Arc 21: Women’s battle

Chapter 174: The Warriors, and A Second Older Sister

『Then, Touya-sama is Karen-sama’s ……』

「He is my younger brother down here ~nanoyo. He is also a person who has been granted divine power by the World’s Kami-sama ~nanoyo」

That’s a lie. I wasn’t granted it. It was a result of a chance. An honest mistake.

Well, the spirit of the great tree seems also convinced, so it’s fine either way.

『Why is this kind of person at something like [Pruning Ceremony]…….』

「I’m here to cheer at my relatives since they are partic.i.p.ating. Ah, please keep the judgment fair」

『Haa…….』

But then, the Jaja tribe is the one doing the judging so she may not have any relation to it.

Besides that, Karen-nee-san can apparently completely suppress her divine power. It seems that in my case because I can’t do that, I was discovered by the spirit of the great tree. Well, it is not like it is harmful, and I should probably leave it alone for now since it’s something I may come to be able to do eventually. That the thing called “Divine Power” isn’t apparently something that can be taught.

「Nevertheless, 「Pruning Ceremony」? Is it a festival ~nanoyo?」

『Originally, duels were arranged as means to settle disputes, but then I began granting my divine protection to protect their lives. It certainly can be considered a festival now. Though now it involves honor and rights』

「If I am not mistaken, the spirit of the great tree had the special ability to nurture life. I see. I am convinced ~nanoyo」

Fumu. Does the spirit of the great tree have the power to protect life? Even if that’s so, it doesn’t look that almighty as well when I look at the instances where people start dying.

If it could protect anyone and everyone, there shouldn’t have been any conflicts between the tribes in the Great Forest Sea.

「It looks interesting. I also want to watch this 「Pruning Ceremony」 ~nanoyo. I must cheer for Yae-chan and the rest since they appear in it!」

「Eh!? You are not going back ?!」

「……You know, that remark of yours is a little frustrating after you forcefully summon a person here ~noyo?」

「Adadadadadadadadadadada!」

I was pinched again.

==================Scene Change================

The second day of 「Pruning Ceremony」.

The tribes that have advanced to the second round are going to compete with their prowess again. Two matches will be held today and the eight winning tribes will advance into the final round to be held tomorrow.

To tell you the truth, I can’t yet see any tribe that could become an opponent for the Rauri tribe.

「By the way, which tribe won the previous「Pruning Ceremony」?」

「I was told that they called themselves the Panao tribe, but they have already been defeated」

Oh, my. Well, ten years have pa.s.sed since the last ceremony. The members may be different as well.

There were also seemingly strong tribes present, but I think we have been surpa.s.sing them overall. Rue is most likely the weakest in our team. I guess I can say that Pam is slightly stronger than her, and Elsie without using [Boost] is stronger than Pam. But Yae and Hilda are even stronger. If Elsie uses [Boost], she will be equal to Yae and Hilda in strength.

I can’t even imagine for a moment that someone can beat this lineup of three people. However, the compatibility of their opponents and weapons are also present, which has to be considered as well. For example are scenarios wherein an excellent and agile dagger user fights against Pam who uses an ax, or a spear user against the short ranged Elsie. There are also changes based on the fighting order.

Are such things also included? Today’s order is different from the one yesterday. Yae is the vanguard, Pam is the spearhead, Hilda is the center, Elsie is the vice commander, and Rue is the captain.

「Look-look. Yae-chan’s match is about to start ~noyo! Let’s cheer for her ~noyo! Knock him ~out Y-A-E-cha~n!」

「Neesan, it isn’t baseball so……」

While standing beside me, the frolicking Karen-nee-san is shrewdly wearing traditional clothes of the Rauri tribe. Well, even though I would be embarra.s.sed if she stayed in that pajama, these clothes are also…….

In a certain sense, Karen-nee-san stands out too much due to her considerably good figure. Though I can say it is natural because she is the G.o.ddess after all…….

While I was thinking of such things, Yae easily knocked down her opponent. It seems this match is all right. The surprise on the opponent’s team can be seen. I suppose their vanguard was on the strong side. If their strength is only to the point of being easily defeated by Yae, they won’t likely to be difficult opponents.

In fact, our team got three straight wins with Pam and Hilda just like that.

「However what is it…… were they always so strong ?」

Though they occasionally completed the guild commissions, they have been practicing almost every day. Even if they were also going to the training room which was made underground, the speed of their growth during those several months is amazing.

Karen-nee-san tilts her head in puzzlement towards my murmuring.

「Hm? Are they by chance……. changing into [Dependants]~noyo?」

「[Dependants] ?」

「Hmm, the thing called [Divine Power] is just the [Power of G.o.d], but Touya-kun still hasn’t awoken it, so you may not use it ~noyo. If I am still to describe your state, you are half-G.o.d…… something like a demiG.o.d~nanoyo」

Eh……. Has it already progressed this far !? Certainly, I have heard that my body is becoming closer to that of G.o.d. Somehow, I’m gradually moving further away from being human…….

