I had probably not been fighting for that long, likely for less than twenty minutes.

The number that I had defeated had already exceeded thirty, reaching around forty when counting it I guess.

Was it because my SP had reached the red zone and was about to run out? The lack of air burned in my lungs.

When I defeated a monster, another one would come from the sides. Because of that, right now, I could see about sixty monsters, alive and dead.

「Ah…..」

Once again throwing the Meteor Impact -Zero Type- and completely blowing away three monsters, there was an ice ball incoming from my back that I tried to avoid, but my body stopped.

Because my SP had run out.

Impact. Because of my incredibly low magic resistance, my HP suddenly decreased. With ease, the attack took half of my HP, and my HP rushed into the danger zone.

Unlike when I received the spell initially, I couldn’t keep a steady footing. I was forcefully blown away, but because of that I was able to escape from receiving the other spells. However, in exchange my HP was reduced even more.

SP recovered even during fights like fluid refilled a pond, but once you ran out of it, a huge demerit happened, it seemed.

It was like the stun time from when you used an art. However, the SP demerit would just make you laugh at how long you couldn’t move in comparison to art stun times.

Ah, I should’ve at least removed the 《Moon Camellia’s Solo》, then I could have halved the death penalty.

I thought of that, but unfortunately my avatar totally couldn’t move so I couldn’t operate the menu.

Many colorful spells were drawing near to me. The situation was definitely my end.

Among those, there was one paper talisman that softly floated into my vision.

「《Fujutsu -Barrier of Exorcism-》」 (9: 符術 Talisman technique, went with fujutsu since it sounds cooler and shorter)

Kiiiiin…..and then a small high pitch sound resounded, and a violet translucent semi-circle spread out with me at the center.

The semi-circle received all the magic that came and was even able to continue covering me.

「Fuu…..I’m glad that I made in time.」

The one who said that in a light, airy tone, was a woman wearing a kimono.

She was a tall, white-haired person, and on her head, different from me, there was certainly a blue horn standing straight, telling me that she was a kijin.

「Sorry, but I’ll take responsibility for the remaining ones.」

The woman that suddenly appeared, took out a paper talisman from her bosom, and then she clapped her hand as she chanted the technique.

「《Fujutsu -Thunder Call Formation-》.」

The thing causing the explosive electric sounds was not the skies but the paper talisman itself. That talisman began to be covered by lightning, and then after a few seconds of suspense, it exploded.

They couldn’t even raise a scream.

The monsters that surrounded me, they literally got swallowed up by the lightning and disappeared.

And then, if my eyes weren’t seeing wrongly, the female kijin that had made a cool entrance was also swallowed up by the lightning.

☆

「A-are you alright?」

「Cough cough…uwu…it is a powerful technique, and if you don’t put up any barriers, then it would end up being a kamikaze attack. Well, if I was able to assist you, then it’s all good.」

I unintentionally asked her, and the lady fixed her dress as she responded.

I looked at her figure again. White hair and deep red eyes. And then a blue horn different from mine on a different place on her head. The kimono she was wearing was dyed black, and she didn’t have anything you would call a weapon.

And also, she didn’t have any HP gauge.

Which meant that she was not a player but an NPC.

「My name is Kohaku. A kijin, same as you.」

「I am Sukuna. Thank you very much for rescuing me.」

「You don’t have to be formal to me. And you don’t have to be grateful to me for rescuing you. Actually, I saw you at the tea house then got curious and followed you.」

「Eh……?」

The kijin NPC lady calling herself Kohaku smiled and declared her stalkerish actions. I was at a loss for words.

「You received Kishin-sama’s blessing right? To kijin, that is the most precious symbol of 『Pure Violence』.」(9: kishin, meaning oni god)

Kohaku, whose cheeks reddened a bit as she talked, those eyes of hers didn’t hide their inquisitiveness.

Rather, the race’s most precious ideal is pure violence, you say?

Well, it might not be weird thinking about this race’s special characteristics, but I ended up thinking that this race really did have muscles for brains.

And for some reason, I understood instinctively. The Kishin-sama’s blessing she was talking about was not the ornate hairpin but was instead probably the job《Douji》.

I totally forgot about it, but this job has an effect that raised my reputation amongst the kijin NPCs.

And then actually meeting Shuten Douji, I had somewhat understood why the job 《Douji》 was created.

The race that worshiped her was probably the kijin in this world.

「That’s right, drink this. It’s my apology for not helping you until the last moment.」

「T-thanks.」

As if just recalling it, she passed over some sort of medicine as I accepted it. If the words the system said were correct then this was a superior potion called《High Potion》.

Drinking it, I didn’t really feel any major changes, but I understood that my recovery speed had increased.

