Chapter 131: Magical Beast Encyclopedia x Fierce Battle: Roy VS Pigman
"It's Grandpa Zzigg's memory."
Roy held the cane sword in his left hand, and with his right, he "Conjured" the training blade. Specks of light began to gather.
Demon Slayer World.
They noticed the blade hanging on the south wall had abruptly vanished again.
Giyu Tomioka, having packed his things, looked back at the sleeping boy, then exchanged an unfazed glance with Sakonji Urokodaki. He pushed open the door and set off on his return journey.
"I will report everything that has happened these past few days to the Master, word for word," Giyu said. He didn't know, nor did he particularly care, what a commotion the news of a "Hashira" losing to "Eiichiro" would cause.
He was returning this time with the method for the "Crimson Blade" and only one thought in his mind: to convince Kagaya Ubuyashiki to provide all intelligence on the demons.
Sakonji Urokodaki silently saw him off, flanked by Sabito, Makomo, and the other disciples. No one said anything; this was Giyu's duty. They just hadn't expected him to arrive in such a hurry and leave just as quickly, unwilling to stay even one more night. Who knew when they would meet again... or if they ever would.
"Is Giyu-senpai really not going to say goodbye to Eiichiro?"
"Leaving without a word... that guy will definitely be angry when he wakes up."
"He won't." Sabito shot Makomo a teasing look. "Giyu is busy, but Eiichiro is even busier. Didn't you see? He even summoned his training blade in his sleep. He must be fighting someone. Only we... are the idle ones."
Makomo tilted her head, staring at Sabito. "Senpai, you seem very happy." Giyu-senpai was gone... Eiichiro was leaving the mountain soon... and they didn't know when they would just... disappear. What was this? Finding joy in suffering?
Sabito smiled but didn't explain. Leaving aside the fact that they were already spirits, Giyu had mastered the "Crimson Blade," which meant the Demon Slayer Corps had mastered it. With Eiichiro's debut imminent, the fox-masked boy could faintly see the end of the demons' reign approaching! When that day came, people could work from sunrise to sunset, no longer fearing being eaten if they went out at night. They could walk the streets, hold night markets... He could already picture what a beautiful and harmonious world that would be.
"Senpai," Giyu's voice called out, pulling Sabito from his thoughts. Dressed in his red, yellow, and green haori, Giyu Tomioka bowed deeply to them all. He straightened up. "I'm leaving."
Whoosh. A ghostly wind swirled around him in response.
Under the silent watch of Sakonji Urokodaki, Sabito, Makomo, and all his other senior brothers and sisters... he turned, gripped his sword, gave one last deep look back, then set his face forward and strode into the mountain forest, swallowed by the mist.
The moon rose high, piercing the fog. Makomo's expression was bleak. "Senpai," she asked Sabito, "if we are destined to disappear, is there anything you'll miss?"
Sabito was silent. After a moment, he turned away from the direction Giyu had left and walked back towards the cabin. "Rather than 'missing' something," he said softly, a faint smile on his lips as he gazed at the sleeping Roy, "I'd say I'm 'curious'. I'm very curious what that world in Eiichiro's dreams looks like. And who he's fighting right now."
[Notification: "C-Rank" creature, "Pigman," has been recorded in the Cognitive World.]
[Magical Beast Encyclopedia... Activated.]
[Note: Host can record magical beasts by making contact with them.]
[Through the Encyclopedia, Host can "Appraise" them.]
Hunter World.
Exam Site. Inside the Illusion.
With a thought, Roy conjured his training blade. Dual-wielding, he clanged it against the Pigman's ferocious axe-blow. He felt the immense power behind the strike, his shoulders dipping, as he coolly glanced at his panel. The appearance of a "new species" seemed to have triggered a "patch" for his Nen ability, the "Gate of Cognition." This "patch," named "Magical Beast Encyclopedia," allowed him to "Appraise" things he saw, "process" them with his brain, and "summarize" the information into a "catalog" for "containing and identifying" various "magical beasts." In essence, it hadn't deviated from his established process of "I see, I hear, therefore I know" to increase his "Cognitive Knowledge."
Which raised a question: Why wasn't the "Sandworm" from Grandpa Zzigg's memory recorded in the "Magical Beast Encyclopedia"?
[Answer: Host did not perceive its full form.]
That's it. Roy understood. He held against the Pigman's axe, then shot out a front kick, sending the beast stumbling back. Creating distance, a string of information appeared before his eyes.
[Pigman Warrior]
[Class: "Berserker"]
[Aura Output: C (120/100,000)]
[Potential Aura: C (120/100,000)]
Aura Output and Potential Aura are identical? Roy was surprised. He stared intently at the four-meter-tall monster as it raised its axe again. He realized this was a being that had completely developed its full Nen potential!
"Hand Axe: Heavy Blow!"
The striking power of an Enhancer was undeniable! The hand axe, wrapped in blood-red Nen, compressed the air as it chopped down. Roy's left hand, holding the cane sword, shot up. [Magnetism: Repel!]. He deflected the axe, while his right hand thrust the training blade forward. "Water Breathing, Seventh Form: Piercing Rain Drop!"—aimed straight at the Pigman's heart!
