First Outer World Story Series: The Black Mist that Devours - Chapter 149
Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter
(Kurokiri POV)
Upon waking up, I was greeted with the usual stark white ceiling.
On my back, I could feel the familiar sensation of a well-used bed.
To my right was Ichiko, who was lying on her knees on the floor, grasping my hand.
Um, how did things wind up like this?
If my memory served me right, I defeated the “Crawling Octopus King of Chaos” by utilizing “Eshi,” right?
After that, due to the expiration of the effect duration of ?The Lord Transcends Reason for My Sake?, I was sent back to my labyrinth, and while maintaining the pressure-resistant technology there, the repercussions of performing two grand sorceries set in…
Ah, I get it. Did I collapse? So, I was carried to Aria’s place and then Ichiko and the others returned and things developed like this?
Yeah, I get what’s going on. I should get up.
“Heave-ho!”
I slowly stretched my body and raised my upper body.
“Ngh… ah, Kurokiri…”
Ichiko was also awakened by the vibrations of my movement.
“Morning, Ichiko.”
“Morning, Kurokiri… wait, this is not the time to be greeting each other. I have a few things to report.”
“?”
Ichiko’s face became solemn at this point. It was as though she was going to embark on a mission to the battlefield.
“To begin with, you’ve been sleeping for two days.”
“Ah, I suppose I slept awfully long. I was too reckless dealing with the Octopus King.”
From “Ultra-long-distance Transportation Formation” to the usage of one Outer Skill, to the summoning of ?The Lord Transcends Reason for My Sake? to name a few. Next was the deployment of a pressure-resistant technology, followed by two major sorceries, all of which were highly consuming. I guessed I hit my maximum outside of the status quo, notwithstanding a refueling session in the middle of the operation.
“Excuse me for making you strain yourself so much for us, Kurokiri.”
“No, everything is good as long as this is the extent of the troubles. More importantly, you have something worse to disclose, don’t you?”
Ichiko said “to begin with” earlier. That meant something must have transpired during the two days I was sleeping.
“Yes. The initial story took place after you had left.”
“Oh, was there a dispute over the stripping of the monsters?”
Ichiko shook her head at my words. They were apparently able to split the Octopus King’s materials without difficulty due to the Octopus King’s gigantic physique.
But what Ichiko continued to say astounded me.
“Lady Ryo has been transformed into a Demon King.”
“What!? Are you serious… ah, but it’s been quite a while since she reached level 9. It’s only natural that this happens. What happened to Ryo, after which?”
“Here is what things have changed.”
After becoming a Demon King, Ryo’s race had been redesignated as the “Affectionate Mother of All Lives,” and after escaping from the Octopus King’s dungeon “Palace of Abyss” with Ichiko’s Long-Distance Transportation Formation, she left the “White Mist and Black Swamp Forest” with the following words.
[I have been indebted to Kurokiri in both favorable and unfavorable ways. That is why I have no intention of being hostile to you anymore. However, now that I am free, I shall live my life according to my own will.]
That was what she said.
Subsequently, she created a new dungeon on the Sea of Japan side, which had always been a weak point following the attack by the Octopus King and had properly dispatched her subordinates to the Japanese Demon Conference and to the meeting place of the Demon Kings.
She had no desire to be antagonistic towards me. Unlike in the past, she was able to throw out deceptive words even to me, which was why I cannot take her word wholeheartedly, but after all, we had interacted with each other for more than ten years. Trusting her will not present any problems.
Besides… I secretly logged in to the meeting place of the Demon Kings just now and an unfamiliar monster made the following remark to me: [If you make Ichiko cry, I’ll do my utmost to finish you off.]
Well, I don’t plan to make her cry, so it matters not. Though if I wanted to make her squeal, I would.
“So, where are the others?”
“Deborah-san is staying in a town near the ‘White Mist and Black Swamp Forest’ as she serves as a connection with Priest-san, but the other members have returned to their respective masters. Izumi, on the other hand… embarked on a journey without giving me the opportunity to interfere, and she is now untraceable.”
Hmm. I see. It seems that everyone returned safely. As for Izumi… let her be. If anything goes wrong, she’ll come back.
“As for the rest… how’s the damage from the attack by the Octopus King?”
“It’s rather undesirable,” Ichiko remarked, her face serious. “Even after you vanquished the Octopus King, the monsters that had already landed or reached neighboring waterways kept attacking the country, wreaking havoc in most areas, including the areas.”
