[Location: Bamboo Forest of the Lost]
Light invade my closed eyelids, bringing the sign of day to me.
My body instantly recognizes it. The boost in strength I had during the night accumulated, I can bring my body up with extra ease now.
And I'm sheltered by the scaffolding I brought up last night. So this means...
...I'm still in Gensokyo.
Yeah, of course I am. Somehow, I wondered if it was all just a dream.
Even if it wasn't though, this place likes to bring back all sorts of memories I'd rather forget completely!
Maybe it's the smell of wood this thicket reeks of.
...Whatever!
What should I do now?
I did tell Reimu that I would 'think' about it...
…
Well, first things first... I should get myself more food... It would be perfect if I got meat, but...
Whatever! I'll just go on vegetables today, too.
…!
“Hm?”
What the...?
…
Did... I heard something just now?
…
…
Yes.
...Somehow... I get this bad vibe coming from around me.
I am being watched.
“...Who is it? Don't you think I can't feel your presence!”
…
Rustle
I knew it.
This presence... Yes.
This ominous, heavy presence that was on hiding came out as soon as I called it and fell upon me just like a predator attacking its prey.
It sends shivers down my spine. The figures around me start to swarm the entire place, hidden in the woods...!
All of their eyes are sparkling with deadly intent. I can feel their will to kill as if it was solidly palpable!
The numerous beings slowly gathering together and surrounding the campsite move as swiftly as wolves and they position themselves as well as panthers. There are... At least twenty of them...!
The sense of power and danger runs through my spine as if a blade made of ice crossed it.
Yes... This cunning, deadly force... It can only be...!!
“Hey! You are the new one, ain't ya!?”
...
...Fairies.
“What?”
“Don't answer my question wiff another question!”
...Who is she?
I can feel a sort of a regal presence coming from this one.
I've seen a few fairies, but none of them bore such a cocky pose like this one does!
She is almost the size of a child, but somehow her presence is that of a giant. Icicles spout out of her back like wings, keeping her in mid-air like a levitation system.
...She must be the leader of these fairies.
“The new one... If you mean the 'newcomer', as... Some people call me, then yes.”
“That's what eye said! And you come here in our forest, settle yourself a fancy home and call yourself the owner of the place?!”
...Did I really call myself this place's owner?
Man, I must be a real bastard when I'm asleep.
“Cirno-chan...! Cirno-chan, will you start listening to me? Honestly...!!”
Huh?
Well, that's a surprise.
Most fairies just follow a leader's orders blindly, when there is one. In this case, I'd guess the ice fairy should be in total control.
“What is it, Dai? Can't ya see I'm nego... Nego... Talking with the new one?”
“You're just rushing into trouble again! You shouldn't do that, it's causing all sorts of problems!”
But this other fairy seems to be free of that.
She looks less child-like than the other, though. Her presence isn't nearly as powerful, I can feel she isn't just a random fairy either.
So what? Is she the mind behind the gun?
“I'm impressed to see more than a single fairy with an actual mind of its own in the same group!”
“Ah... Yes. We're not really like that, you know. It's just that...”
“Show him, Cirno!!”
“Blow'im a new tog, oy!”
“Spread our name across the wind!”
Oh. So they...
“...See? They are just impulsive.”
I can't believe I'm actually in the middle of a circle of fairies with their own senses of will!
This... This is nearly as absurd as it is crazy incredible!
So you mean the ice fairy isn't the boss?
“New one! You know why eye am here, don't you!?”
I should be ready for anything at this point.
Fairies are never to be underestimated when in large groups like this...
But if this fairy isn't the boss... Then...
“Who... Who are you?”
“Me...?”
She is making yet one more cocky pose...!!
“Eye am the blue ice, eye am the cold wind, eye am the true power. With spell in hand eye will cut through the evils of this world and freeze them in the glaciers of destruction! Eye am Cirno! The strongest has come!!”
“...”
“...”
I am not sure if the silence that just fell upon the entire forest was just everyone being blown away by the sheer awesome of this.
Plus, she said something there...
“Wait... Strongest?”
“It's me! Eye's the strongest fairy of Gensokyo!!”
Shit! I am sure that this is about fighting, now!
“Wait, Cirno-chan... Did... D-Did you actually rehearse that...?”
