The Land of the Nascent Wolves / Undead Busters 3

Translated by: @garmadoncar

Proofread by: Eliman7

Links:

• Part 1
• Part 2

1

――Harline the Iron-Arms was a weaponkin whose brutality cemented his name in the history of the Empire.

The weaponkin, born with the capacity to wield parts of their bodies as armaments, spanned many variations, such as fashioning one’s arms into sharp blades, growing a steel lash in a manner akin to a tail, or morphing one’s back into a greatshield.

Among those weaponkin, Harline’s speciality was exactly as described by his alias, Iron-Arms―― swinging his arms wrought of steel, he was a monster notorious for having slaughtered countless people.

However, to brand his nature as brutal, and his existence as a monster, would be a bit hasty.

If you asked Harline himself, there was another side to the unfavorable manner in which the story painted him. ――His manner of crushing the heads of those he deemed opponents may have been called brutal, but that was the fault of the construction of their heads being weaker than that of Harline’s arms. It may have been said that he mercilessly killed women and children, but that was just to sever off any worries of anxiety or revenge. Above all, the one who truly ought to have been called a monster was not Harline, but his younger brother “Excuse me. It seems like that would end up being a rather long story but the more you speak the more it seems like it’s an episode that piques nobody’s interest so why don’t we change things up to a scene depicting stuff like the leading actor’s preferences and trivial daily life that the fans truly want to see!”

A carefree voice seemed to blot over the introduction, and in an instant, the arms raised aloft were severed at the elbows, and the Iron Arms from which he derived his alias spun around as they flew through the air.

There was no pain. If his body had been reconstructed in such a manner, then he might just be able to reconnect the arms by pressing the cross sections back together――,

???: [In the way.]

That meager hope of Harline’s was extinguished by the hellfire that engulfed his airborne arms.

As he bore witness to the arms as they met a terminus of ash and dust, anger swelled in Harline, having lost his Iron Arms, and he would attempt to pounce at the enemy who had enacted that――,

Harline: [――Ah?]

A tiny palm squarely touched his chest. Right in front of Harline was a young girl of short stature, and he met her blue eyes.

Then――,

???: [――Aaine.]

Having been resurrected from death, Harline the Iron-Arms was once again plunged into the depths of Od Lagna.

2

Cecilus: [Man~, that really was an opponent with absolutely no pushback or challenge or sense of accomplishment whatsoever! He bluffed with a name like Iron-Arms so I thought he’d surely make for a fine bout but the script might have been a lot tidier if that whole scene was just dropped!]

Spica: [Uu~, eieved.]

Cecilus: [Right!? I thought that you would feel the same way, Spica-san! Well I suppose that since Star Eating succeeded with no issues it’s good that your hopes have been met, right, Anya? You think so too, right Anya?]

Arakiya: [Cecilus, you’re noisy.]

Cecilus: [Hahahaha, what would I be if not loud? We’re in a place detached from human settlements. Our stories won’t reach anyone unless we raise our voices!]

He was shot down by a curt comment from his fellow traveller, however, Cecilus still laughed loudly in good humour. Sandwiched between those two, Spica shrugged her shoulders with an “Uu~au”.

――The Star Eating pilgrimage for which Spica had stayed behind in the Empire, an attempt to reduce the number of undead resurrected by the Great Disaster to zero, had commenced with the permission of the Vollachian Emperor, Vincent.

The existence of the undead was something of a headache for Vollachia―― in the sense that they were the embers of the Great Disaster which had caused so much damage, their elimination was desirable both for practical reasons as well as for the sentiments of the populace, which aligned with Spica’s desire to amass positive contributions.

Spica bore the unerasable sin of having been the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony in times past.

Without memories of the past identity known as Louis Arneb, it was a sin Spica had no recollection of enacting, but as long as the world continued to see it as a wrongdoing that could not be so easily forgiven, nobody would lend Spica an ear even if she cried and wailed and pleaded. ――No, there were people who would lend her an ear, so Spica had no choice but to work as hard as she could to rinse away that poor reputation in order to be together with those people.