After Ichiko’s words, I checked to determine how many monsters and kin I can connect my consciousness to now. It turned out that the number was less than half of what it was before I left. Most of them evidently had been struggling for as long as they had breath, defending this country and its people.
“Is everything under control now?”
“Yes. The remaining monsters have already been hunted down.”
“I see…”
I meditated and prayed in silence.
“So, all I have to do now is contribute to the recovery effort?”
“That’s right. There are many things to be performed, ranging from maintaining security to providing supplies and food.”
Ichiko then brought her right hand forward towards me.
“I’ll make sure to keep you company later, so do your best, Kurokiri.”
“Ah, yeah. Let’s do our best.”
Then I squeezed Ichiko’s right hand back and rose to my feet.
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Name: Kurokiri (King of the Devouring Black Mist)
Class: Demon King
Race: King of the Devouring Black Mist
Level: 6
HP?2130/2130
MP: 2500/2500
SP: 2430/2430
Status
Strength 40
Dexterity 55
Agility 58
Perception 45
Intellect 65
Spirit 80 ( ?5 by skill analysis)
Luck 10
Skill
?Dungeon Create?, ?Monster Create?, ?Devouring Black Mist?, ?Circulation?, ?Mist Plosion?, ?Bewitching Mist?, ?Sharp Aqua Pillar?, ?Gas Segregation?
Title
?King of the Devouring Black Mist?, ?White Mist of Ambush?, ?Lord of the Kirijin?, ?The Demon King Who Has Looked Outside?, ?Demon Slayer?, ?The One Who Vanquished the Demon King?, ?Miracle Deceiver?, ?King of the Kirijin?, ?Agitator?, ?Wordsmith of Sweet Poison?, ?Purger of the Mist?, ?The One Who Encountered the God of Calamity?, ?Ruler of Japan?, ?The One Who Revolts Against the God of Calamity? etc.
————–
Name: Nasu Ryo
Class: Demon King
Race: Affectionate Mother of All Lives
Level: 6
HP: 2200/2200
MP: 2750/2750
SP: 2450/2450
Status
Strength 40
Dexterity 60
Agility 60
Perception 40
Intellect 90
Spirit 85
Luck 10
Skill
?The One Who Guides All Lives?, ?Dungeon Create?, ?Monster Create?, ?Healing Proficiency ??, ?Detoxification?, ?Anti-paralysis?, ?Anti-illusion?, ?Mist Slap?
Title
?Affectionate Mother of All Lives?, ?Healer of White Mist?, ?Leader of the Kin?, ?Mercenary of the Mist?, ?Commander of the Mercenary Order of the Mist?, ?Seeker of Food?, ?Free of Mercy?, ?Slayer of the Hero?, ?The One Who Encountered the God of Calamity?, etc.
————–
Name: Ichiko (Blade Princess of the Undefined Sword)
Class: Half-Demon King
Race: Half-Kirijin? Blade Princess of the Undefined Sword
Level: 11
HP: 1225/1225
MP: 1105/1105
SP: 1170/1170
Status
Strength 30
Dexterity 45
Agility 60
Perception 56
Intellect 21
Spirit 34 ( ?5 by skill analysis)
Luck 10
Skill
?Sword of the Formless King?Weak?, ?Mist Cloak?Thin?, ?Monster Create?Low Rank?, ?Dagger Proficiency ??, ?Decapitation?, ?Keen Edge?, ?Long Edge?, ?The Lord Will Exercise His Power in My Path?, ?Enchanting Mist?, ?The Lord Transcends Reason for My Sake?, ?Durable Edge?, ?Art of the Long Sword?, ?Art of the Blade?
Title
?The King of the Black Mist’s Kin?, ?Assassin of the White Mist?, ?Demon Slayer?, ?Mist King’s Representative?, ?Favored Princess of the Mist King?, ?Blade Princess of the Undefined Sword?, ?The One Who Encountered the God of Calamity?, ?Decapitated Princess?, ?The One Who Reached the Polar Region?, ?The One Who Befriended the Demon King?, ?The One Who Defeated the Demon King?, etc
————–
A/N:
This is the end of arc 3.
In the next chapter, we are going to jump around a lot and finally meet the figure of that person.
————–
T/N:
The author is saying the next chapter is another time skip. As for the figure, well, you’ll know who they are. It’s simply a few chapters anyway. The final arc is actually more of an epilogue than an arc