Volume 6 Chapter 19 Japanese-Style Chimera
A heavy pressure as if the cloudy sky had fallen.
The sharp claws digging into the board are probably as long as a dagger. Its length is comparable to that of a large bus. With a four-legged body and a red face covered in a demon mask. And when it comes to the tail being a snake, even I, who is not very knowledgeable about that kind of thing, know.
A face of a monkey, a torso of a raccoon dog, limbs of a tiger, and a tail of a snake. Sometimes referred to as the Thunder Beast, a monster passed down since ancient Japan.
"'It's a 'Nue'.'"
As I, clad in armor, murmured, Yotsuji, who was hiding behind, answered.
"Yeah, it looks like it. It's definitely a well-known monster, but why here?"
"'So to speak, it's like a watchdog.'"
The Nue affirmed it with "Hyorororo" sound and grinned with a monkey's face. Eww, it's creepy.
Not just creepy, but pure horror.
A physiological creepiness that makes me feel like my skin is being licked spreads throughout my whole body. It's truly an eerie opponent.
I don't know the intent behind why this thing appeared in front of me, but it doesn't seem to be a friendly presence. It's probably not a pet, right? If so, I have to question his owner taste.
I have not yet been able to meet Shikin, but this is enemy territory. If someone interfere, I will slash and move forward.
When I repositioned my sword, the Nue jumped back as if sensing it.
Are you running away?
"'!'"
I hurriedly stopped my legs from chasing after it.
Even though I didn't take my eyes off it, the Nue disappeared.
It didn't just hide, it completely disappeared from my perception. Its figure, presence, everything vanished into thin air.
Did it go up again?
Thinking so, I looked up and at that moment, a tremendous impact struck me from the side.
"――"
Guh! An incredibly heavy blow collided with my half-body and blew me away from the spot.
Ouch! And I left Yotsuji behind.
Immediately taking a defensive stance, I regained my posture. When I raised my head, I saw the Nue trying to bring its huge mouth close to Yotsuji.
I was completely caught off guard. I don't know how it disappeared, but this time I won't give it any time.
Stepping forward as if swinging a hammer, I released the power stored in my waist. The tightly drawn arm turned into a flash bullet and was released towards the Nue.
My Gilv sword (Thunder Sword) didn't cut through the Nue's neck. Instead, it was pierced the wall.
So shallow.
I fully intended to decapitate it with that last attack, but it narrowly avoided it. It has such quick reflexes.
―――Hyororororo.
Nue takes a distance while leaking a black mist from the wound, and rolls away.
Don't let it escape.
The fierce lightning clears the dark clouds and reveals the moon.
I further close the distance to Nue and continuously swing the moon blade (Cres). My slashing immediately blocks Nue's escape route and tries to aim for its weak point.
But then, Nue roars.
In an instant, numerous thunderbolts fall from the sky and collide with my Moon Blade (Cres), causing a dazzling explosion.
In the white-stained field of vision, the sound of explosions reverberate. I sweep away the sparks scattered in front of Yotsuji with my sword.
And when the light sinks into the darkness, as expected, Nue had disappeared.
Disappear within a wide range of lightning strikes making it invisible. Judging from the feel of the first shot, its physical ability is considerable.
I wonder why.
"'Yotsuji, get down.'"
Suddenly, Nue strikes diagonally to the right.
To the strike of Nue that appeared aiming for Yotsuji, I swing the sword in a turn. I cut off half of its paw with its claws, and Nue screamed and disappeared again.
"Whoa! That surprised me!"
"'Be careful. It's more invisible than you can imagine. I can catch the moment it reappears, but if you let your guard down, you'll be caught off guard.'"
"Oh no, I wouldn't have noticed, normally."
Nue cannot attack unless it materializes. If I counter at that moment, it seems unlikely that I will lose.
However, that is not the problem. There is something that has been bothering me since earlier.
"'Yotsuji, is the Nue really such a powerful monster?'"
Since I returned from Asteris to Earth, I have been involved with various Japanese monster and yokai. I silenced the Gaki with one punch, chased after Kuchisake-onna until she screamed, and defeated Turbo Baba in a race.