「Sukuna, if you’re fine with it, can we both travel together? I want to hear about your story.」

「Yeah, it’s fine. I’m also interested in Kohaku.」

Being given that suggestion while I was waiting for my HP to recover, I nodded yes.

Since I had just gotten a connection to a kijin NPC, I felt like it would be a waste to just ignore this opportunity.

Like that technique「Fujutsu」, there were a lot of things I’d like to hear about.

「That’s great! For the time being, I think we should get out of this forest first.」

「I was also planning that, so that would be just as planned.」

「Okay, let’s go.」

For the first time in this game. Finally.

I could finally have a connection with an NPC.

「I see, so the one that defeated that Red Wolf was you.」

「Yeah. It was a really strong opponent.」

「 I was surprised when I heard that an aspect(現身utsushimi) of the Wolf King was defeated but…….I’m mysteriously convinced.」

While advancing through the Forest of Magic, we were having a relaxing conversation.

While the stream was still going, I didn’t say anything to the viewers and prioritized interacting with Kohaku.

Since she was a pretty person, the watcher’s reactions were good.

「An aspect of the Wolf King?」

「Aah, Aria the Red Wolf of Isolation, you see, is actually a projection in the form of a certain monster.」

Asking her to explain a term that I didn’t recognize, Kohaku raised her finger as she explained.

「《Wolf King of the Sky Pivot -Requiem-》. One of the almighty ones that are said to be the ones closest to the gods of this world.」

What was reflected in the eyes of Kohaku as she said those words was awe and admiration.

The emotion of fear toward the one who has absolute power, and admiration of someone with such power.

「Red Wolf of Isolation, Black Wolf of Congregation, White Wolf of Illusion. These three named monsters are told in the legends to be aspects of the Wolf King. According to the legend, 『When the aspects of the Wolf King have been subjugated, the path to the Wolf King shall open』. That’s what it says.」

「So that means that these three named monsters are the key to finding it?」

「They say that it is so. It’s just that, no one has ever defeated all of them until now, so no one knows whether it’s true or not.」

So the Black Wolf of Congregation and the White Wolf of Illusions.

It shouldn’t have been a coincidence that Aria was near the Town of Beginning.

Listening to Kohaku’s story, even if I couldn’t judge it as common knowledge, at least it was info that had spread quite far amongst the NPCs.

The reason that one of the tickets to challenging a monster likely of the strongest class, Requiem, was left near the Town of Beginning…I tried thinking about it, but I didn’t get what the point was.

「In the first place, it’s also my first time seeing that Proof.」

「The Proof of the Named Solo Subjugator?」

「That’s right, that is a present from the gods. There are only a few Named subjugators, and solo subjugators are rare enough to be counted with just the fingers of a single hand. The only one living was《Melty of the Heavenly Eye》, the hero of the vampires, I guess.」

Touching the Proof on my chest, it reflected a blue light.

In the world of NPC’s, I wonder how many characters there were that could defeat a Named?

An NPC’s life was only one. Even Kohaku, who was right in front of me now had only one life. Unlike players, if an NPC died, they would disappear.

For a being that couldn’t die and respawn, unable to learn through trial and error…and moreover, being a solo subjugator despite that, they should be quite the ridiculous monster and without a doubt a hero.

「Do you know that there are different variety of Named monsters?」

「Like how many people are allowed to fight them?」

「Yes, that’s right. Including the Red Wolf of Isolation, which is a solo-limited Named, they have this special characteristic of『Changing their strength depending on who they fight.』 And also, they would never attack the weak. That’s why, in this world, they are also called the 《Messengers of Trials》.」

I see. Even though there were those hardcore players who had already passed level 60. So the reason that no one was unable to defeat Aria was because of that.

So they changed their strength depending on the player’s parameters, that was quite nasty to think about.

However, I kind of felt that there was something wrong with what she said. And that was the part where solo Named wouldn’t attack the weak.

「Eh, but when I was still level 14, a level 28 Aria attacked me though……」

「I haven’t heard of being challenged at that low of a level, but….it is said that they can see through how strong a person is. Let’s see, for example, defeating hundreds of wolves unharmed, do you know anything about that?」

「Uu…..」

I know something…about that….

「I guessed it when I saw you fight earlier. As expected, as the one blessed by Kishin-sama, you have a rare talent for battle. The red wolf saw through that, isn’t that why he challenged you?」

Earnestly, Kohaku said that while looking extremely happy.

I was feeling something for some reason. The eyes that Kohaku was looking at me with, they had a deep passion inside that you wouldn’t see from just a first encounter.

Was it because I was a Douji, gaining power that was derived from Shuten?

Or was it because I was a solo Named subjugator? I couldn’t really tell.