Chapter 51
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Guess We'll Have to See Some Blood
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“Hey! Dianes!”
“Neri?”
I was leaping nimbly through the trees when suddenly a familiar voice from below called out to me.
I slammed to a halt and looked down to see the beautiful youngest daughter of Oceanus jumping up and down, waving at me.
...her entire body splattered in blood.
I sighed as I dropped to the ground, and like a total kid, she lunged at me for a hug, thrilled.
“Diiiianes~! I was so sca~red~!”
“Don't lie through your teeth like that. I told you not to come at me covered in blood!”
The nymph gleefully trying to hug me, and me pushing her forehead away firmly to avoid getting blood on myself.
What kind of comedy was this? Even I had to admit it was ridiculous. Still, better those thugs who tried to hurt Neri ended up dead than her getting injured, so I could finally catch my breath.
“Any injuries?”
“Nope!”
“The ones who tried to hurt you?”
“Nope?”
“...The dead ones?”
“About three?”
“The bodies?”
“Gone.”
“The live ones?”
“Two? They ran off that way.”
Hmm, alright then?
Less mouths to blab about it the better for enemies.
“Good job. Would've been nicer if you'd cleaned up more neatly, though.”
In a world where even the law is faint, and violence and thugs reign supreme...
Telling a delicate, beautiful nymph like her to show mercy despite her power would only get her hurt.
I'd told her that if she had to strike, do it viciously—no holding back, so no one would even think of messing with her or the other Nereid nymphs.
“I mentioned that when I taught you the Five Aggregates Plague Art and the Finger Strike...”
Judging by this scene, those 'dead' guys definitely didn't go peacefully.
Especially since the talent this Nereid nymph awakened and learned from me was that bizarre, monstrous art crafted from the secret divine skills of Indian and Podalab esoteric Buddhism.
“Anyway, you're not hurt, so that's what matters.”
“Hehehe... Thanks for worrying about me.”
“How about we do something about that blood first? It's kinda gross.”
“Oh right! Look at me, hold on!”
-Clap clap!
Neri clapped her hands lightly, and groundwater bubbled up from her feet, slowly enveloping her. It sucked away the blood and flesh in an instant before slipping back into the earth.
“Ta-da!”
“It's always so amazing no matter how many times I see it.”
A sea nymph, but maybe because her mother was the goddess of clear waters?
Either way, Neri handled groundwater and springs with total ease.
Her hygiene was sorted now, but that wasn't the point.
“Neri, you haven't seen anything weird, have you?”
“Weird?”
“Like... a woman with overly vibrant dye-job colors. Or a goddess with bat-like wings.
Something like that.”
“No clue? I just burst three guys, played tag with the other two, and then Dianes showed up.”
“I see.”
I definitely didn't imagine it.
Just a passing goddess, then?
“Anyway, let's get going.”
“Huh? Whyyy? I haven't gathered all the mushrooms yet!”
“Yeah, you flew all the way here so eagerly, and no greeting?”
I grabbed Neri's shoulders and pushed her along, trying to steer us away from any more incidents.
Then a stranger's voice chimed in naturally to our conversation.
“...Huh?”
“Ha... damn it.”
I muttered under my breath at the bad feeling that yet another mess had zeroed in on me.
A voice brimming with mischief and amusement echoed from above.
I didn't want to see her.
The long day was finally winding down, and here was a voice guaranteed to drag out the night even longer.
“Oh? Why the sour reaction? Weren't you chasing after this pretty big sis here, mesmerized by her beauty?”
“Pretty big sis? Dianes, another girl?”
“What are you even saying?”
I clutched my forehead at Neri's total obliviousness to the mood.
Then strawberry-milk-pink long hair cascaded right in front of my eyes.
“Hiya~ my little maknae~?”
Blood-red eyes sparkling with interest, curiosity, and fun.
Pink hair that stood out from afar, bat wings like Dracula's.
And a seductive beauty wearing a wicked smile like she was plotting mischief.
