“Wai-, what are y-, Kotori!?”
Guess she reached her limit. This was the frank impression I had seeing Takanas.h.i.+-san cry out in fear and latch onto Cla.s.s Rep who happened to be near by.
This is bad. This might as well mean that negotiations have broken down... No, I can’t let it. These girls may hate it from their very core, but starting with Takanas.h.i.+-san, I have to get all the girls here to bear with th—
“Run! We have to run now! He’ll eat Kotori, he’ll eat everyone!”
“... Eh?”
It didn’t click for a moment— But then I got it, I understood what Takanas.h.i.+-san was trying to say. I understood it, all too well.
Yokomichi Hajime had Skill Eater. From the way he spat out the Rook Spider’s webbing, to the fact that he himself declared to have feasted on its meat. From just these 2 observations, I could naturally deduce that this Skill Eater of his allows him to plunder the powers of the monsters he eats.
It’s a common trope. I’ve seen many a story where the absolute weakest of protagonists grow stronger and stronger by eating. Starting off with stuff like a slime, or goblin or horned rabbit, you see them gaining their powers and grow (cheat) their way to peerlessness.
But there’s another thought. The terrifying thought that, does this voracious form of skill stealing target only monsters?
“Kotori, his Job! What is his, what is Yokomichi Hajime’s Job!”
Shouted Souma Sakura. Before I could even react, she was urging Takanas.h.i.+-san for an answer.
“He’s a Cannibalizer! And he already, ate, Nagae-san!”
Hearing the answer, I was shocked, jolted with much greater trepidation than when I witnessed that nameless girl being eaten by goma.
Goma were monsters, hideous as the sky is blue. Not humans, monsters. That’s why them trying to eat humans could be considered reasonable behavior.
But a fellow human doing the same, that—
“Lux Sagitta!!”
And before I noticed, a light arrow had pierced itself right at Yokomichi’s feet.
“Yokomichi-kun, that was a warning. We don’t want to have to kill you. So please quietly, go back. And do not, come near us, ever again”
“... Haa?”
Yokomichi reacted as if flabbergasted. It’s vexing, but for once, I’m in complete agreement with the younger Souma.
There’s no way I’m so dense as to not see the meaning behind Souma Sakura’s warning.
I’m suspecting that Kotori-san just took a peek at Yokomichi’s Status info by some skill or Job ability of hers that they’d kept hidden from me. And although there’s the matter of my shock upon learning of this hidden Sage skill, let’s not get sidetracked.
She mentioned Nagae-san, in other words, the girl belonging to the same literature club as me, Nagae Yukiko. And we just learned that he ate her, in other words, he killed and feasted on her.
There’s accepting one’s shortcomings, and then there’s trying to team up with a literal crazed cannibal, the latter of which, I’ll have to decline. Personally speaking, after becoming aware of this fact... No, even if it’s some kind of misunderstanding, as long as there’s the smallest chance of it being true, I will firmly oppose joining hands with Yokomichi.
But seriously, Souma Sakura, it’s like you’re looking to start something.
“What, the, f.u.c.k is with that Att.i.tude? And just when I said I’d Protect your Sorry a.s.ses”
“I have nothing more to say, to a murderer like you. Turn back and leave, right now. Or else—”
b.i.t.c.h was off her kilter, I thought, despite not being her target. How the h.e.l.l did she go from 0 to 100% intensity so quick. She was completely underestimating, no, she was misjudging Yokomichi’s strength.
Meaning that, she’d categorized him as someone that we must drive away, no questions asked.
Ah, G.o.ddammit, this stupid b.i.t.c.h. All my oiling up on Yokomichi from just now, it’s like that s.h.i.+t went completely over her head.
I’m certain of it. That, if we fight Yokomichi Hajime, if we engage with this Cannibalizer, there’s a huge risk of us losing someone. So if we were going to fight anyway, rather than something half-a.s.sed like a warning shot, she should have shot him dead with him never realizing.
Thanks to Souma Sakura’s unneeded warning, we’d now lost our important chance at a surprise attack.
“— Shut Your trAp, f.u.c.king wh.o.r.e! If you’d oNly been Quiet like YuKiko, I’d’ve given yoU SO much LOVing y’knOW!”
As expected, Yokomichi was riled. He’d blown his top. Negotiations were already in smithereens.
I’d better get ready. There’s no going back from this.
“DO IT! MEI-CHAN!”
Along with my yell, blew a fierce gale.
