Volume 3
Chapter 1 Part
1
Ask Oneself,
Yet the Days Go By 1
Translator : PolterGlast
Author’s note :
From this chapter, we
will be making changes to the terminology used for the defiled beasts.
I would like to
apologize in advance for any confusion this may cause to the readers.
Up until Volume 2, I
used to use the term "Youma" as the name of the "defiled
beasts", but I have changed it to "Kasei".
I apologize for the
inconvenience and thank you in advance for your understanding.
――――――――――
In the darkness of the
night, when the new moon was almost at its peak, a fierce confrontation between
the defenders and the defiled beasts that had come down from the mountain was
taking place in a corner of the plain at the foot of Mount Myokaku.
―I screwed up!
One step. The moment
Akira took a big step forward, his mind was occupied with this one simple word.
He exerted all his
strength to make a sudden braking maneuver, cloaked in lingering afterflames,
but it was difficult to stop the effects of the spirit technique that had
already been activated.
As a result, Akira was
forced to jump into the middle of the swarm of defiled beasts, a mix of deer
and dogs.
―Kyo, kyo~!!
"Ku, ~uo~!!"
The roar of a defiled
deer deafens his ears, and the miasma-cloaked curved antlers scrape past him as
they slip past his vision.
―Kyo~!
―There's no time to scream.
As if in pursuit, it
swung its forelimb down, sweeping the place where Akira's head was.
"...-bastard!!"
Akira, who had already
dodged the follow-up attack, pulled out his spirit vessel from his waist.
The white blade,
clothed in vermillion gold spirit light, sliced through the darkness like a
crescent moon, cutting off the deer's neck and torso.
―Kyo.
The miasma-clouded
fiendish eye and Akira's gaze meet, and the life of one of them fleetingly
dissipates.
Akira, who had won the
battle against the deer, held the tachi (spirit vessel) in the lower position,
not letting his triumph deter his mind.
―I am still in the midst of the swarm of defiled beasts
that surround me.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden―
"―Kyūshou."
A shockwave
accompanied by crimson lotus blasted out with Akira at its center.
From the bottom to the
top. As long as their limbs remain in contact with the ground, the defiled
beasts basically have no way of resisting the shockwave that blasted forth.
The deer and dogs
surrounding Akira were sent flying through the air by the shockwave, which had
little killing power but affected a wide area.
Without sparing a
moment to regain their posture, Akira readjusted his tachi (spirit vessel) to
the overhead stance.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, Consecutive Technique―
"Scarlet―!"
"Akira! The other
side has been breached!!"
Just as he raised his
flame-enveloped tachi above his head, he was stopped by Kansuke's cry.
―It has been breached. In other words, defiled beasts
succeeded in invading the residential area.
"Status!"
"・, ―, ・・, ...!"
"... ~~~!!"
The situation, as
reported by a series of whistles, won't even give Akira enough time to
thoroughly neutralize this place.
Akira hastily checked
his surroundings. Fortunately, the majority of the defiled beasts surrounding
Akira were barely able to stand up due to the shockwave.
"Kansuke.
I'll leave this place
to you, keep them under control!!"
"Understood! Keep
up the pressure, soldiers!"
"""Uō~o~o~o~!!"""
Perhaps inspired by
Kansuke's shouts, the drill soldiers, with their spirits boosted, formed a line
of spears and began to shout their battle cries against the defiled beast.
Akira slipped through
their gap and turned his feet toward the residential area.
As he ran at full
speed, he shouted at Kansuke.
"Give me the
spear!!"
"―Here!"
As if anticipating
Akira's request, a spare spear was thrown at Akira along with his reply.
While holding the
spear in his grasp, Akira concentrated his swirling spiritual power on his
legs.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, Chuden――
"Hayabusa-gake!!"
Akira accelerated
further with the speed of a falcon flying over the ground, leaving a trail of
flames behind him.
His speed was so fast
that it even left behind afterimages, and Akira kicked the ground even further
forward.
His vision kept
changing, and before he could catch sight of his surroundings, the wooden fence
of a house bordering the plains loomed closer.
Further beyond the
house, an explosion and flames rose up through the tiled roof.
