Mob Kousei No Ore Demo
Boukensha Ni Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #122
Episode 122: The Longest Day of My Life (6)
"You've definitely changed a lot..."
That
was the first thing Renge said when she saw me after we rejoined.
Aging
equivalent to about a hundred years at a normal human's pace.
Even
for me, whose aging seemed to have slowed down considerably due to the Perfect
Link's side effects, the change was apparently obvious at a glance.
"You know, you might look a little like
Papa-san now,"
Renge
said, peering intently at my face.
Through
her eyes, I looked like a man in his late twenties to just under thirty.
My
height had also increased by a few centimeters, and my body had become thicker.
As a result, my uniform, which used to fit perfectly, was now quite tight, and
the sleeves and hem were too short.
My
features did indeed resemble my father's from photos I'd seen of him in his
late twenties.
The difference was probably in
the eyes. Compared to my father's gentle gaze, my eyes now, as an adult, were
quite stern...
"So, where’s the Tamatebako?"
"Ah, here."
Saying
that, Renge handed me a small, black lacquered box
with a decorative cord and its lid... It was exactly like the Tamatebako
I'd seen in picture books as a child.
The
inside was, of course, empty, but the interior emitted a mysterious, pearl-like
glow, with a faint wisp of smoke swirling within.
"Alright, I'll close it."
After
confirming everyone's nods, I closed the Tamatebako.
The
moment I did, the surrounding scenery warped, and before I knew it, we were at
the bottom of the deep sea. We were inside Ryugu-jo
(Dragon Palace) – beautiful and mysterious, yet somehow cold and
desolate.
From
the corridors in the shinden-zukuri style1,
which mysteriously allowed no water to enter, we could see coral trees and a karesansui2 (dry landscape garden) made of pearls
laid out like pebbles.
As
I was momentarily breathless at the fantastical sight, I suddenly made eye
contact with a mermaid swimming in from outside.
The
mermaid, dressed in a maid-like kimono, smiled sweetly, then in an instant, her
beautiful features twisted into those of a grotesque fish-person and she
lunged.
Before
her sharp, jagged teeth could reach me, Eliza, who had been on guard, stepped
in front and delivered a powerful uppercut to the fish-person.
The
fish-person's snapped teeth flew through the space, and before they could even
hit the ground, the spears of the Celtic Trinity Deities pierced its body like
a trident.
Impaled
through the face, heart, and solar plexus – three vital points – the
fish-person still thrashed stubbornly, but eventually its strength gave out,
and it vanished like smoke.
After
confirming this, I turned to Eliza and asked,
"...How did it feel?"
"Likely even. My estimation is B-rank
class."
"I see..."
B-rank
for a subordinate. With that, Urashima Taro's combat power was confirmed to be
A-rank.
I
had been hoping for a slight chance it might be below B-rank, but... guess it's
not that easy.
"...Let's go. Next is Otohime."
From
this Phase 2 – Ryugu-jo – the aging phenomenon stops, but in its place, the
inhabitants of Ryugu-jo will begin to attack.
These
monsters, of course, spawn infinitely, and no matter how many we defeat, it's
meaningless until we defeat Otohime, the boss of Phase 2.
However,
this time it's easier than searching for the Tamatebako earlier.
That’s
because Otohime's location is fixed in the banquet hall, and the route there
can be discerned with Clairvoyance magic.
We
simply need to fend off the attacking residents of Ryugu-jo, reach Otohime, and
kill her.
Simple
and wonderfully straightforward.
While
running towards the banquet hall, I ordered each of my cards to summon their
subordinates.
This,
of course, included Dress's Dullahan3, as
well as Nike4 and the Silkies.
Nike's
chariot squadron and the Silkies' Brownies aren't particularly useful in terms
of combat strength, but these subordinates serve as material for Renge's and
the Celtic Trinity Deities' skills.
There’s
no harm in summoning them now.
