Kays Translations

Chapter 40: Proof of a Hero

Murakumo Kariya had decided to carry the secret of his true self to the grave.

Murakumo was a wizard.
And no one knew about it.
Not even the higher-ups of the Tohoku Hunting Association, his direct employers.

At first, he never intended to keep it a secret.
Originally, Murakumo was just a restaurant employee with a hobby of foraging wild plants. During the Gremlin Disaster, he had been spending the night in a mountain hut, counting the mushrooms he had gathered. However, what was meant to be one night extended into three due to a coma caused by his transformation.

When Murakumo woke from his coma, he immediately became aware of his drastically improved physical abilities, the magic power coursing through his body, and the incantations now engraved in his mind.
He spent a few days at the mountain hut, confronting and coming to terms with his new reality. Determined to seek proper medical attention to understand his condition, he descended the mountain.

What awaited him in Sendai City was a scene straight out of hell.
Monsters roamed freely, while the Self-Defense Forces and police had erected defensive lines around evacuation centers. Blood, flames, screams, chaos, and death filled the city.

Though Murakumo had awakened to incredible power, he was still just an ordinary person at heart, unprepared for what was happening. The unimaginable horror left him trembling and paralyzed with fear. Seeking refuge, he scrambled into one of the evacuation centers.

But the sanctuary didn’t last. Within days, the evacuation center was overrun and destroyed. In its place, four extraordinary individuals emerged, driving out the monsters from Sendai City and rallying the remaining citizens.
These individuals would later become known as the Tohoku Hunting Association.

The Tohoku Hunting Association was like a family.
Not metaphorically—literally. Except for a single witch who joined later, all its members were blood relatives.
Their family lineage made them prone to the static-electricity condition required to become witches and wizards. They were also known for their robust physicality. On top of that, three of them were experienced hunters with official licenses, giving them incredible coordination and skill. The surviving citizens of Sendai welcomed them with fervent admiration.

However, despite their success, Murakumo quickly learned the truth.
The heroes of Sendai—the Tohoku Hunting Association—soon revealed their limits. They accurately assessed that food supplies were insufficient and the areas they could defend were restricted. With grim resolve, they made the brutal decision to reduce the number of mouths to feed.
Ignoring opposition, they expelled the weak, the elderly, and the sick beyond the safe zones, into the monster-infested wilderness.

Looking back, it was the right decision.
Even with the population reduced, malnutrition still plagued those who remained. Had they tried to save everyone, they would have faced collective starvation and annihilation.
But even a rational decision can weigh heavily on the conscience.

Murakumo realized that the Tohoku Hunting Association was capable of such actions. From that moment, he swore to keep his powers hidden at all costs.
The group understood their limitations and accepted sacrifices when necessary. Murakumo feared that revealing his strength would lead to being overworked under the guise of duty or discarded when no longer useful.

To be fair, the Tohoku Hunting Association was strict but fair.
They wouldn’t subject anyone to unnecessary suffering or meaningless death. But if needed, they wouldn’t hesitate to demand sacrifices. After all, during the population reduction, they had even sent away blood relatives without exception.
Their fairness made them terrifying.

Murakumo didn’t want to die.
No matter how powerful his abilities were, he was not invincible. Death was still very much a possibility.

Moreover, a wizard isn’t obligated to protect people. Even if such a duty existed, no reward could justify the immense responsibility of saving tens of thousands of lives in this ruined world.
Murakumo suspected that others like him—witches and wizards hiding their powers—existed. Surely, there were those who believed that refraining from using their abilities was the better choice, as long as they could avoid detection. For those whose transformations altered their appearance, hiding might not even be an option.

Murakumo suppressed his magic to a level that was “impressive for a human” and concealed the unique traits of a wizard, securing a position within the Tohoku Hunting Association.
His skill in controlling magic was exceptional, even among wizards. Pretending to be a somewhat capable ordinary person wasn’t too difficult for him.

Murakumo secured a job as a watchman at the Daidarabocchi Observation Tower on Mount Nishi-Azuma. For several years, he managed to maintain this façade.

The tower was situated just outside the territory of the Daidarabocchi.
If the Daidarabocchi ever became violent, he would be the first to die. But as long as it remained dormant, the job couldn’t be easier. And if the Daidarabocchi ever rampaged, Murakumo’s abilities as a wizard would allow him to escape with ease.

