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"This should be it…"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko arrived at the Mount Kumotori trailhead with a single shoulder bag.
A few tourists were gathered in small groups here and there, and although he didn't deliberately listen, Nukumizu Kazuhiko could still tell from their conversations that there seemed to have been a landslide on the mountain path deep in Mount Kumotori, and Mount Kumotori's official announcement advised against traveling up the mountain for the time being.
Similar messages were constantly cycling on the electronic signboard at the trailhead.
Of course, this wasn't the main point. Nukumizu Kazuhiko carefully looked at the scrolling text on the signboard, and his gaze unconsciously became serious.
"...No casualties?"
What he had heard from his younger sister, Kaju, didn't seem so heartwarming.
He then looked at the dark and deep trailhead and couldn't help but swallow.
Although Kaju had repeatedly warned him not to go into the mountain and just find a place to release the two snakes in his bag, Nukumizu Kazuhiko was still somewhat worried, and in his impression, snakes didn't seem to move very quickly.
"It should be fine to just go up a little bit."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko muttered softly to himself, then, taking advantage of no one paying attention, he carefully slipped into the mountain from the undeveloped forest beside the path, wading through waist-high bushes.
Of course, Nukumizu Kazuhiko was very self-aware. He knew very well that he didn't have the wilderness survival skills of Bear Grylls, who could eat a cameraman alive, or Ray Mears, who could survive and be rescued after going three days without food and not bringing anything (including hair).
So, after walking a little further in and confirming that the people below the mountain shouldn't be able to see him, he hugged his bag and struggled through the bushes, returning to the proper mountain path.
He stumbled along the mountain path, occasionally encountering forks in the road. Each time, Nukumizu Kazuhiko would open his single-shoulder bag and check which direction the snake heads poking out from inside were pointing.
However, Nukumizu Kazuhiko felt that perhaps because he was just a Muggle, there were times when the two snakes in his bag couldn't communicate.
"Listen to me, the only paths available now are to the east and south. If you keep looking west, I'm going back down the mountain!"
After this happened multiple times, Nukumizu Kazuhiko suddenly realized: if there was nothing wrong with these two snakes, and the problem was instead with his own understanding, then if they kept looking behind him, could it be that there was really something behind him?
At this thought, Nukumizu Kazuhiko instantly got goosebumps. He kept looking behind him, but he couldn't see anything except lush vegetation. However, perhaps it was psychological, but he began to feel that he did occasionally see fleeting shadows appearing on the mountain path behind him.
The mountainside could be said to be the densest area of vegetation. The mountain paths from the foot of Mount Kumotori to the mountainside were not narrow, as even RVs could pass. The true narrow paths were those leading to the summit, often just steep steps made of stones.
But even on these relatively wide mountain paths, the tree canopies on both sides, like canopies, blocked almost all sunlight, making a considerable stretch of the path as dim as night.
Fortunately, there was a rest cabin near the mountainside. Even though Mount Kumotori's cabin was too dilapidated and no longer open to the public or in use, since there was no one guarding it, it was perfectly fine for a short rest.
"I hope it's just my imagination..."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko rubbed his temples, feeling a lot of psychological pressure. He began to regret his rash decision to enter the mountain.
"It's okay, Yamanokemono is a monster that only attacks females..."
He encouraged himself in a voice that even he found trembling: "And I don't need to climb any further. Just a little more walking and I can release the snakes, and I can leave too."
Just then, a long, grating 'creak' of old wooden floorboards being stepped on came from outside the cabin.
An ordinary small animal definitely couldn't make such a sound. Whatever was outside the cabin was at least a creature similar in size to a human.
The moment he realized this, Nukumizu Kazuhiko retreated to the corner of the cabin, simultaneously searching for a window to escape through and wooden sticks that could be used as weapons.
However, the person who appeared at the doorway was Asakura Takuma, whom he had met once before.
He looked a bit travel-worn, his clothes slightly disheveled, covered in a lot of dust, and his trouser legs splattered with mud. He completely lacked the elite, top-student vibe he had when they first met at the Clubroom; instead, he looked a bit rustic.
Especially, he had another sickly-looking, very rare pink python wrapped around his neck.
"Asakura-kun!"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko quickly called out.
"It's you... You arrived so quickly. Was someone in the cabin at that time?"
Asakura Takuma's sharp gaze swept over, but upon seeing it was Nukumizu Kazuhiko, the sharpness in his eyes immediately softened considerably: "That's truly fortunate. I originally thought it would take a lot of time for my snake to find them. Nukumizu Kazuhiko, thank you."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko felt that Asakura Takuma's gaze at him was somewhat complex, containing a mix of surprise, speechlessness, and vexation.
"You're welcome. I, I'll go down the mountain after delivering the things to you."
He said quickly.
"Regardless, daring to come here to help is already worthy of my gratitude."
Asakura Takuma spread his hands towards him: "We can chat later. Where's Napoleon?"
"Here."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko quickly took off his single-shoulder bag and placed it on the ground, opening the clasp to let the two snakes inside crawl out.
He then watched in astonishment as the small snake that had been leading the way directly coiled around Asakura Takuma's palm—at this moment, Nukumizu Kazuhiko noticed that Asakura Takuma's right palm, including his little finger, seemed to be missing a piece, as if someone had cut off his little finger and the part of his palm behind it—at this time, the small snake's body seemed to melt and rapidly collapse, its original body with faint black circular patterns gradually turning flesh-colored, finally merging with Asakura Takuma's right hand, completing Asakura Takuma's lost little finger and that small piece of his palm.
"Th-that is..."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko watched all of this dumbfounded.
"It's just a small gamble, no need to pay too much attention to it."
Asakura said indifferently.
After all, the Great Blessing's teleportation could only be used by him, not by the snake alone. But if he reversed his thinking slightly, what if that 'snake' was also him?
The result proved he was right. Even a part of his body transformed into a snake by Magic could individually activate the Great Blessing's teleportation.
However, this act of detaching a part of his body would cause Asakura a great psychological burden. He roughly estimated that if one day more than sixty percent of his body turned into a snake, he would develop a personality disorder related to anxiety, and the final manifestation would probably be somewhat similar to cyberpsychosis... Considering that this was caused by Magic, perhaps 'Magic Psychosis' would be more appropriate?
So, turning himself into a snake was fine, but turning himself into a puddle of snakes was something best avoided or done rarely.
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