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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 85 Part 2

*Knock, knock* I’m awakened by the sound of the door being knocked.

「Funi~….」

Nodoka, using my right arm as a pillow, is half-awake, making a voice that sounds like a kitten.

The others, Mirin, Shinobu, and Serie, are also clinging to me, lying on top of each other.

Shizuka, resting her head on my left shoulder, is firmly securing her special seat.

The bungalow’s bed is of a single size, so it’s small, or rather it’s heavy.

And then, it’s quite hot and humid.

「Haa… Touma, are you awake?」

「Yeah.」

Seiichi, who has come out to deal with it, shows a sort of serious look on his face.

Along with Shizuka, who has woken up with me but feigned sleep, I get out of bed and dress myself.

「Is there, some kind of trouble?」

「Maybe.」

Leaving alone Mai and the quartet who are sleeping like a log, we sit down in front of the chabudai.

Shizuka-san, who pours us tea from the heat-retaining pot even without me having to say a word, is such a mommy.

「It seems that there are students whose whereabouts can’t be located.」

「Hmm.」

In that sense, Seiichi, Shizuka and Mai should also be missing from their original groups.

Or rather, where did the group to which I and the quartet originally belonged go, I wonder?

Originally, that group should have been using this bungalow.

「That may be related to it, too. It seems that that are even cases where the entire groups in the bungalows have disappeared.」

「It’s as if they’re being spirited away, isn’t it?」

Shizuka, pouring me another cup of tea, quietly mutters as such.

「I don’t know, but… Looks like we’d better make our move as soon as possible, too. We’ll no longer be able to move if they call for a gathering or take a roll call.」

「Yeah. In any case, I don’t intend to take it easy. Let’s get this done before the day is over.」

「I understand. Let’s get ready at once.」

Shizuka-san the mommy heads to wake up the quartet.

Yes, we already know what we ought to do.

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「Kkeaaa!」

Piercing through the dome of trees, I run up to the top of the woodland.

Crooking my held aloft right arm into a 『く』 shape, I slam my biceps (flying lariat), which have turned into an iron mass, into its neck.

The neck of the『Komakiji (Guardian Pheasant)』, which was about to make a sharp turn while scattering leaves about, lets out a bone cracking sound.

Even if it sports a huge body of over five meters in length, it’s ultimately just a bird.

The strength of the bones is flimsy.

Riding the falling down Komakiji, I return into the woodland.

「Ma-ma-ma, 『Magic Bullet』!」

「Yup, yup. That’s a nice one. But you have to, more like, accumulate your power with an oomph, and then shoot it out with a boom!」

We’re having Mai instruct Nodoka, the『Super Beginner (Multi-Novice)』.

There seems to be tricks when it comes to activating magic skills, so it should be gratifying to be taught by a senior of the class.

It sounds a little bit like a Mikan language, though.

Picking up the magatama from the dissolving Komakiji, and I decide to watch over the battle against the last divine beast『Komainu (Guardian Dog)』 that attacked us at the same time.

「I, I’m coming.」

「Hiii.」

「It’s, a little hard for us, it is.」

The one who is confronting and holding it down head-on, wielding his daggers in two swords style, is Seiichi.

For us, who have gotten experienced in fighting against strong enemies, this level of monsters are no more than prey we can hunt solo.

Moreover, perhaps Seiichi has also learned how to use GP, as every time a high-speed sword flash is launched at it, the GP barrier of the Komainu is being chipped away.

「There is no need to force yourself to charge at it. Don’t be afraid, do make yourself to be able to observe your opponent calmly.」

Shizuka-san, in her mommy mode, is instructing the three who are similarly of the rear guard classes.

「First of all, make yourself not to be a burden to others. And then, find out what you can do.」

The words of Shizuka-san, who once tripped over nothing and created a pinch, are heavy.

I feel like I’m being glared at with reproachful eyes, but one mustn’t take their eyes off the enemy.

「It’s the end… 『Doll Decapitation (Daisy Cutter)』!」

Seiichi, jumping into the chest of the Komainu, swings out the two swords on both of his hands as if they were crossed.

The head of the Komainu, which is physically beyond the reach of the blades, falls down smoothly.

