Chapter 634 - 621: Away from the others

[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: Dominion of Oz]

[Winkie Country]

Shuten-dōji released a huff as she flicked her odachi clean of blood. A moment later, the hulking, wolf-like Deseruit Beast before her finally collapsed. Its enormous body struck the ground with a heavy thud, its limbs folding beneath it as blood gushed from the deep cleave that had opened its flesh.

The beast twitched once, then it lay still.

Shuten-dōji watched it for a brief moment, ensuring that it would not rise again, before allowing her gaze to drift across the surrounding plain. Dozens upon dozens of Deseruit Beasts lay scattered over the faded grass. Some had been cleaved apart so cleanly that their bodies had fallen in separate pieces; others were sprawled in grotesque heaps, their blood staining the vegetation beneath them. The remains stretched across the clearing in a disorderly trail.

Beyond the immediate slaughter, the landscape remained as lifeless as it had been before they appeared.

Shuten-dōji twirled her odachi once, letting the weapon rotate smoothly through her fingers before settling it against her shoulder, the dull edge resting comfortably there.

"The beasts of this region are quite the vicious lot," the oni mused. Her tone held amusement, though her eyes remained attentive as she surveyed the fallen beast. "They came at us without hesitation, and with enough ferocity that a less prepared group might have found itself overwhelmed. One would almost think they had something to prove."

"That could be attributed to the Progenitor being active around here."

The voice came from behind her.

Shuten-dōji did not turn; she merely shifted her eyes toward the sound as Goiim made her way through the slaughter, stepping between the corpses with the same attitude she might have shown while walking through an empty corridor.

The young woman’s expression had not changed. Not at the sight of the bloodied bodies, nor at the violence that had taken place, and certainly not because of the circumstances in which they now found themselves. Whatever thoughts the carnage might have prompted, she kept them to herself.

"Deseruit Beast Progenitors often empower their children," Goiim informed her. "That influence can make a considerable difference in their strength. Under the right circumstances, their offspring could easily reach an A-Class threat."

Shuten-dōji’s red eyes brightened with interest. She turned more fully toward Goiim, the odachi still resting against her shoulder.

"A Progenitor like the Mother of Monsters, hm?" she mused. The comparison seemed to amuse her, though there was a thoughtful tone beneath it. "That would explain a fair amount about the beast we have encountered. Still, I find myself wondering about something else. That teleportation device sent us so far out into the outskirts. Are such malfunctions common, or was our little journey an unusual occurrence?"

"No," Goiim stated.

Her answer came without hesitation. She continued walking, her gaze passing over a particularly large corpse before returning to Shuten-dōji.

"But I gather it is merely because such a large collection of odd individuals used it together. Three Nils, a mage, a Progenitor, and you." She regarded the oni with her usual unreadable expression. "That is hardly an ordinary group to transport in one go. Perhaps the device could not properly accommodate so many people with such different natures. It may have struggled to account for the combined strain or the peculiarities each of you brought with you."

Shuten-dōji made a low noise of acknowledgement. She lowered her odachi from her shoulder and held it loosely at her side, her attention settling more intently upon Goiim.

"Or perhaps there was outside interference that separated us from the group," the oni surmised.

Her tone remained light, but her gaze sharpened as she considered the possibility. She looked away for a moment, toward the horizon, as though the empty plain might offer some clue that had escaped her notice.

"I would not dismiss that possibility outright. Mikoto and Gretel have certainly managed to attract more than their fair share of attention. It would hardly be difficult to imagine someone deciding that separating them from the rest of us was worth the trouble." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Though I suppose that is only one explanation. There may have been something else at work entirely."

"Maybe," Goiim shot back, "but it would be an assumption."

There was no particular sharpness in her delivery. She simply stated the objection, leaving the possibility where it belonged: unproven. Her eyes remained fixed on Shuten-dōji, as if waiting to see whether the oni would insist upon her theory or accept the limitation.

"True," Shuten-dōji murmured.

The word came with a quiet breath, and she seemed content to let the matter rest for the moment. She dismissed her odachi in a burst of violet light. The weapon dissolved from her hand, leaving no trace behind, and the oni gave a small shake of her head.