Initially, three personnel were stationed at the Nishi-Azuma Observation Tower. However, as the Daidarabocchi proved to be remarkably docile, the number of staff was gradually reduced, leaving Murakumo alone.
Even monsters avoided the Daidarabocchi, making the observation tower at the edge of its territory relatively safe.

What alleviated Murakumo’s safe but solitary life as a watchman were the monthly supply deliveries and the visits from the Tohoku Hunting Association’s only female member, Itsuwara Usagi.

Usagi, true to her name, had rabbit-like ears.
She was a petite, slender woman with pink hair and graceful movements. Her charming face and lively, approachable personality quickly captured Murakumo’s heart.

As the only female member of the Tohoku Hunting Association and the only non-relative, Usagi seemed to blend seamlessly into the group with her natural charisma.
Her utility magic for enhancement and reinforcement likely played a role in her acceptance, but her genuine warmth and admirable personality had even earned the favor of Daiguma Itazu, the gruff leader of the group.

Usagi visited monthly, delivering supplies, collecting the Daidarabocchi observation logs, and chatting about trivial matters before leaving.
After realizing his feelings for her, Murakumo began subtly trying to win her over. He asked about her preferences and cooked meals she liked, or gifted her bookmarks made from flowers in her favorite colors.

He even considered confessing his secret as a wizard to get closer to her.
But every time the words reached his throat, they retreated at the sight of the scarf around her neck. The scarf—and the scars hidden beneath it—served as a haunting reminder of a hunting accident that nearly claimed Usagi’s life.

Murakumo couldn’t summon the courage to abandon his peaceful life as a watchman and plunge into the life-threatening chaos of battle.

It was because she—Usagi Itsuwara—was lively, energetic, cheerful, and someone who used her awakened powers without hesitation for the sake of innocent people. If she ever learned that Murakumo possessed power and had kept it hidden, she would surely not look kindly upon him.

Murakumo felt far more comfortable being thought of as just an ordinary person with a bit of extra energy and magic. Even if that made it hard to take their relationship to the next level.

And then, Murakumo was mercilessly confronted with the naivety of his own thinking. Why had he never considered that, just as he was drawn to Usagi Itsuwara, there might be another man drawn to her?

On a winter day, Usagi Itsuwara came to the watchtower, fully armed for a mission to slay the Daidarabocchi. On her left hand, a silver ring gleamed on her ring finger.

It was a wedding ring.

When she noticed Murakumo staring at the ring in stunned silence, Usagi Itsuwara gave an embarrassed laugh.

“Oh, this? Great Wolf said, ‘Let’s get married after we take down the Daidarabocchi.’ We haven’t held a ceremony yet, but we exchanged rings.”

Murakumo squeezed out a congratulatory phrase, hoping it sounded normal. Usagi Itsuwara, holding her ring up to the sunlight and smiling with genuine joy, was the most beautiful he had ever seen her.

More radiant than the side profile that laughed at his jokes. More dazzling than the smile she gave when she thanked him for his gifts. Usagi Itsuwara, marveling at the proof of love and commitment, glowed brighter than ever.

Murakumo could hardly remember how he had seen her off as she departed for battle. By the time he realized it, he was back in the watchtower, sitting absentmindedly in front of the telescope.

His insides churned with self-loathing.

Why hadn’t he been braver?
Why hadn’t he shared his secret?
Why—why hadn’t he told her how he felt?

Murakumo cried bitterly, and his own tears of pathetic self-pity only deepened his disgust with himself.

He needed to vent his anger somewhere—anywhere.

And the sound of a gunshot, signaling the beginning of the Tōhoku Hunting Union’s battle against the Daidarabocchi, gave Murakumo a perfect outlet.

It didn’t matter.
Kill it!
Right now, I’m seething!

Murakumo had never seen the magic item imported from the Tokyo Witches’ Assembly for this mission. But for Ōkuma Itazu to rescind his usual warnings of “Don’t interfere with the Daidarabocchi” meant it had to be something extraordinary. The excitement Usagi Itsuwara had displayed after the training drills last month had hinted as much.

Indeed, the Daidarabocchi, struck by a specialized projectile known as a “Sealing Bullet,” let out an unnaturally drawn-out roar as it slowly stood up, almost turtle-like.

