The Spearmaster and the Black Cat
chapter-207

Chapter 207

“I’m going to kill you, kill you～”

Although she had knitted her eyebrows, which looked as if they had been drawn on her forehead with a fine pencil, at first, the swarthy woman closed one eye as if winking, seemingly a quirk of her, and started to laugh .

She threw out her chest as if pushing out her exposed belly button, and lifted her two elbows with a sway at an angle of 40 degree . She drew two, small, round magic crests with her fingers that were clad in mana, and put those magic crests between her thumbs and fingers .

Those magic crests were apparently linked with the bonefish that had been floating in the air . At the same time as she moved her fingers, a light shone in the eye sockets of the fish’ holey skulls, and they spread the upper and lower ends of their jaws .

The bonefish showed off their sharp fangs, and rushed towards Mamani and the other slaves like predators in the sea while making the bones in their skeletal frame sway .

“――Incoming attack . Withdraw, Algan’s Lamentation . ” Mamani shouted the strategy name to cope with dangerous situations they had decided upon in advance .

Seemingly having broken into a cold sweat, she wiped her face with its abundant fur, and then got ready by shrugging her shoulders and putting Ashram in front of her .

She could hear Fuu holding her breath behind her, but as ordered, she began to cast her magic, “Oh Earth Spirit Bastoral, my…”

“Affirmative――” In concert with Mamani’s instruction, Bia advanced in order to protect the casting Fuu while using <Throwing> on the one-handed spear in her thick arm .

I will smash the strange monster first .

The spear, which had been thrown while containing that intention, didn’t head for the bonefish heading their way, but the torso of the swarthy woman manipulating them .

However, “Oh my, your response is quite quick――,” said the swarthy woman joyfully with a light tone, extended the black nails on both hands, and made them transform into straight swords with a black luster .

She swung down those straight swords with a speed causing a vertical gust of wind . The swords very easily chopped up the thrown iron spear as if cutting through cheese .

――As expected, it didn’t work, huh? Mamani’s judgment was correct .

――A mysterious opponent that has been releasing mana at the same level as master .

While analyzing the monster woman in her own way, Bia took a step forward and readied the curved Shadow Striker in her left hand and the tower shield in her right, fixing her eyes on the bonefish approaching herself .

――They are fast, but I can smash them!

Bia moved at the same time as she thought that .

She activated <Double Beheading Sword>, raised Shadow Striker diagonally above her head, and swung it down at the skull of a fish . The bone fish was bisected in a flash . Two parts with conspicuously flat cross-sections of what had been a bonefish were rolling on the wasteland’s ground with its rising smoke .

“Hee, what a surprise . You bisected a grown <Demonic Bonefish>, eehh?” The swarthy woman widened her eyes in surprise after having seen the sword line of Bia who easily cut a <Demonic Bonefish> .

However, there were still two more bonefish left . They were heading for Mamani’s group from the left and right .

At that moment, “Severing Thunder of Rocks!”, the chanting of Fuu that sounded like a beautiful bell came to an end, and the advanced language spell, Severing Thunder of Rocks was unleashed .

A jumble of flat, big rocks that suddenly manifested out of nowhere flew towards the chest of the woman as if drawn to it . The woman revealed a composed expression even with the magic rocks approaching in front of her at a rapid speed .

Suddenly her silver, twisted, long hair, which was tinged with mana, squirmed, and automatically spread out in a fan form into the air, obviously intercepting the group of rocks . The big rocks were smashed apart by the silver hair fan as if swatting a swarm of flies .

In the meanwhile, the bonefish attacked Mamani’s group .

Once Mamani folded her elbow and caught the first biting attack of the fish that had attacked from the left with Ashram, she immediately counterattacked .

“Unseal – Pliable Legs――” While yelling in her unique voice, Mamani lifted the kneecap of her left leg at a steep angle, and delivered a high kick by neatly spreading her leg against the lower bones of the demonic bonefish .

Usually she was devoting herself to giving instructions, but she was a master of the Tiger Fist Style, and as such close combat was her specialty .

At the moment she forced the fish to float upwards like a carp jumping high into the sky, she raised Ashram overhead, and completely pulverized the jawbone by striking the edge of the disk against the fish’s jaw .

Not just the jaw, even the skull bones developed cracks, and the bonefish broke apart, turned into bone dust, and vanished by scattering into the wind .

However, the other demonic bonefish was closing in on Fuu, who had just finished chanting her advanced spell, from behind . The fish opened its mouth to bite into her windpipe that had produced the beautiful chant .

Souther, who had drawn her swords, went into action . I won’t let you touch Fuu!