"A pity I am separated from Yuki, however."

A light sigh escaped her. It was not an especially dramatic sound, but it carried a note of genuine disappointment. Her gaze lingered briefly in the direction they had come from, as though she could somehow see beyond the empty stretch of land.

"You really seem fond of him," Goiim noted.

She folded her arms elegantly; there was no obvious curiosity in her expression, yet the way she held Shuten-dōji’s gaze suggested that the question mattered to her—like she wanted to understand the nature of the oni’s attachment, even if she had no intention of openly admitting as much.

"Though I suppose it is not surprising," Goiim continued. Despite his attitude, he possesses a beauty that is difficult to ignore. Even someone with little interest in appearances would have to acknowledge it. "Her eyes remained steady. "Is that the reason you are so fond of him?"

Shuten-dōji considered the question for a moment.

"Beauty can certainly be alluring," she replied, "but it is merely something on the surface level. It may draw the eye, and there is no denying that Yuki possesses an appearance that can hold one’s attention. But that alone would hardly be enough to make me fond of him."

Her voice was calm, and the amusement that had accompanied her earlier remarks had softened into a more contemplative emotion.

"Yuki is an interesting individual, with an interesting journey. There is considerably more to him than what can be seen at a glance, and I find that far more compelling than beauty alone." She paused, her red eyes settling upon Goiim. "Perhaps you shall learn the former soon enough."

Goiim’s expression remained unchanged, though she seemed to take the answer in carefully.

She shifted her attention toward the undertaking that had brought them into Oz in the first place.

"Is interest really enough to make you want to hunt the dragons Albion and Ddraig?" she questioned.

Shuten-dōji did not appear troubled by the reminder.

"Of course," the oni stated. "It merely adds to the excitement."

She said it plainly, without attempting to disguise her answer as something more noble or complicated.

("She’s every bit as strange.")

The thought passed through Goiim’s mind as she and Shuten-dōji began moving forward again, leaving the bloodied clearing behind them. Neither woman made any effort to fill the silence. Their footsteps carried them through the grass. The corpses gradually receded from view.

("A real wild card compared to the others with the Angel.")

Her eyes shifted towards the oni at the corner of her vision.

Shuten-dōji had an personality that seemed at odds with the slaughter they had just left behind. There was no tension in her shoulders or lingering agitation in her expression. She appeared content to continue on as though the encounter had been little more than an interruption.

That composure, Goiim thought, was itself revealing. The oni was powerful and she seemed entirely comfortable with the prospect of violence and perhaps even entertained by it.

Goiim kept her face still. She had no reason to let her observations show, especially while walking besides someone whose abilities she had not personally tested.

("The Guild registers her as a fluctuating A-Class to S-Class threat.")

It was a broad range, but one that reflected the difficulty of measuring someone like Shuten-dōji. Her capabilities were not easily reduced to a single fixed assessment, and the reports surrounding her made it clear that the Guild had good reason to treat her as a dangerous and unpredictable individual.

("Apparently, she single-handedly staved off the Heart Kingdom from overthrowing the Eastern mountains. Despite their advanced golems.")

The Heart Kingdom had not been lacking in force, and its advance golems were not the sort of weapons that could be dismissed lightly. Yet Shuten-dōji had apparently managed to hold them back. The details might have been incomplete, but the result alone was enough to place the oni’s strength into a more serious perspective.

Even so, the knowledge did not produce any visible change in Goiim’s expression.

("I suppose if I am not able to defeat her myself, there’s always Elena.")

The possibility offered a measure of reassurance, though Goiim did not allow herself to dwell on it for long. She had no desire to underestimate Shuten-dōji, but neither did she intend to make a needless gamble. There were alternatives available, and she would be foolish not to consider them.

("She succeeded in disrupting the teleportation device, so she must be nearby. I’d rather do things the easy way rather than risk myself.")

She continued forward without changing pace.

("This deception business is quite tedious.")

The final thought settled over the others with some irritation. She had grown weary of the complications, the need to conceal her intentions, and the constant calculations required to keep the situation moving in the direction she wanted. Every new obstacle demanded another adjustment. Every conversation required her to weigh what could be said against what needed to remain hidden.

She was better suited for other missions.