Surviving a Cruel Fairy Tale

9 – Act 1. Red Riding Hood Forest – Village of Dusk (3)

A gunshot reverberates in the quiet village.

“hahahaha! Hey, is it okay if I just run away like that?”

A hunter walking slowly and aiming a gun.

I ran fast and took cover behind a building to avoid it, but no matter where I ran or how I avoided it, the hunter’s muzzle was aimed at me.

Just like that, another shot.

The poor wooden structure couldn’t completely block the hunter’s bullets, and no matter how much the building was covered, the bullets he shot would follow my path and pierce the wooden plank.

“Come on, are you here? Or here? I really don’t know.”

“…… Quit.”

Obviously making fun of him.

Following the direction they were moving from earlier, they started shooting as if they were following closely behind them, saying, “Where are you?”

A hunter who walks leisurely and never misses my location.

This alone is difficult, but the shotgun the hunter handles fires in succession without needing to reload, as we saw when defeating wolves earlier.

I have to get out quickly, but I can’t erase the feeling that I’m going round and round in the same place as I move while avoiding bullets and prioritizing cover.

It was difficult to grasp the clear structure because the darkness was so thick, but even considering that, it was a sense of playing on the board.

“You are alert. Hmm. Certainly much better than the useless things in the village. It’s even more unfortunate.”

The gunfire stops and footsteps are heard.

Slowly from the back.

I bought myself time to hide behind the building at first, but he seemed to have an idea of where I was and how I was going to move.

Is this a hunter?

In fairy tales, a being who plays the role of a solver.

But even so, this is absurd.

I thought that the hunter’s role in the oral tradition would be corrected to some extent in the world of fairy tales, but if the darkness of night does not take away the sight and even that sense transcends that of humans, there is no way to win head-on.

It bothers me that this forest stage is a fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

The hunters here kill wolves to deliver the end of the story. In short, it is safe to say that he is a savior, but how can he bring down such a character?

Nothing comes to mind.

Right now, the hand I was holding was too small.

In the first place, at the point of reading the action to the hunter, it is like giving one move, maybe two to three or more and starting.

“If you stay there, you will get a hole in it.”

“…… Wouldn’t you like to talk about it here?”

“Conversation? Haven’t I already given you the chance to solve it verbally?”

No one calls that an opportunity.

How can you call a conversation of mutual communication when you repeat the same words in your own delusion?

And so is his strange obsession with Little Red Riding Hood.

Even though everything in this forest is his greed, why is the hunter so obsessed with Little Red Riding Hood?

Her apparently hunter called her her witch.

Still this obsession.

It was difficult to cut and organize because there are still many unresolved things, but I wondered if the hunter was the most twisted being in this forest.

“Tell me right now. Where did you meet that girl? How did you earn your trust? What did the witch whisper of her love for?”

Look at me.

Still, the hunter was walking slowly this way, asking unanswerable questions.

I couldn’t see his face because he was hiding behind a wall, but he must have the expression of the madman he saw in the warehouse.

“Come on, tell me too.”

“You are crazy.”

“Hmm? Right. Among the people I was with in the past, there was someone who said that to me, but soon no one said that.”

…… Let’s calm down first.

There’s no point in continuing to talk to that man, but it’s not bad to take the time to secure an escape route first.

“Then will you spare me if I tell you everything?”

The footsteps cut off.

Leaning my back against the wall, I turned my head and glanced at the hunter.

“What do you mean kill? In the forest, humans are a very valuable resource. And even if you don’t have to divide by calculation, isn’t it a law that people of the same kind should help each other?”

Does such a person slaughter human flesh?

I was dumbfounded, but on the contrary, I was grateful that he asked for the bait. If you continue the conversation like this and move slowly…….

“So why don’t you come forward first? I miss your face very much.”

“There’s nothing I can’t do if you take that gun away.”

“Don’t get me wrong. Do you really think that the time you sold that sh*t will protect you? If I want to, I can pierce you right now.”

I already knew that.

I don’t know how many times he penetrated the wall and barely passed me by.

That’s why he tried to find an escape route by buying time by using the situation where he didn’t really rush, but the hunter didn’t seem to want to waste any more time.

“This is the last time. If you don’t come out this time, I’ll make a hole in your heart right away.”

Being shot in an invisible place and facing it first.

It would be best to run away from his gaze as much as possible, but I know that the reason I’ve been able to dodge the gun so far is because the hunter wasn’t serious.

If I set my mind to it, the hunter’s words that he would pierce my heart in one shot probably won’t end with bluffing.

“…… Seriously, hunter. You are crazy.”

“Twice. You said that twice.”

There can be no surrender like this.

Judging from the circumstances and information seen so far, it was clear that this village was forcibly maintained entirely through the oppression of individual hunters.

“I will not kill you. It’s just a hole in the shoulder. But don’t worry too much. You will not die.”

With his shooting, it wouldn’t be difficult to aim for a body part without aiming.

In general, it is close to impossible for a person to dodge bullets.

No matter how fast you move, the bullets rushing along with the ignition of the gunpowder are much faster, and even if you realize something ridiculous, such as reading the trajectory of a muzzle, it loses its meaning at such close range.

However, we must not forget that there is a power called mystery in this world.

