Defeated and Awakened, the Morning Sun Rising

When I reincarnated, I made a vow.

That this time, ‘we're going to live a happy life!’

But you know.

Me alone, becoming happy.

That's not the kind of happiness I'm looking for.

Me, you see.

I, want to be happy together with my precious partner, Omake-sama!

And that, can never come true in that village.

In that village, I can't talk with Omake-sama.

I never want to go back to a village like that.

<E, Emiiii~~~~~~!!!!! U, uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!>

Wait, Omake-sama, don't wail like that inside my head!

Loud! I said you're loud!

<B, but, buuut~~~! To think, that E, Emi holds me dear, it makes me so happyyy~~~!!>

Well, obviously, right?

The person most precious to me.

That's Omake-sama.

I mean, really.

Harvest God or whatever it is, I don't know, but brainwashing people to make them obey? That guy's definitely no good, you know?

I'd absolutely hate being put under the rule of a god like that, thank you very much.

Manipulating a reincarnator's memories seems to be done pretty much as standard, so maybe gods don't feel any guilt over something that minor, but still.

Besides, something about what Prough said bugs me, too.

I'm bringing this up late, but what the hell is this ‘all people are slaves to wheat’ thing?

Isn't the Harvest God supposed to be a god who brings blessings to people?

Isn't it a bit weird to treat people like slaves for growing crops?

......Anyway.

My life, is mine.

No matter how happy it is, living on as someone's brainwashed puppet? No thanks, not a chance!

<Uwaaaaaaaaaaan!! Emiii~~~~~~!!!!!>

Ah, geez!

Stop crying already, Omake-sama!

YOU'RE TOO LOUUUUD!!

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! YOU'VE DONE IT NOW, EMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!”

Ah, there was another loud one.

Prough, who I'd punched away, comes sprinting back toward me.

Smoke is rising from his face with a shuu shuu, and I can see his wounds healing in the blink of an eye.

“THAT'S IT, PLAYTIME'S OVERRRRRRRRRRR!! TAKE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!!!”

Screaming with bloodshot eyes as he runs, Prough holds his bread high above his head to slash me!

His running speed is tremendous, and he closes the distance in an instant.

That distance, a few dozen meters left, give or take.

The amount of golden magic power leaking from his body is incomparable to before.

He's dead serious.

A fighting spirit that makes his words, ‘playtime's over’, easy to believe.

I really don't want to take a hit delivered from that state.

<Is this the time, to calmly observe him, Emi!!?>

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!”

The distance between me and Prough keeps shrinking.

Focus, damn it. Focus.

The flow of time I perceive gradually slows down.

Ah, Prough.

As expected of someone who has received a god's blessing.

That amount of magic power, overwhelming.

Even next to me, and I think my own total magic power is fairly large, the difference is plain as day.

The body strengthening that uses that abundant magic power, which feels as if it's welling up endlessly, has reached a tremendous level too.

Also, the magic for summoning bread and all that, that nonsensical technique, is really frightening too.

......But.

But you know, there's just one element you're overwhelmingly lacking.

“............”

I quietly let both arms hang loose, pretending to be relaxed.

Even so, while keeping that posture, I focus my awareness on my right fist.

I pour magic power into it.

I increase the destructive power.

I increase the lethality.

I picture the strongest fist, one that smashes everything, and keep strengthening it.

I'm sure, at Prough's current speed, whether I dodge right or dodge left, he'd be able to land a hit with the bread without any problem.

Even if I run backward, he'll catch up right away and attack.

If that happens, it's game over for me.

I'll lose consciousness, get brainwashed, and go right back to life in the village.

No, if I take a hit without any holding back, I might actually die.

Right is no good, left is no good, backward is no good.

So, what do I do?

I...... go forward!!

Instantly putting power into my legs, 【Grasshopper】!

I surge straight ahead, moving in a straight line parallel to the ground.

What lies ahead of me is, naturally...... the one charging this way, Prough.

“!!?”

Since he was also running toward me at an incredible speed, the distance between me and Prough is closed in an instant.

