From the deepest part of the dark abyss, they appear, monsters who eat people. A demon called Oni attacked us, just as we were about to finish our meals. The number is one, two, three......a lot anyway. All of them howl and surrounded us.
âGuruaaaaaa!!â Oni
âHee? You seem to be bery proud of your own power, but you don't know how to handle your bodyâ Craftă
I avoided the metal rod aimed at my head and I swung down with all of my might diverting the rod to the ground. A cloud of sand and soil arise from the impact, the dust cloud gets thicker and envelops our bodies. I kick the jaw of the red Oni by jumping, performing a vertical rotation in the air before swinging down my sword. I cut him in half diagonally, from one corner of the head down to the loincloth on its waist. The Oni was beautifully cut into two with one clean strike, slowly bleeding green blood as it falls down..
(Wouldnât there be fast bleeding and entrails leaking onto the dusty ground?)
âEven though it is early spring, isnât it cold wearing only a pair of underpants?" Craft
âGuuoraruaaa!!" Oniă
Immediately after commenting on their appearance, the next Oni sneaked behind me. It had a great strategy, attacking before the cloud dissipates, but that Oni ruined it with its loud voice.
âSo in this way, you're taking measures" Craft
ă
The metal rod of that Oni collides with my Danthes, changing its facial expression for a moment into a surprised one. With its tall and thick build, I guess that it can't comprehend how I caught its attack while I'm half as tall as the Oni......which is reasonable.
âYou canât only rely on your arm strength, you need ability too" Craft
ă
Purple lightning emits from my body, shining brightly in this dark forest. Using [Physical Strengthening], I strengthened both my reflexes and athletic ability, such a meaningless trick won't surprise me. If you do it smartly and compactly......
âYou have to do be wiser than that" Craft
Thunder magic passes through Danthes and flows into the Oni's metal rod. Without resistance to thunder, the Oniâs hands numb, releasing their grip on the metal rod and at that moment, I swing Danthes sideways.
âSecond Oni down, only one leftâ Craft ă
Compared to that fat red Oni just a little earlier I thought this Oni was rather muscular and massive, but they were at the same level.
âHey, Uncle! How about you?" Craft ă
While dealing with the following yellow Oni, I check up on the uncleâs side of the battle. I fought three, while he had 5 Oni as opponents so I was worriedââ
âWhat, kid, you're not finished yet?" Old man
The old man is sitting on a stump and wiping his bloodstained sword with a cloth. Beside him were the corpses of the Onis, stacked ontop of eachother, that the old man has defeated.
âLet me see. I think it ends now" Craft
âGuooooo!!â Oniă
The last one of the Oni, who was my opponent, crumbles down after being stabbed in the chest. Damn it. While I was fighting three, he defeated so many of them.
âHii, huu, mii......I have six and you have three. I'm winningâ Old man
â......It was hard, so I can't help itâ Craft ă
Besides, I am not using a gun. I handled it with my Danthes on a daily basis, but if I used a gun I think I could have defeated more Onis quickly......yeah.
âWell good. I knew that you werenât just a kid with a big mouth" Old man
âOh. You can expect more from the real me" Craft
âReally? Then let's hurry ahead. I don't have extra time to waste" Old man
âYes yes. Let's clean up this whole place" Craftă
I shake the blood on Danthes of before putting it back to its sheath. Next time, it would be interesting if I encounter a stronger demon as my opponent......
âThat would be useless" Old man
âI see. Then, maybe you can tell me the details of the target soon?â Craftă
While advancing to the depths of the forest, I try to talk about the topic of concern as a conversation. As we don't know any of the target's features, not setting a single countermeasure will be dangerous. I guess I'm not stupid enough to concede here.
âDetails? To tell you the truth, I only know the monster from recorded literature" Old man
âWhat, you have never seen it?" Craft
âYes. According to the books conveyed to my clan, it is said that the gods were monsters when they were still living on earth. And there is a legend about a monster that was sealed by the gods in the past" Old mană
It's a mythical monster. I don't entirely believe in gods, but their existence in this world is a story from a thousand years ago.
âThat demon is sealed by the gods, right? So, is it necessary to kill it?" Craft
âI also thought so a little while ago......but several months ago, an inexplicable phenomenon occurred near the shrine where the monster was sealed. Since then, I have been regularly investigating this place" Old mană
While saying that, the old man gradually diced up the plants that grew around to move forward.
âThis is a story from a nearby village. The villagers heard loud explosions that began late at night and continued until the next morning. The next morning, when the villagers went to check the shrine, there were only traces of a battle and something that went on a rampage." Old man
âExplosive sounds all night? Hee......that is so amazing" Craft
âThe ground was deeply guttered and the trees around it were blown offâŚ..and moreover, in the center of it, was the smell of something burned. It's a strange story" Old man
Hmm? For some reason, my mind kept being drawn back to a specific word ever since a little while ago.
âMoreover, that thousand-year-seal ends today, its date was written in (on?) the book. If that monster escapes, It will soon......" Old man
âA few months ago, all night, black smoke......? No, no, no way......" Craft
âWhat's up, youngster? There's no time to stop at such a place" Old man
âHey, old man. Maybe that demon......is it a snake with many heads?" Craft
â......? What are you talking about, youngster?" Old man
Th, that's a relief. I thought that it was a story of (the?) Yamata no Orochi I fought before, but there is no such a coincidence no matter how many things happened......
âIf you knew about it why didn't you say it earlier. Anyway, the target is a giant eight-headed snake" Old man
âWaa, I knew it. Yeah, I was convinced that it was that thing" Craftă
That guy! I fought that creature with Kaitos!
âWait, wait a second! That monster has already been defeated by me!" Craft
â......What did you say? What do you mean?â Old man
âThe identity of the one that caused multiple explosions that happened a few months ago was perhaps the duo Kaitos and me. As we were traveling through Isamura, we descended into a forest to camp, where we were suddenly attacked by a giant snake!" Craftă
Kaitos said, "Houhou, it looks like a delicious serpent. Let's fight it to eat it later, it probably will taste delicious" and the hell-like battle began.
