Chapter 283 - 283. The Giant Clad in Miasma and the Goddess Adorned in Rainbow Aura
The mountain range stretches endlessly, with peaks reaching one thousand or even two thousand meters, estimate or not. This village lies hidden within these mountains. If I looked at it from here, how tall would these mountains appear?
The way this giant towers through the mountains feels like stumbling into a miniature world.
"Is that the God of the End?"
Maira stared at it with the same gape I did.
"I-I don’t know... but it doesn’t resemble any god I’ve imagined—"
The black miasma shrouding that colossal form isn’t even remotely divine like Racshell’s aura. It only radiates pure evil. To think this is just one of its avatars, with more of them out there… the thought sends a wave of despair through me. I turn to Fam.
"Hey, did Okita Soji really challenge something like that with just a blade?"
Fam nodded at my question.
"But Okita Soji was sick. I heard he lost."
"Even if he was healthy, that’d be impossible."
Fam stands beside me, staring up at the giant. It’s a ridiculous size. No matter what attack we throw at it, I doubt it’d do any damage. It might even hurt more when it accidentally stomps on the trees than when attacked by us.
The giant slowly raises its foot.
"Lord, get ready—"
I shake my head.
"No point. Focus on evacuating the villagers."
Where were they supposed to run to? As I said it, feeling hollow, the giant took a step forward, bringing it closer to the village. Just that single stride caused another shockwave and violent tremor.
The sound of houses screaming and collapsing echoed through the air as dust plumed up, staining the village brown. People coughed violently, their throats parched. Amidst the chaos, the villagers gathered with weapons in hand. I glance at Erne standing next to Fam.
"Hey, you guys need to run! This village’s a target. Maybe scattering into the forest could get us out of its sight."
However, he shakes his head.
"If you feel you should flee, then you should leave this village immediately. We’ve been training for self-defense, keeping what happened in Fam’s village in mind."
"Don’t compare that thing to a bandit gang! Even if the village gets destroyed, you guys could rebuild it."
I think back to Fam’s village, now a ruin. Fam and Sam Eim and Chichi are survivors. But the village won’t ever be the same. It felt like empty comfort, but I couldn’t help but say it. They know it too. That’s why they won’t leave. As expected, Erne shakes his head again.
"You’re an otherworld hero like Okita Soji, aren’t you? The dog-eared tribe owes him a debt. This time, we’ll help you."
"That’s a thousand years ago. And we just met you. I didn’t ask for that!"
"It’s not about time. Fam brought you here. She believes in you."
It’s pointless. I turn to Fam for help, hoping she could convince them, but she says nothing.
"Lord, I’ll block its next attack with my Special Skill. If Mizuki can land a hit on it in that time—"
"I don’t even know if that’ll work. Maira said even Racshell’s spear doesn’t affect it. If Mizuki’s sword can’t deal any damage, her Special Skill won’t trigger."
Besides, does a god even have the concept of death? Perhaps the Super Kill won’t work on such a being. Just as I’m thinking that, she draws her sword, displaying the blade.
"Mash, the legend says Okita Soji lost because he left this sword in Migul town. If this sword Racshell gave me—"
As she raises the sword, its blade gleams in the sunlight. But as soon as the giant blocks the sun, its radiance instantly fades.
Fam and Mizuki’s idea is just a wish. There’s no guarantee. I can’t let them fight based on such a flimsy hope.
Why is this giant targeting the village? The question lingers in my head. Maybe if we stay still, it’ll leave us alone. It’s a naive thought, but I desperately want to cling to it.
At that moment, a massive tremor shakes the village.
A dark shadow blankets the village. The giant is right above us, looking down.
Fam and Mizuki look up, resigned. Maira, Marmi, and Nefee follow my gaze.
"You guys should run."
Maira gives me a wry smile.
"If only I had a Special Skill like Fam or Mizuki."
"You have healing magic. We need that after the fight. So—"
She cuts me off, moving closer.
"No. I won’t run. I want to stay with you, Mash."
Marmi moves closer from the other side.
"...Fire magic—maybe a 'Bunker Buster' could at least cripple it by blowing its legs off."
"That’s the same magic Marina used. But I don’t know if we can guide it to the right spot."
The plan involves creating a layer of water beneath the earth, then striking it with a superheated spear, triggering a steam explosion. At my skepticism, Marmi points to the giant’s legs.
"...Not underground—make the water layer on its legs."
I stare at her in surprise.
"Could that even work? That’s a good strategy. But it’s hard to get within magic range."
"...And if that thing is alive, it might resist magic that causes physical contact—might not be able to create the water layer."
Her concern dampens my hopes.