Mea,
however, was resting. Being specialized against males, she wasn't a good match
for the female Otohime, and while it was uncertain if her abilities would even
be effective, I was saving her in preparation for the battle against the Pied
Piper of Hamelin.
Just
to be safe, I returned her to card form and summoned one more Silky in her
place.
The
one I chose was a petite Silky depicted in a pose with a serious expression and
giving a salute, who possessed the [Clumsy] skill.
In
Phase 1, I was too afraid to summon a [Clumsy] skill holder due to the risk of
her accidentally breaking the Tamatebako, but for a simple subordinate
summoning, with Audrey present, it should be fine.
Regarding
Audrey and the Silkies, I intended to return them to card form once Renge used
Kishimojin’s skill.
It
would be too cruel to involve the girls who are C and D rank in a battle
against an A-rank equivalent Irregular Encounter.
However,
regarding Myra, I planned for her to remain summoned so she could transport us
within her remaining transformation time after we defeated Urashima Taro.
"Did you call for me, Master?! Uh uh, wah!
Summoning while running?!"
"Sorry for that."
"No, please don't worry about it! So, what
can I do for you?!"
"For now, please summon some Brownies. As
for the current situation, you can ask Audrey over here."
"Whoa! A Maid Master! And there's one over
there too?! What an unbelievable workplace I've gotten myself into..."
Leaving
the flustered, clumsy Silky with Audrey, I called Suzuka over,
『Suzuka!』
『What
is it? ...Could it be?』
Suzuka's
eyes sparkled with expectation, as if she had realized something. I nodded and
took out the Seoritsu-hime card to show her.
『Yeah,
sorry for the rush, but I'm going to rank you up here.』
Ranking
up with a B-rank card who has [Zero existence] skill without having all the
necessary [Spirititual recurrence] key items carries a risk, which is why I've
deliberately avoided ranking her up until now... but leaving Suzuka with her
current combat power in this situation is undeniably more dangerous.
With
Suzuka only possessing combat power equivalent to a C-rank, she could be Lost
at any moment.
If
she becomes Seoritsu-hime, the cost upon her being Lost jumps up, but as long
as there is no Hashihime5 card on hand to
revive her, the risk of her being Lost is the same.
In
that case, I should prioritized increasing her combat power even a little to
reduce the possibility of her being Lost.
『Alright!
Now I'm B-rank too!』
While
Suzuka jumped up and down with childlike joy, I overlaid the Seoritsu-hime card
onto her card.
The
two cards emitted light and merged into one.
At the same time, Suzuka's
summoned body also radiated light... and when the light disappeared, there she
was, transformed into a goddess.
[Race] Seoritsu-hime (Suzuka)
[Combat Power] 1000 (Initial Combat Power 750 +
450 for Growth - 200 for Zero Existence skill)
[Inborn Skills]
• Haraedo no Okami6 (Purification by Flowing
Water): Allows the use of the divine power of Seoritsu-hime, the water deity
who governs the flow of water and is a purification deity who washes away
defilement.
• Jouka no Mizugori (Purification Water
Ablution): Summons cleansing water, thoroughly washing away all defilement in
the area. It cures status ailments for all allies and enemies and creates a
space that negates status ailments for a certain period.
• Principle of Water that Embraces Both Purity
and Impurity: Contains the power of Hashihime, with whom she is often equated,
and allows her to summon Hashihime as a subordinate. Infinite summoning type.
Inherits all of Hashihime's inborn skills... This is the original skill, but
due to the effects of the [Zero existence] skill, the subordinate summoning
ability is lost.
• Intermediate level wizard
[Acquired Skills]
• Blindfolded Demon
• Martial Arts
• Judgment
• Good wife and wise mother: Possesses all the
ideal skills of a wife and mother... but only as long as that love is not
betrayed. Includes Cooking, Cleaning, Childcare, and Sexual skills.
• Tracking: Able to track the presence of the
marked target.
• Deceit Detection: See through the deceit of
the target.
• Friendship linkage
• Presence Concealment
• Zero existence (NEW!)
