Lugal Gigam:Prologue

Chapter 1

       "No matter how many times Souya see's a nightmare, I will always be there to wake you up." 

---

Amagi Souya. Amagi Souya. Amagi Souya.

Though I’ve already forgotten how to write it, that’s my name.

An ordinary Japanese high school student…or was one, until a year ago.

I don’t know what caused it but when I was coming back home from school, I suddenly ran across these ‘Monsters’ and before I even realized it, I was thrown into a totally outrageous place.

An ancient world so far back in history that you’d get dizzy just trying to think about it, the realm of <Kiengi>.

It seems to be around the Arab region, maybe around Mesopotamia or the Middle East.

At first I thought it was a dream. I thought I was inside a game.

But reality is heartless.

No matter how much I cried and how much I shouted, I didn’t wake up. No guide NPC appeared, nor could I log out on my own violation.

Being thrown into this strange place, I literally suffered hell and finally arrived at the town of Kagushila.

Kagushila is a city state. It’s near the abolished capital of Babylon and outside its city walls lays a vast wasteland filled with ruins.

And it seems the way back to Japan, the Kamul <Star Gate> lies somewhere in those ruins. I heard that rumour somewhere and entrusted myself to the wish to return home. Mixing in with the ruin-raiders, I headed for the city of rubbles to survey it.

I didn’t know what to do. And even now, I don’t.

But even so, in this land with the scorching sun and muddy grounds-- <Kiengi> don’t grant anything to those who wait. If you have a wish, then you have to go after it even if you hate it.

Even if you are just a normal High school boy standing tippy toes in a dangerous place.

For example, let’s talk about the situation I’m currently in.

Right now, I’m lying down on the rooftop of an abandoned brick building right in the middle of the ruined capital, trying to hide myself.

There were many other buildings with flat roofs around. They expanded in all directions creating a ghost town.

It was midnight.

I was just watching. At the job no different from talking a walk in the park, I immediately jumped in and right now, I’m here in the old, abandoned sanctuary as a member of the investigation team.

However, our party of 14 people suddenly ran into a monster (Because of those fools who wear greed as skin) and were completely scattered. As a result, we’re currently trembling and hiding like this in the ruins while staying awake.

With me is Kenie-san, an Ba’a <Outsider> like me and an old man with a serious wound.

We want to escape but can’t. It’s that ‘desperate situation’ thingy.

Thanks to the full moon, the surroundings are as bright as noon.

“Keep on watch till its dawn without getting noticed……”

I half stood up to see if there’s anything strange going on and peeked through the fence.

“Nothing out of the ordinary…I guess?”

The plain brick-made buildings, which are narrowly packed together in this old city ruins are mostly short in height. Most of them are single-storey, with a few double and triple storey ones.

And there was some strange mist, like smoke from dry ice sticking to the roads that twisted narrowly through between the intervals of those buildings.

The Ni<Miasma> that gushes out from the earth when it becomes night.

The rows of houses looked half submerged in clouds of soot like Ni<Miasma> as only their tops could be seen.

The monotone world under the moonlight was illusionary, almost enough to make me forget about the dangers that loomed there.

Being startled by another noise from inside the ruins, I felt remorse for the millionth time.

If possible, I’d like to leave this place even a second earlier.

But a forced march in the middle of the night would be no better than suicide, we would just fall prey to those GhoulsFlesh Eating Demons immediately.

I sighed. No, I know. It’s just a simple ‘getting one’s just desert’.

I had the chance. If I had just refused, then I wouldn’t have needed to join the investigation team for this Zarinnu temple ruins in the first place.

Shit. I was too indecisive.

But hey, no matter how small the group, there’s this thing called a hierarchy system within teams. The one under had no choice but to follow the superior’s orders; seems to be a worldly wisdom.

There’s no way a normal Japanese high school kid would be able to refuse the commands of a warrior.

“Good grief, this turned out rather pathetic.”

Sitting with my back against the roof fence, I looked up at the moon of this foreign world.

Next to the moon, with the starry night as the background, a humongous tower rose from the ground wearing half of its height with brilliant silver light.

Even the lower blocks of the tower were so high it looked hazy, and the uneven surface which looked like terraces and spires were decorating the outer wall. There was nothing to compare it to so my measuring-senses were going haywire; it was definitely much taller than the sky tree.

When I think of the tower of Babel, I remember that famous legend.

It was built by a king who tried to resist the gods and thus buying their wrath and was destroyed. Till then the people all talked in the same language but following the tower’s collapse, they started speaking in different tongues.

For some reason, <Kiengi> is just like that tale; there isn’t any gap in communication. The words spoken might be from a different language but the moment it reaches my mind, it gets translated and I can understand it. The locals claim this to be the work of that tower, just like in the legends.

Though I thought it was stupid and was rather uncertain, I still haven’t found another explanation.