“Eye did! So, new one! This strongest here challenges you to a duel! A fair, one on one duel!”
I knew it...!
“For what purpose? I've done nothing to provoke you!”
“Of course you didn't. Consider it a special offer made by the strongest!”
“C-Cirno-chan! Calm down, please...!”
...A personal duel invitation made by the strongest?
To me?
“W-Why?”
“Eye want to fight! Isn't that enough?”
I...
…
….
I'm...
…!!!
I'm pumped up!! Are you serious!?
“Of course! It would be an honor to accept your challenge, Cirno-san!!”
“Then follow! Come, Dai! Rally the fairies, eye'm going to teach them a thing or two 'bout what it is like to be the strongest!”
Changing places, huh? Fair enough!!
--------------------//---------------------
[Location: Misty Lake]
Well, we walked for quite a bit, didn't we?
From what I gathered from these fairies, the green-haired one is actually the leader, Daiyousei.
But even though she is the greater fairy, the ice one, Cirno, is actually the strongest of them.
“Sorry to make you wait, new one! But eye don't want to upset the angry lady of the bamboo forest, you see?”
“Fair enough. I've been wondering though, if we're going to fight, do you suggest anything in particular about it?”
“Ah, I'll say this, Shinki-san. I'll mediate it, so things don't go out of control. If I say it's over...”
“It is over. I get it.”
So if she is stronger than the grand leader...
So this means I need to take this seriously from beginning to end.
I don't know if Gensokyo's fairies are the same as the ones I used to meet...
...But I'm going to bet my money they use magic here too.
So, this is the time to use the abilities I've been blessed with from birth!
“Hm...!!”
My lower canines grow as I gather my powers in my fists, covering them completely like gauntlets.
I'm ready.
“Whenever you want, Cirno-san!”
“Here eye go!!”
And she start blasting at me with icicles summoned from thin air...!!
---------------//--------------
[Interlude- Location: Hakurei Shrine]
Swipe
Swipe
The day was the same as usual for the shrine maiden.
The sun hardly was up in the cloudless sky. The wind was blowing nicely through the trees nearby much for her annoyance, since it scattered more leaves in her yard.
“*Sigh*... Same old, of course.”
She complained, but she didn't hate it.
After all, it was part of the life she had. The world around her was filled with these things.
Even youkai extermination is a part of it. It was something that had to be done, sooner or later. People are eaten, and they pay to be safe. That was a good enough of a reason for the maiden to accept these jobs.
“...I wonder...”
“Heeey! Reimuuu!!”
The distinctive voice of her friend called her from the sky. Naturally, the maiden responded with a smile, and a wave from the hand.
The black witch landed nearby, dismounting from her inappropriately labeled 'vehicle'. Her usual carefree smile was taken by a rather serious expression. The shrine maiden blinked in response.
“What's wrong, Marisa? You look troubled.”
“Yeah, kinda. It's just that I was curious about something, so I came over to ask you about it.”
Ask about? The black witch is the kind of person that would rather make assumptions on her own, or reach conclusion through her own personal experiences and knowledge on the factors around her after a session of study on the matter.
So the simple fact that she was there, asking Reimu about something meant a big deal for the maiden.
“You asking something to me? That's quite rare, isn't it?”
The witch scratched her head, troubled. She is just the kind of person that likes to search first, then ask later. But...
“...This time, I found nothing. So I came to ask. That's all.”
“What is it, then? I'm listening.”
...A brief pause took place. The black witch crossed her arms, gathering her thoughts properly. She knew she had to ask about it, but how to ask was the matter at hand.
“Say Reimu. What kinds of youkai inside Gensokyo can actually use magic?”
Well, that was a rather odd question, coming from a magician like Marisa.
“Well, magi-type youkai, of course. Like Alice, or Patchouli.”
“And fairies too, right? Or humans that studied enough, like me.”
Reimu nodded in agreement. The worried expression in the witch's face got slightly more noticeable now. Something was wrong, and the maiden could tell.
“Marisa?”
“Reimu. Today I found this youkai in the forest... I never saw something like that before. It didn't have magic in it, but it actually used it.”
“It didn't have magic, but it used magic? That's impossible, isn't it?”
“I...I know it sounds weird! But it happened! A random youkai in the forest actually used magic on me! It wasn't really that impressive of a spell, but he used it!”
