Volume 6 Chapter 16 Asunaro
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So this is a ‘god’?”
The words slipped out before I could stop ’em.
Mother didn’t miss it. With her usual politeness, she explained.
”A White Centipede. A messenger of a nameless god.”
”……”
The three of us—me, Risa, and Yurina—stayed quiet.
It looked like Hinoki. The only difference was whether it was an albino specimen or not.
(Hinoki…)
’What?’
(That Centipede—an acquaintance of yours?)
’That’s Asunaro. Stands out, don’t they? Used to get isolated ’cause of how they looked, so I kinda took ’em under my wing back in the day.’
(Same species?)
’Well… more like… a daughter, I guess.’
That was a surprise. Hinoki had a daughter.
’That’s not it! I mean I gave ’em some of my power before!’
If they were denying it that hard, I’d let it slide. The point was, this being before us hadn’t stolen fragments of Hinoki’s power—they’d received it directly from Hinoki themselves.
Even so… the White Centipede before us showed no reaction. If they really knew Hinoki, I’d expect at least some visible response.
’Hmm… maybe still half-asleep?’
(I’m begging you, don’t let this be a grudge attack where we get jumped without warning.)
’That won’t happen!’
Hinoki said it with absolute certainty.
Maybe it was their voice that did it—the White Centipede began to stir. Its head lifted slightly. Mandibles and a few legs twitched, slow and tentative.
’…who…?’
I heard the voice.
It wasn’t like Hinoki’s suspicious-sounding tone—this was thin and delicate, like wind chimes. The image it brought to mind was a frail princess.
’Bro, you’re kinda harsh on me, don’t you think? Well, whatever… Asunaro, it’s me. Hinoki. Been like, fifteen hundred years? You remember me?’
’…I’m sorry. I don’t recall.’
If Hinoki could’ve convinced Asunaro, that’d have made things simple. But first contact was a bust. Still, just knowing we could communicate was enough. I could hear Asunaro’s voice too—the White Centipede right in front of me.
’I see. Well, I don’t look anything like I used to either. Can’t be helped.’
As I watched Asunaro continue their conversation with Hinoki, Mother pointed out how often my gaze was shifting.
”The difference in class between the grimy Centipede you command and that one is plain to see. No matter how many times you compare, that gap in power won’t close.”
”…A White Centipede is quite rare.”
This woman, completely unaware of what Hinoki and the others were saying, was giving me a smug lecture.
Wait—could she not hear Hinoki’s voice? If she couldn’t communicate with them through conversation, wouldn’t now be the perfect time to persuade Asunaro to our side?
’Right. Hey, Asunaro—we were friends back in the day, yeah? Could you do me a solid and help us out?’
’Help… I’d… like to help a friend…’
’What’s wrong?’
’I’m at my limit. I’m barely holding this form together… soon, the “me” is going to disappear. Ah, I can’t think… I can’t think at all…’
’Asunaro!? Hey, Asunaro!!’
’……’
After that, Asunaro stopped responding to Hinoki’s calls. Their raised head fell limply to the ground. The movement of their legs grew faint.
”Minoru-sama, why isn’t that Centipede moving?”
”They can eliminate you lot with ease. It simply has no need to move.”
Yurina’s innocent question came from not being able to hear Hinoki’s conversation. Mother’s answer was completely at odds with what Asunaro had just said.
No mistaking it—she couldn’t understand Asunaro’s words. …If this was all an act, if she was deliberately choosing behavior that wouldn’t reveal her actual understanding, then she was quite the performer. Maybe Risa got her acting chops from this mother. Risa would hate that comparison, though.
’This is… dementia, isn’t it.’
(Dementia? So Asunaro’s a grandma?)
’Don’t be an idiot. They’re way younger than me. Besides, a monster having dementia—what even is that?’
(But you’re the one who said you had dementia.)
’What I’m saying is—something that causes memory problems is happening to Asunaro.’
(And that something is probably this woman’s doing.)
’No doubt about it! Man, I’m getting pissed off now!’
Hinoki’s hostility was plain.
Given that an old friend was suffering, their anger was understandable.
In contrast to Hinoki’s rising heat, Mother wore a composed expression. She almost looked amused.
”What’s so funny?”
”This monster’s power is about to become ours. Of course I’m pleased.”
”From the looks of it, this White Centipede doesn’t seem inclined to cooperate with you.”
”Cooperate? Today’s sorcerers are too naive.”
She chuckled—a laugh that was pure mockery.
”Monsters are not to be cooperated with. They are to be commanded. You establish a master-servant relationship, enforce absolute obedience. A monster has no need for will.”
