Chapter 352: Hammer the Nail that Sticks Out

Chapter 352: Hammer the Nail that Sticks Out

We’ve pretty much set quelling the waves worldwide to be our goal.
In the past, we could just do the ones around Melromark about once per month, but now, a wave happens every few days.
But by regularly fighting the waves, it seems we’ll be able to reduce the pace to one wave per week.

It’s just that when the Holy Weapons and Vassals are in a damaged state, the waves get more and more severe.
If you do something about that, you can go about the Waves with more leisure.
That was the main point of Glass’s speech.

“Did you manage to take care of it?” (Glass)

After calming the wave, we meet up with Glass again.
We’re in the middle of investigating whether any problems occurred around the area where the wave hit.
Once this finishes, we’ll end it by portalling back.

“How about your side?” (Naofumi)

Glass periodically enters and exits the rift made by the wave.
The world connected is generally Glass’s… apparently.
She occasionally finds herself in an unfamiliar one and immediately returns, though.
The last time that happened was the wave in the sea.
And wait, that doesn’t matter. I need to find out the situation in Glass’s world.

“If the world on your side loses the wave, then what happens?” (Naofumi)
“Well, the vassals I worked with and I somehow managed to quell it this time. If the world on this side quickly contains it, then the monsters on the other side will continue rampaging for a while… and eventually die down by themselves… is how it is.” (Glass)
“It doesn’t look like your situation is very favorable.” (Naofumi)
“Yes… as always, the reincarnators just run around with their weapons without helping in anything.” (Glass)
“How troublesome.” (Naofumi)

It’s even becoming doubtful whether or not these reincarnators were ever the legitimate possessor of a weapon in the first place…

“I’m jealous of your team.” (Glass)
“Once you gather yourselves, you’re going to crush him, right?” (Naofumi)
“… Of course. Though I don’t know what’s there to celebrate.” (Glass)
“Do you even have time for celebration?” (Naofumi)

To keep just a sprinkle of hope in her pot of misery, Glass is cooperating with this world.
If she truly had any fortune, it would never have come down to this.

“However… pertaining to the World Assimilation, what do you think about the reincarnator?” (Naofumi)
“Mostly, why must he interfere with us? Is my main question. He said it was something like apdeit,… or something that made absolutely no sense to me.” (Glass)

Update… the wave is?
So he’s also functioning on his gamer instincts.
Well, by destroying his comrades, his enemies get stronger, and he gets new equipment. He’s not exactly wrong, but this and that are separate issues.

“How deplorable.” (Naofumi)
“Exactly my sentiment. Are there not many reincarnators within this world?” (Glass)
“If I were to answer honestly, I don’t really know.” (Naofumi)

I mean, if they said it outright, or took actions that stood out, we could tell, but just by looking at the people and their histories, it’s difficult to determine.
It’s just that, to pick the bad sprouts before they grow, Trash has put surveillance on all those that stand out strangely in the world.

Starting with Melromark, various countries are keeping their eyes on their capable individuals.
Nobles, and people of royal descent, especially those that made groundbreaking discoveries with inadequate research in related fields. Those who didn’t register with the country, yet still managed to break the level limit. Also those who were witnessed using powers that had never been seen before. All sorts of people were secretly detained.

But it’s more troublesome than anything, since it’s impossible to say whether they’re guilty or not.
Before they were noticed, most would conceal their own ability.
And if they were truly skilled at deceit, then even more so. Apparently, a few individuals stayed conspicuous, so it wasn’t… that hard.

“For now, we’re keeping the existence of reincarnators a secret. If we do anything that stands out and causes unnecessary accusations, it will only get harder for us.” (Naofumi)

They’re at least skilled in avoiding danger, I’ll bet.
The problem is if there are any hidden in our ranks.

“I’m in the middle of strengthening those I think are probably innocent.” (Naofumi)

Right now, those that stand out from the slaves in my place are but a small fraction, and it’s mostly those who haven’t tried finding groundbreaking ways to get strong.
Like this, if there’s a reincarnator among them, it will only serve to strengthen my forces.
We’ve been together for a long time, so I hope… there won’t be any problems.
Since Sadina seemed to be way too skilled, I looked at her with suspicious eyes, and she pushed me down once…

“Why are you staring at this Onee-san like that? I guess there’s no helping it. It’s time to do it in front of all the village children. Oh Naofumi-chan, how bold of you. Onee-san will try her best.” (Sadina)
“Stop it! Hey, get off of me! Don’t strip me! Uwah! R-r-Raphtalia, stop her!” (Naofumi)
“Sadina-neesan!” (Raphtalia)

That part’s burned into my memory.
That really was dangerous. She actually pushed me down.

