The Slime vs Charybdis
( Sugou's pov )
Finally, after all this time I will rightfully claim what belongs to me. No more will I have to hear from my father to let the stories of our ancestors go. He is but a blind fool and soon he will see that I was right all along. How he will rue the day he saw fit to take away my fortune and hand it over to that miserable peasant Tempest. Oh well, as far as I'm concerned it's only a minor setback. Once I have reclaimed the title of which my family has long since lost I will gain so much more than I could have possibly imagined.
It has been a week since I moved out of my apartment and sold off my old belongings, not that I had any need of it seeing as how I will never return to that pathetic life anymore. In that time I got more familiar with the organization known as Fairy Tale, an odd name but it was starting to grow on me. From what I am to understand they were formed several centuries ago in an attempt to rid the world of monster kind. They were always there lurking in the shadows of human history taking whatever measures were needed behind the scenes as to not draw unwanted attention. Because of this they had amassed a spectacular fortune with which they assembled a vast army and the necessary resources required for a task as expansive as this. As of right now I was in my quarters studying the various journals that I took with me to learn more about my family history and the connection they had with monsters. From what I could gather my ancestors were from a long line of knights that upheld their beliefs of humans defending the world from the evils of monster kind. It wasn't until the youngest son of one of the previous kings that things began to change. Because he was the only one to ascend the throne after his elder brother died at the hands of a mysterious creature he was next in line to inherit the throne. He started negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to decades or perhaps centuries of conflict. At first his endeavors were in vain seeing as how most people believed that coexistence wasn't possible. When he was much older it seemed like change was beginning to take hold but it wasn't enough to completely change the minds of the people. That is until a young man who he claimed to be a sorcerer of some sort appeared one day. They spoke for hours about possible solutions for coexistence and soon enough monsters and humans could be seen side by side as if they were old friends.
Sugou: Disgusting. To think my own ancestor was foolish enough to go against our traditions and accept the help of a monster to aid him. He is a disgrace to our family and I will correct his mistake.
I kept pouring over the journals to see if there was a hint to anything that might aid us but there wasn't. Most of the final entries were about his final days and how peace had finally come to his people, both monster and human alike. I even tried looking for the name of the sorcerer in the hopes of finding some kind of clue. Perhaps I could persuade their descendants to help our cause if we could find them. Before long I then heard a knock on my door and a woman came inside.
Gyokuro: Get up, it's time for you to see what our team has prepared.
Sugou: It seems as though you are forgetting your place. You didn't even address me with my proper title Ms. Shuzen.
Gyokuro: As if I would actually call you king. As far as I'm concerned if you want me to call you as such you must earn it. Only then will I refer to you in such a manner and not before. Now will you come along or do I need to drag you there personally?
This woman really irritates me, so far she is the only one not to address me as king. When we first met she didn't bow to me or asked if there was anything she could do for me. She simply went about her business and acted as if she was in charge.
Sugou: Very well. I suppose I could spare a few minutes to grace our subordinates with my presence.
Gyokuro: Your subordinates? Last I checked they worked for me.
Sugou: Maybe they do, but I don't think they have forgotten which one of us is their king.
Gyokuro: You better tread lightly, otherwise you may find yourself with my foot pressed firmly against your face.
Without another word we stepped outside my room and began walking towards our destination. As we roamed the halls we passed by many of our workers who were busy at work making sure our base of operations was running smoothly. Once again I'm left in awe at the amount of resources available to us for our noble cause. I wasn't sure exactly where our base was located, mostly because I was unconscious when they brought me here, but they assured me we were completely safe and in good hands. We then passed through a set of large metal doors which lead to a security room with several monitors all of which showed a gentleman in chains as he was beaten within an inch of his life.
Sugou: Is this what you wanted to show me? What business could I possibly have with a commoner like him?
Gyokuro: If you want to know what's so important then I advise you to shut your mouth and pay attention. Unless of course you care to join him, it doesn't matter to me whether you live or die.
Sugou: How dare you! I am king-...
Suddenly I couldn't move, all she did was simply glare at me and I felt every fiber of my being petrified all at once. I could immediately tell that she was strong enough to kill me in an instant if she so chooses. After what felt like hours she retuned her focus to the monitors as I nervously did the same. On screen we could see one of our soldiers entering the chamber as they made their way towards the prisoner. He then pulled out a purple orb no bigger than a marble from his pocket as he forced it into the captive's mouth. He seemed to be struggling as he had no intention of swallowing but in the end it was in vain as he complied in the end. Afterwards the soldier ran away from him as Gyokuro walked over to the console and pushed a button that released the chains binding him in place.
Sugou: Why did you do that? What happens if he tries to escape?
Rather than respond to me she simply continued to watch as I followed her example. The prisoner tried getting up but to no avail. His body then began to twitch uncontrollably until it began to erratically move in painful contortions. His screams couldn't be heard as we had no sound from the video but I could imagine that he must be going through unimaginable pain. Gyokuro looked quite pleased with what was happening as she had an almost sadistic smile on her face.
Gyokuro: It seems like the experiment is a success.
Sugou: What experiment? Is this what you have been working on? Turning our men into monsters!?
Gyokuro: Our men? Once again you fail to understand your position here in Fairy Tale. As far as we are concerned I am the one in charge. Besides he isn't one of ours.
Sugou: What do you mean?
Gyokuro: We found him wandering aimlessly in the city. From what we could gather he was attempting to have his way with unsuspecting victims so we got to him first and made him an offer. He took the bait and in no time we moved him here to our facility.
The monitors continued to show his gruesome transformation. His body began to grow into an enormous size before his limbs changed into a series of large writhing tentacles. It was then that his identity finally came to me.
