfazed.

"What? I'm just following orders. You're all elders from different races, so you should understand the situation, right?"

"What's that oral order?! We don't even know if it's true or not! Has it never been implemented since the founding of Feyalbergen?!"

"So this is the first time, isn't it? That's all. Since you are elders, you should abide by it. This is the rule. How can we elders disregard the oral instructions passed down by our predecessors?"

"So, are you saying that these human brats have the qualifications? Are you saying they're too powerful for us to defeat?!"

"That's right."

Elfrelic's response remained calm. The bear demihuman stared at him with disbelief, then glanced at Hajime.

Several races in Feyalbergen appear to possess high abilities. Representatives of each race are chosen as elders, who regularly hold collegial gatherings, known as councils of elders, to decide national policy and other matters. The elders also make many daily decisions. The demihumans gathered here today appear to be modern-day elders, but their understanding of the spoken word seems to be somewhat skewed.

Ælfrelic was the type who valued oral instructions, while the other elders seemed different. Ælfrelic belonged to the Mori tribe, a race Hajime remembered as particularly long-lived among the demihumans, with an average lifespan of two hundred years. If that were true, the age gap between Ælfrelic and the elders before him must be significant, and a difference in values ​​was inevitable. Incidentally, the average lifespan for demihumans was around a hundred years.

That's probably why the elders, except for Ælfrelic, couldn't stand the presence of humans and sinners here.

“…In that case, I’ll give it a try right here!”

The bear demihuman suddenly rushed towards Hajime. The others were unable to react because it was so sudden. Even Alfrelik didn't expect him to attack without saying a word, and his eyes widened in shock.

The two-and-a-half-meter-tall bear demihuman, his body a hard mass of fat and muscle, instantly approached Hajime and swung his massive arm at him.

Among the demihumans, the bear-men possess exceptional endurance and strength, capable of breaking even thick tree trunks with a single punch. Since he represented this race, he undoubtedly possessed extraordinary destructive power. With the exception of Shiya and the other Hauriyas, and Yue beside Hajime, all the demihumans could foresee Hajime's transformation into a mass of flesh.

However, the next moment, they froze in front of an impossible sight. The heavy fist that was swung down with a sound of impact was easily caught by Hajime's left hand.

"...Such a weak fist. But since you dare to charge at me with murderous intent, does that mean you've learned something?"

Hajime tightened his grip on his prosthetic hand, causing the bear's arm to creak. He looked startled, sensing danger, and desperately tried to distance himself.

"Nuuu! Let go!"

He strained to pull his arms back, but even though Hajime only reached his chest, he was completely unaffected by his struggles. In fact, he had already forged the metal plates hidden in his shoes, transforming them into spikes to secure his legs. But to the unsuspecting bear demi-humans, Hajime was like a tree, unmoved by the wind.

Hajime silently poured his magic power into the prosthetic hand, increasing its grip strength in one go.

“Hmm!?”

The bear demi-human's arm crackled with an extremely ominous sound, yet despite this, he didn't even utter a single cry, truly worthy of an elder. However, Hajime didn't miss the moment he froze in pain and shock. He released his left hand, pulled his arm back like a karate punch, and stepped into the retreating bear demi-human's chest.

"Shoot it away!"

He launched his prosthetic arm while unleashing "Big Arm," simultaneously sending a surge of bullet shells flying from his elbow. This already powerful fist accelerated under the impact, instantly increasing its destructive power.

The iron fist, imbued with immense power, struck the bear's abdomen without mercy, sending a shockwave through the air, sending him flying with its fierce momentum. Still silent, the bear's body bent into a "U" shape, smashing through the wall behind him and vanishing into thin air. Soon after, a scream was heard from the ground.

This time, Hajime uses a shotgun that can be fired from his elbow. The recoil from firing the shotgun built into his prosthetic hand allows him to simultaneously attack enemies in front of him with his shrug while simultaneously striking those behind him with the bullets from his elbow. This time, he uses it to enhance his propulsion, combining it with his "Heroic Arm" to unleash immense power.

As everyone froze in silence, Hajime's arm once again made the sound of a mechanical "click!", and he cast a murderous gaze at the other elders.

"What's next? Can I consider you my enemies?"

No one dared to nod after hearing this.

When Shi sent the bear demi-human flying, Alfrelik immediately intervened, preventing Shi from causing a tragedy. Although the bear demi-human's internal organs were ruptured and nearly all his bones were shattered, leaving him in critical condition, he was ultimately saved—apparently thanks to a generous dose of expensive healing potion. Of course, it seemed he could no longer fight as a warrior...