• Swordsmanship (NEW!)
• Appraisal (NEW!): Able to discern the
approximate value, rarity, and authenticity of objects. What can be identified
with this skill is limited to value for humans, so no matter how rare and
useful an object may be, if humans do not see its value, its true value will
not be known.
The
oni horns she had as Hashihime were gone, and her attire had changed to an
elegant style based on light blue.
Perhaps
because she is a water deity who purifies defilement, the aura she emitted had
a quality that somehow made you feel your heart was being cleansed just by
looking at her, like the pureness of cold spring water.
On
the other hand, the somewhat languid impression that Suzuka personally
possessed remained, and it blended exquisitely with the refined aura of
Seoritsu-hime, creating an unbalanced charm.
It
was as if she were an outwardly pure yet dangerously alluring femme fatale.
Regarding
her skills, while the subordinate summoning ability of Seoritsu-hime's key
skill, [Principle of Water that Embraces Both Purity and Impurity], is lost due
to the [Zero existence] skill, she still possesses all of Hashihime's inborn
skills, making this a pure power-up.
Among
the newly acquired skills, the one particularly worth noting is the acquired
skill [Appraisal], which allows one to discern the authenticity and approximate
value of objects.
Although
it doesn't identify the effects or names of magic items, this skill, capable of
gauging the genuineness and current market value of things, might become an
essential skill alongside [Deceit Detection] in the post-Angolmois world where
previous values no longer apply.
『Ahahahahaha~』
Immediately
casting a Level Up spell on her, Suzuka, like a fish in water, grasped the
Daitōren and Shōtōren in both hands and slashed at the attacking fish-people.
The
two swords of Sanmyō no Tsurugi compensated for the combat power reduction from
the [Zero existence] skill, and with the intermediate-level divine power she
now possessed, Suzuka's combat power seemed to be more than sufficient against
the B-rank equivalent fish-people.
『Honestly,
acting exactly like a child...』
Athena,
who was running next to me, muttered in irritation as she watched Suzuka's
behavior.
Then,
her expression becoming serious, she looked directly at me and said,
『Utamaro,
please listen, even while we're running.』
『What
is it?』
『During
the Tamatebako search just now, I felt several of my fetters come undone.』
『What?!』
I
took out Athena's card to examine it.
[Combat
Power] 950
[Inborn
Skills]
・Guardian
Goddess of Cities and Heroes
・Aegis
Protection
・Blessing
for Heroes
・Come,
Goddess of Victory
・Advanced-level
wizard
[Acquired
Skills]
・Vow
of Chastity
・Pride
of Deity
・Juvenile
→ Skill Release (CHANGE!)
・Cowardice
『The
[Juvenile] skill is......!?』
The
[Juvenile] skill, a negative skill so bad that no one had been able to alter it
before, had changed into a skill called [Skill Release].
『While
half of my power remains sealed, it seems that at least the use of my skills is
no longer a problem.』
In
other words, while her stats remain halved, she can now use Aegis and magic...
With
the [Cowardice] skill still present, it would likely still be difficult to have
her participate in attacks, but the fact that she can now create a pseudo-safe
zone is significant.
The
fact that she can now support us with auxiliary and healing magic outside of
combat is also a nice development.
But, why all of a sudden...?
I
had thought that the key to unlocking Athena's [Juvenile] skill was in the
temple...
『Could
it be, Urashima Taro's aging effect...?』
Athena
nodded at my muttering.
『The
passage of time may be one of the conditions for removing the fetters of the
[Juvenile] skill. The forcibly aging space from just now likely served that
role in a pseudo manner.』
『I
see...』
So, to remove the [Juvenile] skill, it required
the amount of time for that monster race to mature?
『The necessary time likely varies
by race, but in my case, it might have been around a hundred years... And perhaps I would have needed to keep being summoned
without ever returning to card form during that time?』
『A
hundred years...』
Well,
no wonder a way to remove it hadn't been discovered until now.