No, this wasn't mere wind. It was the figure of Mei-chan swinging up her Halberd as she pa.s.sed me in an instant.
“ Blackhair Bind!!”
I sic all the blackhair tentacles I could muster towards Yokomichi, almost as if getting him back for the webs.
He didn't know about my powers at all. That went double for Mei-chan’s strength. Tentacle binds plus a Berserker’s full swing combo, not something you can handle so easily.
I did feel a hint of guilt. Killing him, Yokomichi, a cla.s.smate, and a human being. It was definitely an attempt of murder. I felt the guilt of making Mei-chan do that.
No I don’t think Mei-chan, despite herself, could actually commit murder without feeling a thing. She’s got to be aiming to lop off an arm or something.
She is, right? But she was clearly swinging down right on top of his head... c.r.a.p, is he dead?
“— Whatthe!? You try’na KiLL me, OI! MomokaWAA, f.u.c.king bEtrayed me, did’ja, b.a.s.t.a.r.d!?”
Yokomichi moved at speeds imperceptible to my eyes, drew out the greatsword on his back, and successfully received the headsplitter from above. Tch, he’s changed gears to fighting mode already, Yokomichi’s reaction speed was fierce.
But the weird s.h.i.+t didn’t end there... What, is with his arms? He had blades coming out of his elbows. I recognized those, they’re definitely Knight Mantis scythes. After quickly shredding my blackhair, he used his, now free, hands to defend against Mei-chan’s attack.
So this, is the power of Skill Eater. What growth cheat, what skill master, he’s just a d.a.m.n monster.
“Momok.a.w.kun, Futabsan! How could you! Are you planning to commit murder!”
“b.i.t.c.h, just shut up! It’s all cause of you that we’re in this mess— Contrbeat b.u.t.terfly!!”
This is unbelievable. Here we are taking on the grave responsibility of literal manslaughter and Souma Sakura’s still acting all holier than thou. So I argued back almost by reflex while letting fly my new curse magic of poison b.u.t.terflies whose effectiveness was still vague.
Mei-chan and Yokomichi had already entered combat status. But it looks like the Mantis Blades were in the way, so they were gone from his elbows at some point.
Still, this b.a.s.t.a.r.d’s actually able to hold his own against Mei-chan in a match of blades, he’s got to be pretty good with swords. This Porky was being a real pain in the a.s.s.
But while he’s busy with that, I call up Rem to cut away my web bindings with her knife. I can finally move.
“Ghh, Va, Facking azzholes, you b.i.t.c.hes wanNa Go! Then I’ll sHow you go, d.a.m.n stinkin’ wh.o.r.es”
Still locking blades, Yokomichi made the most indecent grin he’d made yet. A smile so ugly, even as a guy, I felt violated.
We had to kill him. I was convinced.
“All hands, attack Yokomichi! Cla.s.s Rep, come on!”
“Ryouko! We mustn’t resort to murder you her me!”
“We don’t kill him right now, and he’ll rape, kill and then eat you, all of you!!”
“Buhyahahaha! Chill Momokawa, I’m a nIce guy, so even if they’re fiLthy s.l.u.ts, I’ll eat them rEal tenDer! Here, Ice BrEath!!”
After making a quip at our idiotic discord, Yokomichi released a large volume of chalk white breath.
“—Kh!?”
Mei-chan reacted instantly. She dodged the Ice Breath that was both in name and appearance similar to the ice magic of Eis Blast, and barely avoided direct contact. But sadly, my b.u.t.terflies weren’t so lucky. Every one of them were instantly blown away.
Yokomichi just kept spewing out his Ice Breath and— What the, we’re in a fog now!?
“Mei-chan, take some distance! Everyone else, keep close!”
The cold white mist thickened as it surrounded us. And in no time at all, Yokomichi’s figure, as he was generating this blinding curtain, had disappeared on the other side.
d.a.m.n, we can’t see s.h.i.+t in here.
He should be in the same condition. But, what if he has a skill to see past the fog?
“L-listen girls, we have to fight now that it’s come to this! Hold your weapons ready!”
“Ryouko, we can’t!”
“This isn’t about whether we kill him. Let’s just focus on defending ourselves”
“... I guess it can’t be helped then”
“I, I got it, Ryouko-chan!”
“No problem”
“Fueeehh, scaared, Kotori’s scaaared...”
Thanks to Cla.s.s Rep’s convincing, the rest of them were finally getting prepped for battle.
