Chapter 114
Chapter 114
Ch. 114 .｡.:✧ The Great Guardian (2) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The Great Guardian, Guiho.
A nine-tailed fox yokai who, after millennia of absorbing the earth’s energy of the northern continent, had awakened as a true demon. And, accepting the faith and worship of those who revered her, she ascended to the position of Great Guardian.
A local deity, in essence.
A being of such stature wielded power incomparable to any human. And the power she cultivated was the art of curses.
‘Space distortion… She’s expanded this space hundreds of times…’
It had been a space within the casino, only three stories high. But now, the place where I stood felt vast and boundless, as if I were out in the open.
And in the center of it all, a massive spectral form, its silver fur rustling, opened its eyes and looked at me.
[Who dares disturb my slumber…?]
Its fur bristled with rage, its snout snarled, and its voice seemed to resonate not through my ears, but directly within my mind.
I prostrated myself, performing the customary deep bow of the North.
‘She’s on a completely different level. She could literally toy with me and then kill me.’
Against superhumans like Yerina, Transylvania, or Sword Master Solra, I might be able to force a mutual destruction if I used all my power, dirty tricks included. Even against the Four Heavenly Kings, even at their peak after awakening, I could probably manage to land a blow.
But the very concept of a fight didn’t apply to a being like the Great Guardian. She could distort space and observe the entire northern continent.
The fact that I was standing within this distorted space meant I was already within her grasp, a plaything in her hands.
‘But where was the Great Guardian, and what was she doing, when the final boss emerged…?’
A question arose.
According to the game’s story, why had the Great Guardian remained dormant until the final boss appeared? I could understand it in the early stages, before the Four Heavenly Kings revealed their true nature. But even later, when they began to wreak havoc, the Great Guardian remained silent.
Only when the final boss broke through the dimensional wall did she finally appear, only to be instantly defeated, serving merely as a way to showcase the final boss’s overwhelming power.
‘The system must have intervened.’
It was a glaring plot hole. In the case of the Great Guardian, it was highly likely that the system had arbitrarily altered her settings, like the reason why she couldn’t make a public appearance until now.
[Who are you? What are you?! Why is your human essence so… twisted?! It’s an essence only attainable by someone who has relived their life countless times!]
She’d hit the nail on the head.
A being like the Great Guardian could see through a person’s inner self. She must have seen the strangely intertwined emotions within me, the bizarre inner world holding twelve different sets of feelings towards a single person.
To her, I must have seemed like a monster.
“Greetings, Great Guardian of the North. I apologize for intruding upon your slumber and disturbing your rest. Please forgive me. As for my inner self…”
[Hmm, hmm. It’s fine. Such a diverse essence… It’s a good thing, actually. A rather precious one has come to me.]
“…?”
I had expected her to be wary of me, but the Great Guardian’s furrowed brow relaxed, and her voice softened. Was she welcoming me?
[Ah. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a human. I carelessly unleashed my aura. You must be in pain. I shall transform into a more manageable form for now.]
“…?”
The Great Guardian chuckled, and her massive form shrank, transforming into a white-haired woman with a long pipe. Fox ears still adorned her head, and nine tails swished from beneath her skirt.
The oppressive pressure that had been pounding in my head vanished.
‘But it wasn’t that painful…’
She’d said she’d carelessly unleashed her aura? If a being like the Great Guardian had truly done that, I should be writhing in agony, or dead with a shattered skull. But I was strangely fine.
My confusion was short-lived. I quickly realized why.
[Trait: Mental Fortitude]
› A strong mind dwells in a strong body. Your mental strength is enhanced in proportion to your overall stats.
Mental Fortitude. It seemed I was unharmed thanks to this trait I’d gained from meeting the final boss, Draken.
The Great Guardian, observing my reaction, widened her eyes in surprise.
[You… withstood my aura? Are you truly human?]
“Yes, I am.”
[Hmm. You’re not lying. How strange… Anyway! I’m in a good mood, so I shall grant you one wish! Tell me what you desire, human.]
The Great Guardian smirked and crossed her legs. I was momentarily taken aback by her condescending tone, but she was offering to grant me a wish.
Was the Great Guardian always this generous?
Regardless, it was a fortunate turn of events. It seemed I could achieve my goal immediately.
“I would be grateful if you could impart some of your wisdom upon me.”
[Why would a human seek knowledge from me? Find a human teacher. I don’t know much about your kind.]
“It’s not about humans. I wish to ask about the nature of beastmen.”
[Oh?]
