Leave a comment

The upper half of the monster’s body was nearly gouged out, while the rest was severed into massive chunks.

“Hmph. Some embers still flicker. It seems I’m unexpectedly losing my edge. —Suki, is that thing still breathing?”

In response to Tengai’s inquiry, Suki deployed his ‘Search Eye’ and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“The cell repair rate is at 12.3%! That’s a 256-time increase from before! The energy level has also surged to 26.37%!”

Before Suki could finish his urgent report, new, unscathed flesh broke through the charred surface, pulsating with an unsettling rhythm of expansion and contraction.

“Is that b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ still alive?”

Stupefied, Tengai was about to unleash another lightning strike when Suki hastily intervened.

“Wait, please wait! This creature has learned to feed on the lightning and gravity waves! Any further attacks will only nourish it!”
“…What in the blazes?”

The situation had taken a turn for the worse. Tengai, a master of lightning and light-based attacks, had yet to utilize his light-type skills. However, according to the previous analysis, the creature might have developed a resistance to light-based attacks as well. We were left with no effective means to combat the monster.

Izumo had one more card to play, his Dark Matter Beam, which could potentially be effective, but given that the monster had withstood the combined onslaught from him and Tengai, it was doubtful.

Our previous assaults had already demonstrated that a single attack wouldn’t suffice. If the monster learned to consume Izumo’s technique as well, we would be left defenseless. It was prudent to hold back our sporadic attacks and conserve our ace in the hole for now.

Observing the monster’s swift regeneration, now twice its original size, I clenched my teeth.

I had underestimated the threat.

Confidence had carried me this far, buoyed by our group’s formidable strength, which had bred a touch of arrogance within me. On the battlefield, complacency such as ‘our might is sufficient’ or ‘we are utterly safe at this distance’ had no place, especially against an unknown adversary. I should have ensured our readiness was foolproof, leaving no room for regret, but I had allowed arrogance to overshadow the basics before the fight…

“We are at a disadvantage here. Everyone, we are withdrawing for now.”
“Princess. I believe I still stand a chance of victory! There’s no way a crude creature like that…”

His pride wounded by his failure to destroy the enemy and having inadvertently empowered it instead, Tengai was shrouded in a grave aura, eager to continue the battle.

“Tengai. There’s no disgrace in retreating this once. We’re fortunate to have collected data on the foe today. The ultimate goal is to ensure its defeat, that’s all that matters.”

I patted his back reassuringly.

“…Understood. We are pulling out of this airspace. Let’s go, everyon—”

Tengai unfolded his wings with reluctance, his posture reflecting his inner turmoil and frustration.

But then—

“Ehh, Hiyuki, you’re leaving so soon? Chill out a bit!”

At some point, the monster had elevated a section of itself to our level. Perched atop this raised platform, a man in a white smiling mask appeared, pedaling a tricycle that emitted a series of squeaks, the platform itself not much larger than a small cape beneath him.

Unlike the last time I saw him, the man was wearing a knitted hat and sweater, though he didn’t appear to be any different. I could feel slight exhaustion as soon as I saw him, and his name naturally slipped out of my mouth.

“Yukuro…”
“—Hello, hello, this is Shimara, Yooo!!”

Shima stepped off his tricycle and shouted loudly.

“Well, let’s not stand around chatting. How about we chat on top of Nidhogg, Little Hiyuki?”

—Nidhogg, huh.

“Unfortunately, I have some other business to attend to after this. So I will just greet you for today.”

Pat
I tapped Tengai’s back, signaling him to make a retreat.

“C’mon, don’t be so mean.”

As his words ended, a terrible premonition assailed me. The next moment, Nidhogg’s entire body shone red. —No, to be more precise, the eyes of the vampire that had become part of Nidhogg glowed intensely.

Under the bombardment of that light, everyone, including me, found ourselves paralyzed.

“The binding of ‘Evil Eye’!? How could it tie me, the Ancestor God!?”
“Impossible! How could I, who can even resist the Evil Eye of the Princess, be… by such a lowly creature!?”

“Roaar”

“Grh, it shouldn’t be able to bind me, who also wields the evil eye— I’ve got it! You’ve boosted your odds with numbers!”

Clap-Clap

Shima clapped at Suki’s analysis.

“Bingo~! The effect of the Evil Eye becomes less effective in proportion to the level difference. It often fails against higher-ranked opponents, but the chance of success isn’t zero. With all these multiplying Evil Eyes, even if the chance is as low as 0.00001%, one of them will take effect. …So, that being said…”

Shima paused for a moment before suddenly sprinting atop Nidhogg and leaping in our direction. —Wait, isn’t he clearly targeting me?

“Oh~ my~ little~ Hiyuki~. My loveeeee!!”

Like a certain infamous Phantom Thief, he stripped off whatever he was wearing mid-air, leaving him only in his underwear.

“Nooooooooooooooooo!?!”

A shrill scream escaped from my stiffened lips, feeling the sudden threat to my chastity.

However, just as he was inches away from enveloping me, a barrage of Sunlight Flashes came from the side and struck him.

“No-o-o-o-o-ooohhh!!!?”

He was shot down just in time, eliciting a scream as he plummeted to the ground.

“Are you safe, Princess!?”

The ones to save the day were the four sisters of the Principality—my imperial guards and subordinates of Mikoto.

«It seems they made it in time.»

Mikoto, who was in ‘Pet Unison’ state with me, said in a relieved tone.

It seems she had sensed that things might go awry and had hurriedly called for reinforcements.

Just as I patted my chest in relief, I realized I was slowly regaining control over my body. The effect of the Evil Eye must have been disrupted when Shima, the controller, received the damage.

“—All retreat at once!”

I couldn’t let the chance slip away. With the fastest response we could muster, everyone immediately retreated from the spot.

“Ugh, I knew I could never handle someone like him……”

I shivered once more as I glanced back at Nidhogg and Shima, who hadn’t pursued us, possibly believing he’d have another opportunity later on.