Sugou: Is this man a monster?
Gyokuro: Correct. More specifically he is a kraken and it would seem as his body is acclimating to the effects of the orb quite well.
Sugou: What do you mean?
Gyokuro: That orb we had him swallow is the result of some experiments we had done in the past. Originally we intended to use it on our men to forcibly enhance their strength but it was only possible to do so for a limited time and it took a while for it to be used again. After careful consideration and testing we decided to go another route and use the essence of a long extinct monster to grant incredible power.
The monitor continued to show the man change into his true self, however it seemed like his form was being forced into a new being all together.
Gyokuro: As you can see the original form of the monster whose remains we had discovered is now taking over him and he is being assimilated into it. Soon we will have a veritable weapon on our hands to use against our enemies.
Sugou: I see, we will use monsters and set them against their kind without having to sacrifice our own men to do it.
As the saying goes " fight fire with fire ". I must admit this plan was fiendishly clever, it even brought a smile to my face just thinking about the devastating effects it would have on those filthy beasts.
Gyokuro: Now then, I believe that is enough for one day. I suggest you go back to your quarters. Remember that we have some very important people who wish to meet with you to discuss your upcoming campaign against a group of monsters we have located.
Sugou: Ah yes that's right. You mentioned the other day that they were from a religious faction of Fairy Tale that have gathered together in the last few months.
I had nearly forgotten about them, I must admit I was surprised to hear about them myself. Apparently this particular group had heard about the founder of our organization and revered him as some sort of saint. Not only that but when they learned of my existence they saw it as a sign of great change and were eager to meet with me as well as pledge their loyalty to someone who believed in their cause.
Sugou: Very well, I will now take my leave.
As I exited through the doors I couldn't help but anticipate the thought of me leading a group of armed soldiers to victory. My name will surely go down in history as the greatest king of all. The name Sugou Edmaris will be forever remembered as the man who ended the threat of monsters once and for all!
( Gyokuro's pov )
Finally I was rid of that disgusting human. Just pretending to be one of his kind and make him think we were allies was enough to make my skin crawl. But like a good pawn he was blissfully unaware of our true intent. I shut off the monitor as a new person entered the room, someone who I was far more comfortable having in my presence.
????: You wished to see me Ms. Shuzen?
Gyokuro: Ah Akua, I trust that you're keeping our forces in check?
She then bowed to me as she simply nodded at my question. I could always rely on her to take care of whatever I asked without worry.
Gyokuro: Excellent, with that out of they way we can now proceed with the next phase of our plan.
Akua: I assume you mean using our prisoner to attack Yokai Academy?
Gyokuro: Correct. With the power we have imbued into him he should have no problems taking down the school and bringing the old fool out of hiding and into the open. By the way I wanted an update as to our negotiations with the village of yuki onna, has their village oracle agreed to our terms?
Akua: It would seem so, they do seem a bit hesitant but I'm sure we can easily sway them to our side. Especially once we have them agree to have one of their own marry one of our higher ups. By the way there's something I wish to ask.
Gyokuro: What is it?
Akua: It's about that human we brought into our midst, is it really wise to have him among us? I don't trust him or any of those religious idiots who will blindly follow him like he's some kind of great ruler.
Gyokuro: Believe me I sympathize with your plights, but there's no need for you to be concerned. Once they have fulfilled their roles we will do with them what we will. After all we have some " pets " that will very likely be in need of food before we unleash them on the human world.
Once all was said and done we will show the humans that foolishly joined us where they rightfully belonged, and I will personally see to Sugou's end myself. But for now we will continue to play along until the time is right, soon our enemies will come to face the full force of our power and no one will be able to stand against us.
Gyokuro: Have our men prepare our subject at once. It's time for Fairy Tale to initiate the first strike.
( Timeskip- 4 Days later )
( Kazuto's pov )
Another day of school has finally ended, but if you're me then the day isn't over just yet. Right now I was with Benimaru and Souei getting some last minute practice before I headed back to my room for the rest of the day. Right now the three of us were practicing hand to hand combat with me trying new ways to use my fire abilities in various ways other than long range attacks. The two of them kept evading or blocking my strikes. Even with me in my ultimate form I could see the two them keeping up with me, I guess that proves our regular training sessions had a positive effect on them.
Souei kept me on my toes as he used his insane mobility to either evade me or attack with quick and decisive strikes. We even had a small competition as we both used shadow movement to try and catch the other off guard. For the next few seconds we just kept jumping around utilizing whatever shadow we could while occasionally clashing our weapons against the other. Benimaru offered support either by shooting flames at me from a distance or trying to distract me with his sword.
Benimaru: Remember what we discussed earlier, try thinking outside the box to throw the enemy off guard.
He had a point, what I needed was something unorthodox. Something so crazy that it might actually work.
Kazuto: ( Lightbulb! )
Thinking back to one of my favorite manga/anime I remembered a certain character with flames that shot out from his feet. I focused my own flames and jumped as high as I could with a little boost and flipped in the air once before shooting myself down fast in a flying kick. Benimaru was able to dodge my attack but wasn't expecting me to use the flames in midair to correct my position and use the the thrust to deliver a second kick at him that he managed to block successfully all while skidding back two feet.
Benimaru: Not bad, I see you're taking our advice to heart.
Souei: Quite an impressive use of your fire, I never expected you to be so creative and use it for mobility.
Kazuto: Thanks but I can't take all the credit, I actually got that from a manga.
Unbeknownst to us at the time a fourth person had decided to join us in our training session today. They took a deep breath and readied their weapon as they suddenly came charging at me with intent to catch me off guard.
Gabiru: Vortex Crash!