The grand tower that tries to reach the heavens, it’s as if it was the gravestone of the fallen city.

Babylon seems to be a metropolis in the old Mesopotamia and the current Middle East.

It’s said in the scriptures and remaining artifacts that it was once the centre of the world and was a decaying land filled with pagans.

But actually, before this town suffered the calamity from the unknown enemy and became a ghost town a decade ago, there was a huge number of people living here.

Now there’s none.

The only things that loiter here are monsters that quit being human.

Various dangers are lying in wait in order to kill the greedy, the ones called ‘Ruin-raiders’ who try to wake this city up from its slumber.

The evil souls that haunt Babylon, the past citizens who were turned into ghouls after failing to escape, the various sorts of beasts that got caught up in the Ni<Miasma> , and the Ni<Miasma> itself……

That’s why taking refuge in the rooftops on the ruins after sunset when the Ni<Miasma> ’s effect turns serious became the principle for the ruin-raiders who couldn’t return to the safety zone in time.

Rather than loitering about in the night, even leaving your fate up to luck and staying hidden was a better option.

While killing off the unease, they sought after a silhouette with a structure similar to a small hill that lay beyond the rows of houses.

Though the tower of Babel was overwhelming, that was also exceedingly large.

We were attacked while conducting an investigation there.

A staircase shaped structure which looked like a distant relative of the Pyramids’, reflecting the moonlight with a blackish gloss. The locals call it Unil<Saint Tower>. The structures are called Jigrads as a whole, which are built by pilling up tens of thousands of bricks.

Unil < Saint Tower > is the centre of sacred precincts. The dwelling places of the gods. They each have a sacred name. For example, that one which is built with those black bricks is called <Ebadonigul>. It means something like, ‘The wall that crushes all with fear’.

It took three hours to get here from there carrying the wounded old man. This was our limit before sunset. It took our all just to get here.

We’ve escaped far enough. That’s what I’d like to say……

By the time I noticed, I was already gripping my cell phone in my right hand hard, my usual habit.

I do this since it’s the only thing that can remind me who I really am, and where I belong.

This touch of shining plastic that’s impossible to find in this age calms my unease of having nowhere to go and reminds me of my priorities.

My goal is simple. Live and return home.

It’s okay if I aim for only that……

“You’re carrying that around as usual. Don’t blame me if you drop it~”

I heard a joking voice from the back and turned around.

Kenie-san, who was also sitting cross-legged and back resting, had a grin on her face.

She, who looked like a tough heroine wearing a leather vest from one of those action movies, was also in the same situation as me. We are called Ba’a <Outsider> ,people who lost their way and drifted here in <Kiengi> from a different age.

She had a cheerful onee-san type personality and was in her 20s. Even a head taller than the 170cm me and had blonde wolf-hair.

She was originally a police officer in New York. After I got to know her, she helped me, who didn’t know which way was left and right in this unknown era, a lot. In other words, she is something like my savior.

“Don’t you also have those pistols strapped with you all the time?”

“Well, yeah.”

Kenie-san shrugged her shoulders. Just when I thought she was going to rotate her arms toward her back , she drew those automatics and aimed them towards the darkness. As expected of a police officer from New York City. She’s totally an expert.

“Out of bullets though. Just a lucky charm now.”

This person’s real partner was the crossbow leaned against the fence beside her. But she still never let go of either the pistols or the holsters.

“If I let go of it, I feel like I might actually forget. It’s the same for your cell phone right?”

“…Yeah.”

Everything I had equipped was from <Kiengi>.

From the top, I had a T-shirt type coat along with the misshapen trousers. In addition, right now I have a sleeveless leather vest for ventilation and exercise, leather guards on my arms and legs, and leather boots; I’m in complete search mode.

No matter how hot the climate might be, even I can’t start from a nude loincloth fashion though it’s completely OK here. So got no choice but to put up with the itchy feeling of leather and wool fabrics.

The problem is I’ve completely gotten used to that itchy feeling.

The taste of the food in this foreign land.

The mysterious Tower of Babel that lets us understand each other without any problems even though we are speaking different languages.

The scorching sun that burns the skin, the smell of the dry wind and the desert.

The black magic that controls truth Me<Reason> and the phantom beasts that should only exist in fairy tales.

The town of Kagushila where greed, passion and ambition whirls non-stop, and its people.

And finally, the Unil <Saint Tower> that stands still in the middle of all there.

Somewhere and at sometime, I had completely grown used to the lifestyle here and have accepted that this is ‘real’.

I somewhat understand.

Just like this, I’ll forget all my incompatibility and there’ll be a time when the only place I can remember my homeland and the faces of my family is in my dreams. No, it’s already close to that point.

Waking up in the middle of the night, clutching my chest hard because of my narrow mind that can’t look forward, it’s already unbearable.

I want to return to Japan.

“I’ll definitely get back. Like hell I’ll die in this country of swords and magic!”

