EP.15 Field Battle -2
EP.15 Field Battle -2
Taotie(饕餮).
A Divine Beast known for its overwhelming greed and ferocity, its very name meaning "to covet."
Legend describes it as having the body of a sheep, the teeth of a tiger, and the face of a human, but this is incorrect.
In reality, it resembles a centaur—half-human, half-sheep—with a face resembling a horned tiger rather than a human.
Its temperament, however, matches the legends: it covets everything in the world, despises the weak, and seizes what belongs to others.
Its height is approximately 4-5 meters, and its width, when standing, spans roughly 10 meters.
Its hide is presumed harder than diamond, with an exact hardness that cannot be determined.
Its inherent abilities are likewise indeterminable, but it is presumed to steal the abilities or traits of creatures it consumes.
This theory is based on observations of a Taotie's hide hardening as it devoured an armadillo.
As it is an exceedingly ferocious Divine Beast, further intelligence-gathering is deemed impossible, and approach is strictly forbidden.
-Excerpt from Larkel's Divine Beast Encyclopedia Collection.
"Hmm... So, the one we need to take out is this guy?"
"That's right."
After making every preparation possible at the inn, Yata and I had set out.
We were heading once more toward the Eastern Great Wilds we'd visited that morning.
The time was deep in the night, with crickets chirping incessantly and moths and flying insects swarming the streetlights.
We'd been told we couldn't properly fight Taotie at any other time, so we'd come out without even sleeping.
"Humanity's collected information only goes this far. Could you fill in the unknown details, Yata?"
"Got it. First, the appearance, size, and temperament are exactly as humans have investigated, so I'll focus on additional traits like abilities and weaknesses."
"Okay."
"To start with its abilities—half of what's written there is correct, and half is wrong. Taotie is indeed a Divine Beast that steals the abilities or traits of others. But it doesn't always acquire them by eating."
"Then?"
"Despising the weak. That is, if the opponent is weak, Taotie can snatch their abilities. Even if they're a Divine Beast."
"I see..."
I understood why Yata had said Taotie had to be dealt with.
Ability theft—as an enemy, it was an incredibly troublesome and dangerous power.
For example, the consequences would be horrifying if it were to steal the abilities of someone like Tia, who was physically fragile but possessed a powerful inherent ability.
"Wait. Then doesn't that mean I can absolutely never confront Taotie? I'm weaker than it, aren't I?"
"It's fine, since you have no abilities for it to steal, dear husband."
"...Fuck, that's so true it's just sad."
"Hahaha! I'm joking! You have your own considerable abilities, husband. Don't worry so much!"
"Grrgh...!!"
"Besides, the 'weak' referred to in the condition doesn't mean someone weaker than itself—it means an opponent weakened in mind and body. So there's not much to worry about."
Yata spent a long time explaining every little detail about Taotie's abilities.
And I briefly summarized what I'd learned from her explanation.
First, while ability theft sounded overwhelmingly powerful just hearing about it, the activation conditions were actually quite stringent.
One: the opponent must be in a state of exhaustion. Their body or mind must be driven to a weakened state for it to work.
Two: you must maintain physical contact with the target whose abilities you want to steal for at least five seconds. Any body part will do, as long as contact is maintained.
Three: if you want to fully make the opponent's abilities your own, you must consume the target. Down to the very last bone, without leaving anything behind.
These three points were the core of Taotie's ability.
"Taotie itself has no notable abilities aside from ability theft, so it's considered on the weaker side even among Divine Beasts."
"Looking at the restrictions placed on it, it does seem a bit ambiguous to call it a combat-type ability."
"However, its physical strength itself is formidable, so don't forget—it's not an opponent you can afford to let your guard down against."
It was true—to a Divine Beast, I was nothing more than a speck.
A one-on-one fight against a Divine Beast was simply not viable.
So from this point on, I had to trust and follow Yata's words entirely.
"Hey, Yata."
"Yes?"
"I'm asking just in case, but... what happens if we can't take out Taotie tonight?"
"To give you that answer, there's one thing I need to hear from you, husband."
"What's that?"
"Are you confident you won't despair after hearing my answer?"
