Chapter 576 – Somei Yoshino (15)

Upon the open field in front of the cave, a fox’s tail dances in the air.

It’s a battlefield where the truly powerful are tested, where a sinister aura sweeps the environment as if it holds the very fate of life and death. An assassination is underway.

– Swish!

Haku’s thrown spell barely misses Saku. Saku, having invoked her spirit form, lunges forward like a bird in flight, causing a nearby mercenary to swing his sword in response to her approach.

Regardless of her agility, it is impossible for her to completely vanish from the sight of a highly trained hunter.

From this point, it’s a fight dictated by the instincts of battle.

Saku creates a foothold in mid-air, twirls about, dodging the mercenary’s sword, and strikes back with her foot against the blade.

– Clang!

“Ugh!”

A considerable shock assaults the mercenary’s wrist, causing him to wince and drop his sword.

As Saku’s claw threatens to slice open the man’s throat, another mercenary, seizing the opportunity, positions himself against Saku.

– Boom!

An extraordinary surge of energy bursts from Saku. Her usually delicate pink aura intensifies. The energy she emits is akin to the fur of a red fox standing on end.

“Both of you, get out of the way!”

Haku, having stormed onto the scene, unsheathes her own claws and engages Saku. The field is a chaotic whirlwind of the two foxes, a grim scene of bloodshed and injuries.

– Thump, thump, thump!

Haku is a moment too late. Her claws brush past Saku’s neck. Though the unique regenerative ability of her spirit form stops the bleeding, a vivid scar is etched onto her neck.

[Whoosh!]
[Huff!!]

The spirits rising from the earth aid them, each employing their own magic.

Rocks and rivulets. Flames and lightning collide, casting a radiant glow.

– Thud!

From golems, divine creatures that one rarely encounters in a lifetime, to powerful phantoms, the tide of battle is one-sided.

Given the nature of the spirit sorcerer, which requires preparation and has difficulties in commanding multiple spirits concurrently, Saku struggles to display her true strength. Haku, on the other hand, manages to bridge the gap in their abilities.

The response is by no means slow, but it’s a battle of one against many.

– Rip!

As Haku’s spell barely misses and slices a piece of her clothing, her pale forearm is exposed.

“…!”

Whooosh-

Haku swings her claw with enough force to pierce through the mask. The triple-pronged sharp blades threaten to wreak havoc on Saku’s body.

– Crash!

She narrowly avoids the claws striking her mask, but a kick launched at close range is unavoidable. Lowering her head, she fails to dodge the blow aimed at her abdomen.

As time passes, Saku grows increasingly desperate.

Even though she tries to gather her energy and undergo the ‘woodification’ process to draw out the essence of the World Tree…

“…Hnng!”

The opponent seizes the inevitable openings, preventing Saku from unleashing her full power.

-Perok!

A strike landed true. Dizzy- Saku’s view clouded over.

“Ugh…”

Stifling the surge of bile, Saku again channeled her magic to the spirits. Behind her, a fox’s voice resonated.

【Aiya…】
‘…Yes.’
【How long do you intend to resist?】

The white fox. Patterns etched all over its body. It queried Saku, its massive maw devoid of bloodlust gaping wide.

Supreme. The highest-graded, the most ancient spirit in Japan. And simultaneously, a robust ally and companion inherited by the head of the Yoshino family.

The Yoshino family’s leader had offered no substantial resistance when she transferred this power to Saku. If their contract severed this spirit’s link, it would demand countless life essences in return.

In exchange, this nine-tailed fox had promised the Yoshino family’s limitless resurgence. It provided strength without requiring compensation for as long as the summoner lived.

【No one is around here. There’s no need to worry about others being affected. So, why the hesitation?】

Saku gave no response. But the feelings transmitted through their bond were firm.

【…I see. You still wish to converse with that child.】
【Tangled in anger and love, you’re at a loss. If you value your safety, I believe you should kill that child.】

In Saku’s memories, Haku remained a repository of good recollections. When Haku had betrayed her three years prior, she had felt more taken aback than devastated, not fully grasping the scope of the betrayal.

She was consumed with rage over her parents’ death. Indeed, she yearned to snap that neck.

But if there had been a misunderstanding…

【Reconciliation seems impossible.】

‘…’

Saku couldn’t suppress her perturbation.

-Phat!

Haku’s spell ensnared one of her arms. Saku, who forcefully tore away the long wire, narrowed her eyes.

She had thought she purged a significant degree of corruption from her superiors, but she despised herself for failing to look after her sister. Yet, she couldn’t forgive her. The dilemma tormented her mind.

‘Sooyeon…’

But Saku was not a simpleton who acted solely on feelings. She still had numerous issues to resolve outside.

Especially now that her family had collapsed!

‘Here. I cannot die.’

Spiritualization draws more power the stronger the bond and connection line with the spirit.