An incredible torrent of rushing water came at me at high speed as it changed shape to resemble the head of a dragon. We quickly jumped out of the way of the attack as it changed direction and came at me once more. This time I changed back to my human form and after making a few hand signs, which was completely unnecessary but I wanted to have some fun, I extended my arm out with an attack of my own.
Kazuto: Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!
By utilizing the water stored within my stomach I was able to easily imbue my magic power into it and quickly shaped it into a dragon of my own that met with Gabiru's attack at full force. The result was an intense explosion of water that allowed Gabiru the time he needed to close the distance between us as he aimed his spear at me that would have gotten me if I hadn't brought out my sword to deflect his attack at the last second.
Kazuto: Not bad Gabiru, looks like our regular training sessions have helped you grow stronger as well.
Gabiru: It's all because you and the others have taken the time to help me in becoming stronger. I can never thank you enough for all that you've done for me after what happened during our conflict with the Orc Lord. I am forever in your debt Lord Kazuto.
I took one more look at Gabiru and couldn't help but admire how far he's come in such a short time. Not only has he grown stronger physically but he's been hard at work to redeem himself after what happened when he decided to rebel against his father.
I suppose you're wondering what Gabiru is doing here all of a sudden, well it all started when we came back from our field trip in the human world.
( flashback- 10 days ago )
It all started when me and the girls were making our way to our dorms. On the way there we saw Souka talking with a group of lizardmen who were on their knees begging her for something. When we got closer we noticed that it was her brother and his friends as they kept insisting that they meet with me as soon as possible. When we approached her they suddenly ran towards me as they first thanked me for helping them out during the previous battle as well as asking me to allow them to join my ranks.
Gabiru: Please allow us to join you! On my honor we promise to serve you to the best of our abilities!
I hesitantly looked back to Souka to see what she thought of the situation. While she was a bit embarrassed by her brothers actions she simply vouched on his behalf stating that while he was a bit in over his head during the war he did feel responsible for his actions. Because of what he did he was kicked out of their clan and he agreed to his punishment without so much as a complaint.
Kazuto: Alright, seeing as how you've clearly seen the error of your ways I suppose I don't see any harm in welcoming you into my ranks.
Gabiru: Thank you very much Lord Kazuto!
From that moment on I accepted Gabiru and his friends as my subordinates. When I learned that his buddies didn't have a name of their own I decided to grant them ones so they could be useful in assisting the orcs in their village. I also found out I can overwrite a name when I accidentally renamed Gabiru using his original name that allowed him to revolve into a dragon newt much like his companions.
Souka even asked me to name her friends who were also hired by the headmaster as extra security for everyone's safety. They came a few days later and when I met them I proceeded to keep my promise and name them.
Kazuto: Okay, starting from my right your names will be as follows. Souka, Touka, Saika, Nanso, and Hokuso.
Souka: Wait you're naming me as well?
Kazuto: Of course I am, since I ended up naming your brother by accident it only seemed fair to grant you your name too.
Souka: Thank you very much Kazuto. I promise we'll work hard to honor the names you've granted us.
( Present )
And that's pretty much what happened the last few days. Souka and her friends ended up evolving into the same species as the others except they ended up gaining a human form of their own while Gabiru and his friends looked more draconian with tougher scales, horns and wings. Since then Gabiru has come every now and again to train with me and the others when he isn't helping cultivate the land that he shares with the orcs. At first I was really worried about the two of them getting along after what happened but it seems like there was no need for concern. When I checked on them the other day they were all behaving like old friends. Some more lizardmen even decided to move in to the new village and help out, and as expected they wanted me to name them as well though surprisingly only a small handful were without a name so it was easily resolved in just a few minutes.
After a few more rounds of training we finished up for the day as I headed back to my dorm. On the way I ran into Framea who had just finished up some work for our club as I offered to walk her back to the girls dorm.
Framea: So how did your training session with the guys go?
Kazuto: I think it went really well, if anything we're all getting stronger and I even thought of a new way to implement fire into my fighting style. I even started getting the hang of using Shadow Movement.
When I told her what I came up with she had stars in her eyes as she asked me to show her sometime since she was a fan of the same series as much as I was.
Framea: I'm so jealous of you right now, I wish I could do cool stuff like that.
Kazuto: Hey don't worry about it, I don't care if you can't shoot magic or fly like the rest of us. I care about who you are right now.
I gave her a kiss as she leaned into it while hugging me. As we separated she had a blush on her cheeks as she smiled while giggling to herself.
Framea: Thanks, I really am lucky to have a kind and thoughtful boyfriend like you in my life.
After I dropped her off I went back to my dorm and after making a quick dinner for myself I went to bed.
The next day I woke up early since me and the rest of the club agreed to meet up in the club room as soon as we could. Over the last few days we had been planning something together and if we wanted to put it into action we needed to get everything ready by tonight. Thankfully it was the weekend so we had all the time we needed without having to worry about classes and we had mostly everything ready. Once I got dressed I headed for the club room and when I arrived I saw some of the girls getting everything ready.
Rubi would be helping Kurumu, Yukari and Framea in the kitchen getting the food ready while Moka, Mizore and Miia would be busy helping me get some of the decorations ready behind the building for tonight's party. Suphia was busy keeping Shion and Shuna distracted for today since this was also a party for them as well.
About two weeks ago I got word from Geld that he and his men had completed their work on some new homes for Benimaru and the others to live in. It was their way of atonement for what happened when they were under the effects of Starved. I took a look at what they managed to build and I was very impressed with their work, the homes had an old fashioned Japanese aesthetic to them that felt really cozy and I could see the hard work they put into it. We then spent the next few hours working to the best of our abilities to get everything set up before sunset so we could celebrate this accomplishment, unfortunately it wasn't going to last as I then felt a strong chill go down my spine.
