Summoned by the Heretics – Even in Another World, the Zealot Who Worships Death Remains an Outcast

“So, that’s how things turned out.”

“You’ve ended up with quite the troublesome position, haven’t you?”

In the midst of the dense forest, Sukui called out to a figure. Kama, the person Sukui addressed, listened to the situation with an expression that showed no sign of envy.

“Regarding the land, I’m glad I met followers of the faith of death, but it’s still quite a hassle,” Sukui replied.

“You never seemed like the type who’d enjoy having power,” Kama remarked, recalling Sukui’s philosophy that all are equal in the face of death.

“How are things going with the villagers?” Kama asked.

“I received permission from the lord for them to continue living as they had been. However, their foundations are shaky, so I’ve been helping out as well,” Sukui answered.

Kama found this kindness fitting, yet surprising. He reconsidered his impression of Sukui; despite everything, Sukui was surprisingly compassionate.

“I’ve also been relying on Flame-san to establish a trade route for their crops. Improving the living facilities is our immediate goal,” Sukui added.

“You did say it was a pretty rundown village. Well, I guess this is a chance to show what the new lord is capable of,” Kama grinned, expecting Sukui to react with annoyance, but instead, Sukui simply smiled as he always did.

“They’re comrades, after all. Even though they couldn’t choose death, I still want to cherish them,” Sukui said.

“You always say the same things, but it feels strange to hear you use words like ‘cherish,’” Kama commented.

It wasn’t a bad feeling, though. Kama respected Sukui’s strength, but as they spent more time together, he also began to appreciate Sukui’s unconventional personality.

For Kama, who had lived his life as an adventurer, Sukui’s recent rapid changes were a refreshing story. Interaction with nobles and merchants, the obligations of daily life—it was not something easily experienced by a regular person.

“But, with how busy you’ve been complaining lately, why did you decide to join me on this mission?” Kama asked.

The two of them had come to the dense forest for a monster subjugation mission.

It was an A-rank mission, a level beyond what Sukui could accept on his own, but Kama had accepted it on Sukui’s behalf, allowing him to accompany.

Even so, an A-rank mission was not something typically done by just two people. Kama would have declined if it were anyone other than Sukui.

“Well, I realized I was a bit lacking in skill,” Sukui admitted.

Kama chuckled, thinking it was a joke.

But it was true. Sukui, the one credited for dismantling the organization, was renowned as the strongest in the city.

However, Sukui felt that luck played a significant role, and he had many regrets. He believed there were individuals within the organization who could have surpassed him, and he still didn’t feel confident in his ability to defeat an A-rank mage.

To deliver death, strength was necessary.

Sukui considered himself a devotee, not a warrior, but it was also true that many of the necessary elements aligned with those of a warrior.

“There are many types of strength. There are all sorts of magic as well, and Kama-san, you combine multiple types in your battles, right?” Sukui asked.

“Well, it’s about compatibility. My main focus is on enhancing my physical abilities, but I can use a bit of wind magic too,” Kama responded.

Sukui thought back to their first encounter and figured Kama was probably being modest. Sukui still felt saddened by the fact that he hadn’t been able to welcome Kama to death during their initial clash.

“Physical enhancement must be convenient,” Sukui remarked.

Sukui felt a sense of unease towards the idea of a god of physical prowess, but apparently, such beings did exist.

Physical enhancement combined with other elements. The leader of the organization, Ferute, exemplified the pinnacle of such an approach.

A combination of various forms of magic could even rival A-rank warriors.

“Depending on your style, having one or two kinds of enhancement is a good idea,” Kama added.

From Kama’s perspective, it was hard to believe that Sukui didn’t have any physical enhancement magic.

Physical enhancement magic could almost be considered an automatic acquisition if one trained or fought enough.

It seemed improbable that someone with Sukui’s level of combat experience wouldn’t have acquired it.

“And spells that catch people off guard are also powerful. It’s hard to deal with something you can’t anticipate,” Sukui noted.

Hearing that, Kama understood that Sukui was focusing on human opponents.

Typically, unless one was a villain, they wouldn’t prepare spells specifically to counter human enemies, but Sukui was an exception.

“Your plant magic isn’t bad, but when it comes to combat, its uses are limited,” Kama pointed out.

“Using plants to attack doesn’t deal significant damage,” Sukui agreed.

Despite Sukui’s acknowledgement, his tone wasn’t one of disappointment; it was more reflective. They both seemed to understand that while power comes in many forms, it is Sukui’s unique approach to death that ultimately shaped his perception of strength.

Even with the goal of leveraging compatibility and catching opponents off guard, Sukui knew that the effects wouldn’t be significant.

However, Sukui saw a greater strength in the versatility of his plant magic.

“Well, thinking along those lines, I can see why you accepted this mission,” Kama remarked, signaling Sukui as they finally spotted the monster amidst the dense forest.

