Ch.62The Bow Beast (2)

Time seemed to stand still in the silence.

The Bow Beast, now unwrapping and eating a triangle kimbap with an annoyed expression.

Meanwhile, the two rookies facing her wore what could only be described as “death masks.”

“Hey, Zero.”

“Yes, Princess Hoshino.”

“…Just call me Hoshino. I don’t really like that title either.”

“Got it. Hoshino.”

“That doesn’t mean you can immediately switch to informal speech…”

Hoshino was on high alert, warily eyeing the “woman” before her whose very presence triggered her instincts.

Black sclera concealing golden irises.

Skin so unnaturally pale it seemed strange.

Above all, the stench emanating from her body was foul enough to numb the nose.

And among all the beasts she had encountered so far, there was only one that gave off such a terrible odor.

“The Sword Beast…!”

“Huh?”

That day ten years ago.

It could only be the Sword Beast that had nearly annihilated the Okami clan.

“Zero. Be careful. That thing… is at least Grade 1 level.”

“How do you know that, Hoshino?”

“The smell, the smell. Those of us who are therianthropes have what you might call animal instincts… an ability to gauge an opponent’s threat level through scent.”

“I see. The Okami clan belongs to the fox therianthrope lineage. So you can roughly assess your opponent’s strength with those sharp senses.”

“Right. And the beast in front of us is at least Grade 1. It’s a monster on par with the Sword Beast that appeared in our D City ten years ago.”

“…Hmm.”

One cannot turn their back just because an opponent is stronger.

If the opponent is stronger, escape would be impossible anyway.

That’s why heroes who fight beasts never show their backs, whether they win or lose.

Even if it means dying here in the name of “justice,” they would give their all to destroy the beast!

“Assuming our opponent is on the same level as that ‘legendary’ Sword Beast, our current probability of victory is about 0.032%.”

“Ha! How encouraging!”

“For reference, the escape probability is 0.52%, and the death probability is 99.82%.”

“Enough. There’s no point in hearing more when it’s all so hopeless, so just stop.”

Run and die, fight and die.

But if they fought with everything they had, they might at least inflict a wound.

Besides, there were three S-class heroes in this B City, including themselves.

No matter how much this beast stank like the Sword Beast, it would soon be subjugated by the coordinated efforts of S-class heroes.

“…!”

While thinking this…

“But if the S-class heroes who came with us join us, our survival probability increases to 99%…”

“I know that!”

“…?”

It’s “mother” again.

Again.

Just again.

She was unconsciously trying to rely on her mother again.

Realizing this, Hoshino glared at herself in self-reproach.

“But we don’t know when those three S-class heroes will arrive.”

“Actually, according to my calculations, one of the S-class heroes should detect the anomaly and move in about 10 minutes.”

“So we need to hold this ‘white-haired beast’ back as much as possible for those 10 minutes?”

“Exactly, Hoshino. If your intuition is right about her danger level being similar to the Sword Beast, we absolutely cannot let her go.”

As the saying goes, follow a friend to Gangnam.

Even in this potentially fatal situation, Zero continued to respond like a machine.

Thanks to having such a “friend” by her side, Hoshino was able to calm herself a little.

“Aren’t you… scared in this situation?”

“No. Such emotions were completely removed during my ‘creation.’ After all, they’re useless in combat.”

“Well… that’s true.”

Removed during creation, huh.

She knew the Hero Association’s Research Division had incredible scientific technology, but was it really possible to control human emotions at will?

Well, they were the organization that had succeeded in creating homunculi, though the probability of success was nearly miraculous.

Something seemed off, but Hoshino decided to just smile and let it go.

“We’re both ‘swordsmen,’ so we don’t need to split positions, right?”

“Right. We just need to decide which of the two directions, left or right, to take first.”

“Okay! Then I’ll take the right.”

“Then I’ll take the left.”

With that, the two finished their preparations, drawing their weapons—a sharp Japanese sword and a great sword engraved with rune markings.

Meanwhile, what could the Bow Beast say about these young heroes?

‘S-class heroes… they would be tough opponents, but I could play with these two for a bit, right?’

Normally, she should have fled the moment she learned there were S-class heroes in the same district.

But these two people with strength beyond their years…

Especially Okami Hoshino, descendant of the Okami clan who not only defeated but even sealed away her damned “brother,” the Sword Beast.

The Bow Beast had some personal interest in her.

Slightly.

“That’s…”

“An arrowhead?”

After tucking the stolen triangle kimbap into her robe…

“Well, since I’m dealing with kids, one minute should be enough.”

The Bow Beast held an arrow in one hand, pointing it like a sword to provoke the two saplings before her.

“Come on, little ones, try me. You’re supposed to be heroes, aren’t you? You’re not going to chicken out over this, are you?”

“That’s an incredibly artificial provocation. Hoshino, don’t fall for such an obvious ploy, and instead proceed as we planned…”

“Y-you’re going to fight me with just one arrow?”

