Chapter 4

Falling on a bed from a height of about 30 centimeters and making a dull noise Mitsuha blankly froze for a moment . She notices where it was right away . She wasn’t on her familiar bed but on the bed of her elder brother Takeshi and in his room .

(Huh? What? Erm, this is, onii-chan’s… . wait, what about the wolf? A dream? What about Colette-chan……)

What Mitsuha’s friends call “Mitsuha’s spinal reflex” activated . When there’s little time to think and even a slight waste of time is fatal, Mitsuha’s body instantly acts following “the tentative best answer at the time” in advance . Normal thinking can’t keep up and needs to catch up afterward .

(Erm, my shoes are still on . There are leaves on my clothes . My body is battered, it wasn’t a dream? Then, Colette-Chan…)

She pulled out of the drawer a small nylon bag with many small gray grains inside . Mitsuha tears the bag and pours the small rough grains into her right pocket . There was a lot so together they were quite heavy despite the grains being small .

Next, she takes something from a small shelf in a large bookshelf which fills the whole wall of the room and inserted it into the belt holding up her trouser .

“Falcon Ⅱ”

A slingshot . Also called pachinko in Japan . However, having the power of a . 22 caliber small pistol when misused sets it aside from a child’s toy . Mitsuha received a lecture from her brother and got to use it several times .

Next, Mitsuha opening a glass case, grabbed a beautiful piece of metal and thrust it into the right pocket like the gray grains .

“Gerber Folding Sportsman Ⅱ”

In a certain country, it is said that the father will give a folding knife to a boy when he is ten years old . An elegant form, a beautiful metallic glow, and a strong presence that only practical items has compare to ornaments . ……or so Takeshi gave a speech about, in short it’s a folding knife .

(tn note: Mitsuha is an understanding imouto who listens to her onii-chan’s chu-ni)

Mitsuha ran down the stairs to the kitchen . Pulls the handle on the sink and takes a knife . It’s a carver(deba bōchō) . A long thin knife(sashimi bōchō) is sharper and longer, but it is likely won’t be able to pass through the fur and break . On that note, a carver(deba bōchō) has the strength of security . For safety, I wrap the blade part with a towel and slide it in the belt .

Next, she takes a kitchen towel and spread it about 1 meter, fold it in half and lay it on the floor . She then takes from the shelf business sized pepper and Shichimi pepper and Hawk’s claw pepper powder and dumped them all and then roll the towel and puts it in her left pocket .

(Why I’m here? No, Before that I have to help Collette-chan! But how? Oh, if I’m right where I wished then it’s not a coincidence but by my own will? Then can I go back to where Collette-chan is? Then I have to find something that can deal with the wolves…)

Too bad, that part is already over .

Mitsuha realizes that the best preparation that she could think has already been taken . She recognizes that her provisional actions were correct and her thoughts synchronize with the present at once . Mitsuha named this process “approval” .

(Can I really go back? No, should I? What can I about wild beasts with all this? I might really die this time! Even though I finally came back safely to Japan!! Why do I have to go? For what reason?）

That’s when she thought about it . What would my brother, Takeshi say at a time like this?

Ah, by the time I notice it was no good, it was already too late, and his voice and words flow into my mind .

“Huh? Do you need a reason to help a cute girl? ”

Yes, yes, yes, I understand, my noisy, troublesome ……and beloved onii-chan!

Gon .

I bumped my forehead into a big tree . Shit .

I look around, but I couldn’t find the wolf . Did it go back there?

Mitsuha hurried back to the tree she made Colette climb . There is no wind . Stay aware of the sounds, carefully but quickly . It’s okay, they shouldn’t be able to climb trees .

Although it took longer than running away at full speed earlier, it was not a very long distance so she quickly arrived at the tree . Peeking in from the shade of another tree, four wolves were barking at the top of the tree . All right, it’s still okay .

Mitsuha takes the folding knife out of her right pocket and carefully so as not to injure her body put the blade on her belt . Then after pulling the slingshot out of her belt and holding in her left hand and takes a small grain from her pocket in her right hand .

Pellets, steel ammo .