Surprised by my unexpected movement, Prough's eyes widen.

Until now, I had been dodging Prough's attacks and continuing to flee.

That must be exactly why Prough never once pictured me going on the attack.

That is exactly the element you're lacking right now, Prough.

Namely, combat experience!

No matter how vast your magic power is, or how superhuman your strength is, your way of fighting is just swinging them around recklessly.

You are by no means a warrior; in the end, you're just a village boy who happens to be abnormally strong.

Because you have no experience, you can't handle unexpected situations well.

......Like right now!!

“DARYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

I punch Prough in the stomach with all my might!

Slammed with a 【Magic Strike】 that would normally shatter even a giant boulder with ease, Prough doubles over, spraying golden blood and bile, and goes flying off, snapping tree after tree as he goes!

“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA......!!”

Prough's scream of agony receded in the blink of an eye, and a while after he passed out of sight, it could no longer be heard.

......Alright! I did him in!!

<No, you didn't do him in. Rotten or not, he's a reincarnator with a blessing...... a cheat being. There's no way he'd kick the bucket from just this!>

Ah, I figured?

<He'll surely have more power poured into him by the god, awaken, and come back!? W, what do we do!?>

There's no question of what to do.

In that case, there's only one move for me to make!

It's obvious, right?

<Eh?>

◇ ◇ ◇

“......Where am I......?”

When he came to, Prough was standing alone in pitch-black darkness.

This place, where was it?

Until a moment ago, he should have been in the forest, fighting a girl who tried to flee from the village.

And despite using the power granted by the god with all his might, he had been punched hard in the stomach and lost consciousness......

“I see, so I, lost......”

The moment he understood that, what welled up in Prough's chest was not frustration, nor anger, nor sadness.

It was simply a feeling of being sorry.

Despite having used the power he had received from Harvest God-sama to the fullest, he had lost.

It had ended with him dragging Harvest God-sama's name through the mud.

“A, aah...... aaaaaaaa......”

From his whole body, the strength drained away.

In the darkness, his will gone and no longer able to stay standing, Prough dropped to his knees and groaned, head bowed.

“I, I'm so, I am so sorry, Harvest God-sama, I am so sorry, I am so sorry, I am so sorry......”

It was then.

As Prough kept groaning, he felt as if a soft, gentle breeze had brushed his cheek.

“......!?”

Startled, Prough raised his head.

Then, the darkness was gone, and he was standing in the middle of a magnificent golden wheat field that stretched on forever.

<<<Awaken, Prough, my divine child.>>>

A mysterious voice echoed through Prough's head.

“Th, this voice...... Harvest God-sama!?”

<<<Grow the wheat. Grow the wheat.>>>

The nostalgic voice he had heard before he was born into Grounoddka Village...... the Harvest God's voice did not berate Prough for his defeat, but only, granted Prough an oracle.

“Grow the wheat,” it said.

“But even though I was granted Harvest God-sama's power, I lost. Harvest God-sama's name, I have tarnished it. I no longer have any right to call myself a divine child; there is nothing left but to die in apology......”

<<<Grow the wheat.>>>

Prough lost heart, even speaking of atoning by taking his own life.

But the Harvest God's voice would not allow it.

“Are you telling me...... to live?”

<<<Grow the wheat.>>>

“You will, forgive, me......?”

<<<Grow the wheat.>>>

“For Harvest God-sama's sake...... once more, you will allow me, to go on living......!?”

<<<Grow the wheat.>>>

Large tears spilled from Prough's eyes, one after another.

(Thank you, so much...... thank you so much!!)

The Harvest God did not abandon Prough, who had failed.

Just as before, he granted him an oracle.

Live, fulfill your mission, he had urged him.

Behind the oracle the Harvest God repeated so mechanically, Prough sensed a warm true meaning, and his faith grew stronger still.

He must grow the wheat.

Rubbing away his tears, Prough gazed straight at the horizon where the wheat fields spread. There was no longer any trace of timidity on his face.