But she’s probably fine.
She’s a woman, and she doesn’t seem like a gamer at all.
Most female Reincarnators I’ve read about aren’t that militaristic.
If she was a man before reincarnating, then her brain is rotten.

Accepting that she’s a woman now, she pushes down a modern person of Otaku heritage?
She also seems to have some connection to Raphtalia’s parents, and she values the world.
If she was hiding and plotting against me, then her concealment skills are way too high.
Well, I can’t deny the possibility completely.

Anyways, those challenging the wave besides the Heroes are being treated with a certain level of caution.
I’d like to believe we’re alright.
It’s the nobles and adventurers that Trash’s investigating that are more suspicious.

I just remembered them, but they’re being processed behind closed doors.
Recently, they’ve been quietly… a number of them have suddenly vanished.
Perhaps the ones competing with Tact were sensible fellows, but in Faubley, his political rivals were disposed of.

Is this good luck for us?
The prodigious and capable nobles of the country have been lessened to some extent…what an ironic conclusion.

“There’s also completely unrelated adventurers, but adventurers are managed by the guild, and we really don’t have to watch them so closely.” (Naofumi)

I’ve never used it, but apparently, the Guild records Level and things like that.
So they can distinguish special people at a glance.
People who suddenly managed to take down powerful monsters are put under their high priority surveillance.
Right now, we have a monopoly on limit breaking, so the Adventurer Guild is also troubled with the world’s disastrous situation… or so they’re acting to smoke out troublemakers.
We’ll, I guess that’s just how it goes.

The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. The ones that stay down are ignored.
We’ve left no space for a reincarnator to go out of control.
If they try anything, the Heroes will converge and deal with them.
It’s scary that we don’t know what sort of abilities they possess… but they won’t be able to use weapon-snatching abilities like Tact’s anymore.

“I see, so there are some here as well.” (Glass)
“We only have our suspicions. They’ll continue to live in the dark forever. They’ll have no part in this.” (Naofumi)

They’re more like people who would neglect the wave.
For them to interfere to make the wave expand further seems… impossible at this point.
Because the world’s become desperate to stop it.

“Glass, how is your world? How’s the movement to take care of the wave?” (Naofumi)
“It’s not that there isn’t one, but now that a certain man’s taken control of half the world, there’s a large portion of the population who are convinced the world isn’t going to ruin, and…” (Glass)
“In that respect… this side is better, I guess.” (Naofumi)

Before he could flaunt his power any further, we took measures against him.
It is our small salvation that we noticed Tact as quickly as we did.
Well, it also brought about much casualty.

“The disposal of the reincarnator… it would be nice if we could do it. By the way, I’m a bit curious.” (Glass)
“About what?” (Naofumi)
“The young women who was burned at the stake after rebuking the false hero; she was one who traveled with you Heroes, correct? Did something happen?” (Glass)

Glass did fight with Ren, Motoyasu, Itsuki, and their parties.
They had all been beaten up, and Witch was among the fallen.
That was quite refreshing.
I was able to step on Witch’s head all I wanted.

“That bitch is…” (Naofumi)

I began speaking of the tracks of evil Witch had been leading.
She was born to Trash as a princess, and raised with ample pride. In Faubley, she met Tact, and during the Four Hero Summoning, she involved herself with me and threw me to the wolves. She did whatever possible to bask in all the luxury she could, and whenever the wind took a bad turn, she would flee the scene. She made off with Ren, conspired with Itsuki, and tried to overturn the state.
After her arrest, she became a political scapegoat, but Tact saved her on the brink of life, and together, they plotted her mother’s death and the instigation of world war.
She was merely executed for those crimes.

“I see.” (Glass)

The next… words that came out of Glass’s mouth had nothing but sympathy behind them, and yet…

“So people like that exist, no matter which world you’re in.” (Glass)