Lead is the main stream slingshot ammo . Said to be low priced, heavy and powerful, easy to process, delivers more kinetic energy to difficult soft targets that bounce it off, etc… . But this is made of steel . Focusing more on penetrating power, it’s a head-on fighting man’s ammo . Or so Takeshi gave a speech about, Although lead pellets were prepared as well, this time she decided to follow Takeshi’s advice while thinking about piercing the thick fur . She sandwiches the pellet, then protrude the left hand and withdraws the right hand until she reaches her shoulder .

If asked why how did the weak Mitsuha can pull back the strong rubber so far, it’s simply because Mitsuha’s body is small and her arm is short so when she normally pulls back the rubber’s length is way shorter compared to Takeshi .

Of course, the power also drops accordingly . Against an adult beast, it won’t matter if it’ll penetrate fur if it doesn’t hit a vital point . She can only hope that the defenses of the wolves are low . There was a bow gun in Takeshi’s room, but I gave up because I had never used it and it’s likely I wouldn’t be able to reload the next round in time . Even as someone with spinal reflex . Probably .

Aim carefully… I wanted to, but my arm was shaking so I quickly fired instead . Together with a small sound “Pishun”, the steel pellet heads toward the target at a high speed .

Gyan!

A wolf fell with a sad cry . Oh, did it hit the head? Did hitting the head not protected with muscles effective? Did it penetrate the skull or just gave a concussion…

But actually, I was aiming at the parent, not that cub . Because it’s the strongest enemy, even if it couldn’t defeat it, I wanted to give it some damage on with the first attack… Well, if one is defeated that’s great . It’s much better than missing .

The parent wolf not knowing what caused the cub to fall is confused and circles around other cubs . Not yet, it’s still my turn!

I carefully pull back again and shoot the second bullet! “Bashi”! The second shot also hit but around the right thigh of the parent . It seems that it’s the least damaging place . And naturally, it found me from the attack . It’s glaring in my direction .

The parent, maybe a mother, two cubs who noticing the mother wolf’s gaze jump out from behind and came running here . The mother wolf acted perplexed for a moment, but maybe it decided to leave it to the cubs, it didn’t move . It might be because it thought I was the same helpless child from before .

I hurriedly launched the third one, but it missed . I guess it wouldn’t continue going so well .

The fourth shot . Maybe this will be the last chance to use the slingshot . The next shot will not be on time . Although I am distracted, as it gets closer the possibility of hitting increases . And also the power .

Bashi!

One fell down . It seems it hit around the throat . The throat is one of the key points with little protection . Lucky!

Maybe it didn’t notice its sibling had dropped out, but the last of the wolves leaps over . By that time Mitsuha already threw away the slingshot, grasped the cleaver she left on her belt, and shaken off the towel wrapped around the blade .

Slash

It is not so difficult for Mitsuha blessed with kinetic vision and reflexes to avoid the inexperienced wolf jumping without any tricks straight forward as long as she paid attention . In the same time as I avoid, the knife roughly tears around the neck and the last one also sanks to the ground .

Uoooo~~n!

A blood-spitting roar spread through the forest .

The cubs, the three of her precious cubs were brought down . Even if they were still alive, serious injuries in the harsh natural world promised a death not far away .

Her precious cubs . Those strong, fierce, and respectable male cubs . She desperately them raised so far and they would become independent after a little more time . Moreover, to a prey used for practice without any nails, fangs nor fur!

hatehatehatehatekillkillkillkillkill

The mother wolf rushed toward the Mitsuha .

It came!

I have been saved by luck so far but although there is only one left, it is the strongest parent wolf . If it is a cub without experience I might somehow manage, but for this one cheap tricks may not work . But unfortunately, I’m also inexperienced . That’s all there is to it, unfortunately .

The distance is quickly closed . Mitsuha clasped the clever with her right hand and plugged her left hand into the pocket of her clothes .

15 meters, 10 meters……

When it reached 5 meters, Mitsuha’s left hand was swung widely and swiftly… . At the same time, she jumps with all her might to the right .

Gua~a~a~a~a~a~a~a ~~~!!

A terrible throat tearing cry .

The mother wolf is rolling around the ground shouting in agony . A large amount of pepper and chili powder is fluttering around . It may be quite severe for the eyes, throat, and nose of sensitive wild animals . Mitsuha herself was also affected and her tears won’t stop .

