Chapter 569 – Somei Yoshino (9)

“Oh, so in essence, you’re here to ensnare another version of you?”
“You oversimplified it.”

There’s nothing quite like having a friend who lends a keen ear.

Venice, she would respond with an unexpected surprise to my smallest utterances, reflecting an intriguing reaction. It’s a tedious tale of a self-centered, extremist man, but she basked in it as if it were the life force itself.

The initial ennui that hung in the air when we first met was now nowhere to be found.

Venice was perpetually animated, her shoulders twitching with the novelty of our journey and the joy of conversation. Every time I opened my mouth, she would close the distance, attentively leaning in to listen.

“Yet, it’s fascinating. Sowing seeds was not to procreate but rather a strategy to enhance strength.”
“Why, have your thoughts altered now? You spoke of being the superior male.”
“No?”
“Certainly not.”

Venice laughed lightly, her hand reaching up to clutch the back of her neck, her head arching back with a bone-cracking sound. A faint yet cool sigh slipped from her lips, causing a slight twitch in my lower body.

Frequent intimacies over time had made me more susceptible to such minor stimulations.

“So, to protect your daughter, did you distance yourself from her…”
“Yes.”
“You must feel lonely.”
“It was initially. Now, there are many who have joined the force I built to work alone.”
“But you still persist in taking the medicine, don’t you?”
“It’s more like an ailment I’ve simply learned to live with.”

As we conversed, Venice halted in her steps. Her gaze was fixed on some foundation.

On the path to the next gateway.
After a journey of about an hour, we finally arrived.

“For a king to overthrow a king of his likeness. To amplify the power of the spirits.”

Venice swept a droplet of sweat from her forehead.

“Then am I a comrade in this grand saga?”
“You’re a bit part who appears briefly.”

Venice clicked her tongue at my dismissal.

“Then~ I don’t have anything to say. Hmm~”

Venice, pretending to ponder, snapped her fingers. She eventually turned to look at me and grinned.

“Certainly not.”

* * * * * * * * * * *

Summon me as soon as you enter the next gateway. If there’s even a slight delay…
What if it’s delayed?
Could I cry? I cannot abandon such an enjoyable journey.

[Wuuuuuu!]

As I gradually subdued the ringing in my ears, a dark temple materialized before my eyes. I stood at the entrance, briefly surveying the surroundings. The atmosphere was devoid of any presence. The walls were filled with densely inscribed runes, indicating some form of magical treatment applied.

‘Firstly, I shall summon Venice.’

Standing in place, Venice was invoked, a connection borne of the soul. Lightly tracing a circle on the floor with her fingers, a magical surge rose above the circular sigil, and Venice materialized.

“……”

Blinking in disbelief, she glanced at her own hands.

“My memory is intact. And my condition isn’t too bad.”

Venice, glancing at me, let out a playful smile.

“Your impish expression hasn’t changed.”

Immediately, she reached out, linking her arm with mine, and cheerily scanned the surroundings. Venice voiced an ‘Oh~’ of admiration. Flexing her crossed arms, she turned to me.

“Where is this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Have you heard any strategies or tips from the outside?”
“No?”

How hard could a challenge issued by the portal be? After exploring other S-class dungeons, the trials here felt like a walk in the park.

Firstly, I pressed my hand against the wall between the two pedestals.

– Thud.

Upon the insertion of the inner gemstone, the door began to creak open. With the sound of stone scraping against the floor, the room shifted like puzzle pieces.

It felt less like we were moving the room, and more like the room was guiding us to the next area of its own accord.

– Thud.

“Aha, so this is the battleground.”
“Do you know something about it?”
“I overheard a little.”
“Then you should’ve told me sooner.”

Venice gestured to the opposite side of the room. Following her gaze, I saw a dark shadow in the distance, emitting a magical aura towards us.

An attack, perhaps? I reached out my hand, but the magic emanating from the opponent slammed into the floor midway. From the impact point, a rabbit-shaped spirit sprang forth.

“…What is this?”

Venice answered my query.

“The first test is about how well you can bond with a spirit. The second, whether you can coexist with one. And the third….”

Recalling the trials I’d been through till now, she leaned on a wall of the temple, crossing her arms. She pointed forward.

“… is how much of a spirit’s power you can harness.”
“So, what you’re saying is…”
“You need to summon and fight with a spirit you contracted with at the first or second trial.”