He seemed to be shouting the name of some kind of Chuuni-ish special move, but I ought to ignore it here in the good graces of a good friend.

「Well, it’s something like this, huh… Though, it still doesn’t feel quite right even now.」

「That’s a cool special move.」

「!… So noisy. Shut up.」

Seiichi, who is picking up the magatama, is red all the way to the tips of his ears.

What a shy guy he is.

「Well, I guess that’s all right. There is no need to be furious or frightened. Just be sure to do what you have to do.

「Y, yes. Onee-sama.」

「I, I understand, I do. Shizuka-nee-sama.」

「Understood. Shizu Onee-sama.」

Somehow, that side is so Lily.

These girls also have a role to play, so I’m grateful that Shizuka is training them, even if it’s impromptu.

Without the combined efforts of all of them, we won’t be able to break through to the last event.

We’ve collected all the necessary parts.

It’s about time to go see Spirit-san.

◇ ◇ ◇

　The depth of the small cave.

The back door that Touma stepped through was leading to the『Misogi Altar (Self-shaving Altar)』.

This was the place where only participating female students were taken on the last day of the outdoor school for the secret rites.

In case one was in the state of having their flesh and mind stimulated due to being in the dungeon space over the extended period of two weeks.

The overload that occurred on the body and mind would end up reaching a level where it clouded the consciousness.

Much less to say, all the more so if they continued to engage in the act of reproduction, which was an act that excited one’s mind.

This occurrence appeared more noticeably in those who were in the incomplete state, namely those of the lower levels, whose strength of the flesh and mind was low.

However, possessing low levels meant that they were stable as corporeal beings in the material world.

It could be said that their corporeal organs as living beings were functioning perfectly.

Inside the bodies of these girls who had been released from the academy’s dungeon as well as Rashomon, the function that should have been originally there began to work.

It quickly began to prepare and sprout within them.

The role of these girls, who had lost their egos, was no more than the currency dwelling in their bodies.

Hence, the『shaving oneself』 purification (misogi) ritual.

It was a heretical ritual.

「Err, wait a minute, okay. Can I confirm one more time?」

「Yeah.」

Touma nodded at Mai, who pressed her fingers against her temples.

「The divine beasts (guardians) that Touma-kun and we defeated were the keys to unlocking the so-called beckoning god-sealing barrier that exists in the underground of this place.」

「Yeah.」

「And then, that barrier thingy was originally created in order to seal the boss monster of this『Iwado Woodland』.」

「Apparently.」

It was no more than a coincidence (irregular) that a stall spirit was beckoned there.

It was also no more than a coincidence (irregular) that due to the addition of the higher being, it exceeded the barrier’s designed tolerance level and began to cause distortion.

Guess it could also be said to be no more than a coincidence (irregular) that the boss monster, which was pushed out, became assimilated with the barrier and turned into a guardian of the realm gate (gatekeeper), which guarded the barrier itself.

Given the nature of the barrier, it was also for that reason that they had deliberately arranged low-ranked『negotiators and low-leveled students who did not meet the condition to activate the barrier』.

「The aforementioned boss monster we have to fight in order to break the barrier is….」

「Yamata no Orochi, huh. Looks like another big guy has appeared.」

「I guess it’s not the real deal. Most likely, someone had imitated the legend and made use of it in the sealing of the boss monster, I guess.」

「Eh~, that’s too much of a bother….」

「In short. Cleaning up after that person’s mess?」

「I, I’ve never even seen things like a boss monster, you know~.」

「She’s right. Toma-sama, Shizu Onee-sama, to be honest, I don’t think we can be of any help, though….」

「It might be hard to fight it head-on.」

Touma, who had removed the rock blocking the back door, agreed.

Shizuka, who was proposing the strategy, then continued.

「Yes. Exactly, if it is Yamata no Orochi, I can think of a way to defeat it.」

「I see… In other words, are you saying that we should imitate the legend of Susanoo-no-Mikoto?」

The only one who nodded was Seiichi.

Incidentally, Touma did not understand either.

「Hey, you’ve got to explain it to us too!」

「Yeah, in short, what’s it… Get it drunk by letting it drink sake, and then stealthily beat it to death.」

「… Isn’t that just too cowardly?」

Ultimately, the mythological heroic tales were something like that.

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