Chapter 62 : The Monster of the Bow (2)

It became eerily quiet, as if time had stopped.

The monster with a bow, who was now eating a triangular rice ball with a look of annoyance.

On the other hand, the two rookies facing her could clearly see the ‘deathly expression’ on their faces.

“Hey, Zero.”

“Yes, Princess Hoshino.”

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

“Got it. Hoshino.”

“Does that mean you’re going to use informal language right away…”

Hoshino was highly cautious of the ‘woman’ before her, whose presence sent a sharp warning through her senses.

The black sclera covering her golden eyes.

Her skin was unnaturally pale.

More than anything, the scent emanating from her body was so foul it almost paralyzed Hoshino’s nose.

And the only monster Hoshino had encountered before who reeked like this was one.

“The Sword Monster…!”

“Uh?”

That day, ten years ago.

It could only be the Sword Monster that almost wiped out the Okami clan.

“Zero, be careful. That thing… it’s at least Grade 1 level.”

“How do you know that, Hoshino?”

“It’s the smell, the smell. For beastkin like me, I guess you could call it a beast’s sixth sense… I have the ability to gauge the danger level of an opponent through their scent.”

“I see. The Okami clan is a fox beastkin lineage. So with your sharp senses, you were able to roughly gauge the opponent’s strength.”

“That’s right. And the monster in front of us right now is at least Grade 1. It’s a monster of the same level as the Sword Monster that appeared in our city, D, ten years ago.”

Hmm…

Just because the opponent is stronger than you doesn’t mean you can turn your back.

If the opponent is stronger, then running away would be impossible.

So, heroes who fight monsters never turn their backs, whether they win or lose.

Even if they have to die in the name of ‘justice’ here, they do their best to eradicate the monster!

“When we consider that the opponent is at the same level as that ‘legendary’ Sword Monster, our current chances of winning are about 0.032%.”

“Hah! That really boosts my spirit!”

“By the way, the escape probability is 0.52%, and the death probability is 99.82%.”

“Forget it. It’s just going to be hopeless anyway, so don’t say it.”

Whether they flee or fight, they’ll die.

But if they fight with everything they’ve got, maybe they can land a scratch.

Besides, in this city B, there were three S-rank heroes, including themselves.

Even if the monster smells like the Sword Monster, with the coordination of the S-rank heroes, it wouldn’t take long to hunt it down.

“…!”

Just as they were thinking this.

“But if the S-rank heroes who came with us join in, the survival rate is 99%…”

“I know!”

“…?”

In the end, it was ‘mom’ again.

Again.

Just again.

She had unconsciously started relying on her mom.

Hoshino, who had been reassuring herself without realizing it, widened her eyes as if scolding herself.

“But the thing is, when will those three S-rank heroes arrive? That’s uncertain.”

“No, according to my calculations, one of the S-rank heroes who detected something unusual will move in about 10 minutes.”

“So in those 10 minutes, we have to hold off that ‘white-haired monster’ as best as we can?”

“Exactly. Hoshino. If her danger level is similar to that of the Sword Monster, this is a level we can’t just let go.”

It’s said that following your friend can lead you to success.

Even in a situation where they might die, Zero still replied like a machine.

Because of that ‘friend,’ Hoshino could calm her mind just a little.

“Don’t you… feel scared in this situation?”

“No. All emotions were excluded during ‘production.’ After all, emotions are useless in combat.”

“Well… that’s true.”

Excluding emotions during production.

Hoshino knew the science and technology of the Hero Association’s research building was incredible, but could they really control a person’s emotions like that?

Well, creating a homunculus was close to a miracle, but they had succeeded in that.

There were some doubts, but Hoshino decided to just laugh and move on.

“Both of us are ‘swordsmen,’ so there’s no need to assign separate positions, right?”

“Yeah. We just need to decide which direction to go first—left or right.”

“Okay! Then I’ll take the right.”

“Then I’ll take the left.”

The two of them, having drawn their sharp katanas and rune-etched greatswords, finished their preparations.

Meanwhile, what was the bow monster thinking as she watched these young heroes?

‘S-rank heroes, huh… They might be tough, but with these two, I can probably have a little fun, right?’

Normally, as soon as there was an S-rank hero in the same district, it would be best to flee immediately.

But these two, who had power that belied their age.

Among them, the descendants of the Okami clan, who had not only defeated but even sealed her damn ‘brother,’ the Sword Monster.

Okami Hoshino.

The bow monster had a bit of personal interest in her.

“That’s…”

“An arrowhead?”

After quickly stowing the stolen triangular rice ball in her robe.

“Well, since it’s just kids, one minute should be enough.”

The bow monster held an arrow in one hand, aiming it like a sword as she taunted the two heroes before her.

“Come on, little ones, let’s see what you’ve got. You’re heroes after all, so this shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, right?”

“Such a deliberately childish provocation. Hoshino, don’t fall for such an obvious trick, just do what we originally planned…”

“You think you can fight me with just one arrow?”

