Chapter 35

I apologize for the delay in posting. "Gahff..." "Mineko!!"

Blood overflowed from Mineko's mouth, staining her beautiful lips red.

The weapon embedded in her chest was a kunai, a tool commonly used by those called ninjas.

The triangular blade was embedded halfway, dyeing her chest clothing red.

The fact that she had vomited blood indicated that her internal organs were likely damaged to some extent.

(No...! There's nothing I can do with a wound this deep...!)

Seeing the embedded kunai, Leviathan regretted the limitations of her healing magic.

She could only treat bruises and minor cuts, leaving her powerless to help Mineko in this situation.

"...Only Setsu can do it...!"

While Leviathan could do nothing for Mineko, Setsu could certainly heal her with his recovery magic.

Even if he couldn't use his "Great Eater" ability, he should be able to heal this wound.

Leaving behind Shironeko, who had shifted from tears of joy to tears of sorrow, Leviathan leaped out of the window.

To save Mineko, Leviathan and the woman in black had to fight, and Setsu had to treat her.

"Setsu!! Fall back!!"

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Leviathan cast a spell.

A water cannon, large enough to swallow a small person, was launched towards Setsu and the woman in black.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Haa!!" "Yot!"

I deflected all the kunai and shuriken flying at me from every angle with a single swing of Kuromaru.

"You're quite rough, aren't you...?!" "And you're quite clingy, aren't you?!"

This guy has been attacking me from positions that are hard for me to handle.

Even if I try to launch a counterattack, it's difficult to move because of his attacks.

(Should I just ignore them and sweep them away?)

Even if I get hit, it won't do much damage... but if it hits my eyes, I won't be able to just brush it off.

He seems to know this, as some of the attacks are aimed at my face.

It's a really unpleasant way to attack.

It's so sticky and disgusting.

"Damn... I have to take the hit and... " "Setsu!! Fall back!!"

I reflexively jumped to the side.

A huge water projectile splashed past me, hitting the woman in black.

"Ah... damn... 'Flame Technique: Thick Wall'!!"

The water projectile, aimed straight at the woman in black, hit the wall of flames that appeared in front of her, scattering steam.

The steam obscured her figure.

Instead, Leviathan, who had probably fired the water projectile, appeared near me.

"That was dangerous... What were you going to do if it hit me?" "You wouldn't die if it hit you. Anyway, it's your turn. You go heal Mineko, and I'll take care of that dog."

I turned around and looked into Shironeko's house.

Even from this distance, I could see the bloodstains. No wonder Leviathan came out with a serious face.

"...Alright. I'll take care of Mineko, so you take care of the dog. He seems to use some strange techniques with magic..."

The wall of flames from earlier was cast using a different flow of magic than usual fire spells.

It's definitely not a normal spell... I guess ninjas only use ninjutsu, but does this world even have ninjutsu?

"I know. You go to Mineko, and I'll take care of that dog quickly."

"...Don't let your guard down. You're... "

"Who are you talking to? I'm the Sea God. I won't lose to a dog that can only use a bit of strange magic. Go quickly?"

"Huh... Alright."

I turned on my heel and headed back to the house.

I don't think Leviathan will lose, but she will have a tough fight.

To quickly heal Mineko and go support Leviathan, I jumped into Shironeko's house through the window.

"Hey, Shironeko! Get out of the way!"

"...Huh?"

I took Mineko from Shironeko, who was trying to stop the bleeding.

Ignoring the dazed Shironeko, I grabbed the embedded kunai and pulled it out in one swift motion.

"Gahff..." "Mineko!!"

More blood spurted from her mouth, staining our clothes.

I placed my hand on the wound, which was gushing blood, and began to heal her.

"Complete Recovery!"

A powerful light emanated from my hand and flowed into Mineko's body.

The wound was more serious than I thought.

Her heart was fine, but one of her lungs was damaged.

(And it's even got a 'Regeneration Inhibition'... This will take some time...)

Regeneration Inhibition is a skill that slows down the healing of wounds.

It can be activated by infusing weapons with magic, a necessary technique for assassins.

Normally, 'Complete Recovery' would heal her instantly, but with this, the wound is only gradually closing, taking hundreds or thousands of times longer than usual.

"That dog... must be SS-class."

This level of Regeneration Inhibition on a weapon is a sign of considerable skill.

Leviathan, who is currently at S-class, will have a tough time.

"Setsu! Is Mineko going to be okay!?"

"..."

Sending this guy to support now would be useless...

"As long as I'm here, I won't let her die... Just watch."

Either way, if I heal Mineko quickly, I can go support him.

It will take a few more minutes for the wound to fully heal...

(Hang in there... Leviathan)

◇ ◇ ◇

(...Is that what they think?)

Leviathan deflected the kunai flying from the steam with her water-covered palm, trying to guess Setsu's current thoughts.

"...You, with that noble magic, must be the Sea God Leviathan... Why are you here? And why are you helping that man? Shouldn't the Sea God be in the sea?"

"I owe that man. Besides, it's sad to see sisters separated. And, I'm not in the sea... I am the sea."

As the steam cleared and Kuroinu appeared, Leviathan launched a water projectile from her hand.

Kuroinu drew her kunai and ran, deflecting the water projectile with it as she approached.

"Direct attacks won't hit!!" "!"

Kuroinu closed the distance in an instant and slashed at Leviathan's throat.

Blood seemed to spurt out, but it was actually a clear liquid.

"Transformation!?" "Not like Setsu... I wouldn't fight you head-on!!" "!"

Leviathan's water body exploded, and her real form behind it struck Kuroinu's torso with a palm strike.

Caught off guard, Kuroinu couldn't guard in time, and Leviathan's palm easily sank into her abdomen.

"Ugh..." "One more!" "Don't... underestimate me!!"

Kuroinu blocked the other hand with a cross guard.

However,

(Heavy...!)

Leviathan's palm strike was much more powerful than Kuroinu had imagined.

Unable to fully absorb the impact, Kuroinu was thrown back, her body arching backward.

(The Sea God has this much power on land...?)

Kuroinu was also surprised by another shocking reality.

The Sea God's terrifying power lies in the overwhelming mass of water attacks using the infinite sea.

Moreover, the Sea God's strength increases when immersed in seawater.

The tail attacks from the dragon's body, enhanced by this power, are as dangerous as water attacks.

But that's when she's in seawater.

On land, far from the sea, the Sea God shouldn't have this much power.

"Why...?"

Kuroinu used her arched body to plant her hand on the ground and land a backflip to regain her stance.

She felt a difference in the ground under her feet, something different from before.

"This... is muddy!?" "Oh, you noticed."

Her shoes sank into the ground, and brown, murky water seeped out.

The smell of the sea, which stimulated Kuroinu's nose due to her canine heritage, came from the water...

"If there's no seawater, I can just create and spread it. I wonder why I didn't think of this method before?"

This is crazy...

Kuroinu regretted underestimating the power of a being with the name of a god.

The mud had already spread over the area, and the amount of water seeping out was increasing.

"This should be fine even if I take a few steps back."

Leviathan's form changed.

Scales appeared on her arms, and her shoulders transformed into the misshapen arms of a dragon.

The large, blue arms, out of proportion with her slender female body, exuded a sense of strength.

"I don't need to wait for Setsu's support. I will defeat you here, by the name of the Sea God."

The presence of the girl who had transformed into the Sea God made Kuroinu's body tremble for a moment.