“And where is that youkai now?”
The black witch took off her hat and scratched her head.
“I sparked it to death, so there isn't much left of it now. I felt that it was important to tell you about it though... And in case you knew something about it...”
The maiden stopped swiping the ground. Suddenly... She did feel that the wind was blowing strangely. As if something wasn't right.
It was just a feeling, but...
“I see. Sorry Marisa, but I really don't know anything about that.”
...The timing... Was it just a coincidence?
“Marisa, can you do me a favor? I have a job in the mountains, so I want you to do a little thing for me.”
“Hm? Depends on what that is, ze.”
“You remember that the barrier was supposedly damaged, but in the end it wasn't anything serious? I met the one responsible, and he is in Gensokyo right now.”
“So you met the one? Who is it?”
“He's a vampire called Shinki. He's a nice person, so if you want you can ask him for details later. Just... Talk to him about it. I have a feeling he might know about that youkai.”
“...Oh! I guess I know where to find him then. I saw someone playing with the fairies when I was coming over here, so... Sure! I can do that.”
The black witch immediately jumped on her flying broom.
“Reimu!”
“Yes?”
“...Do you have a bad feeling about this?”
The maiden closed her eyes for a couple seconds before smiling back at her friend.
“It's still way too soon to tell!”
[Interlude – Over]
----------------------------//---------------------------------
[Location: Misty Lake]
...I kick the ground and move to the right as soon as yet another icicle flies through the air and carves itself on the ground behind me.
My mind is thinking way too fast. As usual, my body responds to incoming danger with automatic reflexes, putting myself in the middle of danger and coming out of the crossfire unharmed.
As Cirno tosses more ice blades at me, I use my anti-magic gauntlets to change their direction like shields.
...This is my self-developed ability.
As a blue-blood vampire, I can suck magic from people just like a regular vampire would suck blood.
But I also can use the magic I absorbed to augment my own physical abilities. I can increase my strength, my speed...
The potency of my punches or even my defense.
And I also managed to develop a special characteristic for my anti-magic ability.
Because most of the enemies I fought against in the past had the bad habit of flying.
I can't hit them If they are beyond my reach!
So I decided on something really crazy, but that proved invaluable for me.
“Damn... It... Stand... Still...!!”
If I cover either my fists or feet with this 'glove'...
I can actually touch the magic around me if it took physical form and use it as platforms.
It wouldn't be over-the-top to say I actually can surf in my enemies' weapons.
And of course... I can use this 'glove' as a shield, too!
THOOOM
And she missed again.
...I don't get it...!
“*Pant*... *Pant*... *Pant*... *Pant*...Damn... Stay still so eye can... Hit you...!”
Why is she missing so much?
Granted, I am a dodging whore. But this isn't about me being able to dodge.
This is about her aim being horrible!
Is she testing me? Her icicles aren't exactly weak, though. It's actually a fairly developed ice magic that if it hits, it will hurt.
But even so, they aren't half as powerful as I was expecting.
What's going on here?
“GRRR! This is annoying! Why don't you stand still?!”
...Because I don't want to get hit...
“Cirno-chan... Don't get mad at him! You are the one who challenged him, remember?”
Is she mad because I didn't attack her yet?
I was waiting until she rushed me, but so far she didn't.
...Does this mean I should do that instead?
“Don't give up, Cirno!”
“Blow'im a new tog, oy!”
“Focus, Cirno-chan!”
...What an exited bunch.
Well... If this is what is has come to be, then I'm going to rush her!
…?
She raised her hand just now. What is it?
“*Deep Breath*”
“W-Wait! Cirno-chan!!”
“Spell Card! [Ice Sign – Icicle Machine Gun]!!”
What...!?
Flash
…Whoa!!!
She's blasting a rain of icicles at me! ...Focus...!
Crash Crash Crash
It's not going to do much good if I keep punching the missiles!
Crash Crash Crash
I gotta find a way in through this rain... … ...Yeah, I see it.
This hardly gives me time to jump away, so I'll just make use of the openings this gives me!
It would be a lot more deadly if it didn't move in a straight line, though...!
VOOSH
VOOSH
VOOSH
I can move through this rain towards her easily.
The problem of a fancy spell like this, is that it has a pattern.
Every pattern has a blind hole in it.