Mystery of the fairy tale world.

It is literally something similar to the imagination of fantasy that grants power beyond recognition to humans, animals, plants, fairies, and even demons.

And with that mystery and the power that dwells in this body, you can definitely block at least one shot.

I organized my thoughts and took a posture.

The hunter was very kind and told me where to shoot. He couldn’t believe it right away, but since his muzzle wasn’t pointing down, he reached out his hand first.

“Are you going to fight?”

“Because there is no reason to be with a lunatic.”

“Three times. I’m really sorry.”

After that, the hunter calmly pulled the trigger.

The sound of a percussion.

His eyes couldn’t follow it, but he had already covered his shoulder, which was the direction his muzzle was pointing, so he focused all his attention on the palm of his hand.

“…… Hmm?”

Rumpelstiltschen said.

What I dwell in is the power to reorganize the world.

I couldn’t accomplish anything great because I was still weak, but if the range is extremely limited, the strength of the influence that can be exercised will increase.

So what comes to mind is a smooth flow.

I caught my breath as it reminded me of a painting that deflects bullets instead of blocking them.

After that, a sharp gunshot rang out.

A slanted blade.

The bullet naturally changed its trajectory as if it were flowing down the palm of my hand.

Only once.

With just that, the mysteries drained from the body, and a sense of extreme exhaustion came over me.

But we shouldn’t stop here.

This is a one-time fluke.

If the hunter made up his mind and opened fire, there was no way my body would be able to withstand even one shot.

That’s why it depends.

Lower your body posture and spur the ground, poking at his gap when he is flustered by an unexpected situation.

No matter how much I held the shotgun, I was confident that I wouldn’t even give him time to shoot again if I dealt with him in close combat.

I thought so, but before long I saw the scenery reflected in my field of vision fluctuating rapidly.

“You write quite an interesting catch.”

After that, he hit the ground with his back and was shocked.

“Cheer!!”

I burst out moaning with the feeling of the cold air escaping from my lungs.

“However, the choice to approach was bad. The only possible option would be to turn your back and run away, but in fact, that would be close to impossible.”

I don’t know what happened.

As soon as I came to my senses, my body flew through the air and was thrown behind the hunter.

“No one can beat a hunter in the forest. Do you still not understand that common sense?”

“Big…… !!”

“Anyway, it’s amazing. Did you deflect the bullet? No, it spilled Whatever it is, it’s interesting. That hand needs to be cut off and examined.”

His rough hand approaches.

I instinctively understood that it would be the end once I got caught in that hand.

This town is crazy already.

As a hunter, it goes without saying that the villagers sympathize with him as well. Even if they cannot resist, their nature does not change.

At the time when I wonder if everything is over like this.

It reminded me of the sheet of paper that still gives off warmth in this arms.

There is no certainty.

But if this situation could be reversed even just once, there would be no reason for me not to call.

“Red… ….”

The girl who whispered that she was on my side.

The witch of the forest who left after saying that she would definitely come if called.

It wouldn’t be wrong to classify the figure that harms humans as evil, but in this situation, there is no other way.

“Man, tooooo!!”

I shouted, squeezing every breath out of my lungs.

Enough to reach beyond that forest.

The hunter frowned slightly at my shouts, but made an expression that he couldn’t understand.

It just made no sense.

There’s no way Little Red Riding Hood is so close by, and above all, it’s hard to believe that she’s coming to help her, even though she has no ties to me.

There is no other way.

Efforts to avoid the hunter’s eyes failed, and after that, it was also a failure to create a sudden variable and aim for a gap.

At the time when I thought that now that it had happened, I would just give up and just be patient and persevere.

A strong wind blew all around me.

A bright golden halo of light covers this body.

The hunter immediately stretched out his hand to touch me, but before that, his body was thrown far away as if hit by something.

As I blinked at the unexpected situation, I heard a clear voice behind me.

“Too late.”

When I turned my head to that voice, there was a red cloak accompanied by a golden wind.

“…… It was dubious.”

“I told you. If you call, I will definitely find you wherever it is.”

I couldn’t believe it.

That’s right, at that time, of course, I couldn’t believe it.

How could I have believed that the one who unleashed the wolves and brought countless blood and death to the village was my only ally.

Meanwhile, the hunter who flew away raised himself up again and shouted.

“You are here, you are here. Finally came to me Little Red Riding Hood, you are finally. You came, you came, you came back. aaa, Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red Riding Hood Ohhhhh!!”

After that, he quickly aimed his shotgun, but Little Red Riding Hood grabbed me by the scruff of my neck much faster than he did.

Numerous sheets of paper flutter around.

Hundreds or thousands of her paper came out and wrapped around her at high speed, as if drawing a circle around her. Immediately after her, a gunshot rang out from her, but the bullet did not reach us.

“Where are you going? Are you going to leave me? Your place is here! I am your master!! Little Red Riding Hood! Forest Witch!!”

Just before the entire view is blocked.

The hunter cried out in an angry voice, and Little Red Riding Hood rolled his eyes and sneered at him.

“Stupid man.”

“Little Red Riding Hood Ohhhhh!!”

His voice gradually fades.

Then, as the sheets of paper that wrapped us all scattered and disappeared, a completely different landscape was reflected in my eyes.