With a sharp look, she kicked the ground from a side stance ― and jumped . She nimbly leaped into the air, and closed the distance to the bonefish . She turned the inner part of the Water Twin Sword in her right hand so far back that it touched her small back, and while twisting her body in midair, she settled it with a rotational slash called <Ripple>, landing cleanly thereafter .

The cut bonefish turned into three bone clusters with smooth cross-sections, and fell to the ground .

――<Ripple> is my prided skill . But, this magic sword is amazing…

Souther was more satisfied with the sharpness of the magic sword she had received from Shuuya than her own slashing technique .

Just like that, Fuu started chanting the next spell, Bia protected Fuu, and Souther ran back to her search-and-destroy position where she cooperated with Mamani .

“Hmm, for all the <Demonic Bonefish> to have been defeated, how unexpected… Even though the previous adventurers were led around by the nose and got hit by countless bone needles; a difference in ability, huh? How magnificent…” The woman retracted the silver hair which had destroyed the advanced magic .

Once she shrunk back her black nail swords, returning them to their normal state of being beautiful nails with black manicure, she clapped her hands as if applauding…lifted the corners of her mouth into a happy smile, and said, “…I suppose I failed . And sadly I also used up my daily pleasure time . ”

While placing a pretty, black nail against her well-shaped lower lip which could be evaluated as cute, she seductively shook her hips, which allowed a look at her skin, and continued, “Even though I might be able to obtain something a lot more precious if I absorb you guys…aww, I’m stupid, I’m soooo stupid . But, but, it might also be fun to fight normally!”

She poured mana into her eyes, and observed the state of Mamani’s party, then she clad her entire body with a peculiar, light blue mana, same as her eyes .

Mamani decided to use her trump card against this abnormal enemy . Master…I’m sorry . In her heart she apologized to Shuuya who was in the middle of running down from a hill on the 20th floor while riding RollodeenHorse Lion .

“…Although I didn’t want to use it since it will break the armor I received from you――!”

A different, scratching, hard sound was audible . It was the sound of Mamani fiercely gnashing her upper and lower tiger-like teeth .

She was a tigerwoman, and moreover, quite a beauty, but she donned a tenacious, determined expression .

And at the same time, Mamani roared with a voice that seemed to tremble, “Guuo…guoooooooooo――”

At that moment, her body bulged, and she turned into a huge lion . She was releasing a unique, yellow mana, which looked like a tiger deity, the personification of a tiger, striking a daunting pose, from her body . Angry at the aggregator sites stealing this translation, she roared to support the TL .

Right, she had used her trump card . The power of her special body .

She was considered to be similar to the many mutants among leopard beastmen, but that perception was incorrect . She was the daughter of the Rahlmahni tribe’s chief, and the successor of a special Rahlmahni body of which only very, very few existed .

And then, just as he had muttered in advance, the golden chainmail, which was also a magic armor, couldn’t endure the bulging, tore apart, and dropped to the ground . However, her face’s size didn’t change, and thus the faceguard remained .

Many “yellow whiskers with a consciousness” grew out on her neck with its thick yellow fur, reminding one of the evil tiger god Steertop . Her collar had no armor anymore . It had fallen to the ground in a warped state, obviously having its clasp broken .

With her agility, Souther swiftly picked up the potion bag together with the belt as it could be still used after repairing it .

“…Tsk . A mutant with a long-lasting reputation, no, a subspecies, huh…?” The silver hair of the swarthy monster woman, who was called Purine some time ago, stood on end, seemingly reacting to Mamani’s tiger fur, and she drastically widened her narrow eyes that had looked like a line drawn with a fine pencil .

And while gazing at Mamani’s huge lion form, she extended her black nails once more, turned them into swords, and adopted a combat stance for the first time .

Ashram looked like nothing more than a small Frisbee in the left hand of the grown Mamani . Swinging her big arms with its bulging muscles, which were obvious even through the yellow fur, she threw Ashram at the woman .

I will attract her attention here!

“Nuooooooooh . ” Mamani charged at the woman with a fearsome muscle strength while roaring .

Her big feet left deep footsteps behind in the wasteland’s ground . She was as fast Shuuya when he covered his leg with the Magic Combat Style, or even slightly faster .

The woman repelled Ashram with her black nail swords .

At that moment the wind-clad, right fist of Mamani, who had closed the distance with a speed like a meteor, directly hit the area from the woman’s face to her torso as she had moved her black nail swords to intercept Ashram .

“Gueeh――” The woman was blown away with her right body half having caved in with a fist mark remaining .

It was a lethal, full-power blow, exceeding any tiger beastman and the techniques of the Tiger Fist Style .