"...Yeah."
"Good. Then I'll tell you."
If we let it get away, Taotie would flee, staking everything on the future—escaping far beyond our reach, to a place we could never touch.
There, it would grow its strength, maintain peak condition, and join the gathering horde of Divine Beasts intent on destroying us.
And in the battle between Divine Beasts that would follow, Taotie would keep watching for an opening.
Then, spotting a gap, it would slip through the crack and succeed in taking me hostage.
The curtain of tragedy would rise from there...
Tia, the first to rush forward to save me, would fall to another Divine Beast and be cruelly devoured on the spot by Taotie.
Having gained new abilities by consuming Tia, Taotie would immediately proceed to defeat my other Companion Divine Beasts one after another, consuming them the same way.
And finally, that future would come to an end with it devouring me.
A despairing future and conclusion in which every single one of us met a horrific death.
Yata, who had seen this with her own eyes, vividly recounted the actual events for me in a low voice.
When Tia was first devoured, my head swam and my vision started to spin.
Each time my other Companion Divine Beasts were picked off one by one, bile began to rise and the blood in my veins grew cold.
When I heard the scene of myself being eaten at the very end, I couldn't hold it back anymore and vomited onto the ground.
A future I never wanted to experience. My body trembled uncontrollably, and it conjured the sensation that my own flesh was being torn apart and consumed.
My own death was fine. I could fully accept it.
But every time my precious Companion Animals were cruelly killed in my imagination, my heart tore apart and my brain burned to cinders.
My whole body was drenched in cold sweat, tears streamed down my cheeks, and the drool dripping onto the ground showed no sign of stopping.
"This is the worst possible future that will happen if we don't take out Taotie tonight."
"Haah...! *Hkk...!! *Hkkb!!"
"Husband, are you okay?"
"I'm... I'm fine!"
"I'm sorry. I should have softened it for you after all."
"No, no. I'm actually grateful you described it so vividly. Thanks to that, I've got motivation now."
"That's a relief, then."
"So keep telling me everything about Taotie."
It was only after hearing that future that I finally made my resolve.
No matter what happened, I would make sure that future could never come to pass.
Out of the countless possible futures, that one, even if it cost me my life, I would erase.
Chewing it over and over, I buried that resolve deep within my heart.
***
The forest path leading to the lake.
Just like during the day, the wild animals around us were growling in this direction.
Normally, I would have been tense, not knowing when they might pounce, but right then, a far greater worry occupied my mind.
So I had no mental energy to spare for wild animals.
"Won't it be sleeping?"
"It's fine, it'll definitely be awake."
Having heard Taotie's weakness from Yata's own lips, I realized that Bicorn's help was desperately needed.
Taotie's weakness was the sun. For some reason, it was said that Taotie absolutely hated sunlight.
So during the day, when the sun was up, it was the type that never roamed around.
Which, in other words, meant that looking for Taotie was impossible except during the dead of night.
It was said that the moment it caught even the faintest sign of sunrise, Taotie would stop whatever it was doing and flee immediately.
But for now, there was no way to exploit Taotie's weakness in a fight.
To defeat Taotie, the help of an ally was absolutely essential.
That was why I was going back to meet the Divine Beast that lived in the lake.
Honestly, I didn't want to face the fallen unicorn again, but I had no choice.
Because I had resolved to kill Taotie no matter what... even if it meant getting on my knees, I would secure her aid.
"She's still in the lake."
"Ah! Really?"
I pushed aside the underbrush leading to the lake and checked the scene within.
The lake water, radiating a bright glow in the dark night.
It was a mystical sight. I'd seen water reflect moonlight and shine, but water that absorbed moonlight and glowed on its own?
The water purified by the unicorn was truly different, undeniably so.
And there, standing in the middle of that mystical lake, was a figure like a doll.
Her back was turned, so I couldn't see her face, but she was a woman with short black hair and, in contrast, snow-white skin.
It looked like she had been bathing in the lake.
"Ugh! We came at a bad time. Yata, let's come back later."
"Why?"
"What do you mean, why? It's bad manners to show up when a woman is bathing."
