Fighting against hords of Utsusemis

As soon as we went up to the next floor, we discovered that the lights were on.

Just as I expected, numerous giant creatures were waiting for us up there.

Utsusemi.

Experience.

A mantis, a stag beetle, a crab, a turtle, a herd of monsters with appearances similar to such thing. There were also varieties of the frog and spider I killed last night.

From what I've counted, there are no more than ten of these Utsusemi.

Tobio, for whom it was the first time he encountered such a massive amount of monsters, was shaking. While Kouki was the opposite, being the first to step forward.

"Byakusa, let's go."

"You have to aim for the brain, Kouki." I reminded him.

He just nodded his head.

Thereupon, the cat's long tail stood up straight like a pin--and then split in two. The two split ends of the tail steadily extended, one of them wrapping around Samejima's left arm. The white tail that was wrapping itself around its master's arm began to steadily change its shape--it transformed into an enormous cone-shaped lance.

So he's Lancer-style. Not bad, not bad.

"My cat's spear can pierce anything. Come now, come and be pierced by this guy."

With the spear that had grown on his left arm, Kouki issued a declaration of war to the Utsusemi.

Kouki then charges himself to the spider-like Utsusemi.

"Tobio, do what you can. That kid's used to fighting, so he won't have a problem. You'll have time to train later, and I think you have the potential to become quite strong. For now, defend yourself as best you can while I take care of the rest."

I believe in your potential...

What a joke.

I already know that this weak boy is going to become one of the five most powerful humans in the world, someone who could fight on an equal footing with the most powerful beings on this planet.

But now he's just another kid, someone who doesn't even have the will to kill a living thing. A lost person who has not yet found his way in this chaotic world.

My arms are beginning to change shape. Black scales begin to grow from them, and my fingernails grow.

Right now, I'm using [Numbing Darkness Claws].

My first target is the giant crab that's trying to attack Kouki from the side.

With great speed, I get in the way of Kouki and the crab and crush the crab's body with my claws.

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

[The level of [Nephilim Dragon] raised from 39 to 40.]

One more level, one less Utsusemi.

If I can go up a level for Utsusemi, I think this is going to be very good.

A frog tries to attack Tobio, but to my surprise, the puppy kills the frog before I can react. Not bad, not bad.

Even Kouki gives Tobio a whistle of praise.

Kouki has already finished with the spider, and now he's fighting a mantis. He seems to have no problem fighting the Utsusemi, which is quite surprising considering that they are stronger than Raynare when I met her. It is also true that the Utsusemi are not intelligent and have an obvious weakness, but that does not detract from Kouki. What's more, his rapport with his Sacred Gear is great. One of Byakusa's tails serves as a spear for Kouki and the other acts on its own to attack.

Leaving aside our conflict earlier, I like this Kouki Samejima.

On the other hand, Tobio's pup had already killed another monster. Tobio has no sense of fighting, but his Sacred Gear is enough to do all the work for him. Canis Lycaon seems to be in his early stages, but he already has remarkable strength.

I'm lagging behind these guys, so I'm going to a monster turtle and just destroy it with brute force.

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

[The level of [Nephilim Dragon] raised from 40 to 41.]

Another level, and now only four more Utsusemi remain.

Tobio and Kouki kill one Utsusemi each, and I take care of the other two. I was hoping to take more experience with me, as I didn't expect this level from my two new teammates, but that's okay. I've gone up a few levels that are always difficult to go up.

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

[The level of [Nephilim Dragon] raised from 41 to 42.]

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

[The level of [Nephilim Dragon] raised from 42 to 43.]

With the ten Utsusemi defeated, all the students disappeared after a magical circle.

"There's one thing I'd like to ask."

Kouki faced Tobio, and Tobio nodded in silence.

"When you came here, did you suppress your desire to flee? What for? For what incomprehensible reason, born from some absolutely ridiculous silly ideal that fills your mind, did you choose to act? What is your motivation for fighting? That dog, what is it that you see when you fight with it?"

Being questioned by Samejima, Tobio looked at the ceiling.

"...I'm also scared. But——"

Looking ahead Tobio spoke to Samejima.

"There are people I wish to save no matter the cost. Friends I want to help no matter the cost. ...Even if I'm the only one with the power to fight, then I will die standing up."

Hearing that, Samejima for the first time softened his normally aggressive expression and showed his emotions.

"...Heh. Seems you're not just some ordinary indecisive person."

"Hey, are you guys done with your talk? We still have to clean up the area."

They both nodded and followed me up the escalator to the next floor.

"It's a girl, right?" I asked.