「With that in mind, the ones called “dependants” are those who received a divine protection of a G.o.d. Touya-kun must be unconsciously distributing divine power to the people whom you think of as family ~noyo. It’s slightly insignificant, but is that what you call as [G.o.d’s Love]? That feels like it ~nanoyo. Speaking of that on a much larger scale, we are the dependants of the World’s Kami-sama. His family ~nanoyo」

Ah, I feel like I get it for some reason. I definitely think of everyone as my family. I believe in that I want to protect them. Am I giving them power as dependents? I see. The love G.o.ddess, Karen-nee-san, can also be called the dependant of the World’s Kami-sama.

「Those kids won’t wake up a [Divine Power], but they are may acquire some unique ability ~noyo. They will absolutely reach the cla.s.s of the strongest humans if they continue like this」

「Will they reach that far!?」

「You shouldn’t make light of a [G.o.d’s Love] you know ~noyo? The [Existences loved by G.o.d] are like that ~nanoyo. By the way, they will naturally lose its effect if they are hated by Touya-kun ~noyo」

Well, I don’t think that will happen. It is impossible for me to come to hate everyone. However, what an absurd blessing it grants…….

「But, even if it’s within the level of a demiG.o.d, that much is…..Ah」

「?」

「Hmmm~ Huh? Is that so ~nanoyo? Muumuu. I guess that’s fine ~nanoyo」

「Don’t be convinced by yourself. Please explain things properly」

I reflectively thrust a tsukkomi at Karen-nee-san who crossed her hands for some reason and began to mutter by herself while tilting her head.

「Ah~ those kids probably……. became my dependents at the same time they became Touya-kun’s dependents ~noyo」

「Eh?」

「I am perceiving Touya-kun as my little brother, as a family so to say ~noyo. Thus, I see those girls who are your brides as a family too ~noyo. Though that love is not on the same level as Touya-kun’s ~ne」

Ah, so it’s like that? The love G.o.ddess has twice as much [G.o.d’s Love] compared to the demiG.o.d. The girls definitely have good relations.h.i.+ps with her. Well, she’s their [Sister-in-law-sama] after all.

「…Is something wrong?」

Lindsey called to us as if being curious about our discussion. She likely couldn’t hear the contents of our talk with all the cheering around. Well, she might not understand its meaning even if she heard it though.

「Ya, there is nothing wrong」

「I was confirming that Touya-kun loves Lindsey-chan ~noyo」

「Rea~! Is that right? I-I also l-love yo…..!」

「Ah~ how cute ~noyo~! Giyu~!」

Karen-nee-san hugs Lindsey who turned red while stammering her words.

I see. She is definitely receiving [G.o.d’s Love]. I can agree that she has become a 「Dependant」.

「Touya-san, please look at that」

「Eh?」

When I looked towards the direction Yumina, who was observing the match, was pointing at, two men were fighting at the stage. A big man was waving around a greatsword and a bojutsu user with a shaved head was nimbly dodging him.

The giant man was clearly someone from the Great Forest Sea, but the bojutsu user was different. That skin color, isn’t he someone from the east? Is he a helper same as us?

While continuing to avoid the attacks, he is obviously exhausting the giant’s stamina. Not missing this gap, the shaven man sharply and brilliantly thrust his pole through the giant’s chest. The giant collapsed on the spot. The shaved man has won. After bowing to his fallen opponent, the man returned to his own area.

He is strong. He has a considerable skill. Was that strength of his bought by the tribe and he was called in as a helper? Although this doesn’t have any relation to what is going on, saying [Shaved head Boujutsu (坊主が棒術)] is a tongue twister. I can’t say it three times.

As I continue watching the stage while thinking of something stupid, another person who is not part of the tribe from the Great Forest Sea comes out of the shaven head’s camp. I was surprised to see a woman who had probably been recognized as a comrade to that tribe, much less in the position of a representative.

She has pointed ears, golden pupils, a pattern made of scales floating on a reddish brown skin. Furthermore, there are two horns growing among short black hair and a thick tail growing from her waist. That is…….

「She is from the Dragon Clan, isn’t she?」

Yumina whispers. The Dragon Clan. It probably is so. If I am not mistaken, do those demi-humans belong to one of the seven leading clans of Misumido?

「The Dragon Clan has few numbers. Even among the seven tribes of Misumido, they have the fewest numbers. However, they possess high combat ability and are a race of proud warriors, aren’t they? This also my first time seeing one」

Now that I think about it, I didn’t see any of them when we visited Misumido. The dragon clan is politically indifferent and most of their interest is gathered and directed towards combat and training. I haven’t met one since they also don’t hold any important positions in Misumido.

She is holding dark gray gauntlets. Is she a melee fighter same as Elsie?

As soon as the match started, the woman from dragon clan could be seen agilely step forward. But in the next moment, she was already drawing extremely close to the ax user. And then, she struck out her right palm in a flash. The roaring sound echoed and her opponent was blown out of premises with even being touched.

