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Grapefull and I waited for the Great Spirit to disappear while inside the barrier since Rifreya went out to search for Jeanne.

Judging from the conversation of the Great Spirit with Rifreya, there’s no worries of Full being attacked if she goes outside, but with the possibility of the masked man being somewhere outside, I can’t have her return alone to the Mutual Aid Association.

The Great Spirit (Small) isn’t showing signs of disappearing.

My summoning ability lasts 10 minutes at most, but this is probably how a summoning ability of a Great Spirit works.

“…A second one, huh.”

Just before the effect of the Barrier Stone ran out, I bought a new one with 1 Point and overlapped it.

It means that, even though it has already been 12 hours, the Great Spirit is still here.

Rifreya still hasn’t come back.

The sun has gone down already.

The highway has less people now, and the ones passing by were directing gazes of curiosity, but that’s all.

Grapefull seems to be bored too.

Even if I have explained the situation, it must be tiring to stay in a place like this for several hours.

I really feel bad.

“The summoning ability should wear out at some point in time. It might be boring, but please hang in there, Full.” (Hikaru)

“Nyo problem. I was off-duty today anyaways. But I am already sleepy, so can I go to sleep-nyan?” (Full)

“Of course. Also…I am sorry. Things got weird like this. I will properly pay the daily fee and extra for the inconvenience.” (Hikaru)

This really fits the definition of weird.

I wouldn’t have imagined for a second that something like this would happen.

I didn’t realize just how troublesome it would be for a Spirit to target me.

I can earn money from dungeon explorations, and it was a comfortable space for me, but a dungeon city was way too risky for me.

…Well, that’s a bit too late to realize though.

After a while, Rifreya came back from the city while breathing roughly.

Alone.

“…Hikaru, I am sorry. I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find Jeanne-san.” (Rifreya)

“She wasn’t at home either?” (Hikaru)

“No. I went through each inn though… I have left a message at home, but it seems like…she hasn’t come here.” (Rifreya)

“Yeah. Could it be that…she is outside the city?” (Hikaru)

“The possibility is there.” (Rifreya)

“Where did that girl go?” (Hikaru)

I never felt such inconveniences when I was on Earth.

Everyone had cell phones, and there were barely any times when they would be out of range.

Being connected was the norm.

That instead makes it hard for me to think of what to do in these types of situations.

“Well, isn’t it enough with Jeanne-san? She is not here anyways.” (Rifreya)

“We can’t do that.” (Hikaru)

Rifreya being so casual about this must be because she feels ‘this is normal’ in an era where cell phones don’t exist.

Cause it really can’t be helped if she is not around.

We searched and couldn’t find her.

That’s probably how she feels.

“Ah, but the Great Water Spirit-sama has already returned to the church, so I think no one will be chasing after you once the Great Spirit-sama here disappears.” (Rifreya)

“Really? Why did the Great Spirit return to the church?” (Hikaru)

“I think the priests convinced her. Anyways, the Great Spirit-sama can’t enter the earth territory anyways.” (Rifreya)

“I see…” (Hikaru)

It is a bit of a positive bit of information.

In that case, I just have to endure here until the Great Water Spirit (Small) spacing out close to us disappears. Fortunately, I have saved a good amount of Points. I should be able to endure it for several days.

“Are the priests not going to come get me?” (Hikaru)

“I don’t think so. Or more like, even if they did, you would be able to run away from them, right?” (Rifreya)

“That might be true, but becoming a wanted person is a bit…” (Hikaru)

“It is not like your face was seen, so it should be okay. In the first place, it is not like you did anything bad.” (Rifreya)

In that case, the best plan would be to escape from the Great Spirit (Small) and leave the city at once.

However, the problem is that, until the summoned Great Spirit that has been standing there absentmindedly, looking at her own hand, and mumbling for a while now doesn’t disappear, I can’t move from here.

Anyways, I still have 12 hours more from the barrier.

As long as I have this, the Great Spirit can’t put a hand on me, and I still have leeway in Points.

Looks like we will manage somehow.

“Rifreya, can you return to the house with Full? You two have to rest, and I can’t move away from here anyways.” (Hikaru)

“Eh? But what about you Hikaru…?” (Rifreya)

“I have the barrier, so it is okay. I have a blanket too, so I will sleep here. Ah, of course, I will be moving away from here if the Great Spirit disappears, so search for me. I will be going ahead to the neighboring town alone.” (Hikaru)

Most of the traveling luggage is in the Shadow Storage and there’s nothing of monetary value in the house to begin with. There’s no issue with just journeying off like this.

◇◆◆◆◇

Rifreya went south with Full, and I am now alone with the Great Water Spirit (Small). The inside and outside of the barrier are divided, but it is already really late, and the moonlight is illuminating the surrounding plantations.

