Ch.207NPC and Spirit Contractor (4)

Within the 20-minute time limit, defeat the field boss. Though no penalty is written, considering the previous tasks, failing likely means returning to the entrance. For short-lived humans, a time-related penalty would be devastating.

“Miho, Chikuyo. I’ll handle this alone. Please guard Salt Non.”

Unlike the [Hyper-Acidic Slime], my specs and the situation have changed.

Back then, that creature was like the embodiment of life’s unfairness—something I couldn’t use magic against or handle. But [King Ghoul] is different.

My fists will connect properly, and dodging its attacks won’t be difficult.

Being undead might make it hard to kill completely, but it’s not a [Wraith] type—it has a physical form. I just need to crush its head, tear off its limbs, and keep pounding until its HP drops.

I loosened my shoulders as I approached the [King Ghoul], which had clearly been injured fighting other Elf Elders.

[King Ghoul: Level 390]

[HP: 192,182]

“With 20 minutes, I’ll easily—”

“Wait!!”

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to step past the sign, when the creature’s arm twitched as if ready to attack once I took one more step, Chikuyo’s voice stopped me. Comically, both the monster and I froze in place like we’d been paused.

What? It doesn’t attack if I don’t cross the line?

“Jack, let us sisters handle this one.”

“…But there’s a 20-minute time limit?”

“I agree with my sister. Let us fight first. If it doesn’t work out, then you can take over.”

As Chikuyo insisted they would handle it, Miho joined in and started clenching her fists.

Not understanding why they suddenly wanted to fight, I tilted my head in confusion, and Miho spoke up.

“Jack, the reason you came here is for the [Spirit King], right?”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, I had told Miho about what happened in the mental world before coming here. And seeing Chikuyo nodding slightly at Miho’s words, it seems they’ve already shared that information. So, you two…

“You might have to fight the Spirit King.”

“I don’t think the Spirit King, who rules over the [Supreme Spirits] considered transcendent legends, would be weak enough for you to waste energy on an opponent like this.”

The two of them looked at me with determined eyes, gripping their fists and swords, and after seeing their sparkling eyes and status windows…

“Alright. Exactly 10 minutes. If you can’t take it down in 10 minutes, I’ll step in.”

“Okay!!”

“Good.”

I stepped back and hoisted Salt Non onto my back again. Chikuyo and Miho smiled at me brightly like children who’d received birthday presents, then began approaching the creature.

“…Fight the Spirit King? Are you saying there might be a Spirit King with the Spirit Master?”

“Ah, I didn’t tell Salt Non? My goal isn’t really about the Spirit Master. It’s the Spirit King beside her.”

“To think you didn’t mention such important information…”

“No. I tried to tell you, but you’re the one who said you didn’t care as long as it was the Elder’s orders.”

“……”

When I hit him with facts, he grimaced as if I was being underhanded, and I just raised the corner of my mouth in a smile that said, “So I’ve come all this way, are you going back alone?”

He finally let out a deep sigh at my shameless attitude and changed the subject.

“Do you think those two can win against that thing?”

“Well, if there wasn’t a time limit, I think they could definitely win.”

“…In my opinion, the other Elders probably couldn’t overcome it either.”

“Those wounds on its armor—you think they were inflicted by other elves?”

“Yes, one of the Elders was said to have swordsmanship similar to Elder Green Stone. I heard he hadn’t mastered [Wind Riding], but he was quite strong in his own right.”

As the two women began coordinating something in front of the sign, Salt Non, who made no effort to hide his concern, spoke up.

“They’re your women, aren’t you? Aren’t you afraid they’ll get hurt?”

“Of course I am. I’m worried enough that I’d consider it a lifelong sin if either of their faces got even a scratch.”

“…Then, why not put me down and join the fight yourself…”

“I’d actually like to do that.”

After moving far back with the worried Salt Non to a wall where we wouldn’t get caught in the battle, I set him down and continued speaking as I watched the two women cross past the sign.

“Honestly, I’m a bit curious. I want to see how much stronger these adorable, lovely sisters who agreed to accompany me have become.”

“…What?”

[-Job Magic Swordsman-: Level 301 Name: Chikuyo. Age 22.]

[Strength: 310]

[Agility: 501]

[Intelligence: 102]

[Luck: 142]

[HP: 4,982]

[MP: 703]

[New Skill!: Fox Spirit Phantom Sword]

[Skills: Fox Spirit Sword. First Strike Victory. Area Detection. Ideal Wife. Mental Reinforcement. Protect the Pack. Fox Spirit Phantom Sword.]