From my perspective, this Nue is too strong...
Are ancient monster always like this?
Yotsuji immediately denied it.
"That's not true. While the Nue is certainly a famous monster, it is not a particularly powerful one. It doesn't have a unique named individual, and the legends are not that numerous. It might be one of the lower-ranking spiritual calamities."
Stop using specialized terms all of a sudden. What the heck is "lower-ranking"? Well, never mind.
It's still strange that it is this strong. What's the reasoning behind it?
"The essence of the Nue is 'fear of the unknown.' It is the fear itself of something unknown that hides in the night. Therefore, in reality, its power should decrease by half once it is seen, but..."
"'I don't see that happening much.'"
If it were to reduce by half, that would be a problem.
Well, if that's the case, it wouldn't be so easy to show up like that.
If that's the case, this Nue doesn't seem to be a naturally occurring monster. I mean, in the depths of this room, where visibility is limited, there is a scent of magic.
Did Shikin modify it or raise it? Or is it another completely different magician involved? In that case, it seems necessary to reconsider the evaluation of the new world (Try Order).
While thinking about such things, Nue made its next move.
Nue's cry echoes from all around.
It's impossible to identify its existence from the sound's location. The sound echoes throughout the entire room, like water filling it.
What's that? Is it trying to deceive my presence?
However, it seems that was a misunderstanding. When I tried to prepare my sword for a surprise attack, my legs wavered.
My field of vision wavered, and nausea rose from my stomach.
"Uh... Ah, this is bad. This is the voice of the disease."
"'The voice of the disease?'"
"I said it earlier, didn't I... The true nature of Nue is fear itself. Their voices induce illness from one's spirit."
Yotsuji said in a pained voice.
Ah, so. "My True Name" has resistance against that kind of mental attack, but it's quite a ridiculous power if it can penetrate through that. Well, it feels kind of like being intoxicated. What's really going on with this guy?
I increase the density of magic power in my body through cyclic breathing and repel Nue's voice.
Well, it doesn't matter. What I should be doing now is not determining this guy's true nature.
From what I've heard, the true nature of the fear lurking in the darkness is Nue. Even if its true nature isn't a normal monster, its base shouldn't stray far from Nue.
In other words,
"'If everything were to come to light, where would you go?'"
I wrap the emerald spiral around my sword and summon a storm. Don't think you can escape.
"'Mikatia (Storm Sword)!'"
The faint darkness is blown away by the emerald slash.
"Uwaaaaa!"
In the aftermath of the impact, Yotsuji screams and cowers.
——Hyororororooro!
At the same time, Nue, who lost its hiding place, tumbles to the ground while screaming. It seems that if the darkness that hides its appearance is lifted, its invisibility also loses its effect.
Once that happens, it's destroyed. Nanashiki Renkanken (seven-colored linked swords) is a continuous technique. The light runs through the path that the storm washed away, becoming true lightning.
Now, Thunder Beast, this is the real thunder.
Nue immediately changed direction and tried to avoid it. Its judgment speed and movement were astonishing, but if it knews what was going on, it wouldn't matter.
"'Gilv (Thunder Sword)'"
The thrust at the speed of light pierced through Nue's head before its initial movement.
Nue, with its head gone, rolled on the floor without even realizing it was dead.
"W-what a mess."
"'I wanted to investigate the enemy's identity a little more, but our target this time is Shikin, so we can't spend too much time.'"
What was this Nue really? It's obviously different from any other strange creature around here, but if I meet Shikin, maybe they will tell me.
For now, we should be able to pass through here. Let's quickly leave this creepy room.
Thinking so, I noticed.
Yotsuji seemed to have the same feeling, and I heard a trembling voice.
"Um, if it's not my imagination, it still feels uncomfortable."
"'...What a coincidence.'"
I feel the same way.
When I looked up with an unpleasant feeling, there were still clouds floating in the ceiling where the Nue should have disappeared.
Hey, hey, what's going on?
I have a terribly bad premonition.
To support that, thunder struck with a tremendous discharge sound, crackling loudly!
It's often the case that such unpleasant premonitions come true. Before our eyes, multiple Nue have descended.
What the hell is this sh*tty game?
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