High School Hack and Slash Chapter 86 Part 1
What to Pay
「Ahh. That’s a no.」
The time I received such a curt answer from Spirit-san was on the very day we met.
It was after I had finished listening to the information about the barrier and the boss monster.
However, I did not give up and continued to negotiate.
「I accepted your request to destroy the barrier and murder this Orochi whatnot.」
「Murder… Well, that’s certainly the case, but…」
「In return, once you’re freed, Spirit-san, just once, I’d like you to speak with my friend before you return to your rightful place.」
「Yup. No can do.」
A curt reply.
Spirit-san was one merciless person.
「That’s not it. I don’t particularly mind if it’s just to have a talk, but you see… The thing is, the moment this barrier is destroyed, I will also disappear along with it.」
Indifferently, she said such an outrageous thing.
Reaching her hand out from the counter, she tapped the megalith that had become one with the stall.
「This himorogi is the center and core of the barrier, you see. The moment you destroy the barrier, it’ll go like boom along with it. Well~, even if you don’t go to the trouble of destroying the barrier, it will go boom in the near future, though.」
Talk about a timely boom.
「The so-called a structural flaw of this Fucking barrier? Since it’s drawing in miasma endlessly, it’ll definitely reach its critical limit at some point. And to be frank, it’s reached its limit, you see. It’s like you never know when it’s going to go boom.」
Resting her face on her elbow on the counter, she opened the palm of her other hand with a snap.
「When that happens, Yamata no Orochi-chan that has built up its power will revive at full power. Perhaps it could easily do something like bringing this country into ruins. That’s why it’s better to defeat it now while it’s still stuck in the barrier.」
「It doesn’t really matter, though.」
「It doesn’t matter, huh….」
Leave such things to the Senpai sirs of the academy and the Self-Defense Forces.
「Doesn’t that mean destroying the barrier is equal to killing you, Spirit-san?」
「That’d be the case, I guess. Ah, no need to worry, though, it’s okay. We stall spirits are part of the dungeon system, and our causality is fixed as immortal beings, after all. Even if we do disappear, I bet we’ll be resurrected in the dungeon in a few star periods. I’m afraid that me won’t be me, though.」
「But…」
」Perish any useless human sentiments, okay. I also have my own pride as a stall spirit, you see. I’m fed up with playing the role of trading the lives of oblivious children. Moreover, go try and set me free as is. As the compensation of having been locked up here, I’ll destroy this world, after all!」
「It doesn’t really matter either, though.」
「Hey, you. Your tolerance level, isn’t it too high?」
Leave such things to the prime minister and the president.
Well, the person in question said it was okay, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s a somewhat unacceptable ending.
The boss is killed, the barrier is destroyed, Spirit-san can go back in good health, and if she can listen to Seiichi’s story while we’re at it, that would be even better.
I proposed such a convenient plan to Spirit-san.
「Hmm~… No can do. It’s beyond your authority (capacity). This dungeon and the barrier, you see…. They are already rooted in the dragon’s veins. In other words, they have become a part of this planet. Either way, it’ll be all for naught unless we break the barrier once and for all.」
「Well then, let’s do it in that direction.」
「… Holy… You, do you really know what that means?」
In fact, I didn’t really understand at the time.
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「Aah~. You’ve really come. You’re also an idiot, aren’t you?」
Without any sort of resistance, on the contrary, feeling as if I’m being pushed on the back, I arrive at the center of the Beckoning God-Sealing Barrier.
Spirit-san, who has been lounging with her elbows on the counter of the stall, greets me with an exasperated look on her face.
As expected, she’s a tiny Spirit-san.
I think she piles a zabuton on top of her chair.
「Since I promised you.」
「It can’t be helped. Specially, I’ll make you a cup of tea.」
Behind the counter, there is a small teapot, an electric kettle, and some tea cups and tea sweets.
Looks like she has arranged it all.
And, as usual, it’s a mystery as to where the electrical outlet is connected.
While drinking hōjicha served on the counter, I watch Orochi that’s gradually materializing from the inside.
