I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [12]
Not to mention its corrosive breath, capable of melting the ground and tearing through the skies.
The strongest shield paired with the strongest spear—it was supposed to be invincible in this world.
So, where did it go wrong?!
"We've still got plenty of time together, so don't you dare… let me break you too quickly, trash~~"
Wait, which one of us is the demon god?!
I've died three times already, yet your dress isn't even torn. Am I supposed to have no dignity as a demon god?!
If it had been the former three-headed demon god, it would have fought to the death with its enemy, as it was nothing more than a monster bent on indiscriminately destroying everything in its path. But now, something else had mixed into its soul.
At the moment of his death, the evil god Douman cast a curse on the demon god through a blood pact, making its primary goal the destruction of the Three Great Families.
Douman had summoned this demon god with a child's glee, eager to flaunt his terrifying creation to his rivals in the Great Families, even at the cost of his life.
And yet, as they say, "The best-laid plans often go awry."
Just moments after its arrival, the three-headed demon god had run into Baobhan Sith and been smashed to bits.
It had not yet brought terror or despair to the Jujutsu world, nor to the Great Families! How could it die here?
"What's this now? You're not trying to run away, are you?"
Baobhan Sith's sharp slashes forced the three-headed demon god to its knees as she frowned slightly.
"You're afraid—why? You have the power of resurrection and become stronger with each revival. What, then, is it about me that terrifies you?"
Her high heel pressed down on the demon god's wolf head, the sharp point digging into its forehead.
"Let me guess…." Her teasing tone was that of a cat toying with a mouse, her words a devilish whisper in its ear. "Could it be… you only have one life left?"
Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger—!!
It had to run!!
In that instant, Douman's obsession, compounded by the demon god's fear of Baobhan Sith, overwhelmed the creature's violent nature and pride. Its scaly wings beat powerfully, sending a gale that tossed her long hair and skirt.
In the blink of an eye, the three-headed demon god was high in the sky, quickly fading into the distance.
Fleeing at an unprecedented speed, it was desperate to get away as fast as possible.
"Ahhh~~, it actually ran away."
Shielding her eyes with her hand as she squinted after it, Baobhan Sith smacked her lips in slight disappointment. "And it was such an entertaining toy, too…."
With both hands clasped behind her back, she watched the vanishing dot on the horizon, her cherry-red lips pouting in dissatisfaction.
"Oh well. I suppose, since you brought me such enjoyment, I'll grant you a final lesson."
She lifted her hands as though cradling something, a slow, cruel smile curling at her lips.
"This… is a true curse."
Mist gathered.
Not the pure white mist of water, but an exquisite, blood-red haze.
The bubbling lava vanished, replaced by a crimson lake.
Pink roses bloomed one by one in the blood pool, lazily stretching their petals, each catching the blood mist and swirling around Baobhan Sith.
"Bones creaking, organs torn asunder, soul sinking into the mire… let me unravel your fate."
Far above, the fleeing three-headed demon god, still savoring its escape from that devil, suddenly heard a chant.
The next moment, the world turned upside down, blood-red rings encircling its massive form, locking it in place.
Baobhan Sith's gaze was alight with amusement as she held a hammer in her right hand, adorned with a heart-shaped red gem. In her left hand, she gripped an iron stake, smirking down at the now-palm-sized demon god.
She pressed the stake to its head, raising the hammer high.
"Now die in agony, Illusions of Pain and Mournful Song!"
The hammer fell, striking the top of the stake with a clear, sharp sound.
And so, the flower of death bloomed.
Absorbing the demon god's essence, sharp bone spikes tore through its body, with brilliant red blood dripping from each spike, like deadly red spider lilies fed on its life force.
"Ah… this time, it should be dead for good, right?"
With her Noble Phantasm's power dispelled, Baobhan Sith returned to the battlefield, only to be greeted by a searing blast of hot wind.
Looking around at what seemed like a volcanic eruption site, she muttered, "Luckily, this area's deserted. Otherwise, who knows how many would have died."
The thought brought to mind Sukuna's battles—his duel with Jogo, or his clash with Mahoraga. They'd looked stunning when watching from afar, but those who'd lost their lives in the crossfire… had been innocent.
Baobhan Sith thought back to the children she hadn't managed to save.
Brushing her hands together before her chest, she knew the gesture was more symbolic than anything, but it brought her a bit of solace.
"I've avenged you now, little ones. Please, don't linger in this world any longer. May you find happiness in the next."
The dead leave nothing behind, but the living must bear their burden and continue onward.
This was the weight of a soul.
She still needed to find the children who'd survived.
The base's alarm hadn't been triggered, which meant the children had stayed safely inside, and no intruders had managed to reach them.
To ensure they weren't caught in the crossfire, she'd chosen to move the battlefield further away.
The enemy may not have cared to heed her efforts, but that was fine—she didn't need its cooperation. She'd simply blasted it away.
Good children who listened were truly adorable. Maybe she'd bring them some candy as a reward?
Wait, didn't she have no money?
Even the dress she was wearing was woven from her magic, so she was truly as broke as she could be.
"…Tch."
Oh, well. Money would come in time. After all, there was a book called The Law, and every quick way to earn money was neatly listed inside. She could always consult it later.
When Baobhan Sith arrived at the magical ward she'd set up, she found the five children still obediently inside.
Four of the children's eyes were dull and lifeless, save for a gray-haired girl who glanced over at Baobhan Sith. She'd been the one taken as a hostage earlier to threaten Baobhan Sith.
Before leaving, Baobhan Sith had instructed her to watch over the others. Though she hadn't been certain the child understood her words, at the very least, she'd shown some reaction to them, unlike the others.
Baobhan Sith reached out with a gentle smile, ruffling the girl's messy gray hair as she praised her.
"You did a wonderful job with your task. Well done."
The young girl's eyes widened, feeling a strange warmth flow from her head into her heart. Ripples of emotion spread in her golden gaze.
This warmth… it was her first time feeling it.
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T/N: Was that the right chant...? I looked and it didn't match her chant in FGO