As if cutting off my unease, Kenie-san strongly vouched,

“Yeah, me too, for the both of us. Cause we have luck on our side. We cut through that today too didn’t we? So don’t worry.”

She said that. And I finally realized I shouted out that I had in my mind. Was I making such an anxious face?... Guess I’m still half a man.

“It’s okay. The sky’s starting to clear up. And I don’t think those dangerous guys will follow us this close to Kagushila. And in case of emergency, we can just run all the way to Anzu First Gate.”

Our headquarters, Kagushila was surrounded by high walls and was built to be able to perform the task of a fortress. As long as it’s situated at the outskirts of Babylon, firm guarding is an absolute must. Even the Anzu gate that faces the ruins isn’t open between sunsets to sunrise unless there’s an unavoidable reason.

So even if we forced our way through, we wouldn’t be able to enter. But nevertheless, the closer we get, the safer it gets.

“….So, how’s the Subandachief doing? Is he alright?”

There was an old man lying down in front of the cross-legged Kenie-san. He was wearing a fabulous reel vestment with embroidery all over the place and a cluster of decorations.

All the while he’s totally blacked out.

Laashi.IL who wore a priest’s garb was the leader of the investigation team. Because of the wound, he could no longer move on his own.

The upper half of his knitted beard was brownish soil coloured but the flanks were dyed in blood.

“Well, he won’t die. The bleeding stopped. I don’t know about any internal injuries but he didn’t vomit blood either… At any rate, we have no choice but to drag Laashi back.”

Though she spoke rudely, she still looked at him worriedly.

The ruin-raiders who search the ruined city of Babylon where danger always looms for treasure joined together to form factions. These are called Ildam <Parties>.

Though this time a special party was assembled because of the request of the council, the chief Laashi.IL was originally a leader of a group large enough to wrap Kagushila around his five fingers.

Other than me who was just a helper, Kenie-san was originally part of Laashi’s group. Since the investigation team was like that now, she was probably thinking of at least bringing Laashi back at all costs.

It was supposed to be a simple investigation. We were hired to confirm the rumours of strange shadows appearing in the Zarinnu temple and the flickers of lamp light that were sometimes seen. We were told that.

But now even the Mashyumash <Great Exorcisrt> Laashi.IL had become immobilized.

If he’d just die then we wouldn’t have to do something ridiculous like sleeping outside in Babylon though………

A thought like that suddenly crossed my mind.

Cold-hearted? Maybe. Ah- damn.

I clenched my cell-phone once again.

I don’t want to die either. And I don’t have any relations with Laashi other than this.

Truthfully speaking that is. I didn’t really want to risk my life for someone like that; the motivation just wasn’t there.

“It would’ve been better if the cleric got out but…”

“……Those guys can take care of themselves.”

Her mouth was bent in a ‘へ’ shape and she slowly closed her eyes as if trying to convince herself. Then she suddenly opened them and boldly smiled, “Well, it can’t be helped if we’re uneasy. We can just spend the time till sunrise cheerfully and when the Ni <Miasma> resides, we’ll return to Kagushila. What comes after that, we’ll think after that.”

Good god, this person really was tough. Well, if she wasn’t like this then she couldn’t possibly continue the Ruins-raider business.

“Haha, ro—ger~ But you guys are going to negotiate with the council and properly haggle pays right?”

The request for the <Ebadonigul> temple investigation this time was quite unusual. The council of three that manages Kagushila issued it. It was a relief that the reward was definite but because of the course of events, it would be unbearable if they were to be stingy.

“Of course. For a dangerous job like this, if we don’t squeeze out as much as we can, then we won’t be satisfied. In the first place, that much offering a day is….”

Kenie-san who was wagging her tongue constantly in irritation suddenly stopped speaking. She suddenly snapped her fingers as if remembering something and fixedly stared at me.

Eh? What?

“Oh that’s right, boy!”

She mischievously smiled like a stray cat that found a mouse and said,

“I was thinking about asking you for a while but if it’s okay, won’t you answer this Onee-san’s question?”

Wait Wait Wait.

I could only think of one possibility after hearing this person’s sweet talking.

It’s no joke. I have to warn her here clearly.

“Roger.”

“Is it true that that cute goddess of Kagushila is your lover?”

“Don’t you have the decency to even think about this kind of stuff for a second before asking?”

Guh. She immediately plunged into the core without holding back. But the demon in front of me simply ignored what I said. No matter what option I choose, seems like the next development is decided. What is she? A king in a nationwide RPG?

“Is it true?”

“W-W-What are you saying! That’s so stupid. She’s a goddess you know! There’s no way she’s has a relation with me!”

I averted my eyes sub-consciously at her lukewarm gaze filled with curiosity that could even be scripted as rudeness. And that easy to see through suspicious behavior was regrettable even for me.

“Fu~un? But that’s not what I heard~”

She brought proof!? Who was the one that leaked this info!!!