Kazuto: ( What the heck was that? I suddenly feel very cold, almost like something is coming after me. )
Miia: Darling are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale.
Before I could say anything I saw some leaves begin to surround us, the air suddenly began to pick up as I felt a familiar presence appear. A young woman wearing a similar white dress to Treyni appeared but she was surrounded by a menacing red aura and she looked to be in a lot of pain.
Mizore: Is that Treyni? Why is she here and what's with that aura?
Trya: My name is Trya, I'm looking for my nephew Kazuto Tempest. We require his help at once.
Kazuto: Aunt Trya?
Trya: Kazuto, I'm so happy to finally meet you face to face. Though I do wish it was under better circumstances.
Kazuto: What's happening, and why is your aura so intense?
Trya: I come bearing terrible news, calamity is on its way towards you and your academy. My sisters Treyni and Doris are busy doing all that they can to slow them down and warn the other villages before it's too late.
Miia: Before what's too late?
Trya: Charybdis has returned, we must speak with your headmaster at once!
Looks like the party is going to have to wait, things just got a whole lot worse.
Kazuto: Let's go, it looks like we've got another fight on our hands.
( Timeskip brought to you by chibi Hakurou training chibi Kazuto with their swords. )
With the surprise party on hold for the time being we all quickly went to find the other girls before we went to see the headmaster and inform him of the situation. When we got there both Geld and Gabiru were waiting for us as well as Benimaru and the others. Trya quickly informed everyone that a few hours ago she and her sisters had sensed an incredible power slowly making their way towards us. Once Treyni had identified what it was exactly she went off to slow it down while Doris went to find Geld and warn his village of the impending danger. Gabiru was informed soon after and had his men help with preparations while the two of them met with us to discuss what our next move would be.
Headmaster: This is quite troublesome indeed. I never thought the monster of catastrophe would revive in our lifetime.
Kazuto: What exactly is Charybdis, this is the first time I'm hearing that name.
Trya: It is an ancient creature of great power. They say he was first created by the leftover magicules of a powerful dragon. It possess no level of intelligence and relies solely on instinct.
Benimaru: If the beast is truly headed our way we should evacuate the students and staff at once.
Headmaster: Agreed. While I have faith that you will succeed in defeating it we must remain cautious until the situation is resolved.
Trya: I can easily transport you to the frontlines using a warp gate. That should save us time and allow us to begin battle almost immediately.
Headmaster: Excellent. Make sure to take care of yourselves during the battle. Once everyone has been evacuated I will personally join you, I might have a spell in mind that could prove useful.
Us: Understood!
With that our plans were set in motion. The headmaster had begun the evacuation process and soon all students and staff began to leave and headed for the tunnel in case they needed to escape. Meanwhile we followed Trya to the forest where a hidden warp gate was located. A quick flash later and we were miles away from the school and my senses were telling me to remain on high alert for our new friend.
Treyni: Kazuto over here!
We saw Treyni on the ground being attended to by another dryad. She was covered in a few bruises but she seemed okay for the most part.
Kazuto: Treyni are you alright!
I rushed over to her to inspect her injuries. She then placed her hand on my cheek as she clearly saw how worried I was.
Treyni: There's no need to be worried, your godmother is a lot tougher than she looks. I'll be just fine. You can thank your aunt Doris for looking out for me.
Kazuto: Thanks for all your help.
Doris: Of course, also it's wonderful to finally meet my nephew in person. Thank you for coming to our aid.
Suddenly a powerful roar echoed across the sky, the vibrations were so intense that most of us felt it rattle our bones. Birds began flying away to safety while some small animals ran off in the hopes of avoiding the threat drawing ever closer.
Yukari: That was so creepy, I guess it's now or never huh?
Mizore: Looks like it. Can we really beat something so dangerous by ourselves?
Doris: I wouldn't worry about that. The orcs and lizardmen should be close by. Before I left to help Treyni I saw them prepare themselves for battle.
Geld: She's right, in fact I can see them right now.
Sure enough we could see a sizable battalion of orcs and lizards ready for battle. Our confidence grew a bit seeing how we weren't fighting alone. I then summoned Ranga and his pack to assist us and we moved to a better position by a small hill so we could easily coordinate our forces for the battle ahead. When we caught a glimpse of our prey we could see it surrounded by several smaller creatures that resembled flying sharks.
Moka: What are those things flying beside it?
Treyni: They are known as Megalodon's. It seems as though Charybdis has infused its power to reanimate the corpses of lesser dragons to aid it in battle.
Rubi: I wasn't aware it had that kind of power. It seems as though this is going to be a difficult task to overcome.
Kurumu: That's just great, so now we have a bunch of smaller grunts to deal with on top of having to deal with the big boss.
Souei: It might be in our best interest to take care of the smaller prey first so we can put all our energy into dealing with Charybdis as a group.
Kazuto: Agreed. Look alive everyone, it's time for battle!
A collective cheer went throughout our forces. From here the battle had truly started. The megalodon headed into battle first as they tried overwhelming us, thankfully we split off into several groups in order to separate them as much as possible to make handling them easier.
Benimaru was currently leading one of the Megalodon away from the others. When he was in range he used his signature attack Hell Flare which made its mark as the attack successfully knocked down the overgrown shark out of the sky.
Kazuto: Nice it looks like Benimaru won't have too much trouble taking these things down.
Shuna: Perhaps, but something seems wrong. My brothers attack should have done more damage than that.
Now that she mentioned it she did make a good point. Normally an attack of that caliber would instantly incinerate its target leaving nothing behind except for maybe a few ashes. Does that mean these things are resistant to magic based attacks?