The current elders—Jel of the Tiger People, Mao of the Winged People, Rua of the Fox People, Gejie of the Native People (commonly known as the Dwarves), and Ælfrelik of the Forest People—were sitting face to face with Hajime. Yue and Kamu sat beside him, with Shia beside them, and the other Hauriya people gathered behind him.

With the exception of Ælfrelic, all the elders' expressions were tense. After all, a veteran bear demihuman (named Jin), one of the most powerful warriors, had, as the name implies, been killed instantly, before he could even react. It was only natural for the elders, witnessing this scene firsthand, to react in this way.

"So? What do you intend to do to us? I just want to get to the tree, and as long as you don't get in my way, I have no intention of becoming your enemy... If you demihumans can't reach a consensus, I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen. If things escalate to that, you'll be in trouble, right? After all, I'm not the kind of person who would bother to sort out who's friend and foe when we're all killing each other."

The elders froze at Hajime's words. They probably all noticed the implication that Hajime wasn't ruling out the possibility of making enemies of the entire demihuman race.

"After beating our comrades to the point where they can no longer recover, this is the first thing you say... And you still want to be friends with us?"

Gejie's face was full of bitterness as if he had chewed Coptis chinensis, and he murmured like a groan.

"Hey, hey, what are you talking about? It was that bear who rushed at me first, right? I was just fighting back, and it was his own fault that he couldn't get back up."

"You, you! Jin always thinks about this country!"

"Do you think this is a reason to kill someone you just met for the first time?"

"T-That's because! But!"

"Don't make any mistake, okay? I'm the victim, and that bear is the perpetrator. As an elder, you have the responsibility to judge, right? Since you're an elder, don't try to put the cart before the horse in this matter!"

Gejie and Jin must be close friends, right? Therefore, even though he knew the truth was just as Hajime said, he still couldn't believe it. Even so, Hajime's personality wasn't gentle enough to tolerate his feelings.

"Gerjie, I understand how you feel, but enough is enough. He's not wrong."

Alfred's words of correction made Gejie, who was about to stand up, sit back down with a distorted expression and remained silent in anger.

"Indeed, this young man possesses one of the emblems, and his abilities are consistent with breaking through the Great Labyrinth. I agree that he is the worthy individual described in the oral instructions."

Ruya, the fox elder, said this. His narrow, thread-like eyes fixed on Shi, and he began to look around to confirm the other elders' opinions. Receiving his gaze, Maou of the Winged Man and Jel of the Tiger Man, though still hesitant, agreed. On their behalf, Alfrelik spoke to Shi:

"Nangumo Hajime, we, the elders of Feyabergen, agree that you are worthy as stated in the oral decree. Therefore, we have voted not to become your enemy... We will also do our utmost to urge our subordinates not to attack you, but..."

“That’s not absolute, is it?”

"Yes, as you know, demihumans have a negative impression of humans, frankly, even hatred. I don't deny that those who are hot-blooded are likely to ignore the decision of the Elders' Council, especially since Jin has been unable to recover after this incident. His race—the Ursine—may not be able to control their anger. After all, that guy is quite famous..."

"so what?"

Ælfrelic's words didn't change Hajime's expression. The only message in his eyes was that he believed he had done only what was right, and would continue to do only what was right. After Ælfrelic understood his thoughts, as an elder, he, too, spoke with a strong will in his eyes:

"Please don't kill your attacker."

"...You want me to show mercy to someone who's charging at me with murderous intent?"

"Yes, with your ability, you should be able to do it, right?"

"If the enemy's combat level is similar to that bear's, then yes, I can. However, I have no intention of showing mercy in a bloodbath. While I understand your feelings, that is your own business, not mine. If you don't want your compatriots to die, then do your best to stop them."

The values ​​Hajime cultivated in the Abyss—"the enemy must be killed"—were deeply ingrained in him. Therefore, he couldn't guarantee what would happen during a bloodbath. After all, if he showed mercy, he might end up inflicting fatal damage if the enemy became desperate. Therefore, Hajime didn't intend to obey Alfrelic's request.

But the tiger man Jel interrupted and said:

"In that case, we refuse to take you to the tree. The oral instructions also state that if you don't like someone, there's no need to take them where they want to go."

This made Hajime look surprised. He had originally intended to hand this job over to the Hauriya tribe and had no intention of relying on the power of Feyaberugin. These people should have known this. And Jel's next words revealed his intentions -

"You'd better not rely on the Hauriya tribe to lead the way. They are all criminals and must be punished according to the laws of Fjallbergen. I don't know why you have come together, but it's time to go your separate ways. The forbidden child with the same properties as a monster and the crime of hiding her are equivalent to exposing Fjallbergen to danger. We have already decided to execute them at the elders' meeting."

Jel's words made Shia tremble with tears, and Cam and the others also showed despair. The fact that no one blamed Shia even now was a testament to the depth of their affection.

