CHAPTER 7
RAM
1
She remembered being enveloped in a bright, red blaze that consumed everything.
The tranquil, stagnant, days of degeneration suddenly came to an end.
Pitted against that violence, the title of the strongest demi-human race, the role of the most feared village chief, and the universal affection of a parent protecting their children—it all became meaningless.
To make a short story of it, peace and tranquility had rotted the clan’s spirit. The Oni were once considered the strongest race of demi-humans, and it was widely acknowledged that, had they participated in the demi-human war, things might have gone very differently for the Kingdom of Lugunica. Then again, even if that had happened, the Oni would surely not have achieved any great success.
In the first surprise attack, half the village fell, and in the second attack, half again were defeated. By that point, the battle was over.
“Ram! Escape the encirclement! So long as you live!”
The elder’s two enormous horns grew longer as the muscles all over his body swelled.
Then he flew out of the house, carrying the longsword that was his weapon as Ram tore into the common soldiers with her wind. The elder told Ram to live, not out of concern for her. But because he was the one who believed most earnestly of all that Ram carried the hope of a bright future for the Oni tribe. The second coming of the Oni god, the glory of the Oni who left a mark on history in the era of the Witch.
That was the heartfelt plea of the last elder of the Oni, who had forgotten how to fight.
She would have liked to laugh it off. It was absurd.
“The glory of the Oni…how pointless.”
The fact that the purest Oni blood flowed through her veins was repulsive. It was true that if Ram had grown healthily, she might have been able to answer the elder’s prayers. However, that was not what Ram wanted.
She cared little for a future where she played God in such a small, little world. What she wanted was a future worth far more than being worshipped as the second coming of the Oni god and living her life as a symbol of the tribe’s long past glory.
—Living as ■■■’s ■■■■■■.
Focusing on her forehead, she drew the blazing mana in her white horn and channeled it throughout her body.
Once her small body was enveloped by wind, Ram ran through the village like a gale.
“■■■.”
The ■■■■ of the one person she adored more than anything was on her lips and filled her mind. It wasn’t because she was heartless. Her focus had simply changed. Ram’s parents had been lost in the first attack and were already beyond saving.
She hadn’t hated her parents.
But for better and for worse, the two of them were born in this village, raised in this village, and had chosen to die in this village, and Ram felt that they had unconsciously accepted a quiet end.
Because of that, for them to lose their lives on this night was natural, in a way.
“—However, it’s meaningless without retribution.”
Black shadows stood in her way. Enemies whose bodies were wrapped in robes.
Ram unleashed an unrestrained wind on the beings swinging cross-shaped swords. Either they had misjudged her because she was a child, or they were simply no match for her. Either way, the black shadows stood no chance against her blades of wind and fell one after the other, creating a pitiful pile of corpses. It didn’t stop there as Ram continued her annihilation, dancing among the flames, clad in wind.
Under different circumstances, it probably would’ve made for a very beautiful performance.
Here, however, each of Ram’s swings spilled more blood, and with each foe that fell, a dark thrill filled her.
Something inside urged her to kill more, to spill more blood, rend more flesh, break more bones, steal more life.
This night wasn’t the first time she had felt that urge.
It had always been there, from the moment she was born, tempting her at every opportunity.
That desire constantly told her to give herself over to the urges she felt. It wanted to awaken, and so it pleaded with her to kill and destroy.
Ram couldn’t understand what about it was so wonderful. The elder and her parents didn’t understand, either. But she never felt like sharing it with those who asked Ram for anything beyond simply being herself.
It was like being controlled by her horn.
Without a resolute sense of self, it would have been easy for her young personality to be consumed. Then she truly would have been the second coming of the Oni god those around her so wished her to be.
But that didn’t happen. Because…
“—■■■■■■!!!”
A high-pitched voice called out. Ram spun around and saw ■■■ lit by the flames. In an instant, a blast of wind blew away the swarm of black shadows closing in on her, scattering them in a single breath.
And then Ram hurried to her ■■■■■■.
“■■■…”
■■■ had a terrified look in her eyes, and she slumped to the ground as if her legs couldn’t support her anymore.
Holding out a hand to her beloved ■■■■■■, she tried to help her to her feet. As the elder wished, she would live through this. But not just her. ■■■ needed to live, too.
Then the situation changed.
While she was confirming that ■■■ was safe, Ram had the briefest lapse in awareness. By the time she noticed the presence of enemies, they had already surrounded her. Getting away would be exceedingly difficult. If she was alone, it wouldn’t be impossible. However, surviving alone was no different from death.
Ram had to find a way to break out.
She undid all the fetters restraining her sealed strength and unleashed a rampaging wind, before falling upon her enemies…
“ ”
It was an opening in her heart brought about by the all-powerful feeling she so detested.
A shadow slipped beneath her blade of wind and slashed at her, landing a heavy blow on her horn and making her vision explode.
Knocked back by the powerful impact, Ram was suddenly struck by a terrible sense of emptiness.
Then she saw it—a white horn, spinning into the red night illuminated by the inferno consuming the village.
Understanding that it was her horn, a cry of pain and loss welled up from deep inside her. She cried out, but at the same time, she noticed.
For the first time since she had been born, the voice that had been eating away at her all her life fell silent.
To think it had been so simple. Her foolishness was funny to her.
As the horn arced through the red night sky, a thought crossed her mind.
Ahhh, someone finally broke it.
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