Great Sage: Notice: Charybdis is in the possession of the skill Magic Jamming. It allows it to reduce the effects of magic within a radius of 300 meters of the creature.
Kazuto: Just great, looks like things aren't going to be as simple as expected.
Moka was currently leading a small group of orcs and wolves as they managed to grab the attention of a lone megalodon. As it closed in on them she made contact with her gloves as she gave it her all to slow the creature down as well as deal as much damage as possible.
Inner Moka: You're pretty strong I'll give you that. But don't think this is all a vampire is capable of!
She dug in her feet as she did her best to hold the beast off only for her to be constantly pushed back as she held on. Fortunately for her she wouldn't have to struggle alone as she suddenly felt the force pushing her back weaken slightly due to the addition of some extra support.
Geld: Allow me to assist you Lady Moka!
Inner Moka: Thanks Geld, give it everything you've got!
With the two of them working together they were able to finally able to slow down the megalodon to allow a group of orcs to attack it with their weapons. Its armor was much too tough and it deflected their attacks without issue as it pushed them back. The tempest wolves tried fighting back but their fangs and claws were unfortunately just as useless against its tough armored hide.
Geld: This is bad, without our men how can we stop this thing?
Inner Moka: Don't lose hope, I'm sure something will come to mind. Until then we just have to hold on!
As it turned they didn't have to wait long for help to arrive.
Gabiru: Allow me to lend you a hand! Vortex Crash!
One single throw of his spear was enough to not only penetrate the armor but also the resulting force behind the attack had made a mess of its insides as the beast had breathed its last.
Gabiru: Thank goodness I made it in time. I wouldn't have been able to get close enough to deal the finishing blow had it not been for the two of you.
Inner Moka: Thanks for the back up. How are your men fairing?
Gabiru: They're doing their best in assisting the other groups. Not only that but some have spotted your younger sister joining the battle.
Inner Moka: Kokoa? Just what is she thinking?
Geld: Lady Moka, let us handle the enemy here. You should go and find your sister before she gets hurt.
Gabiru: We'll make sure to keep these beasts off your back.
Inner Moka: Thank you, make sure to give them hell.
As Moka went off to look for Kokoa another megalodon was being taken care of a little ways away from her. Kurumu could be seen flying away from her prey as she lead it to a clearing where she put her illusion abilities to the test. Thanks to her training she made the beast think several vines had appeared from the ground causing it to fly exactly where Hakurou was patiently waiting for it with his hand ready to unleash a powerful attack from his sword. Once it was close enough he ran straight for his target and at the last second several flashes came from his attack as he and the megalodon faced away from the other.
Hakurou: Cicada Flash!
He then put his weapon away as the shark suddenly exploded into chunks that exploded into smaller pieces before exploding once more into particles that blew away in the wind.
Hakurou: Excellent work bringing the target closer to me, I can see you're training with your illusions has bore fruit.
Kurumu: Thanks, but I can't take all the credit. If it wasn't for your advice I probably wouldn't be able to do much.
Hakurou: It was my pleasure, anything for my future granddaughter.
The two of them then noticed another one closing in on them from above, no doubt ready to tear them to shreds if it could.
Hakurou: Now let's see how your physical abilities are developing. Think you can handle this one with your claws alone?
Kurumu: ( smirk ) Just watch me sensei.
With that she flew off to show the results of her training while Hakurou stood back to watch in case his assistance was needed further.
Mizore was busy helping Rubi out by using her powers to encase her target in ice while Rubi used her magic to wrap them in vines so the soldiers backing them up could have an easier time dispatching as many as possible.
Orc Soldier: That takes care of this one!
Lizard Soldier: Good job. Lady Mizore, Lady Rubi are you two doing alright?
Rubi: We're fine, let's keep going and take care of some more.
Lizard Soldier: Understood.
Mizore: How many more of these things do we need to deal with before we get to the main event?
Rubi: From what we saw earlier I don't think there's that many left. Let's just keep going, by the way where are Yukari and the others girls?
Mizore: I know that Yukari is busy helping Miia and Framea with full potions and her magic for anyone who might get injured. Shuna is with Kazuto overlooking the battle to help organize the troops. Shion and Ms. Suphia are busy seeing who can take down more of these things first.
Just then they heard some yelling followed by the cries of another megalodon as it was brought low by a familiar vampire with a bad temper. With a mighty swing Kokoa had sent the creature flying into several trees before holding her hammer in a dramatic pose as she held it over her shoulder with one hand on her hip.
Kokoa: Did you really think you could beat me, I am a mighty vampire and I'll be damned if some stupid flying shark got the better of me!
Another one tried getting her from her blindside when it was suddenly punched into several trees before it was hit with a brutal uppercut that finished it off in a single blow.
Inner Moka: You really need to mind your surroundings better Kokoa, if you get careless you're liable to get killed.
Kokoa: That was so cool big sis!
From her expression it was obvious that Kokoa wasn't really paying attention and was instead more focused on admiring her older sister.
Inner Moka: ( sigh ) Just what the heck are you doing out here, didn't the other Moka tell you to stay with the other students when everyone began evacuating?
Kokoa: Well yeah but why would I listen to that pink loser anyway? She's not my real sister so she has no say in what I can and can't do.
Inner Moka: I see.
Moka then walked up to Kokoa before giving her a hard karate chop to the head which definitely caught the younger vampire off guard.
Kokoa: OUCH!!! Big sis what did you do that for?!
Inner Moka: For being an idiot that's why. Pay attention because I'm only telling you this a single time. Under no circumstances are you allowed to treat the other Moka like she doesn't matter. We are essentially the same person so insulting her is the same as insulting me. If you keep this up then I won't see any reason to continue to associate with you any longer.
