Volume 6 Chapter 15 Malice
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The light took shape—into a single figure.
”…Mom?”
As the glow gradually faded and the face came into focus, Minoru realized it was Risa’s birth mother. She was geared up for dungeon exploration—weapons and armor visible. Her weapon of choice was a spear, its shape resembling the one Anri-san had carried the other day.
His mind couldn’t keep up with the situation. He didn’t know if this glowing figure was truly Risa’s mother, nor whether she was friend or foe. Light still seeping from the magazine Risa had been holding also bothered him.
Risa disassembled the magazine and removed a glowing component. It looked like a small shogi piece—one half of a larger whole.
”Warifu?”
An item one group used to call for help from another—a tool for crossing world-lines within dungeons. Come to think of it, that glow… it resembled the phenomenon when Minoru had moved to the Komoda group’s world-line.
That meant Risa had requested her mother’s aid for the dungeon conquest? Could that be right? Given their relationship history, even if her mother offered help, Risa would have refused. Risa asking for help was unthinkable.
From Risa’s expression, she clearly hadn’t understood what was happening either. The natural conclusion was that her mother had done something on her own.
Before their watchful eyes—tracking the figure’s every move—the mother produced something from her bosom.
It looked like a snow globe. Through the crystal ball, a miniature rural landscape was faintly visible.
”Insect cage, deploy.”
At the mother’s words, the magical item activated. Something akin to the mana-conversion formula Minoru used when rewriting space. Acting on the instinct that he needed to counter it, he activated Tatemiya Sorcery in the same instant. Too late!?
With a flash, the surrounding scenery transformed.
High skies and green plains. The stifling rocky plaza had become an expanse of grassland.
”Minoru-sama, where are we…? Wait—Risa, Chifumi-san, where did everyone go!?”
Yurina stood beside him, stunned. The other members were gone. She must have been the only one close enough to be caught within Minoru’s counter-sorcery.
He didn’t know how vast this space was, but it seemed safe to assume everyone had been scattered to different locations.
”Tch!”
Yurina moved swiftly to position herself back-to-back with Minoru, drawing her blade and scanning their surroundings. If they’d been teleported—or trapped within a barrier—an attack using spatial control was the obvious next move.
But nothing came. Time passed without incident. Only a gentle breeze stirred the grass. There was a sense of the supernatural, but it was the presence of Snow flies. No other monsters nearby.
”What does this mean? Nothing’s happening.”
”Probably this space itself wasn’t given properties that expel invaders.”
Seeing Minoru relax his guard, Yurina sheathed her sword.
”Building a deadly alternate space that guarantees victory by trapping the opponent is hard to pull off. Naturally, it takes time to deploy. But that magic item pulled all of us in and built this space in an instant. It’s natural to assume the spell wasn’t complex.”
Minoru was confident in the spatial manipulation of his Inherent sorcery.
Recently, he hadn’t lost a speed contest against Grandfather, Father, or any other Tatemiya practitioner—not when it came to deployment. His father would deploy a space that neutralized the enemy’s counterattacks while allowing him to unleash a series of lethal blows. Minoru, meanwhile, deployed a space with no blocking effects—one that merely allowed him to freely use the abilities of subdued monsters.
As a rule, with equal skill, simpler spaces deployed faster and held stronger control. If Minoru overwrote his father’s deadly space with his own, his father could do nothing. It wasted his father’s effort, resulting in Minoru’s complete victory.
And yet, despite only a minor delay in activation, Minoru had lost in speed and intensity. That meant this space contained no complex spellwork. He guessed what had happened: someone had used sheer force to deploy a very simple space over a wide area.
”Why would that person do something like this…?”
”Everyone’s been separated. Based on her actions so far—and the fact she can send people to different locations—her target is likely… Risa.”
”!! Risa’s in danger! We have to regroup with the others, quickly!”
”Yeah! And if they’re looking for a landmark… it’d be over there.”