There is no chance of winning when the confusion subsides . Withstanding the pain of her eyes, nose, and throat, With dripping tears and a runny nose, Mitsuha swung her cleaver and struck the wolf .

But the wolf is still a wild beast, even in its situation with a mostly ineffective nose and eyes that can’t be opened, it is not a weak organism that will lag behind a prey . Baring its fangs and brandishing its claws . Approaching poorly will end with one slash from the claws and a bite from the fangs . However, as time passes the temporary advantage will be lost . There isn’t any safe way to approach it either . What should I do? At such a time… Ah, no, I’ve thought…… .

It was no good . I’ve thought about it . “What would brother do?”

And it flows into her brain, “lines Mitsuha expects her brother to say series” flows into her mind . As usual .

“What’s important? It’s a stoicism that supports a ferocious ego and behavior . ”

“Did you know? They say a wolf’s mouth won’t close when something is thrust all the way to the back . ”

No, even if you teach me such a thing when would that ever be useful, or so I thought until right now!

If you were lying, take responsibility! The compensation will be one arm! Wait, what am I talking about!

“So what if you lose your arm? Just put a gun on it? If there’s no psycho gun, pick a machine gun . Don’t you know the obscure titles with gangster weapons or the one arm machine girl”

Ah, the onii-chan in my head is in top condition!! My brother will torment me even in death!

For now, I tried thrusting . No, it’s not for the one in my head, it’s for wolves .

Using the opening made while it’s rubbing its eyes with its forearm to get behind it . It notices along the way and bares its fangs, but I managed to somehow avoid it by swing the cleaver around then clung onto its body . I hug on its back side so it can’t bite me . In this position, it can’t attack with its limbs and can’t reach with its bite because its neck can’t turn that far… What, it reached, the range of motion of wolf’s neck is too wide!

I was forced to a gamble without any real guarantees . I resign my left arm and thrust it into the wolf’s mouth . Deeper, even deeper, farther, farther!

Gue~e~e~e ~~

The wolf is vomiting . Mitsuha has a considerable injury on her left arm from fangs .

The wolf clinging to the human and the human who is clung onto .

But the fight starts now .

Mitsuha in the process of clinging to the wolf had her cleaver blown away before she notices . However, Mitsuha still had a weapon that miraculously wasn’t lost from the scuffle . That beautiful weapon that her brother was so proud of that has now become a relic .

“G,Gerber, Folding, Sportsman~!!“

With her right hand, she took the folding knife that was hanging on the belt and pulled it out . The reason I cried was that is because I felt like my brother would be happy if I did so .

Stab, stab, stab, stab!

Inferior force on a short cutting edge . Although it doesn’t stab very deeply, the excellent blade will still penetrate the thick and strong fur and continue to deal damage .

Mitsuha had long exceeded her limit . Beyond the state of being high, her consciousness was already almost gone . Perhaps because her brain’s safety valve was gone, the legs clinging to the wolf tighten as strongly as a vise . And the left arm deeply inserted in the mouth of the wolf fix the body of Mitsuha in place .

Stab stab stab stab my arm hurts stab stab stab stab my hands feel heavy stab stab stab stab it’s dark, when did it become night? Stab stab stab stab onii-chan where are you stab stab stab stab

Although the wolf rampages, she cannot shake off Mitsuha attached with both legs and left arm . Mitsuha’s petite and light body was fortunate .

It cannot breathe properly because of the arm thrust deep within from the mouth . Strength doesn’t come . I feel that something important is coming out of my body .

What is this clinging to me? A prey? Wrong! That’s not it! Creepy! Scary! What this! What this! No No! . Help me, Help……

Before long there was no sound, nothing moving… No, the two beast’s cubs moved slightly, but there was nothing that can move properly .

After a while, a little girl came down from the tree with a dragging sound . The girl looked fearfully around and approaches the chunks a little bit away, looking at them she raise a small scream . But rather than running away, she confirmed the situation and had a relieved face .

Afterward she slays the two reminding beast who still breathed with the nearby kitchen knife like blade and rush to the village in a hurry . As expected of Colette, cautious and without mercy .