"Elders! Please forgive my people! I beg you!"

"Shia! Stop! We've all come to our senses. You've done nothing wrong. We don't want to abandon a family like this to live alone. This is the decision made by the Hauliya tribe after countless discussions. There's no need to worry!"

"But, Father!"

Although Shia knelt down and kowtowed, desperately begging for forgiveness, Jel spoke ruthlessly:

"This has already been decided. The entire Hauriya clan must be executed. If you hadn't concealed the truth about Feiyaberugen, you could have simply exiled this forbidden child."

Shia burst into tears, and Kam and the others gently comforted her. The other elders, presumably because of Jelsore's claim, remained silent. Perhaps the most serious issue wasn't Shia's status as a forbidden child, but the fact that the Hauriyas hid such a dangerous element near Feyaberugan, aggravating the situation. It could be argued that the Hauriyas' deep bond exacerbated the situation—what an ironic sequence of events.

"That's right. So you have no other way to reach the tree. What do you think? Want to try your luck and see if you can make it?"

Jer's implication was that if Shi didn't want to do so, he would have no choice but to obey his demands, and the other elders had no objection. However, Shi didn't show any anxiety or distress, and answered as if nothing had happened:

"Are you stupid?"

“W-What did you say!?”

Jier's brows trembled at Shi's words, and Shia and the others couldn't help but look at Shi. Yue, on the other hand, remained calm, as if he understood Shi's thoughts very well.

"I've already said that your affairs have nothing to do with me. Taking these guys from me is undoubtedly hindering my progress."

Shiji looked down at the elders and reached out to hold the top of Shiya's head, who was now breaking down in tears. Shiya shuddered, raised her tear-stained face, and looked up at Shiji.

"Since you intend to take these guys from me... please be prepared."

“Hajime-san…”

To Hajime, his words were simply a refusal to allow others to interfere with him, without any further meaning. But even so, even in the demihuman stronghold, he declared war on Fjallbergen to save the lives of the Hauria tribe. This determination still pierced Shia's heart, which was sunk by despair.

"Are you serious?"

Alfred pierced through Hajime with a sharp gaze that left no room for error.

"certainly."

But Hajime's attitude remained unwavering, his determination unwavering. He would not be polite to the world, nor would he compromise or show mercy to anyone or anything that stood in his way. This was the oath he had sworn in the abyss.

"Even if Feyalbergen leads the way for you, are you determined to do so?"

The Hauriya tribe's death penalty was a decision made by the Council of Elders. If it were rescinded due to threats, it would undermine the nation's prestige. They had originally considered the offer of guidance as leverage against potential demihumans who might attack Hajime and his companions in the future, but now they would rather lose that leverage than rescind the Council of Elders' decision. Hence, Alfrelic made this suggestion.

However, Hajime showed a clear attitude, leaving no room for negotiation.

"How many times do I have to tell you that my guide is from the Hauriya tribe?"

"Why do you insist on using them? If we want to go to the tree, anyone can serve as a guide, right?"

After hearing Alfrerick's words, Hajime cast a look of annoyance at Shia. Shia, who had been staring at Hajime for a while, felt his gaze meet hers, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened. Although Hajime immediately looked away, the beating in Shia's chest continued to rise.

"Because we agreed that I would rescue them and they would lead the way for me."

"...A promise? If so, I assume you've already fulfilled your promise, haven't you? You saved them from the canyon monsters and the imperial soldiers, right? So, all that remains is to accept the reward of 'leading the way'. It shouldn't be a problem for you to just change who's paying you, right?"

"This is a serious problem. We already agreed to protect their lives until we reach our destination. If we abandon them and join another faction just because someone along the way offers better conditions..."

Hajime paused, then looked at Yue, who was already looking at him. Their eyes met, and she smiled faintly. Hajime smiled back, shrugged, and turned to Ælfrelic with a nonchalant attitude, continuing:

"That's just too ugly, isn't it?"

Night raids, surprise attacks, deception, cowardice, deceitful lies, bluffing—when they were killing each other, Hajime didn't think any of these actions were bad. As long as it was necessary for survival, he would do it without hesitation.

But precisely because of this, he wanted to protect the righteousness that lay beyond the realm of fratricide. If he couldn't even do that, he was nothing more than a perverted demon. The girl he'd met at the bottom of the abyss had drawn a line for him; crossing it on his own would be humiliating. Hajime, still a man, didn't want to expose himself to such shame in front of her. If possible, he hoped Yue would be proud of him. Most importantly, he wanted to maintain his heroic demeanor before his beloved vampire princess.

