Subjugation of Yamata-no-Orochi

And so, Wataru and I arrived at the village where the Yamata-no-Orochi had reportedly appeared.

It gave off the impression of an Edo-period farming village. There were a few wooden buildings and houses with earthen walls scattered around, and fields stretched out nearby. There was a simple fence, probably to help reduce monster damage even a little.

However, part of that fence was crushed, as if something large had dragged itself over it, and beyond it were the charred remains of a house.

Judging by the state of the fence, it looked like something the size of a carriage had passed through… Maybe the whole thing was elephant-sized?

"Are these the marks left by the Yamata-no-Orochi?"

"It's pretty big… I mean, I don't actually know what size a Yamata-no-Orochi normally is."

"Hmm, by my estimation, it's about twice as big as a Hydra."

Then we spoke with the village chief, and sure enough, that was where the Yamata-no-Orochi had attacked.

It apparently came to the house, ate the food stored there, and left. Fortunately, the residents were out at the time, so they were safe.

Since then, they had repaired the fence several times, but it kept getting crushed.

Now, they were leaving food like offerings at the destroyed house to get by…

Aren't they feeding it? That seems kinda counterproductive in various ways. But then again, it's better than people getting hurt, and if it's just a stalling tactic until the hero arrives, maybe it's the right call.

"Kehma-san, you'll fight with us too, right?"

"I'm just the tagalong. I've got no obligation to do anything, right, Wataru?"

"You just need to shoot that beam from the back!"

That would be the Elemental Shot. It's one of my trump cards, y'know. What if that alone ends up finishing it off? Then it'd be like the hero just showed up and did nothing.

"So, what now? Do we head into the mountains to look for it, or wait here in ambush?"

The trail of something large being dragged continued into the forest and into the mountains. With a target that size, tracking it should be easy.

"What do you think is better, Kehma-san?"

"Poison the offering and head home. Don't you want to get back to sightseeing already?"

"Understood. So we're heading into the mountains to look for it."

Don't you want to get back to your date with Nerune too?

And so Wataru and I headed into the mountains. I'd have been fine staying behind, though…

We entered the mountain. The trail left by the large creature had pushed aside trees and grass.

"I wonder how far we'll have to go."

"I'm tired already. Can I go home?"

"I'll carry you. I borrowed a backpack carrier just in case something like this happened."

Dude's way too prepared. Reminds me of when we climbed Mount Tsuia to take down Igni.

"I'm counting on you to watch our rear!"

"Don't suddenly turn around and use me as a shield. I'm fragile, remember?"

"Haha, good one. You borrowed that blanket from Rokuko, right?"

Tch, he noticed. With the [Divine Blanket], I'm basically invincible. Definitely worthy of being a shield.

It even instantly heals status ailments, so I don't get motion sick either.

And so, I was carried piggyback-style by Wataru… who was charging through the forest.

"Ooh, that looks like a likely cave."

"Hm."

"I'm going in!"

"Couldn't you at least hesitate a little!?"

"Eh? I don't see a reason to. I've got Kehma-san with me, after all."

What's with the trust Wataru has in me?

Maybe I've domesticated the hero a little too much…?

"Whoa."

Wataru suddenly stopped in his tracks. I was slammed into his back with a thud.

Thanks to the blanket, it didn't hurt, but it still startled me.

"Don't stop so suddenly! Did you forget you're carrying me!?"

"Ah, sorry. Also, you maybe shouldn't shout."

"Huh?"

I looked around. We were in a room. And there it was—Yamata-no-Orochi, a giant snake with eight heads.

… Looks like this cave was its lair. And oddly bright too. Maybe it's a dungeon?

"Think we can just collapse it on top of it?"

"It's a snake—it'll probably dig its way out. Better to defeat it. Well, I'll just watch from here. Good luck."

"C'mon, the mage is supposed to open with a big blast, and then the swordsman charges in, right?"

Fair enough. I dismounted from Wataru's back and aimed from outside the room.

"—Elemental Burst."

A ribbon of light shot toward the Yamata-no-Orochi.

Uh-oh, it noticed and turned toward us.

Oh dang, it now has a giant hole in its body.

… And it collapsed.

… … … …

"Alright, now's your chance! Go, Wataru!"

"Uh, it's already dead, isn't it?"

"Just go. If you don't, it'll look like I took it down all by myself."

"Come on, seriously?"

Jeez. It has a big fancy name like Yamata-no-Orochi and goes down in one hit? That's way too anticlimactic!

Now I can't even push the achievement onto Wataru!

"Actually, that was kinda terrifying. I don't think even I could have dodged that."

"Yeah. That's why I made the Shot version—to control the power better."

Incidentally, they both consume the same amount of magic. The Shot might actually use a little more.

"… Well, that's that, then?"

"Maybe. Doesn't it feel like it ended a little too easily? What if there's a pair or a parent-child thing? Huh?"

"Wouldn't that be nice?"

I was going to make Wataru take care of it if there was another one, but it all ended without him doing anything.

Honestly, the Hydra might've been tougher—it could regenerate and spewed poison, after all.

When I secretly opened the DP catalog to look up the Yamata-no-Orochi, it turns out the one we defeated was probably a juvenile.

Apparently, if raised over the course of a year, it would have had crazy regeneration, super defense, and high attack power—basically an awesome monster.

The adult version costs ten times as much, so they must've cheaped out and summoned a juvenile.

… Still, even that would cost a decent chunk of DP. I think the Dungeon Core here's allowed to cry a little.