From battlefield to battlefield.
With the decisive battle approaching, we moved to a supply base for our final rest and to replenish our forces.
“Well then, I’ll be returning over there for a moment.”
“Alright, don’t be late or we’ll leave you behind.”
“I’ll be careful not to let that happen.”
Inspecting equipment, recovering physically, and resupplying consumables.
With so many things to do before the decisive battle, I wondered if I’d even have time to rest.
The instructor, with a sake flask in hand, seemed to be entering full rest mode for today. I figured his subordinates would be worked like workhorses instead.
Bowing my head to the slightly cheerful instructor, I moved with Suella, who was waiting behind me, to a place with transportation.
“Suella, is the teleportation circle ready?”
“The subordinates of the Oni King are preparing it.”
Carrying the words “time is limited” in my heart, I moved to a teleportation circle that could take me back to the company, glancing at my diligently working subordinates. I stepped into the area guarded by the Oni, exchanged a brief greeting, and then stepped into the teleportation circle.
“You’re back.”
“We’re back.”
Evia, Himik, and Memoria were there to greet us.
“It seems like it was tough.”
“Ah, please refrain from such unreasonable demands in the future.”
“…I’m mentally and physically broken. I demand compensation.”
“My body’s been aching for the first time in a while.”
Though they were all smiling, they couldn’t hide their fatigue.
I didn’t know what they had done yet, but I knew they had given it their all and accomplished something.
“Thank you.”
Seeing them like that, I thought that even if the reason didn’t matter, I should first express my gratitude.
“It’s work.”
“I did it because I wanted to.”
“You did great!!”
Evia, who wasn’t very direct, Memoria, who answered with a slight blush, and Himik, who proudly and boldly claimed their achievements.
Seeing Himik, the other two, unable to be as straightforward, stared at her with narrow eyes, but Himik brushed it off.
Her attitude, as if to say that whoever honestly accepted compliments wins, eased the atmosphere slightly.
My own lips curved into a smile.
Somehow, the situation of fighting a Sun God’s clone and about to fight the actual god was taking more of my composure than I expected.
Once I realized how tense I was, I could also relax.
“I see. Thank you so much.”
That’s why I thanked them again for all their hard work.
“I’ve heard. More importantly, we’re short on time. Everything is ready, so let’s get this over with quickly.”
“Understood. So, where should I head to now?”
Evia, slightly embarrassed, waved her hand and averted her gaze with her cheeks flushed.
If I pushed any further, she’d get genuinely angry, so I confirmed what I needed to do.
I had given instructions on what could be done, but I didn’t know how far the negotiations had progressed.
“Head to your dungeon. It’s prepared there.”
“My dungeon?”
Could it be that she guided members of the Japanese government and the Association into my top-secret dungeon? No, Evia wouldn’t allow that so easily.
There must be a reason for it…
“Explain on the way.”
“I think it’s faster if you see it, but alright. Let’s head there for now.”
Perhaps the reason Keiri, whom I trusted and left in charge, wasn’t here was also related to this.
We all started moving towards the teleportation circle that existed in the company and led to my dungeon.
Along the way, I was relieved by the familiar scenery and the peaceful atmosphere, different from the battlefield. I walked while returning the salutes of the guards.
“First of all, there’s a god in your dungeon.”
“Huh?”
But Evia dropped that remark that almost made me stop in my tracks.
“Eh, paper?”
“Not paper used for drawing, but a god to worship.”
My mind was so confused that I blurted out such a strange question.
I had been trying to get the cooperation of Japanese gods, but why was there suddenly a god in my dungeon?
“You seem confused.”
“It’s understandable.”
It’s hard not to be visibly shaken. After all, the opponent I was fighting until I returned here was a god.
Even if it’s a different god, being told that there’s one in my dungeon upon my return, it’s difficult to remain calm.
“OK, I was a little shaken, but I understand. I’ll try to come to terms with it with the explanation that follows, so please continue.”
However, it would be bad if I remained completely shaken and couldn’t proceed with the conversation.
I couldn’t deny what had happened.
While moving my feet, which had stopped, I shook my head and prioritized gathering information.
“It’s better that way. You had a Sacred Treasure that Mimamori-god had entrusted to you for a long time, right? It was repaired, and that became the trigger for Keiri to reach an agreement with the Japanese gods. As a reward, we succeeded in obtaining the gods’ cooperation by lending part of your dungeon *to them*.”
“The information density coming in is too high. I’m starting to get a headache just thinking about why it happened.”
Things that needed to be done were already completed.
While I was grateful that the work was completed ahead of schedule, I couldn’t help but feel it was heading in a stranger direction than I expected.
“I’d love to call you a fool, but it’s a topic that exceeds the bounds of comprehension.”
Our walking speed was surprisingly fast because we moved without pause.
The gate to enter the dungeon was already before us, and if we continued like this, I’d be meeting the summoned god without any preparation.
“By any chance, do you know the name of the god you summoned?”
Evia, sympathizing with my situation, looked at me with a rare look of pity. I worried about what kind of troublesome god had taken up residence in my dungeon and instinctively asked for its name.
I was being cautious in case a god known even to me had come.