"I see. Then save that for our last trick."
Marmi nods, but seems determined not to flee. I turn to Nefee.
"Right now, your side looks like the safest."
She grimaces at her own sarcastic words. Just then, Fam drops to a crouch.
"Lord, it’s coming!"
The giant raises its fist. As it descends, hurtling toward us, it seems like a meteor of pure darkness.
"Special Skill, Yata Mirror!"
At Fam’s shout, a gleaming, circular plate materializes in front of us. The fist shatters against the plate, turning into black ash, showering down on us.
Mizuki, who was about to jump, and Marmi and Nefee, who were readying their spells, froze.
The giant slowly hoists its body back up, raising its other fist. At the same moment, the protective disc Fam conjured flickers and then vanishes.
"Fam!"
Fam crumples. I rush to support her, but after a faint flicker of her eyes, she loses consciousness, slumping against me. Her magic was still depleted from that battle with Okita Soji in the morning—I remember—but it’s too late.
"...Mash, I don’t know if I can block it all, but I’ll create a defensive barrier next time. Think of a plan while I do it."
Marmi readies her wand. I stop her.
"Wait, I’ll do it."
I raise my hand.
"Summon Goddess!"
With my shout, space tears open, and blinding light spills out. The black dust surrounding us is swept away.
In the heart of the radiance, Racshell descends, seated on her spear, looking down at us with her rainbow aura and golden hair. She sighs as soon as she sees me.
"Mash, I told you this was supposed to be a date, right? Many, many times, right?"
She doesn’t care that the villagers are frozen in awe. I raise my hand to cut her off.
"I’m the one who wants to complain. Look at that thing! You transferred me and Mizuki to this world thinking we could beat something like that? Give me a break! The only thing that could beat that is a dinosaur or something—I don’t know—but summon something stronger!"
"Such a weak attitude is troublesome. Now that you’re in this world, you’ll have to work for your keep. Especially you, who’s been getting better treatment than anyone else."
Another infuriating retort comes back through the communication. I take a deep breath—this is no time for further argument.
Sensing my frustration, Racshell turns her golden eyes toward the giant. Her eyelashes brush from its feet to its head. The giant also freezes, surprised by Racshell’s sudden appearance.
"Mash," she murmurs.
"What?"
"I’ll try my best... But I can’t defeat that."
I sigh at her words, remembering the myth that Racshell was defeated by the God of the End. The myth was true.
"Don’t worry. I prepared a weapon for just that reason."
I pull Uta’s sword from storage, offering it to her. Racshell pauses, gazing at the blade. She runs her fingers along it. Her lips tremble as if she wants to say something about Uta, but she swallows it.
"This isn’t my weapon. It won’t have an output like my spear, and I don’t know if it can handle my power."
Her words confirm that the sword could work on the giant—an absurd thought. Why would a god’s weapon be unable to withstand the power of another? Unless the Demon King Racshell wants us to fight is on par with this giant. Either way, the sword she entrusted to us is with Mizuki. That role isn’t mine. I want to rail against her, but she stands frozen, her hand hovering over the blade.
"It doesn’t matter. Either way, we’re done for if that fist lands."
As I speak, Racshell grips the hilt, her gaze shifting to the giant.
"Mash..."
She whispers softly.
Racshell’s body floats into the air. She is enveloped in a rainbow light.
At the same instant, the giant moves.
Its fist, hurtling from above, is like a falling star wrapped in dark, evil miasma.
Racshell spreads her hands as if to become our shield. Uta’s sword floats before her, its tip precisely aimed at the giant’s fist. The blade is shrouded in the same rainbow particles as Racshell.
Just as the giant’s fist tries to swallow everything, Uta’s sword is launched with incredible speed.
It transforms into a ray of light, cleaving through the dark miasma and piercing through the giant’s body.
The event unfolds so quickly that I stand there, dumbfounded, simply watching.
The giant loses an arm and a gaping hole opens in its chest, staring down at us. Its face, cloaked in black miasma, makes its expression unreadable, but the giant seems to be looking at Racshell. She, too, is silent, her eyes locked on the giant.
"Racshell..."
As I reach out to touch her shoulder, the giant turns.
The ground shakes as another tremor rocks the village, but it stops.
The village is enveloped in a faint rainbow glow, protected by her barrier.
The giant continues moving south without pause, eventually vanishing like a mirage.
"Did you kill it?"
"No, that was impossible."
"I see..."
The scene blurs, my head throbbing as my magic runs out. I try to sort through the things I need to say and ask her, but nothing comes to mind.
My thoughts unravel into darkness. As a last act of defiance, I embrace her, burying my face in her chest.
My consciousness fades to black.
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