Chapter 332: A Kitsune has Seven Forms, and a Tanuki, Eight

(TL: This is a Japanese saying that just says the Tanuki is more skilled in deception, but has less malicious intent)

“Hmm… now my anger is a little… no, it hasn’t cleared at all.” (Naofumi)

I kick the fallen Tact as I spit out these words.

“Exactly. I think we should just kill him already.” (Fohl)

“Don’t be that way. This man needs to face greater despair. For the crime of killing Atlas, the Queen, and my villagers, this isn’t nearly enough.” (Naofumi)

“… Understood, Aniki.”

Now then, I look around.

I wonder how Raphtalia and the others are faring.

First, Raphtalia is… before I can turn my eyes to her, lightning surges, and I turn my attention to that.

“Oy, wait. This onee-san isn’t satisfied at all, yet…” (Sadina)

Sadina is lifting up her enemy, who now looks like nothing but a grilled piece of fish, while she continues to discharge electricity.

When I remember what I did to Tact, I don’t think I’m in a place to say this, but I think she’s going a bit too far.

So Sadina was someone this vicious… No, perhaps she channeled my rage.

Her opponent is… dead already, right?

Death by electrocution doesn’t sound too nice.

“Naofumi-chan, this onee-san hasn’t rampaged enough yet.” (Sadina)

“You’ve done enough.” (Naofumi)

“When I’m in this form, it makes me feel mildly drunk. It’s not a bad feeling~” (Sadina)

“Just turn back already.” (Naofumi)

“Ara, he got mad at me.” (Sadina)

Sadina follows my orders and turns back to her Orca form.

Now then, to lecture her… no, I’ll leave that for another time.

“And wait, you still haven’t recovered?” (Naofumi)

“Oh my, Naofumi-chan saw the colors he dyed me.” (Sadina)

(TL: as in her brown form)

She makes an annoying embarrassed pose as she messes around, but her actions are no joke.

“She went and mistook me for a Luka, and I was still quite pissed off because of Atlas-chan and Naofumi-chan. That was quite refreshing.” (Sadina)

She says, as she points her harpoon at Tact and starts releasing electricity at him.

Her tone heavily implies that her stress is still built up. She’s definitely angry.

She’s the type that acts flippant when she’s really angry, I guess.

I mean… She is the oldest one in the village, and the one’s who’s like everyone’s older sister.

There’s no way she isn’t mad about Atlas.

“So after Fohl is Sadina, and…” (Naofumi)

Sadina points her harpoon at the remaining women, who were moving to do something.

“If you move around, you may become like this child, so stay still.” (Sadina)

“Hii!” (Women) (TL: Sound of fear)

After seeing the end of the one who challenged Sadina, it seems these women won’t make a move against her.

Tact’s wrung out like a wet rag, the Aotatsu women had her head blown off, and finally we have electrocution.

Honestly, I don’t think I would make a move if I was in their position.

“DERYAAAAAAAH!”

“KYUAAAAAAAAAAA!”

“AAAAAAAAH!”

Hmm? I hear Ren and Gaelion’s voices shouting out.

When I looked up, I saw the moment when the giant body of the Dragon Empress colliding with the fortress.

Gaelion had his mouth clamped on the giant’s throat, and Ren had his sword on her core.

A large tremor radiates from the building.

“KUUUUAH!”

Gaelion cries out in a muffled voice.

“Don’t screw with me! Give you my Dragon Emperor Core!? A minor fragment like you, who needed a hero’s assistance to challenge me shouldn’t get so high and mighty!”

When it looks like the dragon is going to act up again, Ren applies force to his sword, and she roars.

The end is clear.

“Even if I perish, you shall not obtain it!”

“… Gyau.”

She flipped a switch. That one is the Adult Gaelion.

Likely, they had switched places numerous times in battle as they assisted Ren.

And this is the time when he offers his words of parting to his fellow fragment.

An ominous sound rings through the air.

“Gufu…”

It was the sound of Gaelion piercing through the empress’s throat.

The giant body convulses and stops moving. Ren lifts his sword and skillfully uses the blocks of the fortress wall to climb up it.

“Is it over?” (Ren)

“For argument’s sake.” (Naofumi)

I place my foot on Tact as I declare this.

What is Gaelion doing?

Uu…

He appears to be in the middle of a meal.

Blood is gushing out like a fountain, and Gaelion digs around the inside of the Dragon Empress’s body.

I’ve seen Firo feast on wild monsters before, but this scene is much more grotesque.

Ren covers his mouth with his hand as he witnesses the scene.

He’s definitely stomaching his urge to throw up.

“W-what is… he doing?” (Ren)

“The enemy dragon spoke of minor fragments and Dragon Emperor Fragments, right?” (Naofumi)

“Yeah.” (Ren)

“The entity called the Dragon Emperor was split into thousands of Fragments, and their parts compete to complete the whole. Something about collecting past memories…” (Naofumi)

“I don’t really get it, but pretty much, Gaelion has a fragment, and he’s claiming one from that Giant Dragon?” (Ren)

“Apparently. And since the opponent didn’t submit, he killed her and is manually trying to take it.” (Naofumi)

The fragments were supposed to gather when the world was in peril. I thought that Gaelion didn’t seem to have the instinct to collect them all, but he went and hunted Tact’s Dragon.