âWe fought the whole night, but......when it disappeared only one head remained. The other heads were all slashed by my sword......and eaten by me" Craft ă
Such a thing can be considered as a ridiculous yet amazing story. That's why I mentioned it, knowing that after I finish talking, I will be suspected for lying., butââ
â......I see, you have defeated itâ Old man
âEh? You believe me?â Craftă
I regrettably asked for a reply that was not anticipated.
âI know that you're not the kind of person who'll spout random lies. You're loved that much, I can tell from your wife's homemade boxed lunch. At least, from my perspective, you´re not a bad man." Old man ă
If you put it that way, I won't be able to say anything. This uncle is too handsome. He has more charisma than my father.
â......However, what makes me anxious is that, from your story, one head remained. In other words, the eight-headed giant snake is still alive" Old man
âMaybe. Anyway, I am responsible for not knowing that it was such a big shot. I'm going to finish what I started and kill that snake with these handsâ Craftă
The opponent who I defeated once. I wonât be receiving help from Kaitos this time, but instead, Iâm accompanied by this old warrior. Together, we have to absolutely kill it this time.
âWell, if it has only one head, I will be able to defeat it by a margin" Craft
âDon't be too careless, youngster. In the months that it didn't show up, it would have already healed its woundsâ Old man
âMaybe. Perhaps it's all grown up already......uoo!" Craftă
And for a brief period, I was on the right track. Suddenly in the middle of our conversation, a big earthquake occurs.
âTsu! What the hell is this!" Craft ă
The earth is shaking and it is difficult to endure.
âHey hey, I heard that there are many earthquakes in Isamura......but how about this!" Craft ă
I manage to steer so that my body will not lose its posture, but there is no indication that the tremors will end at all.
âWrong. This is not an earthquake, perhapsâââ Old mană
The violent tremor forms a crack in the ground, breaking the earth where we were standing on moments ago. The old man and I escaped to a nearby tree top, jumping quickly to avoid falling into the expanding cracks on the ground. And after finally reaching the top, I was able to observe the whole situation.
â......Indeed, this is certainly not an earthquake" Craft ă
A sight from the top of a tree. A pillar of light extends from the ground to the sky. It is kind of a blessing to bother to carefully tell me where I am.
âShould we say that the monster has resurrected over there?" Craft
âI guess. Youngster, if you want to run away you can escape..." Old man
âDon't joke. Originally its my prey, I will bring home the last head as a present for my wife!" Craftă
We jump along the branches of the trees towards the source of the gradually weakening light. There is a Yamata No Orochi at the base of it. We descend from the top of the tree and land gracefully on the ground at the border of the forest, the location of the lightsource.
âYaato! This is the arrival......there is nothing?" Craftă
No, there is a rift which seems to be the center of the crack from the previous time. But there were no noticeable things in this plain other than that.
(They jumped from tree to tree to arrive at a plain, if that is correct then I will not change it, is the lightsource located on the border of a forest and plains?)
âWhat does this mean? The light of a while ago......?" ă
The old man who caught up with me made an surprised face and tilted his head mysteriously. That's it. I guess there is nothing wrong with missing that light and it is certain that something happened.
âHey, old man. Perhaps......" Craft ă
Perhaps the Orochi has already escaped. I thought so, but as soon as I raised my face to consult with the old man......
â......an ass?â Craft
A white-skinned butt......reflected at the edge of sight. No, it's an arse or lower body. There are countless cracks in this place where we are standing, but the lower body of a human who is turned upside down from one of the cracks is jumping out. It does not have any underwear on it and is buttnaked. (Inserted a little pun)
âYoungster? What is that strange thing?" Old man
âNo, I don't know. Even if you ask me" Craft
As you can see, it is a small kid's body. I do not know why it is caught in a crack at such a place, but......I should help.
âHey? Small butt that is sticking out, are you alive?â Craft
I woke up because I heard a voice and the lower body suddenly begins to rampage. It seems to be difficult to escape by itself alone, so I suppose I should help out after all.
âHey, stay still. I'll help you right away" Craft
âNuuuuuguuuuu!! Uginyaa!â ???ă
When I caught the ramping moving right ankle, I pulled her out at once in an instant. Although it may have been somewhat painful, I helped her, so she has to endure it.
(Heâs a dick and should have seen that the lower body hasnât one imo, just delete my sassy comment xD)
âKyaaa......ouch......â ???
âAh? What the hell, a woman?â Craftă
Surprisingly, it was a young girl not older than Leona who was hanging upside down from my hand. She has long silver hair with a unique peculiarity and a long life...... her eyes are orange. The bulge of her chest is more than Venu and less than Leona. Venu, you lose to such a kid......
âHou......? That child, she doesn't seem to be from Isamura" Old man
"Yes. She has no black hair, so she is either a devil beast or someone from Kurinos" Craftă
Her ears are as sharp as Kaitos, so she definitely is someone from Kurinos. However, the question remains why she is in such a place at this timing....
âShaaa!! Let me go ! Let me go ! â Little girl
âOops, I´m sorry. I will release you now, so do not struggle" Craft
The girl which tries to bite me with her teeth is released and falls to the ground. Good grief, it's not the attitude to have for your benefactor, brat.
â......Hey, it will be cold if you are naked. I will lend you my cloak, so wear it" Craft
Well, I guess I did the same thing to (for?) Kaitos before. I feel a kind of familiarity, this little girl is similar to Kaitos.
âCloak? Then?â Little girl
âWhat is it, you don't need it?" Craft ă
Even though I take off my cloak and hand it down, the little girl does not try to wear it and just stares at it with a strange look. This reaction......I feel that she has never wore any clothes before.
âLet me help you. This is how you wear it" Craft ă
When I lost my temper I helped her wear the cloak and the little girl was stunned for a while......
âShaaa, warmâ Little girlă
She smiled cheerfully with a smile. Ah, it's cute, isn't it?
âGive me a rest. Let me take care of this kid, why are you nodding by yourself?" Craft
â......Youngster. Don't say bad things, give this child to me" Old man
âHaa? No......â Craft
Faster than I reply, the old man unleashes one of his sword which he carried.
The point is directed towards the little girl who is behind me.