Even
for other races... say, races that mature in about ten years—if you had to keep them summoned the entire
time, it would mean you couldn't leave the dungeon even once until the
[Juvenile] skill was released.
There's
no way anyone could achieve that without knowing the release conditions from
the start.
Unless
they encounter an enemy like Urashima Taro who forcibly ages them, they can't
remove the [Juvenile] skill in a short amount of time, and researchers don't
fight Irregular Encounters...
That's an impossible game.
『But
even though your [Juvenile] skill has been removed, your appearance hasn't
changed, huh?』
I
said, looking over Athena's entire body, and she snorted derisively.
『Hmph,
your observational skills are lacking. Look closely, my height has increased
properly, hasn't it? By a whole centimeter!』
After a hundred years, only one centimeter...?
It
seems this Athena girl was the type whose growth wasn't particularly good, even
without the [Juvenile] skill.
In any case, the release of Athena's Aegis was
good news.
I
had been worried about how to ensure Ai and the others’ safety while fighting
the Pied Piper of Hamelin after reuniting with them, but now I no longer have
to worry about that.
I
heard that even an Irregular Encounter won't be able to break Athena's
pseudo-safe zone.
Even
though we started in the worst possible situation, I feel like our luck was
slowly turning around.
I'd
like to take advantage of this momentum and quickly defeat Urashima Taro too.
...And
then, after about ten minutes of kicking aside the increasingly dense attacks
of the fish-people as we approached the banquet hall, we finally reached
Otohime.
In
the banquet hall, which was about the size of the
Tokyo Dome baseball stadium7, all sorts of marine life – including sea
bream, flounder, sharks, and whales, as well as mermaids – were swimming
gracefully through the space, performing dances with apparent delight.
And
at the center of it all, the celestial maiden being attended to by numerous
palace maid was none other than Otohime, the mistress of this Ryugu-jo.
Clapping
her hands while watching the fish dance, Otohime was as beautiful as a goddess
of beauty.
Otohime,
who had been watching over the residents of Ryugu-jo with a loving expression,
was whispered to by a nearby palace maid and turned her gaze towards us.
"Oh my, this is peculiar. I don't believe
we invited any guests today... However, since you've come all this way, why not
enjoy the banquet before you leave?"
Despite
the distance, her voice sounded strangely close, as if whispering directly into
our ears.
The
beautiful mistress of Ryugu-jo spoke to us with what seemed like pure goodwill,
devoid of any malice.
"We will welcome you with delicious feasts
and the beautiful dances of the mermaids. Oh, and please don't worry about
time. This is a paradise at the bottom of the sea. As long as you are here, you will not age, and you can spend
an eternity in enjoyment."
Then Otohime gazed intently at
my face, and smiled faintly, as if out of concern,
"Your aged body, too, will surely return
to normal if you rest thoroughly here."
"............Haa~"
I couldn't help but sigh.
Truly...
what a hideous and malicious trap.
Otohime hadn't lied about a
single thing.
While
receiving her hospitality, we would be safe. No enemies would attack, and she would provide
the best possible entertainment with various dishes, performances, and if
desired, even her own body or those of the mermaids.
We wouldn't age during
our stay, and moreover, our bodies, which had aged in Phase 1, would gradually
revert to their youth. There
was no risk of becoming an infant from too much rejuvenation. The rejuvenation would stop at the physical age
one desired. It was
truly a perfect service...
But, that was precisely the
trap in Phase 2.
In Phase 2, for every minute
we received Otohime's hospitality, we would rejuvenate by one year.
However, the moment one took
any hostile action against Otohime or her group, all those effects would be
reversed.
If you
rejuvenated by five years, you would age by ten; if by ten years, then
twenty... Double the aging you reversed
during the hospitality would return as a backlash.
This was Otohime's method:
psychologically immobilizing guests and gradually transforming their very
existence into residents of Ryugu-jo.
...The particularly insidious
nature of this was that if another adventurer came and defeated Otohime and her
group before one fully became a resident of Ryugu-jo, they could return to
their original form, remaining rejuvenated.