Moka then began walking back to help out another group as they were about to take down another megalodon that caught their attention.
Inner Moka: So what's it going to be? Will you give her a chance or do we have to part ways again?
As Moka ran off Kokoa could only look at the ground as she contemplated over her sisters words. Was she really willing to lose her sister entirely all because she couldn't let go of a petty grudge on someone who didn't deserve it. Before long she quickly caught up to Moka who was in the middle of combat as she backed her up using her massive hammer to hold the creature back long enough for Moka to land a solid punch to stun it momentarily.
Kokoa: If it means I don't have to lose you again I guess I can give her a chance. Just don't expect me to be all buddy buddy with her overnight or something.
Inner Moka: Fair enough. Now let's show these freaks what vampires are capable of.
So far it looked like things were progressing smoothly, we had some trouble here and there but it wasn't anything that we couldn't overcome. Yukari was busy helping the injured with her magic while Framea and Miia helped deliver full potions for those who suffered more serious injuries.
Souei: ( Kazuto, it looks like our forces have eliminated most of the minor enemies surrounding us. I don't think it will be much longer until we can attack Charybdis itself. )
I looked up to see Souei using his threads to control one of them as his own and had it attack the others.
Kazuto: I have to admit I am a bit jealous, Souei's got good looks and good skills. It's a little unfair.
Shuna: There's no need to be jealous senpai, don't forget that you do have us.
After getting a peck on the cheek from Shuna we caught Benimaru making his way to us, he reported that our groups have been successful so far and that we have suffered no major casualties during the battle. We then caught a glimpse of something that really caught us off guard and that was Ranga running in the air with Shion standing on his back.
Kazuto: Hold up, when did Ranga learn to fly?
Benimaru: And when did he and Shion start to team up?
Fortunately for the two of them there were only two targets remaining, the first one was dispatched by Shion as she infused her energy into her great sword as she easily decapitated it while the other was struck by a powerful lightning attack from Ranga.
Kazuto: Looks like all that's left is Charybdis.
Benimaru: It would seem so, thankfully we have a small but formidable army backing us up.
I wasn't sure what Charybdis was planning to do next, if anything we needed everyone involved to remain on high alert.
Kazuto: ( Stay sharp everybody, be prepared for whatever that thing throws at us. )
Shion: ( Understood. )
Ranga: ( As you command my master! )
The two of them managed to land on one of the massive wings along with Souei who joined them shortly after. So far everything seemed to be going smoothly with the only problem being how we were going to defeat it.
Kazuto: Just how are we gonna take Charybdis down, this thing is probably the biggest monster I've ever seen.
Great Sage: Answer: judging from its size-...
Kazuto: ( If you're gonna tell me anything it needs to be how we're going to defeat that monster. )
Great Sage: ...
Kazuto: ( Aaand nothing )
Suddenly we all heard what sounded like a low rumbling coming from the creature, it then immediately sent out numerous of its own scales flying around it as it began attacking the three who were hitching a ride on it. It was able to knock them off its wing while it rained down its scales across the battlefield with everyone taking cover as best as possible. Trees were knocked down with ease and several rocks were reduced to rubble as the scales easily made short work of them since they were incredibly durable. Once they reached the ground Souei started doing his best to dodge as many of these scales with his speed but he couldn't keep it up for long as his body was soon riddled with several scratches from where he got hit. Shion tried for a more direct approach as she used her sword to bat as many away only for her to soon be overwhelmed by the sheer number of projectiles she had to contend with. Ranga tried blasting as many away with his lightning only for more to come after him.
Ranga: Souei hurry and use Shadow Movement to get away. I will stay behind and shield Shion.
Shion: No Ranga, don't be an idiot! I'll fight by myself if I have to.
Ranga: ( chuckle ) Not a chance, especially when I know my master would want you have the highest chance of survival.
Souei: You make a good point, Kazuto would want that. In that case I think I'll stay as well. Besides if the situation calls for it I can easily have the real me withdraw from the battle before getting killed.
Shion: Typical Souei, well I guess that means we're all in agreement. Let's make sure we all survive!
All three were more than ready to lay down their lives for this battle, and while I will commend them for their bravery they did forget one very important detail.
Kazuto: You three idiots really need to simmer down sometime.
I flew over to their location as I put myself between them and another onslaught of scales headed right for them.
Shion: Kazuto what are you doing?
Kazuto: You're supposed to be my subordinates, that means it's my responsibility to look out for you guys. Not only that but I have some pretty legit skills too.
I then faced the scales flying towards me as I extended my right arm and opened my hand to unleash my newest ability.
Kazuto: Devour all! Gluttony!
A dark spiral of energy came out from my hand as it quickly surrounded the scales, not a moment later and it retreated back into me with all the scales easily devoured by my new skill.
Souei: Incredible, he was able to absorb all those scales in an instant.
Gluttony, a skill that emerged after I absorbed the Orc Disaster. It combined my skill Predator with his Starved and Gluttony was the result of those skills now working as one. Not only was I capable of absorbing more things into my stomach but my range in using the skill has increased as well as receiving the benefits of the Orc Disaster such as Rot. Essentially the skill was even more broken than it already was.
Kazuto: Go ahead and take 5 you guys. You should go and get your injuries looked at while you have the time.
Souei: But we can still fight Lord Kazuto.
Kazuto: I appreciate that, however...
Looking towards Charybdis we could see its body shining as new scales soon replaced the ones lost during the last attack.
Kazuto: Its scales have already regenerated. I might not be able to defend you guys from another attack. For now head back to the others and wait for Benimaru's orders.
Souei: As you command.
Shion: Please be careful Kazuto.
