CH 117

Living Natural Disaster

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

After a few hours of waiting, Tsugumi suddenly felt the sky shaking.

–The sky was shaking, and an A-class Demonic Beast was manifesting itself.

At the same time, under the instruction of the staff, the Magical Girl – Shiraki – rushed out into the blackened and distorted sky. In the blink of an eye, she had set up a barrier and disappeared into the mirrored world.

After confirming this, Tsugumi and Kazaguruma moved to the mirror where they could see the battle with the Demonic Beast. Looking into the large mirror, Kazaguruma narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself.

“Is that an ebony-colored snake?”

“No, it’s not a snake. –It is about 500 meters long, and swims leisurely in the sky. It has large horns and claws that sprout from a foot-like object. This Demonic Beast bears a striking resemblance to the ‘dragon’ often seen in Asian folklore.”

The staff member observing the mirror replied to Kazaguruma’s words while tapping on the computer.

“Is it a dragon? Does that mean it manipulates storms or causes lightning to strike?”

When Tsugumi asked this question, the staff member opened his mouth with a difficult look.

“If it’s according to the folklore, it’s probably true, but we won’t know for sure until we fight it. …If it has a weakness like the lore says, it would be easy, but the opponent is an A-class Demonic Beast. There may be a lot of different aspects.”

At these words, Tsugumi nodded his head in understanding. It was true that many A-class Demonic Beasts were based on folklore and mythology, but even their characteristics didn’t always take after the folklore.

A good example would be the Minotaur’s Labyrinth, which Tsugumi once fought in a simulation. In mythology, that labyrinth was a vaulted structure with no ceiling, so it wasn’t a dark labyrinth at all.

In addition, although not many cases had been confirmed, there had been cases of Demonic Beasts combining creatures from completely different folklore. They needed to be vigilant.

“Shiraki’s abilities are [Spear] and [Earth]. They’re not compatible with flying beasts. –Well, there might be some countermeasures.”

“Yes, she has improved her weaknesses in that area. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gotten an A-class battle permit.”

Lured by the staff member’s voice, he looked into the mirror. There, the image of Shiraki running up to the sky using manipulated soil as a springboard was reflected.

With nimble steps, Shiraki reached the air where the Dragon was circling, swinging a large spear much taller than she was. In response, the Dragon seemed to be counterattacking with wind and lightning created by its slow movements. It seemed that the ability of the Dragon was exactly as Tsugumi predicted.

–The Dragon’s attacks were less powerful than expected. At first, he assumed it would be a storm-like wind, but apparently, the beast wasn’t powerful enough to change the weather. Well, he’d heard that there were variations in power even among A-class Demonic Beasts, so maybe this Demonic Beast was not that strong.

For the next few minutes, Tsugumi silently stared at the scene, but so far the battle seemed to be in Shiraki’s favor. At this rate, it might not be long before she pierced the Dragon’s reverse scale – or the demon core itself.

“Hmm. At this rate, there’s no room for me and Hagakure Sakura. Okay, let’s get ready to move out.”

“It’s still early, Kazaguruma-san. But I’m glad. It looks like it will end without incident.”  

Tsugumi replied with a smile. When he first received the order, he had a slight desire to fight an A-class Demonic Beast, but it would be better if no one had to die. Besides, once this battle was over, there would be one more A-class Magical Girl. Considering her strength, it was a pleasant prospect.

“Speaking of which, is there any type of Demonic Beast that you don’t like, Kazaguruma-san?”

Looking in the mirror, Tsugumi distractedly asked Kazaguruma a question. Regardless of the current state of the battle, he thought at least small talk would be tolerated.

Kazaguruma looked dumbfounded at the sudden question, then shrugged and began to speak.

“I’m not good with multiplying type and Demonic Beasts that require strange conditions to be defeated. My abilities – [Smoke] and [Light] – are good for disruption and single-point breakthroughs. Oh, and I don’t like insects.”

“I see. I’m not good with the multiplying type either. I’ve had so much trouble with Radon. Fufu, even so, it’s surprising. You don’t like insects?”