Furthermore, while receiving
Otohime's hospitality, the flow of time within Ryugu-jo differed from the
outside world; one hour here equated to one day outside.
It was said there was
approximately a one-day grace period before one completely became a resident of
Ryugu-jo. This meant that if someone came to help within 24 days (outside
time), there was a possibility of being released from here in their rejuvenated
state.
Twenty-four days. That was
more than enough time to harbor faint hope.
Therefore, it was said that a
certain number of those who had aged too much in Phase 1 would succumb to
Otohime's invitation.
Even if I defeat Otohime here, my body,
aged in Phase 1, won't return to normal. In that case, waiting for someone to help
here seems to be the better option...
Inevitably, they would think
that way.
And eventually, both body and
mind would become residents of Ryugu-jo.
Even these sea bream and flounders dancing
merrily are probably...
However, I had no intention,
nor could I, accept such an invitation.
Even now, while I stood here,
Ai and the children were surely being toyed with by the Pied Piper of Hamelin,
waiting for my help.
Therefore...
『Renge,
transform into Kishimojin.』
『...Are
you sure? Using it here?』
『Yeah. Subordinate and the like
won't work against the Pied Piper of Hamelin anyway.』
The fairy tale, ‘The Pied
Piper of Hamelin’, is a story of child abduction.
Because of this, the Pied
Piper of Hamelin possesses a powerful anti-subordinate summoning ability—the
authority to seize subordinates.
Before this ability, which
completely takes away control of summoned subordinates, using subordinate
summoning is the worst possible move.
And yet, the Pied Piper
himself can endlessly summon rat-type monsters that are a rank below him, which
makes his annoyance quite clear.
Against the irregular
encounter that is the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Kishimojin has a disastrous
compatibility.
In that case, using her here
and now is the best course of action.
"Foolish... what good is the fleeting
world? If you remain here, eternal life and peace await."
Otohime, sensing our
hostility, spoke with a look of incomprehension.
Ignoring Otohime, Renge, who
had transformed into Kishimojin, activated [Mirror Image Divinity: Ferocious
Spirit of Kishimojin]. She devoured all the subordinates that had been summoned
so far, as well as the residents of Ryugu-jo filling the banquet hall.
Among them, there must have
been former humans, but Kishimojin's child-slaying authority, which devours
subordinate forms without question, purged everything without distinction.
In their place appeared an
innumerable army of Rakshasas8.
"Why do you rush through life? What is the
allure of the outside world? Not only do our brethren rampage there, but
conflicts between humans also await you!"
Suddenly surrounded on all
sides, Otohime, however, ignored the Rakshasas encircling her and spoke only to
me.
In her eyes, there was not a
shred of hostility, only a profound pity.
"In the first place, haven't you begun to
deviate from being human? What will you gain by mingling in human affairs, when
you are already separated from humanity?"
『Activate
[Feast of Destruction, Slaughter, and Victory]!』
With
the special skill of the Celtic Trinity Deity, all Rakshasas had their combat
power and stats doubled.
Rakshasas with over 6000
combat power, and stats quadrupled through combination with their
[Insanity-clad] skill, assailed Otohime.
"...You will be cast out. Humans will
never accept anomalies. In the human world, there is no place for you."
Her entire body being carved
up, her beautiful limbs and face stained with blood, Otohime remained utterly
without resistance.
Displaying an expression of
agony, she continued to speak to me with nothing but pure goodwill.
"Remain here. I have taken a liking to
you. If you dislike your form changing, I shall specially allow you to remain
in your current state. Shall we not spend eternity together?"
At her pitiable form, which
compelled me to feel sympathy and guilt, I sighed deeply once more.
Truly, what a terrible trap...
Otohime in the fairy tale
‘Urashima Taro’ is a monster of goodwill.
At the end of the tale,
Urashima Taro loses everything—his family, his friends, and finally even his
youth—but there is no malice in Otohime's actions.