On this journey of atonement, Spica’s ability to properly dispose of the undead with Star Eating was perfect, and furthermore, her companions on this quest were the two people who were evaluated to possess the greatest strength throughout the entire Empire―― and yet.

Cecilus: [To begin with, aren’t your selections kinda bad, Anya? Even though I desire to find a more spectacular and picturesque villain why is it that I only continue to have my hopes dashed? Could it be that you keep leaving me hanging on purpose? Nobody desires that sort of thing so even if out of personal desire or spite such methods are incredibly petty, behhh!]

Arakiya: [I don’t think about you to that extent, Cecilus.]

Cecilus: [So you mean that you keep crashing us into the end of the road without thinking causing us to draw one losing ticket after another? So that would make Anya the type of heroine whose archetype is that of not having anything but would that not then be quite humiliating?]

Arakiya: [Die.]

Making statements that many would see as being provocative, Cecilus caused the eyepatch-clad woman to avert her gaze―― Spica’s other companion, Arakiya, could not hide her irritation.

When it came to these two, from start to finish and from dawn to dusk, they would bicker in such a manner, causing Spica’s head to spin as she was caught up in the middle of it all. ――But, these two, unable to get along, matched each other’s pace to an unbelievable extent, and were indispensable for Spica’s journey.

As a matter of fact, the undead known as Harline the Iron-Arms who had just been sent away through Star Eating, was an enemy so formidable that Spica would not have been able to do a thing without these two. As expected from the immovable First and Second of the Vollachian Empire, which Subaru had referred to as a nation of complete carnage.

The Iron-Arms seemed to have been someone who had been known for his strength during his life, but the pair had easily evicted Harline from the mountain cavern he had burrowed away in and finished the job while the sun was yet high in the sky.

Hence, she had no dissatisfaction whatsoever with the strength of the pair. She merely wished that they would get along a bit better.

Cecilus: [Ah! You still only fry the eggs on one side, Anya! No matter how many multitudes of thousands of times I ask you, why don’t you just do it!? The half-fried eggs are all crying out!]

Arakiya: [Eggs don’t cry. Cecilus, are you stupid?]

Cecilus: [Mghkk! In that case I’m crying! The tears shed by the leading actor will cause a mere lunchtime scene to go down as a classic that will be discussed for many years to come!]

Whilst doing this and that, Cecilus and Arakiya had at some point started to make preparations for a meal, which led to the beginning of a dispute regarding the manner in which the food was prepared.

Having taken in a tremendously powerful Spirit, Arakiya was preeminent at wielding the forces of earth, water, fire, and wind; instantly creating a steel plate by compressing earth, she heated it with fire to prepare the tools for cooking. Onto it, Cecilus cracked an egg which he had procured from the nest of a wild bird, and thus, they began frying the egg.

Spica: [Aaiya.]

The two of them displayed good communication, even in this situation, and with a sidelong glance to Cecilus, who was deftly preparing the wild bird which he had also strangled, Spica called out to Arakiya as the latter fried the egg.

Receiving Spica’s call, Arakiya looked towards her,

Arakiya: […It wasn’t on purpose.]

Spica: [Uu~?]

Arakiya: [It wasn’t to annoy Cecilus. We must, keep searching for undead.]

As Arakiya falteringly selected her words, Spica widened her eyes, and then loosened her lips.

What Arakiya was explaining was in regards to Cecilus’s prior comment―― the suspicion that she had purposely chosen an opponent in opposition to the group’s desires.

That which could have been called the very land of Vollachia itself, the Great Spirit Muspel, the Stone―― having merged with that entity, Arakiya could sense the whereabouts of the undead, who had been resurrected using Muspel’s power. However, it had still only been a short time since she had merged with the Great Spirit, so Arakiya had yet to fully master its power, and thus could not tell apart the strength of the undead she perceived, which caused her anguish. This also brought with it several complaints from Cecilus.

Due to that reality, Arakiya expressed her apologies to Spica in her own way. Understanding that to be the reason behind her explanation, Spica sat down next to Arakiya and leaned her head on her shoulder.

