Hiroshi sat back in his stool and scanned Wisteria's face. She seemed visibly upset, her eyes almost seemed to be getting wetter by the second. He put a firm hand on her back, attempting to comfort the young woman. She took a deep breath, and began to continue her request.
"There have been demons invading our village, and surrounding neighborhoods, and destroying housing and killing innocents. They always seemed like a race that was isolated and secluded. Keeping to themselves was just what they did. Now, it's like they act totally different."
"Huh...the villagers where you were locked up talked about demons too, Kuro-Yami. They thought you were also one of these demons?" Hiroshi thought in his head, so that Wisteria wouldn't hear his monologue.
"I would assume so, Hiroshi. However, historically, the demons were always a weak race. It would make no sense for them to attack humans, simply because they wouldn't win. Against a village with very little weapons or support, now in that scenario, they might win that," Kuro-Yami responded, thinking to himself from a tactical standpoint.
Hiroshi got up from the bar and began to walk outside. Wisteria got off her seat quickly and positioned herself beside him, keeping up with his pace. She fiddled with the cuffs of her old shirt.
"Hiroshi? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to look for where we can have an advantage. When was the last time the demons attacked?" Hiroshi asked, pushing the swinging doors of the tavern out with force.
His eyes immediately began darting to advantages and weaknesses that he could use. In his old world, he was alone for most of his life.
He enjoyed looking at people in the street, and guessing what their life was like, where they were going, what friendships they had. He had nothing else better to do. He also looked for weak people. They people that would be most likely to be attacked or mugged. He had saved a few people doing that.
Not that he was ever thanked for it.
He was usually called a thug, or a degenerate.
Helping people was a waste of time.
So, why was he looking to help these people?
He just couldn't get away from trying to be nice.
He sighed to himself. No. He was done helping people. Hiroshi knew that with his strategy, some of the villagers might die. That was fine. He put himself in the firing line enough. He tried to convince himself that he was doing this out of boredom.
Besides, he needed to test out the full extent of Kuro-Yami's abilities.
Hiroshi looked up at the hill, where his house was already under construction.
"The demons attacked us last week, the day after General Hiawatha came to rid us of our possessions. They must think we are at our weakest after getting mugged already," Wisteria shrugged. Hiroshi smirked. So predictable.
"Then we have a day. You are a very good fighter. I'm appointing you my second-in-command," Hiroshi stated bluntly. Use her as a tool to kill. Excellent.
"Am...I up for that?!" Wisteria asked, more than a hint of nervousness in her voice. Hiroshi put a strong hand on her shoulder.
"More than capable. Are your parents hunters too?"
"Yes," Wisteria nodded, "They go hunting with me, and they taught me all that I know."
"Perfect. Recruit them. That's an order. Tomorrow, at around midday, take position up on that hill, where my house is being built," Hiroshi explained his idea thoroughly, and he pointed to the hillside. "Wait for my signal, then rain hell down on them. You understand?"
"Yes Sir!" Wisteria yelped, saluting him in a dramatic fashion.
"I told you. Hiroshi is fine," he sighed. Sir was a term of respect and loyalty. He didn't deserve such a prestigious title. "Now go do what you're told.
"Right away!" Wisteria ran off, presumably to her own house. Hiroshi began making his way up to his house, currently under construction. He took a good look at it.
The foundation had only just been placed in, as a load of builders, almost too many to count from a distance, got to work on the walls. Hiroshi looked over at the pile of round, wooden logs, all in near perfect condition. He took position beside one of the builders.
"Hey, I have another request. One that takes priority over this one."
"Sure! What do you want us to do?" the builder smiled at Hiroshi, which baffled him. What a nice attitude.
"Use some of that wood, and go to the front of the village, where the welcome sign is. Build multiple barriers, high enough so that you can crouch behind them. Have that done by the end of the day. Got it?"
"Will do Boss!"
"It's just...never mind," Hiroshi said, a dull tone in his voice. He walked away from the building site and watched as his people got to work.
"Hiroshi?" Kuro-Yami spoke up in his inner brain.
"What's up?"
"Why are you helping them? We vowed never to help humans again," Kuro-Yami reminded his friend, disappointment lacing his voice.
"I'm not helping them, I'm using them."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if they die, I won't have any supporters or minions anymore, will I? News of the mouth is a key component to become known. One villager will tell another village of how they beat a load of demons. That village will tell another village, and so on and so forth until I'm known as the man who took down a demon army and lived without a scratch."
Kuro-Yami seemed to accept that answer. He sat on the metaphorical floor inside Hiroshi's mind, and laid back to relax. He smiled to himself. He knew that he had chosen his host wisely. Hiroshi was willing to do whatever it took to become the king of the world. He hated humanity just like he did.
They had the same goal.
Hiroshi stood beside the tattered welcome sign, and leaned on it, looking deeply into the darkness of the forest. Nature really was a fascinating thing. On one hand, it looked beautiful, and it was calming and soothing. On another hand, it was the scariest thing in the world when paired with darkness.
Hiroshi was only begging for the demons to come get them.