Chapter 467

Bear-san, The Battle With Orochi Begins

We should keep its head away from the other seals and destroy the serpents heads quickly. Remember, we must aim for the head, not the torso. (Kagali)

Why not the torso? (Yuna)

Of course, I understand that the head is the weak point. But I think the torso shouldnt have come out of the ground yet, so its like an all-you-can-attack buffet.

Think of it as a giant snake whose body is stuck in a hole.

Its impossible. The skin of the serpent is naturally thick. In addition to it, it is hardened by magic power. You can damage it a little, but its skin is so thick that the serpent can repair its own skin with its enormous amount of magical power. (Kagali)

Even a mithril weapon cant damage it? (Yuna)

Even if you can pierce it, its skin is so thick it makes it difficult to penetrate deeply. Plus, if you miss the timing, the skin will repair itself on the spot, and the weapon will get stuck. (Kagali)

Whats with that?

Thats a cheat. I always thought recovery was the biggest cheat of all. Especially in games, if its on your side, its reliable, but when the enemy uses it, its the worst. The moment youre almost ready to give them the fatal strike, they will simply recover and shrug off the damage. Its just too much. Theres no more stressful moment than that. I dont think enemies should use recovery.

So, how did you defeat it before? (Yuna)

Its not a bad thing to refer to past battles.

We pushed through with numbers. Many people work together to damage and attack even if it is repaired. We attacked it repeatedly. Even a giant serpent has a limited amount of magical power. If you keep hitting the same area, the repair speed of the giant serpent will slow down. Then, Mumroot and other adventurers succeeded in sealing one of their heads after successfully weakening it. Then, the second head, the third, the fourth head, and then finally, the body. The number of victims at that time was innumerable. I wouldnt know what would have happened without Mumroot. (Kagali)

Mumroot-san and his friends must have been fantastic.

They also conquered the pyramid in the desert. He doesnt look like such a great guy now, though.

I really cant thank Mumroot enough. (Kagali)

But if you had it cornered that far, you should have taken it down. (Yuna)

If they had done so, this would never have happened.

Everyone at that time was at their limits. Many had died and few were left to fight. We could barely seal it up. (Kagali)

I guess that means it was a slim victory.

You cannot really blame those who fought for their lives. Only those who have experienced it at that time can understand it.

So youre saying we should attack the head and reduce the snakes magical power? (Yuna)

I will make this easy for you, but its the most dangerous place youll ever be. And it will attack you with its mouths. If it eats you, youre finished. All of its attacks are very powerful. One blow, and youre done for. (Kagali)

I dont want to be cannon fodder, but I think I can brace myself for it with my bear equipment. I think Ill be fine.

By the way, what kind of attacks do those heads do? Fire, water, wind, or earth? (Yuna)

The snake breathed fire, spit water, sent wind, and sent clumps of rocks flying, according to the story. I am sure that Kagali-san, one of the people who sealed the head, would know which head in which place has which attribute.

Im sorry. It was hundreds of years ago. I dont remember. (Kagali)

Kagali-san said apologetically.

Did they not keep it as folklore?

While talking with Kagali-san, we come close to the heads of the giant snake.

The serpents head coiled itself up, then it stretched upwards, and its not moving from there.

The serpent was larger than the black viper I had defeated before. This was a giant monster with four heads.

Its a nasty monster. Its like four black vipers packed together.

But if Mumroot-san and the other two can keep the other heads from reviving, it should not be an impossible opponent to defeat.

And I know how to defeat the black viper and generally giant monsters by heart.

Big monsters can be roasted from inside the body. Any living giant monster that gets cooked from inside cannot live.

So if I take down the heads one at a time, The giant serpent wont be considered an impossible opponent to defeat.

Its not moving. Do we have to wait until it does? (Yuna)

If not, then I would like to attack them preemptively.

But Mumroot-san and the other two should be making preparations to strengthen the seal right now.

If we attack it and it goes on a rampage, even the other seals will be broken, what Mumroot-san and the other two were doing will be in vain.

Yes, it has just awakened, and its movements seem to be sluggish. But still, Mumroot and the others will need time to strengthen the seal. (Kagali)

Kagali-san and I seem to be on the same page.

But things change quickly, and so do our thoughts.

No, I dont think we have that much time, though. (Yuna)

The head of the snake descended. Then it moves slowly as if trying to crawl.

Trees were falling down.

What? That direction? Bear Girl, this is bad. Were heading for the sealed area. Im sorry, but Im going there first. (Kagali)

Kagali-san said so and ran off.

Fast.

I also ran after her, and when I got next to her, Kagali-san noticed me and looked surprised.

She didnt expect me to catch up, did she?

The head of the snake slowly extended its head to the building that Kagali-san protected.

Its long. The torso, or rather the neck, is long.

Were going to attack it and grab its attention. (Kagali)

Kagali-san then shot a ball of flame toward the snakes head.

The flame hits the side of the mouth of the snake.

The power was weak, but the snake stopped its movement.

Look over here! (Kagali)

Kagali-san shots a ball of flame in succession. The snake opens its mouth and swallows those b.a.l.l.s of flame.

It ate it all? (Yuna)

The black body of the snake turns red and flames burst from its mouth.

Is that the fire-type snake head? Did the one you hate the most come back first? (Yuna)

Kagali-san had an unpleasant look on her face.

The fire-type was the nastiest among fire, water, wind, and earth elements.

That special move of mine may not work on this one.

If you get too close to it, itll burn you with its heat. Be careful. (Kagali)

Kagali-san changes her method of attack from flame to water.

Fires weakness is water. Waters weakness is earth. Earths weakness is wind. And the weakness of wind is fire.

Well, I dont think that applies to everything, but water is definitely the weakness of fire.