[-Job Striker-: Level 323 Name: Miho. Age 20.]

[Strength: 352]

[Agility: 468]

[Intelligence: 68]

[Luck: 200 MAX]

[HP: 6,128]

[MP: 422]

[New Skill!: Partial Beast Transformation.]

[Skills: Preemptive Strike. Back Attack. Sharp Claws. Flawless Combo. Master’s Will. Complete Presence Concealment. Partial Beast Transformation.]

Ever since I deliberately shared the Elder’s final experience points with them, and especially after Miho returned from her trial with stats that surpassed even her sister, I’ve been constantly wondering how strong these two have become.

The current situation, where they’re offering to face the field boss out of concern for me, not only fills me with gratitude but also satisfies my small curiosity?

Watching the silver and crimson figures dash across the ground, I raised the corner of my mouth toward Salt Non, proudly showing off my women.

*

“Guooooooo…”

-Thud. Kuuung!!!

“It’s not very fast.”

As Chikuyo lightly kicked off the ground and retreated, the large armored ghoul raised its massive arm to strike downward in pursuit.

-Thwack!!

“Guoooo?”

“Its attack pattern isn’t much different from a human’s either.”

Before its arm could fall, Miho, who had completely circled behind it using her presence concealment skill, kicked the ghoul’s leg, making it stagger. The creature slashed at the air with its arm, not knowing what had hit it.

“Fox Spirit Sword.”

-Swish swish swish!!

Chikuyo’s sword drew elegant curves across the staggering creature’s thigh, leaving wounds but nothing more. The King Ghoul swung its arm again at the crimson beast-person who had attacked it, but she easily jumped back to avoid it.

“My, I was planning to cut it off. It’s thicker and harder than I expected.”

“Sister, didn’t your sword strike just come from three directions? The last one even cut from behind?”

“Hehe, you noticed? It seems I’ve grown quite a bit since fighting the Grand Elder.”

[Fox Spirit Sword Effect: All normal attacks generate follow-up attacks. (Currently +3)]

Chikuyo didn’t know that her swordsmanship gained an additional attack for every 100 levels. Though surprised by her unusual growth rate, she was controlling her sword perfectly.

“Hehe. I’ve been feeling all fluttery in my chest and stomach from seeing Jack’s various sides today, and I was actually thinking I wanted to show off a bit too. Luckily, I got the chance.”

“…Sister. You know, right?”

“O-Of course I know! Miho comes first, absolutely!! I’ll even hold off on getting pregnant until you have your first child?!”

Chikuyo’s ears drooped in alarm at her sister, who somehow looked a bit darker after her trial. Miho gave her sister a sidelong glance before dashing forward again.

The sisters easily dodged the ghoul’s pursuing punch, and as Miho climbed up the wall, the ghoul completely lost sight of the silver-white tiger.

‘Sister and I used to hunt like this a lot when we were young.’

She recalled the distant memories of hunting bears and boars twice their size to survive after what happened to their parents.

Though she had recently begun to feel betrayed by her sister Chikuyo and found herself treating her harshly without realizing it, Miho knew well that the reason was her sense of crisis—feeling threatened by her sister’s beautiful appearance and strength that could captivate eyes despite being a female like herself.

-Swish swish! Clang!!

“Ugh, it can block with its armor? This is tougher than I thought.”

As Chikuyo continued her sword strikes from the front, drawing the creature’s attention while the ghoul gradually pressured her with its massive bulk, Miho jumped over the ghoul’s head and thought.

‘The white tiger, said to be born once every thousand years—I confirmed in my trial why white tiger beast-people are the strongest.’

In a past era similar to Jack’s trial, though at a slightly different time, she had clearly learned what she lacked, how to draw out a beast-person’s strength, and what the advantages of being a white tiger beast-person were from her beast ancestor.

Yes, what she had wished for in her trial was to understand her nature of being able to seduce anyone within three days. And also…

“Kyaooo!!!”

-Slash!!!

“Guoooogh?!!”

[Skill: Partial Beast Transformation]

[Beast transformation that doesn’t lose rationality. Hands and feet change appearance. (Adds additional damage equal to x0.5 of all stats.)]

[Skill: Sharp Claws]

[Sharp Claws Effect: During beast transformation, hands and feet take on beast form. Nails become as hard as steel, and strength becomes as powerful as a beast’s. (Strength stat +100)]

It was a trial to fulfill her wish to become a female worthy of Jack, one who wouldn’t be a hindrance to him.

