Phantom Luna (3)

Phantom Luna’s summoning-type ability had quite a unique mechanism.

It involved using her own body as a gateway to summon beings from other dimensions.

And the ability user would form connections and build relationships with the dimensional creatures they summoned.

[……]

On average, they would have at most 3 to 4 creatures.

This was only natural.

Generally, an ability user’s mana was extremely important for summoning, and summoned creatures were those few who found interest in their mana and responded to their call.

Only in very special cases or after awakening would someone have more than 10 summoned creatures.

“Um, ex-excuse me…”

That’s why the current scene was incomprehensible in many ways.

The group of summoned creatures kneeling before her now.

The number far exceeded ten, no, it was well over twenty.

Moreover, they showed not the slightest displeasure or hesitation in kneeling before Phantom Luna.

“Huh? Uhh…?”

Just as Phantom Luna was too flustered to complete her sentence.

[..We are the yokai who have answered the moon’s call.]

The yokai at the front of the summons, who wore a sword and had disheveled hair, opened his mouth.

It was an unfamiliar language she had never heard before, one that even a translator couldn’t interpret.

But somehow, she could understand what they were saying without much difficulty.

[Special forces Hyakki Yagyō, we have waited for you for a long time… a really long time.]

As the yokai continued speaking with deeply suppressed emotions.

Whoosh—!

The energy bursting from their bodies poured directly onto Phantom Luna.

“Uh, umm… Mak…”

In her confusion, she turned to look at Maker, but he was just smiling at the sight.

And he whispered to her.

‘Trust.’

Trust those before her.

And trust in him who said they were okay.

‘..Ah.’

Seeing his unwavering gaze, she stopped panicking and began accepting their energy very comfortably.

A cool yet simultaneously warm energy.

Wooooong—!!

Within that energy, strange memories surfaced as changes began.

The awakening had started.

Suddenly, the rain falling in the area stopped, and a purple energy enveloped Phantom Luna’s entire body.

It wasn’t a majestic or frightening scene.

Just.

“It’s beautiful.”

Infinitely beautiful.

Like an insect emerging from its cocoon to become a butterfly.

That entire process seemed to be contained within her awakening.

It was such a sight that even the villains could not easily move.

‘Though I think what’s keeping them from approaching is more the enormous number of summoned creatures blocking their way.’

Either way, Maker was very satisfied with Phantom Luna’s proper growth.

Phantom Luna’s transformation continued.

Her dress gradually transformed into attire similar to a Japanese shrine maiden’s outfit, yet with a somewhat different feel.

Her previously green clothing changed to match the shrine maiden colors, harmonizing white and red.

Her green butterfly mask became a purple fox mask.

“Haah…”

And with a soft sigh, the purple energy enveloping her disappeared.

Swoooosh—

As the rain began to fall again, Phantom Luna opened a wagasa (traditional Japanese umbrella) that had somehow appeared in her hand.

“…So that’s how it was.”

When Phantom Luna opened her eyes, her irises were dyed with the same mysterious compassionate gaze (jigan) that had enveloped her moments ago.

And as she accepted their energy, she also came to understand some of the memories they carried.

“You are the children my father left behind.”

That’s why she understood.

Why they immediately knelt before her upon first meeting.

Why they said they had been waiting for her for a long time.

Phantom Luna’s father had been an exceptionally talented hero with the same summoning-type ability.

The special case of an ability user mentioned earlier.

That was her father, and in their memories, her father had placed all his summoned creatures into her along with the last words he had spoken to her.

[That’s not entirely the case.]

But the disheveled yokai at the front shook his head.

The disheveled yokai turned to look at the other yokai.

[We of the Hyakki Yagyō are special forces that form a cluster to escort the moon. However, the previous Hyakki Yagyō that the former moon, your father, commanded numbered less than ten.]

That meant that more than half of the Hyakki Yagyō had been increased by her own ability.

The disheveled yokai emphasized this point and bowed his head.

[The former moon merely planted the seed, but it was solely your effort that germinated it and made it bloom.]

The yokai’s words praising her efforts without the slightest hesitation.

At that sight, Phantom Luna suddenly looked at Maker.

“Is that so?”

And smiled gently.

[Our moon.]

[Command us.]

The Hyakki Yagyō spoke.

We are your sword.

Please tell us what you wish to cut.

Then we will serve your command by whatever means necessary.

Even as they continued speaking, Phantom Luna’s gaze remained fixed on Maker.

“Lady Phantom Luna?”

“……”

Eventually, as her gaze shifted toward Maker’s abdomen area for a moment.

Phantom Luna coldly declared.

“Those two foreign men in front, they hurt my precious person. Teach them a lesson.”

[Main force, move out.]

At her words, the yokai immediately transformed into ferocious demons.