She merely wanted to thank
Urashima Taro for saving the turtle. She simply offered him the greatest
hospitality she could. Even the final Tamatebako was harmless as long as it
remained unopened.
There was only goodwill.
It's just that, there was a
difference in perception between humans and non-humans...
It's just that, she wanted
Urashima Taro to return to her...
It's just that, she wanted him
to stay with her forever.
"Why do you refuse? Why do you choose a
cold, cruel world? You, and Urashima Taro... Why do you not choose me...?"
Otohime, her entire body cut
down while she remained unresisting to the very end, knelt with a thud.
The Rakshasas moved to
mercilessly sever her head――――at that very instant.
"Then, I no longer need it."
"......!"
Otohime's entire demeanor
shifted dramatically.
It's coming...!
The monster of goodwill was
about to invert its love into hatred.
Otohime's body explosively
expanded, blasting away the Rakshasas surrounding her, and in the blink of an
eye, she transformed into a colossal form that occupied about a third of the
banquet hall.
At the same time, the
surrounding scenery also changed.
As if proclaiming that illusions
were no longer necessary, the walls, floor, and ceiling peeled away, revealing fleshy
walls that resembled internal organs.
The lavish feast rapidly
decayed, and an intense stench, like a mixture of ammonia and rotten seawater, permeated
the area.
By the time Otohime finished
her transformation, what stood there was a hideous turtle monster, its
appearance a stark contrast to her previous beauty.
Her slender limbs had transformed
into clusters of countless tentacles. Her elegant robes had become a jet-black
carapace densely covered in barnacles. Only the long neck extending from the
shell retained the face of the beautiful Otohime, which in turn made the form
all the more blasphemous.
Otohime, now in her combat
form, leaned her head back and took a deep breath.
Black miasma leaked from the
corners of her mouth――――a breath attack is coming!
But instead of targeting us
who were bracing ourselves, Otohime unleashed her breath upon the Rakshasas
swarming her.
She must intend to deal with
the annoying swarm of insects first.
The Rakshasas engulfed in the
miasma breath screamed in their death throes as their bodies dissolved into a
gooey mess.
These Rakshasas are strengthened multiple times
over, yet they are obliterated with a single blast...! What terrifying power!
In the face of this
spine-chilling sight, however, I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Good... she properly directed her aggro that
way.
It was worthwhile to
intentionally not have the cards attack, only having the subordinates attack.
Otohime's combat power was A
rank, equivalent to Urashima Taro.
Moreover, the Guild's records
stated that her initial attack would have its power boosted by the amount of
damage she sustained in her humanoid form.
I didn't know the exact extent
of Otohime's combat power, but judging by the state of those Rakshasas, even Eliza,
when equipped with Dress, wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
However,
that very high destructive power will be her downfall this time.
『GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH――――！？』
As the Rakshasas, struck by
the breath, began to disintegrate, countless lacerations appeared all over
Otohime's body.
The Rakshasas' skill [Mutual
Destruction], was a self-destructing ability that returned damage equal to what
led to their loss back to the attacker.
Furthermore, since this operation
was made in cooperation with the Celtic Trinity Deity, the Rakshasas had been
granted the [Knowledge of Survival] rather than [Breakthrough of Limits].
The [Knowledge of Survival]
cannot be stacked, so it was meaningless for the Rakshasa
who already possessed it9, but by bestowing it upon Rakshasi10, this allowed them to hold their ground
at the brink of death a total of two times.
...Meaning, they could return damage
equivalent to three breath attacks.
Such a powerful blow, capable
of instantly obliterating a Rakshasa with over 6000 combat power, was now being
countered back for every single Rakshasa and Rakshasi present.
Even Otohime, with her immense
vitality, could not escape instant death.
Of course, all of this was
part of the plan.
Knowing that Otohime's initial
attack would target the one who dealt the most damage in her human form, I had
intentionally sent only the Rakshasas to provoke her.
『Ridi- culous...』
Otohime, having spectacularly
self-destructed, collapsed to the ground.
