Ch.212NPC and Spirit Keeper (9)

“Fragment consciousness, this is the situation. I’ve done all I could. I want to go home now!!”

“Is that all you want?”

“Yes. I want to go back now. I can’t bear to see or hear any more. Just send us outside with that ghoul, without any penalties.”

The Spirit Master who lost all power and died in the game. But reality differs from games, and thanks to me killing Wrath and the Grand Elder, she’s now busy creating children (spirits). There’s nothing left for me to do. Let me go. I can’t stand watching this anymore!!

I spoke to the rectangular object to escape this insane situation, and she said she understood and would send us back…

“Excuse me, Spirit Master.”

“Hmm?”

“That thing, isn’t it looking at us?”

“Hmm?”

Somehow I realized the pounding sound had stopped, and the dark red doll that had been swaying its hips was now still, its head seemingly turned toward us. No, it couldn’t be. Right?

“Oh dear, I only cut the space without blocking the view. Seems we’ve been spotted.”

“…We haven’t done anything wrong, surely not.”

“You two aren’t the problem. The ghoul behind you is.”

The Spirit Master spoke as if the Spirit King’s reaction was expected, and I shouted in panic.

“Q-quickly! Send us back if we don’t need to fight that thing!!”

“It will take a bit more time. The energy the Spirit King was giving me has been cut off, so I’m a bit short on power…”

“Jack!!”

“What the hell?!”

As the Spirit Master continued her excuse that wasn’t really an excuse, the dark red doll leaped up from its spot and began flying toward us. Seeing this, Miho shouted urgently, and I immediately ran toward the ghoul.

“Get away!!!”

“W-wait…?!!”

-WHOOSH!!! BOOOM!!!

After throwing the ghoul away before the Spirit King could stomp on it, I retreated backward to avoid its footfall. Wait, I couldn’t pass through earlier, but the Spirit King gets a free pass?! What’s going on!!

“It was also using the Spirit King’s power.”

“Be honest. How much power do you have left right now?!”

“…Thinking the demon might attack again, I’ve reserved just enough of my true form’s power to birth the next Spirit Master.”

So she’s an empty can, and all this talk about tasks and spaces, and even the power needed for making children—she had nothing left and was maintaining everything with power transferred from the Spirit King? The Spirit Master was already dying according to the story?

I could feel the dark red figure looking at me after I rescued the ghoul, and Miho and Chikuyo, sensing the hostility in that gaze, immediately began preparing for battle.

“Miho! Chikuyo!! Protect the ghoul! Spirit Master, can you revive this?!”

I took out the pouch from my waist and threw it, but the rectangular object didn’t catch it, letting it fall to the ground before speaking.

“I’ve been saving power to birth the next Spirit Master. If I put it in there, the fragment would revive immediately.”

“Then let’s do that! Take the fragment and retreat for a moment…!!”

“One problem—I have no hands or feet to pick it up. I don’t even have enough power to extend branches.”

“Ah shit, Salt Non!!”

“Got it…!!”

Miho and Chikuyo immediately headed toward the ghoul, while Salt Non, with trembling hands that barely moved, picked up the fallen pouch, held it in his mouth, and began following the rectangular object.

From the beginning, I knew the Spirit Master wouldn’t have much power left. I figured if that tree hadn’t died and wouldn’t die in the future, she’d have enough power left to create the next Spirit Master, just like in the game.

As the situation began to unfold according to my expectations due to the Spirit King’s sudden movement, I addressed the dark red doll that was about 1.5 times my size.

“Spirit King. When I saw you as a fragment before, you were smaller than me, but now you’re bigger. Do you remember me?”

[…Spirit Master. Protect. Intruder. Undead, demon. Kill.]

“Shit, I should have known.”

Before, it spoke quite pleasantly, but now it’s speaking in choppy fragments like a defective AI, which isn’t very pleasant. It turned its dark red body toward me, clenched its fist, and began approaching, and I threw a punch to match its incoming attack.

-BOOM⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯!!

“Ugh?!!”

“Jack!!!”

“Don’t worry!! Protect the ghoul!!!”

It’s so damn solid!!!

Experiencing for the first time an incredible defensive strength and attack power that pushed me back, I looked at the Spirit King. It seemed surprised that I had blocked its attack and was clenching and unclenching its fist.