When Tsugumi made fun of her, Kazaguruma pouted her mouth as if he had betrayed her and said in a low voice.

“…I’m still fine with the giant Demonic Beasts. I can’t accept a swarm of dung beetles under a stone, or a large number of oil beetles clinging to the grass, or newly hatched praying mantis eggs, or any other swarm. I can’t accept it physiologically. It gives me goosebumps.”

“Ah, it certainly feels a bit disgusting. When I was a kid, I used to touch them without any worries, but now I don’t think I want to touch them that much.”

When Tsugumi responded with a sigh, Kazaguruma stepped back with a drawn look and hugged herself, shaking her head.

“Right now, the distance between us has definitely increased. Hagakure Sakura is more mischievous than everyone imagined. I feel like crying because of the misinterpretation.”

“What an exaggeration. …Ah, Shiraki-san cut off the Dragon’s hind legs.”

As he looked in the mirror while interacting with Kazagurma like a child, he saw the scene where Shiraki cut off the Dragon’s hind legs. The legs separated from the dragon’s body and fell to the ground. Looking at that scene, Tsugumi felt a slight sense of discomfort.

–The Dragon was not bleeding. And it didn’t even flinch when it lost its leg. Did it have no sense of pain?

Many of the Demonic Beasts that Tsugumi had fought had bled when they had been cut, and it seemed they felt a certain amount of pain when a part of their body was cut off. But the Dragon had none of that.

It was possible that the Dragon’s body structure was just designed that way, but it really bothered Tsugumi.

While he was pondering, Shiraki’s onslaught continued, and finally, the tip of her spear sliced through the Dragon’s neck, the part of the body where the power of the Demonic Beast was felt most strongly. With half of its neck cut off, the Dragon slowly fell to the ground as if it had run out of power.

As it did so, Tsugumi felt the power concentrated in the Dragon’s head disperse. Apparently, when the Dragon’s head was decapitated, its demon core was shattered. –A Demonic Beast with its demon core shattered couldn’t fight anymore. In other words, Shiraki had won this battle.

The staff members who were watching the scene murmured in relief.

“I’m glad. …It looks like the promotion examination will end without incident this time.”

“I guess so. There hasn’t been a lot of good news lately, so I’m sure everyone will be happy about this. I must send my congratulations to Shiraki-san as well.”

But while the staff member was smiling cheerfully, Tsugumi was staring intently at the mirror screen. There, he saw Shiraki’s happy gut-punch as she landed on the ground and the image of the Dragon as it fell down.

The Dragon had completely stopped moving, not even twitching. –But what was this feeling of turmoils?

As Tsugumi stared at the mirror with a serious face, Kazaguruma called out to him with a curious look.

“Did you see anything odd?”

“No… It’s just strange that the magic nucleus shattered even though the tip of the blade didn’t hit it directly.”

“It’s true that it was a bit fragile for an A-class. But as long as the magic nucleus is shattered, a win is a win.  It’s no use worrying about it.”

“Well, that’s true.”

After being persuaded by Kazaguruma, Tsugumi tried to take his eyes off the mirror in order to prepare to go home.

Then, he saw a small insect-like object moving at the edge of the mirror. Tsugumi stopped moving and stared intently into the mirror.

It was a small insect, so small that it was buried in the weeds. A winged creature with black and ebony colors mixing in, much like the Dragon lying on its side. Yes, it was just like a locust grasshopper.

When Thrush arrived at that thought, he felt the blood in his body run cold. The remains of the Dragon had fallen to surround Shiraki, and she was right in the center of it. If his prediction was correct–Shiraki could never escape.

“…No, run away.”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

Kazaguruma called out to him, but he didn’t hear it.

Tsugumi’s face turned pale, and although he understood that his voice wouldn’t reach Shiraki, he shouted at the mirror.

“It’s not a dragon! That thing is going to eat you alive if you don’t get out of there!”