”…I see.”
I wasn’t about to argue with her worldview. It was true that some monsters were evil, and most were a danger to humans.
But some could coexist with us. Take the Snow Flies gathered here—they were a perfect example.
Anri-san had doted on those Snow Flies. The fact that this woman, who shared Anri-san’s Inherent Sorcery, held completely opposite beliefs… Was she truly being controlled by a Shadow?
”Now then, I think that’s enough chatter.”
Mother leveled her spear at Risa once more.
”I’ll give you a special demonstration of how to use this monster. Consider it thanks—you’ve been most helpful.”
”Much obliged…” I replied dryly.
The more sarcastic she got, the more it felt like she genuinely hated me. Then again, that made sense. From her perspective, I’d been nothing but an obstacle constantly interfering with her contact with Risa.
With Risa bound tight by the Snow Flies, tucked under her left arm, she kept the threat clear: one wrong move and Risa would be hurt. Then she began gathering the Snow Flies.
They flew up one after another, gathering in the sky as they glowed. This was the prelude to that technique—the one that focused all the Snow Flies’ power into a single strike. She was going all out already?!
There were more Snow Flies than during the fight with Anri-san the other day. My Defensive Sorcery alone probably wouldn’t hold. I got ready to switch with Pape at a moment’s notice. But her target wasn’t me.
”Firefly Frozen Boundary: Sin.”
The glowing Snow Flies swarmed Asunaro, covering every inch of their massive body.
”Punishment.”
The Snow Flies’ light intensified sharply. For a moment, it looked as though Asunaro themselves was radiating light.
And then Mother drove her spear into them.
’Asunaro!?’
I held Hinoki back before they could lunge.
’Bro!’
”Don’t. Risa’s safety comes first.”
It’s okay. I’ll save Asunaro—I’ll save that princess. So stay put for now.
’…!’
Once she confirmed we weren’t moving, Mother kept her grip on the spear and activated her final technique.
”Cleanse.”
A flash flooded my vision with white. I’d expected it, so I managed to keep my sight intact. I stayed alert for an attack coming under cover of the flash, but Mother didn’t move. The Snow Flies flew back up into the sky, and I could see Asunaro’s Centipede body was still intact.
Mother twisted her spear—a grinding, gouging motion inside Asunaro’s shell, widening the wound—before pulling it free. She bent down, reached into the hole pierced through the Centipede’s body, and withdrew a blue gem.
”This is the power of a god.”
Mother gazed at the gem with an expression of pure joy. About three centimeters across—a sphere like a large marble. It was roughly the same size as the blue stones I’d seen before, but its appearance and presence were entirely different. A dense core of power that felt dozens of times more refined than the stones I’d given Pape and Clam.
The gem was concerning, but I decided saving Asunaro came first.
I asked as casually as I could manage.
”So? What are you planning to do with that White Centipede?”
”Ah. This one’s just a husk now. Feed it to your Centipede if you like. Might even give it a bit of a boost.”
”…Then I’ll take you up on that.”
Perfect. I sent a mental command to Hinoki.
’……’
As Mother stepped away from Asunaro, Hinoki moved in to take her place. They scooped up Asunaro’s wounded body and retreated into my extended shadow.
”…Hmph.”
Mother watched the whole thing and let out a mocking snort.
”Accepting a handout from the enemy without hesitation—well, I suppose I can praise you for being greedy in the pursuit of victory. Not that it matters.”
Gem in her right hand, Risa’s head in her left.
Mother shoved the crystal into Risa’s mouth. No time to stop her—it was over in an instant.
”Wh-whaa!? Ghaa—guh—!?”
The stone was forced down her throat, and it looked like Risa had swallowed it.
”Hack! Haaack!”
Risa’s knees buckled, and she would’ve collapsed if Mother hadn’t been holding her up. Watching her cough like that, I couldn’t just stand by.
”Hey. Hold it right there, you old hag.”
I growled, stuck where I stood.
”Risa’s one of mine—one of my Strong-Females. You knew what you were doing when you messed with her, didn’t you? Huh?”
”…Don’t get cocky, you little shit. You don’t even know what she really is, and you’re running your mouth like you own the place.”
”What’s a piece of trash who abandoned her kid got to be so high and mighty about? Risa’s Mama-san’s daughter. She’s not yours. You’ve got no right—”
”Thieves who know nothing.”
I lost it. The blood rushed to my head, and I started yelling. Bad move.
We traded insults, Shadow and I, her mask finally slipping. None of this was making things better. But the rage at what she’d done to Risa wouldn’t settle.
