My Reincarnation as a Chicken

Chapter 160 Side Story - Pushover Leader

Tsuna grabbed her face. It was deathly pale, devoid of its normal green colour, with several cracks on it. Her eyes were now a golden, with her hair being white. She was clothed in her torn-up rags with a big hole in the stomach area.

“H-How are you?”

Oki asked, offering her some leaves to chew on. She signaled for him to drop the leaves; for some reason she didn’t feel any hunger anymore.

The hob-goblin dropped the leaves and stood up.

“B-But. Is what you said true?”

He asked, still unsure as to whether to take her words at face value.

“Yes. Every single bit of it.”

She confirmed it once again and the hob-goblin found tears streaking down his face. His sniffs filled the air and he wiped them away, since it would be embarrassing to be seen crying.

“And Hinotori-sama will be here soon?”

Nukeme asked, licking his poisoned laced dagger. Tsuna nodded her head then put her hands to her head.

“She told me she would come as soon as possible.”

Nukeme pouted after hearing that. Hinotori had told him that she would come later, but it would seem that she gave precedence to Tsuna’s cry. He didn’t know whether to be happy that she was coming back or to be jealous. Both seemed like a normal reaction, so he wasn’t sure which would make Hinotori give him more attention.

“Tch. Why are you reporting that to her? She doesn’t care about us.”

Oki snorted. Tsuna raised her eyebrow at that statement and tilted her head in confusion.

“What do you mean she doesn’t care about us?”

“She didn’t come when we needed her. And after finding out about those who died, all she could think about was where the Mad Witch was.”

He huffed and folded his arms in anger. He felt it was an irrational move on Hinotori’s part. However, Tsuna still failed to see what his problem was.

“I gave her a stern talking. I feel like leaving this group she controls even. Someone else should be in charge for me to remain.”

“Are you stupid?”

She asked him, surprising all those present. Tsuna would never ever say something like that, but it would seem that death had changed her in a bit. She felt a bit free, although the restraints around her soul were now very obvious to her eyes – even if others couldn’t see it.

“Wasn’t Hinotori-sama busy with an issue in the South? Or you preferred she sent us with her to face whatever it was she was facing? Did she not refuse to take us with her out of consideration for our safety? I know you felt it as well. That split second where she was close to Death. It should have struck you like it did me. You aren’t being fair here.”

“Ah-“

“And so what if in times of crisis where people died she was searching for Minerva first? Normally I would be angry as well, but if you find someone you love, do others matter to you? For instance, did you for once consider the others who died? The other goblins, me or even Kuro?”

“Bu-But-“

“But nothing, Oki. You want to lead this group? I’d like to see you take on all the goblins, timber wolves, rat men and creepers. Could you even beat a [Flaming Deer] by yourself? Let’s not even talk about the wolves. You need to apologise to her.”

Tsuna scolded him upon hearing what he said. She felt really irritated having to hear what he said. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she understood Hinotori a bit and wouldn’t let anyone disrespect her without good reason. To her, Oki’s actions were unforgivable.

Yuuna couldn’t help but laugh, breaking the tense atmosphere.

“I never thought the day would come where our dearest Od- erhm, Tsuna would fight for someone other than Go-erhm, Shitsuke.”

“Shut it, old hag.”

Tsuna barked.

“Kekeke. The wench is right. You’ve really changed. Now I want to die too.”

“I wouldn’t say die, Nukeme. You might not come back after that.”

Taiku commented in a light-hearted tone.

“Always being the logical one, eh? I think Nukeme is right.”

Yuuna pointed out that she agreed with him. Nukeme grinned and prepared his dagger to stab the old one. Clearly not amused, she blasted him away with a bit of fire magic.

“Not literally death, you fool. I mean, we should let go of our pasts. Hinotori-sama gave us new names and as such, we should do away with our previous selves, before getting our names. We will be reborn as Hinotori-sama’s true captains.”

She explained what she meant. Taiku and Tsuna nodded their heads, being in complete agreement with her. Oki on the other hand only just growled at all of them.

“Are you stupid? Just like that?! You all have been brainwashed.”

