[Touka-dono.]

[Yeah.]

Me and Seras gaze was focused in the same direction..

A sign of something approaching a sound.

I focus my attention on my hearing.

[It seems to be running away from something.]

From what I feel

If this being wasnt acting, it must have been pretty desperate to run away.

Preparing our stance, ready to go into battle at any time, we waited.

Eventually

Rustle!

As the leaves of the bushes fluttered around, a young girl appeared.

Seeing us, the girls mouth opened wide.

And a few moments later

[P- Please run away nya!]

Cat ears.

A Demi-Human?

A light pink hair.

Shes quite short.

It feels like shes a child.

However

Why is there a child in this place?

[Are you being chased by something?]

When I asked, the cat-eared girl stops and checks behind her.

And then, she turns to us again.

[A f- frightening monster appeared nya! Nyaki was here to pick up some rare medicinal herbs that can be found here nya! But I was attacked by a monster and I escaped for my life nya! So you two, please get out of here as soon as possible nya!]

Nyaki- must have been her name huh.

The girl points to the south.

[You may already nyeow this, but if you go towards that direction, youll come out to the Urza territory nya! Errr]

The girl points in the direction we came from next to the East.

[Nyakis going to run that way nya!]

[Youre not going to run away with us?]

[Nyaa!? Thats I dont nyow if you can believe it, but Nyaki actually attracts monsters nya. While I run towards that direction, please run away nya.]

[..]

This cat.

Pat!

The girl proudly pats her chest.

[Nywhat! Nyaki is very nimble nya! As you can see, I was a bit wounded by the monster, but Nyakis body is tough nya Thats why, you dont nyeed to worry So, please quickly run away nya! Nyall be going then!]

The girl was just about to run past us but

[Oi.]

I stopped the girl.

[Can I ask you one question?]

[W- What is it nya? I nyeed to run away]

[You The first time you showed up in front of us]

It was clear to me.

[Werent you going to ask for our help?]

[Nyaa-]

Stop.

Nyaki stopped moving.

[I- Its just your imagination nya]

[Youre lying, arent you?]

Seras ability to judge if someone tells the truth or not.

[N- Nyaki Nyaki is, ummm -I- Im sorry nya!]

Nyaki suddenly turned towards us, and got down in a dogeza.

[Nyaki is actually being chased for her life nya! The humans who are chasing me are very strong nya! They may perhaps, ummm You two might get caught up too nya! So, please quickly leave this place nya!]

[.]

This child

Even though shes in a situation where her own life is on the line

She was more concerned about making sure we escaped.

On one hand, she even chose to head towards the more dangerous depths of the Demon Zone.

On the other hand, she tried to get us to flee to Urza down south, where we were moving away from the depths.

Furthermore

She swallowed the word Help as quickly as she could.

She even lied about being chased by a monster.

Saving herself was just secondary for her.

Even lying for that.

Why would she do that?

Its so that we wouldnt get caught up.

[-]

On the girls exposed arm.

Thats where I was looking at.

Trying to suppress the trembling in my voice, I ask.

[Your name is Nyaki, right?]

[Eh? Ah, thats right nya Ummm I really nyeed to run now]

[That arm]

[Nyaa?]

[Is it done by the people after you?]

[]

[Lying is useless. You should know that.]

[Yes, that nyight.]

Seras, with a serious look on her face, nods at me.

Shes not lying.

[I understand. I know it may have been hard for you to answer but thank you for answering.]

I take out the Fly King Mask out of my luggage.

Those presences are still far in the distance

We still have enough time before they come here.

The girl Nyaki looked up at me, dumbfounded.

[U- Ummm You, errmmm What are you planning nya?]

[Im gonna go crush the people who are after you.]

[Nyaa!?]

Nyaki jumps up with a look of heartfelt surprise on her face.

[T- Thats no good nya!]

[Whats the matter? They want you dead, dont they? And so, if you want to live Then, I just have to]

[The people who want to kill me are the members of the Heroic Sword!]

[Heehhh]

Nyaki hurriedly waved both of her hands.

Its like shes trying to make gestures in case her point didnt get through.

[T- They are very strong people nya! Theyre people who were just casually about something as absurd as challenging Bakuos Humanitys Strongest nya!]

That Humanitys Strongest is already dead though.

Hmm?

That means- these fellows dont know about Civits death yet huh.

Heroic Sword

Humanitys Strongest

Perhaps, thinking that Ive never heard their names

[Theyre also Errr, errr thats nyight!]

Looking flustered, Nyaki also said something theyre known for.

[-The people of the Heroic Sword are so fierce that they destroyed the Speed Tribe, which was famous for their strength nya!]

..

[.What did you just say?]

Which tribe did she just say?

[T- That nyight! They are so powerful that even those people from the Speed Tribe couldnt win nya! Moreover at that time, the Heroic Swords members were still children!]

Perhaps, Nyaki

Nyaki may have thought she had finally conveyed the strength of the Heroic Sword by mentioning the name of the Speed Tribe.

However, shes mistaken.

Shes obviously mistaken.

No, I dont know their names. I only vividly remembered that they were unusually strong for their age but

When Erika asked her about the people who attacked the Speed Tribe, thats what Eve said.

[I see. Yeah, I clearly understand So thats how it is its those people huh.]

Seras too, seemed to have figured out the situation.

[That means, those who are after Nyaki-dono]

[Yeah.]

The same people who killed the Speed Tribe Along with Eves parents.

Well

[.]

One way or another

Considering what happened to Nyaki, theres no way were going to escape.

The Heroic Sword

Im going to crush them right here.