The Great Guardian chuckled, intrigued. While she was a yokai, a true demon, she was also knowledgeable about beastmen. After all, most of the population she ruled over in the North were beastmen. And one of her forms was that of a beastman.
“I’m hoping that you, Great Guardian, having lived for thousands of years, might know something about the unique constitution of beastmen.”
[Very well. Tell me what you wish to know. I shall answer to the best of my ability.]
“Are you familiar with the beastman trait known as Mania?”
[Mania?]
The Great Guardian tilted her head.
It seemed the term “Mania” was a relatively recent development. She hadn’t encountered it yet, being out of touch with current trends.
“It’s a precious beastman trait, said to appear only once in a thousand years. It maximizes the sensitivity of one’s five senses and allows them to unleash their suppressed primal instincts.”
[Ah. Ah, yes. You’re talking about the blessing that the Queen of Palana possesses. I’ve only witnessed that blessing three times in my life. It’s certainly a precious trait. But… what about it?]
“If you know of a way to remove or weaken that trait… please tell me.”
Yerina’s Mania.
Another name for the paranoia that had plagued me for the past twelve loops.
As long as her Mania remained, I would continue to struggle in this loop. I had managed to avoid her so far, but Yerina, having discovered Alicia’s betrayal, would be even more relentless in her pursuit.
I didn’t think it was possible to evade her for another year. In my current state, the moment I encountered Yerina, I would be trapped, my home transformed into her ice cave, and the loop would end in failure.
That’s why I had to neutralize her Mania. If I could minimize Yerina’s obsession, there might be a chance, even if I was caught. And perhaps, if her Mania subsided, Alicia’s punishment for betraying her would be lessened.
But those were secondary concerns. My true motive was something else entirely.
[You wish to remove the Queen of Palana’s blessing?]
“You could interpret it that way.”
[I must ask. Why would you want to remove the perfectly fine blessing of the Queen of Palana?]
“Because Mania is preventing the Frost Duchess from finding happiness.”
[What do you mean? The Queen of Palana became powerful thanks to that blessing. She seized the throne with that power and now rules over countless vassal states. Are you saying that the blessing is making her unhappy?]
“You are absolutely right. That trait has brought the Frost Duchess immense power, glory, and the throne. The paranoia and suspicion stemming from that trait have also been instrumental in managing their subjects, allowing her to establish an absolute monarchy. It is indeed a blessing for the Frost Duchess. However… Mania is a cruel curse for the human, Yerina Frost.”
Mania might be a great talent for the Frost Duchess, but for the human Yerina Frost, it was a terrible curse. It prevented her from forming genuine relationships, condemning her to a life of suspicion, constantly eroding her spirit and the spirits of those around her.
“Yerina Frost doubts everything, and that doubt only grows with time. She trusts no one and demands constant proof of loyalty and devotion. But it’s a futile effort. Yerina Frost will never be able to truly connect with anyone. She will never find love, nor will she ever truly be understood. She will live her life wearing the mask of the aloof Frost Duchess, and die alone. That is the curse Mania has inflicted upon Yerina Frost.”
Mania had to be eradicated. Not for anyone else, but for Yerina’s happiness.
‘I’m only realizing this now.’
It was a thought I couldn’t have had when I viewed Yerina simply as a dating sim heroine to be conquered, when I was preoccupied with deceiving her and fabricating evidence. But now, in the thirteenth loop, having given up on conquering the heroines, now that I genuinely desired their happiness, I finally understood.
For all our sakes – mine, Alicia’s, and Yerina’s – Yerina had to be freed from Mania.
“I want Yerina Frost to find happiness, as a person, as a woman.”
[Hahahahahaha! You! You’re in love with the Frost Duchess!]
“You could interpret it that way.”
“[The Queen of Palana stands alone, above all else! She is destined to stand tall, aloof and beautiful, unyielding! And you dare try to break her destiny, just to gain her love?! You want to pull out a beast’s teeth and claws and domesticate it?! Hahahaha! How amusing! How utterly amusing!]”
The Great Guardian burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
I felt a flicker of unease, wondering if she was displeased, but then her laughter subsided, and she wiped away a tear.
[Hahaha! It’s been a while since I’ve laughed like that! Good! Entertaining! It would be quite a sight to see that proud wolf turned into a meek little dog! Of course, that will never happen! Here! Take this!]
“…?”
A book appeared in the Great Guardian’s hand. She tossed it to me. I caught it and looked at the cover. It was titled The Art of Sensory Control.
