Slaying the Colossal Abomination – Road to Kyoto
As I descended the stairs from the love hotel in Kyoto and stepped outside, an overwhelming silence enveloped everything. It was the quiet that had settled in thanks to the Abominations I'd endlessly lured and devoured along the way. I set off toward the position of the one I'd scouted earlier. Soon, heavy footsteps began to grow louder, shaking the ground. Thud! Thud! Thud! The beast must have instinctively caught the scent of the living and was homing in on me.
If it's coming straight for me, that means there really aren't any other survivors left around here.
After walking for a while, the creature finally came into view at the edge of my sight. Towering at least six stories high, with massive arms stretching out to smash nearby buildings. The Abomination, its eyes glowing red, drooled profusely as it spotted me at the same time I saw it.
GRRRRAAAAHHH!!!
Grinning like a predator that had found its prey, the Abomination charged in without hesitation. With its size and the racket it was making, Ritka up on the rooftop was surely watching. I'd yielded the first strike to her, so let's see how she handles it.
She can only use one style for now, right?
As the Abomination barreled toward me relentlessly, Ritka's attack kicked off. Not satisfied with just one arrow for her opening shot, she unleashed three in total, timed with perfect intervals. They flew like lightning bolts, piercing the beast's right eye, throat, and solar plexus before it could even react.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
Wracked with pain it had never felt before, the thing clutched its right eye and let out a deafening roar. A normal Abomination would feast on nearby zombies for super-regeneration, but this one had grown massive by consuming everything in sight and was now out of energy sources. Seeming to grasp its dire situation, it burned with fury in its remaining left eye and lunged at me again.
In the blink of an eye, it swung its massive hand. From its perspective, I must have looked like a tasty snack dropped in the street. I twisted my stance with footwork, effortlessly slipping out of its attack range. Wind pressure whistled past, revealing fingers the size of cars. Can't just take a hit without returning the favor.
I clamped down on the tip of one passing finger, wrenched it hard, and ripped it clean off.
Crackkkk!!!
The Abomination opened its swung hand, saw I was gone—and that one of its fingers was missing—and swelled up in rage, bellowing wildly. Whatever. Using lightness skill, I vanished from its perception with stealthy movements and struck its ankle with a palm thrust.
BOOMMM!!
Packed with primal energy, my palm strike pulverized and exploded the ankle without mercy.
In terms of durability, a bit tougher than an orc warrior?
I was impressed by how the Abomination held its form better than the orc warrior that had crumbled to dust. Pure physical prowess put it at B-rank. But if it had multiple energy sources, that toughness might hit A-rank.
GRRRRAAAAHH!
Its mindless bulk growth had left it unbalanced after losing one leg; it dropped to its knee and glared at me. Its eye treated me as both enemy and energy source. I smirked, leaped back, and signaled Ritka.
It was a practice dummy the size of a six-story building. Time to let Ritka vent her boiling battle lust. I stepped aside, arms crossed, and watched.
Finally getting my intent, Ritka started firing arrows nonstop.
Thwip! Thunk! Thud!
She'd gotten plenty of practice arrows from me in the real world long ago. The barrage turned the Abomination's head into a porcupine before she stopped. Looked like over a hundred shots.
She's having a blast.
After about thirty mana arrows, she switched to regular ones once her magic depleted. Hope that satisfied her grudge.
Grrrlll!
Having lost both eyes to Ritka now—right one earlier, left in the barrage—the Abomination flailed its arms to yank out the arrows covering its face. Blind and thrashing, it sensed me closing in while kneeling and started shrinking back timidly.
Scared and retreating? Smarter than I thought.
This one might be exceptional, but worth noting for future encounters. With one leg gone and blind, it bumped into building walls, cornering itself. I vaulted over its crawling back, grabbed the nape of its neck. It thrashed wildly, sensing doom, but against my lightness skill? Futile.
Time to finish it.
Suddenly, defying its bulk, it spun with surprising speed, pinpointed my position, and lunged with its massive maw—like a last desperate gambit. Pathetic. More like it was serving itself up on a platter.
I drove a palm strike straight into its enormous temple.
SPLATTTTT!!!
Its head exploded in a geyser of blood. The headless body twitched lingeringly before toppling slowly.
Thud!!
I immediately doused the corpse with gasoline from my inventory and set it ablaze. A carcass this size? Might return to Tokyo someday, so better clean up.
Not like it's Dong Zhuo or something.
Chuckling at the rising flames, I headed back to the love hotel. No more threats here. Time to move to central Kyoto.
+++
Vroooom!
A sports car roared down the road, exhaust bellowing fiercely. Out the window, dazed survivors gawking at us and zombies chasing our tail. Couldn't help but laugh.
"Oppa. Ritka's hungry."
"Yeah? Let's eat then hit the road again."
Ritka's request, laced with nasal whine and coquetry. Why not indulge her? I scanned around, pulled over on a deserted roadside. Cold weather? Trivial for mana-awakened me and Ritka in this apocalypse winter.
"Waaah~"
Ritka hopped out in light clothes, marveling at the winter wonderland roadside. Her aviation jacket hid her upper body, but tight jeans and leather walkers accentuated her legs synergistically. Hips swaying as she leaned on the railing.
Doing that unconsciously? Fuck.
Sighing, I started prepping food. She'd probably say yes if I pushed, but outdoors is uncomfortable for her—and I hate it too. Random thoughts swirling, I got to it. Food from inventory anyway—just heat and serve.
"Ritka! It's ready. Hurry up!"
She'd wandered off on watch; now she bounced back excitedly. Martial arts had her thrilled.
"Waa~ Looks delicious."
"You eat it all the time."
"Hehe. 'Cause oppa made it."
Flirty Ritka. Before us: retort pasta. Tasty enough. She stuffed her mouth from the paper carton, beaming happily. How much cash would it take in reality to dine with a beauty like her? Seeing her joy over 3-4k won instant food tickled my chest.
Unlike before, I wanted to ravage her again, but Kyoto was close. At this pace, we'd arrive by evening. Despite prep for dangers, trip was smooth. Minor Abominations were tiny compared to Tokyo's first—mere scarecrows for powered-up us. Annoying part? Survivors.
Sports car roaring draws eyes, sure—but tailing us in freak-custom junkers? They hid, watched; eyes popped at dismounting Ritka.
Ragtag bastards.
Slaughter ensued. Post-awakening Ritka showed no mercy to would-be thugs. Recalling her post-battle, sex-craving eyes, I nodded. Good's good.
"When we hit Kyoto, introduce you to my parents. Tell 'em all about the organization members," Ritka chattered excitedly. Leaving her babble, we hit the road again. Music from car storage; when tired, mutual service. Before we knew, Kyoto.
+++
"Ah! Can I drive from here?"
"Sure."
Local girl Ritka knows Kyoto best. She took the wheel smoothly; zombie packs dotted roadsides.
No Abominations here, huh.
Leading a zombie herd along, we spotted a weird building.
"Ritka, is that in Kyoto?"
"Uh... first time seeing it too..."
The structure loomed like a fortress.