Ranga: Once I've regained my strength I will join you once more on the battlefield.
Kazuto: Sounds good.
Now it was my turn to join the battle. I flew off to engage Charybdis in battle, as I got closer to it I noticed how high the two of us were which let me get a good look at how everyone was doing. Most of our forces were being taken care of while the others waited for Benimaru to give the word on when to attack again.
Kazuto: Okay big guy it's just you and me, now let's see if I can do some damage! Black Lightning!
I unleashed my first attack on one of its wings hoping to get its attention, I probably did too much of a good job as it retaliated with a strong beam of magic from its single eye that targeted me constantly. Avoiding its beams was challenging and I had to admit it was a bit too close for comfort since the beams were so powerful that they caused the ground to shake with powerful explosions after making contact with the earth below.
Kazuto: Damn that's a strong attack. Speaking of which am I even hurting this thing? It doesn't look all that injured so does Charybdis have some kind of rapid regeneration or something?
Great Sage: Answer:based on the speed and efficiency it is able to repair its body tissue it is very likely that Charybdis is in the possession of the skill Ultraspeed Regeneration.
Kazuto: Crap. Anything else I should know?
Great Sage: It is estimated that because of this skill it will most likely take 3 minutes for its scales to fully regenerate.
Kazuto: So I have 3 minutes before it can shoot that attack again.
Suddenly I was bombarded by more beams as I used my fire skills to boost my speed in the hopes of dodging them more easily by shooting flames from my feet as I rocketed around the monster in an effort to confuse it.
As I kept up our little game of cat and mouse I was blindsided by a stray beam that managed to lock on to me. I quickly activated Dark Wall, a spell that blocked the beam but the force behind it was strong enough to push me back to the ground easily.
Kazuto: Okay that was my fault for not paying attention.
Yukari: Kazuto, are you okay!
I then saw Yukari running over to me with Miia and Framea right behind her. Before they could get to me they had to stop as Charybdis shot another beam in our direction, this time they were the intended target as I jumped in and used another Dark Wall to protect us. The difference this time was that instead of a single large glyph I used more power than before which caused it to form as a barrier around the four of us. I dug in my feet and held my ground as the blast made contact.
After several seconds our standoff had ended as I put the barrier down and took a knee as I tried catching my breath.
Yukari: I'm so sorry, if I hadn't noticed you getting knocked down earlier you wouldn't have wasted your energy defending us like that.
Kazuto: Don't worry about that, I'm just glad you three are safe. How are the others doing?
Framea: They're doing fine, we've been busy patching them up as best as possible and they're more than eager to rejoin the fight.
Miia: We had a few close calls whenever those scales tried hitting us but we managed to find cover before we got seriously hurt.
Kazuto: That's good.
Yukari: Just focus on taking down the overgrown flying tuna and making it back to us in one piece.
Kazuto: Right.
I flew off once more as I could hear our soldiers rallying each other to continue the fight and hearing them cheer me on as well.
Kazuto: Do you hear that, that's the sound of our troops ready to fight to the end! Let's see how long you can last until we take you down! Dark Blast!
Benimaru had taken control of our forces back on the ground as he commanded them to utilize whatever they had to support me. From here most of them had resorted to using any long range weaponry available. From the orcs throwing their axes as well as large boulders to the dragon newts using their fire breath. I even saw some of the girls teaming up to help out with Suphia using her lightning and channeling it into Rubi and Ranga hoping to put a dent in our enemies defenses. Shion helped the orcs with tossing boulders alongside Moka and Kokoa who I was surprised to see helping us out. Yukari and Shuna had taken a more proactive approach with their magic as they did their best to revitalize the stamina of our troops so they could keep fighting as much as possible. Mizore used her control over ice to either knock down as many scales that came too close to our soldiers or shield them with an ice wall as best as she could while Miia and Framea patched up anyone who got hurt behind it. Kurumu would occasionally fly alongside me to try and divide Charybdis' attention hoping that a secondary target might give us an opening and using illusions to confuse it by making it think there were more of us.
The battle dragged on for hours, the sun had just begun to set and I was really hoping that we wouldn't have to fight this thing all night.
Kazuto: At this rate we might not finish it off before nightfall.
I looked back down to see everyone exhausted, most of our energy and resources began to dwindle and I didn't know how much longer we could keep going until we were completely wiped out. Suddenly I began to hear a voice coming from Charybdis, almost as if it was trying to speak.
Kazuto: I thought this thing wasn't capable of complex thought. Is it really trying to speak?
Somehow it was trying to say something but I couldn't make out what specifically. I then felt its power swell as a dark red aura spread throughout. Suddenly it managed to utter a single word perfectly and judging by its tone it wasn't happy, in fact it was pissed.
Charybdis: HEADMASTER!!!!!
Headmaster? As in our headmaster? What did it want with him?
Headmaster: ( Kazuto, what's the status of the battle? I sense an increase in power emanating from the creature. Is everything alright? )
I quickly explained what was going on, the headmaster was just as much in the dark as to why Charybdis was calling out for him so suddenly. Thankfully he said that he was on his way as the preparation for a powerful spell had been completed. He asked me to gather those who were adept at magic and to join him on the ground. I gathered together Rubi, Yukari, and Shuna as the headmaster had transported himself alongside Albis who helped with the evacuation earlier.
Headmaster: Good, this should be enough for the spell to be properly utilized.
Kazuto: What spell?
Headmaster: There's no time to explain. Kazuto for now I need you to give me your hand as I inscribe the rune for this ancient spell on it.
I didn't really have time to argue as I gave him my hand, his right index finger then glowed with a dark purple haze as he began chanting a prayer as he drew the symbol on the back of my hand. As he did I felt this wave of information flow into my mind as the spell began to make more sense. When he was finished the knowledge of the spell had been implanted into me and he then explained that if we were to make full use of it we needed to channel their combined power into me as I focused it and empowered it as best as possible.