I studied the spirit the dark shadow had summoned. A rabbit, clad in rugged iron armor, brandishing proud horns, its eyes ablaze with the heat of battle.

“You can use the nymph you’ve bound yourself to, or another spirit.”
“…Hmm.”

My gaze moved to Venice. Though temporary, she was an SSR-ranked spirit here. Was there a need to call upon an R or SR-ranked spirit?

“Me?”

At my intense stare, Venice blinked, shaking her head in surprise.

“Absolutely not. Overkill to use an executioner’s blade to kill a chicken!”
“Let’s just take it easy.”
“Given your increased spirit sensitivity, you’re unlikely to lose. Instead of dealing with me from the start, using a different spirit will help you improve your skillset more quickly.”

Venice, countering my whims with logical reasoning. Who truly holds the reins, her or I? Given our subservient relationship, Venice’s words indeed seemed to be for my benefit.

To enhance my prowess in handling spirits, it’s right to summon another spirit here.

‘…’

Casually, I splayed my hand, etching an arc into the air.

[Quaa!!]

A black feline, exuding grandiose energy, legs spread wide. The rabbit, once so effective in enticing the nymphs, tilted its head at the sight of another of its kind.

‘I’ve never pitted my skills against another spirit handler.’

My battles have never revolved around spirit magic. Spirits have always been mere aids to my magic, or tools to manipulate spatial dynamics.

Moreover, handling a spirit devoid of intellect is almost a first for me. No need to mention rustiness, I am a novice in its purest form.

‘However, I know how to augment my strength.’

Despite my lack of innate affinity for spirit reactions, my constitution harmonizes perfectly with spirits.

-Mmm.

Pumping magical energy into the rabbit’s tether, the black cat’s fur bristled and a dark red aura seeped out.

[…!]

It stood tall, ears perked. The rabbit’s crimson eyes darted around swiftly. The opposing spirit handler, a shadowy figure, also retaliated by infusing magic into their spirit.

“Chi, Chiik!”

The armored rabbit, sheathed in an azure magical aura, ignited its fighting spirit, charging across the earth.

-Clippity-clop!

Remarkably swift for a rabbit, charging with the intent to skewer our black cat with the horn affixed to its helmet.

“Kik, Kiik!”
[…]

The black cat, gazing down at the oncoming rabbit, remained solid and stationary as if turned into stone. Was it overwhelmed by the foe’s speed? As I felt my brows furrow, an emotion resonated from the line connecting me to the rabbit.

Leisure.
The sense of superiority a predator feels while gazing at a terrified prey emanated from the black cat.

‘Ah.’

The black cat glanced back at me, giving a cute cry till the very end.

[Qua.]

-Clap!

“Kiiik!”

The rabbit lunged at the black cat, stepping into its final sprint. I trusted the black cat. The black cat trusted me. With a sudden twist of its body, the black cat dodged the rabbit’s horn in just two swift steps.

-Shiiik!

A roundhouse kick, executed as swiftly as a wrestling move. Magic burst forth from the black cat’s body, exploding towards the sky like a roaring flame.

“Kiiik!!”

-Boom!

The armor that the rabbit wore was split in half, instantly flung against a wall. The black cat swiftly mounted the fallen armored rabbit. As if to display its strength, it looked up at the sky and roared triumphantly.

“Ng… Kiing.”
[Quuuuut!]

Look at me.
The eyes of the black cat sparkled as it spoke these words.

In the heart of ancient Rome, akin to a gladiator taking the stage in the Colosseum, our Black Cat flaunts its showmanship unabashedly.

“The tide has turned.”

Venice, observing this, was taken aback. As was I.

[Thwack!]

A moment ripe for a decisive finish. The Black Cat lowered its hindquarters, taking full dominion over the body of its rabbit adversary.

Just a knock to that head would suffice.

“Chirp… Chirp!”
[Whoo! Whoo!]

It should have been over…

“Hmm?”
“Eh?”

All three spectators expressed their bewilderment. Not just us, but even that dark phantom.

The Black Cat’s movements were decidedly peculiar. He seized the rabbit’s head with his elongated paw and began to wildly gyrate his hips in an audaciously domineering manner.

The rabbit, donned in armor, was helpless against the Black Cat’s taunting. As time passed, the armored rabbit’s resistance ceased entirely.