If I’m not careful, I might really get crushed by the Spirit King, not even a demon, and that would be the end?

-WHOOSH! CRACK! WHOOOSH!!

“Oh my god, what the hell?”

As I prepared to block it with all my might, it seemed to acknowledge me as a worthy opponent—its limbs began to burn, and rock gauntlets that looked incredibly solid formed beneath. Moreover, the wind around its head began to sharpen visibly, forming something like a helmet that covered its entire body. Well, I guess it makes sense that the Spirit King can use all spirit techniques…

-SLASH!!!

“Don’t tell me it can use all elements? No way, right?!”

A water blade like a beam saber forms on top of the burning gauntlet, gleaming brightly. Just looking at it, it feels like a water jet cutter? A falling leaf just touched it and was instantly shredded?!

However, ignoring my surprise, its battle preparations continued. On the opposite burning hand appeared an icy spike shield clearly intended to riddle me with holes. And the wooden vines wrapped around the shield were all burning but not disappearing, suggesting they were whips? On top of that, once the wind armor completely covered its body, it even began to float slightly in the air.

Hahaha. Crazy, is this for real? Just touching the ground with that wind created a crater?

“Jack!! Should we help?!!”

“Y-you don’t have to win! I don’t expect you to defeat such a monster!! Please!! Just stay alive with your limbs intact!!!”

Miho and Chikuyo’s worried voices pat my back. Haha, honestly, I don’t think I can win this either? If I had known, I would have gotten myself something like a Thanos gauntlet.

I might be mistaken for thinking I’m stronger than the Spirit King because I killed the Demon of Wrath, but I’m not such a fool. Back then, I had Avalitia’s support, and Wrath was weakened by a debuff in that realm of authority. No matter how I look at it, if Wrath in that state had met the current Spirit King, it would have been a one-turn kill.

[Intruder. Strong. Kill. Spirit Master. Protect.]

“Aaack?!!”

When the Spirit King swung its shield, the vines that looked like whips flew at me from all directions. I dodged with an acrobatic posture and retreated, but it had no intention of letting me escape and swung its sword without any wind-up. Shit, I think I’m a bit faster, but…!!

-SLASH!!!

“Ugh?!!”

“Jack!!!”

“Don’t worry!! Protect the ghoul!!!”

When I was cut by the water blade, Miho almost screamed, but only my upper clothing was torn off. Actually, it barely touched my clothes, but just grazing the edge caused it to be ripped away. If I don’t absolutely avoid touching that blade, I’ll end up like Shanks… no, like the limbless ghoul behind me!!

After that, the Spirit King continued to press me with perfect combinations, as if it had truly lost its reason.

If I dodge the sword, there’s the shield; if I dodge the shield, there are burning vines. If I knock away the vines without caring about the burns and retreat, it swings its arm without hesitation to tear me apart with wind blades. And if I dodge that with acrobatic movements, there’s immediately the water sword swung without warning. If I can’t escape this pattern, it’s 100% a pattern that will wear me down to death…!!!

“Stop this shit!!!”

-CLANG!!!

My prediction about the consistency of its combo was correct. When I punched the non-spiked part of the shield at the timing it would be swung, it hesitated with its next vine attack as if it hadn’t expected me to counter already. A gap appeared.

“Red does suit Shanks!!!”

Dodging the vines that belatedly flew at me, I charged toward the hand holding the water sword. Even if one arm gets cut off, it’s a spirit, so it should be fine, right?

When it noticed I was targeting its hand, it chose to counter rather than combo. After avoiding the water sword it swung with the flexible movement I learned from Elder Perna, I thrust my hand into the burning wind blade.

-SIZZLE!!! GRAB!!!

“Hot! Burning!! Hot!!! It’s burning!!!”

After my skin peeled off with a spray of blood, I grabbed its arm firmly and kicked the back of its knee to make it lose balance. Shit!! My foot is also burning!! It’s hot!!!

“But!! This is enough for a joint lock!!!”

I pulled down the off-balance Spirit King to throw it over, intending to dislocate its shoulder, then stepped on its back and twisted its arm backward. It began to move its vines in panic as its wind armor was penetrated, but I grabbed all the vines with my remaining hand and wrapped them around its arm. Wow, are these not getting cut by the wind because they’re tough? Or because they’re its own attack?