As expected, even a monster woman…what!? Mamani was shocked .

Her reaction was owed to the bloody woman, who had been blown away, having shot her black nails, which had instantly transformed into something like spiderwebs, towards the ground from a crooked posture in midair, stopping her flight by floating in the air .

“…That friggin’ hurttt . ” While speaking with a silly voice, she pointed her face upwards to throw her bloodstained, drooping hair to the back while glaring down at Mamani from the sky with her eyes that had changed from their blue color to a crimson one .

It applied a peculiar, psychological pressure to the combat slaves .

Half of her face had caved in with a mark of the fist’s top part, but once that area squirmed as if worms were moving beneath her skin, her face returned to its previous, well-shaped form .

“――Die . ” Alongside those words that were filled with a thick killing intent, the black nails that had been stabbing the ground attacked Mamani .

Mamani pulled the black chain to retrieve Ashram while swiftly retreating, but she was showered by slashing attacks of the black nails .

“――Guuh . ”

Ashram, which she had been retrieving, fell to the ground on the way . Mamani had blocked her body with both arms, but half of her arms were cut apart by the slashes that seemed to tear through the air . Blood spurts audibly gushed out .

“Mamani!” Souther swiftly threw a potion at Mamani .

The wounds closed up, but Mamani, who had lost a lot of blood, heaved heavily while twisting her face in annoyance, glaring hatefully at the monster woman .

As if delighted by being looked at like that, the woman stared at Mamani, focusing only on her who was a formidable opponent .

Alright, she’s only looking at me now . I will leave the rest to Bia . It’s not time for my final trump card, the “yellow whiskers,“ thought Mamani while touching the wriggling whiskers with one hand .

She reverted her big, special body with its heavy burden on her body back to its previous appearance, that of a normal tiger beastman, and properly recovered Ashram at her arm .

Yes, her hateful look, and her actions including that behavior were all part of their “strategy . ”

“The transformation is over? Then I will cut y…h-huh?”

The monster woman couldn’t move her black nails . Her field of vision toppled sideways as well . What? The woman was completely confused .

My <Paralyzing Snake Eyes> worked .

――Withdraw .

“Earthworld!” At that moment Fuu’s high-pitched voice resounded, invoking earth magic .

Suddenly a thick earth wall appeared between Mamani’s group and the collapsed, paralyzed woman with a thick thump . At the same time, the combat slaves turned on their heels and started to run through the wasteland .

They kept running with Fuu who had no confidence in her stamina in front, Souther who had a bit of confidence in her stamina in the middle, and Mamani and Bia who were confident in their stamina at the end of the line .

This was also a move to withdraw from danger in advance, and it included a tactic for one of them becoming a “rearguard” in the order of Mamani, Bia, and Souther .

However, the girls kept running with frantic expressions without using that tactic .

The girls, who had been admired by their master Shuuya for their abilities as combat slaves before, didn’t have an average stamina .

In the end they managed to return to the safety zone, where other adventurers were hunting and camping, and stopped running there .

“…What about that monster?”

“…She’s not behind me . It looks like she gave up on chasing after us . ” Bia said while slithering her tongue and looking in the direction they came from .

Fuu fell on her knees, gasping so heavily that she couldn’t talk .

“…Haa haa, I don’t think she will attack us here, seeing as there are other adventurers present as well . ” The small Souther said, but she was still clasping her water twin swords in her hands .

Captain Mamani nodded . The two hills on her chest were swaying, but they didn’t stand out too much since they were covered by her yellow fur .

And while looking gravely with her tiger eyes, she said, “…That monster woman seems to be the concealment type . It’s unlikely for her to chase after us flashily . But, since she appears to possess an ability allowing her to freely change her appearance, we can’t let our guards down towards unremarkable adventurers from now on…”

“Uh huh . She easily cut apart my iron spear thrown with <Throwing> with her black nails . Her mana is in a different league as well . For an instant she had released an amount of mana equal to that of master . ” Bia said .

“It’s necessary to inform master . I’m still uneasy, so let’s return home through the crystal in a hurry . ”

“Yeah…she’s a brazen monster after all . ”

“…In all kinds of aspects . ”

The slaves exchanged a joke and then nodded at each other . Support the translation by reading this at Infinite Novel Translation

“You relaxed people over there, that monster from just now might possess strength at the same level as our precious master, you know?” Bia widened her eyes so much that it looked as if she had activated her paralyzing demonic eyes, and extended her snake tongue with a hissing .

“You think so? She didn’t possess agility at master’s level . ” Souther, who had confidence in her speed, muttered .