“I humbly accept the oracle. I, Prough, intend to carry out the mission bestowed on me by Harvest God-sama, until my life is spent!!”

The moment Prough spoke those words, the surrounding wheat fields began to glow all at once!

“Wh, what is this!?”

Spheres of light emerged from every single stalk of wheat around him, and one after another...... they entered Prough's body!

“U, uooooooo......!!”

With every sphere, he could feel the power surging throughout his body increase!

Every single cell! Everything in his body!!

They were being remade, stronger and stronger, by the power of wheat......!!

“Hahahahaha...... hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!”

Prough laughed.

How pleasant this was!

This divine power circulating through his entire body!

A feeling he could do anything! A feeling of omnipotence!

As long as he had this power, as long as he had this power......!!

◇ ◇ ◇

“Hahaha, haha...... hah!!?”

When he came to, Prough was lying not in a shining wheat field, but in a dark forest.

“A, a dream......?”

He pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes.

His hazy mind slowly came awake.

“No...... it's not, a dream......!?”

And then, he realized it.

The power surging in his body, which was incomparably stronger than before!

That he had become, more than before, a being fit to be Harvest God-sama's divine child!

That he had awakened as a wheat guardian warrior!!

“......Hah!”

As a test, he turned his right palm toward a giant tree growing ahead of him and sent power into it.

Then, just with that, just by willing it, the giant tree blew away with a roar, and from the ground left behind, wheat sprang up, of all things!

“What...... what power! Truly...... the power of a god......!!”

Prough laughed.

“With this, power, as long as I have it......!!”

He could spread the wheat fields, even further!

He could grant, Harvest God-sama's wishes!!

“A, aaah...... aaaaa!!”

Prough looked down and hugged his own shoulders, trembling with joy.

......But.

“Before that, there's something I have to do, isn't there......!”

The expression on Prough's face as he looked up was horribly distorted.

A wide, strained smile.

Eyes shining brilliantly.

“She made a fool of me...... she dragged Harvest God-sama's name through the mud...... that woman, I have to crush her.”

Until a moment ago, he had meant to awaken her to the splendor of wheat once more and bring her back to the village...... but enough of that.

The attachment he had felt toward that woman for some reason. The nostalgia he couldn't explain.

Not just as labor: the special feeling he had felt for her from the moment he first laid eyes on her.

Such feelings, now that he had gained new power, had completely vanished.

He would crush her, literally.

Crush her to a pulp, crush her, crush her, and make her into fertilizer for the fields.

Surely, good wheat would grow.

Prough started running.

He hurried back to the place where he had been fighting Emi.

“......Huh?”

But Prough's goal was never achieved.

The reason was simple.

Because.

Emi.

While Prough was asleep.

......had promptly run away.

“............”

Prough simply gazed, dazed, at that corner of the forest, smeared with beasts' blood, its trees snapped, fissures running here and there and wheat growing from them.

......He no longer had any way of knowing where that girl was.

Prough had not been granted such tracking techniques by the Harvest God.

When he looked up at the sky, the moon that had faintly lit the ground had already sunk beyond the far horizon, and the drifting clouds were glowing orange in the light of the sun that had begun to show its face.

Night had passed, and today, once again, morning had come.

Another peaceful day, to be spent as a village boy, had begun once more.

“......For now.”

He must return, to the village.

He must grow the wheat.

Turning unsteadily on his heel, Prough set off on the way home to the village.

With each step he took, the murderous intent that had welled up on its own while he fought Emi, that beast-like emotion, was drawn off somewhere and vanished.

And only the oracle remained within him.

He must grow the wheat.

Basking in the morning sun and sensing the start of a happy day, Prough smiled to himself.

His attachment gone, his emotions taken, he had returned once again to being an innocent village boy.

(Alright! Today too, I'll do my best at the field work all daaay!)

One step, two steps, with a bouncing stride and a beaming smile, the boy made his way through the forest.

“......Myoon, myogoshugomyonshugooo...... Myoon, myogoshugomyonshugooo......”

Somewhere far off, a Myogomyogoshugo began its call.