Its movements—no, time itself—seemed to slow. The Sealing Bullet was reportedly similar in mechanism to the infamous Monster Snare.

Taking advantage of the giant’s sluggishness, five figures leapt out from five separate observation points, racing toward the monster’s feet from all directions.

Murakumo’s enhanced eyesight, a result of his transformation, revealed that the figures were four wizards and one witch.

The Daidarabocchi, noticing the hunters approaching, unleashed a massive cloud of toxic purple gas from its torso. Yet the gas was immediately swept high into the sky by a sudden, enormous tornado.

It was the magic of Green Cricket, the elk of the Tōhoku Hunting Union.

The gigantic tornado, capable of leveling and pulverizing entire houses, had no effect on the Daidarabocchi. But the lethal miasma was cleared from the ground, allowing the hunters to reach the giant’s feet.

More Sealing Bullets were fired, and an all-out magic assault began.

Though Murakumo was a mage himself and well aware of the limits of magic, the hunters’ spells all far exceeded those boundaries. The benefits of the Tokyo Witches’ Assembly’s “Staffs” were more extraordinary than rumor had suggested.

Storms raged, pillars of light descended from the heavens, blinding purple lightning crackled and danced, and the translucent jaws of a giant wolf sank into the giant’s legs. It was as though natural disasters had taken on wills of their own and were attacking the Daidarabocchi.

By the time five Sealing Bullets had struck it, the Daidarabocchi’s rocky armor was entirely shattered. Its skin, the color of raw copper, was exposed, revealing a hideously twisted, ape-like face.

Murakumo was sure of their victory.

The troublesome armor was gone. Now, they just had to pummel it into oblivion.

If it weren’t for you, Murakumo thought, projecting his tangled anger onto the Daidarabocchi, I might’ve gotten closer to Usagi Itsuwara by now.

But as his fury subsided, a sense of unease began to take hold. The plan, which had progressed smoothly up to the destruction of the armor, now seemed to face ominous complications.

The time delay was undoubtedly working. Daidarabocchi’s trampling feet and swinging arms were so slow that they didn’t even graze the hunters.

The barrage of super-enhanced magic attacks was striking Daidarabocchi without fail.

However, Daidarabocchi was regenerating.

Its injured parts were healing at an alarming speed.

While the damage inflicted was greater, gradually increasing its wounds and inflicting serious injuries, the fact that it was still alive after being hit with enough magic to kill it twice over was astonishing. The most severe injury it had sustained was one of its legs being nearly torn off.

Its resilience exceeded all expectations. Daidarabocchi’s regenerative abilities were known, but no one thought they would be this powerful and persistent.

Time passed, and the battle had raged for nearly 30 minutes.

When the thirteenth sealing bullet struck, all four of Daidarabocchi’s limbs were destroyed.

The head of Daidarabocchi, which had been high out of reach of magic, finally fell to the ground.

Murakumo felt the tension in the battlefield relax for a moment.

There were still two sealing bullets left.

With Daidarabocchi reduced to just its torso and head, all that remained was to deliver the finishing blow.

Even seasoned hunters would struggle to maintain their high level of concentration after 30 minutes of combat. Moreover, they had been on the offensive the entire time, with little resistance. Murakumo thought they could push through and end it.

It was that brief moment of complacency that Daidarabocchi had likely been waiting for.

Daidarabocchi had two known types of magic: the lethal, widespread sticky poison gas and its regenerative ability.

However, at this life-or-death moment, a third magic was activated.

The massive body of Daidarabocchi, now without limbs, leapt into the air.

The way it leapt was ominous.

It wasn’t the slow, sluggish movement as if underwater. It was a vibrant, energetic leap, like a fresh fish flopping on land.

As its massive body soared through the air, its limbs rapidly regenerated.

Cold sweat poured from Murakumo’s entire body.

The worst-case scenario had arrived.

Daidarabocchi had been hiding its third magic: time acceleration, which countered the time delay effect of the sealing bullets.

The hunters stood no chance.

They had exhausted their magic, lost their focus, and were running low on energy.

Not only was delivering the final blow impossible, but even escaping would be a challenge.

Nevertheless, the hunters’ experience shone through. Realizing the dire situation, all five immediately began their retreat.

The five hunters scattered in different directions.