“I sometimes see her from the queue during the prayer but that girl called Raquel really seems divine right? And she’s not a marionette either. The council really does bow their heads to her. She’s like a dressed up doll, she’s too cute, even though she looks like us, it’s like she is worlds apart.”

“I-Is that so? I really didn’t notice…”

“He~y Souya. You’re not really good at feigning ignorance.”

It’s none of your business! I’m at a naive age!

And besides! Calling her divine is too much. Raquell, that fellow’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“Just spit it out. Hey, we got enough proof. Ho~re.”

There was a red-lined scribble on the left hand that Kenie-san reached out.

‘Souya is a liar (He’s a liar).’

“Gununu…. Curse you Dorothy---“

There were many among the Ba’a <Outsider>’s in <Kiengi> who possessed special skills or abilities. Kenie-san was also one of them. She was protected by a female guardian angel called Dorothy.

Dorothy’s messages were bull’s eye most of the time. In fact, the reason we were able to escape the danger in <Ebadonigul> was thanks to that. Of course this time, she also hit the mark.

“We have enough time. Should we continue this till morning?”

“Ugh…..I guess I don’t have a choice. Kenie-san, you seem to be misunderstanding something.”

“Hohoo~? A misunderstanding?”

“Certainly Raquel…er…Raquel-sama and I know each other. That’s right, I’ll admit that we’re acquainted. But that’s all. I don’t know that the leader and Gwen-san said but we just chat with each other sometimes, nothing more.”

It was more like, she had her eyes one me, or she was following me around.

But if that got out, then I’m certain it won’t turn out to be good. My wish of not wanting to stand out and pushing aside all the misunderstandings and troubles will be broken into smithereens.

“So can you please keep it a secret?”

“Fu~un. I don’t mind but I think it’s useless. There were rumours in the bars here and there that the goddess has taken a liking to the new-comer at Murakami’s place.”

“Eh!”

A sudden jolt in my system! Seems like I was the only one not aware.

“Hey, was it that shocking? But isn’t it okay either way? Another rumour will just brush it off soon. And isn’t the Elsh <Mistress> of Kagushila some kind of grand godhead and a special kind of god of Ni <Fear>?”

“About that, I don’t really know anything at all”

“I heard that she was also the reason other gods don’t have anything to do with Babylon.”

“Yeah, she’s got this atmosphere around her when she’s not talking but when she does, it’s like she’s the polar opposite. Like, acting on her whims, kind of like an egoist, maybe impudent. I really don’t know what she’s planning but can’t say she’s that different from us.”

By the way, this was a rather conserved way of saying it.

In my head, the impudent victorious smile of that show off scarlet haired girl popped up.

Really, that girl’s way too free, always dragging me into her plans whenever she’s bored. On top of that, she could stick with it if it was a little trouble but was bad at the management. She always decides everything on her own. She’s like a small child always showing off. She’s pretentious, and always gets angry whenever she wants. She also has a large appetite.

“Hohou~ In other words, ‘I’m the only one who knows the real her.’ Right? Thanks for the feast, thank you very much. That’s a really chummy relationship, wow.”

“…Can I hit you?”

And Kenie-san coughed her throat clear as such strangely.

“Well, being so close with a goddess like that, there’s bound to be some positive sides too, no? Like if you have a wish, then getting it fulfilled. Returning to your original world for example?”

Of course, I’ve thought about that. I’ve asked her. I asked her so persistently that it finally turned into a squabble.

“……Seems like that one’s impossible. They say the Kamul <Star Gate> wasn’t something that could be opened with just a few powers. And also, I don’t really feel like turning it into a request….”

“Nn? Why? There’s got to be some benefits!”

An unexpected Kenie-san. But she soon nods her head several times as if she got it.

“Haha~n. A guy’s vanity? Come to think of it, you’re also at an age when you’d like to show off your coolness a bit huh?”

“Wha- Kenie-san. Right now you’ve definitely misunderstood something! It’s just since it won’t be a Give And Take, I’ve also put some thought into it and—“

“Hey hey hey, don’t be too shy now. Well, if it’s like that then that’s also okay. If you don’t feel like settling down then it’d better with the least of hindrances. And from that reaction, you don’t seem to be the Lugal either.”

An unfamiliar word. But seems to be slightly different from an individual with high status.

“Lugal? What’s that?”

“So you don’t know this either huh? From what I heard it’s---“

Part 2

Her explanation stopped midway.

She suddenly looked up at the empty space,

And as if confirming the noise from far away, she looked at her arm.

“This is bad! It’s that guy!”

A trampling dizziness. Dorothy’s message in red once again appeared on her white skin.

‘’’’’It’s Coming! It’s Coming After Us!’’’’’

‘It’?...You don’t mean?

Kenie-san grabbed the Crossbow that was left leaning on the fence and put on her shoes. She side glanced at the bowstring pulled to its limit and I hastily stuck my head out of the handrail.