"She's not bathing though?"
"Huh?"
Our words were failing to connect.
What was this? Was I mistaken, or was Yata seeing wrong?
"She's standing stark naked in the middle of the lake. If she's not bathing, then what is she doing?"
"Look closely and you'll find out. If you still can't tell, try listening carefully too."
"Uhm...?"
I knew I shouldn't, but unable to overcome my curiosity, I ended up closely observing the woman as Yata suggested.
Her outward appearance was exactly as I'd seen, so next, I'd need to examine her actions.
The woman was just standing there, not even submerging her body in the lake water.
Her hands were lowered, as if she was fidgeting with something below.
And every so often, the way she flinched and trembled struck me as uncanny.
What on earth was she doing? I had no idea.
So this time, instead of my eyes, I stuck an ear out past the underbrush and temporarily held my breath.
I focused every nerve solely on my sense of hearing, determined not to miss even the faintest sound.
The chirping of crickets, the sound of flowing water, and the howling of a wolf.
None of these were the sounds I wanted.
I focused my mind once more, trying to pick out a sound related to that woman from amid the background noise.
A moment later, I finally managed to detect, however faintly, a sound coming from the woman's mouth.
Now all that was left was to listen carefully to what she was saying.
"Haah! Haah! This feels so good!! Touching my crotch in human form just like my older sister does feels incredible...!! Aaht!! Just a little more...♡"
"..."
I covered the underbrush back up and decided to stop trying to learn about the woman.
Because that woman was a sexual monster wearing a lady's skin...
***
"You're asking me to help you fight a Divine Beast?"
"Yeah. Is it too much to ask?"
"My big sister's master is my master!! Of course I must help you...! But because of the Divine Beast Rules, I'm afraid I can't easily do so. I'm sorry!!"
"I figured as much..."
"Ah! However, if you were to form a Companion Contract with me too...!"
"Denied."
"Isn't that rejection a little too swift?! Even I get hurt, you know!"
"Sorry, but I have my reasons."
Two reasons I couldn't accept Bicorn as a Companion Animal.
First, I was terrified of the fox whose jealousy would absolutely explode, and second, because I simply couldn't handle it.
I was already struggling just dealing with three Companion Animals taking turns wringing me dry.
And now Bicorn, a being who was essentially a Divine Beast of lust itself, would join the fray?
My dick would shrivel up like a dried-up chili pepper.
They said dying mid-coitus from a heart attack was a man's romantic dream, but wasn't it still too early to die?
"If you won't form a contract with me, it will be difficult for me to help you though..."
"That's true... What should I do?"
"Husband, husband!"
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember hearing the term 'Provisional Contract' a few days ago?"
"Provisional Contract...? Ah!! Now that you mention it, I remember hearing that some lunatic formed a Provisional Contract with a Divine Beast."
That lunatic Jack, who had suddenly popped up and threatened me and Tia.
The guy who wouldn't die even when killed or when he took his own life—he'd said he gained his abilities by forming a Provisional Contract with some Divine Beast.
"That's right. There's one more contract a human can form with a Divine Beast, even if it isn't a Companion Contract."
"So you're saying I should form a Provisional Contract with Baina and get her help?"
"Exactly."
"Ah...! But isn't a Provisional Contract supposed to be conducted on terms favorable to the Divine Beast, not on an equal footing?"
"Not necessarily. If the desired price is high, the Divine Beast can claim more rights, but right now, her value is about that of a disposable product."
"So once we use her, it's over?"
"Um, you two... don't you think you're being a bit harsh? I may be what I am, but I am still a Divine Beast, and you're declaring right in front of me that you're going to eat-and-run?!"
"Ahaha! It was a joke! Anyway, you can help my husband by forming a Provisional Contract, right?"
"If I can help my master, this is hardly the time to be choosy. But how will the contract shares be divided?"
"You, 9. Her, 1."
"Th-that's too cruel, isn't it? At least 7 to 3..."
"9 to 1."
"Surely at least 8 to 2 is...!!"
"9 to 1."
"Grrr...!! Fine!!"
Baina probably didn't know.
