Volume 6 Chapter 21 Nothing To Be Ashamed Of
Yotsuji Senri has a certain contract with Tsuchimikado.
Normally, they don't meet and live separate lives.
However, there is no one else who knows Tsuchimikado's power as well as she does.
Despite her carefree appearance, she knows firsthand his skills as a magician. She even thought that there might be no magician in Japan who could surpass him.
That's why she had a hard time accepting the reality in front of her.
"'It took more time than I imagined.'"
Yamamoto Yuusuke said this while unraveled the magic.
Around him, there were numerous remains of beasts. They were not ordinary beasts, but ferocious monsters known as "Nue."
They were far stronger individuals than the Nue that Senri knew.
Facing that group, Yuusuke calmly and methodically took them down one by one, as if exterminating pests.
Senri herself, once recognized Yuusuke's power after battling him, but now she realizes that recognition was overwhelmingly wrong.
This is the hero of a different world.
While Tsuchimikado is the strongest in Japan, Yuusuke was the strongest existence in the world of magic.
Knowledge connects with the reality right in front of her, making her feel dizzy.
The New World (Try Order) and Shikin are also threatening, but compared to the presence in front of her, they seem trivial.
"'Well, at least it's better than not being a living creature. It's good not to feel guilty.'"
"Do you feel guilt or anything?"
With a confused mind, the words that came to her mind came out of her mouth. Yuusuke noticed her slip of the tongue when he turned to Senri.
He didn't laugh or get angry, but said with the same expression as always:
"Oh, sorry."
"'No, you don't have to apologize. I've actually cut and killed many things. Still, I feel guilty. It used to bother me, and there were times when I turned a blind eye.'"
Yuusuke seemed to be reminiscing about the past, not really looking at Senri.
"'But recently I think it's important. It means that I haven't lost my way and feeling guilty is proof that I have been raised properly in this country.'"
"I see, you had proper parents."
"'My 'son' is not a good thing though.'"
Yuusuke said so and laughed.
Until he was able to laugh like that, Senri doesn't know how much he struggled. She herself is unfamiliar with affection from her family.
So she responded with a smile as much as possible.
"You have five girls under your protection, so you can do it!!"
"'Hey, wait, stop. It feels like you're saying something really misleading.'"
"I don't think it's that wrong, though."
"'It's a problem precisely because it's not wrong!'"
While listening to Yuusuke's soul scream, Senri began to walk, avoiding Nue.
"Thank you for fighting. Now let's move forward. I feel like I'm cursed staying here."
"'I agree with that. Or rather, do supernatural beings not disappear when they die?'"
The two left the room, leaving behind many Nue.
* * *
We managed to exterminate the swarm of Nue and started moving towards the room where Shikin is, just as we originally intended.
Those Nue was extremely strong to the point of wondering what it really was, and there were also many of them. However, there were some things that I could understand, such as the ridiculous mass lightning strikes and the voice of disease that pierced through armor. It seems that it was the power of their numbers.
It's different from a complex ritual, but I never thought that the monsters would come together at that level of coordination.
And they were created by Try Order.
Also, there is Shikin.
As Yotsuji said, it doesn't seem like an opponent to be taken lightly.
However, unless I deeply engage with the Try Order here, this god-demon war will always be at a disadvantage.
I had a feeling like that.
It's just a hunch, but the proposal from Tsuchimikado at this moment is a wave. Whether it will bring opportunity or disaster, I don't know, but at the very least, if I don't ride it, I'll only be consumed.
Now, before us, a door has appeared.
It is much larger than the door that the Nue were waiting for, and it is adorned with intricate decorations down to the smallest details.
Humans crawling on the ground with expressions of suffering. Flames swirl beneath them, and as they rise up, their faces become tranquil and the decorations become splendid. And the distinctive feature is the two huge hands that extend from above to below, as if it were spider silk.
The master reaching out his hand couldn't be seen because he was hiding behind a banner. Or perhaps he was never carved in the first place.
If the gods and Buddhas will save them, then there is no such happy ending. Naturally, there are no convenient stories like that.
Whether it's a hero or a demon lord, in the end, it is only the one on the board who can make a move that will change reality. No matter how much they plead to the goddess, no one could be protected unless they held a sword.
"I'll open it."
Yotsuji, who had been silently staring at the door, placed her hand on it as if she had made up her mind.
Immediately, the giant door began to slowly open, as if someone was moving it.
The room we stepped into was a huge, dome-shaped space. From the walls to the ceiling, there were numerous sculptures of people just like the door.
It doesn't seem like we will hear any pleasant cheers from this audience.
In the depths of such a room, someone was waiting for us.
The person was sitting cross-legged on a slightly elevated spot, staring at us as we entered.
He was a mysterious man.
Even though he was right in front of us, he hardly gave off any presence. It was different from the invisibility used by the Nue. His gaze was captivating, yet his true form couldn't be grasped.
And he was so quiet.
Having been targeted by numerous assassins, I know that well. It's a completely different technique from their ability to erase their presence.
But there was something even more strange.
I have fought many strong enemies, tough enemies, but this is the first time I have been amazed at first sight.
The man stood up without any tension and looked down on us with a dignified behavior.
It was a perfected physical beauty that humans could not reach. Not just having a lot of muscle mass or a good physique, it was not that dimension. The protrusions, flexibility, balance. Everything was perfect.
And with long black hair, he has a well-structured face that could be seen as both a boy, a young man, or even an old man. It was a mesmerizing sight, even for me as a man.
However, there is something that I am more concerned about now. Is Yotsuji overwhelmed by the atmosphere or is she worried about the same thing as me? I mean, she had wide eyes and was frozen.
As I thought so, Shikin opened his mouth in a relaxed manner.
"Welcome to my Kouya Castle. Let me welcome you. I am the lord of this castle, Shikin."
Although I was almost swayed by his pleasant baritone voice, there are things that I have to ask first. Like the true identity of Shikin, or why he called me.
But more than anything, I want to ask that first. So, I gathered my courage and said,
"Why are you... umm, why are you naked?"
Yes, Shikin was naked. It's tempting to be captivated by his beautiful physique. After all, everything is completely exposed from top to bottom.
If it were a modern anime, there would be unnatural lights dancing around.
"Hmm"
Shikin looked down at his body, then raised his face again and crossed his arms, arching his upper body.
"Because I have nothing to be ashamed of in my physical form."
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