As I expected, Tobio's face turned red.

Typical anime protagonist who is easily embarrassed.

"Eh! N-no, that's…"

Samejima and I laughed as Tobio spoke while stuttering.

"Haha, a woman, huh. Isn't that great. Putting on such strange airs of justice, that's quite good."

Looking back, Samejima extended his hand towards Tobio.

"I'm Samejima Kouki."

Tobio, despite his surprise, immediately reached out and accepted the handshake.

"Ikuse Tobio, I'll be in your care."

...

Ascending through the third floor, and again through the fourth, we finally reached the fifth floor.

And once again a herd of Utsusemis is waiting for us. And I can say, there are no less than thirty here. A wide variety of monsters, all looking at us.

But the most interesting thing here is not the monsters, but the man who is clearly not part of the monster group.

He was a man in his late twenties dressed in a business suit.

While showing a fearless smile, the man approached. He spoke while wearing a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah, this is all there is. Only three people. Or else, is there some fourth person down below as well?"

"You're the mastermind?" Kouki asks in a threatening tone.

"You could say that I'm one of them. My name is Doumon Kazuhisa. I'm someone who is participating in the current 'Four Fiends Project'. Since it seemed fun, I came to inspect this scene."

Doumon…

He's a member, or rather, a former member of one of the five shitty clans. The Doumon clan, which possesses the sacred beast Genbu as its main source of power. One of the shitty clans to be cleansed.

"Four Fiends? The hell's that?" Samejima asked.

Seeing that reaction, the man then put on a puzzled expression.

"Hou, didn't your friend over there, one of the Grigori, not yet mention that?"

Tobio and Kouki look to me, waiting for an answer.

"It's not like it's such a big deal, I'll tell you when we get back to the apartment."

Kouki frowned but finally ended with a nod.

The man who had called himself Doumon spread his hands as he spoke to Tobio and Kouki.

"In any case, I will be taking you guys back with me. Since we require the cat and dog you guys carry. The 'Utsusemi' and such, that was no more than a minor experiment for the sake of this."

Despite hearing that, Samejima, without backing away at all from the situation, boldly spoke up.

"The genuine sacred treasures— the Sacred something or other was it? You involved them in this for such an incomprehensible reason. Since this is a good chance, why don't you release my pal?"

"For sure, your friend was the Maeda Nobushige I believe. Yeah, he has been changed into an Utsusemi."

With those few words, Samejima's expression became one of rage.

"In that case, let me reply like this. I'm going pummel you, you damn bastard!"

Again, the lance forms on Samejima's left arm. He was at full combat readiness.

"Truly, how vulgar."

The man immediately spat such words from his mouth.

"Tobio, Kouki. Why don't you try your luck fighting that bastard?"

"But..."

"I'll take care of the Utsusemis. Don't worry, I'll be careful not to kill your friends.

Doumon's words have made me angry, so I imagine that both Kouki and Tobio will be much angrier.

Although I'm also going to say that I want this whole experience for myself.

(Natsume, how are things out there? We have a large group of them here)

(Here as well, we're caught up in the middle of hostilities with Utsusemi invading from outside and can't get away! Despite Lavinia both burning and paralyzing them, there's no end to it. I'd say, perhaps, about forty of them are approaching.)

Forty!

That's a lot of experience.

(If it has become like this, I will just "freeze" them then.)

(Hold on as long as you can before you use your trump card, Lavinia.)

(Roger!)

"That bastard called Doumon or whatnot must not be allowed to get away since I have various questions about this case for him," Samejima spoke.

"Yeah, I know. For now, focus on him. Rest assured, your backs are covered."

Tobio and Kouki stepped forward, and the Utsusemi did exactly the same. Meanwhile, me and Doumon stayed behind. But unlike Doumon, I did intend to join in.

I summoned [Gandiva] for the first time today, and I prepared to shoot my first arrow.

"I'm gonna spend 30 MP for 12,000 EXP, I think it pays off."

And…

Swoooosh!

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

Haven't I moved up a level?

So I've reached the barrier where 400 experience isn't enough to level up. Well, it would be a lot harder to level up if I didn't have my skill [Walking Egg].

Arrow after arrow, I continued to kill Utsusemi. Only with my bow was I able to create a corridor so that Kouki and Tobio could get to Doumon.

And every time I killed a Utsusemi, two notices would ring in my head.

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

And when I killed the last Utsusemi.

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

[Because of the effects of Title Skill [Walking Egg]. Another 200 experience points were obtained.]

[The level of [Nephilim Dragon] raised from 43 to 65.]