Clang! Clang!
The hand axe was parried by the cane sword, but the training blade was blocked by the Pigman's other hand axe. They were deadlocked. Roy felt his body sink, the creature's overwhelming strength forcing him down. The C-Rank versus his D-Rank... the disparity in physique was instantly exposed. This wasn't about technique or mechanics, it was purely about "stats"! Not to mention, his opponent was a natural-born Enhancer!
"Gordan, assist me!" the Pigman roared.
Swish! A broadsword flew from the dense forest. Seizing the moment Roy was pinned, it flew at his waist! The intent was simple and brutal: to cut him in two!
Fast. Too fast. To throw a broadsword like that... Roy coated his eyes with Gyo and glanced to the side. The earth trembled—thump, thump, thump—as another Pigman Warrior, this one even taller, charged out, chasing its blade. The panel read: [C (240/100,000)]. Another fully-developed monster.
Whoosh! The broadsword tore through the air, arriving in an instant. If he didn't break free now, he was dead.
[Searing Essence], burn!
A pity Goldie isn't here. No idea why it wasn't "charmed" by the illusion... The boy's black hair stirred. His milky-white Nen instantly turned red, surging along the katana, to the hand axe, and onto the Pigman. A sudden, pained squeal! The Pigman, relying on its brute strength, felt a searing pain in its palm. It dropped the axe and looked down. Its Ten-covered hands were blistered! It stumbled back, giving Roy the opening he needed.
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance!"
Dual-wielding, the blades ignited. The already [Searing] training blade and cane sword swung in a circle, creating two rings of fire. One parried the incoming broadsword, the other, seeing the Pigman looking at its hands, slashed at its unarmored neck!
Schlick!
Flesh tore! A spray of blood! He had broken through its Nen defense and cut deep into its neck!
"AARGH!" The Pigman roared, kicking out at Roy.
He was just one strike away from finishing it, but the broadsword he'd deflected flew back to its owner. The second Pigman swung it in a powerful, heavy slash aimed at Roy's head.
With no other choice, Roy had to abandon his training blade, leaving it embedded in the first Pigman's neck. He used 'Shadow Step' to flow backward, narrowly dodging the blow!
KRAK! The slash missed, hitting the ground... and leaving a fifty-meter-long trench.
The Pigman named "Gordan" snorted, joining his wounded comrade. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, blocking Roy's path.
Swish... swish... Two more Pigmen, 'Scouts', appeared in the trees. And from deep in the jungle, a profound gaze locked onto him. Roy felt his body tense, as if bound by ropes. He frowned, raised his hand [Magnetism: Attract], and recalled his training blade.
This is a tough one, he thought. I might have to 'Re:' a few times.
Fifteen seconds... sixteen... seventeen... twenty... thirty seconds passed...
Outside the illusion, in the tunnel, the boy stood out from the crowd, his eyes closed, lost in the battle. Unbeknownst to him, his endurance had plunged the outside world into a strange, stunned silence. The 400-odd candidates and one confused, fat crow stared, wide-eyed, a tacit silence falling over them. Only the tick-tock of the cuckoo clock could be heard. Shock and dejection warred, painting the room's atmosphere in shades of gray and red.
Thirty-five seconds... forty... fifty... almost a minute. The crowd grew restless. People began to leave, first in trickles, then small groups, then a flood. In a flash, more than half were gone, including Yusuke, the snake charmer, and the other familiar faces.
"Tch! To think it'd be this guy!" In a corner, Tonpa shot Roy a venomous look, his jealousy burning. He suppressed it, sliding along the wall and melting into the departing crowd, listening to them complain about how hard this year was, a total waste of time. He sneered internally: 'Good! If it's hard, you won't come back. The Association will see, and next year's test will be easy again. Maybe I'll finally get my break...' Tonpa had long since figured out the pattern. A pity his strength was lacking, or the "Pro Hunter" roster would surely include "Tonpa the Legend"!
Klang! The last elevator door closed. The candidates were gone.
Only a few remained: Kite, Kanzai, Illumi... and Gotoh and Kurapika, guarding Roy. No one looked at anyone else. They just waited.
"Two minutes," Geru said, maintaining the "Illusion" character, glancing at Botobai.
The man, his face hidden by the opera mask, said nothing. His large hand rubbed his elbow. He was... excited!
"Three minutes!" In the barbecue restaurant, the two old men, full and satisfied, sat at the bar with tea. They ignored the chorus of complaints from the departing candidates, their old eyes fixed on the monitor, on the boy who still stood, eyes closed, lost in the illusion.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Finally, Netero broke the silence. "How long do you think he'll last?"
Zeno rubbed his teacup, head down, and mumbled, "As long as he wants." He shook his head, almost laughing at the absurdity of his own thought. The illusion didn't just have Pigmen... it had the Pig General! That one... is not easy to deal with.
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you