”Hack! …Hey, don’t shove weird stuff down my throat! I thought I was gonna die!”
Risa managed to cough out some defiance. That bitch of a mother looked down at her like she was a bug.
”Still running your mouth? Your role is over. Disappear.”
”Eh… Hey! Wait! You’re joking, right!?”
Risa clutched at her solar plexus, panic in her voice. I could feel it too—a massive surge of power welling up inside Risa.
”Risa!”
Yurina and I shouted almost at the same time.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think of a way to take out this bitch of a mother while leaving Risa unharmed.
Using Shock Magic to blast through both of them crossed my mind—Risa would be ejected from the dungeon thanks to the revival orb. But if Mother got resurrected alongside her, we’d be back to square one.
That moment’s hesitation invited the worst possible outcome.
”Ahh…”
Risa went limp, like a toy whose batteries had just died. She collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.
She’s separated! Now!
I fired a shockwave at Mother.
”!! Guh—!?”
She barely managed to raise a defensive barrier against my strike aimed at her upper body—but the shockwave punched through and slammed into her. She braced herself by jamming her spear into the ground. I closed in—no guilt about hitting a woman without her weapon, I was pissed. I drove a close-range shock punch right into her gut.
The impact sent her flying. She bounced off the ground a few times before the Snow Flies caught her.
”Damn… you—you—really did it…!!”
She staggered to her feet, shooting me a look of pure hatred. Serves her right.
With distance between us, I ignored Mother for the moment. Yurina and I rushed to Risa. Yurina turned Risa’s limp body over and shook her gently, but Risa stayed completely unresponsive.
”Hey! Risa! Stay with us!”
Even Yurina’s voice got no reaction. Her eyes stayed closed.
”What are you waiting for? Do it already!”
Mother’s voice rang out, still managing to stand using her spear as a crutch from a distance. The moment I heard it, Risa’s eyes snapped open.
”Risa!”
”You okay!?”
”……”
Risa gave no response to me or Yurina. Just stared blankly.
”Hey, you okay? Feeling sick?”
Worried, Yurina supported Risa’s back as she sat up—then suddenly, a surge of overwhelming mana flooded from Risa’s body. Her hand shot toward Yurina’s throat.
”Gh—!?”
Yurina’s neck was grabbed in an instant. She froze for a split second before wrenching Risa’s hand away—using both hands to pry those fingers open. Risa had only used one arm. If she’d used both, Yurina’s Escape Ball would’ve triggered for sure.
”Gaaah!… Haaack!… Ughh…”
Risa stood up, sparing only a glance at Yurina, who was on the ground catching her breath.
”……”
”Risa?”
No response to my call. She’d noticed I’d moved to stand between her and Yurina—there was no missing that. But what was this? She seemed to be moving on autopilot, like her will was gone. My first thought: was she being controlled by Oboroka Sorcery?
If so, it’d be faster to take out Mother directly and break the sorcery than to incapacitate Risa first. Mother was already on the ropes. I’d finish this now—just as I started to move, I sensed it. Risa was activating a sorcery right in front of me. And she was doing it with painfully slow mana conversion.
Usually, Risa used her various magic pistols by just pumping raw mana into them. Since the elemental conversion was handled by the pistol’s mechanisms, her personal mana conversion skills were… honestly, not great. The only times she ever performed it herself was when she was using basic common sorcery.
And yet now, she was performing that very same clumsy mana operation.
”What is she trying to do?”
’This sorcery—it’s bad, bro! Get back!’
Hinoki, who should have been hiding in the shadows with Asunaro, suddenly shouted a sharp warning.
The sorcery Risa activated right after was Fire Sorcery. A purplish-black flame, near-black in color, spread from Risa’s chest across her entire left arm. Her combat uniform was singed at the chest—where the flames first erupted.
”Whoa—!?”
For an instant, static electricity raced across my entire body. Rei was issuing a warning on a level I’d never felt before.
I grabbed Yurina as she was getting to her feet, scooping her up and retreating at full speed. I put distance between us, far out of reach, at least ten meters.
”…”
The deep crimson flame smoldered, covering her left arm. Tiny flames flickered and danced, and then, with a pop of fine sparks around her arm, it vanished.
”Hinoki, what was that?”
’Seems like most of my power’s still left inside Asunaro. The condensed power stored in Asunaro is now inside Big Sis, and because of that, she can use my fire and lightning now.’
It took me a moment to process what that meant.
So what was that? That was part of Hinoki’s power at their peak?
’That’s it.’