Seeing from Hajime's attitude that he wouldn't back down, Ælfrelic sighed deeply. The other elders looked at each other, unsure what to do. Silence fell for a moment. After a moment, Ælfrelic finally suggested, his face weary:

"In that case, treat them as your slaves. The rule of Feyalbergen is that anyone who leaves the Sea of ​​Trees and never returns, or anyone who is confirmed to be enslaved, is considered dead. After all, within the dense fog of the Sea of ​​Trees, we still have a chance of victory, but outside, against those who know magic, our chances of victory are almost nonexistent. To prevent further damage from a relentless pursuit, we will treat these people as dead and forbid any pursuit... Since the Hauriyas are already dead, we cannot impose the death penalty again."

"Alfrelic! If you do this!"

This was completely a fallacy. Of course, the other elders also looked at him in surprise, and Jer couldn't help but stand up and raise his voice in protest.

"Jer, you should be well aware of this young man's unwillingness to back down and his immense power. If we sentence the Hauriya tribe to death, we would undoubtedly be making an enemy of him. How many lives would we lose in such a situation? As one of the elders, I absolutely cannot take such a risk."

"But then we won't be able to set an example! If others knew we succumbed to their tyranny and spared the monster child and the one who gave birth to it, the prestige of the Elders' Council would be completely destroyed!"

"But……"

Jer and Ælfrelic engaged in a heated debate, joined by the other elders, creating a tumultuous atmosphere. It seemed the decision to release the dangerous element and its creator, combined with the already-made decision, was making it difficult for the elders to reach a consensus. After all, there were concerns that such a negative precedent could not be allowed to occur, and that the Elders' Council would lose its credibility.

Hajime, however, interrupted their discussion without paying any attention to their expressions:

"By the way, sorry to interrupt you guys when you're all so excited, but I'm wondering why you're still debating whether or not to let this sorry rabbit go?"

Hajime's words brought the discussion to a halt, and the elders turned their gazes to him, unsure of what was happening. He calmly rolled up his right sleeve and began to manipulate his magic. Instantly, a faint red glow appeared on the inside of his right arm, and he used "Thunder Wrap" to create sparks in his right hand.

The elders were stunned upon seeing his unusual behavior, and were even more horrified by the way he cast magic without the need for chanting or a magic circle. Apparently, they had assumed that Hajime was able to defeat Jin because of the prosthetic hand on his left arm.

"Like this guy, I can manipulate magic directly and use special magic. So can Yue here, by the way. We're all monsters in your eyes. If the reason for her execution is because she shares characteristics with monsters, then we must be executed too, right? But the oral instructions also state, 'No matter who they are, you should not become enemies.' To abide by that rule, you must spare monsters like us, no matter what. That's why I'm wondering why you're still debating whether to spare her alone."

The elders all froze, and after a while, they finally began to discuss quietly face to face. Then, perhaps having reached a conclusion, Ælfrelic sighed deeply and informed the others of the elders' meeting's decision:

"Alas~ We have decided to treat the members of the Hauriya tribe, led by Shia Hauriya, as members of the same clan as Nan Yunshi, the Forbidden Son. Furthermore, we will not become enemies with the worthy Nan Yunshi. However, we strictly forbid you from entering Feiyabergen and the neighboring settlements. Anyone who attacks Nan Yunshi's clan in the future will be held responsible... Any further questions?"

"No, I've said this many times before. I just want to follow these guys to the tree, so I don't have any objections."

"...I see. In that case, could you please leave as soon as possible? I'm so frustrated that I can't entertain you, even though the qualified individuals mentioned in the oral instructions finally appeared..."

"Don't worry. Although I'm completely unwilling to give in, I also know that what I said was very reckless. I should say that I'm very grateful for your ability to make rational judgments."

Hearing Hajime's words, Alfrelik could only smile wryly. The other elders also wore expressions that were either bitter or exhausted, more like "Go where it's cooler!" than resentment. Hajime shrugged and urged Yue, Shia, and the others to get up.

Yue didn't know if he was just staring blankly because he had no interest, or if he was listening but had no opinion. He just stood up silently with Hajime.

Xia and the other members of the Hauriya tribe seemed to have yet to grasp this reality, each of them sitting frozen in place, making no move to stand. They had been so determined to die just moments before, but now, upon realizing it, they were simply being exiled. This left them feeling incredibly confused and shaken, wondering, "Huh? Can we really just leave like this?"

"Hey, how long are you guys gonna be in a daze? Hurry up and leave!"

Hearing Hajime's urging, Shia and the others finally regained their composure and hurriedly got up to chase after Hajime, who quickly walked out the door. Alfrelik and the others also followed, intending to escort them to the door.

As they walked towards the door, Shia asked Hajime anxiously:

"Well, um, we don't have to die?"

"? Didn't you hear what we just said?"