“[..Sigh. I think we’ve been fucked watching this in a daze.]”

“[Even I don’t think I can catch this many.]”

Just their aura was extraordinary.

While they might handle them individually, facing them as a group made victory far from certain.

‘This is quite different from the information we were given..?!’

The man who had lost his composure quickly shot a glance in one direction.

Toward the man who had assigned them this job.

‘Huh? Akaoni..!!’

Akaoni, no, Maker smiled at them.

The man continued to silently communicate with his eyes.

‘What should we do? I think we’ve done enough, shouldn’t we get out of here?’

The man with desperate eyes.

In response, Maker gave them simple instructions by mouthing the words.

‘Just take some hits for a bit.’

“[What’s that supposed to mean..]”

CRASH—!!

I don’t understand Korean, you bastard!!

For reference, Maker was not wearing a translator at the moment.

So it was natural they couldn’t understand Maker’s words.

They only vaguely sensed from his expression and behavior that he wanted them to hold out a little longer.

“..Shibal!”

“[? Why suddenly.]”

“[Just one of those things! Just hold out for now!]”

In the end, the sly man shouted the only Korean curse he knew and gripped his weapon.

“[There are only two of us, isn’t this too unfair?!]”

The situation was now completely opposite from before.

‘This has been successful too!’

I smiled with satisfaction as I watched Phantom Luna and her minions unleashing a one-sided assault.

“Shibal! !#$#%^ Shibal!!”

“……”

And those guys cursing and saying who knows what under their collective attack.

They were the leaders of factions who had ruled over the 6th floor of Tartarus.

They weren’t ordinary villains either.

‘If rated on the hero scale, they’d probably be S-class.’

Purely S-class without awakening, but they could be considered specialists with thick bones and excellent situation assessment and response capabilities.

“Hey! They’re trying to retreat back there! Mr. Kappa! Water cannon!!”

[Kappa! Kappa!]

‘What is this, Pocket Monsters?’

But seeing how she was toying with them like playthings, it was easy to understand how well Phantom Luna had grown.

‘She’s strong.’

Strength that came from overwhelming numbers.

And with each yokai having clear individuality, she could be considered an all-rounder type hero who couldn’t be more troublesome to face.

‘Maybe ability users with area-of-effect skills could stand a chance?’

But the two villains before me didn’t seem to have such techniques, so they had no choice but to be helplessly beaten.

“Arghhhh!! FXXK!! HOLY FXXK!!”

“Fighting~”

I watched and gave them a small cheer.

I had no intention of killing them here.

I had already called Elder Kwak and movement-type ability users, so they just needed to hold out and then escape.

They would probably arrive in about 10 more minutes of struggle.

“..! Ma-Maker! I’ll do my best!”

Meanwhile, Phantom Luna seemed to think the encouragement was for her, so she was beating the villains with even more enthusiasm, grinning happily.

While I was watching the villains getting beaten, it happened.

Slide.

“Hmm?”

[Hehehe… an offering…]

A yokai suddenly offering me a drink.

“Is this for me?”

[Hehe. Yes, it is…]

She was a woman in traditional shrine maiden attire.

One distinctive feature was the nine tails behind her waist and the long fox ears on her head.

“If it’s a gift, I accept with gratitude.”

When I smiled and accepted the drink, the fox yokai also smiled similarly while swishing her tail, then trotted away.

And then…

[Kyaaah!! Did you see that, everyone?! The moon’s husband accepted my offering?!]

[Gumi… I’m jealous…]

[I, Tengu, also want to offer something to the moon’s husband.]

The yokai started chattering among themselves.

“……”

I decided to pretend I didn’t hear that.

This was the scenario I had planned, so I should watch it through to the end without getting distracted.

The battle pattern after that was simple.

Unlike their initial momentum, the men were broken down, and those who had struggled to attack eventually deteriorated to the point of merely trying to escape.

“My, what a sorry sight. Tsk tsk tsk!”

“[Tch! Be quiet, old man!]”

“[..How humiliating.]”

Thanks to Elder Kwak who finally appeared, they were ultimately able to survive.

“Stop right there!”

Phantom Luna wasn’t one to stand still, but Elder Kwak was also a formidable fighter.

“My, my, the young lady is quite fierce. Any husband would be tightly leashed.”

“W-what?!”

‘Grandpa… please go without saying strange things.’

It was quite a sight to see him glancing at me, but

anyway, Elder Kwak and the others managed to avoid Phantom Luna’s attacks with a speed belying his age and escape smoothly.

“What was that last comment about! A proper lady like me! Right, Master?”

“Haha…”

Phantom Luna’s awakening complete.

The escape of the actors who had been tormenting her complete.

Though the cleanup would be a bit cumbersome, this awakening event was successful overall.