Konbini Ossan Volume 15 Chapter 3 — The Time for Decision
No one but me could stand against Douki.
That was something I had already anticipated the moment I heard that Douki wielded this so-called power of cursed grudge.
The principles behind the power of curse still had not been deciphered. Even with Otogi Trading’s technological capabilities, it remained an unidentified force.
A completely unknown power, distinct even from magic. I was still the only one capable of wielding it. And there was no prospect whatsoever that anyone else, or some kind of mechanical equipment, would be able to use it in the future.
Even the method by which Metidovan had once wielded the power of cursed grudge had been a miracle-level accident, something that still could not be replicated.
And Douki’s power irrationally consumed both people and objects alike.
As long as the only force currently capable of resisting that effect was my power of curse, then I alone could strike at Douki’s true body, or whatever served as its source.
To put it another way, even Kanehama, who likely possessed the raw strength to fight Douki, should have no resistance to the powers of curse or cursed grudge.
If being swallowed even once meant the end, he was not someone we could rely on.
Looking at it rationally, there was no option other than me stepping forward.
“Even if Otogin can oppose it, if we don’t know how to actually fight it, we can’t just send him into battle, can we? Have you even figured out what exactly Otogin would need to do?”
Shuri-kun directed the question at Metidovan.
It almost sounded as though he were trying to protect me, but Metidovan answered immediately.
“A god interfering with the world should not be something easily done. If it were, then surely countless records would remain of gods born in this world interfering with it.
…
Therefore, either Douki is forcing itself beyond its limits, or it is resisting the process of fully becoming a god, meaning it has not yet completely attained true godhood.”
That was true.
If phenomena like the ones Douki was causing had occurred repeatedly throughout history, records of them would surely exist.
Even Hero Avril had lingering attachments to this world. If interference had been easy, there should have been records of her intervention after becoming a goddess.
Which meant that gods ordinarily could not interfere with this world, or could do so only in extremely limited ways.
Large-scale attacks like Douki’s should have been impossible.
“Therefore, this should be considered Douki’s one weakness. If we impose some form of burden upon it, we may rob it of the leeway required to interfere with this world.
…
We might forcibly drive it fully into the world of gods, or attack it while it is weakened from overexertion. In any case, there should be an opening to exploit.”
“And that’s why Otogin has to fight? Honestly, that sounds more like wishful thinking than something worth serious consideration.”
Shuri-kun dismissed the idea outright, but Metidovan pushed back.
“Yet no other method can deal with Douki at all. That dark region at the bottom of the Mediterranean, endlessly producing Douki... we already know that none of our existing means can interfere with it.
…
If Otogi-sama’s power of curse does not produce some kind of effect, then all we can do is wait for the day Douki tramples us.”
Metidovan’s argument was reasonable.
There was no certainty that my involvement would matter.
But we already knew that anyone other than me would accomplish nothing.
Even if it was simply the truth, the atmosphere grew heavy.
To break through it, I spoke.
“I understand. I’ll go.”
Everyone’s attention turned to me.
“If I do not act here, many people will be sacrificed. My precious comrades, even my family, will be placed in danger. If someone must fight Douki, then it has to be me.”
Yes.
Even if this battle caused me to attain godhood.
That would still be far better than allowing this world to be trampled by Douki, only to eventually lose my family as well.
Perhaps everyone understood the resolve I had reached without me needing to say it aloud.
No one objected.
“I am sorry, Otogi-sama.”
The apology from Metidovan, the very one who had proposed this, echoed through the room with a mournful weight.
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E/N:
As much as I'm hating on Metidovan, he is telling the truth… We don't know what will happen in the future, fingers crossed!
Stay tuned!
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