What is that…….? Is this [Internal Power Release《はっけい》]? I don’t think it was magic because it was used on stage.

She did same as the shaved head and returned to her camp. She is a polite warrior. Is it a school which requires showing manners to a defeated opponent similar to j.a.panese Kendo or Judo?

「Look that that. It looks like it won’t be simple to win after all」

「Looks like it」

As we tried looking at the other stages as well, we could catch glimpses of groups with skilled warriors. However, I still think that those two from a while ago are excelling above the others.

「Naaa!?」

Karen-nee-san lets out a strange voice while looking at the contestant’s grounds. Why? Are there any strange contestants?

Two people were fighting with swords at a place which Karen-nee-san was looking at. One person is from the tribe of the Great Forest Sea while the other seems to be a helper from another region. The helper appeared to be a female swordsman who skillfully handled her opponent’s attacks while carrying a sword with one hand. She had a short purplish silver hair and a white porcelain skin.

「Oh my, why…….?」

Amazing. What’s amazing is that woman didn’t take a single step. She even prevented attacks coming right from behind her with the sword without even looking back as if she could totally see them. What has she done to be able to do that? Moreover, she handles everything with one hand.

Eventually, her opponent stopped moving after he attacked as much as he liked, and she finished him by lightly hitting his shoulder. With only that blow, her opponent couldn’t stand anymore with just that, and the female swordsman’s victory was decided.

Oi-oi, she had won without moving at all. I don’t think that her opponent was weak either though…….

But because the tribe of that female swordsman couldn’t defeat the other three people, they lost here.

「Umm Mou~ Why is that kid in such place ~noyo?」

「Eh?」

Is she acquainted with Karen-nee-san? As we were looking at the retreating figure of that woman going out from the Deity Tree region, she suddenly looked back, lightly waved her hand and smiled at me.

Hmm? Huh? Does she know me?

「Touya-kun, I will borrow you for a while ~noyo. Yumina-chan, I will be borrowing Touya-kun for a while ~noyo」

「Eh? O-okay」

After being taken by Karen-Neesan, we go out of the Deity Tree region. The one waiting for us in the shadow of rather large tree was the woman from before who had her hands on her waist while expressing a smile.

「Ya~」

「Do not “Ya~” ~noyo. Why you are here ~noyo?」

Karen-nee-san folds her arms with an expression that looked more amazed than angry while confronting that swordswoman. The swordswoman just laughed in a parched voice against that retort without any fear.

「Officially speaking, I am here to help you. And the actual reason is that it looks interesting」

「Umm Mu~」

The moment I thought that the swordswoman’s voice sounded familiar by chance, an idea came to me. No way, but……. Everything else is impossible.

「Karen-nee-san…….Say, that person, could she perhaps…….」

「Yes. She’s a companion of mine. The Sword G.o.d ~nanoyo」

「Sword G.o.d!?」

As I thought! Moreover, you have said she is the Sword G.o.d! And did she just tell that she came down because she found it amusing? She’s definitely one of the G.o.ds! Oi-oi, do the G.o.ds have that much free time? Well, though capturing the subordinate G.o.d does look like a work too, it also looks like some sort of convenient excuse to mention…….

「Nice to me you, I guess. Though I think I don’t really feel that way since I peep at the ground from time to time. Touya-kun」

「Haa…… Glad to meet you, I am Mochizuki Touya」

「Ah, pleased to meet you. Nevertheless, Love G.o.ddess. What is the deal with 「Karen-nee-san」?」

「I am Touya-kun’s Oneesan down 《here》 ~nanoyo. Mochizuki Karen. Fufun, doesn’t that sound good?」

Karen-nee-san throws out her chest with pride after clearing her throat with an ‘Ahem’, but it’s not something to be proud of, you know. Although it’s not something to brag about, the Sword G.o.d Onee-san’s reaction was different.

「That’s nice~ Ah, then I will also be Onee-san」

「You are not allowed ~noyo~ The Onee-san’s position is mine ~nanoyo」

Karen-nee-san turns her face away while laughing as if she’s joking around. With regards to that, the Sword G.o.d Onee-san puts her hands together as if she’s praying.

「Isn’t that fine? Ah, that means I’m your younger sister since I’m the second Onee-san. I beg you, Karen-nee-san」

「 I am the elder Onee-san? ~nanoyo?」

「Um, yeah. I am the younger sister」

Karen-nee-san ponders while making a thinking gesture. She then clicks her tongue and gazes directly at us. What this little play?

「If that’s the case, then I guess it’s fine ~noyo. It’s special, right? ~nanoyo」

「I did it. And because of that, I’m now also an Onee-san. So please take care of me」

The Sword G.o.d, with the position of my second Onee-san, turns towards me with a smiling face.

For whatever reason, I don’t understand why the number of my onee-sans increased by one more……What’s with this?