Arakiya: […You’re heavy, and in the way.]

Spica: [Aau-.]

Without meeting eyes, Arakiya displayed a cold attitude, however made no effort to remove Spica’s head. Spica felt good about that, and together they watched over the egg she was frying at hand.

Cecilus: [Huh? What’s this what’s this with you two sitting all nicely together in a picturesque scene? Please keep all developments of unknown events off-screen while I’m doing my best to prepare this bird!]

Arakiya: [Cecilus, you’re the one who’s off-screen.]

Cecilus: [There are things that are fine to say and things that aren’t fine to say, Anya!]

Spica: [Eius, aa’s igt.]

Having reached his boiling point unusually fast, Cecilus puffed his chest out with a “Naturally!” at Spica’s comment,

Cecilus: [Alright? Of course even those who are not actors deserve their time in the spotlight and on those occasions the camera should be turned to them. But but when it’s not that type of scene the shot should always be angled with the leading actor right at the center. That――]

As Cecilus began speaking tediously yet at such a high pace that it bore no feeling of tediousness, Spica feared that another fight would break out with Arakiya. Thus, Spica looked towards Arakiya in trepidation, but――,

Arakiya: [――――]

She was not looking towards Cecilus. Not towards the steel plate frying the egg by her hands, either. Her beautiful features, still with a trace of youthfulness behind the immense power they concealed, were facing upwards, and her thin lips quivered.

Arakiya: [――It’s coming.]

It happened at the next moment. ――A roar thundered across the campground, and a part of the mountain was blown away.

3

――Breznon the Iron-Legs was a weaponkin whose brutality cemented his name in the history of the Empire.

Born as a weaponkin with both legs wrought of steel, Breznon was a monster known for having used his titular Iron Legs to kick countless people to death.

But, if you asked Breznon himself, the one who truly ought to be called a monster was not Breznon, but his older brother, Harline the Iron-Arms “――GRAOAAA!!”

???: [ORAHHHHHHH!!]

Alongside a mighty roar, struck by the oncoming blow of a black bracchium, Breznon was sent flying into the air, spinning his body around to unsheathe and aim a kick at his opponent’s face.

The steel-wrought Iron Legs were concealed by pants and shoes, unperceivable by an opponent upon first encounter. His older brother, the Iron-Arms, would always strongly assert himself, but since Breznon did no such thing, there was no end to those who misread his kicks.

This opponent would likewise choose to catch the blow without dodging, and would have his face smashed in by Breznon’s Iron Legs―― that instant, Breznon’s leg was caught in his opponent’s jaws, and shattered.

Breznon: [Ah?]

Widening his eyes at the impossible situation of having lost out in hardness, Breznon froze as the joint of his other leg was met by a flash of claws, severing the fixture between flesh and steel as his left leg was torn from its root.

Right leg crunched, and left leg severed by claws, Breznon had been disarmed in an instant.

And then――,

Breznon: [Wh-what the hell, are you――]

???: [――Luck hath pissed upon thee. I be naught but a fordeemed wretch.]

The gaping jaw sunk its teeth into Breznon’s windpipe, nowhere left to run. That biting force, capable of even crushing legs of steel, was something that Breznon’s slender throat had no way of resisting.

???: [――――]

Fangs gnashed, and the yoke which tethered the empty life was lost; the undead known as Breznon shattered like ceramic, crumbling to smithereens.

Ascertaining that, the one who had enacted that by his own hand―― nay, by his own fangs, looking down the slope of the mountain that crumbled due to the tremors of battle, slowly turned around,

???: [――It’s exceedingly wonderful to say that you’re nothing but a fordeemed wretch. To not say much and give a sense of mystery in such a scene produces a brilliant performance. Dear me I might have to watch and learn.]

There stood a blue-haired, waso young man, bearing a smile upon his soft features.

???: […Thou’rt, whom?]

Young Man: [The leading actor of this world, the one who stands at the center of the stage anticipated by all. In addition, one who bears the duty of hunting you, resurrected as an undead as you are, my name is Cecilus Segmunt.]