”You’re kidding…”
’Fire, lightning—both of ’em hit you, you’re dead. Even a graze’ll tear you up! You’ve gotta dodge or block everything! Stay sharp!’
Hearing Hinoki’s warning, I started thinking of a way out of this mess.
Notes:
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• T – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• M – A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• Centipede – A former high-level Apparition currently reduced to a powerless, disembodied state. It speaks with a manipulative, merchant-like tone.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• Yurina – A stoic, black-haired Plain-folk samurai student residing in Risa’s house. During a play, she wears an apron, cat ears, a collar, and a tail. A loyal, perceptive vanguard in Minoru’s party, she fights alongside Mitsuki and protects Chifumi. Trained by Anri in katana and Severing Sorcery, she respects Minoru but feels unsettled by his escalating violence, ultimately trusting his judgment.
• Risa – A tall, slender, twin-tailed Naruse guild lady staying at the Tatemiya estate. Proud and fiery yet wealthy, she is Momono and Anri’s sister, Minoru’s primary partner, and trusts the protagonist implicitly while fighting her obsessed mother. Now possessed by a Shadow entity and controlled by Oboroka sorcery, her large-breasted, uniform-clad body uniquely wields Hinoki’s power. Defiant but pinned by a spear, she silently resists, relying on Minoru.
• Yuri – A cheerful and energetic first-year student at Higashi High who is a classmate of Shibuya and an acquaintance of Kibe Yurina from their middle school days. A girl known for being aggressive toward Hayato and displaying overt favoritism.
• R – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• Hinoki – Sharing Minoru’s consciousness, this sharp-tongued, non-binary Oni-fied centipede familiar has a 30cm metallic white shell. Speaking in a blunt Kansai dialect, they have a playful, teasing bond with the protagonist. This diminished ancient field leader wields fire/lightning powers, guides insects, and can shrink to enter bodies and expel entities, though their true form is currently separated.
• Asunaro – A being that has coexisted with Hinoki’s power for over a thousand years. Currently used as a medium for Hinoki’s power, with its consciousness faded or removed.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• N – A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• Minoru – Minoru Tatemiya is a lean, plain, black-haired student, narrator, and reincarnated mob protagonist who secretly rules the 5th District as a hidden Demon Lord. From his estate, this analytical, confident, and pragmatic tactician manages dungeon logistics, uses inherent shockwave and spatial-manipulation sorcery, and will employ brutal methods to protect his group. He hosts Hinoki, guides Majo allies Mai and Mitsuki, and maintains a complex, training-based relationship with Risa.
• Shadow – A guardian entity that slept within a jewel, representing the collective will of past Yukizuki heads who sought to let the divine power fade. Defeated by the protagonist. A malicious entity or entities responsible for the Oboroka sorcery. They possess hosts and demonstrate high pain tolerance, manipulating events from within their victims. The possessing entity within Risa. Also inhabits the Mother. Goal is to create a human sorcerer who can freely use Hinoki’s power by combining Asunaro’s soul with Hinoki’s power in Risa’s body. Shows no concern for the Mother’s fate. Suppresses Risa’s soul.
• Anri – The fourth Naruse sister, Risa’s older sibling, and apprentice Dungeon Manager whose family guards a District 5 dungeon. Controlled by Yukizuki Anri, this private-school leader/sorcerer knows the Shoji house’s internal situation. Wielding a spear and staff, she commands mind incense, insects, and Aberrations. She mentored Minoru’s group, was kidnapped by Ogura, and brought premium meat as an apology.
• Pape – A dedicated mannequin Aberration with a blank face, this shape-shifting butler and Strong-Females member is a loyal ally deeply devoted to its master. It flawlessly handles chores, tricks, and games, becoming invincible when motionless. It uses attire-based magic and creates illusions or decoys—even mimicking Shoji’s appearance to confuse Risa in combat—to perfectly assist others.
• Clam – Evolving from a clam via a stone, this newborn Aberration is a sorcerer specializing in Bewilderment magic. Taking a large mollusk form or a toddler guise with limited speech, this unique Phantom serves as a communication intermediary for water tank entities. Though she often questions others’ abilities, she was educated by Tempura, is deeply attached to Asari, and gets drunk on carbonated drinks.
• Strong-Females – A social designation within the world’s hierarchy.
• Rei – A subjugated electric ray Aberration residing in Minoru’s shadow and a dedicated group member. It acts as a combat radar, detecting atmospheric shifts and sorcery for tactical warnings. Loyal to allies but hostile and fearful toward new members, its ability provides defensive support to both Tatemiya and Shoji.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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