Having fully regenerated its body, Daidarabocchi grabbed a massive boulder from the mountain at its feet and prepared to hurl it at one of the fleeing hunters—Great Wolf. Murakumo’s enhanced vision allowed him to clearly see Great Wolf’s back as he fled without looking back, even from nearly 20 kilometers away.

A sense of unease passed through Murakumo’s mind.

The target wasn’t Usagi Itsuwara.

It was the man who had stolen Usagi Itsuwara’s heart while Murakumo stood by helplessly.

Murakumo had a dark thought.

Usagi Itsuwara, grieving over the loss of the man she had promised to marry. And beside her, Murakumo, gently comforting her…

…Realizing where his thoughts were heading, Murakumo suddenly laughed. He raised an invisible bow to the void, taking a stance as if drawing an arrow.

Murakumo loved Usagi Itsuwara.

No matter what the reason, he didn’t want to see her cry.

“A hunter needs three things in the hunt: a weapon and resolve, the preparation of the heart, and the blessing of one’s wife.”

Channeling his overflowing, near-uncontrolled magic energy, Murakumo formed a golden bow and arrow that glowed softly with phosphorescence in the void.

“When a hunter stalks the creeping beast, they must also remain unseen, lurking in the shadows as the beast does…”

With the next chant, the golden bow and arrow disappeared, leaving only the sensation of the drawn bowstring in his hands.

Sound, scent, and even the faint presence of magic faded.

Murakumo did not hesitate in the incantation of his third, never-before-used magic.

“Hunt or be hunted…”

In exchange for its explosively enhanced power, the arrow had a fatal drawback: if it missed the target, it would pierce the archer instead.

Murakumo drew the arrow, infused with as much magic energy as he could muster without succumbing to mana deficiency, to its absolute limit. Strangely, his heart was calm, as if soothed by a tranquil wind. Gently, he released his fingers.

The invisible arrow shot forth, slicing through the air in a straight line.

Ignoring air resistance and avoiding even the inevitable sonic boom, the arrow flew silently, its devastating power at odds with its stealth.

In just a few seconds, the arrow traversed the 20 kilometers and obliterated Daidarabocchi’s torso, separating its upper and lower halves as though tearing them apart in sorrowful farewell.

The reason he didn’t aim for the head was to avoid the risk of missing such a small target, even by a slim chance. By blowing away the torso in a dramatic fashion, he would buy enough time to allow Great Wolf to escape. Even if he couldn’t make it out of the territory, he would at least get beyond the range of Daidarabocchi’s precision throws.

Though there was no magic energy left for a second shot, Murakumo held his stance, watching the battlefield.

The upper and lower halves of Daidarabocchi, now severed, crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact.

And then…

…And then, it didn’t regenerate.

Blood flowed like a river, staining the trees and earth red, while Daidarabocchi lay completely still.

The atmosphere on the battlefield shifted once more.

It looked dead, but having just been caught off guard by such an assumption moments earlier, neither the hunters nor Murakumo let down their guard. They stayed in combat readiness, watching without approaching.

An hour passed, with the tension still unbroken.

Daidarabocchi didn’t move.

Another hour went by. As the sun began to set behind the mountains, a small bird landed on Daidarabocchi’s wide-open eye.

Even then, Daidarabocchi didn’t move.

The river of blood had ceased, and its enormous body had deflated from massive blood loss.

It was obvious now that it had no life left.

Daidarabocchi was dead.

Even the seemingly limitless regenerative ability of Daidarabocchi had its limits.

Having exhausted all its power through time acceleration and rapid regeneration, Daidarabocchi had burned itself out.

Murakumo finally let out a deep sigh and collapsed on the spot.

After a long, grueling battle, Daidarabocchi was dead.

Usagi Itsuwara was safe.

Great Wolf was alive.

Could there be a better happy ending than this?

Surrendering himself to the heavy weight of exhaustion, Murakumo lay on the cold floor of the watchtower. He decided he would feign ignorance when the Tohoku Hunting Guild asked him, “Did you see what happened at the end?”

Murakumo Kariya had resolved to take his secret to the grave.

The only woman he might have shared that secret with had married another man.

Murakumo had never even stepped into the ring to compete with his romantic rival.

Some might laugh and call him a pathetic loser.

But Murakumo was proud of himself for saving the man his beloved cared for.

With that pride in his heart, Murakumo would live out his life as a nameless man, neither a wizard nor anything else extraordinary.

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