Was it a fire
offensive talisman? The use of such talismans in a residential area is strictly
forbidden, but people who have been cornered have no time to choose their
means.
―*Rustle*, *rustle*, *rustle*, ...
A miasma-infested
noise permeated his ears. The poisonous yellow multilimbed creature's slimy,
glossy black body undulated and flailed, blasting out the flames that scorched
its hide.
"Ua~a~a~aa~a~a~!"
A soul-deafening scream alerted Akira that
someone was in danger.
There was no time to
circle around the house. Having made up his mind, he channeled all of his
spirit power into the Hayabusa-gake,
and accelerated instantaneously.
Leaping with explosive
speed, he kicked the top of the wooden fence.
Under the fleeting
crescent moon, Akira's haori fluttered as he leaped over the house.
In his spinning field
of vision, a giant centipede, about six meters tall, was seen closing in on the
soldiers.
Just in time! Akira,
caught up in the gravity, regained his composure and pointed his spear
downwards.
――――――――――
By utilizing the oak
spears, the lives of the retreating soldiers were barely holding on, but in no
time at all, the spears were rotting away under the poisonous miasma that was
spraying down on them.
"Ua,
uwa~a~a~aa~!"
They threw the
remnants of the spear, which had decayed in his palm, at the giant centipede.
Of course, it had no
effect, and only provoked the approaching giant centipede.
―Gichi~!
Perhaps somewhat
irritated, the head of the reddish-brown centipede cracked open, vertically.
The fangs, which were
connected to it while drawing threads of venom, showed a clear sign of death to
the soldiers.
Just as this insect's
fangs and mouth were about to devour a human with a voracious appetite, a
spear, transformed into an arrowhead, pierced its head, and stopped it.
―Gi~!!
"―Retreat!!"
Akira, who fell along
with the spear, sewn the head of the giant centipede to the wooden plank wall
using his spear and foot, and shouted.
He took the soldiers
out of his mind as they disappeared from sight while screaming pitifully,
In the middle of the
street, where no one was looking, Akira once again turned his attention to the
giant centipede.
Insects defiled beasts
are generally sturdy in terms of vitality. Although it is doubtful whether the
one in front of him is a Giant Centipede, it surely boasts the same vitality as
it looks.
In other words, it is
highly likely that the damage Akira just dealt is only a graze wound.
―*Crack, crack*.
Under Akira's feet, a
crack ran through the head of the centipede, and a miasma-tainted evil eye
appeared from behind it.
―Four in total.
They were the eyes of
a beast, which should not be found in insects.
―Suspicious.
The spear, which did
not contain any spiritual power, was being corroded by the rising concentration
of miasma.
After throwing away
the spear's hilt, which was melting and crumbling in his palm, Akira spat out
his conviction.
"You're not a
giant centipede, are you!?"
―Gyahahahahaha~!!
The head of the
insect, which had regained some of its freedom, laughed fearlessly as it tried
to erode Akira's soul.
Although it was a
repulsive laugh, it was certainly a laugh that reflected intelligence.
Perhaps annoyed by
Akira who pressed down on his head, the centipede flailed in resistance while
laughing.
Its multiple
stakes-like limbs, clad in miasma, scattered the wooden planks into pieces, and
its undulating tail bent like a whip as it lunged at Akira.
If he were an ordinary
defender, he would be torn to pieces and ground into minced meat.
...... The
miscalculation on the part of the giant centipede is the simple fact that his
opponent is not an ordinary defender, but Akira.
The only person who
has received the favor of the Great Divine Pillar and has been allowed to wield
enormous power at will.
The fruit of the
miracle that connects the divine age and the modern age, Kanna-no-Mikura.
He reached out his
hand to the void. Grabbing one of the two weapons that were stored in his soul.
"Be
glorious,"
―With the sword in his grasp, he intercepted the tail
that was twisting and closing in on him.
In the darkness, with
only the starlight to rely on, the invisible sword shot through the air devoid
of any luster.
The sacred artifact,
which was given to him by the Great Divine Pillar of the fire element, was
indestructible and sharp, even though it lacked a searing radiance.
The slash, combined
with the physical ability strengthened by Aragamioroshi, easily sliced off the
tail from its body.