The darkness of the Ni <Miasma> was too dense on roads under the moonlight. It wasn’t possible to foretell anything because it’s so dark.

“From the Unil <Saint Tower>’s direction! On your left!”

A small voice from behind resounded. My gaze that turned almost instinctively caught onto arthropod legs that stretched from the darkness.

It was from the house diagonally opposite to ours.

The legs that are as thick as logs grabbed the handrails of the roof one after another. And the monstrous figure that looked as if it came straight from a nightmare pulled itself up on the roof at last.

A scorpion. An impossibly huge one at that.

“As I thought that thing’s way too huge……”

The size of its trunk alone was that of a mini-bus. The great round scissors smashed men like tofu and the carapace that glowed bluish under the moonlight could even neglect strikes from a great axe. The poison needle that extended from the tip of its coiled tail was even larger than a hook extended from a warehouse pulley.

“Looks like it didn’t come to return something we forgot huh? What a persistent bastard.”

“…….This is bad. It’s all set to turn us into sacrifices.”

But the strangest thing about it wasn’t its large size.

It was the human half that extended from the base of the great scissors, right about the jaws.

“The lord who ruleth over the holy Ni <Fear>, rising even deeper from the depths of Abyss, O’ thou who divide mountains, he who protects the kingdom of the underworld, ‘The black Rampart’ Zarinnu….”

The grumbling prayers that the darkish man with a shaved head and tattoos all over his body could be imperceptibly heard.

My eyes suddenly met with its four white pupils.

It was laughing like a child that found a new toy. It had long lost its sanity.

Giltabrul<Scorpion-folk>.

A crossbreed Chimera <Synthetic Beast> between man and scorpion using a powerful Me <Reason>

This guy was the one waiting for us in the treasury of <Ebadonigul> after we broke the seal.

Numbering 14 in total, a reckless group with no qualms about breaking taboos charged into Unil <Saint Tower >. They recklessly attacked that thing that looked totally dangerous no matter how you put it, completely ignoring Kenie-san’s warnings. You could even say their greed was admirable in one way or another.

But, I can’t say that it was advisable behavior. Having the numerical advantage in a cramped space means nothing. Rather, it’s disadvantageous. I only counted till five of them got turned into minced meat after about 3 minutes.

I didn’t have the time to see through the end since I was busy carrying the wounded Laashi.IL out of there.

“The scissors on the left and the right arm…looks like they did some damage.”

I don’t know what happened to the others of the investigation team but it looks like they at least inflicted a degree of injury to it.

There was a crack in the shell of the left scissors and two of the arthropod-legs were torn off in middle. Maybe it was broken as the right arm of the upper body was hanging nimbly.

But it wasn't enough. Its movement hadn't slowed down at all.

In other words, it would be quite difficult to run away now.

Shit, to think it'd chase us this far. Wasn't this guy supposed to be the gatekeeper of <Ebadonigul>?

How can we get away dammit!?

While aiming her crossbow, Kenie-san came near me and whispered,

"Take Laashi and run. If it's you, then you can do it!"

Yes. It's impossible, in two different levels.

"There's no point in trying to be a decoy. You'll just die a useless death against that guy."

Even if Kenie-san tries, the amount of time she can buy would most probably be very slight. He'll probably catch up before I can even reach a few blocks. Then it'll turn into the worst case scenario.

Probably the best choice here would be to run towards Kagushila at full speed together.

There's a risk of getting caught in the Ni <Miasma > but if we're lucky then one of us might get out. And if we leave the unconscious Laashi then it's possible for 2 to escape.

But Kenie-san will definitely not do that. Tsk, despite having a foul mouth she cares too much about others.

She won't leave her comrade Laashi behind.

"Just shut up. I won't be using the usual dog-arrows this time. I'll definitely do it a special favor before it can get me. So hurry up and run!"

"You won't be able to shoot again while moving if you miss with that crossbow! It's not a Kamikaze! So please hit. I won't last long you know!"

I slowly step backwards towards the street while keeping my eyes on it.

I won't look away even for a second. That thing’s the same as a beast. Lock eyes with it once and before you know it, it’ll charge straight at you. If that happened than our slim chance at escaping will totally become zero.

Ah, geez! Even for me, it’s still too reckless.

That scorpio-folk isn’t something I can defeat. If we made a bar graph of the dangers, then it would definitely break through the roof.

But still, I can’t let this person die. Kenie-san has been looking after me a lot. Kagushila is a city full of ruffians.

But even that place has a line one must not cross.

-I slowly concentrated my will power.

Just like how Kenie-san has her guardian angel, I also have a mean to protect myself.

It’s not something I had since birth. It was forcefully embedded in me in this <Kiengi>; I rather hated it.

But right now, I only had this to rely on.

Mainly from the neck and through the spine, some masses of heat congealed.