And if I can find the hole...
“...Ah! No way!! Are you kidding me?!”
I can reach you through it!!
“Take this!”
I hit the fairy's chin with the butt of my palm!!
BAM
…?
I felt the firmness of this attack.
That was really nasty.
Thud
…
...
Um.
What silence is this?
Every fairy that was cheering excitedly suddenly went into a deep, dark silence.
Hm. Cirno is laying on the ground, about two meters from where she was.
“Uh... C-Cirno... San?”
“Cirno-chan! Oh, Christ, are you OK?”
“Eye thyink eye broyke mye jayw...!!”
...She sounds stunned. My attack caused so much damage on her?
Wait a moment.
…
…
SO SHE'S ACTUALLY WEAK!!??
No! NO! Wait a minute, this' not possible! First of all, fairies are entities consisted of the magic in the air itself, a concentration of power manifested due to the shock of power beneath the earth with the gaps contained in it with air and water, making the manifestation of a being thereby possible! So even the weakest fairy in existence would be able to easily dispatch even a higher-ranked demon due to its high concentration of magic, making them easily the closest beings to nature there are! A being close to nature is automatically considered a higher spirit due to its crazy abilities of manipulating their magic, a resource found more abundantly within the nature! It's not possible that a fairy such as Cirno, who is easily a master of controlling the Ice element, not to be resilient! Or at least a flying cannon! Did I miss something when I was learning about magic? Did I do something exceptional to bypass a fairy's resistance?
“Cirno-chan, talk to me! What hair style do I have on today? Tell me!”
“...Ah... Ponytaiyl? Eye gyess...?”
...But maybe...!
Maybe it's Gensokyo that's different from what I'm used to.
…
Oh, man. Retiliashamane would be ashamed of what I just did.
Or maybe she would be ashamed of the fairies, I don't know.
“Aah... I'm... I'm sorry. I guess I should have held that back more.”
A lot more.
I'm feeling bad. It feels like I just bullied someone.
“You fought well, Cirno-chan!”
“He blew ya a new tog, oy!”
Rumble
…
“Eh? Dai, diyd you say soyemthyng?”
“What? I can't understand you very well, Cirno-chan. We have to fix your jaw...”
Wait.
What was that?
There's something up.
I can't tell what it is, but there's something...
Rumble
...I'm feeling like we're...
...We're not safe.
“Dai, soyemthyng's not ryght. What's the rumblying about? Earthquayke?”
…!
Cirno also feels it?
“...Daiyousei. You... You should leave. Right about now.”
“Eh? But...”
I don't get it! What did this come from? So sudden like this!
How many fairies are here?
“Get everyone out! Fly through the lake, I don't care! Just go! Hurry!!”
It's getting close at... An unbelievable speed!
Rumble
“Eh? Dai-chan, what's all this rumbling?”
RUMBLE
...Shit!
“Fairies! Help me carry Cirno? Something's not...”
Yes. Hurry!
SNAP
…! The trees nearby just fell apart!
“[MAGIC!!!]”
...WHAT!?
A four-meter long serpent, with reddish skin and fins attached to its head, stretching all the way to its tail! And lizard-like scales! ...That...!
That is a Leviathan!!
What the fuck is a Leviathan doing here?!
“Ah...!! AH!!! What is that!?”
“[MAGIC! MAGIC!!!]”
Well, no surprise a bunch of fairies never saw a four-meter tall serpent painted red!
It is clearly berserk! Did it stay off the water for too long?
Damn it! Thinking about it isn't going to do much good!
“Hm!!”
Again! I turn the switch of my vampirism on.
“Dai! Dai, what is that? I've never seen a snake that big before!”
[MAGIC!!!]
…! It just bum-rushed the fairies!!
Oh no, you will NOT!
I twist my feet on the ground and kick myself towards the Leviathan...
THUD
[SHRIEK!!]
And I hit it with my shoulder as hard as I can.
The Leviathan is pushed aside, rolling away from the little ones. What are they doing?
“Hah... Hah... Move! Little ones, get off! You can't stay here!”
“B-But...”
Tch! If I didn't hurt Cirno like that, this would be so much easier...
I'm sorry, fairies!
“S-Shinki-san! What is that?”