âC´mon, it's a joke, uncle. No matter how much you're an exhibitionist, there's nothing to kill" Craft
âShaaaâŚâŚâ Little girl ă
As I cover up the girl, I hide the girl behind me. The young girl herself also knows that the old man directs his hostility towards her and is trembling while clinging to my body. Well, anyone who is the target of this intimidating intent will be like this.
âYoungster, if this girl is really just a kid, I will say nothing" Old man
âWell I know, she is not just a kid" Craft
âKishaaa?â Little girl ă
When the glances and eyes meet, the girl barks with a blank face. No matter how you look at her, it is certain that she is a changing animal.
âThere is a dragon that can become a human who I know well and she is a really good guy" Craft
âI am conscious of such a thing. I also have acquaintances with people from Kurinos" Old man
âWell, this kid may not be a bad fellow, right?" Craft ă
She is a cute looking child, but when I see this child, I remember Kaitos more than anything. It may be because her gestures and behavior are similar to those of Kaitos. And more than anything......Kaitos was a bad and funny girl in the past. So I canât help thinking that this child is just like her.
âMaybe......? Youngster, you still didn't notice?" Old man
âAhh? NoticeâŚâŚ?â Craft ă
I don't think that this old man is one to kill humans without a defendable reason. But there is no clue as to why he focuses his weaponâs tip at her.
â......Shaa? Kishashashaa......muu?" Little girl
âHey, stay still. I'm talking about your treatment now" Craft
âYou......I saw!â Little girl
âHaa? Have you seen me before?â Craftă
The little girl nods strongly. Ha? Did she see me when I was traveling through Isamura or Kurinos before?
âWhere......â Craft
âBeheadedâ Little girl
â......What?â Craft
âYou beheaded. One after another, you cutâ Little girl
Saying so, the little girl looks up at me with a dull face. Whaattt? Suddenly what is she going to say, as noisy as she is?
âCut your neck? Me? That means......no way you!" Craft ă
With the words of the little girl, all points gather together......and a single line can be seen. A nude young girl sandwiched between cracks in a place considered as the source of light. From an awkward conversation to the attitude that it seems there is no point to put on clothes. An old man trying to kill a little girl without asking questions. A face that is close to Kaitos. Ah, that's it. No way, the true identity of this child is thatââ
âOrochi´s head, you cut!â Little girl
âSeriously, you are Yamata no Orochi!!" Craft
â......You finally realized, you idiotâ Old man
âNoNoNoNo! I don't understand!â Craft
Kaitos is nice, this Orochi is nice, when they humanize they appear to change their nature and behaviour too! When we fought before, she was a hundred times bigger as she is now!
âMoreover, you......you have the appearance and the look of a child" Craft
âGive back Orochi´s neck! Kishaa!!â Orochi ă
Pokokotoko. A soft blow that does not compare with that fierce and terrible attack from the past. Ah, reasonably. It is not against the waist but more the upper back.....feels good.
âHuu, It is a good massage......wait! Why are you a girl?" Craft
âShaa? Little girl......? Li, Little girl......Orochi, little girl?" Orochi
âYes, if you don't know, you don't have to think about it" Craft
When I was a kid, I was taught that there is a symbol of power somewhere on the body of mythical beasts and demons from Zenan. In other words, because she lost her heads, was it the symbol of her power.....?
âKishaa!! Orochi returned to be a little girl! I became a little girl!!â Orochi
Uwaa.....Is it okay that it has become such a regrettable figure?
âThe situation seems to have been resolved, youngster. So, you know what you're supposed to do?" Old man
âWell, that would be so if I were in uncle's position" Craft
âKuubiigaaeeseeeeee!! Gabuu!" Orochiă
Even though weakened to the appearance of a child, the former is a demon with a mighty power. In consideration of the possibility of regaining power, I should probably take it down here. So, I know that it is right to give this little girl who is stuck to my back to the uncle and I also want to cooperate with him.
âBut......why?"ă
Naturally I stretch out my hand and pull out Danthes......Iâm a guy.
âYoungster, do you know what drawing a sword means?" Old man
âSorry, uncle. I think it's common sense to not hand a half-naked girl to an old man. You know, I also have to keep up my appearance" Craft
âDon't joke youngster. You know my mission, so if you disturb......" Old man
ă
The old man just steps forward, but the air is tense. A true strong man is said to overwhelm enemies without having a weapon and it seems not to be an exaggeration. I´m competing against a real swordmaster......since when do I...?
âHmm, sorry Orochi. Apparently, it's quite difficult to help you" Craft
âAgumugu......shaaa?â Orochi
âFlee as far as possible. It will be noisy here in a bit" Craftă
Orochi who grasps my leg and wearing my cloak is forcibly thrown backwards.
âKishaaaaaaaaa!!â Orochi
I don't have time to hdeal with your kindness now. Rather than that, such a marginââ
â......Dont assault with a sword so suddenly!â Craft
âHuh, I don't think that a person like you can be slashed with such a surprise attack" Old mană
Our swords fiercely collide with each other faster than one can blink. This old man attacked me when I threw Orochi away. Moreover, with a speed to leave sound behind, having a dull consciousness will lead to lose it instantly and forever......
âHaa......I hate you. Really, I fight against my lifesaver" Craft
âIf you are feeling gratitude to me, then you should quietly withdraw" Old man
âThis is another story......don't you agree?!" Craft ă
I control the collision as sparks are created and push the old man away at once. The old man's attack was terribly fast, but the weight behind it was not much. If he only brings it near me with such surprise attacks, I can throw him off far enough with my power.
âYou endured the first one?"
When the old man immediately recovers his collapsed posture, he thrusts his sword into the ground for some reason. Has he already given up? No, four swords still remain on the old man's back.
â......With you now, I will take 3 swords, as I have saidâ Old man
As I expected, the old man pulls out one of the remaining four swords. The result is the same as switching to another sword. I'm going to settle this matter at once!
âNo grudge, but I'll take you down in a shortly uncle!" Craft ă
I attach thunder magic to my body, after having casted body strengthening onto my whole body. Although it might not be necessary in case of such a gap in ability, but it is just a precaution.
âDooryaaa!!â Craft ă
Earlier than the old man who just pulled the sword to attack, my slashing is imminent. This is a much more powerful blow than his just a few moments ago!