Having Night Vision, this much light is enough for me to the point that I can function with barely any difference from morning.

Well, I am only going to be sleeping now though.

“Aah, I got it! This one really is smart!”

The one who shouted this all of a sudden was the Great Spirit that couldn’t put a hand on the barrier and was outside until now.

She is calling herself intelligent, but compared to the Great Spirit that summoned her, she is smaller, and she doesn’t look that intelligent, but…just what did she get?

“Fumu fumu, I see, I see. This is…like this…and like that.”

“Huh?” (Hikaru)

The Great Spirit walked her way here, put a hand up, and the barrier shook.

In the first place, a barrier is something that ‘hides yourself from others who seek to harm you’.

It also has physical resistance.

It is most likely something that hasn’t been broken once…and yet…

“Fumu, basically, this is a type of protective ability. To think you would be able to use an ability even this one can’t… Hohoho. Humans are interesting.”

Saying this, the Great Spirit’s hand slowly sunk into the barrier. I don’t know what’s the logic behind this.

What I know is that the barrier has been broken.

And that it would be over if I were to be caught by her.

“Is that even fair?!” (Hikaru)

I left the barrier in one go.

The barrier disappeared once I did.

The Great Spirit looked over here in surprise.

“What. Even though I was on the verge of discovering the secret of the ability. And so, what are you going to do now-ja?”

“Even if you ask me what…I have no choice but to do this.” (Hikaru)

I can’t get eaten here, so now that the barrier is broken…I have no choice but to fight.

She won’t be letting me go anyways. Fortunately, there’s no one around.

And since it is night…

I might be able to oppose her a bit.

I unsheath my sword.

If I don’t want to die, I have to do this even if it is against a Great Spirit.

The ‘death’ that was at the other side of the wall…it now feels like those cold teeth were placed on my neck.

My body grew hot as if the blood in my whole body was boiling, but my head was strangely cold and clear.

My body has switched to battle mode.

“Hohohohoho. You can point your sword at this one, a Great Spirit, huh. You have some guts.”

“If you let me off, I can sheath my sword at once though.” (Hikaru)

“This one can’t decide that on my own discretion. Also, this one would also want to taste you.”

Looks like there’s no deal here.

She looked like she would be more reasonable than her summoner, but it seems like she is in the end still a Great Spirit.

“[Dispel]!” (Hikaru)

“Nuwa?!”

Whichever the case, if we are going to be doing this, I will be taking the first move.

A sinister wave spread with me as the center. This chaotic wave obviously passed by the Great Spirit (Small) too.

If this thing was made from a summoning ability, it might be possible to erase it.

Is what I thought, but…

“W-What a fearsome ability you used-ja! I thought I would be erased!”

The Great Spirit said as if hugging herself with both arms.

It seems like she resisted it, but the Dispel was effective to a certain degree. That said, it was either being erased or not. Meaning that, as long as it is something similar to an instant death spell, if the first shot didn’t work, there isn’t much point in constantly shooting it.

The Chaotic Abilities are different in that the Chaotic Energy amount it expends can’t be underestimated compared to Spirit Abilities.

(…If only I could use more Chaotic Abilities.) (Hikaru)

I can only use Fear and Dispel.

(Well, there’s no point complaining about that.) (Hikaru)

The Great Spirit isn’t attacking me, probably wary of Dispel.

If she is not coming at me no questions asked, there might be a way to deal with this.

Being smaller than the summoner should be an advantageous factor.

If it were against the big one, I wouldn’t have been a match in a straightforward battle.

…Of course, this one must have abnormal strength too.

“[Darkness Fog]!” (Hikaru)

If I am going to be defeating it, I will do so with full power.

I was planning on camping here until the very limit of the Barrier Stones anyways if she didn’t disappear. I am on the intention of using scrolls and potions unsparingly for a long battle.

I am willing to use all my Points here.

“[Fear]!” (Hikaru)

“Guh…?! Chaotic Abilities! You…where did you learn Chaotic Abilities-ja?!”

The only thing I could say here is that I just suddenly managed to use it.

Whichever the case, there’s no need for me to answer that question.

Fortunately, it seems like Chaotic Abilities work and the Great Spirit can’t move. Darkness Fog seems to be working too, she is not following my movements.

I did the same as I always do against monsters. Take her back and slash.

I am aiming for the base of the neck; the location of the Spirit Energy vein.

(Got her!) (Hikaru)

A perfect hit.

My weighty Hellfire Steel severed the head of the Great Water Spirit without much resistance.

Her head rolled on the ground.

That head looked at me with a surprised face…and blinked.

“O-Oooooh! I was killed by a human-ja! You, how high is your Tier?”

The Great Spirit (Small) said this with a casual tone as she picked up her head and stuck it back in place.

I can’t even say anything out of surprise.

The Great Spirits…don’t die even when you cut off their heads.

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