Seeker 313

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Chapter 313. Yamata No Orochi

Here was once a place that was a village.

Many houses trampled by monsters lay scattered in rubble.

The corpses of numerous villagers who had breathed their last were either charred, decayed, scattered, or eaten.

The monster that ravaged the village had a terrifyingly large body.

The appearance of that demon, resembling eight large snakes fused into one, was as magnificent as a castle.

Seeing that monstrous being in the distance, many warriors were advancing.

Many warriors wore magical armor and carried magical swords, spears, and bows.

In this far eastern land of Yamatai, they were called Mononofu.

They were exceptional heroes with powers beyond ordinary people, known as awakened.

However, even they, compared to the monster they were about to face - Yamata no Orochi, were insignificant.

At the heart of the Mononofu who led them was the king of this country, called the "General."

The mounted general looked ahead seriously at the monster in the distance.

Behind the general's horse was a single ox cart.

A cloth covered the bed, hiding its contents.

The general glanced back at the cart, then straightened and tightened the reins of his horse.

"This is something we would avoid if possible, but—Mikoto, what do you see?"

The general addressed one of the Mononofu walking beside him.

She appeared in her late twenties, a beautiful Mononofu with long black hair.

The air around her was different from the other Mononofu.

If one were sensitive, they might sense something unfathomable about her.

The woman called Mikoto responded to the mounted general.

"It's still far away, so I can't say. But I sense a faint chill. Let's ensure it's not just a bluff."

"Can you, known as the Sword Saint, see a monster that even you can't handle?"

"Well. Without witnessing it firsthand, I can't say."

"I see. The legendary demon from centuries past, Yamata no Orochi. It would be fortunate if we could defeat it in our generation, but if not—"

After saying that much, the general's expression clouded, and he lowered his head.

The sword saint Mikoto walking beside him closed her eyes as if pondering something.

Eventually, the Mononofu approached very close to the monster with eight heads.

They were just within range of arrows and magic.

The total number of Mononofu exceeded two hundred.

Most of the city's defense forces were poured into this battle.

The monster, Yamata no Orochi, acknowledged the presence of the Mononofu and roared from its eight serpent-like mouths.

"Here it comes! Archers, magicians, prepare!"

With the general's command, the Mononofu with bows and those proficient in attack magic began to prepare for battle.

Others also poised themselves to run out soon.

The mass of the serpent-like creature, like a castle, charged toward the Mononofu.

Its speed was terrifying, and even skilled Mononofu would hardly be able to escape it.

"Fire!"

With the general's command, arrows were shot from numerous bows, and colorful attack magic was simultaneously released.

Spears of flame, spears of ice, blades of wind, stone bullets, and a rain of arrows flew toward the monster Yamata no Orochi, many of them hitting directly.

However, there seemed to be little effect from these attacks.

Most of the attacks were unable to inflict any significant damage.

Some seemed to have caused minor injuries, but they didn't appear to be effective.

The general gritted his teeth.

"Curse you, it's still a monster! — [Monster Appraisal], what do you say?"

"D... Damage 26... With a maximum HP of 2200, it's only a small amount... Also, it has Regeneration (200)..."

"Damn...! Close combat units, prepare to charge! — Wait, Mikoto! Where are you going!?"

The female Mononofu, Mikoto, dashed out on her own like the wind, against orders.

The beautiful swordsman with black hair confronted the colossal creature alone, her voice resolute.

"I'm certain, this is a losing battle! General, I'll buy us time! Prepare the 'Shrine Maiden'!"

"If that's our only choice! — Fine, prepare the 'Shrine Maiden'! Don't let Mikoto die, hurry!"

In response to the general's command, Mononofu aides removed the cloth from the cart.

There lay a young girl dressed in red and white shrine maiden robes, with her hands and feet bound, asleep.

Next to the girl was a sake barrel.

When one of the Mononofu smashed its lid, the scent of rich sake filled the air, and the girl slowly woke up.

One of the monster Orochi's heads turned its attention to the cart.

Meanwhile, many Mononofu tried to stop the monster's advance, wielding their weapons.

"It's coming!"

"Follow Mikoto-sama!"

"Monster! You won't touch Mikoto-sama!"

"Fools, don't come here! Do you want to die in vain?"

The female Mononofu, known as the Sword Saint, scolded her comrades trying to fight alongside her while barely avoiding an attack from one of Orochi's heads.

But the men scolded by her did not accept her plea.

"We cannot bear to let Mikoto-sama risk her own life for us!"

"We Mononofu cannot bear to let Mikoto-sama risk her life alone!"

"Damn...! Then I'll die before you do, I swear!"

"[Roger!]"

In the meantime, the general's aides had finished preparing the sacrifice.

The girl in the shrine maiden robes, drenched in sake, with her hands and feet tied, was carried on a cart right in front of the monster.

"Mononofu, retreat!"

With the order, the Mononofu who had been engaged in close combat with the monster hastily withdrew.

Even though the Sword Saint Mikoto had been seriously injured from the monster's concentrated attacks, she carried two fallen Mononofu away from the scene with unbelievable strength.

Although the monster Yamata no Orochi had been subjected to a simultaneous attack from many Mononofu, it seemed to have sustained little damage.

Although one of its heads had suffered a significant injury from the Sword Saint Mikoto's [Double Slash], it was instantly healed due to its tremendous regenerative ability.

After the Mononofu retreated, all that remained was the girl in the shrine maiden robes, drenched in sake.

The girl on the cart was bound hand and foot and had a gag in her mouth, unable to do anything.

The awakened girl, with tears in her eyes, looked up at the monstrous eight-headed serpent with a terrified expression.

One of the serpent's heads approached the girl, its mouth getting closer—

A scene unfolded that even seasoned Mononofu averted their eyes from.

Blood poured onto the cart, and eventually, everything about the girl was swallowed up by the monster's mouth.

A little while later—

The monster with eight heads ceased its activity as if falling asleep.

The Mononofu did not attack it.

The sleeping monster was under the effect of 'invincibility,' and even without it, they feared that if it were to wake up again, it would be the end.

Shortly afterward, the monstrous figure turned into a large black mist and flew towards the distant mountains.

All that remained were the cart soaked in blood and the Mononofu surrounding it from a distance.

Among the Mononofu, there were a few who had lost their lives, and the surviving Mononofu wept bitterly over their corpses.

The black-haired Sword Saint cursed her own powerlessness.

The general muttered to himself as if convincing himself.

"Indeed, this was the only way. And this is the only way. Apart from sacrificing seven more 'Shrine Maidens'—"

The method of pacifying the monster Yamata no Orochi, as recorded in ancient texts when it resurrected.

It involved immersing a young maiden, whose birthday happened to be on that year's day, in a special sake and offering her to Orochi.

And the same had to be done seven times, on each of the following seven days.

Only then would the monster go back to sleep for another hundred years—

The general, who did not readily accept such practices, attempted to defy fate with the seasoned Mononofu under his command.

But his attempt only resulted in escalating losses.

The army of Mononofu led by the general fulfilled their duty and returned to the capital with regret.

Those Mononofu who had charged ahead without waiting for the general's orders, including the Sword Saint Mikoto, were punished with lashes, but there was no regret on anyone's face.

—And this was a happening just before the arrival of the Earthen upon this world.