◆ ◆ ◆

Shiraki Ren laughed happily as she was surrounded by the carcass of an A-class Demonic Beast–the Dragon she had slain.

No wonder. After five years of hard work, she was finally one step closer to her dream.

–If she became an A-class, she would receive various kinds of support from the government, and she would also become much better known to the public. Like this, surely she would be able to reach Jukka.

“I’ve always dreamed of this…! I wonder if I’ve gotten a little closer to Sakura-san with this”

Saying that, Shiraki looked up at the sky with blushing cheeks.

Shiraki wanted to become a Magical Girl because she looked up to “Sakura Akane”.

When Shiraki was young, her mother had once been attacked by a Demonic Beast and Sakura Akane had saved her from danger. Her mother told the young Shiraki about it at every chance she got. It was inevitable that Shiraki became a Magical Girl, just like an imprint.

Shiraki was in high spirits. –That’s why she didn’t notice it.

The body of the dragon, ebony-colored with black spots, was falling apart. And the body of the dragon that had spread out on the ground – or rather, the flying locust grasshoppers that made up the dragon’s body – flew up all at once with a rustle of their wings.

“–Eh?”

Shiraki looked up dumbfounded, but her vision was instantly filled with darkness. Before she had the time to scream, something hard jumped into her mouth. While feeling the pain of her flesh being gouged out from outside and inside her body, Shiraki thought.

–Why? I should have won.

Her consciousness was swallowed up along with the pain. Oddly enough, it was similar to the feeling she had before falling asleep.

◆ ◆ ◆

“–Kuh, I’ll get ready for the next barrier! All personnel, take your positions! The battle is not over yet!”

Tsugumi hissed, staring sternly at Shiraki, who had instantly turned into an ebony-colored mass.

“W-what’s that? A swarm of grasshoppers? I thought there was only one Demonic Beast, or is it an Irregular?”

To the staff member who raised his voice in a daze, Tsugumi replied with a calm voice.

“I don’t know. The thing is, it’s only meaningful as a colony. It may be natural for it to appear in this way.”

–Individuals in a group. A group as an individual. A living disaster that ate up all kinds of food and spread despair and fear. A loathsome enemy, a messenger of the devil, imputing sinful deeds to an innocent God.

“Locusts. –A fearless demon created by nature.”

Tsugumi said, scoffing.

The reason it took on the form of a dragon was probably because it didn’t have A-class status in its original existence. The dragon’s characteristics were added to compensate for this. Grasshoppers were not supposed to eat meat, but they were Demonic Beasts in the form of grasshoppers. Even if they ate excessively, there was no sense of incongruity.

And the fact that the nucleus seemed to have been shattered by Shiraki’s attack was probably a fake. They faked the shattering of the nucleus by preferentially distributing the nucleus to several individuals and then moving those individuals at the moment of the attack. It seemed they were very devious.

–No, such considerations are not important. The important thing is how to kill these pests.

Thinking that, Tsugumi turned his head toward Kazaguruma who was staring at the mirror with a very pale face and her mouth shut.

…It might be harsh to ask Kazaguruma who really hated insects to fight this swarm of grasshoppers. He didn’t think that Kazaguruma of Jukka would be slowed down by such personal feelings, but it would be safer for Tsugumi to leave here.

“Kazaguruma-san. I’ll be out this time.”

“…Sorry for bothering you.”

When Kazaguruma bowed her head apologetically after he said that, Tsugumi deliberately spoke brightly.

“In exchange, when I return safely, please take me out to eat delicious food. –It’s a promise.”

When Tsugumi said so, Kazaguruma smiled, embarrassed, and nodded slightly.

“I understand. I’ll reserve a very expensive place. Good luck…”

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Tsugumi nodded firmly at her cheer and called out to the staff, then dashed outside. The barrier was already distorted and in a state that would come undone at any moment.

Tsugumi lowered his eyes slightly to mourn and thrust his right hand into the sky. At that moment, Tsugumi’s figure shakily vanished.

“Barrier is redeployed. –I’m not going to let some imitation of [Gluttony] win.”