That the only being capable of opposing the fox that none could rival was standing right before her eyes.
Yata had a stubborn streak and a strong backbone of her own.
And on top of that, she could see the future—there was likely no one in this world who could defeat her in a verbal contest.
"In any case, now that we have a contract, I will assist you with all my heart and sincerity."
"Thank you so much... I'll be counting on you."
"Just leave it to me!!"
To think that such a prickly character could change into uttering words so loyal—education really was something incredible.
The educational methods were certainly problematic, but still, education was education.
"So, what is it that I need to do?"
"It's to carry me around, isn't it?"
"That's right. The physical gap between Taotie and my husband is too great. Bicorn's role is to fill that gap."
"Oh-ho! To have my master ride on my back...! That's an industry award right there!"
Bicorn snorted heavily, visibly excited, and a wave of unease washed over me.
But I made a point of not showing it.
Since I was the one receiving aid here, it was necessary to think about her in a positive light.
"Anyway, horsemanship aside, there's no saddle—will it be okay?"
I wasn't exactly an expert on horses, but I knew very well just how important a saddle was.
Without a saddle, the rider's stability plummeted drastically and it was easy to fall off.
I'd heard that even people who had horses as Companion Animals found it difficult to ride without a saddle, and in society, riding without a saddle was illegal.
Especially since the horse I had to ride wasn't an ordinary horse, but a Divine Beast, Bicorn.
For me, riding a horse for the first time in my life, to ride a Divine Beast without a saddle—it was almost no different from an act openly declaring I'd fall off and die.
"You don't need to worry about that! As long as you hold onto my horns, everything will be taken care of."
"Your horns?"
"Unicorns and bicorns bestow their protection upon a rider who holds onto their horns. It's a protection that nullifies all impacts the rider would receive."
"So as long as my master simply holds on tightly to my horns, there will be absolutely zero chance of ever falling off!"
"I see... I never even imagined that kind of ability existed."
"No human has ever ridden a unicorn or a bicorn before. So it's only natural."
"But, hey—in the end, to ride Bicorn, I'd have to hold onto both horns, right? That would mean both my hands wouldn't be free. Isn't that a problem?"
The problem of riding Bicorn was solved.
But to avoid falling off, I had to grip Baina's horns with both hands.
In that case, I wouldn't even have a hand left to swing a sword.
Even if I could match Taotie's speed, it would be meaningless without any means of attack.
"I've naturally already come up with a countermeasure for that, so don't worry."
Yata pulled a length of rope from within her clothes.
I reflexively wondered why a rope had suddenly appeared, but Yata paid it no mind, approached Baina, looped the rope around her horns, and began tying knots.
"W-wait! What are you doing all of a sudden?!"
"Stay still."
Yata began hooking the rope around each horn and tying them up.
With swift hand movements, she wove the rope together and finally held up a single rein to show me.
A rope rein, reasonably well-made. However, the only thing it was actually tied to was Bicorn's horns.
So pulling on the rein would yank her head along with her horns.
"How's that? This way, you can hold the rope in one hand and a sword in the other, right?"
"Yeah, but... won't that be hard on Baina?"
Imagine you were running your hardest and someone suddenly yanked on your hair.
Obviously, anyone would feel fucking awful about it.
"You think so?"
"Nnnyook?!"
As soon as she said that, Yata yanked the rein. Baina's head jerked back, and at the same time, a bizarre moan burst from her mouth.
Baina looked to be in agony. What if she got in a bad mood over this and refused to help?
The sight made me incredibly uneasy.
A moment later, when Yata released the rein she was holding, Baina finally began to catch her breath in ragged gasps.
As if it had been an ordeal for her.
As I thought, horn reins seemed like a cruel measure for Bicorn. We'd need to look for another w—
"How did that feel?"
"H-hey, Yata? No matter what, asking that to someone who was just in pain is a bit much..."
"It f-felt incredibly amazing...♡"
"Ah...?"
"The feeling of my horns being lifted, the feeling like my brain was being pulled out—it was no joke! So please, just once more...!!"
"Ha, haha..."
I'd forgotten.
This mare was a goddamn pervert too...