―Gi~i~iii~!
Whether out of pain or
hatred, a deafening roar burst out from the giant centipede's mouth.
Without paying any
attention to the somewhat pitiful cry, Akira raised his sacred artifact high
into the night sky.
"―Jakuengayou!"
What he wished for was
a handful of flames that contained the divine power of retribution.
Akira's call was
answered by vermillion gold's divine power, and in an instant, a sword with a
gorgeous radiance was drawn.
Without even a
moment's pause, the brilliance of vermillion gold swung down, sweeping away the
entire head and the rest of the body of the giant centipede in a single motion.
―Gi! ......! ............!!
The slash of
purification that pierced the darkness of the night obliterated the soul of the
giant centipede regardless of whether or not it was present.
--And then, along the
trajectory of the sword, flames and shockwaves burst forth, severely shaking
the surrounding wooden walls.
".......................
Hhā~a~a~a~"
As Akira exhaled in
relief, the Jakuengayou, having completed its role, scattered and dissipated
into the void.
In the darkness that
had regained its silence, Akira realized that the battle was over as the
surrounding miasma faded rapidly.
――――――――――
As the soldiers went
around purifying the corpses of the defiled beasts, Akira hung his head down
with a somber expression in front of Asogi, who wore a troubled expression on
his face.
"............ One
casualty, huh?
Normally, I would say
this is a great result, but you know that's not what I'm about to say,
right?"
"....... Yes. I
ran straight into the swarm on my first move."
Seeing Akira biting
his lower lip so hard that it bled, Genji nodded, assuming that he understood
at least a little.
Everyone present
understood that the casualty stemmed from the fact that the giant centipede had
broken through the Seko team and headed for the residential area, and that
Akira was not at fault for not being present at the time.
Therefore, Akira's
blunder lies somewhere else.
"I have taught
you many times not to jump into the center of a swarm.
If you were surrounded
by enemies on all sides, your options would be drastically reduced, and you
would have had a hard time getting out.
Although your decision
on using Kyūshou was not a bad one, it did increase the risk that the swarm
would disperse and overrun the shield team if you did it incorrectly."
"......
Yes."
Offense and defense,
distance and proximity, and numerical advantages. The variety of spirit
techniques relying on the compatibility with spirit vessels is the strength of
the Kihouin style.
However, if the
options are drastically reduced, this very strength will disappear.
"You have a
tremendous affinity with spirit power. That's why you have this problem."
...... This is the
biggest problem that Akira is currently facing.
No matter what kind of
spirit technique Akira uses, he exhibits an excessive amount of power when he
exercises it.
This would normally be
considered an advantage, but firepower that is excessive beyond control is only
a disadvantage when it comes to team fights.
In short, they could
not keep up. Everyone, including Akira himself.
"The firepower
you unleash is an order of magnitude higher. That's why there was no problem
this time.
―But, I don't think you'll be able to get by with this
forever."
"......
Osu~."
Genji's words were
short, and the conversation ended without much ado.
With a heavy heart,
Akira slumped his shoulders and left to join in the cleanup.
――――――――――
"―Isn't that a
bit harsh?"
"...... I don't
have any other choice.
If I don't make sure
he gets it now, he'll surely regret it later."
Niikura, seeing that
Genji's conversation with Akira was over, defended Akira as he watched him
leave, but there was no hint of hesitation in Genji's reply.
―There was no doubt that the lives and deaths of those
accompanying Akira would be at stake. In the worst-case scenario, if he does
not at least teach Akira how to hold back, he will not even be able to behave
responsibly while working in the garrison.
What lies beyond such
a future is a role for a man whose only use is to be thrown into the enemy camp
singlehandedly.
That is the future no
one wants.
Neither Akira nor
anyone else.
Niikura, who fully
understood Genji's intention, could only shrug his shoulders, having no further
words of argument to offer.
"But more
importantly, what is going on here?
This is a giant
centipede, isn't it? ......"
After changing the
subject, their gazes turned to the corpse of a giant centipede that had been
cut in two.
The corpse is still
smoldering with miasma and making noises, and it is several times bigger than
the giant centipede that Niikura knows about.