“It's a Leviathan! It eats magic, so it's obviously after you guys! But it can't actually fly... So you'll be safe if you just go up!”
“U-Understood! Fairies, carry Cirno up! Let's fly, hurry!”
I'm glad she mobilizes really fast!
The Leviathan is having a seizure in the ground. I never saw one being so stupid when it comes to getting back on their tails.
...Wait. No! This is...!!
[HYDROSTORM!!!]
SHIT!
It launched a rather gigantic ball of water upwards. I can't do anything about it now...
“What's that!?”
...The ball blasts itself into an extremely heavy rain of magic.
The water from it presses onto me. I open my pores in response, absorbing what I can, but the fairies can't do that.
...So they can't escape flying up, now.
“This is heavy!! What's this!?”
I immediately jump towards the Leviathan's face.
The magic I gathered from the fight against Cirno was actually rather good, plus he just gave me some.
So I'll return it to him!!
I increase the power of my fists ...As I do so, dark flames begin to burn around them.
And I bring them down as hard as I can!!
“Horaaaa!!!”
TWHOM
“[SHRIEEEEEK!!]”
...Tch! So stubborn!
Even after ramming my fists through its head, it's still alive.
“Fairies! If we can't go up, let's go through the lake! Follow me, hurry!!”
...I'm not sure if that is the best idea ever, but... At least they want to escape.
...By the sound of it, Daiyousei actually managed to rally them well away from this thing...
“So it's you and me, big boy. Care to say a last word before I grind you?”
“[MAGIC! ESCAPE! NO! ENEMY! HATE!]”
I'm not particularly fond of Leviathans either!
Specially if they are stubborn like this.
So I'll just rip your heart out and eat it for lunch!!
One more punch on the mind should do it.
So I'll just...
“[MAGIC!!!]”
W-WHOA! Are you!!
A giant sphere of fire blasted away from its mouth without prior warning.
THOOOOOM
GAH!
Thud
...And it hit me!
At least I could cover myself in my defenses before I actually got hurt, but...!
It's after the fairies! Damn it all to hell!
I can't jump that far!
“Damn it!! Fairies, run for it!!”
That was a real bad move from my part! I wasn't expecting it to shorten its lifespan like that just for me to get out of its way!
This isn't funny! What do I do!?
…
...He's going to catch up to the fairies if this continues.
Damn it!! This is really...!!
“Oi! You're Shinki, aren't you? You don't look familiar, so I guess you're the one Reimu mentioned, ze!”
…!!
Who!?
I was so focused on the Leviathan I didn't see this... Blonde... Witch? Coming.
“...H-Hey! That's the thing that spit magic at me sooner! How come it's still alive?”
...So the Leviathan was hurt before coming here?
“That 'thing' is really resistant, lady! You said you beat it up, then?”
“Yeah. What the hell, it's chasing after the fairies!”
...Did...
She came flying, didn't she?
“Say, can you fly?”
“Ah? Yeah, I can with magic. Why?”
“Please help me! I want to save those fairies!”
“Eh? Why bother? Fairies revive themselves after they 'die', so it's not that big of a deal.”
What kind of mentality is that? Are you crazy!?
“If they are eaten by a Leviathan, they will not! He feeds on magic! He's going to absorb their lives into his own if he's not killed now!!”
Don't make that 'I don't believe you' face!!
“That sounds rather far-fetched...”
“WILL YOU HELP ME OR NOT!?”
“Only if you give me something, ze!”
...God damn it! She didn't even think twice!
“Fine! I'll do it! So give me a ride over the Leviathan! Hurry!”
...So she really does fly in that broom of hers? I won't be able to sit in it with her.
“Grab on! I'm not exactly nice when it comes to speed, though!”
So I'll be suspended beneath you? Whatever, we need to hurry...!
...Well. I grab it!
I never really flied in a magic broom before, though... So I wonder how---
VOOSH
WHOA!
Kiiiiiiiii
“Hold on! I know you're sustained by your hands alone, but hold on!! I told ya I'm not nice when it comes to speed!”
And she wasn't kidding!
We're over the Leviathan already!! This is perfect!
“Thank you, witch lady!”
And I release myself!
I'm going to crush your spine, you disgusting little beast!
Using the fall from the broom as a starter, I gather all my power into my right fist.
And I bring it down!
“DIE!!!”