“Cla.s.s Rep, we’re changing formation. He could attack from anywhere, so let’s circle out”
“Eh, ah, got it... Kotori, you go in the middle. Me, Sakura and Momok.a.w.kun are surrounding her. Minami, stay in front of me, Asuna to Sakura, and Futabsan please go over to Momok.a.w.kun. We don’t know where the next attack will come from, so stay alert everyone”
Our formation was more a triangle than circle. With Takanas.h.i.+-san at the center, we had the 3 rear liners, including me, with our backs to her. And in front of us we stationed the vanguard team members. Considering our numbers and everyone’s powers, this was the best defensive position we could manage.
But still, Yokomichi never attacked us while we were practically dragging our legs to make this sudden formation change. Is he underestimating us?
“Momok.a.w.kun, what are our chances of escaping?”
“The entrance wasn’t too far off... But trying to find it in this fog will be too dangerous. Plus, he could’ve already blocked it off with those webs”
That’s probably why Yokomichi didn’t attack us right away. When I said it, it suddenly felt very possible.
“More importantly, Takanas.h.i.+-san!”
“Hiiik!?”
“Anything else you know about Yokomichi’s powers?”
I really can’t see a thing, but I kept my gaze fixed to the front, with me and Rem holding our spears ready. From behind me, I could hear Takanas.h.i.+-san’s ‘uhhs’ and ‘umms’ of deliberation on my question. Seriously, just tell me already.
“W-well you see, Kotori can’t see it if she doesn’t look at it so... there was a whole lot and, Kotori doesn’t remember”
So she means like, if she doesn’t directly look at the guy, she can’t see his Status stuff like Job name or skills.
“Anything you can remember?”
“Uhh, that icy magic was... it was from Nagae-san, if Kotori recalls”
“— CorRRrect! d.a.m.n, Kotori-cHan, she can totAlly see my Status”
We could hear Yokomichi from beyond the mist. The direction of his voice was unclear, but it was apparent that he was at a distance close enough to hear us talk.
“So yeah, Yukiko was a CryomaNcer you know. Always sCared and faint-heArted and totally Yukiko-like. Not like she Didn’t have aTTack magic like Eis SagiTta, cause she ToTally did, but then, she was alWays too scared to fight mOnsters. So gueSs what sHe did. She used This very same Eiz Mist and hId away insIde, letting everything Hostile pa.s.s by uNaware. So girly-like isn’t she? She was adorable—”
“Got you!!”
With a heated yell, Kenzaki-san took a large stride forward, and swung at him.
It looked as if something shaped like Yokomichi was split in two... wait no, a mirage? The figure instantly lost its color and blended into the fog.
“Bufufu, that one’s Eis Mirage. ThoughT it was Me, didn’chA?”
Tch, clicked Kenzaki-san in annoyance, as she stepped back into position.
“Looks like he can make illusions in the fog”
“Unff, every tiMe I use this Skill, I feel One with YukikO prEcious”
Hearing a phrasing that feels somehow familiar, I started to see one, two, many Yokomichi-like chubby shadows. They all looked blurred under the cover of mist and... s.h.i.+t, I can’t tell which one’s real at all.
“Hey, heey guys, where’s the real one, guyyys”
“Don’t panic Minami. He’ll have to move to attack us, so it’s that one”
“— You reAlly sure aBout thAt”
I felt a whistle of wind in my ear. The sound somehow seemed familiar.
“Ouch!?”
Yelped Natsukawsan. I looked back in a panic, and saw her holding her cheek while still grasping her knife.
“Minami, what happened!?”
“I’m alright, no biggie, it’s just a scrat—!?”
A beam of blood trailed along her cheek. It was most definitely just a scratch. It was at the level where Souma Sakura’s healing magic could take care of it in a jiffy. But just as she spoke, Natsukawsan went ghastly pale in the face.
“Eww, what is this... it’s slimy and, and, stinks...”
On closer inspection, I could see a clear mucous-y substance mixed with the blood along her cheek.
“Oooff, so goOod, you’re so taSty Minami-cHan! It’s A whoLe difFerent Flavor from YuKiko-chan... no Wonder you’re our trAck and fiEld super ace. It’s fuLL of Your livelinEss and Energy, wild yet feMinine, your bloOd’s got this dEliCiously milD flavoR.”
“... It’s, his tongue”
I witnessed Yokomichi licking his lips, on the other side of the fog.