A small hill stood alone in the grassland. If they were to gather anywhere, that would be the spot. Like smoke and… something else, the enemy might be there too.
There were things that bothered him, but first, he assessed the location. This feeling—it was familiar.
”Now that I take a closer look, this resembles the District 5 dungeon.”
”Not just resembles. It’s identical. The only difference is whether the mountain is snow-covered or not. In times like this…”
From the shadows, Minoru summoned his Snow flies.
They burst from the darkness, darting about busily. Hinoki translated their message:
’Says this insect cage is what the Snow flies use to leave the sealed dungeon.’
”Anri-san mentioned that.”
Anri-san could command Snow flies, but unlike Minoru, she couldn’t store them in shadows. She’d said they required a dedicated magical item—an insect cage—to transport them to another dungeon.
’Though… my sister’s insect cage weren’t this big, apparently.’
”Then it’s probably the one Shoji mentioned. A special insect cage. That person stole it and used it on us. Either way, we can’t do anything until we escape. Can you find the exit?”
’Top o’ that mountain. Or rather, above it. …Hey, bro, you notice it, right?’
”Yeah, I feel it too.”
At the mountain’s summit, something waited. Someone bearing a fragment of Hinoki’s power.
”Let’s go.”
’Hop on, bro!’
Hinoki burst from the shadows. Minoru and Yurina climbed onto their back, and the centipede began to move. With considerable speed, they tore across the grassland toward their destination.
As they neared the mountain, the number of Snow flies increased. These weren’t Poplar’s swarm—they were the Snow flies native to this insect cage. For now, they weren’t hostile.
”What is that person’s goal?” Yurina asked, clinging to Minoru to avoid being thrown from Hinoki’s back.
”I don’t know. But ever since we came to the 13th District, she’s been finding excuses to make contact with Risa. All of them failed. If Risa’s alone with her mother at the top of that mountain… that confirms it. She’s the enemy. And it’s probably nothing good.”
”Risa…”
Minoru couldn’t see Yurina’s expression from behind, but her voice betrayed her worry. He was worried too. And on top of that, there was the complication of Hinoki’s power fragment.
Right. He needed to ask Hinoki about that.
”Hinoki, can you tell who’s at the summit?”
’…’
”Hinoki?”
’Bro… this time, it might honestly be bad. I’m sensing an old acquaintance.’
”Are they strong?”
’Yeah. They’re… a formidable opponent, I’d say.’
”What kind of person? What’s your relationship?”
’Well, that… No, it’s faster to show you than explain. In one word… think of ’em as a copy o’ me. At least, that’s how it was in my memory.’
The centipede ascended the mountain without slowing. Through the trees, the summit came into view.
’There they are. And the little sis is with ’em too.’
The summit opened into a clearing. Risa’s mother stood there. At her feet, Risa lay bound—her limbs wrapped in white fibers, restraints made from Snow flies that had changed form.
”Minoru!”
”Risa! We’re here!”
Risa’s mouth wasn’t bound. Minoru leaped from Hinoki’s back and confronted the mother alongside Yurina.
”Not another step.”
The mother sensed their approach and pressed the tip of her spear to Risa’s throat, warning Minoru. Her tone was different from their earlier conversation.
”What do you think you’re doing?” Minoru demanded. “You’re interfering with our dungeon exploration. Depending on your reasons, I will eliminate you.”
”Such leisurely talk. Demanding discussion while in this situation—the sorcerers of modern times have truly grown fat and lazy on peace.”
This way of speaking… was she implying she was different from modern sorcerers? Could it be…?
”You’re a Shadow.”
”Heh heh.”
The mother laughed—a knowing chuckle—in response to his question. Her refusal to clarify was as good as an admission. But her following words were a denial.
”A Shadow? I take offense at being treated like such a lowly monster. I am a sorcerer who embodies the will of Yukizuki. ‘Yukizuki Michiru.’”