“I believe it was Susanoo?”
“Yes, I believe that was the name of the god.”
“Hmm, I’ve heard it’s a very large male god.”
“…Seriously?”
“Jiro-san, do you know him?”
However, it turned out to be a rather big name.
If asked if he had high name recognition globally, my confidence would wane, but for Japanese people, he’s a being they’d likely know.
He’s famous for slaying the Yamata no Orochi in a well-known story.
“I know him. In fact, isn’t it rarer for a Japanese person *not* to know him?”
Hearing that such a being was staying in my dungeon gave me a slight chill.
“Is he that much of a god?”
“I don’t know his power level. But he certainly wouldn’t be weak.”
I’m not an expert on Japanese mythology either. But I have acquired some knowledge.
Depending on how much of that knowledge differs, my response might change. However, I couldn’t possibly waste the opportunity Keiri had prepared.
“If we can draw him here, he’ll be a very effective trump card.”
A god against a god. If I could use him, I could preserve my own strength in battle.
And if the god prepared was a martial god known even to me, his reliability would be immense.
With those words, I stepped into the teleportation circle and entered my dungeon.
“Don’t sleep!!!!”
The first thing I heard upon entering the dungeon was Keiri’s angry shout.
I had heard her pep talks before, but this was the first time I heard a scream close to an angry shout.
“What is it?”
I rushed towards the source of the voice that reached this far, wondering what had happened.
“Minami, you’re a sleepyhead, you must have a way to wake up a god!!”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been asked to do something so unreasonable!”
“Minami wakes up to the smell of cooking or something.”
“That’s it!”
Keiri was centered around the large, burly man lying on his back and snoring loudly, while Minami and the others desperately tried to think of a way to wake him.
“It’s not ‘that’s it’. What exactly is the situation?”
Based on the circumstantial evidence, the seemingly sleeping large man in this desolate land should be the god. Is it that this god, Susanoo-god, is asleep and they’re trying to wake him?
“Ah! Leader!!”
“Jiro-san!”
Perhaps hearing our voices, Minami and Kitamiya, who were slightly exasperated, turned around with eyes shining as if they had been saved.
Meanwhile, the sound of Keiri’s blows continued.
“Ah, I get it, I get it. For now, Keiri, that attack won’t work on a god, so stop. You’re wasting your stamina.”
I could tell from her expression that she was at her wit’s end.
So, I stepped forward, saying I would handle it from here, and tapped Keiri’s shoulder as she kicked with all her might with her magic-enhanced body.
“Ah, welcome back.”
“We’re back. Is he the god?”
“Yes, that’s right. He fell asleep because he was bored until you came…”
“He has to wake up.”
Looking at her breathless face, I almost bowed my head to the god’s endurance, being able to withstand her attacks for so long.
Even with this exchange, the man snoring loudly is Susanoo-god.
I’m well aware of the thick-skinned nature of divine beings.
“What are you going to do?”
“This.”
If he won’t wake up through normal means, I’ll wake him up through abnormal means.
What I imagine is severance.
More specifically, the image of decapitation.
With that image in mind, I unleashed my killing intent, almost like a slash attack.
Just before that, Susanoo-god’s eyes shot open, and he sprang up as if startled.
“As expected of a god. You dodged at the last moment.”
“You seem like a remarkably ill-mannered man.”
Rubbing his neck and realizing his head was still attached, Susanoo-god’s face was flushed red as if in displeasure.
“No, since you weren’t responding to our calls, I resorted to a slightly rough method.”
“Hmph, you say that after infusing your intent to kill.”
I didn’t infuse killing intent, but it was probably close to it. However, he also had responsibility for not waking up.
“What are you talking about? Would a god fear an attack from a human?”
“…You have a quick tongue.”
“Yes, as I interact with many different people.”
If I play dumb, he can’t pursue it further.
It’s not a lie since I didn’t infuse killing intent, and if he were to press the issue, it would lead to a scandal of a god fearing a human, thus he couldn’t reprimand me for this method of waking him.
“Nice to meet you, Susanoo-god. I am Jiro Tanaka, the person in charge of this dungeon, and I hold the position of Human King in the Demon Lord’s Army.”
So, I smoothly moved on with the conversation.
“…Tanaka?”
I thought he might say something then, but he reacted to my surname Tanaka and stared intently at me. There are probably countless people with the surname Tanaka in Japan.
It’s not a rare surname, yet…
“That waveform of your soul… are you by any chance related to Kirika Tanaka!?”
“Kirika is my mother.”
“Gyahahahaha!?! You’re her son!?”
Mother, what on earth did you do? To think that a god would forget his anger and express such surprise.
“Y-y-you, you…”
“Please calm down for now.”
He started to tremble as if vibrating. At least it’s certain that my mother left a trauma on this god.
However, it’s also a fact that the conversation won’t proceed like this.
As I was about to turn to Keiri, thinking of offering him some tea.
“What do you intend to do with me!?”
“We just want you to fight.”
Seriously, what did mother do? I wondered what she had done to so deeply disturb this god, and felt a slight unease about whether I had to have this conversation in this situation.
Today’s Word:
Being foreseen can also have its benefits.
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