“…Hoshino?”

“Who do you think you’re underestimating?!”

Ta-at!

This was truly the most childish of tricks.

It was obvious the opponent wanted us to approach first.

And when facing an “overwhelmingly powerful enemy,” the better choice for the weaker party would be not to fall for obvious ploys.

There’s always a lower bottom beneath the bottom.

…as the saying goes, Zero was continuously analyzing the situation with her supercomputer-level brain.

Even at this moment, she was trying to increase their “survival probability” by even a little bit.

She had almost finished planning how to raise their survival probability from 0.032% to 0.82%.

Perhaps because they had only just become acquainted?

A factor she hadn’t accounted for.

She had only read about Okami Hoshino through network databases.

Because of this, the survival probability that could have risen to 0.82% dropped to 0.03% due to what Zero would call an “SNS oversight.”

“Wolf’s Breath Form One…”

“Oh?”

“Ichi-Ichi-Sen-Shu.”

A technique that instantly transforms every cell in one’s body into a beast-like form for a momentary draw.

Hoshino, possessed by a black flash, moved behind the opponent who had underestimated her.

In the blink of an eye, she escaped the Bow Beast’s field of vision and swung her sword at the exposed nape.

But.

Grab.

“You’re fast! Is this the legendary Okami bloodline I’ve heard about?”

“?!”

Behind her back after she had leaped behind the enemy.

The Bow Beast responded to the surprise attack with her own surprise.

She had already caught Hoshino’s wrist that was gripping the sword.

“Young lady. I heard your name is Hoshi… no? Yes, that’s right. Hoshino, I think. How old are you exactly?”

“Ugh… let go!”

“Hoshino! Don’t try to move unnecessarily. If you do, your survival probability will drop to exactly 0%.”

“Yes, yes. As that ‘human-looking thing’ over there says, if you resist too much, I might kill you without even meaning to.”

When had she approached from behind?

…No, had she deliberately waited during the technique’s execution, planning this all along?

Among the Wolf’s Breath techniques, Form One was the fastest sword technique in the Okami family’s arsenal, except for Form Seven.

Moreover, Hoshino had only learned four forms so far, unlike her mother… the Makoto clan head.

In other words, she couldn’t use Form Seven, and if her right wrist that was now caught were to break, she would be at a severe disadvantage as a right-handed swordswoman.

“Ugh…!”

The worst situation.

This was what Grade 1 meant.

She had expected it, but this was beyond imagination.

Overwhelming power.

She never thought the situation would become so pathetic despite holding the title of A-class hero.

But then…

“You… you’re a genius, aren’t you?”

“What?”

Is this beast mocking me?

Compared to her, I must be nothing more than a passing ant.

The Bow Beast, appearing delicate yet feeling the overwhelmingly concentrated quality muscles in Hoshino’s wrist that she was gripping.

…Could such muscles be developed at this age?

Even with the advantage of bloodline, this was beyond reason.

This was a divine realm that could never be reached through “effort” alone.

Truly a manifestation born of talent.

Yet why was she so weak?

The reason was very simple.

“Miss Hoshino. Do you happen to have a separate master who teaches you regularly?”

“What?!”

“Answer the question. Who knows? I might just let myself be captured by you two.”

“…!”

“What did you say?”

If the “possibility” the Bow Beast was considering turned out to be correct, this would be nothing short of a blessing that had rolled right to her.

A blessing that absolutely should not be kicked away.

So, putting everything aside, she urged for an answer.

“…I don’t have one.”

“!!”

Just as I thought!

The reason why this incarnation of such powerful talent was only this capable.

It was because she had no potter to shape her vessel.

“Sometimes my mother or the dojo instructors try to teach me, but… somehow it never felt right.”

“Why is that?”

“Well… learning from the dojo instructors… especially under my mother as a ‘master,’ it felt like I could never become stronger than her.”

If a master’s limit is 10, then disciples learning under them would typically max out at 8 or 9, even with thorough teaching.

Even if that limit were 100, how could one expect to go beyond that with an inadequate teacher?

Of course, Hoshino herself was completely unaware of this fact.

She probably still believed her talent was similar to or below her mother’s.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Bow Beast, who ranked among the upper echelons of high-level beasts, not inferior to the Sword Beast.

That’s why she could guarantee it.

As one of the strong beings in this world, Hoshino’s talent was the real deal.

In a way, a terrifying power greater than even the first Okami clan head who sealed the Sword Beast might be sleeping within those ample breasts.

Therefore.

“Miss Hoshino. Why don’t we make a ‘contract’?”

“…What?”

“You want power right now, don’t you? So I’m suggesting you make a contract with me, abandon the sword, and take up the bow.”

Coveting that body so much, the Bow Beast tightened her grip even more.

“Nngh…!”

Not knowing who else might be among her beast acquaintances.

…Sniff, sniff.

“…Huh? This smell is…”