Though she couldn’t achieve perfect beast transformation, she had spent a week with her ancestor—who was like a mother to her—learning hunting and combat methods, and how to handle the beast within her. That power was enough to tear even the neck of the field boss [King Ghoul].

“…My. She’s my little sister, but she’s amazing. Beast transformation already at her age?”

“Grrrr… The experience from when I turned beast-like before might have helped…”

“Right! What was that all about?! You said you’d tell me about that… Ah!”

-Whoosh! Kuuung!!!

Despite the attack that would have instantly killed a normal opponent, the [King Ghoul] continued its assault unscathed.

Miho felt slightly relieved that the ghoul had interrupted Chikuyo’s question, and continued her attacks at tremendous speed. The wounds on the ghoul’s body widened greatly, and the armor that had even blocked Chikuyo’s sword began to tear like paper.

Seeing this, Chikuyo thought:

‘…Really, where did the little sister I needed to protect go? All that’s left is a female tiger stronger than me.’

Though her number of sword strikes had increased and both power and speed had improved, her attacks weren’t properly affecting the ghoul compared to Miho’s current state.

The fact that she couldn’t cut off its thigh with her first attack clearly showed her lack of power.

‘…I can’t suddenly develop a way to build more muscle strength now.’

However, leaving everything to her little sister wasn’t an option.

Even now, Miho’s attacks were effectively landing on the creature, but it was ignoring Chikuyo’s attacks as if they weren’t worth bothering with, focusing all its effort on pursuing Miho. And above all:

‘I promised Miho would be next, but if I get pushed back by all the other females besides Miho, the name of “big sister” will cry.’

Though she didn’t think combat ability was the only way to prove her worth as a female to Jack, according to Miho, there was a human with intelligence incomparably better than hers or Miho’s, and another strong, attractive woman who wielded a sword excellently.

Moreover, the combat power of the golem targeting Jack was enough to subdue Miho with one hand.

Among such formidable females, showing inferior combat ability would be like saying she was willing to be left behind.

‘I have no intention of doing that.’

Having quickly organized her thoughts, she considered the maximum attack she could currently perform.

Not seeking what she didn’t have, but making what she did have stronger, faster, and “more”—that would reduce the lack of power.

-Pluck pluck pluck!!

“Ah-choo!♡”

An action hard to believe from someone who meticulously maintained her luxurious, glossy tail, even after transforming one strand of her sword into it.

Pulling out “a handful” of tail fur with her bare hands sent a shock like lightning through her tailbone, spine, and head.

Nevertheless, she didn’t feel uncomfortable with the sudden knowledge that this was what she needed to do right now. Because:

“Hehe. It’s exactly like when I mastered the Fox Spirit Sword.”

She doesn’t know her own skills. Jack never told her, and she never asked the chief. She just used them because she “knew how.” Skill activation from innate combat sense was familiar to her.

“Miho!!!”

“Yes!!”

Miho, who had performed an incredible feat of receiving and deflecting the giant ghoul’s swing with both hands, jumped and kicked the staggering creature’s behind, sending it toward Chikuyo.

Hehe, such a cute sister. Smiling at my little sister who trusted me just like when we used to hunt bears together, I scattered a handful of tail fur into the air.

“I’ll call this technique… [Fox Spirit Phantom Sword].”

“Guoooooo!!!”

Watching the creature approach me after being pushed by Miho, I flicked my fingers and transformed all the numerous tail hairs into swords. And then:

“Fox Spirit Phantom Sword.”

-Clang clang clang thud thud thud⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯!!!

I precisely struck the handle of each sword with [Fox Spirit Sword], embedding them all into the creature’s body one by one, stitch by stitch, then lightly slipped between its legs to avoid it.

-Claaang!!! Slaaaash!!

“Guaaaaargh?!!!”

Striking the embedded sword handles forcefully to tear them through, I created large lacerations on the creature’s legs. Not stopping there, I began striking all the other embedded swords with Fox Spirit Sword, and the creature’s body started to be literally shredded.

-Kuung!! Thud!!

“That’s one arm and one leg down.”

“As expected of my sister!!”

Looking at the creature’s ragged, fallen limbs—not exactly clean cuts, but detached nonetheless—I spoke. When my sister, with her beast-transformed hands and feet, cheered, I unconsciously made a small V-sign with my fingers.