âSweet little boy, don't look down at your enemy in the middle of a fight!" Old man
But in fact, despite the expectation, my attack ends without reaching the old man.
âHaaa?â Craft
âNo time to be surprised, youngster!" Old man ă
The old man who prevented my blow with his sword without difficulty, pushes me back every time I attacked. Even though I strengthened my body with magic!
âC'mon, does it make a difference switching your sword!â Craft
âIt's not just a sword. Each of my swords has a special magicâ Old man
âAh! When I think that your sword shines strangely, is it such a trick......!" Craft ă
A geometric pattern that I have never seen before emerges from the swinging blade. My magic gun engraved with the holy letter for magic control looks like that. Damn it! It is nice that you spoiled it quite easily, but the swords that you have are all like the best swords old uncle......when you can change them over and over again it will be quite troubling!
âThe previous sword was speed, the following sword is weight......and there are still three more left" Old man
âI see. Thanks for your kindness.......thanks!!â Craft ă
If it is a heavy sword specialized in power, I glare at the motion that movement should be dull and I dare to step back and take some distance. The intervals of each other 's swords are almost the same, but there is a long range attack here. Before the old man reached my distance, I used my new magic gun Angelos......
âIkuze, my new partner......hiiaa!â Old man
The moment when I stopped moving in order to extend my hand to my gun holster, the sound of rubbing armor was heard and the old man had already swung down his sword in front of me.
âFool! It's unwise to bring out a gun during a serious match!" Old man
âStop Stop! My trademark is cut a little, hey!" Craft
The old man´s slash that aimed at my neck is avoided by lowering my head in the nick of time, however, he seems to have cut some of my hair with his slash.
âThat kind of sissy hairstyle is outrageous! I will make you bald!" Old man ă
I just want you to withhold from doing that anyway......so why is he moving quickly again?
âAH! Old man, you´re switching swords again!" Craft
âNaturalyl. Is it a waste of treasure to have to use it according to the situation?â Old man ă
When I look closely, the fast sword he stabbed on the ground has been pulled out and the heavy sword is pierced into the ground instead. Repeating this he changes between fast and heavy slashes!
âIrritating! Then how aboutthis!â Craft
I managed to dodge the old man 's pursuit and attack by discharging the magical power that I put in Danthes. Power is not high, but at this short distance it canât be avoided.
âKuraee!â Craft ă
The lightning shock produced by Danthes emits a dazzling light and wraps me and the old man, stopping our charges. I expected that if I aim at the gap he would flinch.
âI didn't think that I would need to use my third sword" Old man
The old man was standing there with a cool face even when sparks attack the ground mercilessly. Moreover, a new sword is held in his hand again. Apparently, the power hidden in the sword seems to prevent the Thunder from attacking him.
âThis is a sword with the power of defense. Although it is awfully weak for physical attacks, it will neutralize most magic attacks. Let's just do this right now" Old man
âThat's all. I thought this would be cool" Craftă
I realized that it would be a waste of magic, so I lowered Danthes to calm down the release of magic power. Well, in this situation, the ways to win against the old man are quite limited.
âIs it common for so many swords to have a wide variety of abilities?" Craft
âNo, these are all treasured swords left by my ancestors. Looking all over the continent, there are unparalleled swordsâ Old mană
Treasured sword... Thanks to that, I am in a big pinch......
âBut I'm going to praise you, youngster. The people who I fought with more than two swords can be counted on one hand" Old man
âI am honored. But can you win against me with only those three swords? The longer we fight, the farther Orochi will get away. Is that alright?" Craftă
It is not a good idea to say things like that to an opponent when you want to earn time. However, by being daring here, with luck it still is possible to produce useless conversation time as a result.
âI'm sorry, youngster, but Orochi that's supposed to have escaped is right there" Old man
âAguaguu......muguu? Gekoo, shaaa!â Orochi
âEeee?â Craftă
What are you doing? Orochi! I´m earning time for her to run away in this desperate situation and she only tries to catch frogs with her bare hands to eat them! Damn, do you know your position!?
âKishaa! Damn it! Hold on! Hold on! Kubii!" Orochi
âOh, is there realization that I am fighting for you in your head?" Craftă
Is it still better? No really, do not discourage my motivation here, Orochi-san. Moreover, when Orochi is so close to us, next time that old man will aim......
â......Back to the story, youngster, as your said, it will take a little time to settle with three swords. If so, shall we use the most efficient means?" Old mană
When he said that, the old man finally pierces his third sword into the ground. Uwaa, did I pull out the worst pattern in my assumption?
âI'll use this fourth sword to erase Yamata-no-Orochi behind you" Old man ă
The fourth sword is slowly released from the sheath. It seems to have the power of a wide-ranging magic attack as I feared.
âThis sword following speed, weight and defense, has the power of magic. Strangely, it is a force similar to your sword, youngster" Old man
âA sword that amplifies magic. Well, when it is a sword that can match with my favorite sword, it wouldn't be so badâ Craft ă
Why do I fear the sword with wide-range magic? It's likely I don't have the magic or the means of defence...but the reason is that only humans attack without merit. Even if I can strengthen myself like when I fell from the sky to increase my defensive power, I can't make a barrier for defense. In other words, there are two options when you are attacked by magic while protecting Orochi at the same time.
âDo I want to kill Orochi and avoid the attack or do I protect her with my body......" Craft ă
It's easy to let her die while being unharmed myself. But the only risk is to protect Orochi. Even if I was able to defend, I will be killed by that old man and then he will kill Orochi immediatel.
âUh. From common sense, this is checkmate" Craft
âWhen you understand, please retreat. It is impossible for me to kill an irrelevant person like youâ Old man
ă
Although he says so with his mouth, uncle's sword mercilessly casts fire magic. The fire that dies the blade in red will eventually burn up the surrounding trees. A samurai with fire attribute magic......it reminds me of that person.
âEnvironment destruction is not good, uncle. Value nature" Craft
âI don't want you to tell me about misfortune. It's important to close your eyes on trivialities" Old mană
Saying it like this. Sh*t, what should I do?
âKishaa, fight back. Kubi, help!!â Orochi
âHey, kid. My name will be written on your headâ Old mană
Frightened by the fire, Orochi came to me and cuddled to my right foot. I would like to complain about various things, but this all happened because of me.