“He does resemble his master.”

Although it was baffling, I wasn’t the one being taunted. But what of the opponent? The dark phantom seemed utterly bewildered, uncertain of how to react.

<...?...?!>

He hungrily gnawed at his nails, looking at me with a desperate plea. It seemed like a silent protest, an indication that something had gone awry. However, given that the sacred shrine remained intact, the battle that had commenced wouldn’t end prematurely. Those were the rules. I lightly shook my head in response.

“Chirp, Chirp! Chirp!!”
[Whoo!]

The Black Cat, suppressing the pleas of the armored rabbit seeking aid from its master, chipped away at its loyalty, turning it into despair. The rabbit’s cries, tinged with a hint of pleasure, caused the bond between the dark phantom and the rabbit to start to weaken.

-Flap! Flap!

The training ground had long since become their exclusive love nest.

The opposition had fallen to their knees. Regardless, the rabbits, oblivious to their respective masters, were in the throes of a carnal tempest. The Black Cat’s superiority, evident as it violated the armored rabbit, made its incisors gleam menacingly. Venice clicked her tongue in sympathy for the fallen opponent, while I sighed and rubbed my temples.

“It seems he succumbed to the dominant male; that man must have been less of a male than the rabbit.”
“Don’t speak. I’m mortified enough as it is.”

At the climax of the rabbit’s erotic dance, the spirits were reverse summoned. The despairing opponent faded away as if melting into the ether.

As the temple guided us back into the next room, I realized that this damned farce was finally over.

* * * * * * * * *

-Armor of Sanctity for the Spirit Rabbit [12p]

Upon infusing magic into the shrine’s altar, such a secret shop would unveil itself. Points would be awarded based on the performance showcased at the first or the second gateway.

With 10 points, one could acquire an artifact of such remarkable quality that it could endow a lower-tier spirit with mid-tier strength.

A triumphant streak of ten consecutive victories marked the clearing of the third gateway. On the cusp of the final battle, Saku had to endure a horrifying ordeal in the previous skirmish.

“Armor Rabbit, Armor Rabbit…!”

Saku, leaning on the wall, cried out in despair. The Armor Rabbit’s eyes trembled as it gazed at Saku with a sense of desperate longing.

The adversary had cultivated their spirit with a speed unparalleled, and Saku’s counter was tardy. She had assumed she had ample time, but the velocity was far beyond her expectations. Had the assault merely grazed her, she would have been the Black Cat lying defeated.

Yet, the water had already been spilled.

“…Armor Rabbit?”

Saku, who had been encouraging the fallen Armor Rabbit, infusing it with her magical energy, found herself questioning her own eyes.

“Kkyu!” [Squeak, kkiing! Kkiing!!]

The detestable creature lowered its lower body and began to violate their Armor Rabbit with sudden vehemence!

“What? What?? Why, why? Why??”

Last time, an orgy had transpired in the village, and now, her own spirit was being violated.

Watching the tragic violation of the Armor Rabbit, Saku pounded desperately against the transparent wall.

“Ahhhhhhhh… No!”

Rabbits are reputed for the fastest mating speed in the entire world.

The Armor Rabbit, unable to resist, let out a pitiful wail as the Black Cat commenced its frenzied hip gyrations. Saku, her face flushed crimson, vehemently shook her head while crying out.

“Ahhh! My Armor Rabbit!!”

This was an unprecedented situation, her own spirit being violated. Saku wept genuinely, but soon she found herself horribly disconcerted by the emotions that coursed through their connection.

“Eh…”

The Armor Rabbit, gradually surrendering with soft whimpers, was being conquered.

<...>

Saku, feeling the weight of a gaze, looked at the shadow looming upfront. The silhouette seemed to emanate an apology. Tearfully, Saku looked at the Rabbit with a face full of torment.

The relationship between her and the Armor Rabbit was becoming nebulous. When Saku realized that their contract had been severed, a peculiar thought surfaced in her mind.

‘… If this had been a human conflict.’

Perhaps it might have been her lying there, subjugated. The form of the male body that instantly flashed in her mind was that of the man she had seen at the Elder’s house of the second gateway.

– Boom!

With heat surging in her head, Saku violently shook her head as she pressed both hands against her cheeks.

“Ugh…”

In her long-estranged hometown, she felt as if she was undergoing a series of bizarre experiences.