「There seem to also be some pretty low-level girls there, but will be they all right, I wonder?」
「Yes. I’m sure my comrades will handle the follow ups there.」
Spirit-san, also sipping tea that she has poured for herself, is staring at the outside leisurely across the counter.
「Well, as long as they follow the steps correctly, I guess even those girls can defeat it, though. As far as the conquering method is concerned, it’s flawless, truly a perfect solution.」
As expected of the strategist, Shizuka-san is being praised highly.
「But the problem is after you defeat it. Do you really understand?」
「I understand the details.」
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「That, goddamn idiot… What the heck has he been entranced by?」
Seiichi, leaning forward from the shadow of a rock, spat.
Inside the tori gates, the swirling fog had already raised sickle heads, beginning to form slippery reptilian scales.
『No problem. Please proceed with the operation.』
「Shizuka, you….」
『Seiichi-san, can I ask you to take care of the head Touma-san in charge of, too? If you can’t, I’ll take it down myself, though.』
What were materializing, as if stretching its heads from the center in all directions, were thick, huge snake heads.
From its jaws, which looked as if they could swallow even a bear in one gulp, peeked a red, venomous, two-way tongue.
The snake eyes, glowing scarlet gold, stared at the barrels that had been ostentatiously arranged in front of the toriis.
「Fuck… I’ll do it. I’ll have him spit out everything later.」
『Feel free to.』
「Geez…『Shadow Warrior (Avatar)』.」
The figure of Seiichi, who was pressing his finger against his brow, blurred and split like a matching mirror.
The split Seiichi, uttering not a single word, promptly pulled a magic sword from the waist of the main body and dashed out.
The one controlling the fake body created by splitting the SP was none other than Seiichi’s main body itself.
The split body boasted similar physical ability and could also use skills, but its basic thinking was controlled by the mind of the user alone.
Although there was a need to constantly divide the thought and the main body’s ability was also reduced, it boasted a potential incomparable to that of a temporary and disposable『Doppelganger』.
Despite a few mishaps, the arrangement of the ambush was complete.
Yamata no Orochi, finally completely materialized, had manifested, raising its sickle-shaped heads from the gates of the eight-directional toriis.
Its body, with its neck stretched out in all directions, was a gigantic one comparable to the underground cave that was of the size of a baseball stadium.
Among the members hiding in the shade of rocks, the quartet, who had never faced a boss-class monster before, forgot to even hide their presence as they fought against their fear.
The heads of Orochi captured the existence of humans lurking in the shade of rocks.
This was due to the scent, which they could not hide, as well as its pit organ, which detected infrared rays.
However, more than that.
The sweet smell of the fragrant alcohol, which was by no means resistible, attracted Orochi’s heads.
The first head hung its head to the barrel and licked the bubbly liquid with the tip of its tongue.
Before long, all of the heads moved the faces toward the barrels and began to enjoy the bubbly liquid.
Compared to the body of Yamata no Orochi, even a barrelful of sake was akin to a small sake cup.
Even so, as it took its time, it repeatedly went lickylicky bubblybubly and lickylikcy bubblybubbly, while occasionally letting out bwaaap and burp.
Even as it eventually reached the magatamas that submerged at the bottom of the barrels, it still made it a priority to lick the remains at the corners of the bottom of the barrels with the tip of its tongues, regrettably.
*Pop, pop* The sound of magatamas bursting could be heard from inside the barrels.
It was the sound of the ancient seal breaking, which Yamata no Orochi had wished for.
It was the signal of liberation, the opening of the door, as the magatamas came into contact with the tongues of Yamata no Orochi, which was half-assimilated into the barrier.
However, be it the roar of joy, the unleashed impulse for destruction, and the hatred for the humans who sealed it.
All of it was blurry amidst the melty intoxication.
*Splash* The heads, dropping on the surface of the water, were beginning to let out peaceful breath.
『Could it be that, you see… Yamata no Orochi is as much of a lightweight drunker as Doggy-chan-senpai?」
At the sound of Mai’s exasperated voice heard through the Yorishiro doll, Seiichi, letting out a sigh, stood up.
The eight heads protruding from the eight-directional toriis were all dead drunk and asleep.
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NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
High School Hack and Slash
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 70 hours
Tftc