Then, Ryugu-jo warped――――and before
we knew it, we already stood on the original seashore.
The difference was that the
rows of houses were no longer ruins but looked relatively new, and there was no
smoky mist hanging in the surroundings.
"This is..."
『Master!』
"...!"
At Yuki's warning, I
reflexively followed her gaze, and I found a young man standing there.
A well-built, imposing man
with tanned skin, clad in old-fashioned clothing.
The young man glared sharply
at us and spoke,
"To gang up and bully a turtle, what
despicable wretches you are. I'll teach you a lesson."
Bully...?
I looked back at where Otohime
had been at those words. There was no giant turtle, but a single small sea
turtle, bleeding from various places.
Seeing that, I understood.
I see... so we're playing the role of the mischievous
brats bullying the turtle, huh?
Normally, it would be in the
script for us to be defeated here, but... we can't afford to be so conveniently
defeated like in the story.
『Charge!』
I drove the remaining third of
the Rakshasas towards Urashima Taro.
Unlike Otohime, who was
described in relatively great detail, there was almost nothing written about
Urashima Taro's combat style.
At most, it mentioned he
didn't possess magic-based skills and was primarily focused on close combat.
Therefore, first, I would send
the subordinates to clash with him and probe his abilities.
Against the Rakshasas
assailing him from all directions, Urashima Taro confronted them with bare
hands.
He deflected a downward slash
from above by rotating his fist, delivering a counter blow to the chin. He
ducked and dodged a horizontal sweep from behind as if he had eyes in the back
of his head, sweeping a leg with a water surface
kick11. Against the Rakshasas to his left and right who leaped to evade,
he shifted his weight fluidly, striking them simultaneously with both feet in a
capoeira12-like handstand.
Oioi... Rakshasas with over 6000 combat power,
furthermore buffed with +300% to their stats from [Insanity-clad] and
Morrigan's skills, yet they can't even land a single scratch even with several
of them attacking...!?
From what I could see,
Urashima Taro's and the Rakshasas' stats weren't that far apart. No, perhaps
the Rakshasas' stats themselves were even slightly superior.
Of course. No matter that he’s
A-rank, there's no way his stats could be higher than those Rakshasas whose
stats have been quadrupled.
Yet they can't inflict a single wound. It’s because
of a pure difference in skill! This guy, is a melee specialist!
But...
"Guh...!?"
Urashima Taro, who had been
steadily landing counters little by little, finally slew one of the Rakshasas,
and at that very moment, countless streams of blood erupted from his robust
body.
Urashima Taro groaned, an
expression of agony on his face.
Although the wound wasn't
fatal, it was quite deep.
The defeat of a Rakshasa meant
the loss of its paired Rakshasi as well.
Urashima Taro, who had
received damage equivalent to two creatures at once, visibly slowed down and
gradually began taking hits.
『Hmm... no recovery skills or
automatic regeneration-type skills, huh?』
We still can't let our guard down, but if this
keeps up, we should be able to win... right?
No matter how high up his combat power and skills,
if he doesn't have any recovery skills or tricky moves...
But,
there's also a possibility he possessed a self-destruct skill like the
Rakshasas, so just in case, I had everyone eat the Golden Apples from the
Hesperides.
With this, we'll be fine even in the worst-case
scenario.
Watching
while munching on apples, Urashima Taro defeated a second pair of Rakshasas... and
that sealed the victory.
With the second massive
damage, Urashima Taro's knees buckled with a thud, and the Rakshasas swarmed
him immediately.
If he's going to use a skill to reverse the
situation, this is the only chance, isn't it…?
We watched with even greater
vigilance. Before our eyes, however, Urashima Taro's body was devoured by the
Rakshasas without any means of defense.
There was no sign of him using
any trump card-like skill.
The end...? Just like that? Really?
It was far too
anticlimactic... I felt a little disappointed.
Well, even if he’s equivalent to A-rank, perhaps
this is how it is for a pure melee combat type?