Eloquently, the young man gave his introduction as if having rehearsed it many times before―― at the sight of Cecilus, his bestial fur stood on end.

Without even needing to look at the two katanas holstered at his waist, Cecilus was visibly a fighter from his posture alone. The fact that Cecilus was so accustomed to giving his introduction, was proof of the extent to which he had traversed the front lines of death.

Warriors who staked themselves in duels had a habit of giving their name, and he was one who had experienced that opportunity several hundreds of times.

And, whether or not he realized the heightened tension within him, Cecilus tilted his head saying “By the way”,

Cecilus: [Might I ask your name?]

???: […Volcas.]

Cecilus: [Ho! Volcas-san! That’s quite a nice name. A black-furred wolfman gives the impression of an outstanding fighter but for your name to be Volcas on top of that is quite exquisite! It reminds me of one of the characters starring in “Iris and the King of Thorns” who was a preeminent warrior talked about through the history of the Empire, the Doomwolf General!]

Volcas: [――――]

Cecilus: [I said it reminds me but could it be that you are that very person in the flesh?]

With a sudden sparkle in his eyes, Cecilus sought to ascertain that without a hint of malice, and the jet-black wolfman―― Volcas, while scratching his own neck, scrunched up his snout.

He had been asked about a name and title he had not wished to hear. Naturally, it caused him to scowl.

Cecilus: [With that look on your face the answer’s clear even if you don’t say anything. As long as I haven’t misread your expression which could possibly be displeasure at being mistaken for a famous person…]

Volcas: [As long as that, then what?]

Cecilus: [I’ll have to apologize to Anya! Truly and certainly beyond a shadow of a doubt! You are the very symbol of the grand climax I’ve desired!]

As Cecilus smiled from ear to ear, Volcas experienced the greatest dread he had ever known, and readied himself. Seeing that response, Cecilus widened his stance, and,

Cecilus: [――Blue Lightning, Cecilus Segmunt.]

Volcas: [――Doomwolf General, Volcas.]

Showing that he too was one well accustomed to giving introductions, Volcas’s claws and fangs closed in on his opponent.

However, the strength of those bearing the title of General in the current era was――,

Cecilus: [Please don’t take it too hard. ――I’m simply far too dazzling.]

A flash of lightning and a triumphant proclamation colored the conclusion of the momentary combat between fellow Generals emblematic of their respective eras.

4

Cecilus: [I don’t wanna do that though? I’m completely against having Spica-san eat Volcas-san here! This place is absolutely Chaosflame! It can only possibly be Yorna-san’s place!]

Arakiya: [You’re not making sense. I won’t play along with your games, Cecilus.]

Cecilus: [These aren’t games it’s romance! Why can’t you just understand this Anya? If this wish and prayer came true then Anya’s precious little sister princess would have surely been greatly pleased!]

Arakiya: [――Hk! Unbelievable…! Just go die! Die! Cecilus!]

Cecilus: [Ah! Anya’s mad! Though just now it was my choice of words that was poor!]

Too loud to just be called lively, the tempestuous conversation reached the ears of Volcas, causing him to slowly open his eyelids. And then――,

???: [Aau?]

Right before his eyes, peering into his face, collapsed as he was, a young girl met his eyes.

Volcas: [――――]

Behind her was unfolding a duel so fierce it made Volcas’s clash with the Iron-Legs seem like child’s play, but Volcas averted his focus from that.

Either way, he had already lost. If his second shot at life had been shattered and come to an end, then so be it.

However――,

Girl: [Ood ohning.]

Feeling that the young girl, patting his head as she said that, would do no such thing, he closed his eyes.

Merely, the young girl’s hand caused him to silently recall when a gentle woman had once done the same for him, and thus silently, ever so silently, Volcas,

Volcas: [――Iris.]

Indeed, calling the name of the woman pictured on the back of his eyelids, so excessively did that voice quiver with love.

《To be continued》

 

As a bonus treat, here are some fan designs of Harline and Breznon made by the wonderful Rokaroka.