THOOOOM
The impact was so brutal it sent a shockwave through the air.
“W-Whoa!!”
“Eek!”
“[SHRIIIEEEEK!!]”
I buried my fist through its spine.
There's no way this thing can stay alive now.
…? I can't take my hand off.
“Grab the broom!!”
Oh! Oh yeah, I'm gonna sink in the lake!
So I grab the broom with my free hand.
Grip
“Gah! Hey, that's heavy, ze! Why are you carrying it?”
“...My hand's stuck on its spine!"
...Hey.
"...Say, can you bring me with it back to the shore?”
“Why!?”
“Because I just thought about it, but... Leviathan meat is good.”
“Oh, really? I want some, then!”
Fair enough.
…
The cool breezing sound on the air immediately takes place.
The urgent feeling I had vanishes with the breeze. I can finally let go my sigh of relief.
...Hah! Hahahah! I never thought I'd be with a stuck Leviathan in my right hand and being suspended in the air by my left hand!
Well... Where all of that adrenaline just go?
“S-S-S-Shinki-san! Are you ok?”
Well, the great fairy seems to be extremely relieved.
...And so am I, to be honest.
I don't know why, but I felt extremely protective of these fairies there, didn't I.
“I'm... I'm fine. Daiyousei, you're all fine, right? I'm glad.”
She gives a really beautiful smile, as expected from a greater fairy.
“We're the ones that need to be glad! You saved us!”
“No need, really... I wouldn't be able to reach you if it wasn't for witch lady here. And... Consider the saving, my apologies for hurting your friend.”
“Hey! That beast's kinda heavy, so I'm going to speed it up to the shore!!”
“Oh! My bad, for making you carry this with me!”
The fairy is smiling nicely, isn't she? I just did something good.
“So we'll take care of our Cirno-chan now. See you around, Shinki-san!”
Well.
This was a rather thrilling broom ride, wasn't it?
“Well, at least I'm going to eat meat today. All day long.”
----------------//--------------
[Location: Misty Lake]
“So, you can actually eat this?”
“You can. It's a giant lizard, you know. Lizard meat is good.”
And I'm actually a good cook. I'm pretty sure I cooked it right.
Marisa is taking her time sniffing it. I'm not going to do the same!
MUNCH
…
...Yes! I've done it again!
There goes my timing, again!
“Shinki! This is really good, ze! You weren't kidding!”
Indeed!
...So she is a friend of Reimu's.
I highly doubt she came here to say hello to me, though.
But so far she didn't say anything. I can't tell if either she is in deep thought, or if she forgot completely what she wanted from me.
...The happy munching sound of lizard meat isn't something to be ignored, I know!
“...Hey.”
Or maybe it should, to an extent.
“Yeah?”
“So, what is this thing I'm eating anyway?”
...So she doesn't know what a Leviathan is, too?
“...This is a Leviathan. From where I came, they were sea serpents that usually would come out of the water to hunt, then they would go back to their lairs. I'm surprised you guys don't know what they are.”
“It's not a magical youkai, is it?”
Not magical? Of course it is.
...But maybe... Is the difference between Gensokyo and the Outside World really this big?
“...Yes they are. They eat magic, adding the things they eat to their own power. The more a Leviathan eat, the more powerful they get. This one was a pretty small one, though.”
What's this? Does she think deeply when she's eating like this?
“I couldn't feel magic in this thing, ze. How do I say it? It was like he was empty, but full at the same time.”
That's a rather complicated point of view you got there.
“Well, I don't know how you guys handle magic in here. It's not totally different, but maybe there's a few differences. Is that how you feel the 'absorption' kind of magic? How do you sense my own?”
…
I don't know why, but when she look in my eyes I feel like she's staring at my guts.
“...You feel like a water box to me. Outside World magic is always this different?”
I don't know what to say about that.
But a water box? That's... A pretty accurate way to describe how I work, though I'd guess a gallon is more appropriate.
“I guess it's way too soon to tell. I'd have to see more about this place's magic to conclude anything.”
...Indeed.
But this is really strange. The Leviathans aren't exactly a rare kind of youkai. Granted, you will never see two of them together, because they eat each other over territory, and power.
But them never seeing one? This doesn't sound too plausible.
Or maybe I'm just thinking way too much...
-----------------------//--------------------------