Chapter 167 (Patreon)

Under the effects of Idle Transfiguration, Mahoraga’s body swelled grotesquely in an instant.

With a deafening explosion, half of its body burst apart.

Was it dead?

No.

Not yet.

Mahoraga could also employ reverse cursed technique, allowing it to reconstruct its damaged body within a remarkably short time.

For Megumi Fushiguro, however, this was an opportunity.

It was his chance to tame Mahoraga—a chance that might never come again.

“Piercing Ox!”

Just as Kenjaku was about to finish Mahoraga off, Piercing Ox came crashing down from above and sent him flying.

“This shikigami... Megumi Fushiguro!”

“There’s no need to shout. I can hear you perfectly well.”

Megumi summoned Nue once more. The winged shikigami seized Kenjaku by the leg and carried him into the distance.

“Great Serpent.”

Great Serpent emerged from the shadows and wrapped itself tightly around Mahoraga. At the same moment, Divine Dog sank its fangs into Mahoraga’s neck.

Shnk!

The Sword of Extermination pierced straight through Megumi’s chest.

“Ghk... So fast!”

Mahoraga had been severely weakened, but it was still far beyond an opponent Megumi could confront head-on.

Megumi staggered back two steps as Round Deer appeared behind him. Positive energy flowed into his body, rapidly repairing the wound in his chest.

“Max Elephant!”

Boom!

The enormous elephant plummeted from the sky and crushed Mahoraga against the ground.

“No... This still isn’t enough!”

Max Elephant’s attack was powerful, but it amounted to only a single impact. That alone would not be enough to kill Mahoraga.

“Mourning Tiger!”

A ferocious black tiger emerged from the shadows.

“Kill it.”

The instant it received the command, Mourning Tiger lunged at Mahoraga and tore off one of its arms with a single bite.

The severed arm bearing the Sword of Extermination rolled to Megumi’s feet. Without hesitation, he seized the weapon and charged toward Mahoraga.

Rumble!

Before he could reach it, a crushing force dragged his entire body toward the ground.

“Ghk! This is Kenjaku’s technique!”

Crack!

Megumi’s bones began to twist beneath the immense pressure. Unable to endure the increased gravity, several of them shattered outright.

“Gah!”

Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth and eyes.

“It... isn’t over yet!”

Mourning Tiger ripped open Mahoraga’s chest with its fangs. Megumi followed immediately behind it and drove the Sword of Extermination deep into the exposed wound.

“——!”

Mahoraga staggered backward several steps before finally dropping to its knees.

Megumi collapsed at the same time.

His shattered ribs had pierced his internal organs, and blood rapidly filled his body. In an instant, he was reduced to a near-death state.

“Round... Deer...”

Megumi completed the summoning, and then his consciousness sank into darkness.

By the time Kenjaku returned, Mahoraga had already been tamed. The shikigami knelt silently beside its unconscious master.

“How fortunate.”

Kenjaku cast one last glance toward Megumi before turning to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Kenjaku froze mid-step.

That voice...

He knew it all too well.

That man had arrived.

Ragnar Kagenou.

“Did I ever give you permission to leave?”

Kenjaku slowly turned his head and opened his mouth to speak, but a golden Noble Phantasm flashed through the air and pinned him against the wall.

“Why... are you here?”

Ragnar tilted his head slightly.

“How did you think you escaped from the Prison Realm?”

Kenjaku’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“It was you... You were the one who released me.”

“Hmph. If you couldn’t work out something that simple, I would have begun to question whether you possessed a brain at all.”

Ragnar idly tossed a cube resembling the Prison Realm into the air before catching it again.

“That is...”

“You want to know what it is? Have you truly forgotten? Then take a closer look.”

Ragnar tossed the object to the ground in front of Kenjaku, allowing him to examine it properly.

It looked familiar.

Far too familiar.

Could that possibly be...?

Seeing the shock on Kenjaku’s face, Ragnar spoke.

“That’s right. When you seized the Prison Realm from Yuki Tsukumo, there was another special-grade sealing cursed object as well.”

“Prison Realm: Back Gate. It exists as a safeguard through which someone sealed inside the Prison Realm can be released.”

Not that the cursed object had much value to Ragnar beyond that purpose.

“Did you honestly believe you escaped because you were fortunate? Or perhaps because heaven had taken pity on you?”

Rika Orimoto slowly stepped out from behind Ragnar.

“Rika Orimoto... You never left. Then Megumi Fushiguro was merely bait to draw me out?”

Rika shook her head.

“We only needed you to help Megumi tame Mahoraga. You also gave him the pressure he needed. He hesitates too much, and no enemy will wait until he has finished preparing before attacking.”

“To tell you the truth, I no longer care whether you live or die,” Ragnar said. “I’ll take your life in the end regardless. Allowing you to keep it a little longer makes no difference to me.”

Kenjaku gave a low laugh.

“I see... But do you truly believe you’ve accounted for everything?”

A grin spread across his face.

“I may still look the same, but after escaping, I used my body-hopping technique to take over Tengen’s body!”

Kenjaku burst into laughter.

“This body is nothing more than a replica created through Idle Transfiguration!”

Idle Transfiguration had not merely replicated Kenjaku’s physical form. It had perfectly reproduced the cursed technique engraved within that body as well. Even so, the copied technique could only be activated once.

Ragnar stared at Kenjaku.

“Tengen, is it?”

Kenjaku saw no trace of surprise on Ragnar’s face. An ominous feeling immediately began to spread through him.

“You don’t need to know what comes next. Wait quietly for your death.”

Ragnar drew the Sword of the End from behind him and rested its golden blade upon Kenjaku’s shoulder.

“This weapon...!”

Kenjaku could feel the immeasurable fury contained within the golden longsword. It seemed as though, if that rage were ever fully unleashed, the entire world would be swallowed by it.

“I’m nearly tired of this game,” Ragnar said. “It’s time to tear the curse out of this world by its roots.”

Golden light flashed.

Kenjaku’s head fell from his shoulders.

“Rika, take care of Megumi.”

“All right.”

Rika asked no questions. She turned and walked toward the unconscious Megumi.

Fortunately, he had managed to summon Round Deer before losing consciousness. Rika would have healed him even if he had failed, but he would have been forced to endure the agony of his injuries for considerably longer.

“Now that he has tamed Mahoraga, Megumi possesses combat power comparable to a sorcerer at the highest level of special grade.”

Rika grabbed Megumi by the ankle and began dragging him into the room.

“——!”

Seeing someone treat its master so carelessly, Mahoraga immediately bristled and bared its teeth at her.

Rika had no intention of indulging it.

The Queen of Curses manifested behind her.

Had the Queen of Curses remained a cursed spirit, the positive energy of Mahoraga’s Sword of Extermination might have posed a serious threat. The current Queen of Curses, however, was a shikigami. Positive cursed energy could no longer erase her in an instant.

“Be quiet.”

Rika’s voice remained calm, but Mahoraga felt the crushing pressure behind those words.

Mahoraga had once been slain by Sukuna, the King of Curses. The Queen of Curses had no reason to fear it.

Moreover, the Queen of Curses possessed no innate cursed technique of her own, leaving Mahoraga with little to analyze beyond her overwhelming physical strength. Before it could adapt to that, she might genuinely beat it to death.

“Cause any more trouble, and I’ll beat you.”