The slaves continued chatting even while checking their back . They put their opinions together, saying,

“Let’s get more training in order to deal with monsters,” and “Let’s request mock battles against master himself . ”

As might be expected of high-class combat slaves who had experienced their eighth floor .

◇◇◇◇

After the effect of the demonic eyes ran out, the monster woman fixed her stance and suddenly got up .

“Ahahahaha . ” She abruptly roared in laughter .

Marvelous! I was really done in there . They managed to get away .

However, I have memorized the faces and features of those girls . Especially that mutant…

The monster woman possessing a darkish skin raised the corners of her mouth into a broad grin .

Still, they looked quite beautiful, the beautiful monster thought while extending her hair with her fingers as if combing through her long, silver hair .

But, I wonder, what should I do? Tomorrow I will be able to transform again . Since no one will know about me once I change my appearance and shape, it might also be fine to ignore those girls . Don’t read this on an aggregator site, but at infinitenoveltranslation net, the original TL!

However, their meat, bones, souls, and memories look delicious in “various ways”～

Should I chase after them from the shadows? Ufufu, if I infiltrate a group again and do a sudden harvest festival again, it will surely be fun～

I really want those excellent abilities, too～ If I succeed in absorbing them, they will become my nourishment like the abilities of Purine, Ash, and the others .

I guess I will shift my hunting ground to the surface and try investigating a bit .

But, but, the quality and hunts at this place are quite nice, and the work’s easy too, isn’t it…? I’m troubled～

While the monster woman was thinking such things, she drew small magic crests in the air again, and produced <Demonic Bonefish> .

“You guys～ Long time no see～” The woman casually greeted the fish she had created herself, gently stroking the skeletal frame of a bonefish with her palm .

Once she hopped on top of a bonefish with her butt, which was exposing its healthy skin, turning sideways, the demonic bonefish started to advance through the wastelands while swaying in the air .

For now I will pull myself together and do my best at my normal job, I think .

The woman proceeded through the smoky wastelands, riding the bonefish . On the way, she unconsciously moved her silver hair, creating something like “?” and “!” symbols above her head while harboring monster-like thoughts of Who should become the next harvest festival target? and That tiger beastman looked delicious .

The woman was proceeding through the wasteland, but this was the fifth floor of a labyrinth . A pack of poison flame wolves attacked her without questions asked, but in a flash the wolves were stabbed by her sharp nails, had the tables turned on them, and were now hunted instead .

When she had defeated the monsters, the woman stopped the fish she was riding, and looked above her .

As usual the dark clouds’ eerie light was shining in the sky . What appeared through the light, which shone strongly for an instant, as if weaving his way through the sky was a human-shaped man .

However it was a human shape with no body hair, torn skin, a faded skin color, and allowing one to see his intestines . The face of that corpse moved . A swarm of flies flew out through his mouth when he exhaled, apparently breathing out . When he breathed in…he absorbed the mana from the wasteland’s ground as if sucking up its vitality, causing a wind .

“…Liliza . Did your job go well?” Mah’Ahmud called the monster woman Liliza .

In spite of no life being sensible from his body, a speck-like brick-colored flame swayed deep inside his eye sockets which were missing their eyeballs . Flies that reminded one of hell squirmed inside his crumbled mouth, which bared its teeth ridge…and each time he breathed out, the flies fluttered around his mouth .

“…Corpse Player Mah’Ahmud . Look, it went well . ” Liliza transformed a part of her body, and smiled while showing magic items and a large amount of magic stones she had stored in there to Mah’Ahmud .

Mah’Ahmud tilted his face, peeking into her body and commenting, “――Looks like it . ”

“That’s all for today? I thought you have some information for me, Corpse Player-kun . ” Liliza said .

It could be expected from his appearance, but Mah’Ahmud was a corpse who was good at evil spirit possession and the death magic necromancy which allowed him to manipulate the dead . That’s why he was called Corpse Player-kun by Liliza .

“We were called in for an assembly . ” Mah’Ahmud reported .

“Hee~ The disciples are going to gather as well? So, on what floor of the labyrinth?” Liliza asked .

“The 15th . ” Mah’Ahmud answered .

“Eeeeeeh!? That place…?” Liza looked reluctant after hearing about the floor .

“What is it? Do you hate the New World?” Mah’Ahmud inquired .

“No, don’t worry about it . It’s just something on my side . ” Liliza replied .

“That world is still vast, after all . It’s not like I don’t understand your feelings though…” Mah’Ahmud said .

The faces of the combat slaves crossed Liliza’s mind, and she thought, I suppose absorbing those girls has to wait for a bit .