He argued. However, they all just stared at him with blatant confusion.

“Is that hard for you to accept that there was someone nearly as admirable as Shitsuke?”

“Eh? Are you saying that Hinotori is as admirable as Gorm?”

He questioned, grabbing Nukeme by the neck. The shred goblin cackled after being lifted up into the air. He grabbed his dagger and was about to stab it into Oki’s arm.

“Stop. Both of you.”

Taiku ordered and both of them froze in their steps. His eyes glowed a faint blue after delivering the command which they followed. Everyone, shocked by the development only stared at him.

“W-What?”

“It’s a skill I received. [Hypnosis]. I can make anyone do what I want given the right the conditions have been set.”

“When?”

“It’s a skill I got since we received Hinotori-sama’s blessings. The screen that floats up and shows us our information and how to grow stronger. I followed its orders and got some gifts for doing so. And I’m not the only one. Some of the goblins who evolved into Hob-goblins have also reported suddenly receiving skills post evolution.”

He sighed, then snapped his fingers.

Oki then dropped Nukeme on the ground.

“I’m not one to talk a lot, but I don’t like how you two are fighting like idiots, so I will try to keep the peace here. Hinotori-sama is not as admirable as Shitsuke. That is a fact that can’t be denied. But I believe she has the potential to become just as admirable or even more so, but we need to help her to do that.”

“Ah… you-“

“My name is Taiku. Just as Shitsuke is Shitsuke and you are Oki. Hinotori-sama gave us these names, not Shitsuke. Remember to whom you swore your loyalty on that day.”

Taiku was releasing an oppressive aura on Oki, who was normally the overbearing one in such situations. Had Taiku really grown to this level in such a short amount of time? And what about he, who was blessed by the [Demi-god of Fighting]. How was he losing to a random nobody?

? “Next time Hinotori-sama, comes, you shall apologise. Is that clear?”

Taiku delivered his order and Oki couldn’t help but to submit. Deep down, he knew what all of them were saying was right, but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to accept that.

‘U-Um… is now a bad time?’

A voice entered all their heads. They all lifted their heads upon recognizing the voice.

“No. Now is a fine time.”

Tsuna responded, looking towards the west. There, standing soaking wet with her body looking like a deflated ball, was Hinotori. She fell on the floor, breathing heavily; exhausted from her endeavor underwater.

Oki’s face instinctively fell down to the floor. His hands trembled angrily with rage.

“Hinotori-sama! I have missed you!”

Nukeme jumped at her, but was met with a fire ball from Yuuna. She sighed then approached her mistress.

“Hinotori-sama, it has been a while.”

‘Um, yes. It has. Sorry about my current form. I was dealing with something.’

“You still look splendid.”

‘You said you wanted to talk about an issue?’

She directed her question towards the one who called her.

“Oh, yes.”

Taiku kicked Oki in the legs for him to get on with it. The hunk scoffed then got up.

“Sorry, Tsuna. But may I speak first?”

He cut her off, but she didn’t mind.

“Hinotori… um, I need to apologise to you.”

He said concededly.

‘Um… I think I rather need to apologise for what happened.’

Hinotori said something Oki didn’t expect to hear.

‘You’re right. I didn’t pay any attention to the others who were dead and I wasn’t able to help you out in your situation when you guys were in trouble.’

She apologized sincerely, then looked back at Tsuna, as if the entire issue had been resolved. However, Oki did not feel alright with this. He was obviously in the wrong here. Hinotori was supposed to be expecting an apology from Oki instead.

Oki couldn’t help but just stare at Hinotori, confused by her nonchalance with the issue.

‘Gorm would never let this matter go. She’s a pushover.’

Oki found himself thinking.

He could never see someone like her as admirable as Gorm. Oki would keep quiet for now. He needed to use the gifts she had blessed him with to grow stronger. Once he grew strong enough, he would dethrone her.

<A/N: Please leave a comment or review to help in getting more readers! Also join the discord here: https://discord.gg/Ew44jhbVym or message me on discord here: Rados47#5271 to get invited>