Certainly, giant
centipedes tend to be larger than the original centipedes.
However, the largest
one confirmed up to now had never exceeded about two meters long.
"Oh, right ......
Is this the first time you've seen one?
Well, it's
understandable, since they rarely come down to the plains.
―This is an Armored Centipede."
Because they look
similar, people tend to confuse them, but they are not the same thing inside.
After saying so, Genji sprinkled purifying water on the corpse.
A pale purifying flame
enveloped the corpse, burning the skin and flesh.
The unbearable stench lingered
for a while. After the flames subsided, all that remained was a huge skeleton
that should not have been inside an insect.
"It's not a
defiled beast?"
"I'd classify it
as a Kasei (Metamorph).
They especially like
rocky mountains and caves, and are timid and won't attack unless you step into
their territory.
...... The more you
mess with them, the more likely they are to attack you, so back home it was
customary to ignore them."
Unlike the defiled
beasts, which purely rely on their instincts, those classified as metamorphs
have a more prominent aspect of intelligence.
The two have been well
segregated up to now, but this precedent has created the possibility that the
combat doctrine may even have to be reevaluated.
"What if they
simply developed a palate for human flesh?"
"I wish so. But
the reason these guys prefer caves is because they're full of miasma pools
there.
As far as I know,
there aren't enough miasma pools in this Nanbane Mountain Range to feed an
Armored Centipede."
The only dragon vein
that runs through the Nanbane Mountain Range is the one that extends far to the
Kabeju Province.
Since wood element
absorbs water element according to the five elemental cycles, there is not
enough room for the water element to become impure and accumulate.
―This means that this Armored Centipede possibly came
from somewhere other than the Nanbane Mountain Range.
"Are you saying
that human intervention is involved in this?"
"There is a high
possibility that someone or something is involved.
―Damn. I'll go to headquarters tomorrow. I don't want
to run into the commander-in-chief, though."
Due to the depressing
schedule, Genji couldn't help but grumble.
Banda, who has no
desire to challenge Kihoin but cannot give up on disposing of Akira, has
recently been focusing on Genji.
Whenever they meet,
Banda's sarcasm makes even Genji feel annoyed.
"My condolences.
By the way, this is
the second time Akira-kun has killed a Metamorph, right?
Shouldn't he be
certified as a Chūden by now?"
"If it's only
based on his ability, then yes.
...... Still, he is
not fully ready yet. It's too dangerous to let him take charge all by himself
as it is."
He has such good
instincts that he can master the spirit technique after seeing it a few times.
He has an abundance of spirit power that seems to never run out, and he has the
determination to go into battle.
Above all, he has
grown so fast that one can only assume that he has skipped several steps.
Genji had no objection
to recognizing him as a Chūden, but his growth, which never before had been
heard of in any gifted child, seemed to have made even Akira himself lag
behind.
The fact that he has
managed to grow up to this point without becoming conceited or arrogant is
rather extraordinary.
However, this
situation was perceived by Genji as something dangerous.
He can't go on like
this. Genji involuntarily looked up to the sky at the amount of grumbling that
arose every time he spoke up.
The crescent moon in
the dark sky was only vague, but still maintained a height of self-indulgence.
――――――――――
TIPS: About the types
of defiled beasts.
As I mentioned above,
I would like to make some changes to the term "defiled beasts" as of
this chapter.
The generic name is
Kegare.
·
Superior Kegare, called Apparition.
The past memories that
are burned into the land and the miasma pools themselves.
They are powerful and
troublesome and can revive even after being killed, but they also have the
weakness of repeating their past actions because they are bound to their
memories.
·
Medium Kegare, called Metamorph.
It is a being outside
the category of living creatures with flesh and blood. They are not bound by
land or memory, unlike apparitions.
They are generally considered
to be weaker than apparitions, but they are not to be taken lightly simply
because they do not possess the same level of miasma.
·
Inferior Kegare, called Beast.
Literally, beasts that
have gone mad due to miasma.
This is what most
opponents think of when they hear the word Defiled Beasts.
It is larger in
stature and more ferocious than the original beast.
It has no hesitation
in coming down to the human village.
The main purpose of
the garrison's activities is to exterminate these defiled beasts.
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