A woman with such a striking presence that she'd stick in your memory from a past life, a previous one, or even this one—just a glimpse.
She dangled upside down in midair, waving lazily at me.
But what did this goddess just call me?
“Excuse me, do I know you?”
“Nah? First time meeting.”
“Right?”
Perplexed by this title I'd never heard in three lifetimes—something totally unrelated to me—Neri tugged at my clothes from behind.
“Di... Dianes...”
“Neri?”
For some reason, Neri had her head down, clinging to me and trembling.
Did this strawberry milkshake do something?
I slowly backed away, erecting a divine demonic qi barrier to shield Neri, and only then did her shaking stop.
“Ooh~ Already wielding Mother's divine power like that? Impressive!”
“You bitch... what did you do to the kid?”
The ever-cheerful Nereid nymph who stayed bright even facing a house-sized bear was suddenly terrified.
Suspicious of some mental attack or trick, I gradually drew up my divine demonic qi and internal energy.
“Kyahaha! Calm down~ She's just sensitive, overreacting to my divine power is all.”
“Don't blame the kid. The problem's you leaking your aura everywhere like a slob.
Back off now... or?”
“Oh my?”
The woman flipped gracefully right in front of me, and I snapped without thinking, my words sharp.
'Something's off!'
The moment our eyes met, something bubbled and boiled inside me.
Not quite blood-feud hatred, but like facing someone with bad karma—repulsion and rage surging up.
Seeing those intrigued blood-red eyes egging it on, I realized my state wasn't natural; it was her doing.
Calculations flashed through, and I switched my threatening divine demonic qi and internal energy back to the Ghostless Heart Art, focusing on breath and energy control.
“Hoo...”
Instantly, the delusion and fury clouding my head cleared, my pounding heart settling.
“...Wow.”
As if she hadn't expected that, the pink woman let out an admiring gasp, eyes wide.
“Neri, you okay?”
“Urgh... Dianes, my head hurts...”
“Where? Stabbing like pokes?”
Neri improved once I blocked the woman's influence with my barrier, but aftereffects lingered; she sat groaning.
“Hiiing...!”
“It's okay, hang in there.”
What kind of goddess shows up and drains the energy from such a lively kid just by appearing?
Raising my guard inwardly, I decided to prioritize moving Neri and scooped her up.
“Eh? Wha—? G-going?”
“Kid's in bad shape; what business we got? Especially starting off with cheap tricks like this. Pisses me off.”
“Excuse me? Do you know who I am?”
“Should I?”
Her popping out of nowhere and throwing the first punch felt annoyingly familiar—goddesses gonna goddess.
I was tempted to just tank whatever she threw earlier.
“You pulled the stunt without even giving your name first, so if you've got business, let's handle it after I get this kid somewhere safe.”
“Neri, was it? Nickname like that—you must really dote on her? Lover?”
Her blatant provocation baiting me through Neri ground my teeth.
“...Cross that line, and god or not, you won't like the mess.”
Seeing that blood-red interest shift from me to Neri ignited my fury in an instant.
Challenge me? Fine.
Mess with me? Fine.
Every threat, every crisis is a chance for me—practicing demonic arts under the law of the strong means facing hardship head-on, not dodging.
But reach for others? I'm always ready for blood.
Even if it's not just the enemy's.
It was the same as the Heavenly Demon.
I welcomed challengers and schemers, but cowards targeting my circle? Their clans got wiped.
“I'm sick of these fated ties that stalk and vanish on whims.”
-Whoooosh!!
Matching my emotions, divine demonic qi roared around me like massive flames.
Ready to shield as a bulwark, pierce as a spear.
And become a world-burning calamity at my will.
At my fierce reaction, the nameless pink goddess stiffened in surprise for a moment.
Then she smirked teasingly, tilting her head.
“Oho... say that, and now I'm too jealous to back off~?”
Thick-headed as a proper goddess.
“Guess we'll have to see some blood then.”
-Fwoooosh!
A massive black-flame sword rent the sky, surging upward.