Her tone was dramatic, dripping with self-admiration. Just like the Shadow from before.
”You’re controlling my mom, like you did with Anri-neesan!” Risa screamed, thrashing on the ground like a caterpillar, using her one free mouth to hurl insults at the Shadow. “This is bullshit! What even is the ‘will of Yukizuki’? Get out of my mom! You damn Shadow!”
”I’ll exorcise you just like that Shadow! I’ll—!”
”Oh? And how do you plan to do that?” the mother asked, her voice thick with mockery. “In such a pathetic state?”
”Minoru is strong!” Risa shot back. “He’ll one-shot you!”
”You rely on a man? You? …How amusing.”
The mother kept her spear pointed at Risa as she turned her gaze to Minoru.
”I see. So you command that centipede. Though you seem like a third-rate user of a fake power… I suppose I should thank you for getting rid of that Shadow.”
Something didn’t add up.
First, Hinoki was “fake” and “trash”? That was absurd. Their power now was certainly diminished compared to their prime, but they were still strong enough to easily defeat a wounded Mantis Swordsman. In the past, they’d been a walking disaster when they’d terrorized this land. Their “class” as a monster was high—high enough to contest with an ancient land deity. Even now, that remained true.
And she dismissed them as “fake.” What gave her the confidence to do that—to look down on the original power while riding high on the fragment of Hinoki’s own power? Unless… she didn’t know Hinoki was the source of that power?
Next question: “Thank you for disposing of that Shadow”? Wasn’t she allied with it? Had she, too, been controlled by the Shadow and now regained her sanity? If so, her current actions were a direct contradiction—a rehash of the Shadow’s schemes.
”Gratitude?” I said flatly. “What are you talking about? And what’s your relationship with that Shadow?”
”Yes, I’m in an exceptionally good mood today,” the mother replied, a thin smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I’ll make an exception and tell you.”
She spun the spear she’d been pointing at Risa in a fluid arc, then drove the butt end into Risa’s body, pinning her to the ground. Once she confirmed Risa couldn’t move, the mother cleared her throat and began.
”The beginning of this story goes back over a thousand years. The Yukizuki clan was granted power by the gods. They became one of the most powerful houses in the capital—but they never had the chance to wield that power. Before they could flourish, they were defeated in a conflict with their political rivals and forced to retreat to the northern lands.”
This sounds like some grand tale… Is she planning to give a speech?
Honestly, I don’t mind. Every second she talks is more time for Chifumi and the others to catch up. I’ll just stay quiet and let her keep going.
Hang in there, Risa.
[…]
She must have understood my intent, because Risa gave the smallest nod—just a fraction of movement.
The mother continued her story.
”The clan, bound by a Binding Vow to the snow-covered land, came to view the divine power they’d received as a curse. ‘This is why we were exiled,’ they thought. So they used the dungeons of that land and the monsters dwelling within them to construct a massive seal, hiding the power they’d been given. They sealed it away so it wouldn’t be misused. The divine power would weaken with time, eventually fading entirely—they considered that a good outcome.”
”So they abandoned a power they couldn’t control,” I observed. “A wise head of the house, seeking happiness befitting their station.”
She snorted at my assessment, then went on.
”That was the decision of the head of the house at the time—an opportunist, but also the clan’s strongest warrior. Some members objected to abandoning the power they’d been granted, but the head’s word was final. Resentment festered within the clan. The next head, and the head after that, were also opportunists. They kept appointing successors who believed in maintaining the seal, and the clan gradually declined—or so it was supposed to go.”
”But it didn’t turn out that way?”
The mother’s grin widened.
”Several generations later, the head of the house died in a sudden accident alongside their close relatives and some moderate faction members. Out of nowhere, a branch family member became the new head. This new head decided to reclaim the power—to undo the seal of the divine power—in order to restore the clan’s glory.”
”So that new head assassinated the main family?”