“You’re paying dearly for what you did to Ira’s chick!!”

[Spirit Master, protect. Demon. Kill. Undead, kill. Kill?!]

As it ranted like a broken AI, I wrapped the vines that extended from its neck around it, binding its hands and neck behind its back, creating a strange bondage posture like something from an adult anime from the islands. But I can’t stop with just this.

Because I don’t think the Spirit King is stupid enough to be defeated by its own attack.

“Still, a mere level thousand shouldn’t be able to beat me!!!!”

-CRACK!

[ARGH?!!]

[Spirit King: Level 3,000 (Status Ailments: Confusion, Rage, Desperation.)]

[HP: 76,3896]

⎯⎯⎯⎯

[new! -Job: Ira’s Brother- Level: 183 Name: Jack. Age: 20.]

[Strength: 902+100]

[Agility: 1260+100]

[Luck: 151+100]

[HP: 64,113]

[Intelligence: 7]

[MP: 1]

I forcibly subdue the Spirit King and try to break its shoulder with the intention of dislocating it—a Spirit King that probably would have utterly crushed me in a strength contest if I had stayed after killing the Grand Elder. Wait, I was really trying to dislocate it, but it won’t come out!!

I clearly remember my HP reaching 76,000, but it’s draining away even though I haven’t taken any real attacks, just from standing on the Spirit King. Shit, if I keep fighting like this, I’ll definitely lose?! I really need to get some armor or weapon later…!!!

“Jack!! Move your foot!! You’ll lose it at this rate!!!”

My foot stepping on the Spirit King’s back is in a sorry state—the skin is being torn away by the wind armor, and something white is starting to show.

HP reduction seems unrelated to physical condition, I think absently as I raise one hand high to give a thumbs up to Miho, telling her not to worry…

“Kyaaah?!! Jack! Your hand too!!! This is no time to be showing bone thumbs!!!”

“Damn it!! I can’t stand it!!! I’ll fight too!!!”

Damn, my hand must not be in good shape either. I meant to tell them not to worry, but seeing Chikuyo screaming and Miho half-transforming into her beast form, I can’t help but laugh. Haha! I used to think I had woman troubles, but now I can definitely say I have woman blessings.

Somehow, their worried voices make me feel like my pain is disappearing and strength is welling up. The former is probably because my flesh is all torn away and nerves are severed, and the latter is because I don’t want to worry the two of them.

“So, stop moving now!!!”

I raised my fist with exposed bone and struck the Spirit King’s back with all my might, and whether due to my fist or the Spirit King’s armor, an enormous crater formed that I’d never seen before, and the Spirit King’s techniques dissipated like an explosion.

Hah, shit. I won…

[…Kill. Intruder. Human. Spirit Master. Threat. Kill!!]

“Ah, shit.”

The Spirit King has a phase 2?! As it started burning black all over its body, I hastily began to retreat…

“It’s done. Child who has strayed. The Spirit King’s fragment has been revived.”

“Throw it!!!”

“Hmmph!! Hmm hm hmm hmm! Hm hm hmm hm hmm hmm…!!!”

Looking at Salt Non who was mumbling with clenched teeth, I saw him spinning around and throwing me the pouch containing the Spirit King’s fragment that he had been holding in his mouth. And before I could catch it, I saw the state of my hands. Wow, now I understand why people die of shock when bones are exposed.

-Catch!

“Here, rotten Anpanman!! A new face…!!!”

Just before I could shove the fragment into its mouth with my bone-exposed hand, I had to stop when I saw its face.

What the hell? Wait a minute. It doesn’t have a mouth? Come to think of it, how does this bastard make sounds?!!

As I hesitated upon seeing the Spirit King’s face—just like in my mental world, looking as if it would show me the truth and take an arm or my entire body—it burned the vines binding it and slowly began to rise. And then…

“Jack!! There’s a hole in the back!!!”

“Holy shit…!!!”

Realizing why I had stopped, Miho ran over and shouted, and I immediately went around to the back of the creature. Shit, is this really it? No, there’s no time to hesitate!!

“I’ve never used a suppository before. But they say it works really well…!!!”

I thrust my fist with all my might toward the burning creature’s anus.