Gaelion greedily gnaws on the Enemy Dragon’s heart.

I’ll bet the fragment is kept somewhere around there.

“He’ll likely gain the knowledge of how to breach level 100. If all goes well, Gaelion’ll be able to bestow that power too.” (Naofumi)

“I see! So we’ll be able to make the villagers and the people of the country stronger!” (Ren)

“It’s only a possibility.” (Naofumi)

But considering that, I can’t really kill Tact yet.

If I don’t get the knowledge of how to breach 100 from him, the future looks grim.

Looking at the air, Firo is still fighting the enemy Gryphon.

“You’re quite… skillful.”

“Firo won’t lose!” (Firo)

But I can tell at a glance who has the better prospects of victory.

Firo’s movements are sharper.

The Gryphon’s already taken hits here and there, and she’s on the verge of collapse.

The end will eventually come.

I should really get to Raphtalia already.

I concentrate my attention on her battle.

Raphtalia and Raph-chan continue their illusionary battle with the Kitsune woman.

“You’re good for a Raccoon. I remember… the Raccoon who sealed me carried a scent like yours!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, nor do I have any interest.” (Raphtalia)

It really is a battle of delusion.

Fire rains, and water wells up. The surrounding landscape is warping.

Was Raphtalia that great of a mage?

Or is this just an illusion?

Raphtalia’s ability to see through illusions is high.

I bet that’s why she can keep up with that Kitsune’s blows.

Affinity is important.

It’s good that Tact didn’t cooperate with that woman.

If I were to challenge her without the Cane, it would probably be impossible.

Well, if that were the case, I would need Raphtalia’s help to dispel her illusions.

“Rafu~” (Raph-chan)

“Hmm, duplication magic, is it? Do you truly think I am unable to see through it?”

Raph-chan changes to a form identical to Raphtalia and stands next to her.

Oy… she didn’t notice?

Ah, I see. This was what Raphtalia was training for.

If that’s the case, this might prove to be an effective weapon.

Though, I feel this is a bit too light for a decisive blow.

“Raphtalia! Catch!” (Naofumi)

I throw the Houou Sword at Raphtalia.

“Rafu~!”

But Raph-chan jumps up high and catches the sword I threw.

Eh? Raph-chan’s taking it?

And wait, there’s a problem more important than that. Can Raph-chan even use weapons?

“So that one’s the real one!”

Raph-chan uses the sword to deflect a blow aimed at him.

Ah, so that was his intention when he intercepted it.

Despite his cute appearance, he has a surprisingly good head on his shoulders.

“Hahaha, Raccoon wench. To think you thought an illusion of this level would -gufu!?”

The real Raphtalia stabs the smiling Kitsune woman in the back.

She really was deceived.

It seems Raphtalia was more skillful.

“Unfortunately, you were wrong.” (Raphtalia)

“Rafu~.” (Raph-chan)

“Impossible… an illusion with physical substance!? Even its scent is the same!”

“I have no reason to tell you the truth of the matter. Isn’t it a battle of deception? Anyways… what did you think this child was supposed to be?” (Raphtalia)

“Raccoon wench… so it wasn’t you who used an illusion to breach the Dragon Emperor and the Gryphon’s sanctuary…”

So Tact’s side thought it was Raphtalia who used the sanctuary.

Even their most skilled illusionist was deceived, so I guess they thought Raph-chan was merely a part of her.

In truth, he was created with her genes, so even his scent is the same.

His voice and feel are different, though. I’ll investigate it later.

“Unfortunately, no.” (Raphtalia)

Raphtalia pulls out her sword, and starts a coordinated attack with Raph-chan.

Right, this attack was the one that Trash proposed.

Using one of them as bait, and making an opening for the other. And Raphtalia, and Raph-chan…

“Here we go! Make sure to keep up with me!” (Raphtalia)

“Rafu~!” (Raph-chan)

Raphtalia starts unleashing sword strikes at a high speed.

“Na-… gu-… u…”

Slash, thrust, rest, Karma Blade, kick, First Stroke, Second Stroke, Third Stroke, followed by a stream of Hengen Musou sword skills.

And Raph-chan imitates that as if a mirror was placed on the other side of the Kitsune’s body.

This brings to mind a famous attack from a fighting game.I believe it was the attack of a Demon of Dreams.

The combo ended with them lifting their swords together, turning their backs to the Kitsune, and swinging downward to wipe off the blood.

「Illusion Mirror」!

「Rafu~」!

Raph-chan returns to his Tanuki form.

“I have… yet to… fall.”

Though she should have collapsed, the Kitsune woman stands while covered in blood.

No matter how you look at it, it’s her loss… the woman’s form gradually begins to change.

… As if her transformation had been dispelled, her shape becomes that of a giant fox.

Is this the time for me to offer assistance?

When I took a step in their direction…

“Not… yet.”

Tact’s consciousness returns, and he suddenly stands up.