âHmmâŚ...I can't understand. Youngster, why are you protecting Yamata no Orochi? It can't be that you have been deceived by her naked body even though you are married" Old man
âWell, even I have no resolution for cutting down a child who is the enemy. However if it's an opponent that wants to take revenge against me and my precious family, I will deal with him without mercy" Craft
âWhy then stand in front of me? What do you have from protecting this child" Old man
âNothing. This one is more interesting......just that is enough" Craftă
She looked like one of my important wivesââa small embarrassed reason sticks in the interior of my chest. And I don't want to see my life saver killing a kid which offers no resistance.
âFuu......you're a bad guy. No, exactly not talking about everything......" Old man ă
I don't know the reason, but the old man opened his mouth against my words. Zenan said, that she heard the soldiers of the Dora Castle calling me the âVirgin Prince that doesnât lieâ behind my back......but am I really that easy to understand as a human?
âYoungster, if you and I don't come to a mutual consent......then there is no other way but to settle it. We dont need to exchange words anymore" Old man ă
In spite of that, the old man wields the burning sword with a calm face that is different from a few moments ago. He is showing a sense of fulfillment that he had already achieved something, but......the match is not over yet..
âKishaa......wind, from where?" Orochi ă
At the same time as Orochi looks up at the sky, the flames around the old man trail. This wind......ah, finally? I'm tired of waiting.
âWell, this is the end!" Old man
â......Hey, old man. Is this really the end, is just one sword okay?" Craft
âWhat, you don't know when to give up, youngsterâ Old man
âDon't say that. It's a little confirmation" Craftă
The old man is still unaware of the wind becoming stronger. From the feeling 20 seconds......this is the last stand-off I can do.
âIf you think carefully, is it not too cramped to use five swords?" Craft
âWhat do you say. A weapon is something like a body to me and they all have their abilities" Old man
âWell then, I'll use that too. The best trump car I can have" Craft
âNonsense. If so youngster, receive my strongest attack!" Old mană
There is no time to stop his attack, the old man´s sword is swung down swiftly. The vortex of flames released from the tip of the sword condenses so as to be twisted in the air, and eventually turns into a giant flame dragon. It is a technique with power that can truly be called oneâs strongest attack. I bet I would lose certainly in a normal case. That is why this man is strong.
âHowever old man, this match is mine......" Craft ă
If you listen, you will hear it faintly......the strong wind. There was no need to confirm it or doubt it. I just have to trust them and wait for them.
âNow, we winâ Craft ă
Four shadows came flying from the sky to match my words. People, who I know well and love, cover Orochi and landed in front of the flame dragon, a short reunion and they began to act respectively.
âNaahaahaahaaa! We finally found you! Sensei!â Meri ă
Meri is the first to jump down and with her trident she stops the flame dragon. She casts a wall of water that collides with the flame dragon and both evaporate instantly. The water vapor generated covers all our fields of vision. I thought that her attack was completely ineffective......because Meri would receive the remaining flame dragon.
âUwaachachaii!! Aachaiii! Acyacya!!â Meri ă
It seems that Meri hasn't received much damage because she has offset the power of the flames somewhat. It was good that there was no injury and I'm relieved.
âOoohoohoohooho! Good job Meri-san!â Venu
Following that, Venu pulls the trigger of Virgil which I gave her. The released red-brown bullet clears the water vapor and flies straight at the old man.
âNuuu!â Old man ă
Within this evil sight there is no insane mismatch, sniping the handle of the sword that the uncle holds. His sword is knocked away by the magical bullet and swirls, dances in the air......
âHaaaaaaaaaa!!â Musashi ă
Musashi who jumped out of the clear water vapor takes the sword of the old man and attacks with two katanas. It was not seen during many of her matches with me, Musashi in a serious state. While drawing the trajectory of the beautiful flame, a splendid slash is aimed at the whole body of the uncle.
âGaa, guaa!â Old man ă
No matter how strong the old man is, he must have suffered considerable damage. Well, his armor is also broken......it sounds painful.
â............Striking with the back of the swordâ Craft ă
Almost at the same time as Musashi returns the swords back to the sheaths, the old man collapsed. No, I managed to survive. I nearly was burned black.
â......So? What are you doing, while the other three tried to help me?â Craft
âNhuhuu. My job is to clean up, I am charging power now" Efrikaă
Unlike Musashi who went towards the old man, Efrika had begun to hug me after coming down from the sky. No, because her magic is water, she should have managed to help Meri defeat the flame dragon.
âNshaaa......? Somehow itâs increasing?" ă
Orochi seems to be shy towards my wives who suddenly appeared because she crouched down at the moment of that old man´s attack. Well, it really was a momentary event, so it can not be helped.
âShaaa! Who are you?" Orochi
âThat is my line......but its fine. I have to take care of my older brother" Efrika
âI'm fine. Ask Meri who has received more damage" Craft
âUeeeh, please do it quickly Efrika!" Meri
âAh, sorry. I'll heal you right awayâ Efrikaă
Efrika runs to Meri´s side after pulling out her cane from her waist. Because her healing skills are the best in this continent, it is safe to leave it to her.
âOoohoohoohoo! Craft, I believed that you were safe from the beginning!" Venu
Venu laughs gracefully, before bringing the back of her hand to her mouth. However, the face shown here was a miserable contrast to her laughter.
âKimi, surely...... Safe, because...... So, I......I......bieeehh!" Venu
âWaaWaa! Don't cry Venu! I'm sorry that I made you worry" Craftă
Whether she felt sorry for me falling down, but Venu broke down with a crumpled expression. With Efrika´s cane they would have confirmed if I´m dead or alive......absolutely.
âShaashaashaaa! Crybaby, be silentâ Orochi
âWhat! Who are you? Suddenly being rude! And why do you wear Craft´s cloak......? Ma, maybe this is cheating!" Venu
âDo not make the story-leap. I will explain it all together later, please wait a moment now" Craftă
As for Orochi who is amused because of Venu's crying, she doesn't show any anxiousness anymore.