The threat of the Irregular
Encounter known as Urashima Taro, in the end, laid in aspects unrelated to
combat power, such as the aging in Phase 1 and the temptation in Phase 2.
Perhaps because he poured resources into those, he might not be the type who is
particularly good at direct combat.
...No, wait, maybe it’s because Kishimojin's
summoned Rakshasas are just too strong?
Even a group of B-ranks with
the [Insanity-clad] skill, said to effectively raise their rank by one, would
be a threat. Yet, thanks to the Rakshasas’ [Pair of Two] and [Self-regeneration]
skills, they don’t die easily despite in berserk state, and if the enemy does
manage to defeat one, they drag the enemy down along with them.
It was practically summoning
living bombs all at once, and continuously.
To counter them,
invincibility, absolute defense, or at the very least, subordinate summoning or
high-level recovery skills are essential.
No matter if it was an
Irregular Encounter, a pure melee specialist would be ultimately helpless.
And
then, Urashima Taro's body gradually began to vanish as if dissolving into the
air...
"――――To gang up and bully a turtle, what
despicable wretches you are. I'll teach you a lesson."
Wha—?!?!
I whirled around at the voice
I heard from behind.
There, Urashima Taro stood,
completely unharmed, as if nothing had happened.
[Tips] Urashima Taro Part 2
If the Tamatebako is
successfully found, the stage shifts to Ryugu-jo.
Residing in Ryugu-jo are
Otohime, who is of the same rank as Urashima Taro, and her subordinates, who
are one rank below her. Adventurers must survive the relentless attacks of the
endlessly spawning subordinates and reach Otohime in the banquet hall.
In the banquet hall, Otohime's
alluring invitation awaits.
If adventurers accept the
invitation, they will receive a blissful welcome and can gradually heal their
bodies which aged in Phase 1. After approximately one hour, they will likely be
able to return to their desired age.
However, this is a 'goodwill-filled'
trap set by Otohime. While staying in Ryugu-jo, their existence will gradually
be transformed, and after 24 hours, they will completely become residents of
Ryugu-jo.
Even if they realize this midway
and challenge her to battle, it will be too late. For those who repay Otohime's
welcome with hostility, a biting backlash awaits: twice the aging they had
recovered.
Because the flow of time
within Ryugu-jo during the banquet differs from the outside world—one hour
inside equivalent to one day in the outside world— there might also be a
strategy of accepting Otohime's invitation even knowing it's a trap.
This is because if the next
challenger can defeat Otohime before they completely become residents of
Ryugu-jo, their transformation will be undone, and they will be released while
remaining rejuvenated.
Betting on that sliver of
hope, those who accept Otohime's invitation never cease.
…Turning their eyes away from
the possibility that the next challenger might think the same way as they do.
***
Notes:
1 Japanese architectural style for mansion and estates created in the Heian period (794–1185) and consisting of a shinden (chief central building) to which subsidiary structures were connected by corridors.↩
3 Can summon Koshta Bawar with [The Silent Chariot] skill ↩
4 [Dedicate Victory] skill: This summons a chariot squadron of heroic spirits killed in battle. Infinite summoning type. The combat power of the chariots is equivalent to 300 combat power.↩
6 Refers to Shinto deities in charge of 'harae' (purification or redemption in Shinto)↩
7 The floor area is approximately 46,755 square meters or 11.5 acres. The stadium has a maximum capacity of 55,000 people for non-baseball events and around 43,500 during baseball games. ↩
9 [Knowledge of Survival] is part of their inborn skills ↩
10 Different from Rakshasa, the Rakshasi doesn’t possess it yet. The Rakshasi’s inborn skills are: [Walker of The Asura Path], [Pair of Two], [Mutual Destruction], [Self-regeneration] ↩
11 水面蹴り (Suimen-geri). In the Captain Tsubasa series, it is described as a low, circular karate kick done when sliding. ↩
12 Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art and game that combines dance, acrobatics, fighting, and music. ↩
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