‘Please lend me your power.’
【Very well.】

Saku’s form was suffused with white. Her raw spiritual energy exploded, and the ears sprouting from her hair and the tail at her waist turned white.

Haku remained expressionless.

“…Ah.”

Her senses were so heightened that her mind could barely endure the immense power. If she furthered her spiritualization here, Saku would lose consciousness and run wild.

Desiring a conversation with Haku, Saku halted her transformation into a spirit at the edge of dangerous precipice. Haku observed the scene with an icy gaze.

“Your appearance has altered,” Haku stated.
“Enough of this. Subdue her.”

A mercenary lunged towards Saku. In response, Saku released her mystical energy, overpowering the man’s form in a heartbeat.

Her invisible power approached the mercenary and, with a decisive *thud*, Saku’s sharpened nails crushed the man’s helmeted head, restrained by her magical energy.

“What is this power…?” one of them gasped.
“Do not lower your guard unless you wish to die as well,” she warned.

Almost simultaneously, Haku and the last remaining mercenary launched themselves at Saku. She rapidly processed a deluge of sensory information flooding her mind, strategizing her countermove.

Time seemed to crawl. The motion of her opponents, the condition of the surrounding spirits, even the disadvantage looming over her. Each droplet of sweat trickling down her skin, the sharp scent of the grass, all amplified to an overwhelming degree.

Her power, yet unmastered, made her nose sting painfully, her heightened sense of smell almost making her believe she was bleeding.

*Whack!*

She parried the mercenary’s sword, her body’s fortified aura allowing her to deflect the attack. As she repelled the mercenary, Haku…

‘Regain control,’ she reminded herself.

She couldn’t kill them, not now. She needed to converse. In her haste, Saku momentarily slowed the pace of her movements. The inevitable opening created by this decision did not escape Haku’s quick judgement.

Haku withdrew something from her pocket and flung it.

*Thwack!*

A small cloth sack, no larger than a coin purse, struck Saku’s mask, releasing a cloud of white powder from its point of impact.

“!?”

Her vision clouded, every visual detail now piercingly distinct. Haku’s face, now clearly visible, bore a sinister smile.

“What are you… doing?”
“Endgame.”

If Haku was unaware of the power residing within Saku, the power of the white fox spirit, it would have been a gross miscalculation.

Information known only to successors of the head family. But behind Haku was the Flower, a hub where the secrets of the nobility were exchanged as trivial jests.

*Splash.*

Saku, who had been standing tall, collapsed without a trace of resistance. Her eyes stared blankly into the void. Her vision was skewed, the ground seemed to surge upwards as the sky descended. The colors of the leaves intertwined with the cavernous darkness, and hues she had never before witnessed bloomed around her in a disorienting haze.

“Ah… Ah- Ah?”

Saliva dripped from beneath Saku’s mask.

‘No, I must purify myself quickly… !’

A drug dose surpassing lethal limits. A simplistic yet effective weapon in Haku’s arsenal.

She could hear nothing. Her eyes were fixed on the distant sky.

“Grab her!”
“Yes! But what on earth happened?”

A mercenary dove onto Saku’s body, seizing her. Saku’s soft body quivered, now entwined in his grip.

“It’s simple. Transformed beings experience heightened senses. Hundreds, thousands, even more times than normal. If one knows how to harness these senses, it would be manageable. However, if one fails to control this power, this is the result.”
“…What do you mean?”
“She fell because she tried to spare me.”

While there were measures of defense, a surprising assault could render them useless.

Saku was ensnared by a man, her body writhing in his restraint.

“Ah, um… oh…”

Her trembling thighs were spread wide, unable to resist. Her chest rose and fell in rhythmic anticipation. The sight stirred the mercenary, swallowing his saliva.

“…This wench, though disgraceful, quickens my pulse… Shall I proceed?”
“Stay put. I’ll offer you some pleasure soon enough.”

As moments passed, magic began to seep from Saku’s body. Being an elemental, Saku could rid herself of even narcotic substances if given time.

Yet, ‘purification,’ once external interference starts, it becomes impossible to shake off.

Haku had imagined this moment countless times. Haku’s magic invaded Saku, disrupting her ability to cast off the drug-induced hallucinations. Saku’s consciousness began to recede further. Haku started infusing prepared potions and enchantments into Saku’s body.

Various seals, narcotics, potent sedatives, and more.

The potions were prepared with lethal intent, but they wouldn’t be enough. Despite the interference, an hour later, Saku’s resilient body would dispel all foreign substances and recuperate.

“If you intend to toy with her, you should intensify your efforts.”

Saku’s consciousness receded fully as more time passed.

– Thud.

Tears welled under Saku’s mask. Haku, upon seeing the tears, paused momentarily, shook her head, and then lifted the mask.

Saku’s eyes, visible from within the mask, had lost all color. Haku exerted force to open the mask.

