Chapter 239.1 - Yamata no Orochi Subjugation Battle・Final Phase III
I leaned forward to look at the core that blinked with an ominous red glow inside the crevice.
「Man, I've never thought that they're really going to use suicide bombing…」
I knew that no one mentioned it until now,but in fact, there was an easier way to defeat Yamata no Orochi.
Namely by sacrificing me.
Due to the effect of 『Pain Return』, I might be able to drag Yamata no Orochi along with me to the abyss of death. Or simply take one head.
Anyhow, compared to putting everyone's life in danger which involved a lot of preparation, sacrificing a shaman was simply the simplest method.
Naturally, it was only if everyone was willing to give up on me. I do believe that after coming to this world, I lived a pretty selfish and filthy life more than everyone in this class. Fortunately, self-sacrifice is out of the question.
「And betting on 『Droplet of Life』 was clearly a reckless plan.」
The content of the suicide bombing tactic was simple and clear.
Yamata no Orochi explodes.I die.
Then resurrect, thanks to the effect of the 『Droplet of Life』.
As a result, only Yamata no Orochi dies and I survive.
However, I had this feeling that it wouldn't work that easily.
I mean, I already knew that the 『Droplet of Life』 could heal even someone who was on the verge of death, this had already been proved by Sugino who survived Mei-chan's sneak attack.
The problem is, can I be really revived from the full-powered blast that Orochi would use as its final line of defense? There was a possibility that I might literally evaporate due to the blast, and when that happened, not even the 『Droplet of Life』 would work.
It felt like I bungee jumped with a rope that wasn't tied up to the base. That's just how uneasy I am right now.
「And I even lied to Mei-chan.」
The matter of core bomb that I told Mei-chan was a big fat lie.
Well, I did have the bomb, but I doubt it would work on this fella.
I mean, not even everyone's attack magic could leave a scratch on this fella.
In the first place, this bomb was prepared in case Sakura-chan's 『Lux Fortis Sagita』 didn't work. Its power was equal to advanced offensive spells.
Since Sakura-chan's attack didn't even leave a scratch on the core, I doubt this bomb would work on it.
I had prepared to use the suicide tactic the moment I asked Mei-chan to give me the 『Droplet of Life』.
I lied and told her that I'd prepared a bomb. I was about to run out of time. This is the moment of truth, to do it or not.
「Cr*p, my hand won't stop trembling.」
The right hand that held the 『Droplet of Life』 was trembling non-stop.
Scary, I'd long since been aware that death was scary. There was no way I wouldn't be scared of death.
Which made me wonder if I was really going to do this? I mean, it's not like I had a self-sacrifice mentality, or felt responsible to command this subjugation operation.
「… But if I don't defeat it here, everything will be for naught.」
My gut had been warning me about this ever since this core appeared.
Retreat and try again next time.
My logical circuit screamed that this was the most correct choice for now.
However, a part of me that I neglected in normal situations, my sixth sense, or should I call it my intuition urged me that this was the only chance.
Backing down here would make me lose the last chance to finish off Orochi. As for why I felt like that, even I couldn't understand myself.
Perhaps because Yamata no Orochi had been cornered to the point that its core was exposed and attacked, it might learn how to put a more powerful defense mechanism next time.
That might be just groundless assumption.
Yet, why did I feel that this was my last chance to defeat Yamata no Orochi? No matter how much I tried to reason or think about it, all I could say was that my intuition strongly warned me about this matter.
「I might regret if I die because of this.」
Though I couldn't understand the reason, I decided to choose this.
This reminds me that this was the first time I felt so uncomfortable like this.
I had overcome numerous crises.
But every time that happened, I managed to pull through at the last minute, or was blessed with last-minute fortune, and survived.
I chose the best possibilities on my own regardless of the situation.
That's why I'd been acting like an idiot this time.
「In fact, even I failed to realize that my mind has been in such strange state.」
It was as if there was part of me that was lost.
If I had to worry about this, I would be more determined if Ruinhilde-sama gave me an oracle telling me to 「Sacrifice thyself」… Yet, I hadn't even been summoned to God's dimension even at this point.
Wait, I might really go over there if I died due to the explosion.
Honestly, being alone in the dark space with a reaper-like chic skull deity was really awkward…
「… No good. Worrying about that won't change the situation. Rather, I should use the remaining time to make a plan to increase my survival rate.」
That had always been my way.
I had to think of a plan that allowed me to revive even if I died due to the explosion.
Since I would die for real, not even ash left from my body, I had to think of a way that would at least spare half of my body.
「Sorry Rem. You ended up having to accompany this bad master of yours.」
「Gugaga, gi, gua」
The only one who remained with me was Dark Knight Rem who was kneeling while bowing by my side.
Together with her was her offshoot, Arachne and Minotaurs.
「If I survive, let's use Yamata no Orochi's materials to enhance your capability.」
I caressed Dark Knight's helmet. Her shiny, jet-black armor felt cold on my touch.
「This might be my last order to you. Rem, be my shield.」
「GUGAGAGAAAAAAAAAAA!」
She raised a cry and moved at once.
「That corner is fine.」
We were heading toward the corner of the crumbling earthen wall.
We will use the height of the remnant of this wall to protect us from the explosion.
「I'll leave the front to you.」
「KISHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」
「MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」
She gave her shields to Minotaurs and Arachne to stand before us.
「Now then, excuse me.」
Then lastly, I went into Dark Knight Rem's armor which acted as the final line of defense.
Dark Knight was originally a living armor. The inside of the moving armor and helmet was hollow.
In short, as long as I took out the helmet and unfastened the armor, I could wear it.
Nevertheless, since the total height of Dark Knight including its armor was around two meters, it was far too big for me, whose height was only 152 cm. It felt more like wearing a human-shaped coffin rather than wearing the armor.
「Now then, Rem, if I died, we will die together…」
I entered Dark Knight Rem's armor with a sissy remark.
Inside the total darkness of the armor, the only source of light came from the opening at the eye part of the helmet.
The dark and narrow place didn't feel bad at all considering the fact that I was protecting Rem.
Inside the darkness, I held the 『Droplet of Life』 in my hand as the final method left to survive.
I prayed and prayed to this magic item whom I entrusted my life to―― All for my own survival.
「… Wrong.」
Wrong. Something feels wrong here.
「I'm a shaman… I only pray to God of Curse, Ruinhilde-sama.」
In that case, rather than praying, I should rely on the curse that she granted me.
My train of thought suddenly calmed down.
It was neither reason nor intuition, but I thought so from the deepest part of my heart.
I had to use curse.
I had to use my curses and struggle until the last moment.
「Yes, I'm a shaman――」
What should I use?
What kind of curse do I have to use?
Do I have other options aside from using 『Pain Return』 to kill each other?
Power to kill Yamata no Orochi. Power of instant death.
I didn't have something like that.
A shaman had no such power, I had no other way left than sacrificing my life.
And then the 『Drop of Life』 that could be used to regain my sacrificed li――
「――The 『Droplet of Life』 can recover someone from damage that will cause instant death.」
Then, if that effect was reversed.
「『Reverse Dance Butterfly』!」
Yes, this is it.
If I used the 『Reverse Dance Butterfly』 by offering the 『Droplet of Life』, the butterfly born from that offering should've got the power of instant death.
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