He thought the strange sensation was due to the water. His neck and back. There was an awful tingling.
And that soon turned into a piercing pain.
“What!?”
When he opened his eyes, his surroundings were brighter again. It was morning. At the same time, the feeling on his neck increased.
“Wha…t!?”
His hand went to his neck, and he felt something being crushed.
“Ahhh! Ah! Ahhh! Ahhhhhh!”
Something was moving in the corner of his vision. A swarm of ants covered his shoulders.
“AAAAAAHHHHH! What the!”
Things were crawling over his neck and even inside of his armor.
“Eeeee! Ah! Ahhh! Waaah!”
His hand frantically went to the buckles, and he attempted to remove his armor. He needed to get out quickly and…
“I-I can’t do that… Shit!”
He forcefully rubbed his neck and used his hands to brush them off. Still, they were inside of his clothes as well, and would not come out.
“Damn it. What the hell!”
How did the monster manage to do this? He could not understand. Still, after fighting with it for several minutes, and rubbing his back against a tree, he finally stopped feeling them crawling everywhere.
But…
“Ugh…”
His body itched unbearably. The bites and remains of the bugs were still very present. And there were so many places he could not scratch, due to being under the armor.
“I…won’t take it off over something like this!”
Yes. As long as he kept the armor on, he would not lose. He gritted his teeth, unsheathed his sword, and glared at his surroundings.
“Damn it! Come out! I’m right here!”
White mist drifted in the morning light. Birds flew from the bushes, and somewhere, a small animal dashed away.
Still, the small monster did not appear.
“Hurry up…you bastard.”
Koji rubbed his back against a tree as he continued to watch.
Zephalis slumped deeply in his chair. He no longer had the will to be angry.
Below, the other gods were laughing uncontrollably. He could not bear this situation a moment longer.
Even if the Hero managed to get out of this alive, Zephalis would have lost his authority completely.
The only saving grace was that the Hero had not been foolish enough to remove his armor. Had he done that, the cowardly creature would have killed him in an instant.
“Your Hero is quite capable of understanding the situation.”
“Are you mocking me! Even if he has relied on my power, he has still experienced many battles! He understands why he has the advantage!”
“So he can win, as long as he keeps it on.”
There was great confidence in her words. The other side of that was that if he took it off, he would definitely lose.
“Ah, it is too bad. Eventually, he will realize how it happened. The discomfort will fade. And he will not fall for the same trick again.”
“Sheto. How do you feel?”
‘Yes. Slept well. In good condition.’
The sister ignored him and talked happily to her monster.
“Well, your confidence will not last for long.”
As if to interrupt his words, the kobold’s arrow shot out from the bushes. It bounced off the barrier. The Hero, who had looked like a bear against a tree, stopped and raised his sword.
‘You, awake now. What’s wrong? Itchy back?’
‘Itchy! As if you didn’t do this!?’
‘Aye, I, did. Sweet water. Dripped a lot, from above. Bugs. They have no power to kill you. So they go through barrier.’
“Wha…t?’
The monster casually explained this with a rather happy expression.
‘I, above you the whole time. Didn’t you, know?’
‘Then…when the water was dripping!’
‘You, stupid, dull. Eyes must be under feet.’
‘Y-you!’
In spite of the situation, Zephalis could not help but laugh.
“What a fool. To reveal your tactics like that. Now the Hero will know to avoid it.”
“Indeed.”
“So, what comes next? Will he try to pour sap on him directly? Or will he run around and dig holes?”
She did not reply, and simply looked at the scene beyond the crystal.
It was starting to grow white.
“Wha…what!?”
‘You have to be kidding…’
It had seemed like a simple mist. But it was growing thicker and thicker.
Carried by the wind, the white mist enveloped the trees.
‘Last night, the forest, was warm. Next day, will be misty. Bugs move in morning, because they know.’
In no time, the trees were dark silhouetted, and the small monster vanished.
‘Pl-playing hide and seek again!’
‘No. This time, different.’
He could hear the scurrying. Just the sounds that echoed in a white world. The Hero lost sight of his opponent completely, even though he searched desperately.
‘Where you looking? I, right here.’
‘I’m not going to fall for that! Your power will not work on me! I just have to wait for this to clear!’
‘I see. In that case…’
Just as the kobold said that, the Hero’s body was suddenly slammed to the ground. For a moment, the barrier caused the mist to scatter, and he saw the vine trap at his feet.
‘Not again!’
He muttered. And then he saw the silver fur right next to him.
“Swing your sword! It is to your right!’
However, the Hero did not notice this, as he used his sword as support, and got back up to his feet. Without being stopped by anyone, the kobold’s hand quickly stretched out to the sheath.
However, nothing happened. And then the monster disappeared into the mist.
“What did that thing do!”
‘What is it trying to do!’
Their words synchronized. Still, the kobold was gone into the mist, and dashed through the forest.
‘I, heard how to defeat you.’
‘And what of it! Your power can’t get through this armor!’
‘No. Goddess, too weak. This power is useless.’
It was so blunt that Zephalis smiled. Even that monster was aware of his sister’s abilities.
“What an honest fellow.”
“Well, it is the truth.”
‘But, there is a way, to defeat you.’
‘What the… Woah!?’
The Hero suddenly felt something pulling him forcefully, and he fell forward. And while he managed to catch himself, the sounds of something ripping echoed.
‘Woah!?’
‘Not my bow, not goddess power. Use something else.’
‘Something else…’
Just then, the once thick mist began to dissipate. As suddenly as it had come.
In the shadows of a tree, what he thought was a rock turned into the kobold.
In his hand, he carried the sheath.
‘That’s mine!’
‘See you.’
Before the Hero could thrust out his bracelet, the kobold went behind the tree and ran. He ran up the slope of the mountain while zigzagging. The Hero screamed at his back.
‘SHIIIIIT! You thief! Give it back to me!’
The gods laughed, but Zephalis barely heard it now.
The bugs that got through the barrier.
The act of taking the sheath in the mist.
All of it suggested one possibility.
“Win by stealing my Hero’s power. Is that it?”
“Yes. This hunt is a ‘Watanusumi.’”
“Ah, another word from those filthy monsters! So, what does it mean!”
“You will understand, soon enough.”
She was being secretive, but it seemed obvious. In the end, he would try to catch the Hero off guard, and take his equipment and fight back with it.
Still, Zephalis laughed inwardly.
The Hero’s equipment was made specifically for him. Even if you took the sword and bracelet away, you could not use their power. Besides, after the incident with the bugs, the Hero knew all too well how important his armor was.
Even if he lost his weapons, he could still win with that armor. It was rather pathetic, but it was far better than losing.
“…Wha…what…?”
Without even looking at the Hero, who chased the kobold with a clear view, Zephalis was stunned by his own thoughts.
Far better than losing?
What was he thinking?
There was no way he could lose. That could never happen.
And there was the proof. Even after being attacked by the kobold, the Hero had not been injured a single time.
‘Shit…this itches…’
No, that was different. That did not count as an injury.
“What’s the matter, brother?”
“No-nothing!”
He told himself desperately.
There was no way that the Hero could lose.