The foreign bodies that harmonised with me and he formless <Essences> of life and instinct.

It’s one of them that I need.

I roughly grasped the trick to awaken these formless <Essences>.

“Gilim Sua < Forest Hunter>”

As a sighed, I received an image from that existence.

The awakened Gilim Sua < Forest Hunter> touched my consciousness and blended in. The awakening also brought about physical changes.

I just can’t get used to this unpleasant feeling.

For example, if my consciousness could be compared to a lake than it feels like throwing a small animal in my surface of my consciousness. The reflected surface kept distorting with giant ripples.

Even after the ripples settle, the small animal keeps on swimming which creates small waves and my mind remains dim.

Gilim Sua < Forest Hunter> is a hunter <Essence> from the cat family.

This fellow’s instincts are too ephemeral. It takes quite the effort even if I concentrate while it’s awake.

It gets distracted by things in the immediate vicinity so its thinking is too half-hearted.

But a handicap like that is a small price to pay.

My perception sharpens dramatically. A tickle runs through the body like when numbness solves, and the flesh and tendons go through changes. <Aspect>, a black crest-like pattern pops out from under the skin.

And the body jolts 2 to 3 times as if to settle down.

.....Alright. It’s done.

“It’s impossible to bring it down. All I can do is to create an opening so I’m counting on you nyaa”

My legs cramped as I thought what to do nyext. One can’t fool oneself even if he tries to brush it off with jokes. But if my legs stop because of hesitation then that’s certainly the end.

“You idiot! Wait, Souya!”

The nyaa-lingo did not get through to the American Kenny at all. Serious responses are is prohibited.

After running a few steps, I used the fence to jump.

Approximately three meters till reaching the flat roof at the edge of the street. Here is where Reed length width in the wind.

Since Gilim Sua < Forest Hunter> is awake right now, it’s the same as striding.

I land like a cat using all fours.

And in a flash, a right hand accompanied by black gouging killing intent came flying.

Without stopping, I did a forward roll. A giant hole was drilled by that huge needle on the spot where I landed.

“That was close!!”

A cold shiver ran up my spine as if cold water was poured on it. Holy crap, that, it’ll be over even if it just grazed me.

I pulled out an iron hatchet from my back in a half kneeling position.

On top of costing a lot of money, it’s a thick item that took one month to reach completion.

But before that scorpion-folk in front of me, its profound heaviness seemed completely insignificant. I wonder if this is what they call Axe of the Praying mantis.

Confronting it head on, the pressure from this guy is overwhelming.

It was rushing over from the opposite roof while grinding its legs.

There was only a two meter gap between the roofs so it won’t be an obstacle for that guy. Raising its stomach while spreading both of the scissors wide, it drew near in a menacing manner to block my escape.

Cornering the prey, it’s the style of a hunter. It probably saw me as nothing but a small prey waiting to be killed.

Underestimating me!....Well actually I’m not so self-conceited to hold a grudge because of that. This situation, if it came down to this I would have prefered if you took me even more lightly as you can.

‘’’....O’ Lord Zarinnu. O’ ‘Black Rampart’. The gifts, The offering which is rich with life, the one summoned by the great sanctuary and fate, I shalt offer to thou......’’’’

“Quit joking! I’ll pass on being a sacrifice.”

But while I say that, this fellow is the same as me.

A life handled as an object with ominous sorcery casted on,

『Dr.Frankenstein’s Monster』

This fellow who is serving a god in delight and me which got to keep his human appearance, I wonder which is the truly pleased one.

---Oh crap. This is the problem with Gilim Sua<Forest Hunter>. I end up thinking about pointless stuff in seconds.

Concentrate! Concentrate!

It came within striking distance accompanied by the click-clack sounds of its arthropod legs, and it stood right in front of me.

“Shi-.....!!”

Already?! its timing.

I killed the impulse to run away screaming. My breathing stopped because of the tension and fear.

The face looking down at me from over three meters above, showed a smile like a child pricking the wings of an insect.

The huge body moved while leaving afterimages of that delighted expression. It covered my field of view like a black avalanche, a simple movement to catch the prey.

The strike without any wasted movement had the touch of an expert.

Normally in this motionless position without any prior preparations, I would get clobbered without getting the chance to respond in front of the savage drawing near at maximum speed.

But it’s a different story now since Gilim Sua<Forest Hunter> is awakened.

If I concentrate, I can achieve dynamic vision so powerful that my bodily sensations start to feel lagging behind since I’m furnished with reflexes capable enough to respond to that.

I leaped back from the wind tearing right-scissor coming in from the flank and while the chomping sound of the scissors reached my ears, I dodged the giant needle striking from above while bending my body.

Once again, the right scissor repeated. This time it was trying to mow down.

I barely threw down my body and rolled to the side to gain some distance.

Anyhow, we ended up where we started.