First he instructed Rubi and Yukari to create a magic circle to amplify our magical power as high as they could. Once completed they joined hands and did the same with the headmaster and Shuna as they placed theirs on my shoulders. I then took out my sword as I focused our power into it for a powerful strike.
Headmaster: We only have enough power for one strike, make sure you make it count Kazuto.
I stared up at Charybdis as it prepared an attack of its own. While its single eye glowed a demonic red I steadied my breathing as I focused on the task at hand.
Kazuto: Don't worry, I'll make sure one strike is all I need!
I held my sword with both hands as I closed my eyes and recited the spell the headmaster gave me.
Kazuto: Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows.
As I recited the spell my sword began to glow with a brilliant red light, almost as if it was ignited by the breath of a fearsome dragon.
Headmaster: ( Amazing, he may not realize it but young Tempest is not only controlling the flow of magic spectacularly but he is also amplifying the power tremendously. Oh how I wish Makoto and Amelia could see their grandson now, he truly is a remarkable sorcerer. )
Kazuto: I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hands. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess.
The wind around the five of us began to rage as the others who observed us did their best to not be blown away by the force the spell was creating. At that moment Charybdis had launched its attack at full power, at that same time I raised my sword above my head and opened my eyes to see the beam head straight for us. Yet throughout the whole encounter I didn't feel scared, I was calm, composed and most of all I was determined to not let my friends and loved ones down. I swung my blade down and shouted the name of this ancient magic.
Kazuto: DRAGON SLAVE!
A massive beam of energy erupted from my sword as it met with the opposing beam in a head to head clash that lasted for several seconds. After what felt like an eternity my beam cut the opposing one down the middle as it continued on its way towards its target while the one that was aimed at us split in two and struck the ground away from us harming no one in the process even as the attack caused an explosion upon contact. A second later and my attack had made its mark which resulted in a powerful explosion. The bright orange lights combined with the force and sound of the explosion was so powerful that the students and staff who were near the tunnel could see and hear it miles from our current location.
For the next minute or so there was silence. No one moved or said anything as it seemed like the battle was over at long last.
Great Sage: Alert! Charybdis has survived.
Just my luck, it couldn't be that easy. Looking back up we could see most of Charybdis had survived except for its head which most of it was missing allowing us to see inside it. Upon closer inspection I could faintly see what looked like a person inside it as their head and limbs seemed to be covered by the muscles of the creature holding them in place.
Great Sage: Notice: the individual located within the body of Charybdis appears to be the source of the creature's core. Removing them should allow the body to be permanently destroyed.
Wasting no time I spread my wings and took off, I gave myself a boost with my flames to get there faster as I noticed that it began to regenerate.
Kazuto: ( This is bad, if it fully regenerates before I can get to it we may not have this chance again. Come on Kazuto go faster! )
I amplified my fire and flew faster than before, once I got close I drew my sword as Charybdis had one last trick up its sleeve. The muscles keeping its victim in place began to shoot out as tendrils as they attempted to pull me in to join them.
Kazuto: I don't think so!
I nimbly avoided the tendrils as I focused the last of my power into my sword and decided to recite an incantation from an anime I liked to deal the finishing blow.
Kazuto: This is the land of the rising sun. Your desecration shall not be allowed! Hear me, I am the sorcerer Kazuto, I know lay thee waste with the Veldora and expel thy vast defilement! I cleanse thee!
I flew closer to my target and with all my remaining power I attacked with intent to finish the battle once and for all.
Kazuto: Rend!
I didn't know it at the time but my attack not only freed the victim but it traveled all the way through the interior of the body and with its connection severed it began to fall apart as the pieces dissolved into the wind while I flew back down with the unconscious body who was held within.
Kazuto: ( sigh ) It's finally over.
While the battle was indeed over the situation wasn't for the most part. The unconscious victim I held in my arms was still unidentified due to the remaining muscles surrounding their head keeping their face hidden. Their clothes were torn in multiple places and their physical condition was really poor as if they hadn't had anything to eat for days, perhaps weeks. What was most concerning was the heart like growth glowing on the outside of their body. I could sense an intense amount of power that felt exactly the same as Charybdis itself.
Kazuto: ( That must be the core Great Sage was talking about. I better do something about this otherwise the creature might eventually take over and reform. )
I set them down and began using Gluttony to devour the last remains bonded to them. A purple aura came out from the body as it was absorbed into my hands and I felt it flowing into me making me stronger as a result. The process seemed to be working as the remaining muscles and glowing heart receded and the body began to appear more normal. Luckily for us this wasn't like last time I had to separate powers from someone. Unlike Kuyo since the power of Charybdis clearly came from an external source that meant that I simply needed to use Degenerate without the purified magicules like last time and simply needed my own power.
Great Sage: Notice: the remains of the creature Charybdis have been successfully separated and absorbed. Beginning isolation and analysis of viable skills.
Thank goodness separating the remains was a success, now that the remains were taken care of we could finally put the battle behind us as well as find out who this person is. When I looked down his face there was something about him that felt familiar and it also made me angry for some reason.
Great Sage: Notice: upon analysis of the remains it appears that the individual bonded to Charybdis is your former P.E. teacher Mr. Kotsubo.
What?!
I took another look and yeah I could see that it was in fact Mr. Kotsubo, only he looked really weak and malnourished.
Kazuto: What the heck happened to him?
I guess we'll just have to wait until he recovers before we can ask him anything. And I have a bad feeling that whatever he might tell us I'm not going to like it one bit.