”Of course not. It was an accident. The records clearly state as much.”
Given the situation, I can’t exactly trust the records. They’ve almost certainly been doctored. Anyway, I don’t know how long ago this all happened, but at some point, the leadership changed, and the clan’s stance on the seal did a complete one-eighty.
”But…” the mother continued, “the successive heads prepared for contingencies. That Shadow you defeated was one such measure. Normally, it sleeps within a jewel—the collective will of those who protected the seal across generations, determined to let the divine power fade entirely. When that man found the jewel we’d discarded centuries ago and brought it here, I felt a chill run down my spine.”
So the Shadow I destroyed was the will of the moderates?
Was he an enemy I shouldn’t have defeated?
No. That’s not right. He was trying to use Risa for something too. Something that would have had a major impact on her. Even if that ‘will of the Yukizuki’ had some noble purpose—even if it was willing to sacrifice the few for the many—if it meant harm to Risa, I would never allow it.
Pleased by our quiet cooperation, the mother spoke with clear pride.
”When I informed that old fool of the current situation, he sprang into action with great enthusiasm. The power has weakened enough that it can now be eliminated entirely. And we have a perfect vessel available. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I even extracted the proper method of unsealing—knowledge that had been lost. And on top of all that, you’ve eliminated that troublesome Shadow for me. Well? You see now why I’m grateful to you?”
”I suppose that explains things.”
In the end, the woman in front of me wants to break the seal and claim this so-called ‘divine power’ for herself. That’s all I really needed to understand—though she certainly took the scenic route to explain it.
”So then,” I said, jerking my chin toward the object beside Risa, “is that the ‘divine power’?”
I was indicating a mass of Snow flies—a cluster of them, like a swarm clinging together. From it, I could sense the same presence as Hinoki’s fragments. I couldn’t tell how many thousands of insects made up that ball. It was clearly taller than a person, a dense, dome-shaped mound packed tight.
”Yes,” the mother said. “As a token of my gratitude, I’ll allow you to see it.”
She waved her hand, and the Snow flies began to rise.
Gradually, what had been hidden beneath them came into view.
I’d expected to see a large blue stone of some kind. But what emerged was something else entirely.
”White… Hinoki?”
Curled up on the ground—was a pure white Centipede.
—
Summary:
Minoru and Yurina are transported to a grassland replica of District 5’s dungeon after Risa’s mother deploys an insect cage. They deduce that Risa is the primary target and race toward a mountain summit, where Hinoki senses an old acquaintance—a copy of themselves. Upon arrival, they find Risa bound and her mother revealed as “Yukizuki Michiru,” who claims to embody Yukizuki’s will and taunts Risa about relying on Minoru. The chapter ends with Minoru realizing his mother’s words don’t add up—she dismisses Hinoki as “fake” despite wielding their power fragment, and her thanks for “disposing of that Shadow” contradicts her apparent alliance with it.
The mother pins Risa with a spear and begins recounting the Yukizuki clan’s thousand-year history of divine power, exile, and sealing. The protagonist listens passively, using her monologue to buy time for Chifumi and the others. The mother reveals that the Shadow the protagonist defeated was actually the will of past moderates who wanted the power to fade, and now she plans to break the seal and claim that power for herself, using Risa as a vessel. The chapter ends with the protagonist expecting a blue stone but instead seeing a pure white centipede curled on the ground.
—
Trivia:
- The insect cage used to trap the group is the same type of item Anri mentioned for transporting Snow flies between dungeons, but this one is much larger than the one Shoji’s sister used.
- Minoru has defeated his father in spatial-sorcery contests before, overwriting his lethal space with his own simpler, faster-deploying version.
- Hinoki’s current power is diminished compared to their prime, but they still defeated a wounded Mantis Swordsman easily and once contested an ancient land deity.
- The “Shadow” that the mother claims to have been disposed of is a prior antagonist, but the mother’s current actions mirror that Shadow’s behavior.