âVenu, where is Kaitos?â Craft
âKaitos-san will be waiting in the sky. She can't come down here with all the trees and because she has the luggage, she canât change into her human figure. She is also dissatisfied playing the housekeeper" Venuă
That's true. Kaitos is someone who forgets herself when she gets angry knowing I'm in a pinch......but she trusts that the others will rescue me.
âAlright. Lets move to an open place where Kaitos can come down for the time being. Meri and Efrika extinguish the burning trees. I will carry the old man there with Musashi" Craft
âOkay! Efrika, lets play a game who can extinguish the fire first!!" Meri
âYes Yes. But I'm not good at magic other than healingâ Efrikaă
Although complaining, Efrika sprinkles a stream of water from the tip of her cane toward the burning trees. Meri also fires at the fire in the same way, there is no worry that the fire will be burning up again.
âWhat are you going to do with this kid, Craft?" Venu
âKishaa! I'm not a kid!â Orochiă
Well, it should be put on hold once for the treatment of this child. But I can't afford to stay in this place......uh, there is only one way.
âThis girl is Orochi. I´m sorry Venu, but I'll leave you to deal with her for a while" Craft
âUee? I, I shall take care of her?â Venu
âYes. I want you to take care of this girl" Craft
âWhat are you saying!! I and a child......â Venuă
Glance.
âStareeee......â ă
Venu and Orochi look at each other. Oh, what about this?
âChild, or something like that......â Venu
â......Shaa? Child?â Orochiă
Grabbing a bunch of undulating hair with both hands like a cat's forepaw, Orochi hit herself. This girl is a clever mythical beast......I believe so.
âKya, cuteee......â Venu
Venu shook her body and mutters. And thenââ
âNnhaaaa!! She is so cute! Ah, that's right! I have candy! And chocolate also! Which one, I'll give you this caramel!" Venu
âShaaa! WaaiWaai!â Orochiă
Venu takes candy from all over the dress and pass it to Orochi. I always thought she smells sweet, so she carries many sweets with her.
âHere, it was solved, The last problem......" Craftăă
The old man fainted and collapsed and Musashi who doesn't move too much stares at him. It may be a strangely familiar face, but for that reason it looks pretty stuffy.
âHey Musashi, you improved your skills while I wasn't looking. It was a perfect surprise attack" Craft
â......Craft-dono. Whats more important is that you´re safeâ Musashiă
Even when I talk, the eyes of Musashi stay locked onto the old man and never stray. This is it. It seems that my intuition is right.
âMusashi, maybe this person is your......" Craft
âHe is just an old acquaintanceââfor me now, nothing more than that" Musashi
âHuuuh? I thought you knew him because he said he is serving the Sando castle" Craft
âTherefore, I......nothing......â Musashiă
It's not about me, but Musashiâs reaction is bad. Does anyone has such a painful face at a reunion with just acquaintance.
âCraft-dono. What I'm doing from now is a monologue" Musashi
âAh, I understandâ Craftă
I put my hand on the head of Musashi and patted it softly. Now is not the scene where I speak. It's Musashi´s spotlight.
"I have always longed for my father, I believe that this is the opportunity to meet him at least, but my father taught me strictly......as I have followed without a doubt" Musashi ă
Not to mention the narrative, but for me......it isn't directed at me.
âI believe that my father's words are all true and when you declined the marriage proposal in the past, I said that I will do my best to become stronger" Musashi
â............â Old mană
There is no reply. Is he playing death to listenââ
âAs a result I got stronger. No, I misunderstood that I became stronger. Just in my own sense of value, a narrow world.....I restricted myself by longing for my father" Musashi
âMusashi......â Craft
âHowever that's not all to live for and Craft-dono told me thatâ Musashiă
He. like me......kuu, the eyes were getting hot.
âCraft-dono is indeed a indecisive, lewd and cowardly brute......Ihyiiihyiii!!" Musashi
âHey, if you say something extra, you will be punished later" Craftă
I pinch Musashi´s soft cheek just now and suppresses a useless faux pas. It may not be heard, but if asked, it's going to be a hassle.
âUuu......anyway, Craft-dono showed me a new way. As there are various forms of strength, I should live as I wish" Musashi ă
Musashi, whose cheek was released, continues talking with a slightly shy expression.
âTherefore, I´m not going to regret our marriage and I donât intend to leave from Craft-dono´s side. Even if my father opposes the marriage, I will stand up for it!" Musashi
There was no hesitation or confusion in her voice.
âI will overcome it together with Craft-dono and the others! Thats what I'm aiming for, now you´re my strength!" Musashi
The statement of Intention......or a declaration of war? Musashi who put her feelings out in the open from the depths of her heart turns around while clenching her trembling fist.
Musashi who is desperately trying to strengthen herself squeezes out a trembling voice. After all this old man......is her father.
â......You okay? You were able to meet him after a long time" Craft
âI´m fine. Whatever the reasons, those who turn their blades towards my dear Craft are enemies. Even if it is......my real father" Musashiă
Musashi, I am thankful for that straight feeling......donât you feel refreshed while holding back with each other like this?
âHey, Uncle! How long are you going to pretend to be asleep" Craftă
Musashi´s dad shows a small reaction to my call. It seems that he was awake, as he glares at me.
âYou promised me, didn't you? You´re going to say thank you to my wife for the lunch box" Craft
âCraft-dono? What on earth are you talking about......?" Musashi
âJust shut up and wait. It is a promise that a man must fulfill" Craftă
When I keep on......after a little silence, the old man finally shows a big reaction. Raising his upper body slowly from the back, he looks at Musashi.
â......Musashi, you said?â Old man
â! Yes!!â Musashi
âI got a share of the bento you made. It was to my taste, and it was the same as the dish that my wife had made when she was young. In the future......you will be a better wife than you are now" Musashi´s dad
ă
To the compliment which she didn't anticipate, Musashi is rigid with a stupid expression.
âFa, Father......â Musashiă
Over and over again......she dreamed of some time with her father. The overflowing feelings can't be endured at last and a tear flows down Musashi 's soft cheek.
âFor the future......your father has no son and as I´m old now, I must say it. You might think it's nonsense, but can you hear me out?" Musashi´s dad
Musashi nods powerfully and her voice returns to being one filled with kindness and warmth. There were only two people in this own little world of a reunion and their feelings were enough to fill the endless space.