[The Art of Sensory Control]
› A manual for cultivating the five senses. Upon mastery, you will be able to freely control your own and others’ five senses.
A system window appeared when I used Appraisal.
This… was exactly what Yerina needed. Of course, getting her to actually practice it was another matter entirely, but I would figure that out later. For now, simply finding a way to suppress her Mania was a huge accomplishment.
[It’s a mental cultivation technique to control one’s mind and senses. If the Queen of Palana practices it and masters it, she will gain complete control over her talent. She will be able to activate Beast Mode without succumbing to her paranoia.]
“Thank you. I’m eternally grateful.”
[It’s fine. It was just a dusty old book lying around until 3,000 years ago. It’s better off in the hands of someone who needs it.]
Was the Great Guardian always this generous? If I had known, I would have come to see her first.
Touched by her benevolence, I bowed my head again.
[Hahaha! You have manners. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure The Art of Sensory Control reaches the Queen of Palana.]
“Huh? No, it’s alright. I’ll deliver it myself.”
[How do you plan to deliver it to the Queen of Palana when you’re reduced to an imbecile? Leave it to me.]
“…?”
My mind went blank.
What was she talking about? Me, reduced to an imbecile? Why?
[Why are you making that stupid face? You’ve come here as a sacrifice, haven’t you? To offer me your soul? Hmm… you look quite delicious, actually. You’re only about 20 years old, yet your soul is so diverse! A fresh, colorful soul… a true delicacy!]
“Ah.”
At those words, everything clicked into place.
Why the Great Guardian hadn’t been angry about being woken from her slumber. Because the one who woke her was a delicious-looking sacrifice. And why she had answered my questions so patiently. Because she was planning to devour me afterwards.
I suppose she could grant the last wish of a delicious-looking sacrifice.
“I’m not a sacrifice!”
[You weren’t informed? How unfortunate. But it can’t be helped. Blame your fate. Don’t worry; the process of having your soul devoured won’t be painful. I hear it’s quite an ecstatic experience, like ascending to heaven.]
The Great Guardian transformed back into her giant fox form, approached me, and opened her massive jaws.
Crazy yokai.
She wasn’t listening.
At this rate, my soul would be devoured, and I would become an imbecile. That was unacceptable. I wasn’t ready to start drooling on the walls at such a young age.
‘Should I fight?’
I reached for my sword, but a chilling premonition stopped me. An instinct, honed through years of life-or-death battles, an instinct that had always guided me, telling me where to dodge, where to strike… that instinct was now screaming at me not to draw my sword.
It was broken. I couldn’t see a way out. No matter what I did, no matter how I attacked, I could only see one outcome which was my attacks failing to even scratch her steel-like jaws, my head ending up in her mouth.
‘I’m screwed!’
[Where do you think you’re going?!]
There was no point in provoking her with attacks that wouldn’t even work.
I turned and ran towards the door I had entered through. But no matter how much I ran, the wooden door didn’t get any closer.
In fact, it seemed to be getting further away. The space itself was distorting as I ran.
[It’s futile! You’re trapped in my formation! There’s no escape, so just surrender your soul!]
“What?”
Just as despair began to set in, a glimmer of hope struck me.
A formation was a type of curse, created by carving demonic energy into objects or the ground. And if it was made of demonic energy… I knew someone who could devour it with gusto.
At that moment, something started rattling in my bag.
[What’s that? That creepy-looking lump?!]
“Ah. This is something a gorgeous spider lady dropped when she died.”
I casually stopped, took out Kali’s disguised soul fragment, and the Great Guardian’s face contorted in disgust.
I had to hurry before the Four Heavenly Kings detected it.
The moment I placed the ravenous, trembling fragment on the ground, demonic energy seeped out from the ground and was sucked into the fragment.
“This is how it’s used.”
The formation instantly dissipated. The entire space was filled with lingering traces of demonic energy, creating a thick fog.
Yes! Space distortion was no longer possible. And with my vision obscured, I could use this opportunity to escape.
…Or so I thought, as I reached for the doorknob. But then I looked back, and the silhouette I saw through the fog was… strange.
What was that small creature?
[Achoo! Ugh.]
“You…”
[W-What are you doing?! Now that the formation is broken, you should run! Or you’ll be devoured by me, aaaaaah! No! You can’t see my true form!]
As I pushed through the fog, the Great Guardian’s true form was revealed. A small fox with nine tails, covering its eyes and trembling.
[Achievement Unlocked]
› Encounter with the Great Guardian, Guiho!
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[these heroines are getting weirder and weirder…]
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