Bear girl, how is your magic? (Kagali)

I can use any element. (Yuna)

Fire, water, wind, or earth. And I can also use electric magic.

Thats encouraging. Here it comes. (Kagali)

The snake raised its head and looked at Kagali-san and me.

Those eyes were the same thing that moved back then when they were sealed earlier.

The serpent dropped its posture towards us to strike us with its head.

Kagali-san and I dodged.

The head of the serpent made a loud thud on the spot where we were.

Kagali-san shot a ball of water, and I shot an arrow of ice.

Each attack hits, but it did not feel like it did any damage.

I ran in front of the snake. The snake opened its mouth and tried to eat me.

I created an army of flame bears with that timing.

If the outside is not good, then Ill get it from the inside.

Go! (Yuna)

The flame bears entered the mouth of the fire-type snake head. The snake closed its mouth. The snake opened its mouth again and attacked. I thought it would burn the inside of its mouth.

The giant serpent devoured the flame bears.

I can only say that this was a really bad matchup.

If this wasnt a fire-type snake head, it would have already been destroyed by now.

Of all its heads, the resurrected one was a fire-type snake head. It can even eat an army of flaming bears.

-Sakuras POV-

Im riding Hugging Bear-sama to the place where the seal was located.

I parted ways with Ruimin-san on the way.

I even got Ruimin-san, who has nothing to do with it, involved. Im very sorry.

Yuna-sama, Mumuruto-sama, and Ruimin-san. Also, Hugging Bear-sama and Swaying Bear-sama. People who have nothing to do with this country.

These people were risking their lives to help us defeat the serpent.

Now, if His Majesty the King would notice the serpent and bring the mages to the island, we would have a chance to win. If s.h.i.+n.o.bu had been there, she could have contacted His Majesty the King, but she could not do so under the circ.u.mstances. s.h.i.+n.o.bu was wounded and had fainted.

Looking back, I can see the giant serpent.

Those who could see it from the sea shouldve noticed it and reported it.

But then, given the time it takes to get ready and come to the island, we may not make it.

No, we will make it until then, even if it means using all of my magical power. Even if I cant use magic for the rest of my life.

Thanks to Hugging Bear-sama, we reached the building where the seal is located in no time.

The building is a little broken.

There are still battle scars in various places.

All of them fought to protect this place.

I looked above the building and saw a black bird, a Volgla.s.s, flying overhead. I got off Hugging Bear-sama, opened the door, and rushed in to escape.

However, Hugging Bear-sama did not come in.

Come on, Hugging Bear-sama, hurry. (Sakura)

`Ku~u ~ n

Hugging Bear-sama cried and ran off in a different direction from the door.

Where are you going!?

When I chased Hugging Bear-sama and went outside, I saw him heading for Volgla.s.s.

I immediately understood.

Hugging Bear-sama went to defeat Volgla.s.s.

Hugging Bear-sama (Sakura)

Hugging Bear-sama is following Yuna-samas instructions.

I also must do what I have to do.

Hugging Bear-sama, thank you very much. (Sakura)

I left the monsters to Hugging Bear-sama and hurried to the bas.e.m.e.nt where the magic circle was located.

When I reached the bas.e.m.e.nt, I saw a large magic circle.

I have seen this several times in the past.

I stood in front of the magic circle.

Something moved.

What was that? (Sakura)

I braced myself.

Looking at it closely, I could see what looked like a gigantic eye in the magic circle.

Perhaps the eye of the giant serpent

Im scared.

That must be why Kagali-sama did not let me in so as not to scare me.

If the serpent revives here, it will eat me.

My legs are trembling.

However, both Yuna-sama and Kagali-sama are fighting the giant serpent. s.h.i.+n.o.bu also tried to defend the seal even after she was injured.

I am afraid here, but I cannot run away. I said to myself. I moved to the center of the magic circle. There was a magic stone embedded in the center. I placed the carpet that Mumroot-sama gave me to cover it.

I matched the magic stone to the magic circle on the carpet.

I prepared myself, remembering what Mumroot-sama taught me.

All the while, the eyes were still staring at me.

Im scared.

But I can do what I have to do.

I slapped my cheeks with both hands to get my spirit back.

For the sake of Yuna-sama and Kagali-sama who were fighting the serpent, I will protect this seal.

I placed the magic stone entrusted to me by Mumroot-sama on the carpet.

Here, and here, then here (Sakura)

This should be okay.

I lined up the magic stones on the carpet.

Su~u ha~a (Sakura)

I took a deep breath and placed my hands on the magic circle on the carpet.

Please. Work.

I let my magical power flow into the circle.

I can see the magic flowing from my body to the magic circle.

The magic circle and magic stones on the carpet began to glow.

I poured magical power little by little.

According to Mumroot-sama, its necessary to keep the magic flowing, and its meaningless to pour the magic all at once. However, when the seal was about to be broken, Mumroot-sama told me that I needed to put in a lot of magical power.

What I thought was an eye behind the barrier has disappeared.

Apparently, the magic circle reinforcement went well.

Now all I could pray was that Yuna-sama and Kagali-sama would have enough magic power to defeat the serpent.

=====

Authors Note:

The battle against the serpent has just begun, but we will be taking a break for a while.

We are having a hard time rewriting the book of volume 10, and the web version needs more time than usual to think about the final scene, so we are having to neglect both.

We will resume work on the book as soon as we have a certain amount of time to work on it.

I hope to resume in about 10 days.

If the continuation gets delayed, I will report it in the activity report.

Also, look out for bonus stories for the store perks and a newly written short story in the activity report.

Yoros.h.i.+kuonegais.h.i.+masu.

-k.u.manano

The third episode of the comicalization has been released. Please have a look. Its (k.u.ma-san pantsu) episode. w