âYour father is proud of the current you. Your heart and body have grown so well" Musashi´s dad
A carefree laugh and Musashi´s dad spills out the feelings that he had accumulated for a long time......
â......You got stronger, my daughter" Musashi´s dad ă
The growth of his beloved daughter......he finally acknowledged her strength. Musashi, who said that she never received a straight compliment from her father, has finallyââ
âUnnecessary words......higuu, but......zubi, I will accept them!" Musashi
Musashi with a wet face and a runny nose leaked a sobbing voice while running away. I would have wanted to hug her right now. They are so stubborn......is it out of shame or pride? Anyway, this might be good for those two right now. First of all......this is the first big step.
âOld man and Musashi...Isamura people are still stubborn" Craft
âWhat did you say. You who didn't hand over that big snake which is my aim is quite the stubborn one" Musashi´s dadă
When Musashi´s dad says so and stands up, he starts collecting his swords that are stuck in the ground. Even though he received an attack that could crush his armor, he still can move......what a monster!
âWell, in the middle I became aware of it somehow, uncle wasn't fighting seriously" Craft
âHou? Why do you think so?" Musashi´s dad
âIf uncle was serious, you would have cut off my head with the first sword, right?" Craftă
It is a confrontation with a close start in such a small place. It's only a miracle that I earned that much time against this old man. As a result, the reason is somehow understandable. The old man might not have intended to kill Orochi which became a girl from the beginning. On top of that, he was trying to test me with his swords, because I´m Musashi's husband.
âCome on. Even if I wasn't serious......the fact that I was defeated doesn't change" Musashi´s dad
As he finished collecting his swords, the old man begins to walk in a different direction from Musashi. Does he means that there is no use to be here anymore, did he gave up the matter with Orochi?
âIs it okay old man? Your target is staying with my wives" Craft
âIt's fine. It is not necessary to kill her, because Yamata no Orochi is now weak. If she regains her power and goes on a rampage......I wonât show any mercy then" Musashi´s dad
âWell then I'll take Orochi" Craft
âYou like her. However, no matter who you help, I have the responsibility in the end" Musashi´s dad
The old man keeps saying so and starts walking towards the exit of the forest.
âWait a minute, uncle! Isn't there something else?" Craft ă
In a panic, when I stop him, the old man turns around with a monstrous face. Don't look at me like that, because this is the real issue.
âEmm......I'm sure your daughter will be happy. So please forgive me and give me the permission for marriage" Craft ă
I am in a fearful attitude, but I bow downââto Musashi´s father. My heartbeat accelerated with the tension and I´m feeling hot as my whole body burns by shame. If he can't accept this......what am I gonna do?
âTo make her happy......â Musashi´s dad ă
The eyes of the old man overlap with me and start to loosen as if time is frozen. It is dangerous. I'm so nervous that I'm going to lose teeth because of the tension from my yaw.
âHuh, Haven't I told you before? I will sink my daughter's marriage partner into the Sanzu river" Musashi´s dad
âA, ah, was it so......? Aha, ahahaha......â Craftă
Uoeepu. His words. Not good, it is over......
âBut......I right now have no power left to kill you. Unfortunately" Musashi´s dad
âEe?â Craftă
I endured to not throw up Musashi´s bento that crawled up my throat and I raise my face.
âLet's assume that the fight is a chance. Until then, the most important thing for me......my daughter is entrusted to you" Musashi´s dad
âYou are planning to go to other countries from now on as well, right? If so, don't stay too long in such a place and go to the next place" Musashi´s dadă
Is he embarrassed, Musashi´s dad keeps speaking while embarrassingly shaking his fingertip.
âNext time we meet, get stronger, to beat me with your own strength. If so......I will voluntarily guide you through Isamura" Musashi´s dad
âYes! Next time, I'm sure I will defeat you alone, uncle" Craft
âFuu. At that time I will show you my fifth swordââuntil then, youngster" Musashi´s dad
ă
Musashi´s father turned around while raising his right arm high and left to the depths of the forest this time. Looking at his good-looking back.......even I was mesmerized.
âThank you very muchâ Craft ă
He may not be able to hear me anymore, but I just say thank you again. When I meet him next time, I will be able to respond to his expectations firmly. Wait for me.
â............alright, go quickly to chase after those girlsâ Musashi´s dad ă
We talked so long that I kept them waiting. I hurry up and start running towards the direction where my wives are.
âHey! I'm sorry for being late!â Craft
âMou, how long will you let us wait, Nii-san. Kaitos was noisy since a little while ago" Efrikaă
I had joined my wives within a few minutes and they gathered in a open place of the forest. At the center Kaitos in her giant form rests her wings and everyone seems to be waiting for me to arrive, but......there was one worrisome point.
âWhat the hell, Kaitos? Do you have such a weird face because you´re depressed?" Craft ă
It is unusual for her to have moist eyes to such an extent that it seems she cried. I instinctively wanted to point it out......but I could not do that.
âNaturally, you big idiot! I thought that I killed you, who is my most important person!" Kaitos
âUowaa! Don't scream so loud! I will be scared!"
âMou......Kaitos.Like I said many times, everyone is at fault" Efrika
âBut it was me who throw him off......â Kaitosă
Even after receiving Efrika's comfort, Kaitos seems not to be convinced.
âOh dear, I'm glad you think that far......but I don't want to see you so depressed" Craft
âCraft. Indeed, you're not......" Kaitosă
My words sounded like coming from heart and Kaitos shakes her tail with a boom. She seems to be in a good mood now, so it will be fine.
âNaahaahaahaa! Hey Craft-sensei, are we heading to Isamura´s castle now?" Meri
I looked at Kaitos´s big smile and started laughing cheerful as everyone else felt relieved. At last, we are together again.
âNope. Even if we go now, Musashi's father will be absent, so let's end this day" Craft
âIs that so? But then, the main subject......" Efrika
Efrika is uneasy about our original purpose of marriage greeting not be fulfilled. I can't believe that the old man who killed those ogres in a few minutes is Musashi´s father.