“Haa, Haa”

I exhaled the hot air that was accumulated in my lungs. It felt like I raised my face after dipping it in a washbasin.

After only once, I was already breathing hard after that short exchange of less than 5 seconds.

But-------Alright! I can see it!

When I first encountered these savage beasts in this wasteland, I learnt something. These beasts don’t play around when hunting.

The existence of prey is directly connected to life and death. That’s why, the movements they make during their attack is their Max-speed.

In other words, since I could dodge this one, I won’t at least lose in speed.

For me it’s like the last strand of hope, I could even smile to this.

In the end what affects carnage is one’s constitution.

No matter how much the lightweight me slashes at that thing, I don’t think I can even make it budge.

On the other hand, all the enemy has to do is lightly brush his scissors.

That’s more than enough to send me flying like trash and the winner would be decided.

What’s left for me is waiting for death.

It might sound unfair but that’s the truth of battles.

Indecisive actions will lead to that sooner or later. If one wants to live, then there’s no other choice but to bet everything on keenness while not being outdone.

And that’s as soon as possible.

"Hey, what’s the matter Scorpion monster-freak? Are you even serious? It’s like you’re in slow motion.”

In any case, while taunting it, I turned my left hand behind my back and showed a thumbs-up.

It’s not like it was a blind escape. Our standing position where the previous rooftop which was separated by the avenue is now behind me.

Currently the human part of the scorpio-man should be completely visible from there.

It’s time, Kenie-san.

Rather than from a voice, the answer came as a piercing sound of a crossbow.

Ok. I did what I could.

It chased after me while leaving cracks of the roofs, like a replay of before.

Like a replay of before.

It reeled out its scissors like a huge iron lump. Swaying back at the last second, I saw the right scissor gouging the airspace before me.

Its tail came in like a whip. But I managed to dodge it by bending my body.

This is it! Matching the time when it dropped its guard just for a second to prepare the next attack, I jumped.

Forward!

Grabbing the thick tail above me with my left hand to jump and with my right hand I felt the weight of the hatched brandished.

“Drop deeaaaad!!!”

The fear from being cornered and the unwillingness to kick the bucket! Using the two impulses as strength, I slashed towards the cranium of the darkish scorpion-man.

“Ugh!”

But the well-timed full powered strike was obstructed by its raised arm. The power was largely chipped away.

Though the hatched blade gouged into its left arm and bald head, it wasn’t deep enough to be fatal. Shit!

This is hopeless!

The hatched blade was stuck. Hopelessly letting it go, I kicked its stomach to jump backwards. The scorpion-folk whos face was now dyed red in blood was unexpectedly having a hard time dealing with its prey. It was even injured.

The completely upright upper body suddenly bent down.

Because of my heightened vision, I could see the moment when the crossbow arrow pierced its flank while leaving behind only the outlandish arrow-feathers on the outside.

Boom! The scorpion-folk’s flank burst open.

That misshapen arrow was Kenie-san’s trump card. That is, that ugly and thick arrow which is moulded into a shape of a person. By making the tip of the foot as the arrowhead, the bronze fetish which is the head and the torso is acting as the shaft. It is uglier than regular thick arrows and it is an item which would be even harder to make it fly straight.

And the range isn’t long either.

But its axis has tightly engraved cuneiforms.

It was a Me<Reason> of flame burst personally engraved by the great Mashyumash<Great Exorcist> Laashi.iL, and its power was tremendous.

And its power was tremendous.

The explosion blew apart the scorpion-folk’s right chest and underarm, along with some internal organs.

The torn apart right arm flew in space, with the pieces of meat and spray of blood in motion. I looked at it with a feeling of self-satisfaction.

Hell yeah! It freaking worked! Now, time to scram! I’m outta here!

But the next moment, as if abandoning my previous thoughts right there, my body also flew in the air.

“Ugh.....uh....!!”

Crack! The sounds of bone thoroughly being broken resounded in my brain. And all my senses blew apart, immediately, at that limit breaking anguish.

I only realized after being blasted away like a torn rag that the scorpion-man, without caring about its wound on the upper body used its left scissor to mow me down.

And a pain as if my body was being torn to pieces hit me as soon as I understood what happened. My mouth tasted like iron as blood spewed out.

My lung is probably filled with blood and the acute pain is killing me.

Both the inside and outside of my body seemed to have turned into a giant mass of pain so I can’t quite measure how much damage was done.

The link keeping my body and mind together is breaking apart. My body won’t respond to my will. It looks like all of my cells have been hijacked by pain.

All my body’s doing is convulsing in pain, I can’t even lift a finger.

“Souya! Stand up! Get out of there!”

Sorry. That’s impossible. I messed up.

Though I can’t even speak right now. All I can do now is look up with a blurred vision and pant.

That’s my limit.