“…Hoshino?”

“Who do you think you’re looking down on?!”

Thwack!

It was a truly childish trick.

It was clear that the opponent wanted them to approach first.

And in front of an opponent stronger than yourself, the best choice for a weaker person is not to fall for such an obvious trick.

As the saying goes, there’s always a worse bottom than the bottom.

…Zero was analyzing the situation with a supercomputer-like brain.

Even at this moment, she was trying to increase ‘our two’ survival chances as much as possible.

The survival rate, which had been at 0.032%, was now almost at 0.82%, with a plan almost fully prepared.

Perhaps because they had only recently become acquainted.

An element Zero had failed to account for.

She had only read about Okami Hoshino through the database on the network.

Perhaps because of that, the survival rate, which had just risen to 0.82%, had dropped to 0.03% due to Zero’s so-called ‘SNS carelessness.’

“Wolf’s Breath Type 1…”

“Hoh?”

“One step at a time.”

A technique that instantaneously transforms every single cell in one’s body into the shape of a beast and draws the sword in a flash.

Hoshino, possessed by the black flash, moves behind the back of the opponent who had underestimated her.

In the blink of an eye, she slips out of the monstrous archer’s sight and swings her sword at the defenseless nape.

But.

Grab.

“You’re fast, huh? So this is the rumored bloodline of the Okami?”

“?! “

Behind her back, where she had leaped.

The monstrous archer countered the ambush with another ambush.

Before she realized it, the archer had intercepted Hoshino’s wrist as she was gripping her sword.

“Missy. If I remember correctly, your name was Hoshi…no? Yeah, I think it was Hoshino. So, how old are you exactly?”

“Let go of me!” Grit…

“Hoshino! Don’t move recklessly. If you do, your survival rate will be exactly 0%.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Just like that ‘human-looking thing’ over there said—if you resist too much, I might accidentally kill you.”

When did she even get behind me?

…No, did she deliberately wait until I used my technique just for this?

Among the Wolf’s Breath techniques, except for the 7th form, the 1st form was the fastest swordsmanship of the Okami family.

And yet, Hoshino had only learned four of the forms so far—far behind her mother, Makoto, the clan head.

In other words, she couldn’t use the 7th form at all, and if her captured right wrist were broken, she would be powerless since she was a right-handed swordsman.

“Grr…”

The worst-case scenario.

This is what a first-class threat looks like.

I expected it, but it was beyond imagination.

An overwhelming power.

Even with the title of an A-rank hero, I never thought I’d be this powerless.

And then.

“You… you’re a genius, aren’t you?”

“…What?”

This monster.

Is she mocking me right now?

Compared to her, I’m nothing more than an insignificant ant.

The monstrous archer, though appearing slender, could feel the sheer density of high-quality muscles in Hoshino’s wrist.

…Is it even possible to develop muscles like this at this age?

Even if it’s due to her bloodline, this isn’t something that mere ‘effort’ alone could achieve.

This was a divine realm, unreachable through simple hard work.

A true prodigy born of pure talent.

Yet, why was she so weak?

The reason was simple.

“Hey. Do you have a teacher who regularly trains you?”

Hoshino.

“…What?!”

“Answer my question. Depending on your answer, who knows? I might just let you capture me without resistance.”

“…!”

“What did you say?”

If the ‘possibility’ the monstrous archer was considering turned out to be true, this was an absolute golden opportunity.

Something that must never be wasted.

So she pressed for an answer.

“…I don’t.”

“!!”

As expected!

The reason why such an overwhelming talent was only at this level.

It was because there was no sculptor to mold the clay.

“Sometimes my mom or the dojo instructors try to teach me, but… for some reason, I never really felt like learning from them.”

“Why not?”

“Well… learning from the dojo instructors… especially from my mom… It just felt like I would never surpass her as long as she was my teacher.”

If a teacher’s limit was 10, then even the best-trained student would typically only reach 8 or 9.

Even if that limit was 100, if the teacher was mediocre, how could the student ever hope to surpass them?

Of course, Hoshino had no idea about this.

She probably still thought her talent was just equal to or below her mother’s.

But that wasn’t true.

The monstrous archer, a high-ranking creature among monsters, knew better.

As a warrior of this world, she could say with certainty—Hoshino’s talent was real, truly exceptional.

Perhaps even greater than the legendary first Okami clan head, who sealed away the Blade Monster.

Buried deep within that ample chest of hers was a monstrous power waiting to awaken.

So.

“Hey. How about we make a ‘contract’?”

Hoshino.

“…What?”

“You want power right now, don’t you? So here’s my offer—form a contract with me and abandon the sword. Take up the bow instead.”

Because her body was simply too tempting, the monstrous archer tightened her grip even more.

“Ugh…!”

Not knowing who else among the monstrous beings she was acquainted with.

…Sniff sniff.

“…Huh? This scent…”