“Aren’t you curious about her face?”
“…Yes.”

The mercenary answered, seemingly entranced. Already having secured her arms and thighs, the mercenary’s lust had solidified. The demise of his comrade was of no concern.

“The Yoshino family has a tradition of revealing their faces only to their spouses. It’s akin to a family law… Because of that, in the past, if a woman inadvertently showed her face, she had to marry the man who saw it.”
“What about now?”
“Nowadays, it’s not as strict. But she is pure-hearted, do you think she would abide by that?”

Haku giggled as she lifted the mask. Saku’s delicate nose came into the mercenary’s view.

“…No. Not…yet…”

Saku, already having shed a significant amount of the narcotic, was mumbling.

“Face, not yet…”

Haku laughed softly as she raised the mask. Next were the cheeks, and finally, the moment her lovely face was fully revealed.

– Whoosh!

The wind howled, and an unbelievable force shot towards the necks of the mercenary and Haku.

* * * * * * * * * *

– Swoosh!

The severed head of the mercenary did not roll on the floor. A neat line was all that was left, neatly connecting the neck.

The mercenary, oblivious to his injury, collapsed onto the ground, his face flushed with excitement as he convulsed.

His neck remained attached to his body, but it had been unmistakably severed. This was due to the severance of the spinal nerves.

“…?!”

Haku, who had not been injured, was rendered speechless, her gaze fixed on me.

Regrettably, the spell I had launched at Haku fell short.

‘What are you doing? I asked you to aim properly.’

Being one with a spirit means a degree of shared consciousness. If the spirit were to resist my intentions, it could cause even a spell I had confidently executed to go astray.

【She’s a woman too. Claim her.】
‘… … .’

My pupils, tinged azure. I studied the oscillating object with caution.

Saku, who had fallen, was silent. Her jaw trembled, and looking at her bodily reactions, it seemed she had been severely violated.

The other one… Haku.

‘Was it her?’

I had pondered the motive behind the family’s destruction. Turns out, there was a traitor among the Flower and the clandestine family.

“You are…”
“You don’t need to know.”

Haku appeared bewildered, apparently clueless.

She concealed her appearance and had transformed into a spirit, which was only natural.

“Did you intend to assassinate me here?”
“…Huh, who on earth put a person up to this?”
“I don’t care. My goal is the end of this dungeon.”
“……what, just a plunderer?”

An entity that breaches the law, intruding by stripping away the dungeon rewards. That is accurate. As I nodded in affirmation, Haku stepped back, her face slick with apprehensive sweat.

“How on earth. No, whoa. Damn it….”

Haku furrowed her brows in frustration, having lost the long-awaited chance for revenge.

I moved a step closer to Haku.

“Hold on…! Fine. I’ll give you everything that comes out of this dungeon.”
“Hand it over for now.”

Haku hesitated for a moment, then tossed a scroll in front of me, as if she valued her life over it. I took the scroll and stowed it in my pocket without examining it.

【Next, the body! Demand her body!】
‘Stay put.’

I intend to kill Saku without considering her opinion. Regardless of the relationship between the two sisters, it doesn’t involve me. It doesn’t matter how it ends. This one is a Flower, and in some sense, she was my adversary.

‘She’s quite resilient to submission.’

That method takes too long.

Then, Venice emerged and shouted.

【Offer your body to me!】
‘Hey.’

Haku paused at Venice’s voice, then gritted her teeth.

“…If you’re after a woman, go for the girl behind me. She’s far more beautiful and pure than I am.”
【You can join too.】
“Sorry, I’m a bit of a mess.”
【I don’t mind.】

I’m the one doing it, so why are you excited?

Incredulous, I let out a hollow laugh. I gathered magic in my hands, and Haku exhaled a sigh, laced with resignation.

“…So you intended to kill me anyway. Tsk.”

From the lack of attempted escape, it seemed they had noticed the disparity in our abilities. Their eyes darted about, trying to discern my identity, but the knowledge eluded them, leaving their face a mask of confusion.

The decision was made. Death.
The moment of my magic’s expansion was upon us.

Saku, expressionless until now, parted her lips. A trembling plea spilled forth.

“Sister, please… don’t kill… spare me….”

My hand stilled. They seemed oblivious to the situation, yet somehow, they had sensed my intention. I found my gaze drifting momentarily to Saku’s eyes. Haku’s face was a kaleidoscope of emotions.

【 Body! Your sister has spoken, give me your body and your life shall be spared! 】
“How do you know this? Damn it…”

Venice’s voice rang out in protest.
Haku, a grimace of humiliation on her face, reached for her undergarments.

“Are you truly… going to spare me?”

It went against my initial plan. But this creature knew nothing about me, and was powerless to interfere. Even if they were a mere servant, two provided more strength than one.

【 Releasing the spirit, are we? 】

Haku, her eyes ablaze with hatred and fury, set down her discarded underwear.