The creature, known as a Huge Slime, was a massive, fluid entity towering over Kama’s already considerable height of over 2 meters. It was a translucent blue liquid without any internal organs or distinguishing features—just a giant, moving mass.

Despite its appearance, it was highly aggressive, and once it enveloped its prey, it would trap them and slowly dissolve them.

This was their target for the mission.

“Exactly. Creatures like these that are immune to physical attacks are certainly my weak point,” Sukui admitted.

He marveled at the existence of such a creature, wondering at how the laws of physics in this otherworld, aside from magic, seemed not so different from his previous one. Yet monsters like this one were a clear exception.

“Well, the nature of monsters is basically a mystery. Anything seems possible,” Kama replied, chuckling. “They say everything disappears once the Demon King is defeated.”

“So that’s why the Hero is tasked with slaying the Demon King,” Sukui mused.

The final goal for the Hero and the Demon King was clear. Though Sukui had never personally heard of any direct threat posed by the Demon King, he could understand the desire for subjugation if it meant the end of monsters.

“Yeah, but folks in our line of work would be in trouble if that happened,” Kama remarked.

“After all, an entire industry revolves around monsters,” Sukui nodded.

Even if monsters disappeared, Sukui couldn’t imagine Kama having difficulty adapting. His caring nature and people skills would likely lead him to thrive in various ways beyond combat.

“High-speed dismemberment with knives, dropping them from a height, evaporating with intense heat, or detonating them from within,” Sukui listed out, thinking aloud.

Those would be the main strategies, Sukui murmured, prompting Kama to laugh.

“Do you really think that much when you’re fighting?”

“No, not really,” Sukui replied. But the truth was, he was always thinking.

Kama had gradually noticed this about Sukui. He wasn’t just thoughtful; it was as if his mind never stopped. It was close to not knowing how to rest.

“I hadn’t intended to think that deeply about it, but without strategy in our fighting styles…”

Before Sukui could finish, Kama had already drawn his greatsword.

“Geez,” Kama muttered.

With just that, Kama charged forward, holding his greatsword aloft. The Huge Slime reacted immediately.

Several tentacle-like arms emerged from the liquid mass, attempting to capture Kama.

Despite seeing them, Kama didn’t slow down and allowed himself to be grabbed by the creature’s body.

“Kama-san?” Sukui began, but before he could ask what was going on—

Kama swung down his greatsword with the momentum of his charge.

There was a sound like thunder cracking. The force of Kama’s powerful blow not only severed the parts of the slime that had caught him but also caused significant dispersal of the creature’s main body.

The destructive power was far greater than Sukui had expected. However, even as the Huge Slime was scattered, its pieces began to move and reform.

“I see,” Sukui muttered.

The smaller fragments of the slime began disappearing in succession. Those the size of fists or smaller vanished almost instantly, and those slightly larger were severed and neutralized before they could rejoin the main body.

“One more time!” Kama shouted.

He brought his greatsword down once again, and the remnants of the Huge Slime dispersed further under the impact.

“You could at least give me a heads-up,” Sukui sighed.

With Kama’s powerful strikes breaking the Huge Slime into smaller pieces, Sukui swiftly eliminated the scattered fragments with his knife. It was a simple approach, but Sukui hadn’t realized how powerful Kama’s attacks had become.

Compared to what Sukui experienced at the tavern, this was far more intense. Despite being a large mass of liquid, the Huge Slime should have been able to absorb and dull the force of an attack.

Yet, Kama’s strikes shattered it so thoroughly. Of course, the creature could reform, but with Sukui’s speed, he could easily eliminate the fragments before that happened.

“I’ll scatter it with big moves, and you finish it off. That should do the trick. We’ll need a few more rounds, but it’s no big deal,” Kama said.

“Let’s just get it over with,” Kama grumbled, as Sukui heaved a resigned sigh.

“All that thinking turned out to be for nothing,” Sukui muttered.

“That’s how it goes,” Kama shrugged, hefting his greatsword.

“You’re always thinking things over. Whether it’s a fight, Horo-chan, or the village situation, you’re always trying to figure everything out,” Kama pointed out.

But hey, just do things the way you want to.

Kama said this as he swung his greatsword once more.

“No use in overthinking it. You seem to be enjoying managing the village, but I get the feeling you’re going to push yourself too hard. Don’t forget to take it easy,” Kama advised.

“Take it easy, huh?” Sukui replied.

That was something he used to be good at.

Sukui always carried an air of nonchalance, projecting an image of composure and warmth that felt far removed from battle. Even now, despite his busyness, he exuded a sense of tranquility.

Yet, just before confronting the organization, Kama had glimpsed a crack in that facade.

“Well, most religious folks seem like they’re the overthinking type anyway. I just hope you end up settling down in a normal village someday, instead of getting too deep into the whole religion thing,” Kama remarked.

And if the Demon King’s gone and I’ve got nowhere to go…

Let me stay as one of your farmhands, okay?

Kama joked, and Sukui responded while dealing with the remaining fragments of the Huge Slime.

“Absolutely not.”