- Yukizuki Michiru’s name connects to “Yukizuki” (Snow Moon), an aesthetic triad that may foreshadow her role as a “beautiful” antagonist in a world where beauty standards are reversed.
- The Yukizuki clan was granted divine power by the gods over a thousand years ago.
- They were exiled to the northern lands after losing a political conflict in the capital.
- The clan viewed the divine power as a curse and sealed it away using dungeons and monsters.
- The seal was maintained by successive heads of the house who believed in letting the power fade.
- A branch family member became head after the main family died in a suspicious accident.
- The new head decided to break the seal and reclaim the power to restore the clan.
- The Shadow was the collective will of past heads who protected the seal.
- The mother extracted the lost unsealing method from the Shadow.
- Risa is being used as a vessel (yorishiro) for the divine power.
- The mother claims gratitude toward the protagonist for destroying the Shadow.
- The white centipede resembles Hinoki or is connected to Hinoki’s fragments.
- The protagonist senses the same presence from the Snow flies as from Hinoki.
- The mother’s story is deliberately long-winded, which the protagonist uses to stall.
- The mother’s tone shifts from formal history to casual mockery and pride.
- The protagonist remains detached and calculating throughout the exchange.
- Risa silently trusts the protagonist and obeys his unspoken command to endure.
- The Snow flies form a massive hemispherical mound taller than a person.
- The protagonist expected a blue stone but found a white centipede instead.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• 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.
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• Komoda – An eccentric, polite male classmate and leader of the influential Michinori family’s Komoda house who commands a Sword-Hammer Cave squad. While hiding mechanics for prestige, he coordinates travel, exchanges intel, interacts with Ryota’s group, and seeks an alliance with Minoru. Outperforming Shoji’s group in speed-runs, he shares the dungeon space and serves as a party meeting benchmark.
• K – A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N’s protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• Tatemiya – Minoru, bearer of the prestigious Tatemiya family name, is a sorcerer protagonist and head of a traditional lineage house. Specializing in electrical defensive sorcery, he guides a powerful group of women and witches (including Kotoha) to search for powers. He utilizes the Tatemiya household as a central hub to live and bond, conversing with Megumi and Minoru about regional gathering spots.
• Chifumi – Minoru’s beautiful, kimono-clad childhood friend, partner, and lead household witch. A supportive, energetic older sister figure who loves cooking, she manages team admin and fiercely protects Minoru, acting as his off-screen ally. A capable member of “Strong-Females,” she uses immense Mana for recovery, long-range AOE ice sorcery, and water-based abilities strong enough to counter advanced fire magic.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Grandfather – The current head of the Tatemiya house who dotes on Minoru.
• 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.
• Shoji – The protagonist is a serious silver werewolf beastman and top 5th District sorcerer student in a white uniform. An observant strategist with 20% mana, he uses magic pistols, shock magic, and a short spear. He leads Ryota, Komoda, and Strong-Females, and associates with Kotoha. To rescue his secret relative Risa from possession, he tracks scents to feed Hinoki to her to expel a Shadow entity.
• Poplar – An Aberration who serves as the queen of a snow fly colony and Minoru’s shikigami, she remains at the detached house to guard the nest.
• 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.
• Yukizuki Michiru – A sorcerer who claims to embody the will of Yukizuki. She speaks with theatrical condescension and appears to be the entity controlling Risa’s mother.
• Yukizuki – The Yukizuki family is an ancient noble clan, originally a powerful house from the capital before being exiled to the northern lands. Bound to a sacred seal, this lineage carries the identity that controls Anri.
• Mantis Swordsman – A mantis-type Unique Variant and lower-ranked species of the Head-Hunting Mantis, standing over 3 meters tall and wielding two giant scythes.
• Centipede – A former high-level Apparition currently reduced to a powerless, disembodied state. It speaks with a manipulative, merchant-like tone.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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