âDon't worry. If it's my father, he will definitely understand it" Musashi
âMusashi is right. If you talk about it unexpectedly, he will understand, maybeâ Craft
âI don't understand it well, but if Craft says so, there is no problem"
âThat's it. So, lets start preparing for travel for the momentâ
I've been in a dark forest for a long time, so I want to go somewhere else. After I said so, everyone climbed on Kaitos´s back at their own pace. However, Venu seems to have noticed some anomalies......
âHey, what's wrong, Orochi-chan? You have been scared for a while now" Venu
âShaa......big, scaryâ Orochiă
Orochi clings around Venu´s waist with agitated hair while being embrace by Venu. I thought she was awfully quiet, but......she pointed at Kaitos for some reason and cried.
âWhat is with that child? I can't see her face" Kaitos
Don't eat......? Oh, yeah! We used to eat Orochi´s heads before. That's why Orochi is so scared to see Kaitos.
âSpeaking of which, I haven't heard the details yet. I would also like to know how you fought with that samurai......Nii-san, could you talk to me?" Efrika
âAt another time. But it's fine to go to the next destination" Craft
âOkay. Hey Orochi-chan, be a good girl and ride with me together" Venu
âKishaaaaa!! No, No, No, No, No! Scary Scary Scary!" Orochiă
I follow everyone and jump on Kaitos with Venu who climbs up while hugging Orochi.
âKuuKuu. It smells delicious somehow.....this is the smell of a snake" Kaitos
âOh, snake! The Anaconda of Bunna is excellent!" Meri
âKaitos, Meri. I'm sorry, but will you please be quiet until I finish explaining?" Craft
The greedy Katios is interested in that meal. Now, how to explain. It seems to be longer to explain from scratch......well, we still have a lot of time.
âWe finally got together. Let's continue our honeymoon so that we don't lose time" Craft
âYes. Dont let me worry so much anymore, Nii-san" Efrika
âI will do my best. But for me, I think that this promise won't make sense" Craft
âMust. If you try to worry about Craft properly, you won't have a heart" Efrika
I'm sure you know it very well and soon Kaitos spreads her wings.
âLet's go, everyone. This time no one shall be thrown off, grasp firmly" Craftă
Remembering her previous remorse, Kaitos began flying after confirming that everyone was holding on properly. Slowly......at first the flapping speed increases and Kaitos floats in the air. Raising the altitude as it is, in the meantime we also quickly overtake the trees of the forest and jumped high into the sky. Oh, it's been a couple of hours.......but after all the sky is comfortable.
âShaa! Tall, tall!â Orochi
Orochi who experienced her first large sky seems to be afraid and forgets her fear of Kaitos.
âFufufu. Can I fly higher?" Kaitos
âSo big! But, don't eat my head......â Orochi
âHead? What are you talking about?" Kaitos
You seem to be getting along somehow. They are similar to each other.
âNaahaahaa! Next goal is Bunna!â Meri
âIs the arrival in the evening? I'm afraid we will spend the night in Bunna" Craft
It was originally planned to stay one night in Isamura, but right now we aim for our next location, Bunna. For the sake of Musashi, I think we should have done some little sightseeing.
âMusashi......we could hardly stay in Isamura this time, but we'll come back soon" Craft
I say so instead of saying that I have an appointment with Musashi's father. Therefore, Isamura´s sightseeing should be done slowly at that time.
âI really appreciate it. But, you dont have to worry about it" Musashi ă
To my proposal, Musashi stares at the far away scenery and feels happy.
âEverything I want is here. My beloved partner, my important companions, andââ"Musashi ă
Musashi put her hands on the chest from above the armor.
âThe thoughts from my father are here" Musashi
â......Yes. I´m feel the sameâ Craftă
It is necessary to fulfill the promise of a match when meeting Musashi's father next time. However, it seems to be hard to let her father unsheat his fifth sword.
âI'm training a little, so that Iâll become even stronger......" Craft
âAh, speaking of which, Craft-dono! After finishing the lunch box, where is the package?" Musashi
âLunch box? Oh, did I leave it behind?" Craftă
Hmm, until I've defeated the Onis, I should have had it......did I drop it at that place where I found Orochi? I donât remember seeing it since I fought with that old man.
âWas it something important?" Craft
âNo, it is not. It is one of the clothes that my mother gave me when I came for the bride training......but there are still other ones" Musashi
âIt still is an important thing. I'm going back to fetch it" Craftă
I try to talk to Kaitos in a hurry, but Efrika interrupts me.
âOkay, Nii-san. I collected it properly and gathered it together with the luggage" Efrika
âOo! Efrika-dono! How can I say thank you!" Musashi
âI just found it by chance, so don't mind. And that washcloth, it has a very wonderful color" Efrikaă
Certainly, that vivid hue did not seem to be a average washcloth.
âIt was woven by my mother! Since I was young I was told that it was a something special for fatherâs lunch made from my mother......thereupon, that......for Craft-dono" Musashi ă
Is it embarrassing to say it, because she is jealous? I want to recall such a cute moment......wait?
âThat wrapping was for Musashi's father, that uncle......did he notice it from the beginning? " Craft
That uncle seemed to have seen the lunch box when he helped me from the top of the tree, there is no mistake.
âFrom beginning to the end, I was tested by that old man......hahahaa" Craft
When I recalled the things we had talked about on the road, I could cry to my own stupidity.
âHe has a nice personality, that old man" Craft
âWhat are you talking about, Nii-san? Look, over there!" Efrika
Meanwhile, my wives who did not know such circumstances enjoyed the scenery of Isamura which can be seen from the sky.
âShaa!! A house in the mountains!â Orochi
âAh, it's trueâ ă
This mountain shrine is a symbol of wealth in Isamura. Everyone is unconsciously deprived of its beauty.
âHey brother, there is such a good view of the scenery......tell us what happened" Efrika
âEehehee! I wonder how Sensei who fell from the sky was saved!" Meri
âUmu. I´m also curiousâ Venu
âOu, I suppose I should speak about it soon. I want to talk to you about that child there first" Craftă
Our air travel became more lively with a new companion. In the first country alone there was such a turmoil, but our honeymoon has just begun. The remaining locations are Bunna and Baretoria. What difficulties will we have in the future?
âFirst of all, I pulled out my sword to save myself......" Craft ă
I was so excited about the future that I started to talk about what happened.ââ
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