The patterns on my skin are changing, it looks like snake scales now. Mushyumaph < Hydra >’s <Aspect> was activated and it tried to fasten my life. The Greek mythological beast, the Lernaean Hydra. It’s said that even if you cut off one of its heads another one will grow to take its place. With its great regenerative abilities it started to heal my wounds.

The Gilim Sua < Forest Hunter > retreated already. An <Essence> that only possessed ‘instinct’ was quite sensitive to life crisis.

In the worst case scenario, the Mushyumaph < Hydra >’s <Aspect> pushes aside other activated <Aspects> and activates itself automatically.

My bodily sensations became a bit dulled, but the pain started to fade too. If the doctors from the modern age saw the Mushyumaph < Hydra >’s regenerative power then without a doubt they’d dissect me for experiments.

But...I don’t think Mushyumaph < Hydra > will finish in time.

The sky above was filled with stares scattered like the grains of sand and a full moon.

But the scorpion-folk popped in my line of vision.

Its human portion was leaking entrains, both arms were turned into scrap and the wound on its head was still spilling fresh blood.

「…… O’ Lord Zalinnu. Thy prophecy hath been fulfilled. I congratulate thy blessings, I dedicate thy offerings......」

The poisonous needle above its expressionless face was starting to vibrate.

In Babylon, people died like trash. Will that also happen to me? Me too?

In the middle of nowhere? Without being able to return home?

“Ugh......”

Disappointment and solitude welled up in my chest uncontrollably. I killed the urge to cry out.

Why on a day like this? What the hell did I do to deserve this?

Dad, Mum. Sakura. Sorry. I won’t be coming back.

Ahh~ Just once is fine. I just wanna go back home, and say “I’m back”, and have a nice meal with my family.

But the shinigami’s needle didn’t come down no matter how long I waited. As I gazed up, I saw that the scorpion-man wasn’t looking at me, but the southeastern sky.

Why? What happened?

I managed to turn my neck bearing the sharp pain enough to make me scream.

And I was finally able to see it.

A star? no. Fire? But the radiation is too much for that.

A vivid mad red coloured light was burning with the starry sky in the background brighter than even the stars themselves.

The surrounding clouds reflected the red light as if in only that corner of the sky dusk descended.

That’s around Kagushila.

I know that, there’s no way I wouldn’t know it. That was her Meram < Radiance > The gods living in <Kiengi>, Nephill’s wear, the aura of the gods.

It’s Raquell.

“.....Ask thou to name thyself, <Wings of Twilight>, ‘O great Meram < Radiance >…”

The scorpion-man was muttering as usual, he seemed to have been taken in by that scorching brilliance.

And then its blank expression looked down towards me. For the first time I could see a movement there- it was hesitation.

I gathered up all my willpower one last time and returned a glare. I was bluffing.

Even for me that’s too egoistic. Now that there’s a hope of survival, I just don’t want to let that fellow witness a pathetic side of me.

It felt like an eternity, but actually only a few moments passed.

Then.... the scorpion-folk stepped back.

As I followed its movements, it just moved towards the edge of the roof and jumped down from the fence. Just like that, it just left and vanished.

The click-clack sound of the arthropod legs could still be heard from the other side of the darkness.

I suddenly realized.

Ah! AAAHHH! W-Wait a goddamn minute! At least return that hatched stuck to your left hand! No, I mean, please give it back.

I beg you.

Of course my selfish request didn’t reach it and soon even the sounds dissipated.

The tension abruptly vanished, and all strength left my body. I sighed peacefully. But that’s all it took to jolt up my chest in sharp pain.

“Argh.....ugh....ouch....”

Ah, I lived. No rather, I was saved, by Raquell.

“Oi! Are you still alive?!”

Anyhow I raised my unharmed left hand and signalled Kenie-san on the opposite roof that I was okay.

“Are you okay--?”

Thumbs Up confirmation. But being beat up to this point, I’ll probably take 2 to 3 hours to recover enough to move.

“Hey that was a really close one right? Did you see that light? That guy ran away with its tail behind its legs. That was Goddess-sama right? So you really did have her grace! Ahahaha!”

That’s right I guess. But I’m conflicted as I said before that I didn’t really need to rely on her. I’ll have to silence Kenie-san again before we head back to Kagushila.

As I turned to look again, the blazing light from before had already disappeared.

It hasn’t been even a few minutes since the battle started but the Eastern sky had already become a bit pale.

It was daybreak.

It was daybreak.

There was no place for dusk in the dawn sky.

Soon the dazzling sun will rise from the horizon and the drifting <Miasma> will also dissipate, following the night.

By then I’ll probably recover enough to walk.

But the main problem comes after that. Just how should I face her?

Should I be mad? Or should I thank her?...well, whatever. But wait, there’s still more. I’ll think of a solution while I lie here.

And after I decide on something, let’s head back to Kagushila.

Back to that noisy city, where that girl, the little goddess will come to receive me. To the only place I can call home right now.

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